Andretti hijacks the 2023 Qatar GP Preview

We expect discussions and dissonance around Andretti's entry in Formula 1 to hijack all stories from the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, including Max Verstappen's impending 3rd Formula 1 World Championship.

But does Formula 1 need an 11th team? We're split in our judgment and opinion. On sporting grounds, we agree that an 11th team will do wonders for Formula 1 and upcoming young talent. But from a business perspective, it's tricky - that's where we had peak disagreement despite having no vested interests in Andretti's entry. 

Why should the existing 10 teams agree to devalue their business? Why is Andretti interested in Formula 1 only now? Is the FIA pressurising Liberty Media to enter into an agreement with Andretti by making their (acceptance) stance public? Lots of interesting discussions that will hopefully give you a better understanding of the messy situation that Formula 1 faces with Andretti.

And of course, this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast is also the official preview episode for the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. A sprint race weekend, a fast-flowy circuit, and is resurfaced, re-kerbed and will offer a challenge via different track temperatures and of course, the first time running of the ground-effect cars.

Will Ferrari's better tyre degradation prevail? Is Mercedes' claim that Ferrari have better tyre degradation since the summer break true? Will McLaren continue to eat into Aston Martin's points gap to 4th place? We reckon McLaren will continue to be the team closest to Red Bull Racing this weekend, too. 

A new circuit, different challenges...and lots of sports washing.

Tune in!

(Season 2023, Episode 53)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah

Image courtesy: Andretti Global Cadillac

**Summary of the Inside Line F1 Podcast Episode 53**

**Main Discussion: Andretti's Potential Entry into Formula One**

* The podcast begins with a discussion about the FIA's announcement that Andretti Global, in partnership with Cadillac, has expressed interest in joining Formula One as the 11th team.
* The hosts, Soumil Arora, Kunal Shah, and Sundaram, delve into the implications of this potential addition to the grid, considering both sporting and business perspectives.
* From a sporting standpoint, the hosts agree that an 11th team would bring more excitement and opportunities for young drivers. However, from a business perspective, they raise concerns about the potential dilution of revenue among the existing 10 teams.
* They also question whether Andretti's interest in Formula One is genuine or if it is simply a reaction to the sport's growing popularity in the United States.
* The hosts note that the FIA and Formula One Management (FOM) have taken different approaches to Andretti's entry, with the FIA initially expressing support and FOM remaining cautious.
* They speculate on the reasons behind this discrepancy and the potential impact it could have on the negotiations.

**Additional Topics Discussed:**

* The upcoming Qatar Grand Prix, which will feature a sprint race under lights for the first time.
* The challenges teams will face in setting up their cars due to limited practice time and changes to the track surface and curbs.
* The pronunciation of "Qatar" and "Lusail," with the hosts discussing the correct way to say the names of the country and the circuit.
* The history of the Lusail circuit, which was built for MotoGP in 2004 and has undergone significant upgrades to host Formula One.
* The uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of the Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail circuit, given that Qatar has a 10-year race contract but the location of future races is unknown.

**Overall Message:**

The podcast provides a comprehensive overview of the Andretti Formula One entry situation, examining the potential benefits and drawbacks from various perspectives. It also previews the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix, highlighting the unique challenges teams will face and the excitement of the first-ever night sprint race. **Inside Line F1 Podcast Episode 53: Qatar Grand Prix Preview**

**Synopsis:**

The hosts of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora, F1 Stats Guru, and Kunal Shah, engage in a lively discussion about the upcoming 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, the potential impact of Andretti's entry into Formula 1, and various storylines to watch for during the race weekend.

**Key Points:**

* **Andretti's Entry into Formula 1:**

- The hosts have differing opinions on whether Formula 1 needs an 11th team, with Soumil expressing support for the idea while Kunal and F1 Stats Guru raising concerns about the potential impact on the existing teams' finances.
- They question Andretti's motives for joining Formula 1 at this time and speculate on whether the FIA is pressuring Liberty Media to accept Andretti's entry.

* **Qatar Grand Prix Preview:**

- The hosts discuss the unique characteristics of the Losail International Circuit, including its resurfaced track, fast-flowing layout, and different track temperatures.
- They debate whether Ferrari's alleged better tire degradation since the summer break will give them an advantage over Mercedes and McLaren.
- They also consider the possibility of McLaren continuing to close the gap to Aston Martin in the battle for fourth place in the Constructors' Championship.

* **Predictions for the Qatar Grand Prix:**

- Soumil predicts a Carlos Sainz win in the sprint and race, while F1 Stats Guru believes Max Verstappen will win the race but not necessarily all qualifying and sprint sessions.
- Kunal expects Verstappen to dominate the weekend but suggests that someone else might surprise everyone by winning the sprint.

**Overall Message:**

The podcast provides an engaging and informative preview of the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, offering insights into the sporting, business, and technical aspects of the event. The hosts' differing perspectives and lively banter make for an entertaining and thought-provoking discussion.

