1 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,640 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Pit Talk, brought to you by Shannon's. 2 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: On today's episode, Ourdie Team principal Jonathan Wheatley leaves his 3 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: job less than a year after joining and does this 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: switch to Aston Martin. Now on the cards and we 5 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: look ahead to this weekend Japanese Grand Prix. My name's 6 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: Michael Lamonato. It's great to have your company and the 7 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: company of my co hosts. This week he'll be hydrated 8 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: exclusively by canned cold coffee. It's Matt Clayton. 9 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 2: How is that different to any other week, Michael, This 10 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 2: is just like the life of someone covering international motorsport 11 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 2: in Australia for thirty million years. But yeah, cold coffee, 12 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 2: warm coffee, any coffee is good. But I must admit 13 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 2: this is one of those ones that I think I've 14 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: done this Scrand Prix. Other than Australia. This is a 15 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 2: Grand Prix that I've done the most. I think it 16 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: was about eighteen or twenty Japanese Grand Prix. And when 17 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 2: I'm not going like this year, it's yeah, break out 18 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 2: the sand trombone for me because I would love to 19 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 2: be there, of course, but one of the world's great 20 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 2: race tracks and also, I mean, you know what this 21 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 2: is like, It's just one of the great races to attend. 22 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 2: I always say to anyone, if you ever want to 23 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 2: go to an inch National Grand Prix, go to this 24 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 2: one because there's nowhere quite like it. 25 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's absolutely right. Plus a race in the Australian 26 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,639 Speaker 1: time zone if you are going, very convenient flight normally 27 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: get there in one stop only ten hours, which for 28 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: Australia is pretty good as well. So all round one 29 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: of the season highlights. I think the Japanese Grand Prix 30 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: and it's new time slot returned in its new time 31 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: slot at the start of the year as well, which 32 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: means less typhoon risk. So we'll definitely get a race 33 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: on Sunday, he would have thought, which is very exciting 34 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: as well, before we get to the Japanese Grand Prix, 35 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: though we'll talk about that a little bit later on. 36 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: The news of the week is undeniably at What's Audi 37 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: and Aston Martin, isn't it, But let's start without the 38 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: only confirmed news of the week because they've lost their 39 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: team principal, Jonathan Wheatley, who joined only last April and 40 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: it's still March this year, so less than a year ago, 41 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: eleven months ago, he's left with immediate effects. And that 42 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: happened only we're at about twenty four hours. I think 43 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: it was after rumors really began to surface in the 44 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 1: media that he'd been entertaining an offer from Aston Martin. 45 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: Now that seems to be pretty clear that you quit 46 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: one team and then perhaps you go to another. But 47 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: just to finish setting the scene, mat, I want to 48 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: read you some of the statement that Aston Martin subsequently issued. 49 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: I did enjoy that, madd You would obviously be very familiar, yes, 50 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: with what I think we could probably call like actually, 51 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: I think you used this phrase in a mystery earlier 52 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 1: the media release ping pong table tennis preferred form where 53 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: one team will make an announcement and then another team 54 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: will make announcement and the conclusion will happen after that. 55 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: But the Aston Martin announcement had no conclusion in it, 56 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: and I read with the current speculation surrounding Adrian Newey's 57 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: role in our team, I want to take the opportunity 58 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: to set the record straight. This is Laurence Stroll, the 59 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: team owner. There's a little bit of fluff here, but 60 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: I get to the point, which is whether or not 61 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: Adrian Newe will be remaining as team principle. We do 62 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: things differently here, and while we don't currently adopt the 63 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: traditional team principal role that you see elsewhere, it is 64 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 1: by design. And then no news on Adrian Ui is 65 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: staying in the role or not. No news on Jonathan Wheatley, 66 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:18,519 Speaker 1: but he did quite conveniently conclude with we're regularly approached 67 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,799 Speaker 1: by senior executives from other teams who wish to join. 68 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: Aston Martin no comment. So I feel like we can 69 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: see where this one's going, Matt. 70 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 2: We do things differently here that much it might be 71 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 2: an accurate summation of where that team is at right 72 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 2: now and just where that team is generally. But I 73 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 2: did like your emphasis in reading that press release because no, 74 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: that was not in full caps and bold. That was 75 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: just you doing your best impersonation of Lawrence Stroth thumping 76 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 2: the table Gennaro Gatuso style, because that's the way it 77 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 2: would actually take place. Let's be perfectly honest. But where 78 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 2: do we start to unpack this. There's an interesting sliding 79 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 2: doors with Jonathan Wheatley that we should probably touch on, 80 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 2: given that it looked very much like he was going 81 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 2: to be the team principle at Red Ball Racing for 82 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 2: a while. That's sort of sem to be the logical 83 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 2: part that he was on at one point. But this 84 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 2: aston Martin thing. I mean, look, we're heading into Honda's 85 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 2: home race. The results on the track so far this 86 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 2: year have I think even calling them disastrous might be 87 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 2: kind Right now it's baderline embarrassing with what's going on 88 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 2: there and yet more instability and whatso Adrian Newey's tenure 89 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,799 Speaker 2: as team principal. He was there in the role track 90 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 2: side for one Grand Prix, which was Australia, because he 91 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 2: wasn't actually even in China, was he? 92 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: No, he wasn't, despite despite his justification for taking the 93 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: team principal or all last year been And I like 94 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: this was the summary of the justification, albeit the first 95 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: few races, so I may as. 96 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,160 Speaker 2: Well couldn't even tick that box. 97 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly couldnt even tick that box. But how's the 98 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 1: enthusiasm for you? It seems no wonder that Adrian Nui 99 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: could be poised to step down. That is the report 100 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 1: worth emphasizing here. Some people, i think I've got the 101 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: wrong idea here, not step down from the team in 102 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: all capacity correct, just return to the capacity he was 103 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 1: originally signed for, which was to be managing technical partner, 104 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: which essentially is the head of the design team. They 105 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 1: do also have a Chief Technical Officer and I think 106 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 1: a technical director as well, but he manages all of 107 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: them and is a shareholder, which I think is part 108 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: of the reason he's ended up in this position in 109 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 1: the first place. But it has been decided, or it 110 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 1: seems like that it's been decided that's the way it's 111 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:18,679 Speaker 1: going to go. I want to get to the Aston 112 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: Martin side of the equation in just a second. Let's 113 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:22,479 Speaker 1: stick with what we know for certain, which is that 114 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: Audi has no team principal this weekend, or