Look Forward: 2nd Test, Drive To Survive, Haas' American Driver?

We're nearing the business end of the 2022 Formula 1 season - and there's a lot to look forward to already in the next two weeks. The first Grand Prix of the season, of course, but also - 2nd pre-season test, Drive to Survive, Haas' second driver and more?

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In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal list down all that you need to look out for in this week - a replacement for the Russian Grand Prix too, of course. 

And what about porpoising? Will we know the true pecking order in the second test? Tune in!

(Season 2022, Episode 10)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Image courtesy: Formula 1

**Inside Line F1 Podcast Episode 10 Summary:**

- The 2022 Formula 1 season is almost here, and there are many things to look forward to in the coming weeks.


- The first pre-season test has concluded, and the second test is just days away. This will be a crucial opportunity for teams to assess their cars and make final adjustments before the season begins.


- The Russian Grand Prix has been canceled due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Formula 1 is currently searching for a replacement race.


- Nikita Mazepin has been dropped from the Haas F1 team due to his ties to Russian oligarch Dmitry Mazepin. Pietro Fittipaldi is expected to take his place in the second pre-season test, but it is unclear who will drive for Haas in the long term.


- There is speculation that Haas may hire Nico Hulkenberg or Colton Herta to replace Mazepin. However, the team may also choose to focus on developing Mick Schumacher, who is the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.


- The Drive to Survive docuseries on Netflix has been a major success in attracting new fans to Formula 1. The fourth season of the show is expected to be released soon and is sure to generate even more excitement for the sport.


- The new Formula 1 cars are significantly different from their predecessors, and it is unclear how the pecking order will shake out in 2022. Some teams, such as McLaren, appear to have avoided the porpoising issue that has plagued other teams.


- Alpine has been making bold claims about the performance of its new car, but the team has also experienced some reliability issues in testing.


- Max Verstappen has signed a new six-year contract with Red Bull, which will keep him with the team until 2028. This is the longest contract in Formula 1 history.

# Inside Line F1 Podcast: Episode 10 Summary

In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah discuss various topics related to the upcoming Formula 1 season.

**Pre-Season Test and Drive to Survive:**
* The podcast begins by highlighting the excitement surrounding the upcoming pre-season test in Bahrain, which is crucial for teams to assess their car's performance and gather valuable data.
* The hosts also mention the anticipation for the release of the new season of the popular Netflix series "Drive to Survive," which offers an immersive look into the world of Formula 1.

**Replacement for Russian Grand Prix:**
* The discussion moves on to the replacement for the Russian Grand Prix, which was canceled due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The hosts speculate on potential alternative venues, including Turkey, Portugal, and Germany, but acknowledge that a final decision is yet to be made.

**Porpoising and True Pecking Order:**
* The podcast delves into the issue of porpoising, a phenomenon where Formula 1 cars bounce violently at high speeds due to the new aerodynamic regulations. The hosts debate whether the second pre-season test will reveal the true pecking order among the teams, given that porpoising could potentially mask the actual performance of the cars.

**Max Verstappen's Contract Extension:**
* The hosts discuss the recent contract extension of Max Verstappen with Red Bull Racing, which will keep him with the team until 2028. They analyze the financial implications of this deal, considering Verstappen's status as one of the highest-paid drivers in Formula 1.

**Salary Cap Debate:**
* Soumil and Kunal engage in a thought-provoking discussion on the ongoing debate about introducing a salary cap for Formula 1 drivers. They explore different perspectives on this issue, weighing the arguments for and against such a measure.

**Benchmarking and Financial Considerations:**
* The podcast concludes with a focus on the financial aspects of Formula 1. The hosts discuss the role of benchmarking in determining driver salaries, using Lewis Hamilton as an example. They also highlight the broader impact that a driver's performance can have on a team's commercial success, beyond their on-track achievements.

Overall, this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast provides insightful commentary and analysis on a range of topics relevant to the upcoming Formula 1 season. The hosts engage in lively discussions, offering their perspectives and engaging listeners in thoughtful conversations about the sport.

