Inside Line F1 Podcast - Vettel or Leclerc: Who Would You Pick For Ferrari?

Charles Leclerc or Sebastian Vettel, who should Ferrari pick as its 'number 1' driver? We discuss our choices in this week's episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, what would be yours? Tell us!

Also in this episode, we wonder if Ferrari would benefit politically and financially by not renewing Vettel's contract at the end of 2020. Should that happen, would Vettel be Red Bull Racing bound - after all, Max Verstappen could choose McLaren-Mercedes if Red Bull-Honda doesn't deliver to its promises. Lots of speculations, but also, a lot of possibilities.

Finally, Formula 1 is coordinating (or scheming?) to ensure positive communication around the attempted qualifying races in 2020. We can't fathom why they are hell bent on taking our joys away from the watching a Formula 1 car being driven on the limit! And of course, there's the What Wolff Said This Week section for your listening pleasure. Tune in!

(Season 2019, Episode 37)
Subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes, audioBoom (RSS feed), Spotify and Google Podcasts for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour

Other points discussed:
1. Alexander Albon on pole position for a Red Bull Racing drive in 2020 - do you care? Because Max Verstappen doesn't
2. Is Jacques Villeneuve really in a place to talk about 'karma'?
3. Daniil Kvyat loses out for being a good boy with the FIA
4. Why 2019 form factor could matter in 2020
5. Silly of McLaren not to even bother trying to get Ferrari power for its cars 

Inside Line F1 Podcast - In F1, Ferrari = Google, Mercedes = Apple

The Ferrari vs Mercedes battle in the current Formula 1 season is like the Google vs Apple battle in the world of smartphones. There's little doubt why Mercedes have managed to come out on top for two consecutive seasons. Tune in to hear more on this analogy.

Also in this week's episode, we have Lucien's 'Moments in Time' section where we remind our viewers that there is more to our Russian Grand Prix memories than Daniil Kvyat's torpedo moment. Will Daniel Ricciardo's haste with Renault turn into waste? Is it cheaper to pay for a young driver's seat elsewhere than run a third car altogether? And have we seen the first signs of a crack in the otherwise strong relationship between Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari? Tune in!

A summary of this episode and what is discussed when:

00:00-3:00 - Hello & Welcome! :D

03:00-05:00 - Why Ferrari is like Google and why Mercedes is like Apple…

05:00-09:00 - Will we have a USA vs. Russia in Formula 1 too? Or will it be a USA vs. China? And how is it that Mr. Putin isn’t doing a demo run in a Formula 1 car to promote the upcoming Russian Grand Prix?

09:00-11:00 - RIC-Renault, let’s hope haste doesn’t make waste

11:00-13:00 - VET, VER, LEC and GRO on sports psychologists.

13:00-16:00 - BOT’s ambitions & aspirations, can he win a race before the end of this season? OCO-KUB pairing at Williams? VAN to Formula E?

16:00-18:00 - ‘What Wolff Said This Week’ section!

18:00-21:00 - Moments in Time with Lucien

21:00-23:00 - A first visible crack in the VET-Ferrari relationship?

23:00-25:00 - VER-RBR talking like McLaren-ALO did in 2017? Did RBR talk to ALO behind VER’s back for RIC’s seat in 2019?


(Season 2018, Episode 33)

Subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes and on audioBoom (RSS feed) for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour

My Top 10 F1 Drivers of 2017: The Rest…

Here are my views on those F1 drivers from 2017 who didn't make my top 10 ranking from a few days ago, which can be read here.

Photo: Octane Photography

The most conspicuous absence from the top ten is Kimi Raikkonen, for whom things somehow never quite came together in 2017. Frequently he looked to have pace but it tended to fall away at crucial moments, not least in the final throes of qualifying including just about every time after the summer break. In many race results too you'd look at the chasm-like gap between the Ferraris and wonder how exactly it came to that. Still pole in Monaco is a feather in the cap and with more benign team strategy he would have won twice. Also in mitigation some of Kimi's race strategies stretched credulity. Once again Sebastian Vettel couldn't live with him through Silverstone's sweeps. But even so it seems the main reason Ferrari keeps him on is that he doesn't offend Seb. On any count.