at least 115 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: hasn't announced right at the time of recording. We don't 116 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 1: know if they're going to find one before the Japanese 117 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: Grand Prix. We know that Mati Bonnotto, the former Ferrari 118 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 1: team principle and now the slightly awkwardly titled head of 119 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 1: our DF one project, will be stepping in this team 120 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: principle until they get a real one, or a permanent one, 121 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: I should say, but this feels like it feels like 122 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 1: such a pity for Audy doesn't it. Not just because 123 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: obviously they've lost a key member of staff, but I 124 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: feel like the way they've started this year has been 125 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: pleasantly surprising considering the stories we've heard out of AUDI 126 00:05:57,640 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: for the last couple of years about the way that 127 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 1: project was going. It feels like with Bonotto and with 128 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 1: Jonathan Wheatley in position, the team actually looked pretty competent, 129 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: and now one of the key pillars that appear to 130 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: have helped turn that ship has gone. 131 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 2: The reason it looked competent as I thought that their 132 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 2: skill level and background, and the fact they complimented each 133 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 2: other quite well in that they were working in parallel 134 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 2: rather than getting crossed up in each other's space the 135 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:27,039 Speaker 2: entire time. I think something operationally about Sober slash AUDI 136 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 2: that has got Jonathan Wheatley's fingerprints all over it, Like 137 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 2: you've seen that. You remember when they couldn't do a 138 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 2: pid stop to save their lives at the beginning of 139 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 2: was that twenty four and one of Wheatley's calling cars. 140 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 2: He was obviously at repull racing for basically the entire duration. 141 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 2: And they were always so sharp operationally, weren't they? That 142 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 2: was their difference maker and you could see some signs 143 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,160 Speaker 2: of that going into the way that they operated on 144 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,719 Speaker 2: race data were quite sharp there and it felt like 145 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 2: a good partnerships. So many of these senior level leaders 146 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 2: in these teams, there's always a degree of tolerance sometimes 147 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 2: I think, I think in terms of not wanting to 148 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 2: get in each other space the entire time. But those 149 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 2: two seem to actually have the right combination of skill 150 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 2: sets that work together. Now the reasons why would Jonathan 151 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 2: Wheatley want to leave? I mean, you know you've heard 152 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 2: this and that Switzerland maybe not the easiest place to 153 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 2: relocate to. It's outside of that UK motorsport valley that 154 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: we love to hear about, and sometimes you will hear 155 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 2: about people that go over there work for a short 156 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 2: while and go, oh, maybe this is not for me. 157 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 2: It is a different place to work, kind of complicated, 158 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 2: it's the right word, but it's definitely different. But going 159 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 2: back to where I mentioned Wheatly before, is that when 160 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 2: he joined sauberslash Audi, it felt like the right move 161 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 2: because it felt like the logical progression where he was 162 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 2: probably stopped in terms of when we had the Christian 163 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 2: Horner photo scandal thing at the beginning of twenty twenty four. 164 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 2: That kind of made me think at the time, it's like, oh, 165 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 2: so that Jonathan Wheatley will be the new team principle then, 166 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 2: and that kind of felt like that where the way 167 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 2: that was angling. And so when that did happen and 168 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 2: Horner managed to escape himself from the cauldron for a 169 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 2: short time before he was prompably put back in it again, 170 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 2: it felt like he needed to move to get what 171 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 2: it was that he wanted to do. In Formula one. 172 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 2: He's obviously been around for a really long time, but 173 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 2: it was curious at the time that he went there, 174 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 2: And to me that always feels like when you see 175 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 2: a particularly British senior person in Formula one go to 176 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 2: Sawbo slash Audi, I always sort of have that snagging 177 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 2: feeling like, so, how long is this going to last then, 178 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 2: because it does seem to be a bit of a 179 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 2: trend with guys that go there and maybe don't stay 180 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 2: super long. So I mean, look, it'll come out in 181 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 2: the fullness of time. Wide is that he's leaving. But 182 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 2: sometimes b does come from a, doesn't it. And obviously 183 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,839 Speaker 2: there is a vacancy at Aston Martin that needs to 184 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 2: be filled because there's always a vacancy at that team 185 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 2: that needs to be filled for one reason or another, 186 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 2: and so he just becomes You've probably written this, how 187 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 2: many team principles or heads of that team has there 188 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 2: been in the past five years? It's a team principal 189 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 2: bingo at this point, isn't it. 190 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, So that's the Martin he'll be, presumably is where 191 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 1: he goes and presuming it's this year as well, because 192 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,199 Speaker 1: gardening leave would remain a question even if he does 193 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 1: sign up there, he'll be the fifth at the moment 194 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: less than five years in four and a bit of years, 195 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 1: which is a pretty remarkable qua turnaround. Obviously, Hadred knew 196 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: he's one and a half race tenure. I don't all 197 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: we want to call it yet. I guess it could 198 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 1: theoretically be more if he's got to keep that position 199 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,319 Speaker 1: for a little while longer brings down that average significantly, 200 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,839 Speaker 1: But there were a lot of short runs in the 201 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: team principalship at Aston Martin, which is its own story 202 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:32,560 Speaker 1: just on audio. I think what's interesting here as well 203 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: is just that the question of where the team goes 204 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 1: from here, because as much as I think we've become 205 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: very accustomed to obviously think you have this team with 206 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 1: sowbo for its entire life pretty much, particularly in the 207 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: recent years, and how every move it made was positive, 208 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,559 Speaker 1: Any move that looked solid was a positive move. We're 209 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: now in a position where they've lost a team principle. 210 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: It is a works team now, even if it's still 211 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: competing in the midfield. It has much greater aspirations than 212 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: it has. But there's no obvious person to replace that 213 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,679 Speaker 1: level of profile or even I hesitate to use the 214 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: word a little bit of almost credibility that Jonathan Wheatley had. 215 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: I think part of the reason he was so good 216 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: for that role, for all the reasons you said on 217 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: top of that, was that he was poached from a 218 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 1: major title winning team. He was, in the minds of 219 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 1: many the guy who was going to run RENVL Racing 220 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: when something felled Christian Horner. He wasn't there when the 221 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: thing that eventually felt Christian Horner did. He was a 222 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: high profile team boss, still is a high profile team boss, 223 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 1: but probably for another team. Now, where do they find 224 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 1: someone of a similar caliber, And if they don't, because 225 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: of course, well gardeningly will be a problem for Jonathan Wheatley, 226 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:39,959 Speaker 1: he's attempting to join Acid Martin. It'll be the same 227 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: if they attempt to poach anyone else of a similar 228 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 1: caliber from any other team, if they hire internally, Is 229 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: that enough for a works team to have someone that 230 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: maybe no one's ever really heard of, or someone who 231 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 1: hasn't been proven in that field to lead The. 232 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 2: Point you made there was really valid in terms of 233 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 2: when that signing was announced. There was a bit of 234 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 2: a oh, okay, these guys really are getting seriously, they're 235 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:03,079 Speaker 2: coming as a works team, and they've recruited from upstream. 