[00:00.000 -> 00:25.680] Alrighty then, nearly there to the start of the 2022 F1 season and my word we've got a few things
[00:25.680 -> 00:30.080] to look forward to. That's the whole purpose of this episode, we're going to be talking about
[00:30.080 -> 00:34.880] so many things that we're awaiting until the start of the very first race and you'll be
[00:34.880 -> 00:39.280] surprised at how many things Kunal and I have been luckily able to come up with and so that's
[00:39.280 -> 00:44.320] the agenda for today. I must introduce ourselves, my name is Somal Arora, the host of the Driving
[00:44.320 -> 00:45.200] Force on Disney plus
[00:45.200 -> 00:50.080] hotstar and joining me as always and luckily he's been keeping company through the winter as well
[00:50.080 -> 00:54.960] Kunal Shah the former marketing head of the force India F1 team and first up Kunal I mentioned the
[00:54.960 -> 00:59.760] winter for most people the winter can be a bit cold in the world of Formula One with not much
[00:59.760 -> 01:05.120] happening but on here on the Inside Line F1 podcast that just wasn't the case. We had
[01:05.120 -> 01:11.440] so so many features. We had just so many features that now it's time to say that we are at the
[01:11.440 -> 01:16.880] business end of the championship ourselves. So you guys are going to hear more of Somil,
[01:16.880 -> 01:23.720] Mithila and me Mithila of course more sporadic than Somil and myself. But yes Somil I think
[01:23.720 -> 01:26.320] it's been a very very productive winter. You know, Sommel and
[01:26.320 -> 01:32.400] I sat down, we brainstormed and we said, who is it that we can get for Voices of Formula One?
[01:32.400 -> 01:38.320] And we got the Who's Who, our first list of guests that actually came on. So will the series continue?
[01:38.320 -> 01:45.360] Yes, most definitely it will. But will it continue right away? Not really, we're going to now focus more on 2022
[01:45.360 -> 01:49.080] since just so many things are happening.
[01:49.080 -> 01:52.400] But yes, this is also the time when I'm going to plug in
[01:52.400 -> 01:55.120] the voices of F1 series that we had with Bob Warsha
[01:55.120 -> 01:57.200] from the United States of America,
[01:57.200 -> 01:59.360] Atle Gulbrandson from Norway,
[01:59.360 -> 02:02.880] we had Matthew Marsh from Hong Kong and Asia.
[02:02.880 -> 02:04.760] And then of course we had Steve Slater,
[02:04.760 -> 02:05.040] you know, the original Mr. Formula One Marsh from Hong Kong and Asia. And then of course we had Steve Slater,
[02:05.040 -> 02:07.280] the original Mr. Formula One
[02:07.280 -> 02:10.200] for those listening in from Asia as well.
[02:10.200 -> 02:13.040] So do we have more guests lined up?
[02:13.040 -> 02:13.880] Yes, we do.
[02:13.880 -> 02:15.300] You just got to wait.
[02:15.300 -> 02:18.640] And I must ask all you guys
[02:18.640 -> 02:21.720] how you all liked our AWS episode
[02:21.720 -> 02:25.820] because between now and the second pre-season test that's
[02:25.820 -> 02:30.380] gonna happen in a few days time it's the guys at AWS that are gonna be just as
[02:30.380 -> 02:35.800] busy if not busier than Formula One and all the Formula One teams sommel.
[02:35.800 -> 02:40.800] Oh yeah oh yeah Priya gave such a good idea about how AWS worked on it and
[02:40.800 -> 02:43.680] worked on the new car worked on the graphics and all the likes but hey
[02:43.680 -> 02:46.120] there's another fun thing to look forward to.
[02:46.120 -> 02:47.480] We've got new music, Kunal.
[02:49.920 -> 02:51.160] We do, yes.
[02:51.160 -> 02:53.140] Lucien is back, as you guys can see.
[02:53.140 -> 02:56.400] So we've already got a pre-season upgrade
[02:56.400 -> 02:57.620] and Lucien is back.
[02:57.620 -> 02:59.860] It's his fifth season of giving music
[02:59.860 -> 03:03.520] to the Inside Line F1 podcast and the Pitch 2 podium.
[03:03.520 -> 03:06.520] And it's such a delight that he's back
[03:06.520 -> 03:08.800] with some really exciting tunes.
[03:08.800 -> 03:12.120] So if you guys actually love the tune that, you know,
[03:12.120 -> 03:14.400] you all heard at the top of the episode,
