1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,347 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,747 Speaker 1: from Newstalk ZEDB. 3 00:00:12,867 --> 00:00:16,827 Speaker 2: Liam Lawson has out qualified at stable mate Yuki Sonoda 4 00:00:16,867 --> 00:00:19,907 Speaker 2: for tonight's Formula One Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. 5 00:00:19,987 --> 00:00:21,947 Speaker 3: This is a better showing from Lawson, who would dearly 6 00:00:21,987 --> 00:00:24,707 Speaker 3: love to put his racing balls into the top tend 7 00:00:24,907 --> 00:00:28,027 Speaker 3: at the expense of the Red Bull of Yuki Sonoda, 8 00:00:28,067 --> 00:00:30,747 Speaker 3: which was his car last time out. Lawson does go 9 00:00:31,027 --> 00:00:35,147 Speaker 3: top ten and does go ahead of Yuki Sonoda. Yuki 10 00:00:35,147 --> 00:00:38,507 Speaker 3: SODA's first qualifying then for the Japanese Grand Prix as 11 00:00:38,507 --> 00:00:41,787 Speaker 3: a Red Bull driver ends in disappointment. Out in Q two, 12 00:00:42,467 --> 00:00:45,747 Speaker 3: Liam Lawson just ahead of him. What a baffle that 13 00:00:45,787 --> 00:00:49,787 Speaker 3: could be between the two drivers in tomorrow's race here. 14 00:00:49,907 --> 00:00:54,467 Speaker 2: So Lawson and Sonoda will start thirteenth and fourteenth respectively, 15 00:00:54,707 --> 00:00:56,827 Speaker 2: just over a week after Red Bull made the decision 16 00:00:57,187 --> 00:00:59,507 Speaker 2: to swap the two drivers. Liam Lawson's best time was 17 00:00:59,507 --> 00:01:03,227 Speaker 2: point zero nine to four seconds quicker than Sonoda. Both 18 00:01:03,267 --> 00:01:06,707 Speaker 2: though eliminated in the second qualifying session with only the 19 00:01:06,747 --> 00:01:09,787 Speaker 2: top ten going through to the final qualifying session, and 20 00:01:09,907 --> 00:01:13,947 Speaker 2: both Lawson and Sonoda later promoted a spot following a 21 00:01:13,947 --> 00:01:18,067 Speaker 2: penalty to Carlos signs, so they were initially fourteenth and fifteenth. 22 00:01:18,347 --> 00:01:22,427 Speaker 2: They'll start thirteenth and fourteenth meantime. Red Ball number one 23 00:01:22,467 --> 00:01:25,387 Speaker 2: Max for Stappin will start from pole again after setting 24 00:01:25,387 --> 00:01:29,987 Speaker 2: a new track lap record in qualifying. He flew around 25 00:01:30,067 --> 00:01:33,907 Speaker 2: the track last night. McLaren's Lando Norris will start alongside 26 00:01:33,947 --> 00:01:36,867 Speaker 2: the Stappan on the front row. Fellow McLaren driver Oscar 27 00:01:36,907 --> 00:01:41,267 Speaker 2: Piastre and ferraris Charlie Kerr third and fourth. It is 28 00:01:41,507 --> 00:01:44,987 Speaker 2: a huge pleasure to welcome Formula one Royalty to Weekend Sport. 29 00:01:45,067 --> 00:01:49,187 Speaker 2: David Coultart MBE competed in Formula one from nineteen ninety 30 00:01:49,187 --> 00:01:52,707 Speaker 2: four to two thousand and eight with Williams, then McLaren 31 00:01:52,787 --> 00:01:55,427 Speaker 2: and Latteralie red Ball. He was runner up in the 32 00:01:55,427 --> 00:01:58,467 Speaker 2: Formula one World Drivers Championship in two thousand and one 33 00:01:58,747 --> 00:02:03,747 Speaker 2: with McLaren and won thirteen Grand Prix across fifteen seasons. 