1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Pit Talk, brought to you by Shannons. 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: On today's episode, if One, CEO Stefano Domenicali moves provocatively 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: several contentious possible changes to the Formula One format and 4 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: we look ahead to this weekends Azerbaijan Grand Prix and 5 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: the next chapter of the title Battle. My name is 6 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: Michael Lomonato. It's great to have your company and the 7 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: company of my co host. He knows Azerbaijan isn't a 8 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: European race and it never was. 9 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 2: It's Matt Clayton, never was, never will be, Michael, And 10 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 2: as I always go back to the European Grand Prix 11 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 2: that was there at what twenty sixty or whatever it was, 12 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 2: The speeds are higher in the land of Fire. One 13 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 2: of the great slogans for any sporting event. 14 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 3: It's a resonation with me. 15 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 2: More than well done backer at the time because they've 16 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 2: gone to such an effort, but good for them, and 17 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 2: the speeds will be higher because this is so shud 18 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 2: become a really really fun Grand Prix, This one, isn't it. 19 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's generally you can't say categorically about any circuit 20 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: that it delivers action every weekend just a temper expectations, 21 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: but this one is a highest strike rate than most, 22 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: I think, and if nothing else, you're always liable to 23 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:10,279 Speaker 1: get something random happen over the course of the weekend, 24 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: whether it's a crash and qualifying, weird safety car in 25 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: the race, or a support truck hitting a hoarding over 26 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: the track untilaying practice by several hours, it's going to 27 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 1: happen here in the land of fire. Which I could 28 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: have comet with a rhyme for that, but look, I'm 29 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: not as good as them, so I'm happy to accept that. 30 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: A couple of weeks off between races mad since the 31 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: Italian Grand Prix, when you have time to decompress from 32 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: the end of the European season. Eight rounds to go, 33 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: one third of the championship remaining, still a little bit 34 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: to go, but it means we're moving on to Azerbaijan. 35 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: But in the week, a couple of weeks break, I 36 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: should say. One of the stories that has been doing 37 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: the rounds is some quotes from F one CEO Stefano Domenicali, 38 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: who did a long press conference with the Italian media 39 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: at the Italian Grand Prix in which he's done something 40 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: he's done a few times before, perhaps a little bit 41 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: more explicitly this time, and that's raised a variety of ways. 42 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: He thinks Formula one can refresh itself to make sure 43 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: it continues to ride this wave of popularity that's taken 44 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: it to status as from its status as a declining 45 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: sport a decade or so ago to one that's very 46 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: much in the public zitegeist. And Matt, I want to 47 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 1: run some of them by you. I'm sure you've read them. 48 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: But the big one, I think, because this was the 49 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: new one, that's the one he hadn't raised before, is 50 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: that maybe Grand Prix's well, maybe they're just a bit 51 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: too long. Maybe attention spans aren't up for ninety minutes, 52 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: God forbid an hour and a half, and maybe we 53 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: should shorten races now. Like I said, this is a 54 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 1: new idea. He didn't say explicitly wanted to do it, 55 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,519 Speaker 1: let's be clear, but he certainly let's say round it 56 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 1: up the flag pole to He's a phrase and the 57 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: responses have been interesting. 58 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 2: This is a classic DOMINICALI trait in that there'll be 59 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 2: a thought bubble that he just projects out there and 60 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 2: tests the prevailing wind with these things. It's a bit 61 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 2: of a it's something that he's done quite often through 62 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 2: his Steward's super the sport. I don't mind as a 63 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 2: discussion point because I feel this is like one of 64 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 2: those existential questions that every sport seems to ask yourself 65 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 2: these days. And you pick a sport that you like, 66 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: particularly at international one, and there's always this do we 67 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 2: need more action in the same amount of time or 68 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 2: do we need a shorter amount of time? And quite interestingly, 69 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 2: I was thinking about this last week where the NBA 70 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 2: was talking about to start it's season and they were 71 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 2: talking about it's various viewing platforms this year they go 72 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 2: into multiple channels and what have you, and the CEO 73 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 2: basically said, well, you know, it's a highlights driven league 74 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 2: and people can just watch the highlights. 75 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 3: And I thought that's. 76 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: Kind of interesting because that's kind of where this perhaps starts. 77 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 2: But it's interesting to me in that we've talked about 78 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 2: this in the context of the calendar getting bigger over time, 79 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 2: and there's something about the size of the calendar these 80 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 2: days that we understand why it happens for commercial reasons, 81 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 2: because there is the interest now that perhaps there wasn't 82 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 2: in previous years and everyone's scrambling for a seat at 83 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 2: Formula one's table. But when you have a twenty four 84 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 2: race calendar, just by sheer percentage of numbers, each individual 85 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 2: race is going to lose a little bit of that 86 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 2: specialness or that exclusivity that perhaps a sixteen or an 87 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 2: eighteen round championship carries. And this is going from you know, 88 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 2: when you started in the sport, it was probably about 89 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,359 Speaker 2: eighteen ish eighteen to twenty and I mean I remember 90 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 2: being sixteen when I started. I think it was the 91 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 2: absolute maximum and so every race carried far more importance 92 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 2: because there were so few of them. And so if 93 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 2: you're looking at a ballooned calendar, yes, you're still going 94 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 2: to have some crazy races, You're still going to have 95 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 2: some unpredictable races. You going to have some boring races, 96 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 2: But because it's twenty four of them, it's perhaps we 97 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 2: remember the ones more often than we remember the good ones. 98 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 2: But in terms of the duration of a race, I'm 99 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 2: very much of a certain age and a bit of 100 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 2: a purist with these sorts of things. I don't like 101 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 2: the dumbing down of a sport that's got as much 102 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:56,599 Speaker 2: tradition in history and stakes as this one has simply 103 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 2: because you might capture an audience that's slightly interested or 104 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: slightly interested, or maybe an audience that's not yet interested 105 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 2: and will say, well, if this thing's only going to 106 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 2: go for fifty five minutes, then maybe. 107 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 3: I'll watch it. 108 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 4: Yeah. 109 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: I think that there's I have a couple of problems 110 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: with this as a concept, not as a principle of 111 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: trying to attract new audiences, Because any sport that simply 112 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: accepts that it's doing all right now and we'll do 113 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 1: nothing about that, we'll decline again. You know, formulae was 114 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: more popular and then it declined, and now it's at 115 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: this unprecedented level of popularity. 