[03:14.400 -> 03:16.520] write into us, let us know.
[03:16.520 -> 03:18.440] And then of course, you guys are welcome to listen
[03:18.440 -> 03:22.360] to Lucian's other music on Spotify or Bandcamp.
[03:22.360 -> 03:24.520] His full name is Lucian Byfield.
[03:24.520 -> 03:26.540] Thank you, Lucian.
[03:26.540 -> 03:30.540] Really love it. And the best part is with new music, we can kick off this new generation
[03:30.540 -> 03:35.580] of Formula One. And to kick off this new generation, we're also having an interview with Abhishek
[03:35.580 -> 03:39.500] Thakle, who's also been on the Inside Line F1 podcast many a times. And we're going to
[03:39.500 -> 03:44.900] be talking about the whole scenario heading into 2022, all the 10 teams, what we look
[03:44.900 -> 03:45.680] forward to from them.
[03:45.680 -> 03:51.200] But that's for next week. For today, there are so many points to discuss. And fresh off the
[03:51.200 -> 03:55.760] bat, Kunal, literally just 30 minutes before we started recording this interview, Nikita Mazepin
[03:55.760 -> 04:01.040] is out. Haas have terminated his contract. Haas have terminated the contract with Dhiral Kali as
[04:01.040 -> 04:05.680] well. So it might mean, yes, that they operate at a loss but this does open up
[04:05.680 -> 04:11.360] one big seat on the Formula One grid. Who drives at Haas now? Is it Fidel Paldi?
[04:13.040 -> 04:18.960] Well that's interesting. Will Haas operators at a loss? Will they miss the Ural Kali
[04:19.520 -> 04:27.000] money? You know who's going to drive in that seat there? Firstly, first things first, you know, let's put it this way.
[04:27.000 -> 04:31.000] Russia invading Ukraine, political things aside,
[04:31.000 -> 04:34.000] it's understandable that the community around the world
[04:34.000 -> 04:36.000] has reacted the way they have.
[04:36.000 -> 04:39.000] Has Nikita Mazepin been caught in the crossfire?
[04:39.000 -> 04:43.000] Yes, he absolutely has been so.
[04:43.000 -> 04:45.400] And Haase's statement was very interesting.
[04:45.400 -> 04:48.120] They first said, they have terminated their relationship
[04:48.120 -> 04:51.840] with Urul Kali, and hence the driver contract with Mazepin
[04:51.840 -> 04:53.160] has been severed as well.
[04:53.160 -> 04:56.000] This very clearly says what we all know,
[04:56.000 -> 04:58.200] which is that he is a paid driver.
[04:58.200 -> 05:01.960] And this is a risk when you join Formula One as a paid driver.
[05:01.960 -> 05:04.080] If your source of money dries up,
[05:04.080 -> 05:06.080] you have to say goodbye join Formula One as a paid driver. If your source of money dries up, you have to say goodbye to Formula One,
[05:06.080 -> 05:10.240] unless you've got performances to back up yourself,
[05:10.240 -> 05:14.280] which clearly Nikita Mazepin doesn't, right?
[05:14.280 -> 05:16.000] And I almost was gonna have a slip of tongue
[05:16.000 -> 05:19.520] and say Nikita Mazepin spin to sort of prove a point there,
[05:19.520 -> 05:22.800] but we're gonna leave that aside.
[05:22.800 -> 05:25.440] Poor guy, he's already going through a lot.
[05:30.320 -> 05:36.880] But think about it Kunal, before we get to who fills that seat up and what happens to Mick, where does Mazepin go now? What about it now? He's got credentials of being a Formula One driver,
[05:36.880 -> 05:40.880] yes. He's got the money to back him up, maybe not immediately, but he does have it.
[05:41.600 -> 05:48.960] I mean, think about the poor young guy. It's a bit insane to call him poor young guy considering the circumstances of last year, but hey, where does he go now?
[05:50.560 -> 05:56.560] That's a great question. He can't be racing in Formula One, at least, you know, since the ties
[05:56.560 -> 06:07.680] were with Ural Kali. Could he race in another series? Yes, he can. The FIA have allowed Russian and Belarusian drivers to race under the FIA flag,
[06:07.680 -> 06:14.680] which depending on how you see it, is either lenient or not. But clearly,
[06:14.680 -> 06:20.320] he won't be able to race in the UK or any series that primarily is based in the UK itself.