34 00:02:03,947 --> 00:02:06,747 Speaker 2: He is now a highly respected F one Common Tighter 35 00:02:07,107 --> 00:02:09,747 Speaker 2: and Red Bull ambassador and he joins us now. David, 36 00:02:09,747 --> 00:02:11,707 Speaker 2: thank you so much for taking the time to join 37 00:02:11,787 --> 00:02:13,667 Speaker 2: us on Weekend Sport here across New Zealand. Can we 38 00:02:13,707 --> 00:02:18,507 Speaker 2: start with Max the step and that incredible qualifying lap. Yeesterda, 39 00:02:18,507 --> 00:02:21,067 Speaker 2: I want to change us. How does he go so fast? 40 00:02:22,107 --> 00:02:24,467 Speaker 4: Yeah, unbelievable. You know, I'm not actually in Suzuka this 41 00:02:24,507 --> 00:02:27,387 Speaker 4: weekend as I only attend sixteen of the Grand Prix, 42 00:02:27,507 --> 00:02:30,587 Speaker 4: so I'm a good old fashioned fan this weekend, just 43 00:02:30,587 --> 00:02:34,987 Speaker 4: watching on the television and I just you know, that 44 00:02:35,187 --> 00:02:37,747 Speaker 4: is why I love Formula and that is what I 45 00:02:37,787 --> 00:02:39,627 Speaker 4: love when I was a kid growing up, you know, 46 00:02:39,707 --> 00:02:43,907 Speaker 4: seeing your favorite driver or seeing someone just do something 47 00:02:43,987 --> 00:02:48,507 Speaker 4: remarkable and really special. And there's no question that that 48 00:02:48,787 --> 00:02:53,347 Speaker 4: was you know, y Max is a generational talent. That 49 00:02:53,427 --> 00:02:56,547 Speaker 4: car is clearly quick, otherwise it couldn't be on pool. 50 00:02:56,747 --> 00:02:59,387 Speaker 4: But he's he's certainly had to work his magic behind 51 00:02:59,427 --> 00:03:00,947 Speaker 4: the wheel to deliver the lab. 52 00:03:01,107 --> 00:03:03,707 Speaker 2: Put us on the site, David with him if if 53 00:03:03,747 --> 00:03:06,747 Speaker 2: you can. What is it that he does so well? 54 00:03:08,467 --> 00:03:11,267 Speaker 4: I think his senses are on such a high level 55 00:03:11,827 --> 00:03:17,787 Speaker 4: that he feels the car moving before mere mortals would realize. 56 00:03:18,147 --> 00:03:21,587 Speaker 4: And of course all Formula One drivers are good, they're 57 00:03:21,627 --> 00:03:25,787 Speaker 4: all extreme talents. But in any elite sport you're looking 58 00:03:25,787 --> 00:03:29,627 Speaker 4: for the exceptional talents, and whether it's football, whether it's 59 00:03:29,947 --> 00:03:33,907 Speaker 4: you know tennis, whether it's Formula one, there's always two 60 00:03:33,987 --> 00:03:36,547 Speaker 4: or three guys at any given time that do things 61 00:03:36,547 --> 00:03:38,707 Speaker 4: and you go, I don't know how they did that, 62 00:03:39,067 --> 00:03:41,147 Speaker 4: And the truth is they probably don't know how they 63 00:03:41,147 --> 00:03:45,147 Speaker 4: did it. It's just so innate in their their their 64 00:03:45,187 --> 00:03:50,627 Speaker 4: the psyche, their their ability to feel adhesion. He's he's 65 00:03:50,667 --> 00:03:53,867 Speaker 4: clearly got a very very sensitive seat of his pants 66 00:03:54,107 --> 00:03:56,427 Speaker 4: and fingertips on the steering wheel. 67 00:03:56,787 --> 00:03:59,587 Speaker 2: What a great way of describing at Lando norisskops three 68 00:03:59,587 --> 00:04:03,867 Speaker 2: two and three. Does McLaren same significantly quickly? Not have 69 00:04:03,907 --> 00:04:05,667 Speaker 2: a step and you know in any cap probably drives 70 00:04:05,667 --> 00:04:08,347 Speaker 2: it fast, but doesn't the Clarence seems significantly quicker to you. 71 00:04:09,507 --> 00:04:11,947 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think the way McLaren are able to top 72 00:04:11,987 --> 00:04:16,867 Speaker 4: the times pretty much in every session shows that that 73 00:04:17,027 --> 00:04:20,387 Speaker 4: is the car. That is the sort of car for 74 00:04:21,547 --> 00:04:23,947 Speaker 4: the varying conditions that we're seeing over the first three 75 00:04:23,987 --> 00:04:27,827 Speaker 4: Grand Priise. Whether it remains the car, of course, it 76 00:04:28,027 --> 00:04:30,987 Speaker 4: depends on the development profile