[00:00.000 -> 00:21.720] Guys and girls, there has been a hijacking.
[00:21.720 -> 00:26.360] This was meant to be a Qatar GP preview but the FIA have dropped an
[00:26.360 -> 00:31.640] absolute bombshell. We might just have an 11th Formula One team in principle at
[00:31.640 -> 00:35.440] least and we're going to be dissecting all of that and more about Andretti. Are
[00:35.440 -> 00:38.840] they really going to be coming to Formula One? The answer and we all know
[00:38.840 -> 00:42.960] we just wait and watch but do we need an 11th team? Why are there two different
[00:42.960 -> 00:48.560] bodies to approve the entry of a Formula One team in the first place? And what happens next? Are they good enough? Are they
[00:48.560 -> 00:53.680] capable enough? And essentially, who wins from all of this as well? And plus, even though it
[00:53.680 -> 00:58.400] has been a hijacking, we will eventually come to the Qatar GP preview. But it's interesting,
[00:58.400 -> 01:02.240] Kunal, the Americans have hijacked a major event that's going to be happening in the Middle East,
[01:02.240 -> 01:07.680] and we just can't talk about anything else. Have we seen this before somewhere? Like maybe in the past, right?
[01:09.520 -> 01:15.920] In all good humor and to make sure I don't piss off our American listener base and sponsor base,
[01:15.920 -> 01:26.800] I'm going to say I think Andretti is going to be the talk of this weekend. Unfortunately, on a weekend when the talk should just
[01:26.800 -> 01:30.480] be about Max Verstappen and his incredible run,
[01:30.480 -> 01:32.760] and the fact that he's going to win his third title
[01:32.760 -> 01:35.680] on a Saturday, hopefully, and so on.
[01:35.680 -> 01:39.360] But talking of Andretti, yes, it's
[01:39.360 -> 01:41.960] interesting how we've landed in this situation
[01:41.960 -> 01:42.760] in the first place.
[01:42.760 -> 01:52.320] And I know we are going to dissect it much further in due course, right? But to me what really stands out is the fact that the last
[01:52.320 -> 01:58.240] two times we had new teams added in Formula One, there was one announcement, right? The last
[01:58.240 -> 02:04.080] announcement was Haas when they were granted entry by FIA and FOM at the same time and the
[02:04.080 -> 02:08.920] ones before that was when Marussia, HRT and somebody else and Kateram Lotus, whatever
[02:08.920 -> 02:10.240] had joined as well.
[02:10.240 -> 02:11.880] Again, one announcement.
[02:11.880 -> 02:17.120] But now this is a new owner of Formula One, Liberty Media, a new president of the FIA,
[02:17.120 -> 02:21.760] Mohammad Ben Sulaim, and they have chosen to make two different announcements.
[02:21.760 -> 02:24.440] And we're going to dissect all of that.
[02:24.440 -> 02:28.960] Not just two actually, technically Sundaram it would be four right because firstly there
[02:28.960 -> 02:33.200] was the announcement of intent, then there's the announcement of collaboration with Cadillac,
[02:33.200 -> 02:36.960] then there's this announcement and then we're assuming that we'll get the final announcement
[02:36.960 -> 02:42.640] as well. So it's interesting actually we have four different announcements for what is literally
[02:42.640 -> 02:45.440] the same news. I like it.
[02:45.440 -> 02:50.320] For the same team. So that's one of the many teams that expressed an interest to be a part
[02:50.320 -> 02:54.760] of Formula One. And I know it's a pretty long procedure. It has to be right. It has to be
[02:54.760 -> 02:59.860] a pretty lengthy procedure. But the next set of discussions is the most interesting and
[02:59.860 -> 03:06.240] spicy bit, the part that we are really waiting for. And I think that's going to be the biggest hurdle for Andretti.
[03:06.240 -> 03:10.880] But long story short, I am very excited about two things.
[03:10.880 -> 03:15.780] Firstly, that we have an 11th team, because that opens up more race seats, which gives
[03:15.780 -> 03:20.080] us the opportunity to see a lot more talent on the grid.
[03:20.080 -> 03:25.240] I mean, a couple of years ago, it almost seemed that Sergio Perez may not have a seat because
[03:25.240 -> 03:30.080] he was ousted and Sebastian Vettel was coming in until Red Bull came in and gave him a race
[03:30.080 -> 03:31.080] seat.
[03:31.080 -> 03:35.520] But we've all often spoken about this, that this is such a talented driver, but he doesn't
[03:35.520 -> 03:37.520] have a race seat for next year.
[03:37.520 -> 03:41.320] So in that sense, I'm happy that we're having a 11th team.
[03:41.320 -> 03:45.680] And I'm also very happy that that 11th team is going to be Andretti in specific.
[03:46.640 -> 03:52.080] Yeah and we'll get to the specifics of why we love Andretti so much in a second but folks
[03:52.080 -> 03:58.080] this is the Inside Line F1 podcast. My name is Somal Arora, I'm the host of the Indian Racing
[03:58.080 -> 04:02.400] League on Starsports. I'm getting used to this new intro but I'm also the voice of the MotoGP
[04:02.400 -> 04:05.440] Indian Grand Prix as well. Joining me as always Kunal Shah,
[04:05.440 -> 04:11.360] the former marketing head of the Force India F1 team, currently an FIA, not an FIA, an FIA accredited
[04:11.360 -> 04:16.480] F1 journalist who's working as an F1 expert at the Viaplay network. I complicate it so much because
[04:16.480 -> 04:21.120] it is a complicated title but it's basically, long story short, if you're in Norway he comes on your
[04:21.120 -> 04:29.380] TV and talks really good interesting stuff about Formula 1. And to simplify it even further for our next co-host, F1 Stats Guru, the man behind all
[04:29.380 -> 04:32.940] the numbers that you see floating around on every Formula 1 weekend.
[04:32.940 -> 04:36.360] He is the man in the WTF1 talent pool as well.
[04:36.360 -> 04:40.160] Any interesting stat you see this weekend, 90% chance it's going to be coming from his
[04:40.160 -> 04:41.560] Twitter handle itself.
[04:41.560 -> 04:44.820] But folks, big question for this weekend, right?
[04:44.820 -> 04:45.600] I know the sprint is
[04:45.600 -> 04:50.560] coming. I know Vastapan might be winning a title on Saturday, which amazes me actually. But the
[04:50.560 -> 04:56.640] more important part is, and I'm genuinely, genuinely internally divided on the same.
[04:56.640 -> 05:02.160] Do we really need an 11th team? Because in my head, it just doesn't add up like literally,
[05:02.160 -> 05:08.780] like firstly, 22 cars on the grid is, but still do we do we need an 11th team in your mind Kunal? For sporting
[05:08.780 -> 05:14.560] reasons and exactly what F1 stats guru Sundaram just said before your
[05:14.560 -> 05:19.840] interesting introduction for from a driver talent perspective to get more
[05:19.840 -> 05:23.840] junior drivers get more drivers to race in Formula One yes we need 11th maybe
[05:23.840 -> 05:26.460] even a 12th maybe you know 14th team at some point,
[05:26.460 -> 05:29.400] but that's the sporting perspective, right?
[05:29.400 -> 05:33.440] But at no point yet in any of the conversations
[05:33.440 -> 05:38.440] has Andretti, FIA, FOM, or the F1 teams
[05:39.040 -> 05:43.880] been objective about Andretti's inclusion or exclusion,
[05:43.880 -> 05:44.720] right?
[05:44.720 -> 05:45.840] And I'm gonna give a very simple math,
[05:45.840 -> 05:48.160] which I tweeted out this morning.
[05:48.160 -> 05:51.000] At the moment, let's assume a very simple thing.
[05:51.000 -> 05:55.000] Formula One earns $10 a year.
[05:55.000 -> 05:55.920] There are 10 teams,
[05:55.920 -> 05:58.000] so let's assume all of them get an equitable pay
[05:58.000 -> 05:59.880] of $1 each.
[05:59.880 -> 06:02.480] What Andretti is going to come and do is suddenly,
[06:03.880 -> 06:07.200] the pot of $10 will not be divided by 10,
[06:07.200 -> 06:09.040] but be divided by 11.
[06:09.040 -> 06:15.600] So everybody will earn 9 cents per team, or 0.9 cents per team, right?