[06:20.320 -> 06:26.880] But do I really care when Nikita Mazepin goes? Not really. Did I care before he got into Formula 1 what he was doing?
[06:27.160 -> 06:33.160] Not really. I think I'm tracking a lot of other junior, far more talented, young single
[06:33.160 -> 06:37.840] seater racers, you know, Jehan Daruwala, as you guys know, Dennis Haugard, Jack Doohan
[06:38.600 -> 06:42.720] and the likes. And, you know, maybe instead of, you know, if there was a Russian driver, I
[06:42.720 -> 06:45.000] feel a little bit about it's Robert Schwartzman.
[06:45.000 -> 06:47.960] But again, he was not in Formula One,
[06:47.960 -> 06:50.720] so the news of him struggling to figure
[06:50.720 -> 06:52.640] what he's going to do in 2022, of course,
[06:52.640 -> 06:55.480] doesn't get as much publicity.
[06:55.480 -> 07:00.000] But yes, now let's look at who could end up
[07:00.000 -> 07:04.800] racing in place of Nikita Mazepin.
[07:04.800 -> 07:06.220] The announcement isn't done yet.
[07:06.220 -> 07:08.120] It's going to happen early in the week
[07:08.120 -> 07:14.080] or just leading up to the preseason test in Bahrain.
[07:14.080 -> 07:18.240] The news very clearly out there is Pietro Fittipaldi,
[07:18.240 -> 07:21.080] who of course has his own set of credentials, which may not
[07:21.080 -> 07:28.000] be as credible, I would say, is going to fill in and drive the preseason test in Bahrain.
[07:28.000 -> 07:33.000] But Pietro might just be an interim announcement by Haas.
[07:33.000 -> 07:38.000] There's a very good chance it could be Antonio Chiovinazzi, given his links with Ferrari,
[07:38.000 -> 07:41.000] again, being the most recent driver who's without a seat.
[07:41.000 -> 07:47.000] Or if Haas really wants to go bold, convince Nico Hulkenberg to join the team
[07:47.000 -> 07:51.120] since Hulkenberg is the super sub of all the subs out there.
[07:51.120 -> 07:54.320] And that makes me ask you, Somil,
[07:54.320 -> 07:58.280] who would you like to see in that seat at Haas?
[07:58.280 -> 08:00.360] Oh man, that is a big question.
[08:00.360 -> 08:01.480] I'll say Mika Hakkinen
[08:01.480 -> 08:04.200] because the sabbatical officially is still going on.
[08:04.200 -> 08:05.780] He's not retired by the way, but hey
[08:06.300 -> 08:12.100] Jokes aside if Haas are really confident about their car seeing someone like Nico Hülkenberg would be amazing
[08:12.220 -> 08:14.620] Because that's a statement of intent right here
[08:14.620 -> 08:19.940] Then you're going out and saying right we have a car and we need a good driver to back it up and maybe get better
[08:19.940 -> 08:29.760] Results so if they do and if they can afford and that's the big question, remember, because they no longer have a title sponsor, that would be a fun hire. But I don't know, I really don't
[08:29.760 -> 08:35.680] know. But it makes me wonder about McSchumacher Canal. Without funding, this Haas team, well,
[08:35.680 -> 08:40.720] at the start was fine. They've lost a big source of money. Gene Haas has said that they're fine
[08:40.720 -> 08:44.960] operating with a bit of a loss because of course, it's all a marketing wagon for the Haas automotive
[08:43.000 -> 08:47.280] they're fine operating with a bit of a loss because of course it's all a marketing wagon for the Haas Automotive company if I can call it that way but
[08:47.280 -> 08:51.240] still this is this is not a confident sign this is not where a talent like
[08:51.240 -> 08:57.040] Mick Schumacher can ideally blossom. Before we go around to Mick I'm still
[08:57.040 -> 09:00.840] gonna have one thing to say about the second driver seat right I'll put it
[09:00.840 -> 09:05.880] this way Haas has been extremely bold with the title sponsors
[09:05.880 -> 09:07.880] they've been signing up in the last several seasons.
[09:07.880 -> 09:10.620] They had Rich Energy, which almost nobody had heard about.
[09:10.620 -> 09:13.220] And then suddenly we saw what happened with that.
[09:13.220 -> 09:15.900] Then of course there's Urul Kali, which again,
[09:15.900 -> 09:17.360] not a lot of people had heard about.