Going through the rest in the final drivers' table order brings us first to Felipe Massa, who got an unlikely second swansong this year. He started and ended the season superbly, while between times he tended to be solid. Fairly or otherwise the sense persisted though that he remained a few tenths off the ultimate pace; at the very least with a team mate struggling so obviously it was hard to judge the popular Brazilian. In the end he jumped (again) from F1 before Williams – still dithering – could push him, and as intimated he at least went out on a high.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - The Daniil Kvyat-Max Verstappen Equation For 2018

You already know the equation between Max Verstappen and Daniil Kvyat. Each time Kvyat has lost out, Verstappen has won that very race. But for 2018, there's a chance that Kvyat will lose out on an entire season, in which case, will the same Kvyat-stat work to crown Max Verstappen the 2018 Formula 1 World Champion? Dreamy stuff!

Btw, we're proud to announce our association with Johnnie Walker's 'never drink and drive' campaign - #JoinThePact. Mika Hakkinen will be in India to promote this social cause and as a part of our association, we will have opportunities to generate exclusive content with the Flying Finn! Remember to tune in to our podcast over the next few days to hear Mika speak on some really interesting topics about his career, the 2017 F1 season and about his Finnish compatriots - Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen.

Also, we're supporting #JoinThePact and we will 'walk our talk' and sign-up ourselves when we meet Mika in person in India. Here's your chance to sign-up too.

In this week's episode, we praise Liberty Media's efforts to grow the sport of Formula 1, while debating if Bernie Ecclestone did actually help Ferrari! Will the Formula 1 - Netflix deal led the sport to a new viewer market? And given how Formula 1, the teams and drivers have taken to social media, should we announce a Formula 1 Social Media Championship?

Lastly, since we started with Daniil Kvyat - the man who has been orphaned by the Red Bull Racing camp, we will end the podcast with him too (he definitely needs some love!). Can he do a Nico Hulkenberg, join Force India as a reserve driver for 2018 and make a comeback in a race seat in 2019? If he does so, Force India will have to make space on their pink cars for the new Russian sponsors.

Subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes and audioBoom for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour.

Tune in!

(Season 2017, Episode 35)

US GP Report - Familiarisation session

It seemed terribly familiar. That's because it was.

Lewis Hamilton further cemented his
latest title with a crushing win
Photo: Octane Photography

Lewis Hamilton took his fifth Austin win from six in this US Grand Prix; his sixth US win from seven. And his sixth win from the last eight rounds anywhere.

Thus his fourth world title is further cemented. Short of Sebastian Vettel outscoring him by 17 that will be confirmed next week in Mexico. That particular one was inevitable anyway, and it feels now like we're going through the motions before the inevitable is confirmed. But no one is going through the motions as impressively as Lewis.

It threatened, briefly, to get interesting over first place in this one, as Vettel's Ferrari from second had much the better start and took the lead from poleman Lewis, elbowing ahead on the inside of turn one. But, as noted, it was fleeting. On lap six Lewis with cruel ease got by to lead, on the long straight.

Austin Qualifying - Making it more inevitable

If this year's title destination seemed inevitable, the Austin weekend thus far has done little to alter that status.

Lewis Hamilton made his fourth world
title even more inevitable with pole
Photo: Octane Photography

Yes one does not get rich backing against Lewis Hamilton at Austin's Circuit of the Americas. But even so the extent of his advantage stunned, not least as Mercedes on pure pace this time looked ahead too.

And Lewis, as if leaving nothing to chance on any front, has topped every Austin session. Including in qualifying.

He cruised to pole with minimal rancour, his first effort in Q3 - even with a derate - good enough by a way.

"He's moved onto a different plane since the summer," noted an observing Pat Symonds.

Austin Preview: Taking care of business

Unfinished business. The itch it couldn't scratch. Call it what you will, it applied to America for much of F1's history.

F1 has at last found a good home in the US - at Austin
Photo: Octane Photography

The world's largest economy, sports mad and likely unparalleled in its attachment to the automobile; add that F1 purports to have a world championship. Yet somehow for years it didn't amount to pitching a tent Stateside that wouldn't fall down upon contact with the slightest gust of wind.