that McLaren are able to 77 00:04:30,987 --> 00:04:33,667 Speaker 4: say on. That's what brought them into contention last year 78 00:04:34,107 --> 00:04:39,507 Speaker 4: that they found correlation between their upgrades in Virtual World 79 00:04:39,667 --> 00:04:42,107 Speaker 4: that enabled them to build them put them on the 80 00:04:42,107 --> 00:04:44,307 Speaker 4: car and it delivered lap time in the real world 81 00:04:44,347 --> 00:04:47,467 Speaker 4: and that's you know, without getting overlaid Techi. That is 82 00:04:47,547 --> 00:04:50,907 Speaker 4: forever the challenge for these Formula One teams because you know, 83 00:04:50,947 --> 00:04:53,107 Speaker 4: you can't just sort of put the regulations into an 84 00:04:53,107 --> 00:04:55,987 Speaker 4: AI design tool, otherwise they'd all pop out the same 85 00:04:56,027 --> 00:04:57,587 Speaker 4: and they'd all be as quick as each other. You know, 86 00:04:57,587 --> 00:05:01,147 Speaker 4: there's different opinions as to how to exploit those regulations. 87 00:05:01,187 --> 00:05:04,427 Speaker 4: There's different ways of laying up the camp, the carbon 88 00:05:04,467 --> 00:05:07,147 Speaker 4: fiber which allows it to flex and bend and all 89 00:05:07,187 --> 00:05:10,107 Speaker 4: of that sort of good stuff that hardcore fans will 90 00:05:10,147 --> 00:05:14,667 Speaker 4: be following. But right now McLaren is the car rebel 91 00:05:14,667 --> 00:05:17,467 Speaker 4: clearly in the hands of Max can be as quick 92 00:05:17,507 --> 00:05:20,227 Speaker 4: as him, and today I think that's one of those 93 00:05:20,227 --> 00:05:22,947 Speaker 4: moments where remember where you were when you saw Max 94 00:05:22,987 --> 00:05:24,387 Speaker 4: get pole position in Suzuka. 95 00:05:24,867 --> 00:05:27,107 Speaker 2: Well, Liam Lawson, of course, Amen, I know you've been 96 00:05:27,147 --> 00:05:29,187 Speaker 2: following with interest as where you have. What's been happening 97 00:05:29,187 --> 00:05:31,467 Speaker 2: over the first two or three Grand Prix. He got 98 00:05:31,467 --> 00:05:33,987 Speaker 2: out of Q one qualified fourteenth on the groat. How 99 00:05:34,067 --> 00:05:35,467 Speaker 2: much confidence will he take from then? 100 00:05:36,787 --> 00:05:39,227 Speaker 4: Yeah, it was an important weekend for him to rebuild 101 00:05:39,307 --> 00:05:42,187 Speaker 4: after what was very very difficult first to Grand Prix, 102 00:05:42,907 --> 00:05:46,147 Speaker 4: and he won't be happy, because you're only happy when 103 00:05:46,307 --> 00:05:48,947 Speaker 4: you're you know, a little bit ahead of your teammate, 104 00:05:49,027 --> 00:05:51,107 Speaker 4: that is your benchmark at the end of the day. 105 00:05:51,867 --> 00:05:54,147 Speaker 4: But he will be let's say, a little bit of 106 00:05:54,147 --> 00:05:57,267 Speaker 4: pressure has been released. He's back in an environment, he 107 00:05:57,307 --> 00:06:00,347 Speaker 4: knows the team well. They've done a great effort to 108 00:06:00,467 --> 00:06:03,547 Speaker 4: welcome him home, welcome him back into that team. And 109 00:06:03,587 --> 00:06:06,627 Speaker 4: of course he will be validated in his difficult in 110 00:06:06,627 --> 00:06:08,907 Speaker 4: the first two races by going, well, look, Yuki was 111 00:06:09,307 --> 00:06:12,027 Speaker 4: further up the grid in this car and he's now 112 00:06:12,067 --> 00:06:14,027 Speaker 4: behind me. So there'll be a lot of those sort 113 00:06:14,027 --> 00:06:17,547 Speaker 4: of box ticking exercises. But when you take away that emotion, 114 00:06:17,747 --> 00:06:20,747 Speaker 4: when you take away that you know what sort of 115 00:06:21,947 --> 00:06:25,267 Speaker 