[09:17.360 -> 09:20.220] It's an oil company, et cetera, et cetera, right?
[09:20.220 -> 09:21.940] Now, what do I mean by that?
[09:21.940 -> 09:25.020] They went on and signed title sponsors
[09:25.020 -> 09:26.760] when teams like McLaren was struggling
[09:26.760 -> 09:28.400] to get a title sponsor.
[09:28.400 -> 09:31.520] Of course, I know the rate cards would be different,
[09:31.520 -> 09:33.040] blah, blah, blah, yes.
[09:33.040 -> 09:37.160] So if Haas can really, really get bold,
[09:37.160 -> 09:40.040] they can do what Andretti has been saying
[09:40.040 -> 09:41.800] they wanna do with the Formula One team,
[09:41.800 -> 09:49.120] which is to get the American driver in the seat, use what you said, Samuel, the platform of having a good car or a
[09:49.120 -> 09:54.560] stable car, and then use that platform to go and get American interest. Can Haas
[09:54.560 -> 09:58.960] do what Andretti has literally gone out and told the world he wants to do with
[09:58.960 -> 10:03.520] with having a team in Formula One? That's the key question that
[10:03.520 -> 10:10.040] I would really want Gene Haas, Gunter Steiner to ask of themselves. How bold can they get with
[10:10.040 -> 10:13.520] their driver lineups? Because I think they can get bold. They had the most
[10:13.520 -> 10:17.360] number of hours to develop their car than anybody else. They've been
[10:17.360 -> 10:23.200] developing 2022 car since like 2020 because they did literally nothing in
[10:23.200 -> 10:29.640] 2021. Now yes I know there was a deadline only after which you could start working on the car and blah, blah, blah.
[10:29.640 -> 10:39.400] But the amount of time Haas has had with the 2022 car is definitely more than any of the other teams in Formula 1 solo.
[10:41.160 -> 10:45.440] Again, some students start to prepare earlier, but they still don't get the same marks right.
[10:45.440 -> 10:49.120] I hope that's not the case for Haas but think of it Colton Hurter.
[10:49.120 -> 10:54.360] If the rumors are correct that guy was faster than Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen when the
[10:54.360 -> 10:59.800] whole Haas and Reddy deal was coming about.
[10:59.800 -> 11:00.800] That guy will be fast.
[11:00.800 -> 11:04.520] If you've got a good car, maybe just maybe think about him perhaps.
[11:04.520 -> 11:09.920] But mixed Schumacher, yes or no? That's one thing we discussed early on. Poor guy, poor guy. I mean, of course,
[11:09.920 -> 11:14.720] he's got a more potentially more representative teammate coming about, but still, this is just not
[11:15.280 -> 11:18.800] seemingly the ideal place for him to be in. I think he's just waiting for Ferrari to pluck
[11:18.800 -> 11:23.920] him up when the time arrives. I think he's just very lucky that A, he's a Schumacher,
[11:23.920 -> 11:25.400] Formula 1 cares about him, pretty muchumacher Formula One cares about him.
[11:25.400 -> 11:28.400] Pretty much everybody for FIA cares about him.
[11:28.400 -> 11:31.400] We care about him. Not that really matters.
[11:31.400 -> 11:34.000] And yes, of course, Ferrari cares about him.
[11:34.000 -> 11:35.800] So is he stuck at Haas?
[11:35.800 -> 11:38.000] Yes, he is. His hope is 2022.
[11:38.000 -> 11:47.680] But there's just so much happening off track that I'm certain that it causes distractions to the drivers, to several team members, the morale is hit and the like.
[11:47.680 -> 11:51.360] So all Mick can do is hope that the Haas is a half good
[11:51.360 -> 11:53.440] race car as everyone's hoping that it is.
[11:53.440 -> 11:56.440] And then he's able to do what George Russell has been doing
[11:56.440 -> 11:58.400] in the Williams for three years,
[11:58.400 -> 12:00.240] because that's his best bet.
[12:00.240 -> 12:04.920] And yes, I really wish that for Mick's sake,
[12:04.920 -> 12:07.080] he gets a driver who's credible,
[12:07.080 -> 12:11.240] you know, somebody like a Nico Hulkenberg, somebody like a Colton Hurta, even
[12:11.240 -> 12:16.000] though Colton's not driven a Formula One car yet, and of course driven, I know he's
[12:16.000 -> 12:20.800] tested one with McLaren, before you guys start pointing out things to me, but why