Demonstrating as much there have been no fewer than ten US F1 hosts (no other country gets close). Contrary to some presumptions F1 did previously get it right in the States, with well-established and popular rounds at Watkins Glen and Long Beach. Both were lost in the early 1980s.

Of the other attempts, some of them have been cringe-worthy; for stretches there was no US round at all. In advance of the latest go in Austin a few expected more of the same.

Yet when everyone arrived for the first time in 2012 the doom-mongers simply could not have been more wrong.

Hungarian GP Betting Preview - Hedge with Hamilton at his happy hunting ground

Just as a week is a long time in politics, an hour and a half on a Sunday is a long time in F1. And how the dark clouds parted therein for Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone. After a dominant win, allied to late tyre failures for Ferrari, it all looks good for him. He's but a point off the drivers' table top and suddenly it's conspicuous that Ferrari hasn't out-paced Mercedes since Monaco in May.

Hungary is the happiest of hunting ground for Hamilton
Photo: Octane Photography

And even better for Lewis this round coming is at the Hungaroring. It's long been his happy hunting ground; he's won here five times and adores the go kart track challenges. The 23/17 available for him to win looks well worth your wager.

It might get even better for Lewis as pole position will mean he equals Michael Schumacher's all-time record for F1 poles, and even at odds on - 11/13 - it may still be where the smart money is this time.

You also can get 5/4 for a Lewis fastest lap - and he's got six fastest laps from 10 rounds this year, as well as three from the last four.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Ricciardo: The Only Happy Red Bull Driver

What does Max Verstappen need to do to finish a race this season? His dismal luck reminds us of Michael Schumacher's 2000 title campaign! Either way, it is time Verstappen goes woo-ing his Lady Luck, again. Maybe, Red Bull Racing needs to rename the RB13 to get rid of the bad luck!

In the Red Bull Racing ecosystem, Daniel Ricciardo seems to be the only driver 'happy'. Carlos Sainz Jr. had a public spat regarding his future; given Red Bull Racing's attitude, he should be glad it wasn't a public slap. As for Daniil Kvyat, he was let off leniently by the FIA for his 'torpedo' move, but will Red Bull Racing let him off as lightly?

In this week's episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Mithila and Kunal wonder how and why are people expecting Valtteri Bottas to be the third title contender for the season. Has he done enough to warrant a contract extension with Mercedes? Similarly, Fernando Alonso is in high demand. Maybe he should approach a multi-team contract option for 2018. You'll have to tune-in to understand this crazy idea of ours better.

Finally, McLaren have suggested that Formula 1 should purchase Silverstone. Given McLaren's recent Formula 1 decisions, we'd advise Carey & Team to just ignore that suggestion. Tune in!

Subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes and audioBoom for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour.

(Season 2017, Episode 26)

Red Bull Ring Qualifying - Hamlet with the Prince

It looked like qualifying would be Hamlet without the Prince. But we had a Prince, just not the one anticipated. The pretender stepped up.

Valtteri Bottas, it turned out, was the prince of qualifying
Photo: Octane Photography

Yesterday around Austria's Red Bull Ring Lewis Hamilton looked on a plateau. Easily quickest in all circumstances it seemed. Enjoying a Mercedes that seems now shorn of its diva leanings; happy on all tyre compounds.

Yet after the day's running we found out it was not quite as it seemed, as gearbox damage from Baku (no, not due to that) meant that wherever Lewis 'qualified' in Austria he'd add five to the number.

Thus the qualifying hour became a lot about his team mate Valtteri Bottas. The onus was on him to tape up pole instead, not only for himself but to help his colleague.

He did his bit. Lewis didn't. In the first goes of quali's final part the Finn posted a decent 1m 04.251 to top the charts, though his lap was by no means perfect (he did get a nice tow from a Force India however and aced the second part of the lap). Lewis after a scrappy run posted a 1m 04.424. Worse it allowed the perennial Sebastian Vettel to sneak between them.