116 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 4: It can happen. These things can be cyclical. 117 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 1: But I don't like and something that really frustrates me 118 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: about whether it's sports, CEOs or whatever, you get this 119 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 1: argument often that younger generations just have shorter attention spans. 120 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: Because I just don't think that that's an accurate way 121 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: to sum it up, and then therefore making things shorter 122 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: is the answer. I mean, if that were the case, 123 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: people wouldn't go to the movies anymore. People wouldn't binge 124 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,359 Speaker 1: watch television series anymore, because all of those things last 125 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: at least ninety minutes, if not much longer. Certainly, consumption 126 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: habits have changed. Even Fernando Alonso said during a ninety 127 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: minute football game, we'll get up, and he just said, 128 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: left it, I'll go to the kitchen. Don't much else 129 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: going on in his life, I suppose when he's not 130 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: a grand preacher, other than visiting the kitchen. 131 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 4: A great thing to do, I suppose. 132 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,239 Speaker 1: But the consumptions have changed, and that's fine, and there's 133 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: no need to chase that in a way that fundamentally 134 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 1: alters the core idea of the product, which is proving successful. 135 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: You know, we shouldn't well, we should be able to 136 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: experiment and change things. And I think Domnicali has done 137 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 1: a great job during his time at the Helm, and 138 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: even Chase Key before him, of introducing change to a 139 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: sport that was famously allergic to it. But for me, 140 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: the ninety minutes or the three hundred and five kilometers 141 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: as it is for everywhere except Monaco, is sort of 142 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 1: what the sport is in the same way that football's 143 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: to forty five minute halves. And you know, write in 144 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 1: your own blanks for all your other sports. Those things 145 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 1: are pretty integral. I think, you know, he argued that, well, 146 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: highlights are doing pretty well for them, and you could 147 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: argue that that's because the highlights are free and easy 148 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 1: to watch. And even I watched the highlights back sometimes, 149 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: so I don't want to rewatch an entire Grand Prix 150 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: to see the various flashpoints that happened or whatever. There 151 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: are lots of reasons, and I know he knows that. 152 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: Obviously he's not an idiot. He's just saying this in 153 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: his words to be provocative and, like you say, to 154 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: get discussion started, which is interesting in itself. But I'm 155 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: just not convinced that shortening a race is going to 156 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: do anything to prolong the popularity of the sport. 157 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 4: You know that. 158 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: I think it may even have been Andrea kiman Antonelli 159 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: who said it. You know, then what are you going 160 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: to do about strategy, because right now a lot of 161 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: races could probably be completed with no stops or one stop. 162 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 1: Then what are you going to start to make more 163 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: convoluted rules to ensure that there's some kind of variation 164 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: in races? I think you get to sell into a 165 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: lot of problems, and I think as a final point, 166 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: I mean, we just had the fastest race of all 167 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: time in Italy and that was a great one. So 168 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: I'm not convinced sure the races are better. 169 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 3: Sure to not necessarily better. 170 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: And the point that Antonelli makes, which a young guy 171 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 2: with a short attention Spanish, very good of him. But 172 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 2: the thing he mentions about this it fundamentally changes the 173 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 2: way a sport is played or driven in this sense, 174 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 2: in that part of the challenge of completing a three 175 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: hundred and five kilometer pre is the strategic element. There's 176 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 2: a driver fitness and commitment and mental strength and ability 177 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 2: to process information that is remarkable because it's over three 178 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 2: hundred and five kilometers. It takes it out of the 179 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 2: realm of what mere mortals could attempt to achieve. Because 180 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 2: there's an endurance factor to this sport that goes with 181 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 2: all of the stress on the machinery and the stress 182 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 2: on the individuals, and this stress on the pit crews 183 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 2: and the stress on the strategists. That's part of what 184 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 2: makes Formula one what it is. Otherwise we may as 185 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 2: well just have like just a wide lap shoot out. 186 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:35,439 Speaker 2: Just do that and then it'll be over in five 187 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 2: and a half minutes, so we can go back to 188 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 2: doing whatever else we do with our lives. But you 189 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 2: see my point here. It fundamentally changes the way a 190 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 2: sport is played, and that whole less is more thing. Yeah, 191 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 2: sure Monza was over in an hour and a quarter. 192 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 2: Not a great deal happened, And the only stuff that 193 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 2: happened at the end is McLaren couldn't execute a pit stop. 194 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 3: Probably, but it wasn't that. 195 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 2: We wouldn't be talking about anything but going back to 196 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 2: something you picked up before, Formula ones in this unique 197 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 2: position where it can and sort of habit's cake and 198 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 2: eat it too, because you can keep the purity of 199 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:06,840 Speaker 2: a three hundred and five kilometer Grand pre distance. But 200 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 2: you've got this other thing called the sprint, which, if 201 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:11,839 Speaker 2: you perhaps want to tweak that around the edges, maybe 202 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 2: that's where Formula one best captures the attention poor fan base. 203 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 2: But it fills with me with the sprint, is that 204 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 2: Formula ones never quite always feels like they're apologizing for 205 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 2: having them. There's so few of them. They're at random times. 206 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 2: There was a gap this year where I reckon. We 207 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 2: went eight or nine rounds and then sprint came up 208 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 2: and we're, oh, on, there's a springtime. I've almost forgotten 209 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 2: these existed, and so it kind of feels that there's 210 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 2: a way to better test what it is that they 211 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,199 Speaker 2: want to try and decide about the way Formula one 212 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 2: is presented. It's just they only occasionally use it. 213 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: Yes, I think that's right, and I think it's funny. 214 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: The sprint is a funny example. Anywy as well move 215 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: on to them now, because this is one of the 216 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: other things he raised, as he inevitably does, because that 217 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: is the discussion point of the era. In terms of 218 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: Formula one, format is more or less sprint, But is 219 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: that idea? It feels a bit as if the sprint 220 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: experiment has stalled a little bit. We've got a lot 221 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,079 Speaker 1: of change when it was introduced, and that's fair enough 222 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: because the first few formats didn't really click, although we 223 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:14,319 Speaker 1: did deliver that outstanding twenty twenty one Brazil weekend for 224 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: Lewis Hamilton I think was the one weekend in which 225 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: it felt like the sprint was absolutely integral to the spectacle. 