[12:20.800 -> 12:25.000] do I say that? It's because he needs to have a very,
[12:25.720 -> 12:27.640] very competitive benchmark.
[12:27.640 -> 12:29.880] The kind of benchmark that Lando Norris was
[12:29.880 -> 12:31.120] for Carlos Sainz.
[12:31.120 -> 12:33.320] The kind of benchmark that Charles Leclerc was
[12:33.320 -> 12:35.120] for Sebastian Vettel.
[12:35.120 -> 12:37.120] If he gets a benchmark as strong,
[12:37.120 -> 12:39.840] and even if the Haas is not quick enough,
[12:39.840 -> 12:42.240] but he's still able to overcome a very,
[12:42.240 -> 12:44.000] very competitive teammate,
[12:44.000 -> 12:46.240] sometimes that's all it takes to get
[12:46.240 -> 12:49.600] a call up from a bigger team I would say apart from having a very famous surname.
[12:50.400 -> 12:54.400] Absolutely and also the commercial value that can come around with it but that's a big shoe
[12:54.400 -> 12:58.560] marker. I want to talk about Russia because that race is gone. It raises a big question
[12:58.560 -> 13:02.640] in my mind Kunal, do we need a replacement? Do we need another race?
[13:08.880 -> 13:15.840] a replacement? Do we need another race? Well it depends you know if if you are one of those who's chasing a record historic the longest calendar in Formula One, yes we need another race clearly. If
[13:15.840 -> 13:21.280] you're a Formula One team you've probably accounted for sponsorship and other earnings from 23 races
[13:21.280 -> 13:26.160] this season. If you are Max Verstappen, who's being paid per race,
[13:26.160 -> 13:28.040] literally speaking, you want to make sure
[13:28.040 -> 13:29.600] that there are as many races out there.
[13:29.600 -> 13:32.640] And then, of course, you look back at 2021,
[13:32.640 -> 13:34.600] imagine if you were one race short.
[13:34.600 -> 13:36.720] We wouldn't have had the cracker we had in Abu Dhabi.
[13:36.720 -> 13:39.840] Now, of course, I'm just building up scenarios.
[13:39.840 -> 13:41.800] I think 23 races is too much.
[13:41.800 -> 13:42.480] I've said this.
[13:42.480 -> 13:42.920] Depends.
[13:42.920 -> 13:44.600] If you ask me tomorrow morning, and I'm really
[13:44.600 -> 13:46.960] in love with Formula 1 again which I you know
[13:46.960 -> 13:52.280] always am, I say yeah maybe we can we can do 25 races but I think commercially
[13:52.280 -> 13:58.360] speaking this is like a great chance for Liberty Media to make more money because
[13:58.360 -> 14:04.320] you know Russia anyway wasn't the hottest of markets in Formula One. Yes
[14:04.320 -> 14:06.000] they were paying a race hosting fee,
[14:06.000 -> 14:10.720] but the Russian fans, were they as involved in the sport,
[14:10.720 -> 14:13.800] given that there was no major Russian driver driving,
[14:13.800 -> 14:16.520] literally, Daniel Kivat was probably the only one
[14:16.520 -> 14:18.520] driving around when he was.
[14:18.520 -> 14:20.280] What will Liberty Media do?
[14:20.280 -> 14:22.880] What could Liberty Media do again?
[14:22.880 -> 14:24.560] Several scenarios.
[14:24.560 -> 14:26.080] I think Turkey is
[14:26.080 -> 14:29.840] gonna be the Nico Halkenberg of race circuits, they're gonna be the one
[14:29.840 -> 14:35.560] replacing Russia, maybe they'll get a one-year contract and then could it be
[14:35.560 -> 14:40.060] that they do a third race in America? Could it be that instead of Turkey they
[14:40.060 -> 14:47.680] go to a place like Sepang? But my feeling is that they will use this to try and get another higher
[14:47.680 -> 14:54.800] paying promoter to host a Formula One race more permanently from 2023 solo. Yeah because let's be
[14:54.800 -> 14:58.560] honest they don't need to do what they did in 2020 right they don't need to reach out to circuits and
[14:58.560 -> 15:02.160] rent them out they've already got enough opportunities in that sense so yeah it'll
[15:02.160 -> 15:05.040] be fun to see if a new promoter can potentially come about.
[15:05.040 -> 15:09.920] And maybe Vietnam, that circuit, what's happened there?
[15:09.920 -> 15:12.000] That whole project was a bit of a whirlwind.