Monaco GP Report - Making it work

In F1 even fairy tales tend to be stalked by a wicked witch. There scarcely was a dry eye in the house as Kimi Raikkonen bagged his first pole position in nine years yesterday, and here in Monaco, the most important pole of the year. Yet there was an inevitable accompaniment.

Sebastian Vettel triumphed in the Monaco Grand Prix,
and extends his title lead
Photo: Octane Photography

'Will Ferrari issue a team order in the race?' Or rather 'when will Ferrari issue a team order in the race?' After all from the championship side for the Scuderia it's all about Sebastian Vettel, who lined up alongside the Finn on the grid. The consensus remains that Mercedes will improve. And titles have been lost by far less than the seven-point difference.

As it was the red team did something between issuing an order and not. It gave Seb an opportunity. And he seized it magnificently.

Kimi led Seb off the line, and for the opening stint it was nip and tuck between the two imperious red machines. Kimi quickly established a lead of two seconds or so, but Seb then periodically took bites out of it. Later, particularly as they hit traffic, he got it to under a second.

Monaco Qualifying - The boy is back in town

"This is Monaco, mate," said Esteban Ocon's engineer to his young charge in morning practice, explaining away one of the place's many peculiarities. And at the same time all the other ones.

Kimi Raikkonen stunned by taking his
first pole position in nearly nine years
Photo: Octane Photography

For more reasons than mere prestige Monaco's is the most important qualifying session of the year. It also is the most challenging. And unpredictable. It's not just due to the casino that the Principality is associated with games of chance.

And the pole man we got this time is none other than Kimi Raikkonen. As you'll now be familiar it's his first pole since the French Grand Prix of 2008. Or 129 Grands Prix ago if you prefer. You'll also be familiar that in the common consciousness he's for a while been the other Ferrari pilot.

Following the practice sessions things appeared to be crystallising. It looked Ferrari's and particularly Sebastian Vettel's to lose, the German chucking out times clear tenths quicker than the rest, seemingly at will. Mercedes was neither as quick as the red car nor as good on the rubber.

Barcelona Qualifying - Acting in unison

Just how often does this happen? We come to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix with the air rich of talk of technical transformation; 'B spec' cars even in some cases. And in the end? We end up pretty much where we were. Everyone improves but improves almost in unison.

In a familiar theme, Lewis Hamilton had the
 qualifying edge and took pole
Photo: Octane Photography

It happened again this time. In yesterday's practice at the Montmelo track it looked like normality was going to be restored. The normality as established in recent years that is, of Mercedes dominating.

The sleek new silver machine looked well clear of all others - 'new' being the operative word. "Bloody hell. It's all new. All of it. That's incredible," noted one reserve driver to Will Buxton of the revised W08 on show, far from alone in the view.

But come practice running this morning it was fairly clear that Ferrari wasn't going anywhere after all. And in the acid test of qualifying it was another normality, the one that we've got used to in 2017, that prevailed. Mercedes and Ferrari with almost nothing between them, and Lewis Hamilton having the edge on a Saturday at least. He took his third pole position from five this season. Sochi it appears was indeed one of his outliers.

F1 2017 Season Preview: Toro Rosso - In good company

The new Toro Rosso for this year turned plenty of heads, and not merely because of the rather nifty new colour scheme based on Red Bull's cola brand. Its Mercedes resemblance was clear, in general shape and in its intricacies that were right from the sort that the far better resourced Brackley squad came up with. There were many direct similarities, such as the front suspension raised for aero benefit. Craig Scarborough called the STR12 "an absolute jewel of a car".

Photo: Octane Photography

"On the one hand we were sort of pleased to see someone else has done a similar thing," said the Faenza team's highly-rated technical head James Key of the similarities to the Mercedes W08, "but on the other we were disappointed that we weren't the only team to think of something." Still, if any other team's going to be up on your level then right now you'd pick Merc...

It shouldn't shock us too much either. Toro Rosso under Key's direction has been producing aerodynamically-fine chassis for a number of years now (albeit ones let down on occasion in other areas such as reliability and preparation). It produced a fine chassis last season too, to the point that some speculated about podium finishes in the early rounds. But the downside of having a year-old Ferrari engine (due to being left high and dry - and late - by its big brother team's spat with Renault) was foreseeable and foreseen. Not only was accepting the engine at such a late moment of the chassis's development problematic, the unit also stood still as the season progressed while all others around it improved.