236 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 2: You know, sometimes you will give someone in a more 237 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 2: junior position from one of the bigger teams a chance 238 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 2: to prove themselves, like, oh, they've gone and got this guy. Okay, 239 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 2: these guys are actually really serious now. And it is 240 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 2: funny because they occupy that same physical space in Switzerland, 241 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 2: there is a tendency, like you were just saying before, 242 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 2: to oh that's nice, that's so, but this isn't that good, 243 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 2: Like anything is seen as being a bit of a 244 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 2: bonus because we look at them as being this. Oh 245 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 2: they're just a small team and they are a team 246 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:28,959 Speaker 2: that's been around for a long while. And so on 247 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 2: and so forth. The stakes are raised now and as 248 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 2: signing like Wheatley at the time seemed to me to 249 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 2: sort of marry with the expectations, like, all right, these 250 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 2: guys are getting serious. They need a heavy hitter from elsewhere. 251 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 2: They've got one. This is step one into them becoming 252 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 2: a really credible big team. And yeah, that's all evaporated 253 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 2: really quickly. And the point that you may just then 254 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 2: is yeah, they might have someone tabbed from another team, 255 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 2: but these things are not the work of a moment. 256 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 2: And you know this whole term of gardeningly which is 257 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 2: a bizarre thing in twenty twenty six, by the way, 258 00:11:57,880 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: who tends to their guard than twenty twenty six, I said, 259 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 2: But it's one of those things that there's no sort 260 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 2: of set period here, is there, Like it's almost like, well, 261 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 2: we just agree to make it this. Whoever that person 262 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 2: is is not going to have a massive impact on 263 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six, and is going to even struggle to 264 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 2: have a major impact on what goes on next year. 265 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 2: So it's got a knock on effect that goes far, 266 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 2: far beyond the short term here. And that's even if 267 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,439 Speaker 2: they employ someone from internal who may not have the 268 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 2: name or the experience that Wheatley does and give them 269 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 2: a chance to prove themselves. I mean, that's a risky 270 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 2: business in itself, isn't it. And so that's a decision 271 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 2: that you might make if you're Salba, But I don't 272 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 2: know if that's the decision that you make if you're Oudy, 273 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:38,079 Speaker 2: because the demands are going to be far greater. 274 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's worth remembering that Jonathan Wheatley was originally meant 275 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: to have six months noncompete, which is gardening leave when 276 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,119 Speaker 1: you left Red Bull Racing. That was shortened by negotiation. 277 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: I guess three months because he joined in April, the 278 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: fourth month of the year, So let's say six months 279 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: for anyone of a similar caliber. You're talking about rocking 280 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: up in November and maybe attending your first race being 281 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 1: what's that Brazil perhaps somewhere around there, which is very late. 282 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: Obviously that you have no impact on this year. You 283 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: miss the chance to have an impact on these again, 284 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,959 Speaker 1: so was obviously already been in existence. But these days 285 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 1: of audi in formula one of setting the tone of 286 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 1: hiring people as well, because there's a team that's still 287 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: hiring a lot of people it's still quite small obviously 288 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: by works team standards, you missed that opportunity, So pretty 289 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 1: big decision for Audi coming up on which direction they 290 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 1: go on, and then a pretty big task of heever's 291 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: going to take it sooner or later depending on who 292 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: they go for. Let's look now at Aston Martin though, 293 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: because this is the at least at the time of 294 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: recording again, the uncertain time, the unertain part of the equation. 295 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:40,079 Speaker 1: I feel like, and this may come back to Biden 296 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: by the time the episode's online, we should be relatively 297 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 1: confident we won't hear about any new team principle this week, 298 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: simply because of the way Lawrence Stroll came out an 299 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: attempt to control the narrative with a statement that would 300 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 1: imply that there's going to be no change to aideh 301 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:57,120 Speaker 1: knew his responsibilities. But then again, this is Aston Martin. 302 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: They do things to quote him in their own way. 303 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 1: But it seems like this whole situation is very interesting 304 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: to me at Matt actually, because there's there was and 305 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:09,280 Speaker 1: I'm sure you thought the same thing at the time 306 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: when Adrian knew he was made team principal, when we 307 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: told he was going to be made Team principal late 308 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: last year and took the job at the start of 309 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: this year. It was a surprise because obviously he's already 310 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: the technical or technical boss there the managing technical partner, 311 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: so it's another job with the team. It's not something 312 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: he's done before. It's not something that he appeared to 313 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: express any interest in having done before, and it would 314 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: seem to be, as he's since admitted the Australian Round, 315 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: for a bit of a distraction from the main job 316 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 1: of making the car fast. It seemed like it was 317 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: always going to be, let's say, interim in nature, and 318 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: yet the team has been consistent that he's the boss 319 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: and we've made him the boss because it gets the 320 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: most out of him. I think the phrase they used 321 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: was unleash his abilities in the best way, and the 322 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 1: team seems to still be of that opinion, despite the 323 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: fact they have had a small window of opportunity to 324 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 1: argue that it was always meant to be interim, but 325 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: instead they've come out and doubled down on the decision making, 326 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: which presumably he's only going to lead to a backflip 327 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: in perhaps a week two weeks. 328 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 2: It was weird at the time because obviously you he's 329 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 2: been around for so long, and he's been so success 330 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 2: successful doing things in a particular lane of expertise, right, 331 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 2: And never, at any time during that tenure in Formula 332 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 2: one did you think, oh, this guy is a team 333 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 2: principal in waiting. Just wait for the opportunity, wait for 334 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 2: the opportunity. And you said before, it's always like one 335 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 2: of those meetings like, well, who wants to go first there? 