[15:12.000 -> 15:12.720] It came about.
[15:12.720 -> 15:15.040] It suddenly went away thanks to COVID.
[15:15.040 -> 15:18.000] You reckon there is a chance that we can perhaps
[15:18.000 -> 15:20.400] see that come about again?
[15:20.400 -> 15:22.720] It depends if there's another person to bribe out there.
[15:22.720 -> 15:26.160] Of course, not that Formula One was the one was the one bribing the
[15:26.540 -> 15:31.760] Officials there or we don't know but yeah, Vietnam seems like a really fast stretch
[15:31.760 -> 15:37.720] I would say because of the you know, the controversy that the officials were mired in I would say but I think Sepang
[15:37.720 -> 15:39.560] I think maybe Turkey
[15:39.560 -> 15:42.580] Would probably be the two key circuits
[15:42.580 -> 15:46.180] They could be talking to but I'm I'm excited to see who's going
[15:46.180 -> 15:48.780] to be the long-term replacement of Russia.
[15:48.780 -> 15:51.300] And I think it's a very low blow to Russia
[15:51.300 -> 15:53.980] because they were going to move Sochi to St. Petersburg
[15:53.980 -> 15:54.660] as well.
[15:54.660 -> 15:57.580] So all the money that's gone into making that circuit,
[15:57.580 -> 15:58.460] et cetera, et cetera.
[15:58.460 -> 16:01.580] I don't know if anyone's going to make use of it.
[16:01.580 -> 16:04.980] Not sure how soon Russian grand prix
[16:04.980 -> 16:07.520] could be back on the calendar and this also means
[16:07.520 -> 16:15.200] that Mercedes is unbeatable or the unbeaten Russian Grand Prix champions till such time
[16:15.200 -> 16:19.520] you know Russia ever makes a comeback to Formula One. Tell you what the saddest person in the
[16:19.520 -> 16:25.000] entire F1 barrack apart from Nikita Mazepin with all that's happening is Valtteri Bottas.
[16:25.000 -> 16:29.920] We took away his big chance, we took away Sochi, come on where will he win now?
[16:29.920 -> 16:34.440] I know Austria maybe but hey let's see if Alfa Romeo is the car that we think it is.
[16:34.440 -> 16:38.400] Tell you what though, I want to talk about another big thing that's going to come up
[16:38.400 -> 16:40.320] in the next couple of days Kunal.
[16:40.320 -> 16:42.000] Drive to survive.
[16:42.000 -> 16:46.080] Everyone's been raving about it online and by everyone I don't mean us fans
[16:46.080 -> 16:50.160] because of course we haven't had the access but a lot of media personnel have gotten the chance
[16:50.160 -> 16:56.640] to see it and they say it's as dramatic as ever as a flavorful or uh the hindi word for it is
[16:56.640 -> 17:02.640] masala which means a lot of extra spice added in for fun that is what drive to survive is in essence
[17:02.640 -> 17:05.920] and this new season seems to be no different.
[17:10.080 -> 17:14.400] Let's be honest, this thing has done an amazing job for Formula 1. Friends and family members who would never even look at this sport have just come out and said, wow, this thing is fun.
[17:14.960 -> 17:19.680] I think Kunal, if anything, this has to be the most important season of Drive to Survive because
[17:19.680 -> 17:22.880] well, how do you make 2021 even more exciting than it was?
[17:23.160 -> 17:24.600] how do you make 2021 even more exciting than it was?
[17:27.120 -> 17:30.720] That's bang on, Somal, because, you know, the Netflix producers, script writers, editors,
[17:30.720 -> 17:35.640] they had their toughest task, I would say, for season four,
[17:35.640 -> 17:36.640] because up until now,
[17:36.640 -> 17:39.240] there were pretty much seasons that faded away.
[17:39.240 -> 17:41.000] And you guys know what I'm talking about
[17:41.000 -> 17:49.840] with how boring Formula 1 was before 2021, parts at least you know. So for the for the producers to actually
[17:49.840 -> 17:54.640] make it more spicy than it actually was and that's fine you know that's poetic
[17:54.640 -> 17:59.200] license it's like when when you narrate what when you as in anyone when one
[17:59.200 -> 18:03.040] narrates an incident that happened in a race to a friend there's a good chance