[06:15.600 -> 06:17.360] 90 cents.
[06:17.360 -> 06:21.600] And hence, the conversation about the dilution fee, this is where they're saying Andretti
[06:21.600 -> 06:25.360] needs to pay a fee to enter, which is all fair and fine, right?
[06:25.360 -> 06:32.160] But apart from the dilution fee, what the existing teams are saying is, how and what
[06:32.160 -> 06:38.680] do we know that Andretti will actually grow the overall pie of $10 to 11 or 12 or 15 in
[06:38.680 -> 06:39.680] the future?
[06:39.680 -> 06:46.920] And that is the assumption that almost nobody has sort of put down in numbers. And that's what I'm really hoping that everybody does.
[06:46.920 -> 06:51.160] So whether you accept them or not, I hope it's an objective assessment.
[06:51.160 -> 06:53.160] Very news reporter-like.
[06:53.160 -> 06:55.520] Nice, very nice. Like it, like it.
[06:55.520 -> 06:57.520] What do you think Sundaram?
[06:57.520 -> 07:02.280] That's a very interesting point because what I'm wondering is,
[07:02.280 -> 07:04.280] is it really Andretti's problem?
[07:04.280 -> 07:06.580] I get it, there's an anti-dilution fee already
[07:06.580 -> 07:08.920] of 200 million, which all the teams agreed to,
[07:08.920 -> 07:10.340] but now they're not even happy with that.
[07:10.340 -> 07:12.380] So they're probably pitching for 500
[07:12.380 -> 07:14.860] or 600 million dollars as well.
[07:14.860 -> 07:19.060] So my question is, why is this Andretti's problem
[07:19.060 -> 07:21.440] that the other teams are getting a lesser share?
[07:21.440 -> 07:23.900] Why is it not something that Formula One
[07:23.900 -> 07:29.960] has to take care of and probably give a bigger pot for people to have an equal share?
[07:29.960 -> 07:33.840] Because I mean just to give an example what happens even in the IPL is although
[07:33.840 -> 07:38.720] the sport or the format is expanding they have been open and welcome to
[07:38.720 -> 07:43.680] having more teams and when they had more teams the valuation of the format of the
[07:43.680 -> 07:45.360] league was also increasing. So teams
[07:45.360 -> 07:50.760] are actually earning a lot more when they have new teams, new sponsors, and they're
[07:50.760 -> 07:54.800] reaching out to bigger markets as well. So why isn't that the case in Formula 1?
[07:54.800 -> 07:59.680] Actually, interesting you mentioned that because when we had an IPL team purchase for a record
[07:59.680 -> 08:04.480] price, the valuation of the existing teams as well, Kunal, they also skyrocketed in the
[08:04.480 -> 08:05.200] first place.
[08:05.200 -> 08:09.760] That is an objective way to look at it. But I see you have something interesting to say here.
[08:09.760 -> 08:16.640] The IPL was a much younger league at that time. The IPL was still limited in markets, right?
[08:17.360 -> 08:23.600] The scope to grow was a lot more. In F1's case, the scope for growth is a little lesser. But
[08:23.600 -> 08:29.360] just to put another question back to what Sundaram just said, it's not Andretti's problem,
[08:29.360 -> 08:31.000] which is fine, which is very fair.
[08:31.000 -> 08:35.880] But where was Andretti with its interest in investing in Formula One when Formula One
[08:35.880 -> 08:38.480] was not a big sport in the US?
[08:38.480 -> 08:45.920] Andretti races in every category in motorsport, Formula E, Indy, L lights, you name it, they're there, right?
[08:45.920 -> 08:51.280] But hey, why weren't you then, you know, why weren't you there racing in Formula
[08:51.280 -> 08:55.880] One when it wasn't as big a sport? If you know, if you get what I'm saying,
[08:55.880 -> 08:58.520] it's like, you know, a fair weather friend, suddenly, hey, it's growing and I
[08:58.520 -> 09:04.160] want in. A lot of people have also asked me, go on, follow.
[09:04.160 -> 09:09.320] No, on that point, no, actually, I don't want to break the flow.
[09:09.320 -> 09:10.320] Go ahead.
[09:10.320 -> 09:11.320] You're saying.
[09:11.320 -> 09:14.920] And, you know, a lot of people are saying, so what if the existing teams have a loss
[09:14.920 -> 09:17.520] in value or a loss in earning?
[09:17.520 -> 09:20.240] But the truth is, they stood their ground.
[09:20.240 -> 09:25.600] They went through the grind when F1 was at its low, during the transition, during the
[09:25.600 -> 09:30.880] Bernie Eccleston era, before social media, before Drive to Survive, before the Americanization of
[09:30.880 -> 09:36.080] the sport. So it's like I was holding on to my stock or I was actually investing in the Formula
[09:36.080 -> 09:42.720] One stock when it was low. So now when it's going on a high, I can still, I can say I was there when
[09:42.720 -> 09:45.880] the times were bad. So hey, treat me with a lot more respect
[09:45.880 -> 09:46.800] when the times are good.
[09:46.800 -> 09:48.280] And that's where the current teams
[09:48.280 -> 09:50.620] are actually coming out from, I would say.
[09:50.620 -> 09:53.720] So to me, I fell in love with Formula One as a sport.
[09:53.720 -> 09:56.900] So one side of me wants Andretti to come in,
[09:56.900 -> 09:59.160] wants more teams to come in, right?
[09:59.160 -> 10:03.120] But I understand the business of motor racing as well.
[10:03.120 -> 10:05.700] The sport is as big as what it is today
[10:05.700 -> 10:09.280] because it's also a successful business, right?
[10:09.280 -> 10:11.760] And from a business point of view,
[10:11.760 -> 10:15.000] getting current teams to earn less is not the right way.
[10:15.000 -> 10:17.920] Remember, it's only now, only the last couple of years
[10:17.920 -> 10:19.880] that they are even profitable.
[10:19.880 -> 10:21.960] Alpine put out a statement a couple of days ago
[10:21.960 -> 10:23.680] saying we were profitable in 2022,
[10:23.680 -> 10:26.240] even though they lost Fernando and Oscar and whatever.
[10:26.240 -> 10:27.240] Imagine, right?
[10:27.240 -> 10:29.880] And suddenly you're saying, hey, why don't you earn less?
[10:29.880 -> 10:36.640] And again, what are the guarantees that Andretti will come and will bring a bigger fan base?
[10:36.640 -> 10:38.160] And where is that fan base?
[10:38.160 -> 10:46.800] And to get that fan base, is Andretti really a best marketing tool or best marketing tactic? And if anything, could Andretti
[10:46.800 -> 10:52.240] cannibalize existing sponsorship deals that are there within Formula One as well? Because, you
[10:52.240 -> 10:56.480] know, Rocket, they've gone two, three teams and they've sponsored them. Sponsors move around in
[10:56.480 -> 11:00.480] Formula One, right, depending on the rate card. Andretti is certainly going to come and not just
[11:00.480 -> 11:06.080] going to take earnings from FOM, but also end up cannibalizing some of the existing
[11:06.080 -> 11:11.520] sponsorships. So, like I said, again, I'm being subjective, but I would love for somebody to give
[11:11.520 -> 11:17.760] an objective view that if Andretti comes in, an X percentage of fan base will grow. This is where
[11:17.760 -> 11:25.240] the fans will come in from. This will lead to X number of tickets sold, F1 TV subscription sold,
[11:25.240 -> 11:27.840] X number of sponsorships sold, et cetera,
[11:27.840 -> 11:30.860] if there is a math that falls in place,
[11:30.860 -> 11:33.120] we will all benefit from this discussion.
[11:33.120 -> 11:37.520] No, but there never can be that math.
[11:37.520 -> 11:40.640] But just to bring up on that point, there's two parts.
[11:40.640 -> 11:43.400] There's a pretty long and well-articulated one,
[11:43.400 -> 11:44.840] so I want to split it into two.
[11:44.840 -> 11:45.520] The first
[11:45.520 -> 11:50.080] part, right, the first part where you mentioned about the teams holding on to the stock and about
[11:50.080 -> 11:54.000] Andretti and where were they in the past, I think there never has been a better time for a Formula
[11:54.000 -> 11:59.440] One team to enter from the US because you need manufacturer support if you want the idea of a