226 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: That took pretty unique circumstances. But nonetheless, now we've got 227 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: to find that the kind of works is kind of 228 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: I think we've described it earlier as inoffensive, which is 229 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: a positive, and I suppose the negative. But now it's 230 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 1: the question is where to take it next. The obvious 231 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: answer would appear to be will more of them, which 232 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: is something I don't necessarily disagree with, because, as you've 233 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: sort of alluded to there, when they're so sporadic and infrequent, 234 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 1: they don't really have a narrative role to play, even 235 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 1: when we talk about the championship. Okay, there's an extra 236 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: what was it, thirty twenty matts is hard for me. 237 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 1: Twenty four points I think available over the last three sprints, 238 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: which does alter the championship picture like that could be 239 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 1: absolutely influential, But because they're so late in the year 240 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: and it's not really part of the narrative of adjusting 241 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 1: to a weekend, it doesn't feel important enough to even 242 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 1: warrant in most discussions. Obviously, if it's zero points in 243 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: the Katar sprint, then we will talk about it. But 244 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 1: I see the argument for more sprints, and as Stefanie 245 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: Deminicarte says, most people seem to be on board of it. 246 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 1: He also claims, in a private discussion with Facts has happened, 247 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: so is Max, which must mean it must happen. 248 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,439 Speaker 2: The thing I don't like about it at the moment, 249 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 2: so what if we got six out of twenty four 250 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 2: rounds of sprint rounds, which as a percentage in and 251 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 2: of itself is probably too low. I hate when they 252 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 2: are in the calendar because if you have a championship 253 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 2: fight that's building quite naturally to a nice boil this season, 254 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 2: it feels like we're just throwing random elements in here 255 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 2: just for the sake of throwing them in. And I mean, 256 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 2: obviously you can't predict that when you set the calendar 257 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 2: at the start of the season, but to me, there's 258 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 2: so few of them that when they're deployed now is 259 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 2: almost more offensive than if there'd be more of them, 260 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 2: quite frankly, because it feels that you just, you know, 261 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,559 Speaker 2: let's just throw some banana skins on the track here 262 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 2: to trip a few people up in something that in 263 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,479 Speaker 2: and of itself. The sprints don't really capture the imagination 264 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 2: of the participants for the most part. The points are 265 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 2: too low, they're too sporadic. Everyone's got a kind of 266 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 2: this well, who cares cup about it? And because the 267 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 2: format is the same as the Grand Prix itself. There's 268 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 2: nothing to differentiate them, so they just become this bit 269 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 2: of a like which promoter is willing to open their 270 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 2: wallet to pay for one of these things and isn't 271 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 2: going to get more people through the doors, And the 272 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 2: lack of them at the moment is not a reason 273 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 2: to have them. To me, the sweet spot is I'm 274 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 2: going to put my two wheel hat on here. With 275 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 2: motor GP, Motor GP went from having no sprints in 276 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 2: twenty twenty two to having sprints at every single round 277 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty three, and no one was consultant and 278 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:51,440 Speaker 2: by the way, this is just happening. And the thing 279 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 2: with motor GP, of course, is that if you have 280 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,199 Speaker 2: another race start, and particularly because of the way motor 281 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 2: GP is race, the potential for injury goes up so 282 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 2: much more because you're racing motorbikes, you're not cocoon in 283 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 2: a Formula one car. We've had so many people have 284 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 2: serious injuries over the past few years with crashes in 285 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 2: sprints or even crashes in qualified to set the grid 286 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:17,079 Speaker 2: for the sprint. But it's amazing how used to having 287 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 2: them every round you get to it's now just part 288 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 2: of the furniture, even though it's coming off one qualifying 289 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 2: and the sprint bears no really relevance to the way 290 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:27,319 Speaker 2: they line up for the Grand Prix. Now it's just 291 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,439 Speaker 2: become a standard thing in Motor GP, where it's like, 292 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 2: oh yeah, this is just part of it now, and 293 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 2: so Formula one it's never quite felt natural. It's felt 294 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 2: like it's kind of shoehorned in there a little bit. 295 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 2: And I'd be curious as to your thoughts I think 296 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 2: sprints would be to me. I don't think you'd want 297 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 2: to go. Is half the calendar the right number? I mean, 298 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:47,439 Speaker 2: a full calendar like Motor GP is clearly not going 299 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 2: to happen. But ten to twelve maybe is about the 300 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 2: sweet spot. But I think there needs to be something 301 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 2: to differentiate them from the actual Grand Prix proper. Now, 302 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 2: the points in a sprint for Formula one completely irrelevant 303 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 2: in that you're not going to put a robust move 304 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 2: on somebody for fifth place in a spread to gain 305 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:08,439 Speaker 2: one more championship point for the most part, so they 306 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 2: tend to develop into these races of just follow the 307 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 2: leader once you get through the first two or three corners. 308 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 2: But does there need to be another format. Do we 309 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 2: go one shot qualifying? I don't reverse grids seems a 310 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 2: little too gimmicky for me, but something like a one 311 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 2: shot qualifying format to add something different for us to 312 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 2: consume because there is a different race happening, that would 313 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 2: help to differentiate it and make it more inverted commas 314 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 2: special for the audiences on the weekend that they happen. 315 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think there's two ways to look at that. 316 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: There's the specialness element, which is you want them to 317 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 1: be noteworthy, not just it's not practice, which I think 318 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: is look not practice is laudable, agreed, But for it 319 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: to just be good because it isn't practice, you know, 320 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: there needs to be a bit more purpose to them. 321 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: And we're getting a lot of sprints where they sort 322 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 1: of feel like they're kind of interesting. We get some 323 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: interesting races, but they just don't feel they're just they're 324 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: so dwarfed in Houghton's relative to the Grand Prix that 325 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: you forget about them almost immediately. Maybe not help Despite 326 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: us saying that, I think this format feels closest to 327 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: correct by the fact that at the end of the day, 328 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: all we want to talk about is qualifying Because they're 329 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: on the same day as Grand Prix qualifying, and that's 330 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 1: more significant because that's going to have a direct impact 331 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: on how the Grand Prix happens on Sunday, So maybe 332 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: there is some tweaking there. The number, I do think 333 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: is important, but not as important as explaining why those 334 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: tracks are chosen. Right now, we're still technically in the 335 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: experimental phase. So you choose six, it's based on who's 336 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: paying for them. Fine, but at a point where yeah, 337 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: but at a point where where sprints become let's say, 338 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: integral to the season, regardless of whether or not that's 339 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 1: all races, which isn't going to be or a lot, 340 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: you need you need to be able to predict when 341 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: they're going to happen. I think that's more the thing 342 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 1: right now. It's like, oh, it's a random number of races. 