336 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 2: And never I just looks at the floor. No one's 337 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 2: going to put their hand up, but he's like, oh, yeah, right, 338 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 2: I'll do it. And so at the time, it was 339 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 2: a curious appointment, and it always felt like he was 340 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 2: going to be the guy before the guy whoever that 341 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 2: person happens to be. And you know, no, never can 342 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 2: use the word interim, but they have they've got myriad problems, 343 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 2: we know that. But he is clearly best deployed at 344 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 2: the moment in trying to get a troubled, problematic car 345 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 2: out of off the ground. I mean, they're so far 346 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 2: behind right now, and the dilution of anything that takes 347 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 2: him away from where his primary skill set is, and 348 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 2: he's what he CEV suggests. It's just weird that it's 349 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 2: taken us. It's been short, but it's weird that it's 350 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 2: taken us this long to come to this conclusion, if 351 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 2: you know what I mean. It's just a matter of 352 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 2: finding the right person. So this feels to me like 353 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 2: they could have had this conversation months ago, right, they 354 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 2: could have saved themselves several months when they've got enough 355 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 2: other things on the stove at the moment bubbling away. 356 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 2: The question is, and I'm sure you've written this, and 357 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 2: I know you have written about this data I deliberately 358 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 2: haven't read it because I didn't want to skew my 359 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 2: conversation with you here. But anyone that comes into that role, 360 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 2: but it Jonathan Wheatley or anybody else with a CV 361 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 2: like that. At the end of the day, you're working 362 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 2: with Adrian Neue who has a very very aosyncratic way 363 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 2: of working which has proven to be successful in the past, 364 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 2: and you're also working for Lawrence Stroll. And you know, 365 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 2: we can laugh about this, like imagine being the PR 366 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 2: guy having to write that press release when it came 367 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 2: out last week. But by the same time, by the 368 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 2: same token, is there another environment in formula one that 369 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 2: presents to challengers like that necessarily, so who they attract 370 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 2: in this case, we think we know who that is, 371 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 2: and are they going to be given the free reign 372 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 2: to try and turn this team into a successful entity. 373 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 2: It's a question you have to ask because the track 374 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 2: record so far it doesn't really indicate that there's a 375 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 2: little success for anyone that does that role. 376 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: Is there? Yeah? And it's a little bit confusing because 377 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 1: if we took this from Wheatley's perspective, like let's say, okay, 378 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:26,919 Speaker 1: the push to go back to the UK seems to 379 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 1: have probably been an element. Remarkable that it's such a 380 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 1: big element less than a year into the job. But nonetheless, 381 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 1: but if it has anything to do with the idea 382 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 1: that you know in the setup, like Audi, he works 383 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 1: while they works well together, and there's no report there's 384 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 1: any tension or anything like that with Materi Bonotto, I 385 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: think having a CEO style figure, which is what Banoto 386 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: the role he was ultimately having, which is pretty common 387 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,680 Speaker 1: in F one, but someone who had a technical background 388 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 1: and was clearly capable of being hands on with the 389 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 1: NPO set. If that stifled him in any way, and 390 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: that played any kind of role in pushing him, it 391 00:17:57,280 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: feels like he's taking a step backwards in that front 392 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 1: by going to us Martin because while Adrian knew he 393 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: is perhaps for one of a better phrase back in 394 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: his technical box. Now he's clearly as a shareholder there 395 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: to have maximum influence in as many spheres as he likes. 396 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 1: That's part of the reason why Andy Cowe was moved 397 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: on to the Chief strategic officer because they just couldn't 398 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,679 Speaker 1: get along with the way the team was running. And 399 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: then you have, as you say, you have Lawrence Stroll 400 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 1: who maybe hands on is not exactly the right word, 401 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:26,439 Speaker 1: but clearly wants to be involved in the way the 402 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 1: team is running. He's not a hands off He's not 403 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 1: a step back away from the limelight team owner. He 404 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: wants to be there in his team success. There's some 405 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 1: there's some good there, and there's there's potentially some difficulties 406 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: there if you don't have the right setup. So that 407 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 1: in itself is also interesting. But perhaps it is a 408 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 1: case of him, you know, going into that with his 409 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: eyes open and understanding these remit is going to be limited. 410 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,880 Speaker 1: He's essentially I mean, they already have a chief track 411 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: site officer because it's one of the former team principles Crack, 412 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 1: but he's effectively a bit of a like chief chief 413 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 1: track site officer and steroids almost or something like that. 414 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:02,880 Speaker 1: How he fits into that hierarchy is interesting. I think 415 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,920 Speaker 1: there's also though, thinking about the concept of him going 416 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: there like surface level before you consider the team and 417 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 1: what this team has been through and the number of 418 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 1: highs they've been through. Good appointment, good appointment for all 419 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 1: the same reasons. It was a good appointment at Sauber, 420 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:18,679 Speaker 1: which is now Owdy, But he's the latest in a 421 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 1: long line of people who I think I've also said 422 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:23,159 Speaker 1: seems like a good appointment. Adrian Newick, it was a 423 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: good appointment. Andy Cow's a good appointment. Mike Cracker didn't 424 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: know him very much, but I thought he actually has 425 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: done pretty well. Is a good forward facing figure for 426 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 1: the team, as he was in China where there was 427 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:35,160 Speaker 1: no team principal there. What a good appointments and yet 428 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 1: it's not working. And I couldn't help but think, you know, 429 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,199 Speaker 1: when knew he got the team principal role, it just 430 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: felt so much like all eggs in the new e 431 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,679 Speaker 1: basket for success, right, like we've got the technical director. 432 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:47,159 Speaker 1: You know what will make him a shareholder as well, 433 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: you know, what will make him the team principal as well? 434 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: Is this, like, how does Wheatley fit into that idea? 435 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 1: Is he really just there to support Adrian Newey? Is 436 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:56,719 Speaker 1: he going to be the guy that they put their 437 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 1: eggs in the basket as well? What does this team 438 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: actually think is going to make it success? Because it 439 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,919 Speaker 1: has more than enough winning pieces, if you like, there's 440 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 1: sort of no other ways to understand why. I know, 441 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: there's the engine problems and we shouldn't judge the team 442 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: immediately based on the performance, but there's no reason obvious 443 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 1: reason why they should be in this position based on 444 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: the personnel they have, Or. 445 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 2: Perhaps there is, because you just mentioned before that the 446 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 2: eggs are in one basket. Who's holding the basket? Maybe 447 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 2: that's the question that we need to answer here, because 448 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 2: you've just gone through a laundry list of you know, 449 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 2: like guess who Formula one two principle types. You know, 450 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:35,440 Speaker 2: for anyone that played that game back in the day 451 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:37,880 Speaker 2: is just name after name after name, all of whom 452 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,920 Speaker 2: are completely competent and have had success elsewhere. And there's 453 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:45,640 Speaker 2: one constant here amid the churn, And you do wonder 454 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 2: what point is there going to be a realization that 455 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,120 Speaker 2: if you keep doing the same thing over and over 456 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 2: and over again, the only guarantee is that nothing's going 457 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 2: to change and you're going to get the same outcome. Right, 458 00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 2: So I do wonder, at what point how many team 459 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 2: principles in do we realize on maybe there needs to 460 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 2: be a change in the way that we're operating it. 461 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:05,800 Speaker 2: What's the magic number is at eight? Is a twelve? 