This year it's nipped that one in the bud by returning to Renault, and Key recognises that the French concern has "turned a huge corner" on performance.

However the opening test was underwhelming for Toro Rosso, with some reliability problems meaning the STR12 clocked the lowest mileage of all (yep, lower even than McLaren) and it was lowest in the lap time ranking too. Its earlier filming day also was halted early by a Renault problem. But the sense of the car's latent promise lived on - "it looks good, it looks fast" opined team principal Franz Tost. It all meant Key described the opening gathering as "encouraging but frustrating".

The second test was perhaps tilted a bit more towards encouraging - Carlos Sainz set third fastest time on the final day while the car got more than double the mileage of the opening test - but the team still was frustrated by (usually Renault) problems curtailing running. Key admitted that with it all the car's not quite yet in its set-up window.

Still no one doubts the machine's potential; that even in the here and now it's in the thick of the midfield mix and perhaps could be near or at the front of it once all niggles are fixed. Tost said at the launch that he's "optimistic that Toro Rosso will be in the front part of this midfield" and that a best-ever fifth place in the constructors' championship is the target. Given everything that looks an achievable aim.

Daniil Kvyat - Car #26

Photo: Octane Photography

The Red Bull collective clearly sees something in Daniil Kvyat, given it skipped on its own notorious ruthless ways to retain his services for this season. Moreover such was a lot of his 2016 campaign that even a team boss from the extreme benevolent wing of F1 decision-making would have struggled to make a case to keep him on.

His season was for a time like one of those scenes of carnage that you felt you shouldn't look at but somehow couldn't quite avert your eyes from. He was dumped unceremoniously by the Red Bull big team after just four rounds to make way for the prodigious Max Verstappen (aided by Kvyat getting nowhere near Daniel Ricciardo on pace), and back at Toro Rosso the Russian appeared to be unravelling further. After Germany's qualifying he was so bewildered indeed that we feared genuinely for his well-being.

But the turning point was only a day away as he put in a much improved race performance in Hockenheim, and followed that up with a decent if not necessarily spectacular latter part of the season. And somehow it ended as an unlikely tale of salvation as outlined, even though the latest off the Red Bull conveyor belt Pierre Gasly was on the way to bagging the GP2 crown. On a certain level we can understand the decision to stick with Kvyat, as when he's good he's very good. But this perhaps is the crux - apparently Kvyat's is an ultra-aggressive style that requires everything underneath him to be just so to get the best out of it. Yet how often is everything just so? Entering year four of his F1 existence he needs to somehow find an ability to string together his highs with far greater regularity.

Carlos Sainz - Car #55

Photo: Octane Photography

One of things to be glad of about the last F1 season is that in it Carlos Sainz stepped out of Max Verstappen's shadow to get his own proper due. Some in the Toro Rosso team reckoned Sainz only really stepped up once Verstappen had left the team early that campaign. But that on the face of it seems harsh as for the year-and-a-bit they were paired there rarely was much if anything to choose between Sainz and the epoch-making Dutchman. Perhaps too it reflects that it was only as Max won ever more friends in a front-running drive that Sainz's ability - by way of comparison - was brought into its proper focus.

He scored on ten occasions in 2016 and made Q3 nine times, the latter showing there's nothing wrong with his raw pace. In many rounds he finished several places higher than he started; usually these were places higher than his car deserved. He likely would have got a podium appearance - only the team's second ever - in Monaco but for a botched pit stop. In Brazil he showed not for the first time that he's superb in the wet. He also in many rounds demonstrated Alonso-like on-track feistiness. Mistakes were few. All was achieved too in a car sliding inevitably from the pace as the season went on. Sainz, in keeping with his character, simply shrugged and reckoned the adversity made him a better pilot.