[11:59.440 -> 12:04.880] team run in the US to take part. We have the US F1 team right in the past. Bob Varsha in fact was
[12:04.880 -> 12:05.040] on the show as well and even their team principal Peter Winsor to talk about that team in the US to take part. We have the US F1 team right in the past. Bob Varsha in fact was on the
[12:05.040 -> 12:10.240] show as well and even their team principal Peter Winsor to talk about that team in the past.
[12:10.240 -> 12:15.040] And the reason why it did not quite work out, no manufacturer support, tricky timelines,
[12:15.040 -> 12:20.000] no real enthusiasm from the investors. So the US just wasn't a fair market. So I don't think
[12:20.000 -> 12:25.520] we can doubt Andretti for that, again, just my opinion, because there hasn't been a better time
[12:31.840 -> 12:33.120] than now. But the catch is, I agree. I agree in that sense, Kunal, that there is no other
[12:36.400 -> 12:40.640] way to put it apart from the fact that who knows if Andretti are going to expand the pie. Like, I want to break this down into one simple analogy in a way, right? You support your local
[12:40.640 -> 12:46.000] team. I support the Mumbai Indians. I support Manchester United as well. Unfortunately, we don't talk about that anymore.
[12:46.000 -> 12:49.000] But we support so many different teams. But why do we support them?
[12:49.000 -> 12:54.000] The reason why we do, the reason why we watch them is we feel connected to a certain story about them.
[12:54.000 -> 12:59.000] What unique and different stories is NRETIB able to tell?
[12:59.000 -> 13:02.000] For instance, maybe it's an American-born team in that regard.
[13:02.000 -> 13:08.840] Maybe they have their plant in the US and something of that sort that maybe gets more Americans to watch Formula 1 in a way.
[13:08.840 -> 13:12.840] But there already is an American team in Formula 1 and the Americans aren't quite the biggest fans of us.
[13:12.840 -> 13:16.080] If anything, if I see it correctly, they are the biggest fans of Red Bull and Mercedes.
[13:16.080 -> 13:20.720] So it's not an American team that makes an American fan excited.
[13:20.720 -> 13:24.320] It's Formula 1 and the stories you tell through Formula 1 that excites you.
[13:24.320 -> 13:29.520] So I'm not sure if Andretti really are the answer to anything in that regard. I mean,
[13:29.520 -> 13:33.680] they help out sure, but it could be Andretti for all you know, or if it could be Brabham,
[13:33.680 -> 13:38.320] or it could be, I don't know, BRM, if you really start to bring out the old names, but
[13:38.320 -> 13:43.360] I don't think it makes a difference. It's what unique story you convey, that draws you in closer.
[13:43.360 -> 13:46.640] And I'm not going to start watching the TV just because Andretti are there.
[13:46.640 -> 13:50.320] For instance, Mumbai has its own table tennis team,
[13:50.320 -> 13:52.240] but I don't watch the TT League for that, right?
[13:52.240 -> 13:53.280] Clearly, Kunal.
[13:53.280 -> 13:56.000] And just to further elaborate this,
[13:56.000 -> 13:58.320] right now we are chasing the American fan base.
[13:58.960 -> 14:00.960] Okay, tomorrow somebody will say,
[14:00.960 -> 14:02.960] I'm chasing the African fan base.
[14:02.960 -> 14:08.040] So then, hey, we will give an African team an entry, and then there is a Chinese fan base then hey we will give an African team an entry and then there is a Chinese fan base and we'll give a
[14:08.040 -> 14:13.280] Chinese team an entry so I'm just in this space where if you want to grow a
[14:13.280 -> 14:18.920] sport in a particular country is this the best way to do that and if it is
[14:18.920 -> 14:23.160] then please go ahead and do it but I definitely exactly I definitely think
[14:23.160 -> 14:32.720] there are other ways of doing it as well and just to add and there is a counterpoint to this how F1 treats and I mean F1
[14:32.720 -> 14:41.040] being FOM Liberty Media, how F1 treats Andretti and Cadillac and General Motors will also define
[14:41.040 -> 14:47.880] future manufacturer interests. So the FIA has actually put F1 in a very sticky situation
[14:48.880 -> 14:51.000] and goes back to the initial question you asked,
[14:51.000 -> 14:52.840] why are there two announcements, right?
[14:52.840 -> 14:55.200] First a legal and then a commercial one.
[14:55.200 -> 14:58.500] I think firstly, we remember Mohammed bin Salim
[14:58.500 -> 15:00.660] actually put out the expression of interest
[15:00.660 -> 15:04.400] without getting an approval from Formula One
[15:04.400 -> 15:08.000] because even before he put out the interest, everyone was saying, no, we don't need 11th
[15:08.000 -> 15:11.680] team, no, we don't need 11th team.
[15:11.680 -> 15:18.400] And it's a very sticky situation, but it's just to show how there is friction between
[15:18.400 -> 15:22.960] FIA and FOM already, which is only getting that much more as the sport gets more popular
[15:22.960 -> 15:23.960] and earns more money.
[15:23.960 -> 15:28.560] No, no, two points to bring up on that. Interesting you mentioned that. It reminds me completely
[15:29.600 -> 15:34.720] of the 80s, right? Favorite decade in Formula One of mine. But we used to have so many big
[15:35.440 -> 15:41.600] wars between the constructors, like the Formula One Constructor Association, and the FIA,
[15:41.600 -> 15:46.400] it's all guys, it is the FISA, FISA. But the point being, the governor and the teamsIA, it's all guys, it is the FISA visa. But the point being, the governor
[15:46.400 -> 15:49.840] and the teams taking part have always been at a tussle
[15:49.840 -> 15:51.460] and it's an existential tussle
[15:51.460 -> 15:54.600] about who really controls the sport essentially, right?
[15:54.600 -> 15:55.880] Who are the people here to watch?
[15:55.880 -> 15:58.560] Are the people here to watch a certain formula of racing?
[15:58.560 -> 16:00.680] Are the people here to watch teams that go racing
[16:00.680 -> 16:02.520] and the cars that they make that go racing?
[16:02.520 -> 16:04.000] Or completely differently,
[16:04.000 -> 16:06.760] are they here to watch the drivers employed by those teams?
[16:06.760 -> 16:10.600] Like this is an existential tussle of the industry, it will always continue.
[16:10.600 -> 16:14.280] We've seen it go around in different guises from time and time again.
[16:14.280 -> 16:18.520] If anything, I think this whole scenario exposes it that little bit more,
[16:18.520 -> 16:21.400] even though it's been quiet for the last 10-12 odd years.
[16:21.400 -> 16:25.360] The last time I remember 2009, breakaway series, Williams wanted to go away,
[16:25.360 -> 16:28.960] McLaren wanted to go away, Ferrari wanted to go away. They said we are the Grand Prix World
[16:28.960 -> 16:32.960] Championship. The rest, they're all, you know, hocus pocus teams that don't really make any
[16:32.960 -> 16:39.760] sense. And again, it's been so quiet from that point. There's been unanimity in every single
[16:39.760 -> 16:44.240] decision until now, which is what's so interesting because now there could be a total divide. The FIA
[16:44.240 -> 16:47.800] acting on its own accord, the teams acting on their own accord. We have a cartel
[16:47.800 -> 16:52.240] doing its own business on its own and vetoing decisions that may or may not be taken in
[16:52.240 -> 16:57.180] Formula 1. So I find that interesting. But my question to you Kunal is, this is a very
[16:57.180 -> 17:03.340] direct one, right? You were in India working for the Force India F1 team, who then had
[17:03.340 -> 17:08.160] an Indian GP as well. And again, it was a huge rise in popularity for the Indian market in Formula 1,
[17:08.160 -> 17:14.400] quickly followed by a huge drop, not your fault, but just circumstances in the air. Everyone knows what happened with the race.
[17:14.400 -> 17:22.640] But just does having the Indian team, did you see in fact, tangibly, did it make a difference in the number of people following the sport as well, in your eyes,