462 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:08,440 Speaker 2: I don't know, But we're going through a whole list 463 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 2: of people here, and we keep coming back to the 464 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 2: same thing. Who's the person holding the basket? And to 465 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 2: my mind, it's a tough one because it's clearly it's 466 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 2: Laurence Stroll's money, it's Laurence Stroll's team, it's Laurence Stroll's 467 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 2: son that's in the second seat in that team, which 468 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 2: is its own podcast, I would think. But you do 469 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 2: wonder if unless something in that part of things changes, 470 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 2: are we just destined to make the same mistakes over 471 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 2: and over again and then in August we'll be doing 472 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 2: It's another emergency Aston Martin Team Principal podcast when they 473 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 2: invite someone else into the position that no one seems 474 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 2: to be able to stay into. But yeah, I do 475 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 2: wonder if sometimes I wonder if we look at these 476 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 2: things from the wrong perspective. But it's easy for me 477 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 2: to say because I don't own the team. 478 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:53,520 Speaker 1: Spoken to no one, none of us are investing any 479 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: big money in Aston Martin. So it is what it 480 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 1: is from that perspective. Just before we move on, I 481 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:02,119 Speaker 1: guess the interesting final part for Aston Martin here is, 482 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 1: I mean, this year already looked like a write off 483 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: immediately really considering me that car is notwithstanding Adrian Nui 484 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: insisting in a somewhat awkward press conference that it was 485 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: a top five chassis and by the end of the 486 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: year would be a race winning chassis if only the 487 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 1: engine is competitive. So think of that what you will, 488 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: and whether or not that's something a team principle was 489 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: best off saying at the start of the year. But 490 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 1: how much more does this just set back the Aston 491 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: Martin project, the idea that if it is Jonathan Wheatley's 492 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 1: going to be running the team, we've got to assume 493 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: he's probably not going to get there before the mid 494 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 1: season break because of the noncompete clause, unless there's negotiation. 495 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: I guess Lawrence stroll could pay out you a lot 496 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 1: of money and maybe that'll make them happy. Who is 497 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:40,840 Speaker 1: to say, but that's a long time to be missing 498 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:43,800 Speaker 1: a key component. Okay, team principle doesn't have to be 499 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 1: the be all and end all anymore, the way that 500 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: Formula One teams are big in the way that they 501 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 1: also already have so many other former team principles there 502 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 1: that could probably pick up the slack between them. But 503 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: it does. Just I think this entire episode, when it 504 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: does eventually conclude with the presumed announcement that Jonathan Watney 505 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 1: is going to go there at some point, just reframe 506 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,719 Speaker 1: that Aston Martin isn't It's not at the beginning of 507 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 1: the Golden era that I thought it would be. But 508 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: he's really back at the building stage. It feels like 509 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 1: a building stage with an uncertain timeline to success. 510 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's space camp, isn't it. I Mean you were 511 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 2: saying before about how far you know, how far back 512 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 2: do you need to go? Is there any further back 513 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 2: than where they are now? Quite frankly, it sounds a 514 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 2: little harsh, Bud. I mean, there's only so far you 515 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 2: can plump it here, right, this is where they are. 516 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 2: We know where they are at the start of this 517 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 2: season so much. I think the disappointing part. I think 518 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 2: if you're them and anyone that was watching this with 519 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 2: an eye like you and I, is that last year, 520 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 2: the whole thing was wait till next year, Wait till 521 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 2: next year, wait till next year. That was just the mantra. 522 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 2: I'm not saying that they just you know, completely through 523 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 2: last year in the bin, but it was always this, 524 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 2: you know, wait until next year, once we've got Honda, 525 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 2: once Adrian gets to do his first car, so on 526 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 2: and so forth. There was so much hope sold on 527 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:58,400 Speaker 2: this year for twenty twenty six, and it was hoped 528 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 2: that it was believable because of the names that were 529 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:02,920 Speaker 2: in the positions that they were. I think that was 530 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:06,160 Speaker 2: where it seemed more realistic and more believable. It was like, Okay, 531 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:09,439 Speaker 2: you can see how this could become pretty potent pretty quickly. 532 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 2: And instead it's gone the absolute opposite direction. And here 533 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 2: we are after two races and the things just completely spiraled. 534 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,640 Speaker 2: And then you look at the teams that are around 535 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 2: the same area of the Constructors Championship that they have 536 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 2: been have all sort of kicked onto various screens. I mean, 537 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 2: you look at someone like Alpine, for example, you wouldn't 538 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 2: have had you wouldn't have been very confident thinking that 539 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 2: Alpine would have got off to a better start to 540 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six than Aston Martin, where we were predicting 541 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 2: the season back in January, and yeah, here we are. 542 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 2: And then you look at the spend and the investment 543 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 2: and the publicity, I mean, racing balls. You can keep 544 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 2: going here, Halsh, We're going to say we can keep 545 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 2: going here. That's no slight on any of those teams 546 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 2: who are doing the absolute best with what they have, 547 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:52,879 Speaker 2: but comparatively for the expectations that we had of Aston 548 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 2: Martin versus those three teams that I just mentioned, it's 549 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 2: not even a conversation, is it. 550 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:58,719 Speaker 1: No. I mean Cadillac you could have put in there 551 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 1: as well. Yeah, yeah, sorry, Battle it's going to end 552 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: up by the end of the year. But maybe that's 553 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:06,640 Speaker 1: a bit more watch this space. Let's move on now. Though. 554 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: To Move of the Week, brought to you by Shannon's 555 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 1: Moto GP was an action at the weekend new circus 556 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:17,160 Speaker 1: in Brazil or a revitalized circuit, perhaps fully revitalized, perhaps not, Matt, 557 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:19,919 Speaker 1: but I suspect that's where you'll be taking us for Move. 558 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 2: Of the Way. Yes, Move of the week anyone that 559 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 2: owns a concrete or Ashvelt company and goyanea, because you're 560 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 2: going to get the phone call. We've got a sinkhole 561 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 2: that needs filling, We've got a track that needs resurfacing. 