4: parenting desire to put your arm around the shoulders of 116 00:06:25,307 --> 00:06:29,147 Speaker 4: these guys. This is formula one. And when you take 117 00:06:29,147 --> 00:06:31,787 Speaker 4: away all the opinion and you take away all the emotion, 118 00:06:32,187 --> 00:06:35,507 Speaker 4: you're left with data. And that data is called a stopwatch, 119 00:06:35,907 --> 00:06:40,507 Speaker 4: and that stopwatch doesn't lie. So I think Liam can 120 00:06:40,547 --> 00:06:44,387 Speaker 4: feel good. I think there's a great building block for 121 00:06:44,467 --> 00:06:47,427 Speaker 4: him going forward, big opportunity again tomorrow to see if 122 00:06:47,427 --> 00:06:49,787 Speaker 4: he can bring the car home and the points. I 123 00:06:49,827 --> 00:06:52,187 Speaker 4: believe in Liam. I think he's a talent. I think he, 124 00:06:52,627 --> 00:06:56,667 Speaker 4: you know, just didn't quite get himself up to speed 125 00:06:56,827 --> 00:06:59,867 Speaker 4: quickly enough within the red Bulls scenario. But this is 126 00:06:59,907 --> 00:07:01,227 Speaker 4: his opportunity to rebuild. 127 00:07:02,067 --> 00:07:06,107 Speaker 2: What about Yuki Sonada, David, He's qualified fifteenth car is 128 00:07:06,867 --> 00:07:10,187 Speaker 2: very difficult to drive. Liam had trouble in it Uki 129 00:07:10,667 --> 00:07:14,227 Speaker 2: fifteenth today. How do you predict he will go in 130 00:07:14,227 --> 00:07:14,747 Speaker 2: that car? 131 00:07:16,347 --> 00:07:19,067 Speaker 4: Yeah, he will be disappointed, of course, because he was 132 00:07:19,267 --> 00:07:22,667 Speaker 4: within a few tenths of Max through the clean free practices, 133 00:07:22,707 --> 00:07:26,907 Speaker 4: which I think that's all that's really expected. If anyone 134 00:07:26,987 --> 00:07:30,107 Speaker 4: is matching Max consistently, you know you found the next 135 00:07:30,147 --> 00:07:32,347 Speaker 4: super talent, haven't you. You know? But whether you're a 136 00:07:32,347 --> 00:07:35,507 Speaker 4: maxi Astappen fan or not, this isn't about putting your 137 00:07:35,507 --> 00:07:37,987 Speaker 4: favorite cap on. This is just about dealing with the facts. 138 00:07:38,027 --> 00:07:42,147 Speaker 4: You know, Max is a generational talent, and for Uk 139 00:07:42,787 --> 00:07:45,387 Speaker 4: or any of Max's teammates, it's about being within a 140 00:07:45,387 --> 00:07:47,187 Speaker 4: few tens and if you can be within a few tens, 141 00:07:47,667 --> 00:07:51,747 Speaker 4: then you're you're doing a great job. The difficulty, of course, 142 00:07:51,787 --> 00:07:54,947 Speaker 4: that anyone in that car right now is having Formula 143 00:07:54,947 --> 00:07:57,947 Speaker 4: one is so incredibly close. If you're half a second 144 00:07:58,027 --> 00:08:02,387 Speaker 4: or more away, you're outside the top ten. You're therefore 145 00:08:02,387 --> 00:08:05,747 Speaker 4: in a difficult situation to make strategy work to find 146 00:08:06,547 --> 00:08:08,587 Speaker 4: points in the Grand Prix itself. 147 00:08:10,307 --> 00:08:12,747 Speaker 2: I looked at your career, David the Third, in your 148 00:08:12,827 --> 00:08:15,987 Speaker 2: first full season with Williams Rainow in ninety five, I podiums, 149 00:08:16,467 --> 00:08:19,867 Speaker 2: including you mine in Grand Prix win in Portugal. How 150 00:08:19,867 --> 00:08:22,187 Speaker 2: did you come to terms with the car so quickly? 