His lucid and sober ways ensure that he is one who seeks always to improve. Some even ended the year thinking him a champion of the future, and clearly Red Bull agrees there's something special that it needs to clutch tight, given the firm way it rebuffed various potential suitors of Sainz's last summer and kept him on at Toro Rosso for a third year. Certainly teams capable of winning championships - and not just Red Bull - could do infinitely worse than give him a drive.

My Top Ten Drivers of 2016: The Rest...

Here are my views on those F1 drivers from 2016 who didn't make my top 10 ranking that I published a few days ago.

My top 10 drivers of 2016 can be read here.

Nico Hulkenberg
Photo: Octane Photography

As noted Nico Hulkenberg came close to sneaking into the top ten, and would have waltzed in had it been based only on the second half of the year. During the first part he in most rounds looked a shadow – possibly the accumulation of various frustrations from over the years rather weighing him down. And some reckoned in a similar sense that his Renault switch being confirmed for 2017 – a long overdue break – resulted in the Hulk finding his urge of old. But in fact his upturn could be traced to before that, to his home round in Germany before the summer holidays. From then on his drives were almost invariably excellent. We've long known about Hulkenberg’s tremendous raw speed but also that he's been unable or unwilling (or both) to adapt to the gentle touch the modern Pirelli requires, and some said that this campaign he'd finally started to learn from his team mate on how to get the best out of the rubber. And with his works move mentioned and that reportedly next year's tyres will be able to be leant on more, things may be coming right for him at last. 

Going through the rest in championship order brings us first to Felipe Massa, for whom the 2016 campaign was his F1 swansong. He started it well and got a run of points finishes – with China likely his season's high point on track at least – but over time he floundered somewhat and the deficit in qualifying and the races to his Williams team mate Valtteri Bottas often gaped. For all of the affection that his departure was greeted with, you'll struggle to find anyone who doesn't think he timed his retirement well.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Pokemon GO Monsters At Formula 1 Races?

With Jenson Button's help we've cracked the perfect idea to bring younger audiences to F1 races – install Pokemon Go monsters at every Grand Prix! Maybe they're already working on this and decided to live test in Singapore on the perfect target audience, Max Verstappen. Yes, we are referring to the 'Godzilla' on track. Although, this novel idea of ours may lead to more jaywalkers on track - like the marshal in Singapore (but seriously, shouldn't the FIA be penalised for this incident?)! After encountering the Hulk at the start of the race on Sunday, young Verstappen did have the perfect teenager of a weekend.

Nico Rosberg won in Singapore, but the race went down to the wire. In an attempt to bring Lewis Hamilton back on the podium, did Mercedes jeopardise Rosberg's win? What if the situations were reversed? There'd be carnage!

It was also Rosberg's 200th Formula One start – and another driver's 300th, tune in to find out who. As the Drivers' Championship battle continues, we're not taking sides yet - 6 races or nearly 1/3rd of the season yet remaining. But Ferrari, what were they thinking? Or were they thinking at all? After being butted off the podium, maybe Kimi Raikkonen tipped the Singapore cops about Maurizio Arrivabene's cigarette butt, we think.

Ferrari praised Raikkonen's race as a 'World Champion' effort, but they didn't act like a World Champion team. We'd not blame them though; it's been nearly a decade since their last crown. While we missed Raikkonen's uncomfortable waving on the podium and the mumbling, the Iceman did get some overtaking practice in Singapore along with some opportunity for to play his radio classics.

We thank Red Bull Racing for allowing us to enjoy the Max Verstappen vs. Daniil Kvyat battle on-track without issuing team orders. Although, we were almost certain to hear back a 'NO' had they instructed Kvyat to move over. In some ways, did this 'personal' battle help Kvyat get some closure on the unceremonious demotion? Let's hope so. And of course, thank you to Red Bull Racing for livening up the last 14 laps of the race with a well though of tyre strategy for Daniel Ricciardo, who is increasingly becoming our choice for the 'Driver of the Season' and should've won 'Driver of the Day' in Singapore.

We are impressed by Niki Lauda's humour, top marks for his comeback to Max Verstappen on their ongoing "psychiatrist" banter. A new but expected power struggle seems to be brewing in Formula 1 between Bernie Ecclestone and Chase Carey, which way will things go? Carey's biggest short-term task will be to retain Fernando Alonso after 2017. In the meanwhile, we're happy to enjoy some hilarious jokes at Mr. Chase Carey's expense. Are we the first ones to do so?