562 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 2: Is anybody available? I could say so much about what 563 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 2: an absolutely half asked Moto GP race that was. It 564 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 2: was great that we've got a race away, fantastic, very entertaining. 565 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 2: All of the side show and everything else not so much. 566 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 2: Just read Fox sports dot com dot au for more. 567 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:47,200 Speaker 2: I'm not going to tell you the full chapter and 568 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:49,119 Speaker 2: verse here my move of the week. Let's stick to 569 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 2: something good that happened on track. I now, I don't 570 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 2: know whether you've watched the race. I urged you to 571 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,920 Speaker 2: go and find the race. Long fight for the podium 572 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 2: between Mark Marquez and Fabio de jan Antoni, including a 573 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 2: pass that this is when you know that Marquees is 574 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 2: getting back to full fitness again. There was a pass 575 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 2: into surprise surprise, a left hander when he was fighting 576 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 2: with the jan Antonio for third in that race where 577 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 2: you may not have got a credit card between the 578 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 2: two bikes, fully leaned over into a left handed quarter. 579 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:21,640 Speaker 2: It was absolutely it was brutal Marquez. It was right 580 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 2: tiptoeing the line of acceptability. And I love the fact 581 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 2: that the jen Antonio didn't back out, didn't pull up, 582 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:30,680 Speaker 2: didn't gesticulate, He just hung in there and made Mark 583 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,280 Speaker 2: earn it. And it's one of those great examples when 584 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 2: you see the super slow mo that sport does such 585 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 2: a great job with their camera shots, you just marvel 586 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:41,120 Speaker 2: at the skill and bravery of these two guys. I 587 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 2: loved how clean it was, I loved how ferocious it was. 588 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,359 Speaker 2: And as overtaking moves, Marques is not undred percent right 589 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:49,880 Speaker 2: because he's still nursing the shoulder surgery from last year 590 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,679 Speaker 2: and he's not quite been himself yet. But on the 591 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,119 Speaker 2: evidence of that particular pass and my nomination for move 592 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,360 Speaker 2: of the week, it's not far away, that's for I'm 593 00:26:58,359 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 2: sure we're about to head to Kocho and we're not 594 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 2: happen with Mark Marquez now Dakota he wins, So yeah, 595 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,359 Speaker 2: he could be back sooner than later. But that was 596 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 2: my move of the week. Now, limited amount of on 597 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 2: track for you to actually pour into this week, and 598 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 2: I'm not going to steal your move of the week 599 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,640 Speaker 2: like I did last week. I'm hoping you have something 600 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 2: else for me. 601 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 1: Yes, which is very exciting I do. This is a 602 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: little bit, a little bit more inside baseball, I guess, 603 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 1: which was public and for all to see, and I 604 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:27,440 Speaker 1: applaud it. But in the height of this speculation, when 605 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:30,240 Speaker 1: one of the greatest designers of all time is poised 606 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:34,360 Speaker 1: apparently to step down as team principal, and Jonathan Wheatley, 607 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 1: who was going to be next in line for the 608 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 1: Red Bull Racing top job, was at Audy and Audi, 609 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 1: the New Works teams lost their team principal. My move 610 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 1: of the week goes to Mercedes, who, in the height 611 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: of that speculation announced that Bradley Lord will become the 612 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 1: deputy team principal. But Toto will the worst possible timing 613 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,119 Speaker 1: for any team to make such a high profile not 614 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: restructuring modified structure announcement. I remember the phrasing they exactly used. 615 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 1: No change to was readmit to be clear. So really 616 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:04,960 Speaker 1: Bradley Lord is just doing what effectively he seems to 617 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:06,960 Speaker 1: have always been doing, which was representing the team when 618 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 1: total can't be bothered or as somewhere else. Good, good, well, 619 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,359 Speaker 1: well done to him. Congratulations to Bradley Lord to miss 620 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 1: the Lord. But I mean the timing, The timing could 621 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:16,880 Speaker 1: not have been much worse. 622 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's one of those ones that pops into your 623 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 2: inbox and you go, oh yeah, you're still probably sitting 624 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:25,200 Speaker 2: there unread. There's nothing to see here. We've got something, 625 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 2: We've got something else to go on with. So as 626 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 2: much as I had sympathy for the poor person writing 627 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 2: the Lawrets Stroll press release, I have a little bit 628 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:33,399 Speaker 2: of sympathy for the person writing the Bradley Lord press release. 629 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 2: Maybe maybe it was Bradley from the falling up, because 630 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 2: it's it's one of those things that precisely one and 631 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 2: a half people read. 632 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 1: So there you go. 633 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:44,240 Speaker 2: But I do like, I do like the left field 634 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 2: and the fact that this is an announcement of a 635 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 2: non announcement. Nothing will change carry. 636 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: On, yes exactly. Maybe that was the intention. Just berry 637 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 1: it somewhere and no one needs to know any difference. 638 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: Maybe they can get away without paying him, giving a 639 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: bump in pay as a result of this, because no 640 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: one recognized tell Bradley that the move to the deputy 641 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 1: team can bull ship better, not was the head of communication, 642 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 1: so you should no better. Let's move on now, map 643 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:07,959 Speaker 1: to the Japanese Grand Prix before we wrap this one up. 644 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 1: It is this weekend Formula One resumes after a fortnight 645 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 1: off and then hibernates for five weeks, which is a 646 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 1: better favorite. Will you can, is what I'm saying. It's 647 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 1: the last bit of Formula one racing will have in 648 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:21,480 Speaker 1: a little while. This race will I suppose it should 649 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: be unsurprising, but considering the talk of last couple of 650 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: weeks will take place under exactly the same rules for 651 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,120 Speaker 1: the first two races of the season, which some would 652 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:30,680 Speaker 1: say is good for consistency. Max with staffand would say 653 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 1: it's awful because he doesn't like the rules very much. 654 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: But those crunch meetings to potentially tweak the rulebook have 655 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 1: been postponed until, of course, that massive break after the 656 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: Japanese Grand Prix, which I think probably makes sense given 657 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: how long that break is, But it does mean we 658 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 1: can kind of make some predictions about how we expect 659 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 1: this weekend to go in terms of the spectacle, because 660 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: we understand to some extent anyway, how these cars perform 661 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: in this block of three races, with no disrespect to 662 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 1: Albert Bark or to Shanghai. Tzuku's comfortably, in my opinion, 663 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,920 Speaker 1: most iconic of those tracks, the most important of those tracks. 664 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:05,280 Speaker 1: And I think as well, when we're talking about this 665 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 1: a little bit off air despite this being in the 666 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: same categories Shanghai in terms of how hard it is 667 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: on the battery, so we shouldn't be seeing it's an 668 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 1: extreme spectacle for energy regeneration. Remarking sentence, but I think 669 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 1: it has a significant quantity of corners that could be 670 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,360 Speaker 1: quite negatively affected by the way these engines want to 671 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: be driven. 