[17:22.640 -> 17:31.360] according to all the data that you had with you at that point in time? It did make a difference. We could see it in the fan numbers,
[17:31.360 -> 17:36.880] we could see it in the fan conversations, we could see it in sponsor interest as well. But at the end
[17:36.880 -> 17:44.400] of the day, like you said, Somil, nationality isn't enough to win fans. Nationality could be
[17:44.400 -> 17:45.000] one of the...
[17:45.000 -> 17:47.000] I mean, imagine if Andretti comes,
[17:47.000 -> 17:48.000] let's assume they come, right?
[17:48.000 -> 17:50.000] And we've traditionally seen new entrants
[17:50.000 -> 17:51.000] always struggle, right?
[17:51.000 -> 17:54.000] Imagine it comes and then it struggles, right?
[17:54.000 -> 17:56.000] What's going to happen?
[17:56.000 -> 17:57.000] Will fans be like, no, no, but Andretti
[17:57.000 -> 17:58.000] is still my favorite team.
[17:58.000 -> 18:01.000] Put Alex Pallou or put Colton Hurta
[18:01.000 -> 18:03.000] or whoever in the team.
[18:03.000 -> 18:05.360] Yeah, which is, if that was the case, if that was
[18:05.360 -> 18:10.160] the case, wouldn't they be Haas fans already? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, precisely. I mean, they have
[18:10.160 -> 18:16.640] a factory or an office in Cannapolis anyway, right? And just to also add, you know, Andretti
[18:17.600 -> 18:26.920] is gotten an entry because it's also racing another series, had a very good, as the FIA said officially, right?
[18:26.920 -> 18:28.800] And by the way, I've asked the question to the FIA,
[18:28.800 -> 18:31.520] saying, what about the proposal actually appealed to you?
[18:31.520 -> 18:34.800] And why not Rodin or why not somebody else
[18:34.800 -> 18:37.040] who sort of went in there?
[18:37.040 -> 18:40.380] And interestingly, Andretti hasn't been the most successful
[18:40.380 -> 18:42.580] in single-seater series of late
[18:42.580 -> 18:43.800] in the last few years as well.
[18:43.800 -> 18:45.520] So they are seeing a downturn as well.
[18:45.520 -> 18:49.800] So it's another thing to just give a team an entry and then pay them money to come and
[18:49.800 -> 18:51.940] race in Formula 1.
[18:51.940 -> 18:57.200] But to expect them to be competitive and to help them to be competitive, that's the main
[18:57.200 -> 18:58.680] thing that also teams will need.
[18:58.680 -> 19:08.040] Because I don't think, what do you say, American fans will follow an American team
[19:08.040 -> 19:11.560] if it is the 11th slowest team on the grid.
[19:11.560 -> 19:16.120] Quite simply, I think another fun way to put it is, if you are all watching your world
[19:16.120 -> 19:20.120] wrestling entertainment these days, which for the last few years I haven't been, not
[19:20.120 -> 19:21.600] really my taste anymore.
[19:21.600 -> 19:29.600] But the point being, if that was the case, if the American fans would follow the American hero, maybe John Cena or Cody Rhodes would be the champion, but they're not.
[19:29.600 -> 19:34.160] Maybe Hulk Hogan would have been around, but he's not. The whole story of grand American
[19:34.800 -> 19:39.920] cowboy hero, savior of the masses is common. People prefer people of different nationalities
[19:39.920 -> 19:44.960] as well. It's more stories that appeal rather than nationalities, which is what I like so much. And
[19:45.040 -> 19:45.600] as well. It's more stories that appeal rather than nationalities, which is what I like so much. And
[19:50.160 -> 19:58.160] for more context on that, right, when the WWE came to India, and it's a very interesting parallel, they had a Canadian born Indian guy as a WWE champion. And it was a colossal failure,
[19:58.160 -> 20:01.360] because even the Indian audiences had seen through it. And they realized that it's not just an Indian
[20:01.360 -> 20:06.000] guy I'm cheering for. I'm cheering for an interesting character, which is why I will watch the
[20:06.000 -> 20:09.280] wrestling that you give me on offer, not just because Indian guy I'll watch.
[20:09.280 -> 20:15.000] So that, that story in a way I feel is, is something of the past.
[20:15.080 -> 20:18.080] I feel, I think audiences are far more mature for that.
[20:18.080 -> 20:20.400] And I think we can all look at ourselves for the same thing, right?
[20:20.640 -> 20:23.560] Even though in India, for instance, we don't have any Indian driver, any Indian
[20:23.560 -> 20:29.200] team, but the market is still growing largely, it's not the India connection that's getting us into Formula
[20:29.200 -> 20:34.320] One it's just Formula One so maybe we just need 10 teams and better products I suppose maybe better
[20:34.320 -> 20:39.440] racing which is what brings us to this weekend Sundaram because Qatar is one circuit where you
[20:39.440 -> 20:45.920] do get better racing and for our for our mercy as well they've also given us two races at in my
[20:45.920 -> 20:49.240] opinion one of the best circuits in the entire calendar so we have the sprint on
[20:49.240 -> 20:54.420] Saturday main race on Sunday must happen potentially we're in the title but what
[20:54.420 -> 20:58.520] really appeals to you the most about the racing this weekend personally I think
[20:58.520 -> 21:02.480] the fact that we're gonna see a sprint race under lights the first time that
[21:02.480 -> 21:10.640] we're actually seeing a sprint race under lights no first time that we're actually seeing a sprint race under lights. No way. Yeah. Yeah it's the first time we're having a race. I would trust
[21:10.640 -> 21:15.720] Stefan's stats guru when he says that. Have we never had it in Jeddah or something? Do not put
[21:15.720 -> 21:19.680] me in doubt. I know I wrote this stat do not put me in doubt. Yes this is the first
[21:19.680 -> 21:28.800] night sprint event and the first sprint event in the Middle East but it's also also, I think that's the one thing I'm really looking forward to.
[21:28.800 -> 21:34.000] But it's set around an interesting set of circumstances,
[21:34.000 -> 21:37.000] which is the fact that we have only one practice session,
[21:37.000 -> 21:39.000] but the track has been resurfaced.
[21:39.000 -> 21:41.800] There's a completely whole new paddock area,
[21:41.800 -> 21:45.120] and there's a lot of other changes on track which have happened.
[21:45.120 -> 21:50.680] So teams have very little time to figure out the setup for the race.
[21:50.680 -> 21:56.240] And that's what's going to be the challenge this weekend, right?
[21:56.240 -> 22:01.120] The main thing that's going to sort of be is FP1 limited time, you're going to get a
[22:01.120 -> 22:05.120] setup because, you know, Park park for me conditions will fall in
[22:05.120 -> 22:10.360] from Friday evening after qualifying temperature is always different fp1 and
[22:10.360 -> 22:15.960] sq will happen within the within the before sunset everything else is after
[22:15.960 -> 22:20.760] the sunset so it's a it's a very interesting challenge that's there it's
[22:20.760 -> 22:26.960] a medium to high speed circuit fast flow flow, you're almost like Suzuka. And
[22:33.440 -> 22:39.040] there's just one low speed corner on the circuit. It seems fabulous. I mean, I thought we went racing there last year, but I had to relearn the circuit yesterday. And apart from the surface,
[22:39.040 -> 22:43.760] another interesting thing, the curbs are also very flat. They are a part of the racing line.
[22:43.760 -> 22:45.040] If you see Lewis Hamilton's on board, you'll see him using the curbs a lot.bs are also very flat, they are a part of the racing line. If you see Lewis Hamilton's
[22:45.040 -> 22:50.080] on board, you'll see him using the curbs a lot, it's a very flat circuit. But the curbs caused a
[22:50.080 -> 22:56.160] lot of punctures in 2021. So the curbs have also changed. Mercedes very cheekily put, there are