NASCAR has named a race 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', will Formula 1 ever get so cool? And if it ever thinks of doing so, let's call the Singapore Grand Prix night race the 'The Dark Night'! Finally, we congratulate Alex Zanardi, a true champion and remember one of our greatest - Keep Fighting Michael! Tune in!

(Season 2016, Episode 30)

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Nico Rosberg Suffering From Major FOMO?

Nico Rosberg has done it again - surprised the hell out of us, that is. He won his first ever race at Monza, right on the heels of his first ever win at Spa. He also won his first Driver of the Day award! Is his FOMO, or 'Fear of Missing Out' driving him? The BIGGER question is, will it culminate into his first ever World Championship victory too?

The Inside Line F1 Podcast turns football analyst as we analyse the friendly match between 'F1 Stars vs. All Stars', held on the pit-straight in Monza. Fernando Alonso was the best player (because football does not need an engine), Jolyon Palmer scored an own goal (no surprises) and Max Verstappen was the best defender (did anyone get hurt?!) We wonder whether Daniil Kvyat was demoted to the bench!

Are Lewis Hamilton's starts from pole position jinxed? We talk about manual starts, the one thing making the 2016 season exciting (apart from Max Verstappen). Manual starts are awesome because you have some drivers gaining positions, others losing positions - and some just blaming the clutch!

The podium celebrations at Monza were more fun than the race itself. We loved Rosberg's podium performance (did it give Lewis 'Rockstar' Hamilton a complex?). If Rosberg ever applies to Ferrari, we are sure his Italian speaking skills will be helpful! We also tell you why Rosberg chose to sing that particular song apart from the fact that it is super catchy!

Why was Max Verstappen unusually subdued at Monza? Perhaps we should have a 'chat' with young Max, because everyone seems to want to have a chat with him! Was Daniel Ricciardo's overtaking move on Bottas THE move of the season?

Constructor battles are heating up as Ferrari closed the gap to Red Bull Racing and Williams continued to fight Force India. We give you our predictions on what lies ahead in these battles. How did Bottas's changed helmet help him beat Ricciardo in qualifying?

We have big news from the September 'silly season'. Felipe Massa announced his retirement from Formula 1, who will replace him at Williams? Jenson Button is taking a sabbatical next year, seems McLaren has a hard time letting go of its World Champion drivers. Button is going to spend 2017 doing what all retired drivers do - without calling it a retirement! Next in the line of retirements could be none other than Bernie Ecclestone - buzz has it that F1 is set to change ownership soon. Will that be for the better of the sport?

Tune in!

(Season 2016, Episode 28)

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Max Verstappen Obeyed Team Orders

Max Verstappen vs. Daniel Ricciardo seems more fun than the battle of the Mercedes drivers. Well, it will seem so till Red Bull Racing decide to play favourites. Since the flavour of the season is 'Verstappen', did Nico Rosberg get penalised for pulling a Max Verstappen on Max Verstappen? Well, he learned it the hard way that NO ONE overtakes Max Verstappen! And on that note, we tell you why Verstappen obeying a team order isn't too bad (for him) after all.

Nico Rosberg might need a sports psychologist, but he's got Niki Lauda by his side till he gets one helping him cope with the 62 points swing in his Drivers' Championship battle. The Formula 1 bromance continues over free ice-cream! While Mercedes' pit-stop blunder added to Rosberg's disaster, we wonder if fans would've cried 'controversy' had the same happened to their ever-favourite Lewis Hamilton.

With 'wet starts' being reinstated in Formula 1, Rosberg might not entirely be pleased. On a more serious note, we've seriously got to look at and support Daniil Kvyat. Are we caring too much about his racing career over his mental well being?

Are Sergio Perez and his sponsors being foolish in looking for options outside of Force India? Would Williams or Renault actually be a better bet for him?

After thousand of quotes from the drivers and management, Ferrari admitted their car was just 'slow'! Thank you for being honest.