672 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean it's one of the truisms of modern 673 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 2: day Formula one in that you know, you're saying it's 674 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 2: not quite Suzuka is not in the same conversation necessarily 675 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 2: as Albert Park in Shanghai. I think it's not really 676 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 2: in a conversation with pretty much any other Formula one track. 677 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 2: I think it's the best track on the calendar in 678 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 2: terms of pure racetrack. The interesting slash potentially alarming thing 679 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:47,480 Speaker 2: for me is that this is often a fantastic qualifying 680 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 2: and a not so great race for exactly the same reason. 681 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:52,920 Speaker 2: It's an old track. It was built memory serves. I 682 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 2: think it was built in nineteen sixty two. Check Wikipedia 683 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:59,240 Speaker 2: if you don't believe me. And it's very, very narrow. 684 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 2: It's one of the things that's TV. He doesn't really 685 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,240 Speaker 2: do this circuit justice is super super narrow and it's 686 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 2: super one line, which in qualifying is fantastic when everyone's 687 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 2: going full Ban's iron, really going for it, and it 688 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 2: often produces processional races where not a great deal happens, 689 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 2: and we saw that last year when Max Vestappen was 690 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 2: able to clearly hold off too fast McLaren's to win 691 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 2: the Grand Prix there because he nail qualifying, got an 692 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 2: incredible start and they didn't make a mistake for fifty 693 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:26,520 Speaker 2: three laps. So it's often one of the great qualifyings 694 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 2: and one of the well they look great, but I'm 695 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,320 Speaker 2: not so sure there's a fantastic race going on here. 696 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:34,280 Speaker 2: I'm a little concerned about the two words that I 697 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 2: don't like in bodern day Formula one put together super clipping. 698 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 2: Not a big fan of those two words. Qualifying, particularly 699 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:43,239 Speaker 2: through the first sector, could be a bit underwhelming. It's 700 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 2: one of the great sectors of any racetrack in Formula one, 701 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 2: what I'm curious about is that we've seen two pretty 702 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 2: interesting opening stints to the first Grand to Grand Prix 703 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 2: of the year at albert Park and in Shanghai with 704 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 2: the new term yo yo racing as people deploy and 705 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 2: then don't have any battery and so on and so forth. 706 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 2: You could see how those two tracks could lead themselves 707 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:08,959 Speaker 2: to that level of racing. Particularly like the first fifty 708 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 2: or first ten laps I think at albert Park were 709 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 2: pretty manic. We didn't really know we're watching at the time, 710 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:17,040 Speaker 2: but they were entertaining. Nonetheless, now that we know a 711 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 2: little bit more about what we're watching, and because of 712 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 2: that Suzuka circuit layout where passing is difficult even with 713 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:26,440 Speaker 2: the significant speed advantage, what are you anticipating we're going 714 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 2: to see in the race, Because I think we know 715 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 2: what qualifying is going to look like, but I've got 716 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 2: question marks about the race. It might be more entertaining, 717 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 2: but I'm not as confident about that as I was 718 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 2: maybe for Melbourne and for Shanghai. 719 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: I think that's a good call because the risk is 720 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 1: just so much higher running side by side here, regardless 721 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:45,960 Speaker 1: of power differentials, that should see you easily passed even 722 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:48,440 Speaker 1: compared to Melbourne, which is semi street track. Balls are 723 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:53,000 Speaker 1: very close, no time maak runoff pretty much anywhere, there's 724 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:55,720 Speaker 1: still much more risk here. The average speed actually, he's 725 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: the average speed higher compared to New Olper Park. It's 726 00:32:57,560 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: a good question. Average speed certainly feels higher. I can 727 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 1: see during the way that the track is laid out 728 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: and the danger of this circuit. So I think that's 729 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:07,640 Speaker 1: an interesting element that we just might find those sort 730 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:09,959 Speaker 1: of push button passes, if you like, a little bit 731 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,240 Speaker 1: less prevalent to the track like this where drivers have 732 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:15,800 Speaker 1: to think about that risk reward ratio a little bit more. 733 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:20,880 Speaker 1: I also wonder the key breaking zone, the slowest breaking 734 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 1: where there are two really undre There's the hairpin, which 735 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 1: could be very interesting because there's not a massive straight 736 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:27,040 Speaker 1: out of the deckners to get there. That could be 737 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 1: actually quite a good and relatively conventional style overtaking zone. 738 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:33,920 Speaker 1: Then the other being the Chicanne, which comes at the 739 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 1: end of a long strait that includes one thirty r 740 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 1: How will that play out because battery power should be 741 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 1: depleted by then, so do we just get a pure 742 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:44,880 Speaker 1: breaking move? Is it even possible? I think that's what's 743 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:47,200 Speaker 1: one interesting element of these rules, and I guess it 744 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 1: is a little bit of a side show in many respects. 745 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:52,880 Speaker 1: But every track gets raced a little bit differently because 746 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:55,160 Speaker 1: of the weighting tracks with the engine in a way 747 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 1: that wasn't the case with the old rules, where you 748 00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 1: just knew the biggest breaking zone that was pretty much 749 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: the best overtaking opportunity for a few exception. So that's 750 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:04,640 Speaker 1: interesting to me. But I mean, I'm concerned for the 751 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:08,080 Speaker 1: qualifying speculating, as you already said, but the race could be. 752 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:10,200 Speaker 1: You know, we're on a bit of a trajectory here, 753 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:12,440 Speaker 1: or I think we are anyway, because albert Park was 754 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:16,239 Speaker 1: very manic, partly though because yes the track layout, but 755 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:18,000 Speaker 1: no one really knew what they were doing there, right, 756 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:19,920 Speaker 1: Everyone was just having a go racing needs for the 757 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 1: first time to better or worse effect, China felt more controlled, 758 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:27,160 Speaker 1: even though I think we got a longer spectacle, like 759 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 1: the racing continued for pretty much the entire Grand Prix 760 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:31,440 Speaker 1: opposed to just the first ten or so lapse. Not 761 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:35,920 Speaker 1: having the badly time safety co gets helped, But despite 762 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:39,600 Speaker 1: that felt more. There was more breaking zone action, didn't 763 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,360 Speaker 1: feel as random, the bigger the pack maybe less so, 764 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: but certainly like the Ferrari Battle as an example, I 765 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:46,960 Speaker 1: thought was genuinely great, really enjoyed that, and I thought, 766 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:49,160 Speaker 1: I don't think it could be accused of being too artificial. 