151 00:08:24,347 --> 00:08:28,467 Speaker 4: But I was doing a filming for F one TV 152 00:08:28,627 --> 00:08:31,747 Speaker 4: recently called Memory Box, and they were taking me through 153 00:08:31,787 --> 00:08:34,867 Speaker 4: that sort of ninety four, the tragedy of Senna and 154 00:08:35,107 --> 00:08:39,027 Speaker 4: Ratzenberger sharing the carbonage of Mansel ninety five. As you mentioned, 155 00:08:39,027 --> 00:08:41,707 Speaker 4: my first cool season, I was a puppy and I 156 00:08:41,787 --> 00:08:44,267 Speaker 4: peed on the carpet a left, right, and center. I 157 00:08:44,387 --> 00:08:48,867 Speaker 4: made so many mistakes it's embarassing looking back. What saved 158 00:08:48,947 --> 00:08:52,307 Speaker 4: me was I had underlying pace in that I could 159 00:08:52,387 --> 00:08:55,667 Speaker 4: drive the car quickly and I felt comfortable within the 160 00:08:55,707 --> 00:08:57,907 Speaker 4: Williams team. Could have been the test driver for a 161 00:08:57,947 --> 00:09:01,347 Speaker 4: few years. But if I you know, if we had 162 00:09:01,387 --> 00:09:03,027 Speaker 4: the gift to be able to do it all again, 163 00:09:03,627 --> 00:09:06,387 Speaker 4: I would need to grow up. I would need to 164 00:09:06,547 --> 00:09:11,027 Speaker 4: get my brain into a to a space where you 165 00:09:11,107 --> 00:09:14,987 Speaker 4: are a full professional rather than just you know, wide 166 00:09:15,027 --> 00:09:19,067 Speaker 4: eyed and bushy tailed and just being reactive. So the 167 00:09:19,107 --> 00:09:22,707 Speaker 4: way I always feel i've been dealing with pressure is 168 00:09:22,747 --> 00:09:25,187 Speaker 4: pressure is when you feel you're losing control of a situation. 169 00:09:25,267 --> 00:09:28,947 Speaker 4: Pressure is not other people's expectations. And I say that 170 00:09:28,987 --> 00:09:31,827 Speaker 4: when I do my commentary, when people would ask, oh, god, 171 00:09:31,867 --> 00:09:34,467 Speaker 4: the driver's under so much pressure, and I go, well, 172 00:09:34,667 --> 00:09:37,827 Speaker 4: is he does he feel he's not in control? Does 173 00:09:37,867 --> 00:09:41,387 Speaker 4: he feel he's you know, his destiny is out of 174 00:09:41,427 --> 00:09:44,027 Speaker 4: his hands. If the answer is yes and yeah, I 175 00:09:44,027 --> 00:09:47,107 Speaker 4: suspect he does feel pressure. But if he feels yep, 176 00:09:47,267 --> 00:09:49,067 Speaker 4: this is my moment, let me go and show what 177 00:09:49,107 --> 00:09:52,307 Speaker 4: I can do. Then, irrespective of what the outside world thinks, 178 00:09:52,467 --> 00:09:54,667 Speaker 4: if that is the driver's mindset, I don't think they 179 00:09:54,667 --> 00:09:58,147 Speaker 4: feel pressure because we've been doing this since we were kids. 180 00:09:58,467 --> 00:10:00,627 Speaker 4: You know. None of these guys just arrived last week 181 00:10:00,667 --> 00:10:02,907 Speaker 4: and decided, Hey, I'm going to be a grand free driver. 182 00:10:03,067 --> 00:10:06,067 Speaker 4: They have been through a roller coaster of you know, 183 00:10:06,147 --> 00:10:10,987 Speaker 4: when losing, mistakes, arguments, you know, all of those things 184 00:10:11,147 --> 00:10:12,027 Speaker 4: since they were kids. 185 00:10:13,067 --> 00:10:16,627 Speaker 2: So you did you then? Did it take any time 186 00:10:16,627 --> 00:10:18,787 Speaker 2: at all? For you to feel comfortable in the car. 187 00:10:18,827 --> 00:10:21,707 Speaker 2: Did you ever feel comfortable in a machine like that 188 00:10:21,827 --> 00:10:23,147 Speaker 2: or was that just not possible? 