343 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: Even if we get to twelve, you need to be 344 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: able to predict, well, this is going to be a 345 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: spriat Beekend because it's this kind of track, or it's 346 00:15:57,920 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: in this time zone or whatever. 347 00:15:59,160 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 4: The reason is. 348 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: Obviously the braces that aren't going to get them are 349 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: going to be street tracks, that's obvious. Do you apply 350 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: them to all tracks that are not street tracks. That 351 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: might be difficult, but that at least there's like a 352 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: sense to that, because then I think that the other 353 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: side of that, I've long argued that Monaco needs a 354 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: different format that really emphasizes qualifying, because that's the whole 355 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: point of it. Maybe all street tracks get the street 356 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 1: track format, you still end up with the ninety minute 357 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: Grand Prix, So the fundamentals of the sport we talked 358 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: about are unchanged, but the build up to that Grand 359 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: Prix is different. If you're at a permanent track, you 360 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: get this sprint build up. If you're not, you're at 361 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: this qualifying build up, or we get to this whether 362 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: it's a one lap shoot out or whatever, whatever's going 363 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 1: to emphasize that. I think that, to me is how 364 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: you incorporate the sprint into the narrative of the championship, 365 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 1: because right now it's not really involved in any way 366 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: in the narrative of the championship, despite having close to 367 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: between forty and fifty points available to the winner over 368 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 1: the course of all six rounds at the moment. So 369 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: there's a lot of points in a tight championship like this, 370 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: But I think there's just got to be something in 371 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: there that makes it feel more cohesive, And I think 372 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: part of it is having its own little format, like 373 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 1: I like you're saying that that something to differentiate it 374 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:08,159 Speaker 1: so it's not just like a mini version of the 375 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 1: thing everyone's actually turning up to see on Saturday night 376 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 1: and Sunday. 377 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 4: Reverse Grids. I'm not convinced. 378 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: It's another thing that Stefan and DOMINICALI raised, but I 379 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: would love to see reverse grids without changing the format 380 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:21,920 Speaker 1: because I'd love to see everyone tank in Q three 381 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:22,919 Speaker 1: to get tenth place. 382 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 2: Oh my god, yeah, tell me about that. Talking about 383 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 2: the qualifying format, like you're saying about the street tracks, 384 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 2: it's a really interesting point watching something like Monaco as 385 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 2: one shot qualifying and you can see what they do 386 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 2: on the broadcast these days where they have the ghost 387 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 2: car that's kind of following the car hand on board, 388 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:42,879 Speaker 2: so you can see where the car is relative to 389 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,639 Speaker 2: the car that set the benchmark time. From a TV 390 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 2: production point of view, Litt alone, for all of the 391 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 2: teams with their sponsors, you're going to get you at Monaco, 392 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:52,880 Speaker 2: You're going to get to see Gabrielle bought a Letto 393 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,400 Speaker 2: in a saber for two minutes in a nice green 394 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 2: car with all those sponsors that you're not going to 395 00:17:57,600 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 2: see otherwise, and you may not see over the course 396 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:02,720 Speaker 2: of a I like the idea of perhaps a different 397 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 2: format for the street tracks. The only I'm answering my 398 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 2: own question here. The only problem with that. Okay, so 399 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,399 Speaker 2: is Melbourne a street track or a semi permit street circuit? 400 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 2: Montreal is the same as clearly a city circuit or 401 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 2: a street track. But you've got these ones that are 402 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 2: kind of not one nor the other. They're the ones 403 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 2: I'm not quite sure, but at the moment it just 404 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 2: seems like whoever's got the deepest pockets gets to pay 405 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 2: for a sprint race. And quite frankly, there's some tracks 406 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 2: towards the end of the season end up having sprint races. 407 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 2: I don't want to see more racing there. I'd actually 408 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 2: prefer to see less or not. 409 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: I think that's a good call. And look, if nothing else, 410 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: the time zone of the Katar sprint is no good. 411 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 3: Now. 412 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,479 Speaker 1: The other problem with this with the I mean, this 413 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 1: won't be as big a problem if we institute more 414 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 1: sprints and they become part of the story. But you know, 415 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: it's a double edged sword, backloading them, as the sport 416 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:54,640 Speaker 1: clearly has done. On the one hand, you say, well, 417 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: more points on offer means the title might stay alive longer, 418 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: but on the other hand, you're also massively increasing the 419 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 1: chances At this Brint decides the championship, which is so 420 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 1: flat that happened? 421 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 3: I think gar wasn't it exactly? 422 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: Yes, following for Staffan not knowing if he'd won the 423 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: title in twenty two, just to run of really underwhelming 424 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: championship deciders. The last thing I want for either Oscar 425 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,440 Speaker 1: Piastri or Lando Norris is for them to win their 426 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: first title at the Sprint in cut out. That is, 427 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: just at least the Grand Prix, but not the. 428 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 2: Sprint after one of them has had a mechanical and 429 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 2: the other ones come home seventh. 430 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 3: You know, we do not need that at all. 431 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 4: Let's move on from that. 432 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: An interesting discussion point, and obviously we'd love to hear 433 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: on social channels what you think about them, because it's 434 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 1: certainly got people talking. But let's move on to Move 435 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 1: of the Week, brought to you by Shannon's Only or 436 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: no not only MotoGP and Supercars in Action over the weekend, 437 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: MotoGP in I'm not going to use the full title 438 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: in San Marino, yes, and the Supercars at the Bend 439 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: for its first in duro of the season. What move 440 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:03,400 Speaker 1: caught your imath over this weekend? 441 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 2: I'm going to go Moves Plural of the week here 442 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 2: simply because we kind of got to see the same 443 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 2: race twenty four hours apart at Massano for Moto GP. 444 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 2: In that mark Marquees qualified fourth at Massano, his equal 445 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:18,440 Speaker 2: season worst qualified by the way fourth on the GrITT 446 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 2: he was on the second row. Massano is an interesting 447 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 2: track for MotoGP because the run from the start line 448 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 2: to turn one is so short. On both days he 449 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 2: was in second place by turn one, so he made 450 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 2: incredible starts on both days and that move Moves Plural 451 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 2: set up two super interesting races where we had Marquees 452 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:41,199 Speaker 2: against Marco Betzeki in two consecutive days. Marquees made a 453 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 2: move to lead the sprint on the Saturday and then crashed. 454 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 2: He also made another move to lead the Grand Prix 455 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:50,160 Speaker 2: and just emphasis on, just held off Marco Bezeki on Sunday. 