[22:56.160 -> 23:08.040] unspecified changes to the curbs in LaSalle, right? And FP1 is also going to be understanding how those curbs are impacting cars and you
[23:08.040 -> 23:12.860] know reliability and punctures and so on. So it's going to be a lot of focus on setup,
[23:12.860 -> 23:17.500] very few upgrades because you have limited time to test them and then soon we are just
[23:17.500 -> 23:22.600] going to be on the business end of the weekend. But I have two very interesting questions.
[23:22.600 -> 23:26.300] Is it Qatar or is it Qatar? Because both of you are saying Qatar,
[23:26.300 -> 23:28.060] I'm saying Qatar, so that's one.
[23:28.060 -> 23:31.780] The second question is, is it Lusail with an O
[23:31.780 -> 23:33.700] or is it Lusail with a U?
[23:33.700 -> 23:36.260] Because F1 and teams are using different things
[23:36.260 -> 23:40.020] and I think I'm using U because that's what I read last,
[23:40.020 -> 23:41.860] that it is Lusail.
[23:41.860 -> 23:43.220] It is Lusail, isn't it?
[23:43.220 -> 23:47.360] It is, it is the Lusail. Wikipedia says both and I know I'm the only one
[23:47.360 -> 23:52.800] who reads Wikipedia and Totterwool probably definitely doesn't. So Wikipedia says U and O
[23:52.800 -> 23:57.520] are both correct. If I'm not mistaken and if the circuit entry gates are correct, which is what I
[23:57.520 -> 24:04.320] remember them to be, it is the Lucille. Qatar officially is also using Lucille because it is
[24:04.320 -> 24:05.600] in Lucille city, but then I
[24:05.600 -> 24:10.680] don't know why so many people are also using the O which is Lucille, but Soumya, why are
[24:10.680 -> 24:14.040] you calling it the Qatar GP and not Qatar GP?
[24:14.040 -> 24:15.040] I'm curious.
[24:15.040 -> 24:16.040] It's, oh God.
[24:16.040 -> 24:19.360] Okay, Sundaram has something to say.
[24:19.360 -> 24:22.040] Because the actual pronunciation is Qatar.
[24:22.040 -> 24:23.040] It's not Qatar.
[24:23.040 -> 24:24.040] Yes.
[24:24.040 -> 24:26.960] Am I being very British or very American or
[24:26.960 -> 24:30.920] what now I'm gonna be very interested to hear what David Croft says on the
[24:30.920 -> 24:34.400] commentary because I've not paid attention to this but it is actually
[24:34.400 -> 24:41.280] Qatar he says Qatar like with a proper we've got a Qatar like it's actually
[24:41.280 -> 24:47.440] another it's it's actually Qatar you really have to stress on the Q. It's actually Qatar.
[24:48.000 -> 24:55.760] Yeah, but it's not. It's the Q. Okay. Yeah, the Q. The Qatar. Qatar Airways. Yeah, interesting.
[24:55.760 -> 25:01.120] Hey, no, but funny you mentioned that. By the way, folks, if you're all thinking Lusail, that sounds
[25:01.120 -> 25:08.080] familiar. If you were watching your football last year, It is the same Lusail, the one that hosted the World Cup final as well.
[25:08.080 -> 25:09.080] Lusail iconic stadium.
[25:09.080 -> 25:12.560] I'm sorry, how can something be iconic before you build it?
[25:12.560 -> 25:13.560] I don't get it.
[25:13.560 -> 25:17.440] But it's the same Lusail city, which by the way Sundaram, in 2004 when they built it for
[25:17.440 -> 25:23.120] MotoGP, at that time it was a city for the future, which they planned to host major sporting
[25:23.120 -> 25:33.200] events and now they have the World Cup and Formula One in the same calendar year. It's been a year since the World Cup. What? No way.
[25:33.920 -> 25:38.480] Yeah, it's been a year since the World Cup, actually. It's been a year since Argentina won
[25:38.480 -> 25:47.360] it. But back in 2021, when we had the Qatar Grand Prix, I thought this was the only race that's ever going to be held
[25:47.360 -> 25:49.800] at this track because there was also a lot of rumors
[25:49.800 -> 25:52.320] that Qatar is going to be hosting a street circuit.
[25:52.320 -> 25:54.280] But if I'm not wrong,
[25:54.280 -> 25:56.840] although Qatar has a 10 year race contract,
[25:56.840 -> 25:59.400] it's unknown how long it's still going to be
[25:59.400 -> 26:01.040] on this particular track.
[26:01.040 -> 26:04.960] So we don't know if the next Qatar Grand Prix
[26:04.960 -> 26:05.560] are actually going to
[26:05.560 -> 26:10.160] happen at this very circuit. In fact, in fact, that's a very good point.
[26:10.160 -> 26:18.480] This circuit has put 350 million euros in upgrades, right, on track and off track,
[26:18.480 -> 26:25.840] new pit buildings, new garages, etc. It hosts some of the, it probably hosts everything iconic in
[26:25.840 -> 26:29.440] motorsport, two wheels and four wheels.
[26:29.440 -> 26:32.960] Interesting, another interesting point in 2021
[26:32.960 -> 26:36.880] of course we ran the old spec of cars so this year first time new spec of cars
[26:36.880 -> 26:39.600] etc which is why it sort of becomes more interesting and
[26:39.600 -> 26:42.640] you know my mind always goes back to Brazil last year
[26:42.640 -> 26:45.760] when Red Bull got it wrong and Mercedes won.
[26:45.760 -> 26:47.520] Could we see a new different winner or whatever?
[26:47.520 -> 26:48.520] I don't know.
[26:48.520 -> 26:52.560] But anyway, we've been proved wrong three times this year anyway in the sprint.
[26:52.560 -> 26:55.160] So my memory needs a bit of a refresh.
[26:55.160 -> 26:59.680] But in one of the upgrades, they've gone from 8,000 seats in the grandstands.
[26:59.680 -> 27:08.680] I can't believe they had only 8,000 before before but this is what the data says. Two 40,000 seats in the grandstands.
[27:08.680 -> 27:14.240] Which means that they believe more than 40,000 people are going to land up.
[27:14.240 -> 27:15.240] You guys think so?
[27:15.240 -> 27:16.240] Will there be empty stands?
[27:16.240 -> 27:17.240] Yes.
[27:17.240 -> 27:19.760] No, I think no Sundaram because you lived in Bahrain before.
[27:19.760 -> 27:25.280] Bahrain is, sorry with no disrespect to anyone living in Bahrain or anyone from Bahrain as well, but
[27:25.280 -> 27:28.880] it's the last Middle Eastern country you'd want to visit because what is there in Bahrain? Like
[27:28.880 -> 27:33.200] legitimately apart from the racing, is there anything else particularly? And still people
[27:33.200 -> 27:37.120] turn up for that race because it's cheap and it's easy to fly to and it's quick to get to, right?
[27:37.120 -> 27:42.560] It's become interesting off lately to be very honest. When I used to be in Bahrain, I thought
[27:42.560 -> 27:48.160] this was one of the most boring tracks and it was quite true in that sense until we had a night
[27:48.160 -> 27:54.680] race in Bahrain a lot of races. Like the country, like the wizard, not the track. I'm also
[27:54.680 -> 27:59.480] told that I'm also told that Bahrain in I mean I really don't offend a lot of
[27:59.480 -> 28:02.640] my friends in Bahrain but people a lot of people have told me that Bahrain has
[28:02.640 -> 28:08.160] become a lot more boring than it used to be but the fact is that the motorsport culture has
[28:08.160 -> 28:12.480] risen over the past decade otherwise I know people used to tell me that they
[28:12.480 -> 28:15.840] used to buy tickets for the Formula One race only to attend the concert
[28:15.840 -> 28:20.880] afterwards but now they've actually chosen sides they actually follow the
[28:20.880 -> 28:25.420] sport at this point of time but yeah. It's interesting actually
[28:25.420 -> 28:28.880] because even MotoGP was never quite able to pull that much of a crowd into
[28:28.880 -> 28:33.360] Qatar but it's changed now. Doha has become amazing, Lusail is also building up
[28:33.360 -> 28:37.840] quite a fair bit but there's not a tourism episode. The tourism that I want
[28:37.840 -> 28:41.960] to talk to you guys about is going to be the tourism that happens on Friday now
[28:41.960 -> 28:45.040] and also on Saturday because in qualifying once again
[28:45.040 -> 28:49.280] I don't do this for every circuit but once again I urge you to shut down commentary make people like