189 00:10:25,507 --> 00:10:29,627 Speaker 4: I understand the question in terms of how maybe people 190 00:10:29,627 --> 00:10:32,787 Speaker 4: would perceive comfort. A Grand Prix car is not a 191 00:10:32,827 --> 00:10:35,987 Speaker 4: comfortable place. It starts with it's not comfortable to sit in, 192 00:10:36,627 --> 00:10:41,667 Speaker 4: it's not comfortable to drive, and when the car is 193 00:10:42,107 --> 00:10:44,427 Speaker 4: trying to spit you into the wall, it's not a 194 00:10:44,467 --> 00:10:49,387 Speaker 4: comfortable feeling. My experience is fast cars are difficult to drive, 195 00:10:50,067 --> 00:10:52,987 Speaker 4: and that penny dropped when I went from the ninety 196 00:10:52,987 --> 00:10:56,267 Speaker 4: five Williams, which was a Grand Prix winning car, to 197 00:10:56,387 --> 00:10:59,107 Speaker 4: the ninety five McLaren, which had been a really average 198 00:10:59,147 --> 00:11:02,787 Speaker 4: car during that season. I tested it at the end 199 00:11:02,787 --> 00:11:05,147 Speaker 4: of the ninety five season and prior to me joining 200 00:11:05,227 --> 00:11:07,747 Speaker 4: McLaren in ninety six, and I was really worried because 201 00:11:07,787 --> 00:11:09,947 Speaker 4: I thought, this car is like two seconds slower. This 202 00:11:10,067 --> 00:11:12,467 Speaker 4: is going to be frightening to drive. And I went 203 00:11:12,547 --> 00:11:15,347 Speaker 4: out and it was like a limousine. And the reason 204 00:11:15,387 --> 00:11:17,907 Speaker 4: it was like a limousine it didn't have the downforce, 205 00:11:17,987 --> 00:11:21,547 Speaker 4: it didn't have the group to take the tires to 206 00:11:21,627 --> 00:11:26,827 Speaker 4: the limit of their adhesion, and you know the same compound, 207 00:11:26,907 --> 00:11:28,987 Speaker 4: and the same construction of tires on the Williams was 208 00:11:29,027 --> 00:11:31,547 Speaker 4: going two seconds quicker, So you can imagine they had 209 00:11:31,587 --> 00:11:33,467 Speaker 4: a lot more load going through them, a lot more 210 00:11:33,587 --> 00:11:36,387 Speaker 4: energy going through them. They were a lot more taken 211 00:11:36,467 --> 00:11:38,947 Speaker 4: to the limit of what those tires could actually handle. 212 00:11:39,307 --> 00:11:43,667 Speaker 4: So fast cars are difficult and uncomfortable. Slow cars the 213 00:11:43,747 --> 00:11:46,307 Speaker 4: drivers always think, yeah, give me a quick car and 214 00:11:46,347 --> 00:11:47,947 Speaker 4: I'll show you what I can do. Well, give them 215 00:11:47,947 --> 00:11:50,147 Speaker 4: a quick car. Sometimes they go, oh, this is a 216 00:11:50,147 --> 00:11:53,747 Speaker 4: bit difficult to drive. Why is it not easier? So 217 00:11:54,787 --> 00:11:58,707 Speaker 4: if you just think about it going I've never climbed Everest, 218 00:11:58,787 --> 00:12:01,827 Speaker 4: but I imagine getting to the top of Everest must be 219 00:12:01,907 --> 00:12:06,147 Speaker 4: pretty uncomfortable. Well, my old teammate Mark Webers says, being 220 00:12:06,187 --> 00:12:08,347 Speaker 4: in Formula one at the highest level is like getting 221 00:12:08,387 --> 00:12:10,787 Speaker 4: to the top of Everest and then taking the oxygen 222 00:12:10,787 --> 00:12:12,827 Speaker 4: mask off. I love that. 223 00:12:12,907 --> 00:12:14,267 Speaker 2: We had Mike on the show a couple of weeks 224 00:12:14,267 --> 00:12:17,427 Speaker 2: ago and it was it was as articulate as you are. 225 00:12:18,267 --> 00:12:21,627 Speaker 2: You saw the chicken flag thirteen times. What is that like? 226 00:12:23,507 --> 00:12:27,787 Speaker 4: It's a wonderful feeling of achievement. And I again, having 227 00:12:27,827 --> 00:12:30,787 Speaker 4: gone down the old memory box filming last week, I 228 00:12:30,827 --> 00:12:34,547 Speaker 4: remember i'd see the checker flag, I keep my foot 229 00:12:34,587 --> 00:12:37,707 Speaker 4: absolutely nailed until I was well across the line. I 230 00:12:37,747 --> 00:12:40,107 Speaker 4: would then have to ask the team, can you confirm 231 00:12:40,147 --> 00:12:42,707 Speaker 4: I won the