456 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 2: None of those two races play out the way they 457 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 2: play out without him making absolutely amazing starts from the 458 00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:00,679 Speaker 2: second row and slotting himself into the seat the place 459 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 2: on the track to set up what happened over those 460 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 2: next two days. Nail the start both times set up 461 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 2: two really interesting tense races, which are quite fun when 462 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 2: you just get two guys that are so so evenly matched. 463 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 2: It comes down to find details. Without those two moves 464 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 2: from Marques, we have a very very different Messano weekend. 465 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 2: So that's why I'm going plural for Moves of the week. 466 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 2: But I'm wondering where you're going because there's nothing really 467 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 2: obvious right now, so I'm hoping that you've come up 468 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:27,400 Speaker 2: with something good here. 469 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: Yes, look, I was obviously plugged into the bend all weekend, 470 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: but departicularly for the race. Some good moves there, but 471 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: I couldn't go past this one. Yes, I'm returning to 472 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: Moto GP. It's Marco Betzeki overtaking the shark with his 473 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:45,440 Speaker 1: celebration after the sprint when he rode around with a 474 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 1: wooden prosthetic leg, something unforeseen in MotoGP, totally unprecedented, confused 475 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 1: everybody involved. His explanation afterwards, which there was an homage 476 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: to a favorite childhood Italian film of his, did very 477 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 1: little to illuminate why this happened this weekend, what it 478 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: was about. I actually discovered I went to find the 479 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: speaking of highlights earlier the highlight of this, Oh did 480 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: you If you type Marcovetzki into Google, the first response 481 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: is prosthetic leg after his name's it's become defining of 482 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 1: him as an athlete after this weekend. I think it 483 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 1: is remarkable. There were remarkable scenes, and I can't come 484 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: past that it's a tenuous fit for Move of the week. 485 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 1: But it had to be noted. 486 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 2: Wasn't it some thirty year old movie that literally translates 487 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:34,439 Speaker 2: to three men and a leg and the plot is 488 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:36,920 Speaker 2: three men go around Italy carrying. 489 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 3: A false leg. 490 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 2: Yes, that's spot on this a This was a movie 491 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 2: that existed before you were born. I have so many 492 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 2: follow up questions with this that I'm not going to 493 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: get satisfying answer as for But it was funny how 494 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:49,640 Speaker 2: it just became part of the furniture for the course 495 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 2: of the weekend because he was doing He took it 496 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 2: into the press conference after Sunday, and we're just leaning 497 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 2: against it like you'd lean on a crutch or something. 498 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,640 Speaker 2: While we're having a serious discussion about what happened and 499 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:01,719 Speaker 2: the the fact that the leg had an a prilliant 500 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 2: race boot on it. 501 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:04,239 Speaker 3: I was depressed with that. 502 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 2: So yeah, the effort they've got to with the props 503 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,920 Speaker 2: was commendable, but the exploration was completely baffling. 504 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 1: What I want to know, because we're used to seeing 505 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: after MOTORVP races rough and riders take the flags of 506 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: either their home country or team or whatever is who 507 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: prepared the leg? How long did they have it with them? 508 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 1: Has this been carried around for multiple races? And what 509 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: happens to it now? Does this become part of his 510 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: standard victory celebration? 511 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 2: Well, you can't just bring a leg with you every 512 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 2: time you go into a Grand Prix because you know, 513 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 2: I'm just going through bag check here, So what have 514 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 2: you got in there? You can't have you can't have 515 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 2: this food, you can't have this and by the way, oh, 516 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 2: there's no rules about bringing fake legs in but sure, yeah, 517 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 2: and you know we're his mates carting it all around 518 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:49,440 Speaker 2: Europe in Casey won there? Does it go on in 519 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:51,360 Speaker 2: the flyways with them there? Do we see the leg 520 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 2: at Philip Island in Casey wins there? I have so 521 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 2: so many questions with this, do we see the leg 522 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:01,120 Speaker 2: the line that I never thought of us guessing. 523 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 4: For or months. Philip Island is still a little while away. 524 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: This weekend though, to return attention to forbid one, it 525 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:12,679 Speaker 1: is the Azerbaijean Grand Prix, the first of our final 526 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:15,879 Speaker 1: third of the season, the flyaways away from Europe, certainly 527 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 1: away from Europe, and it's interesting. Obviously in terms of 528 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 1: the championship. We've got a small reduction in the lead 529 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:23,480 Speaker 1: down to thirty one points between Oscar Piastri and Lando 530 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 1: Norris after the team order situation, which we talked about 531 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: last week, if we missed any of that discussion. But 532 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: in the context of this championship battle, this is an 533 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 1: interesting round because we returned to a race that Oscar 534 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: won last year and for me, remains his greatest victory. Obviously, 535 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:43,359 Speaker 1: only has so many that list will accumulate in future yars. 536 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: Perhaps there'll be others, but I know it. Even in 537 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: his brief comments in the McLaren press release identified this 538 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: as one of his favorite weekends, the favorite of the career. 539 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 1: This is It's hard to say for certain, because obviously 540 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 1: Lando Norris had a qualifying failure last year, and started 541 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: the back. But this fields like a good weekend incoming 542 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:06,680 Speaker 1: for Osco or potential for him to convert what's been 543 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: a solid track for him into another little stabilizing result. 544 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 3: Yeah, agreed. 545 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 2: I think this time last year when he won that race. 546 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 2: You know, obviously great for Australian fans and for Pastre 547 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 2: that he won it, but it was more than manner 548 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 2: and that he won that race and that for the 549 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 2: first time I just thought, oh, hang on a minute, 550 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:24,879 Speaker 2: this maybe this guy's a little bit better than I 551 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 2: thought he is or is going to be. And it's 552 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 2: not because I thought he was not going to be 553 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 2: a good Grand Prix driver, because you look at the 554 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 2: Junior CV and the promise that he had shown. But 555 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 2: when you've not done a massive amount of winning in 556 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 2: Formula One, to win a race like that, to absorb 557 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 2: pressure like he did incredible overtake. It's a track Baku 558 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 2: where there's just so much peril that there's so many 559 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,640 Speaker 2: things waiting to trip you up. There's so many corners 560 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:52,639 Speaker 2: that are difficult and a bit odd. There's nowhere really 561 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 2: like this on the calendar. So to win with that 562 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 2: level of sort of cunning and ruthlessness but also the 563 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:03,119 Speaker 2: detached called just keep doing everything right for the length 564 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 2: of time that he had to do it. To my mind, 565 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:07,959 Speaker 2: that was when he in my estimation of him as 566 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 2: a potential Grand Prix winner slash champion of the future. 