767 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:53,920 Speaker 1: Maybe considering both Suzuka's layout style for all the things 768 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:55,840 Speaker 1: I've already said, plus the fact this will be the 769 00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:59,759 Speaker 1: third race, so more lessons in the bank, we might 770 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:03,720 Speaker 1: get something that looks much more like a traditionally good 771 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 1: race rather than an unusual or whacky one. That's what 772 00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:09,240 Speaker 1: I'm optimistic for. I don't know if it'll come to pass, 773 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:12,240 Speaker 1: but I think we could see everything kind of level 774 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:13,719 Speaker 1: out a little bit more at a track like this. 775 00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:17,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, i'd agree. Obviously, the more races we have under 776 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:20,520 Speaker 2: this rule set the sheer amount of data and understanding 777 00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 2: about how to go racing, and not just from an 778 00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 2: attacking perspective, as like how do you defend better when 779 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:29,600 Speaker 2: you're potentially a power disadvantage and when do you deploy 780 00:35:29,719 --> 00:35:33,359 Speaker 2: what you have? That's the interesting part for me. And yeah, 781 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:36,040 Speaker 2: because of the layout of this particular track, the part 782 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:37,640 Speaker 2: of the track that I thought you were going to 783 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:40,960 Speaker 2: there incidentally, and I reckon this could be quite interesting 784 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:42,600 Speaker 2: from a bit of a cat and mouse point of 785 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:45,880 Speaker 2: view is the long run out of Spoon up the 786 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:50,800 Speaker 2: hill when you're going towards that final chicne there, because okay, 787 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:52,200 Speaker 2: so right now, do you want to be the car 788 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:53,920 Speaker 2: chasing or do you want to be the car in front? 789 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:56,719 Speaker 2: And if there's a train of cars, particularly early on 790 00:35:56,760 --> 00:36:00,560 Speaker 2: in the race, we might see some fairly or dacious 791 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:03,040 Speaker 2: passes that like one thirty hors just become a kid 792 00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:05,239 Speaker 2: in a straight basically for modern day Formula One, that 793 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:08,560 Speaker 2: used to be a fearsome, fearsome corner. You did not 794 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:12,960 Speaker 2: have small accidents there. But you might see some interesting 795 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:15,520 Speaker 2: tactical plays going up the hill there, and maybe someone 796 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:18,280 Speaker 2: will get a little bit brave going around the outside 797 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:20,200 Speaker 2: Fernando a lot so in two thousand and five style 798 00:36:20,239 --> 00:36:23,480 Speaker 2: around there. I'm actually interested in that particular part of 799 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 2: the track because that's just been very follow the leader 800 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:27,480 Speaker 2: for a while now it might not be with the 801 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 2: way these cars race, so that could be a little 802 00:36:30,239 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 2: something to watch, particularly early when the pack's pretty close. 803 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think so. I think there's still you know, 804 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:37,839 Speaker 1: as the drivers will understand what they've got at their 805 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:41,239 Speaker 1: control better, there's more room for those tactics we were 806 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 1: kind of promised pre season because it feels less like 807 00:36:43,800 --> 00:36:46,240 Speaker 1: everyone's having a go and more. But you know whoever, 808 00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: Let's say Lewis Hamilton understands better how the Ferrari works, 809 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:51,600 Speaker 1: and Max staff and presumably understands better how the red 810 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 1: LL Racing car works, and they have their different strengths 811 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:56,360 Speaker 1: and weaknesses, and it works out in a more interesting 812 00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 1: battle as opposed to just everyone pressing the button whenever 813 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:01,239 Speaker 1: they've got some charge in there and running out immediately. 814 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:04,480 Speaker 1: So I think there's something interesting in that. So I'm 815 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 1: interested to see. I'm curious to see how it's all 816 00:37:06,120 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 1: going to play out. I do one day, and there 817 00:37:07,719 --> 00:37:09,560 Speaker 1: is a little bit of a developing narrative because it 818 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:11,839 Speaker 1: feels like we know for certain now that at least 819 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:13,920 Speaker 1: one Ferrari will be at the front of the queue 820 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:17,240 Speaker 1: on that first lap, presuming they qualify well. Of course, 821 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:20,239 Speaker 1: does a track like this make we're overtaking as harder? 822 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:22,120 Speaker 1: Mean that this is their best opportunity for a win? 823 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:23,759 Speaker 1: You know, I think we've all penciled in races like 824 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 1: Monaco because overtaking even these cars, I think will probably 825 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 1: still be impossible. So as long as they're leading at 826 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 1: their first turn, that's good, and they'll probably even have 827 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:34,760 Speaker 1: a shot at qualifying on pole there considering the strengths 828 00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:37,319 Speaker 1: and weaknesses of their car. But could a track like this, 829 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 1: if overtaking does prove to still be difficult, be the 830 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:43,120 Speaker 1: sort of circle where Ferrari could maybe target a win well. 831 00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:45,040 Speaker 2: And what would be interesting actually is, because of the 832 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:46,920 Speaker 2: nature of this track, as you were just saying there, 833 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 2: if Ferrari can get to the front with perhaps both cars, 834 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:53,359 Speaker 2: how does that play out tactically, Because you know, it 835 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:55,279 Speaker 2: was great that they allowed them to race in China, 836 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:57,279 Speaker 2: and it was thoroughly fantastic. It was also for third 837 00:37:57,280 --> 00:37:59,440 Speaker 2: place for the most part, but it was great they 838 00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:01,600 Speaker 2: allowed them to do it. But at a circuit where 839 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,279 Speaker 2: you know, I'm not suggesting you just have someone play, 840 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 2: you know, someone be this hortise and someone be their 841 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:07,680 Speaker 2: heir here and just go and break the pack up. 842 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:10,520 Speaker 2: Because of the nature of Suzuka, there are very high 843 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:12,680 Speaker 2: probabilities of safety cars because if you're going to go 844 00:38:12,719 --> 00:38:15,600 Speaker 2: off at Suzuki, you're going to hit something. So maybe 845 00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:18,640 Speaker 2: you can't play the race tactically that way. But could 846 00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:22,239 Speaker 2: they work together in order to maximize a circuit layer 847 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:24,920 Speaker 2: that might allow them to get an outlier result that 848 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:29,680 Speaker 2: normal in inverted Coobas the circumstances being the case, you're 849 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:31,680 Speaker 2: probably not going to beat Mercedes on pace right now, 850 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:33,319 Speaker 2: but there's a chance for you to do something here 851 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:35,520 Speaker 2: if you work together, and that's going to be super 852 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:38,600 Speaker 2: interesting for me. If they can make their standard say 853 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:40,879 Speaker 2: standards happen twice, but they can make their standard jack 854 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:42,880 Speaker 2: Rabbit start to races like they have so far in 855 00:38:42,920 --> 00:38:45,440 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six, then there's a I just feel this 856 00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:48,960 Speaker 2: more strategic and more tactical element to this weekend's race 857 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:51,520 Speaker 2: than perhaps we've seen in the first two and that, 858 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:54,399 Speaker 2: combined with that particular track, makes it pretty interesting viewing 859 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:54,640 Speaker 2: for me. 860 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,680 Speaker 1: Yes, I think there is still plenty to learn about 861 00:38:57,719 --> 00:38:59,640 Speaker 1: these rules. I think there's still a lot of uncertainty 862 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:03,040 Speaker 1: about well race to race really, To be honest, I'm 863 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:04,799 Speaker 1: and it makes it exciting. I think the only certain 864 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:06,560 Speaker 1: thing is really, you know, Max with Steffan's not gonna 865 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:08,399 Speaker 1: like it at the end of it, but we'll see 866 00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:11,279 Speaker 1: how that all balances out in that long five week 867 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:13,120 Speaker 1: break we've got afterwards. But that's all the time we 868 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:15,680 Speaker 1: have for Pittalk this week. You can subscribe to Pittalk 869 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:17,839 Speaker 1: wherever you get your favorite podcasts, and you can leave 870 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:20,480 Speaker 1: us a ranging and review as well. This weekend is 871 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:23,560 Speaker 1: the Formula one Japanese Grand Prix at four pm Eastern 872 00:39:23,680 --> 00:39:26,319 Speaker 1: daylight time. It's the last really good one for a while, 873 00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:29,279 Speaker 1: so please embrace us. And then on Monday morning the 874 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:32,440 Speaker 1: United States Motorcycle Grand Prix from seven am. You can 875 00:39:32,480 --> 00:39:34,920 Speaker 1: watch every minute of both races live and adrak Brie 876 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:37,200 Speaker 1: on Fox Sports and KO and you can keep up 877 00:39:37,239 --> 00:39:39,719 Speaker 1: to date with all the latest Step one, MotoGP and 878 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:42,839 Speaker 1: supercars to us at foxsports dot com dot AU. From 879 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:45,160 Speaker 1: Matt Clayton and me Michael Lomonado. Thanks very much for 880 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:49,000 Speaker 1: your company and we'll catch you next week. Wo