Williams are publicly pursuing Jenson Button. We talk about the polygamous ways of our sport. Will they have a Button-Massa, Button-Bottas or Button-Perez combination? Well, so long as they keep Jenson Button in the sport.

Bernie Ecclestone's job, now weren't we the first ones to say it had to be an insider's job? Ecclestone's helicopter pilot was of course upset. After all, it is known that the CEO of the sport takes off in his helicopter and leaves the circuit way before the race ends! Imagine going to the races, but not getting to see the action till the end.

Finally, Mick Schumacher. He's enjoying attention from Ferrari and Mercedes at the same time. We can't recollect which other driver has enjoyed attention from these rivals teams publicly.

Tune in!

(Season 2016, Episode 26)

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Kimi Raikkonen Finally Wins Something

Kimi Raikkonen finally won something - the 'Driver of the Day' in the Hungarian Grand Prix. Did Max Verstappen's fans vote for him as a 'thank you' gesture for not overtaking their driver again? And of course, we applaud Lewis Hamilton's perfect race start - one that took him nearly 10 races to master. Not to forget, his 'international hand gesture' to a lesser known Esteban Gutierrez.

Nico Rosberg’s third (or fourth?) consecutive date with the FIA Stewards? Did they pull him up three hours after qualifying because they didn’t have better Saturday night plans? We tell why it is brave of Mercedes and Nico Rosberg to extend their contract by two full seasons. Pascal Wehrlein might not be the only one; the news of their extension has upset a hopeful Pastor Maldonado too.

Max Verstappen vs. Kimi Raikkonen, yet again. Martin Brundle termed Verstappen's defence against Raikkonen as 'junior formulae' like. Then we wonder why watch Formula 1 if 'junior formulae' racing can be this much fun! Also, Formula 1's ticket sales grew 6% in 2015. That's also the year Max Verstappen started racing - just saying!

P7 and applaud for Fernando Alonso's consistency. Are McLaren-Honda the best of the rest really? Anyway, who will have the last laugh - Alonso or Vettel? They've differed in their bets on Ferrari being THE team to beat Mercedes in the near future.

Ferrari's desperation in wanting to win in Formula 1 shows in their approaching Ross Brawn. We'd love to see them reunite and re-work their magic, but it seems highly unlikely. And will Williams sign Red Bull Racing's to-be-fired Daniil Kvyat?

It seems that the FIA tend to get more ridiculous each time we point our their ridiculousness. So its best we leave aside the recent 'radio rules' clarification, much like we did so to the 'elimination based' qualifying format or the double points system.

Our heart goes out to Bernie Ecclestone's family in the wake of the news of his mother-in-law (who is by the way younger than him) being kidnapped in Brazil. We try and wonder who these kidnappers could be - on a lighter note only.

Nico Rosberg and Mercedes' home is the upcoming German Grand Prix. While they will win, will he? We've got the second half of the season ahead of us and all to play for. Game on!

(Season 2016, Episode 25)

British GP Report - Après le déluge, moi

It was just like the French revolution in reverse. No really, stay with me.

There was a lot of regal pomp about Lewis Hamilton's British
Grand Prix weekend. Here he greets his subjects.
Photo: Octane Photography

"Après moi, le déluge" ("After me, the deluge") was said famously by King of France Louis XV, or perhaps by his most famous lover, Madame de Pompadour. Meaning probably that after his reign there would be revolutionary upheaval. On which he or she was proved right, in time.

In today's British Grand Prix we started with something like a deluge, but after that it was all about one person. Which was the same one person as it had all been about in the British Grand Prix gathering prior to the deluge too. Appropriately, Lewis Hamilton's home race and weekend had a lot of regal pomp about it. And his amassed subjects seemed pleased with it too.

Not even the worst of the British summer weather could halt him. And we got just the worst, and at the worst moment. After a couple of days of iffy weather and leaks of precipitation over the Northamptonshire former airfield, and just when the consensus had formed that the rain would in fact stay away for the race after all, around 20 minutes before the start there was a very British cloudburst. It meant that for the off the circuit was thoroughly saturated, to the point that puddles gathered and rivers ran.