567 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:12,880 Speaker 2: That was a day when I thought, oh, I think 568 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:14,919 Speaker 2: I might have to reassess where I think this guy is. 569 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 2: Not because I don't think he's any good, but this 570 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:19,199 Speaker 2: is a sort of win that you need to be 571 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 2: a certain type of driver to win a race like 572 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 2: this at a place like this, So I think it's 573 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 2: hugely influential for the driver that he's since become. Isn't 574 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:29,639 Speaker 2: it amazing that we're talking about I think it was 575 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:31,639 Speaker 2: September fifteen last year that he won this race, so 576 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 2: it's literally a day over one year since he won 577 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 2: that race. How our perceptions of him and his ceiling 578 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 2: and what he's done since then in a really really 579 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:42,360 Speaker 2: short amount of time. It feels like it's changed massively 580 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 2: just since Melbourne at the start of the year. But 581 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 2: you go back to last September, you know, the name 582 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 2: and the style and everything else is the same, But 583 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 2: in terms of what our expectations are now for what 584 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 2: he can do it's incredible how much that's changed in 585 00:26:54,920 --> 00:27:00,720 Speaker 2: twelve months. But it's such a specific track this in 586 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:02,880 Speaker 2: that you know, yes, it is a street circuit. 587 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:04,240 Speaker 3: We're talking about street circuits. 588 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 2: Before it is insanely fast across the waterfront. There it is, 589 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 2: you know, it's mods a level, straight line speed, and 590 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:14,120 Speaker 2: then you've got other parts of the track where it's 591 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 2: the tightest street circuit imaginable. So I do like the 592 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,640 Speaker 2: fact that you've effectively taken two totally different styles of circuit. 593 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 2: And it's a little bit questionable, probably in the first 594 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 2: place that Zeno on the calendar, quite frankly, but I 595 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 2: love the fact that it is an outlier and there 596 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 2: is some peril here and there is nowhere quite like it. 597 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 2: And of all of the new circuits and grand prix 598 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:35,439 Speaker 2: that have come on the calendar in the past ten years, 599 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:38,719 Speaker 2: you'd have to go, you'd have to go a long 600 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 2: way towards selling me that this might not be the 601 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:43,000 Speaker 2: best of the new additions to a calendar, because so 602 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:46,439 Speaker 2: often it throws up really really memorable races, not so 603 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:48,479 Speaker 2: much in terms of who wins them, but how we 604 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 2: get to those winners. I think last year was no exception. 605 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 2: And that's why, you know, you add all the other 606 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 2: benefits of this race for the Australian Times out. I 607 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 2: think it's a nine pm Sunday start, which is absolutely 608 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 2: in the sweet spot. It's one of those races that's 609 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:03,399 Speaker 2: not in Asia or on our shores where you cannot 610 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 2: wait for this one to happen. It's always a highlight 611 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 2: of the year for mine. 612 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:08,879 Speaker 4: Yeah, imnagine being in Perth seven pm. That's great. 613 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:13,880 Speaker 1: Oh good, better times somebody, which yes, it feels wrong, 614 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 1: it is. This for me is the first speaking of 615 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 1: sort of new circuits, this was the first trend setter 616 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 1: in what I like to describe as the wacky circuits trend, 617 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:26,480 Speaker 1: which is we got to be faster, or the corners 618 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:30,119 Speaker 1: have to be blinder and more dangerous or whatever. This 619 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 1: was the first one and actually, in some senses, compared 620 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 1: to attract like Saudi Arabia for example, feels. 621 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 4: Quite tame and safe. 622 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 1: The Arabia feels pretty Borederlin, You're right, some of this 623 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 1: is pretty on the edge. But clearly, you know, after 624 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: a decade the sports sort of understood it and it's 625 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 1: proved to be quite a popular one. And that compromise 626 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: between traditional street circuit and speedway makes for really interesting results. 627 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:55,160 Speaker 1: Tends to throw up some random results. And we also 628 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 1: tend to get drivers and we'll talk about Charlocke Thelare 629 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:59,320 Speaker 1: in a moment, who tend to do quite well here 630 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 1: just because this thing about it that clicks. But you're 631 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 1: right about Piastre. What I think it's really interesting is 632 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: that if you look back at all of last year, 633 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 1: we're all we were doing is talking about signs of 634 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 1: his potential future greatness, and this year it's just been 635 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: a total He's exercised all those signs into a complete performance. 636 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 1: It's gonna be really interesting to see what he can 637 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 1: manage here. Not that he needs necessarily another big points boost, 638 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 1: but this is the time last year, quite aside from 639 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 1: this win, that he was sort of flexing a bit 640 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 1: of muscle relative to Norris, perhaps for the first time. 641 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,360 Speaker 1: It just come off the European season, which had been 642 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 1: the highest scoring driver in the sport, which was its 643 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 1: own tick. We can't forget this was the race after 644 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 1: Monso where he'd pulled that great move on Norris that 645 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 1: caused all sorts of fluster at McLaren, much like there 646 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 1: was fluster this time around about whether or not had 647 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 1: complied with the rules and this and that. But the 648 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 1: aggression and the ruthlessness of the move was illustrative of 649 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,600 Speaker 1: something that we've really come to understand about him, which 650 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: is that his ice cold in the car and likewise 651 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 1: that dived by mont Charallette Clair to win this race. 652 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 1: Never mind the defensive move, I think has come to 653 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:02,719 Speaker 1: those signs that we saw last year have been proven 654 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 1: to be actually integral to the way he goes about 655 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: his business, which he's a clean executor. He is ruthless 656 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: despite for people say about him not ignoring the team 657 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 1: or last time out, and those are the things that 658 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 1: are underpinning his title campaign this year. 659 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:18,800 Speaker 2: It's interesting too in that, and you have to correct 660 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 2: me if I'm wrong here. I can't think of another 661 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:24,560 Speaker 2: race that we've gone to this year where you're just like, yeah, 662 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 2: this guy should absolutely boss this, like he should be 663 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 2: the overwhelming favorite because of past history or the fact 664 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:33,040 Speaker 2: that the circuit characteristics suit him or his car. This 665 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 2: feels like one of those where you mentioned the word 666 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:37,320 Speaker 2: flex before. That's what made me think of this. This 667 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 2: is one of those places where I think every single 668 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:41,720 Speaker 2: person goes into this weekend seeing him as the driver 669 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:43,960 Speaker 2: to be, not just because he's top of the championship standings, 670 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 2: that's pretty obvious, but it's more the way that he 671 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 2: has raced here and won here in the past. You 672 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 2: walk that little bit taller if you're Oscar Piastre walking 673 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 2: into the Padic this weekend, and I think he will 674 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 2: feel that, and I think everyone else will feel that too. 675 00:30:57,640 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 2: And it's not exactly a home races in a home 676 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 2: Mo Timezo, It's exactly a home race, but it's one 677 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 2: of those ones where you have to come up with 678 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 2: a pretty compelling argument as to why someone else might 679 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 2: beat him this weekend. And I don't think I felt 680 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 2: that at any Grand Prix this year, because it's been 681 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 2: so sudden, with the way that he's risen up this 682 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:17,080 Speaker 2: year and looked so assured. I don't think we've felt 683 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 2: this before. This feels different to me. 684 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 4: Yeah. 685 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:20,640 Speaker 1: I think the only other race that I can really 686 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 1: think of is Lando Norris in Austria, which always feels 687 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: like one in which he's penciled into. Yep, but I 688 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 1: think there's still something. It's the way he's won these races. 