race? Because I always had this fear 232 00:12:42,867 --> 00:12:46,507 Speaker 4: that I was in some kind of dream. And you know, 233 00:12:46,507 --> 00:12:50,787 Speaker 4: I've seen drivers lose races by lifting off and celebrating 234 00:12:50,987 --> 00:12:53,347 Speaker 4: before the checker flag and things like that. You see 235 00:12:53,387 --> 00:12:55,907 Speaker 4: it in running races, and I never wanted to be 236 00:12:55,907 --> 00:12:59,227 Speaker 4: one of those guys. So yeah, it seems what I 237 00:12:59,267 --> 00:13:01,587 Speaker 4: did two D two hundred and forty or Grand Prix 238 00:13:01,627 --> 00:13:05,187 Speaker 4: and only one thirteen of them. The reality is a 239 00:13:05,267 --> 00:13:07,987 Speaker 4: Lewis Hamilton, who's the most winning driver in the history 240 00:13:07,987 --> 00:13:11,067 Speaker 4: of our sport, he's only one twenty odd percent of 241 00:13:11,107 --> 00:13:13,627 Speaker 4: the races he's entered. We do a lot of losing. 242 00:13:14,107 --> 00:13:17,307 Speaker 4: It is a horrible statistic. If you were a boxer 243 00:13:17,787 --> 00:13:20,587 Speaker 4: or if you were a fund manager, you know, imagine 244 00:13:20,627 --> 00:13:23,467 Speaker 4: if you were only winning twenty odd percent of the 245 00:13:23,507 --> 00:13:26,467 Speaker 4: time in those businesses. But that's just the nature of 246 00:13:26,507 --> 00:13:29,347 Speaker 4: our sport. It's a privilege, though, to be in Formula one, 247 00:13:29,427 --> 00:13:32,707 Speaker 4: to work at that level with the incredible men and 248 00:13:32,747 --> 00:13:36,307 Speaker 4: women that design and build these cars, and to then 249 00:13:36,507 --> 00:13:39,627 Speaker 4: steer it on their behalf to the checker flag. Is 250 00:13:39,667 --> 00:13:41,147 Speaker 4: a wonderful feeling of achievement. 251 00:13:41,307 --> 00:13:44,307 Speaker 2: Amazing. Can we just circle back to Liam to finish? David, 252 00:13:44,347 --> 00:13:46,387 Speaker 2: I mean, we love him, but we're biased. Of course, 253 00:13:46,427 --> 00:13:50,067 Speaker 2: he's one of ours. You're alluded to it before when 254 00:13:50,107 --> 00:13:52,547 Speaker 2: you said you do say promising things in his future. 255 00:13:53,267 --> 00:13:54,987 Speaker 2: Can you maybe just expand on that. How do you 256 00:13:54,987 --> 00:13:56,827 Speaker 2: write him as a driver? What do you predict the 257 00:13:56,947 --> 00:13:57,547 Speaker 2: Liam Lawson? 258 00:13:58,987 --> 00:14:02,107 Speaker 4: Well, I hope very much that this little hiccup is 259 00:14:02,467 --> 00:14:07,347 Speaker 4: kind of what we saw with Alex Albon, where Alex 260 00:14:07,507 --> 00:14:10,707 Speaker 4: had a tricky year, relatively young at the time, not 261 00:14:10,747 --> 00:14:13,787 Speaker 4: a lot of experience and kind of struggle to pull 262 00:14:13,827 --> 00:14:18,147 Speaker 4: the whole season together. And again, like my ninety five season, 263 00:14:18,187 --> 00:14:19,947 Speaker 4: although I finished third, it was there was a much 264 00:14:19,987 --> 00:14:22,907 Speaker 4: bigger gap in the performance of the cars in those days, 265 00:14:22,907 --> 00:14:25,227 Speaker 4: so I was in a very privileged position. Formula One 266 00:14:25,227 --> 00:14:28,787 Speaker 4: today is so close that these guys have to be 267 00:14:28,827 --> 00:14:30,707 Speaker 4: at a higher level. They are at a higher level. 