[28:49.280 -> 28:55.760] us go jobless because you my friend should just watch every single car and every single on board
[28:55.760 -> 29:00.320] in the final sector especially the second to last corner and the commitment that you have to carry
[29:00.320 -> 29:06.080] into it for for context after this episode is, check out Lewis Hamilton's pole lap in 2021,
[29:06.080 -> 29:12.320] not the first and second sector, but just watch how the pace escalates in the third one. Oh my
[29:12.320 -> 29:18.160] word, that is the sign of proper driving and I can't reiterate it more, but that is why we
[29:18.160 -> 29:25.800] watch Formula One, right Kunal? Right? Absolutely, that's why we watch Formula One. You know, you almost spoke of tourism
[29:25.800 -> 29:28.320] and sightseeing and stuff, didn't you?
[29:28.320 -> 29:29.800] And that's when you get,
[29:29.800 -> 29:31.820] I almost thought you're gonna talk of the rookies
[29:31.820 -> 29:35.240] because Lawson, Sargent, PS3 are the regular rookies
[29:35.240 -> 29:36.960] when we go to a new circuit.
[29:36.960 -> 29:38.800] But this circuit, even Joe Guan Yu,
[29:38.800 -> 29:40.520] who's being mentioned on our podcast
[29:40.520 -> 29:44.320] for maybe just the third time in 52 episodes that we've had.
[29:44.320 -> 29:47.000] And interestingly, Alexander Alban,
[29:47.440 -> 29:51.440] Alexander Alban also wasn't around in 2021, uh,
[29:51.460 -> 29:55.840] when, uh, we raced in Qatar or I'm going to just say Qatar. I don't know,
[29:55.840 -> 29:57.400] but exciting times. And
[30:00.280 -> 30:01.520] another interesting stat,
[30:01.560 -> 30:05.000] almost 90% of Qatar's population
[30:05.440 -> 30:06.880] is foreign born.
[30:06.880 -> 30:09.180] That was another interesting stat that I found.
[30:10.840 -> 30:12.600] I definitely didn't find that one.
[30:15.080 -> 30:16.920] But coming back to the point about the number
[30:16.920 -> 30:19.360] of rookie drivers that we have in Qatar
[30:19.360 -> 30:20.720] is actually a third of the grid.
[30:20.720 -> 30:23.560] If I'm not wrong, I think Kevin Magnuson
[30:23.560 -> 30:31.440] has also never driven at this track. I think he was not there in 2021. So a third of the track of the whole grid has not driven at
[30:31.440 -> 30:37.600] this particular circuit. Piastri actually did have a test with Alpine in 2022. So in that sense,
[30:37.600 -> 30:43.120] it's going to be a pretty inexperienced track, inexperienced grid in that sense,
[30:43.120 -> 30:45.600] with a lot of running only done in the simulator.
[30:45.600 -> 30:50.960] But I also have to go back to the sprint because when the sprint calendar was released this year,
[30:50.960 -> 30:57.120] a lot of people spoke about the choices of Spa not having that many race laps for the sprint.
[30:57.120 -> 31:05.160] But I feel Qatar is a more questionable choice in that sense because we have only one DRS zone and I have literally
[31:05.160 -> 31:10.620] watched the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix twice to actually list down all the overtakes
[31:10.620 -> 31:16.140] that happened in that race. Over 95% of all overtakes happened on the
[31:16.140 -> 31:19.980] main straight alone. So there's going to be a lot of following that you tend to
[31:19.980 -> 31:24.680] see through the middle sectors. Drivers going extremely close to the
[31:24.680 -> 31:25.480] gearbox of the car
[31:25.480 -> 31:28.720] ahead and then they're going to launch an overtake on the main straight.
[31:28.720 -> 31:31.800] But that's primarily where you see a lot of overtakes.
[31:31.800 -> 31:37.600] And I feel Qatar's choice as a sprint venue is, I feel F1 has done a lot of experimentation
[31:37.600 -> 31:40.240] this year in terms of choosing its sprint venues.
[31:40.240 -> 31:45.600] If you really dig deep, you'll realize that there are short circuits, medium length circuits,
[31:45.600 -> 31:47.040] and long circuits,
[31:47.040 -> 31:49.600] and circuits with different types of characteristics.
[31:49.600 -> 31:51.960] And I feel adding in Qatar
[31:51.960 -> 31:55.040] is really just an experimentation also as a night event
[31:55.040 -> 31:58.200] to see how this format tends to fare.
[31:58.200 -> 31:59.120] Yeah.
[31:59.120 -> 32:01.360] I think it's also about which promoter
[32:01.360 -> 32:04.080] was willing to pay more to host a sprint circuit.
[32:04.080 -> 32:04.920] That too.
[32:04.920 -> 32:07.440] So they would pay the
[32:07.440 -> 32:14.960] Indianapolis 500 or they would host a sprint at the Indianapolis motor speedway if they had to,
[32:15.680 -> 32:27.000] if they got the money from there. On the right tires. Yeah, on the right tires there as well. But to me, it's I think 19 laps in the sprint,
[32:29.720 -> 32:33.280] 57 laps in the Grand Prix.
[32:33.280 -> 32:36.120] The most exciting numbers are gonna be Max Verstappen,
[32:36.120 -> 32:38.000] could just be the 24th circuit,
[32:38.000 -> 32:40.760] 24th different circuit he wins on,
[32:40.760 -> 32:43.840] 36th consecutive points finish.
[32:43.840 -> 32:47.440] What can Checo Perez do? He's got two qualifying sessions.
[32:47.440 -> 32:54.880] I'm sure his eyes are rolling saying, oh wow. And I think, of course, the regular narratives
[32:54.880 -> 33:00.400] will continue to be Mercedes versus Ferrari. Ferrari has actually not dropped points to
[33:00.400 -> 33:08.480] Mercedes since the summer break. McLaren has been outscoring Aston Martin in
[33:08.480 -> 33:14.280] the battle for P4 as well. 49 points, 6 races to go. I think it's going to go all the way
[33:14.280 -> 33:18.860] down to the wire in Abu Dhabi. And you know, from saying we are fighting for second place
[33:18.860 -> 33:27.420] and third place in the Constructors, Mike Crack actually said in the lead to Qatar Grand Prix that if we finish fourth in the
[33:27.420 -> 33:33.140] constructors, it will actually be a strong result for us in the constructors championship.
[33:33.140 -> 33:42.880] And that's yes, but no, in a way, it's I don't know guys, is he under cooking his expectations?
[33:42.880 -> 33:47.120] Because as far as I remember, the boss that hired Mike Crack when he was introduced in
[33:47.120 -> 33:50.720] Drive to Survive, he said, I've only got five minutes to make this happen.
[33:50.720 -> 33:54.800] I'm not, of course, you can't just quote his character from like one dialogue and all that,
[33:54.800 -> 33:57.480] but he seemed like a guy with pretty high expectations.
[33:57.480 -> 34:01.680] Fourth sounds a bit low, but again, same place where Fernando Alonso go to podium last time
[34:01.680 -> 34:02.680] out.
[34:02.680 -> 34:03.680] So I'm betting a little bit on that.
[34:03.680 -> 34:08.960] But no, in all, in all honesty, right back to the serious stuff. I think Qatar, okay, let's get into it.
[34:08.960 -> 34:15.360] Qatar, good, right. Qatar, Qatar is going to be a very, very fun place to see the dynamics of the
[34:15.360 -> 34:20.960] championship evolve as well. Because we've got lots of lots of fast, pacey corners that aren't
[34:20.960 -> 34:28.560] really especially very long, apart from those in the third sector as well. And I remember back in the past, Andre Estela came out and said that, ah, the
[34:28.560 -> 34:33.040] McLarens, we just are not very good at long, fast corners. That's our deficiency. But we've
[34:33.040 -> 34:39.260] seen them do so well at circuits like Silverstone then. So it'll kind of also be a confirmation
[34:39.260 -> 34:43.120] of sorts about the progress of certain teams like McLaren and where they are good. And
[34:43.120 -> 34:47.400] also for teams like Ferrari, New Surface, are they able to manage deg as well in conditions
[34:47.400 -> 34:49.000] that are super, super hot too.
[34:49.000 -> 34:54.560] So those dynamics and those micro stories that we see every weekend Sundaram, apart
[34:54.560 -> 34:58.700] from all the Andhra Heat drama and apart from all the sprint and Vistapan drama could just