689 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 1: Norris has dominated in Austria relatively for the years with 690 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 1: McLaren had not been in the vision to win them. 691 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: But it's what we saw from Oscar last year that 692 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 1: I think tells us a little bit of something. If 693 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:41,360 Speaker 1: there's one driver at a challenge h of course Lando 694 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 1: and Norris must be assumed to be in the mix. 695 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 1: But at Charlotte Clair, I think most people will be 696 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: keeping their eye on because he has more pole positions 697 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 1: than anyone else here at this track, not very many 698 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 1: wins though in fact no wins memory serves, which is remarkable. 699 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 3: Story of Charlotte Clair's career. 700 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:59,720 Speaker 1: Yes, but he's just one of those drivers. We've talked 701 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:02,239 Speaker 1: about it before on the podcast as well, drivers and 702 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:05,200 Speaker 1: circuits that just click for some reason at which they 703 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:07,960 Speaker 1: find this extra level that they can't really quite explain. 704 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,840 Speaker 1: This isn't even a track at which Ferraris typically should 705 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 1: have been strong at. This isn't a track at which 706 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:16,240 Speaker 1: we've ever turned up at during his Ferrari tenure and gone, 707 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 1: oh well, this is obviously gonna be Ferrari circuit. Yet 708 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: he always does well here. Had was the i think 709 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:24,040 Speaker 1: it's fair to say, was the quicker driver between him 710 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 1: and Pastri last year, but not the better one, it 711 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:29,719 Speaker 1: turned out in the incidents of that race. But I mean, 712 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: must come to this track every year, go when's it 713 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 1: going to happen? It's got to happen. 714 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 2: Kind of feel that he could say that about a 715 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 2: few of them, but this one more than any, I mean, 716 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 2: his most successful qualifying track. There's it is a proper 717 00:32:41,720 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 2: driver's track. It's one where tiptoeing that line between risk 718 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:50,680 Speaker 2: and reward has far greater consequences because there is a 719 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 2: wall waiting to trip you up. There's a very very 720 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 2: long breaking zone in a turn one if you get 721 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 2: that wrong. There is a wall around a castle that 722 00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 2: you can hit, which is not something that you can 723 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:01,800 Speaker 2: say about other tracks, but to my mind that one 724 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 2: of my favorite parts of the Azerbaijarm weekend is watching 725 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 2: him through I guess it would be still the second 726 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 2: sector of the lap, once they've gone through the ridiculously 727 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 2: tight entry to the castle section, when you're going through 728 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 2: over the top of the final sector of the track 729 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:18,280 Speaker 2: where you dip down again to head back to the harbor, 730 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 2: all of those changing direction blind corners. He is absolutely 731 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 2: electrifying through there, and that's one of those you almost 732 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 2: feel like you need to stand back from the fence 733 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:30,040 Speaker 2: a little bit when he's on a qualifying lap because 734 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 2: he's on such a tight rope through there. Brilliant to 735 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 2: watch and I still think hand On Harte is the 736 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 2: best qualifier in the sport, but I think this track 737 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 2: accentuates that more than perhaps any. 738 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 1: Other any other driver. I really want to bring up 739 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 1: before forecasting this race is Max with Stafford of course 740 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 1: one in Italy dominated in Italy, the biggest winning margin 741 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: of the season so far, which is surprise to everybody. 742 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:54,480 Speaker 1: Not that he can win a race, but this year's 743 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:57,520 Speaker 1: Red Bull could win in that way against this year 744 00:33:57,560 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: is McLaren. It was interesting to read some of the 745 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: comments and hear them speak after the race, and we've 746 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 1: written about this at Fox sports dot com dot you 747 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:06,520 Speaker 1: this week and the lead up to Azerbaijan. But how 748 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:09,080 Speaker 1: the team feels optimistic, not just because it won Monza, 749 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:10,840 Speaker 1: which is of course one of the more extreme tracks 750 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: of the year, even if there are some limited characteristics 751 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:16,879 Speaker 1: it shares with Azerbaijan, namely straight line speed, but it's 752 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 1: the way Red Bull Racing is now approaching its weekends 753 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:22,239 Speaker 1: to try and unlock the performance from this car. Max 754 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 1: talked a lot about feeling more comfortable, about being able 755 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 1: to more easily discover the right set up for the track, 756 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:30,200 Speaker 1: about the engineers working more smoothly. Helbert Marco said it 757 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:33,400 Speaker 1: much more explicitly that it's Laura Mechi's and the reading 758 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:35,560 Speaker 1: between the lines, the not Christian Horner effect. I think 759 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:38,319 Speaker 1: we could probably call it. And they're quietly I mean, 760 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:40,399 Speaker 1: and he said it explicitly as well as Helbert Marco 761 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,640 Speaker 1: that they feel optimistic now that at every track they 762 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 1: can contend, not necessarily dominate like in Monza. To even 763 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 1: talked about this a little bit further down the road Singapore, 764 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:50,919 Speaker 1: a track that Stappens never won out with Red Bull Racing. 765 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:54,320 Speaker 1: Memory serves that's what he said anyway, that maybe there 766 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:56,359 Speaker 1: they can even compete, which has been a modern day 767 00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 1: bogie track for the team. It'll be interesting to see 768 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:04,000 Speaker 1: how Vstaffan performs this weekend in the context of context 769 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:06,320 Speaker 1: of where it Bull is this final third of the campaign. 