268 00:14:30,747 --> 00:14:33,467 Speaker 4: The next generation is always better. So you know, let's 269 00:14:33,467 --> 00:14:35,667 Speaker 4: start with the fact that Liam is a much better 270 00:14:35,747 --> 00:14:38,787 Speaker 4: race driver than I ever was, but he races in 271 00:14:38,827 --> 00:14:42,427 Speaker 4: a time which which is much much more competitive. He's 272 00:14:42,427 --> 00:14:46,707 Speaker 4: got to Formula one on merit, on talent. He's growing 273 00:14:46,787 --> 00:14:50,347 Speaker 4: up in the public eye because no matter how mature 274 00:14:50,507 --> 00:14:54,587 Speaker 4: and how you know, worldly he thinks he is, stick 275 00:14:54,627 --> 00:14:56,867 Speaker 4: him in five years in the same situation. He's just 276 00:14:56,907 --> 00:14:59,267 Speaker 4: going to be more mature. You know, you can't stick 277 00:14:59,267 --> 00:15:01,267 Speaker 4: an old head on young shoulders, much as we would 278 00:15:01,307 --> 00:15:05,707 Speaker 4: have loved that. And he has got to grow up 279 00:15:05,867 --> 00:15:09,467 Speaker 4: in the public whilst continuing to follow his dream of 280 00:15:09,787 --> 00:15:12,427 Speaker 4: becoming a Formula and world champion. I believe all of 281 00:15:12,467 --> 00:15:14,907 Speaker 4: those things that brought him to Formula one are still there. 282 00:15:15,307 --> 00:15:18,907 Speaker 4: He's got over the first hurdle, which every driver has 283 00:15:18,987 --> 00:15:23,347 Speaker 4: hurdles in their life, and he's now can take a 284 00:15:23,387 --> 00:15:26,067 Speaker 4: breath and go and show that he can bring points 285 00:15:26,067 --> 00:15:28,347 Speaker 4: home for racing bulls. His next goal has to be 286 00:15:28,507 --> 00:15:30,547 Speaker 4: to be team leader, so he's got to get in 287 00:15:30,547 --> 00:15:34,227 Speaker 4: front of Haja and if he does that, he's back 288 00:15:34,267 --> 00:15:37,227 Speaker 4: on track. If he's consistently a little bit behind Hadja 289 00:15:37,307 --> 00:15:40,227 Speaker 4: for whatever reason, whatever excuses anyone wants to pull out 290 00:15:40,307 --> 00:15:45,307 Speaker 4: the stopwatch tells us the running order, then he's got 291 00:15:45,347 --> 00:15:49,747 Speaker 4: to have tried absolutely everything to overcome that. And only 292 00:15:49,787 --> 00:15:52,387 Speaker 4: when he's tried absolutely everything. Can he just accept his 293 00:15:52,467 --> 00:15:55,907 Speaker 4: place in this world, which if he finishes up as 294 00:15:55,987 --> 00:15:59,267 Speaker 4: merely one of the very you know, talented race drivers 295 00:15:59,267 --> 00:16:00,827 Speaker 4: that are lucky enough to be in Formula one, that's 296 00:16:00,827 --> 00:16:02,747 Speaker 4: still a pretty good place to be in New Zealand. 297 00:16:02,787 --> 00:16:06,307 Speaker 4: Can be proud. But I still believe there's there's a 298 00:16:06,387 --> 00:16:09,587 Speaker 4: enough promise there for him to work this out and 299 00:16:09,867 --> 00:16:11,787 Speaker 4: make his way back to a winning situation. 300 00:16:12,547 --> 00:16:14,667 Speaker 2: David, it's been such a pleasure and on education having 301 00:16:14,667 --> 00:16:16,387 Speaker 2: you join us across New Zealand. Thanks so much for 302 00:16:16,867 --> 00:16:19,907 Speaker 2: lending us your expertise. We like you will watch Liam's 303 00:16:19,947 --> 00:16:22,627 Speaker 2: progress with interest. Again, thank you for your time this afternoon. 304 00:16:23,227 --> 00:16:24,747 Speaker 4: Thank you very much, Thank you, David. 305 00:16:24,827 --> 00:16:29,867 Speaker 2: David Coultart MBA. What a what a superban site into 306 00:16:30,067 --> 00:16:32,147 Speaker 2: one of the toughest sports on the Plannet. 307 00:16:32,587 --> 00:16:35,747 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 308 00:16:35,867 --> 00:16:39,147 Speaker 1: to News Talks ed b weekends from midday or follow 309 00:16:39,187 --> 00:16:40,747 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.