[34:58.700 -> 35:00.440] make for an even more fun weekend.
[35:00.440 -> 35:04.000] And to add it all up, there's also Kalo's science.
[35:04.000 -> 35:06.440] We know for a fact that he is spicy these days,
[35:06.440 -> 35:09.040] like even though last phase didn't work out, but it's okay.
[35:09.040 -> 35:11.360] Carlos Sainz is definitely spicy off lately,
[35:11.360 -> 35:13.360] especially post the mid-season break.
[35:13.360 -> 35:15.800] And I also have to plug this in that Carlos Sainz
[35:15.800 -> 35:18.640] has the second most points in sprint events
[35:18.640 -> 35:20.240] after Max Verstappen.
[35:20.240 -> 35:22.480] And there's definitely form on his side.
[35:22.480 -> 35:26.300] So a lot of interesting stories to look forward to, like you mentioned,
[35:26.300 -> 35:30.920] also, trying to see trying to observe which team does well
[35:30.960 -> 35:34.320] around a circuit that's more suited to MotoGP. You'll also
[35:34.320 -> 35:38.360] see that there's a lot of wide runoff areas as well. So you
[35:38.360 -> 35:41.720] might not see many safety car or virtual safety car periods as
[35:41.720 -> 35:45.360] well, even if a car is has to retire from the race.
[35:45.360 -> 35:48.960] So it's going to be a very interesting race in that sense.
[35:48.960 -> 35:52.160] And I'm really looking forward to what can actually happen.
[35:52.160 -> 35:55.100] Teams really have very little time to even get used
[35:55.100 -> 35:57.840] to understanding how the tires perform,
[35:57.840 -> 36:00.160] how the grip levels are on the resurface track.
[36:00.160 -> 36:03.440] So in that sense, I feel even beyond Max Verstappen
[36:03.440 -> 36:05.840] potentially winning the championship on a Saturday,
[36:05.840 -> 36:10.480] that too, there's many different storylines that we have to look forward to this weekend.
[36:10.480 -> 36:17.200] Okay, so let's just get down to predictions, right? Let's get to see where our money is this weekend.
[36:18.000 -> 36:23.760] I'm betting on a Carlos Sainz win in the sprint because obviously I like chaos and I'm a really
[36:23.760 -> 36:27.000] big fan of that. But what are you guys going for? Because the race win, I don't think it makes any sense to bet for anyone apart from Max.
[36:27.000 -> 36:31.000] Unless we see a super chaotic Friday.
[36:31.000 -> 36:32.000] But that's just me.
[36:32.000 -> 36:33.000] I'm putting my money safe.
[36:33.000 -> 36:37.000] What's happened on Sunday, signs on Saturday, which means I'll also have to bet on.
[36:37.000 -> 36:38.000] It's actually tough, guys.
[36:38.000 -> 36:44.000] Are we going to do predictions for Friday qualifying pole sitter, then Saturday qualifying
[36:44.000 -> 36:45.680] pole sitter, then Saturday qualifying, Saturday race, and then Sunday race. have to bet on. It's actually tough guys. Are we going to do predictions for Friday qualifying
[36:45.680 -> 36:51.360] pole sitter, then Saturday qualifying pole sitter, then Saturday race winner, and then Sunday race
[36:51.360 -> 36:56.640] winner. Like that's going to be too much, right? So what are we doing here? So I'll make it easy
[36:56.640 -> 37:00.480] for you. I know you're choosing Carlos Sainz for everything. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, he's the man
[37:00.480 -> 37:05.120] of the week. Not Sunday. Okay, Friday, Saturday is Carlos Saenz and then
[37:08.640 -> 37:12.560] Sunday is Max Verstappen for you. Well, I just did it easier for you. It's lucky for me that I have one day for my heart, one day for my mind. So it makes it easier
[37:12.560 -> 37:15.040] for me to put both things aside. No, but you were saying.
[37:16.240 -> 37:21.200] I will see, aero efficiency is going to be key. This circuit is, you know, super fast,
[37:21.200 -> 37:27.000] flowy, all of that. And when you say aero-efficiency, there are two teams, now it's two teams, that come to mind.
[37:27.000 -> 37:32.440] First, of course, is Max Verstappen. I said a team, but yes, he's a team by himself.
[37:32.440 -> 37:38.000] Even now, he'll win the Constructors' Championship, even if you don't count Checo Perez's points.
[37:38.000 -> 37:42.160] But yeah, so it'll be Max Verstappen. I think McLaren will probably be closer.
[37:42.160 -> 37:45.440] I'm very excited to see what Oscar Piastri can do
[37:45.440 -> 37:48.080] because he's been mega quick.
[37:48.080 -> 37:49.360] He's been riding momentum.
[37:49.360 -> 37:51.080] Everyone's been saying great things about him.
[37:51.080 -> 37:55.960] So I think it's gonna be a Verstappen-McLaren sweep
[37:55.960 -> 37:57.200] in most ways.
[37:57.200 -> 38:00.600] I believe Ferrari and Mercedes are gonna struggle,
[38:00.600 -> 38:02.560] but Ferrari will be closer to Mercedes
[38:02.560 -> 38:04.160] because Mercedes has actually come out and said
[38:04.160 -> 38:08.240] that now we are worried that Ferrari has better tire degradation than us and Ferrari has been
[38:08.240 -> 38:12.400] saying we found something in Sunfoot which we've just gone down that road it's been magical for
[38:12.400 -> 38:17.760] our tire use etc etc so let's see how all of that pans out. Alpines have been struggling with single
[38:17.760 -> 38:21.680] lap pace I know you asked for one pred but I'm just going to give it because I've made a lot of
[38:21.680 -> 38:25.520] notes for this weekend. Alpine is going to be struggling
[38:25.520 -> 38:30.240] even though they had a great race the last time around. But I just think they've lost some
[38:30.240 -> 38:37.280] performance or a lot of performance in the last few races, right? Because I think just two cars
[38:37.280 -> 38:43.200] have been finishing in the points in two out of the last nine races. It was in Suzuka and Sunfort
[38:43.200 -> 38:45.920] and yeah, it's just a disaster for them.
[38:45.920 -> 38:48.400] How can Alpine lose performance they don't have Sundaram?
[38:53.280 -> 38:57.600] They've had quite a few retirements. They've actually had nine retirements this season
[38:57.600 -> 39:06.560] and I really don't know how worse can performance get even beyond this? But my predictions, I'm just going
[39:06.560 -> 39:08.320] to go a little bit more bold.
[39:08.320 -> 39:09.900] I don't think Max Verstappen is going
[39:09.900 -> 39:14.400] to be leading every qualifying or race session.
[39:14.400 -> 39:16.880] Maybe in the sprint, or someone else
[39:16.880 -> 39:18.920] is going to be winning the sprint.
[39:18.920 -> 39:21.760] I think Verstappen is not going to be taking quali, sprint,
[39:21.760 -> 39:23.880] shootout, the sprint, and the race.
[39:23.880 -> 39:30.560] I don't think he's going to take all four. Wait, so wait a second. Does that mean call of science? It must mean only one.
[39:30.560 -> 39:36.320] Maybe, maybe, maybe a Ferrari. Maybe Latifi coming back from retirement to get another,
[39:36.320 -> 39:40.000] oh no, we don't have FP3. Or maybe Sargent topping FP3.
[39:41.600 -> 39:46.500] Quick plug to our last episode where we were discussing Logan Sargent and why we
[39:46.500 -> 39:51.500] all think unanimously he should be in a Formula One car but maybe in a test program, not in
[39:51.500 -> 39:52.500] a race next year.
[39:52.500 -> 39:55.280] Check out that episode whenever you have the time folks.
[39:55.280 -> 39:57.000] But thank you so much for listening to this episode.
[39:57.000 -> 40:00.600] We'll be back with the Qatar GP race review.
[40:00.600 -> 40:02.280] I think we've all got it sorted out.
[40:02.280 -> 40:09.360] But we'll be back with the Qatar GP race review on the Insideline F1 podcast on Monday. But what are your predictions? We'd love
[40:09.360 -> 40:14.560] to hear them on social media and please please please subscribe to the Insideline F1 podcast
[40:14.560 -> 40:18.800] in case you like what we're doing. From Kunal Shah and F1 Stats Guru Sundaram,
[40:18.800 -> None] my name is Somal Arora and we'll see you all on Monday. Buh-bye. you