770 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:10,560 Speaker 3: For word response I'm not buying it. I just don't. 771 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:18,200 Speaker 2: I'll expand all that slightly. The Monza has become it's 772 00:35:18,239 --> 00:35:20,279 Speaker 2: the outlier of just about all outliers. It's on the 773 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:22,240 Speaker 2: other end of the scale to Monico, but there's nowhere 774 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 2: really like Monza, and they went down a setup path 775 00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:30,240 Speaker 2: at Monso the other week that you know, look, perhaps 776 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 2: they might not have gone down under under previous management 777 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:35,280 Speaker 2: or whatever it might have been. Perhaps the driver's voice 778 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 2: is a little bit louder now that it perhaps was 779 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:40,719 Speaker 2: in the past. Brilliant performance and the sort of crushing, 780 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:42,919 Speaker 2: dominating win that. I don't think there's any other driver 781 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 2: on the grid that can produce races like that. If 782 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 2: the cars in the sweet spot, it shares similarities with 783 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:52,880 Speaker 2: Bonza backup, sure, and Vastapan is the master at getting 784 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:55,000 Speaker 2: more out of a car than perhaps it deserves to 785 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:56,960 Speaker 2: be producing. We've seen that this year, where he's won 786 00:35:57,040 --> 00:35:58,759 Speaker 2: races like Suzuka is the one that comes to mind. 787 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:01,719 Speaker 2: There's absolutely no way that anyone else in that car 788 00:36:01,719 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 2: would have won that race. He just was millimeter perfect 789 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:07,960 Speaker 2: for fifty three straight laps there at Suzuka. I still 790 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:11,600 Speaker 2: think that Red Bull tends to vacillate too much that 791 00:36:11,640 --> 00:36:14,400 Speaker 2: you could go into a weekend with a massive amount 792 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:16,239 Speaker 2: of confidence about the machinery. I don't think we have 793 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 2: any questions about the staff, and we know how good 794 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:21,000 Speaker 2: he is, and we know how good he is, overachieving 795 00:36:21,040 --> 00:36:23,960 Speaker 2: in a car that perhaps isn't up to it. I 796 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:26,880 Speaker 2: really struggle to see a situation where they're going to 797 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 2: be able to replicate what they did in Monds, like 798 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 2: I think the tracks are too different. But to take 799 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:33,279 Speaker 2: a bit of a the helmet Marco to do the 800 00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:35,239 Speaker 2: victory lap here, it's like, well, it's all change because 801 00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:36,759 Speaker 2: the guy that I managed to get rid of after 802 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:39,759 Speaker 2: all this time is no longer here and everything's completely fine. 803 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:42,719 Speaker 2: There's a wider discussion here about the whole trend of 804 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:46,600 Speaker 2: Formula One teams now being run by more technically minded 805 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 2: frontmen than commercial or marketing types or big figureheads, you know, 806 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:53,400 Speaker 2: with Laurel Mechi's is always coming at everything from a 807 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:56,760 Speaker 2: mechanical engineering platform. We've seen that with a number of teams, 808 00:36:56,960 --> 00:37:00,360 Speaker 2: so there's probably something in that. But to extra appolate 809 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:03,160 Speaker 2: that over the reason that we lauded what Verstappen did 810 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:05,759 Speaker 2: at Monza because it was an outlier. We didn't expect that, 811 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:09,520 Speaker 2: we didn't see it coming expecting that again this weekend. Look, 812 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:11,720 Speaker 2: I'm more than happy to be wrong if it thickens 813 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:13,239 Speaker 2: the brew at the front of the race, but if 814 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:15,799 Speaker 2: I see a challenger to McLaren this weekend, I don't 815 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:16,600 Speaker 2: think it's red bull. 816 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:18,400 Speaker 1: I think that's a fair call, but it will be 817 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:21,640 Speaker 1: interesting to see and find out howmet Mico's explanation. If 818 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:25,240 Speaker 1: it doesn't happen afterwards, that's all to come this weekend. 819 00:37:25,280 --> 00:37:26,960 Speaker 1: Before we wrap up, though, let's check in with the 820 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:31,560 Speaker 1: Crystal Ball by complete home filtration. We've got just the 821 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:35,120 Speaker 1: Formula one Grand Prix on this weekend in Azerbaijan. Again, 822 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:37,120 Speaker 1: a great time, Zoned. What are you predicting. 823 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 2: I'm predicting a story that we've seen before because there's 824 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:41,919 Speaker 2: proof of concept here. I'm predicting a char La Clare 825 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 2: pole and a char Lea Clare not win because he's 826 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:47,920 Speaker 2: going to do something absolutely remarkable on Saturday, where we're 827 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:49,680 Speaker 2: all going to shake our heads and then probably shake 828 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 2: our heads twice wondering why we questioned it. This guy 829 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:54,239 Speaker 2: could do this over one lap and then I think 830 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:56,200 Speaker 2: he splits the McLaren's in the race. I think he 831 00:37:56,239 --> 00:37:59,160 Speaker 2: finished a second. I don't know which McLaren comes first, 832 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:01,919 Speaker 2: but I can just see the only Charla Clerk would 833 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,360 Speaker 2: have a record of five poles around a particular circuit 834 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:06,160 Speaker 2: and no wins. And I'm sorry, Sharp, but I think 835 00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:07,400 Speaker 2: that's going to be the way it's going to go. 836 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:10,200 Speaker 1: Yes, I think that's fair enough. I was going to 837 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:13,759 Speaker 1: controversially pick the opposite though, that he was going to 838 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:16,800 Speaker 1: get his first win in Azerbaijan, but without pole position. 839 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:19,560 Speaker 1: I think that this is going to be the weekend 840 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:23,120 Speaker 1: that breaks us, that breaks the curse he has broken one. 841 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:25,080 Speaker 1: Of course, he already broken his Monaco curse that was 842 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:29,400 Speaker 1: last year, notably, but I just you know, Ferrari's second 843 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:31,319 Speaker 1: in the championship. To take a global view of this 844 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:34,080 Speaker 1: second in the championship, it's not decisively so you know 845 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:36,200 Speaker 1: McLaren and even Red Bull are still in with a 846 00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:38,680 Speaker 1: shot of taking that from them. But the only one 847 00:38:38,719 --> 00:38:41,680 Speaker 1: of the front running teams without a win. It doesn't 848 00:38:41,719 --> 00:38:44,160 Speaker 1: feel right that they'll finish second without a victory. There's 849 00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:47,400 Speaker 1: no obvious other contenders this year. I know we do 850 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:49,319 Speaker 1: have some wacky tracks coming up were sort of anything 851 00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:52,440 Speaker 1: can happen. I think Azerbaijan a bit of Leclaire magic. 852 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:54,960 Speaker 1: The car can be fast in a straight line. In fact, 853 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:56,759 Speaker 1: I think it was the fastest in a straight line 854 00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:58,760 Speaker 1: in Monzo or at least among the front running cars. 855 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:01,680 Speaker 1: Think if anyone can do it, he can do it. 856 00:39:01,719 --> 00:39:04,000 Speaker 1: In this circumstance, I think he's going to be that 857 00:39:04,080 --> 00:39:05,840 Speaker 1: one win of the year for Ferrari. 858 00:39:06,120 --> 00:39:08,680 Speaker 2: That call about them being second in the Constructors without 859 00:39:08,719 --> 00:39:10,839 Speaker 2: a win, that's a really, really good call. 860 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 3: It would be. 861 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:14,759 Speaker 2: Almost unprecedented, quite frankly, if they were to be able 862 00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 2: to hang on to second place and not win a 863 00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:18,319 Speaker 2: Grand Prix over the course of the year, and then 864 00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:20,279 Speaker 2: then you go through a process of elimination with the 865 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:23,839 Speaker 2: tracks that are left. You combine his talent, that car, 866 00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:27,040 Speaker 2: this particular race track, maybe this is the most likely 867 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:28,920 Speaker 2: chance of them winning a race before the end of 868 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:30,719 Speaker 2: the year. Of course, the worst part about that is 869 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:32,680 Speaker 2: if they don't win on Sunday, then all the media 870 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:33,840 Speaker 2: is going to be like, oh my god, they're not 871 00:39:33,840 --> 00:39:35,120 Speaker 2: going to win a race. Where are they're going to 872 00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:37,440 Speaker 2: win a race. It's all doom and glube. So that's 873 00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:39,400 Speaker 2: one way to shut that particular story off. But the 874 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:41,960 Speaker 2: concept of them finishing second in the Constructors and not 875 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:45,239 Speaker 2: winning a Grand Prix, yeah, I think that's a very 876 00:39:45,239 --> 00:39:47,359 Speaker 2: good call For me. I'm not confident. I think I'll 877 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:49,799 Speaker 2: go and spend your money down to a rather than 878 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:52,200 Speaker 2: my own. But I don't mind it as a concept 879 00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:53,000 Speaker 2: now that you've brought it up. 880 00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:55,319 Speaker 1: Well, we will see after this weekend, but that's all 881 00:39:55,320 --> 00:39:57,120 Speaker 1: the time. We have a pit talk today. You can 882 00:39:57,160 --> 00:39:59,640 Speaker 1: subscribe to Pittalk wherever you get your favorite podcasts, and 883 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:01,880 Speaker 1: you can give us a rating and review as well. 884 00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:04,239 Speaker 1: This weekend it is the Formula One as a vi 885 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:07,480 Speaker 1: Gian Grand Prix from Baku with lights out at nine 886 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:10,680 Speaker 1: pm Eastern Standard Time on Sunday. You can keep up 887 00:40:10,719 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 1: todate with all the latest Formula one, Motor GP and 888 00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:16,399 Speaker 1: supercars news at foxsports dot com dot au from Matt 889 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:18,759 Speaker 1: Clayton and me Michael Lomonado. Thanks very much for your 890 00:40:18,760 --> 00:40:20,200 Speaker 1: company and we'll catch you next week