[18:03.040 -> 18:08.960] you're gonna add some more spice your thinking, your masala, as you guys call it, which is an Indian word but known
[18:08.960 -> 18:13.840] globally, so I'm sure you guys get the context as well. And I'm pretty excited to see how season 4
[18:13.840 -> 18:21.520] is. Yes, the early signs are always by media people who are fanatics and purists of the sport,
[18:21.520 -> 18:27.980] have to see it from a different lens. And everyone saying what they've said but I'm pretty positive it's only gonna bring more
[18:27.980 -> 18:32.280] people to Formula One, it's only gonna bring more people to the Inside Line F1
[18:32.280 -> 18:36.500] podcast and to Pits to Podium you know and I always believe in this Somil and
[18:36.500 -> 18:41.240] I'm gonna throw some marketing jargon out here. I would rather increase the
[18:41.240 -> 18:47.240] size of the pie than the share of our slice and you guys know I'm
[18:47.240 -> 18:49.840] probably quoting Philip Kotler here.
[18:49.840 -> 18:52.920] Unless your name is Mr. Bernie Eggleston.
[18:52.920 -> 18:55.920] Unless or maybe CBC.
[18:55.920 -> 18:57.920] Bernie who?
[18:57.920 -> 19:05.760] Yeah I suppose you some some old person who used to run a small little sport that we liked, right?
[19:05.760 -> 19:07.360] No? No? Never heard about him?
[19:07.360 -> 19:08.360] Nah, whatever.
[19:08.360 -> 19:15.360] But no, I remember Bernie, the guy who said he would stand and take bullets for Vladimir Putin.
[19:15.360 -> 19:16.360] That's the guy.
[19:17.200 -> 19:18.680] Probably is a good time now, mate.
[19:18.680 -> 19:22.480] If there ever is a chance, this is the golden chance.
[19:22.480 -> 19:25.840] Oh man, let's not go down that road. Walk the talk.
[19:25.840 -> 19:31.120] Walk the talk. Or not maybe Bernie. Thank you for not walking the talk for once.
[19:31.120 -> 19:37.360] Because he is the types right who will walk the talk. If anything guys if you're bored until the start of the
[19:37.360 -> 19:40.800] second preseason just read about how Bernie Ecclestone actually consolidated
[19:40.800 -> 19:44.000] power in the world of Formula One. Outstanding story. Kind of goes to tell
[19:44.000 -> 19:49.920] you what kind of character he was but also don't read when Bernie Eccleston said that how do I send Rolexes
[19:49.920 -> 19:55.440] how do I sell Rolexes to teenagers. Ah baffles me, baffles me sometimes but that's Bernie for you.
[19:55.440 -> 20:00.160] That's Bernie and he was another character of the sport and Drive to Survive again is great at
[20:00.160 -> 20:05.200] portraying all these characters all together but business end Kunal, I think it's about time
[20:05.200 -> 20:09.520] we get to the track, right, because we've spoken all about who can drive a car or where we might
[20:09.520 -> 20:14.240] be driving the car eventually or for that matter how the cars would be dramatized in a fictional
[20:14.240 -> 20:19.120] TV show, semi-fictional TV show, which we all love at the end of the day. But point is, the racing
[20:19.120 -> 20:24.080] aspect of it and there's such, such debate, will we get to see a pecking order finally?
[20:22.640 -> 20:24.800] And there's such, such debate. Will we get to see a pecking order finally?
[20:27.640 -> 20:30.020] Oh, well, if you ask me, no, clearly not.
[20:30.020 -> 20:32.660] We're not going to get to see a pecking order.
[20:32.660 -> 20:34.680] That's definitely not happening.
[20:34.680 -> 20:37.640] And, you know, it's still only the fourth day
[20:37.640 -> 20:40.160] that the teams are going to have in these cars.
[20:40.160 -> 20:43.880] The drivers are even less because they've always been,
[20:43.880 -> 20:45.360] you know, they've always been sharing duty.
[20:45.360 -> 20:48.680] So packing orders only going to be the Bahrain qualifying session.
[20:48.680 -> 20:52.760] And you know this, Samuel, you've been a commentator with several hundreds of races yourself.
[20:53.080 -> 21:05.400] And the other question, which has got a very clear no answer to as well, at least in my head, is will they increase the overall weight of the Formula One cars in 2022 and while I say the
[21:05.400 -> 21:10.440] answer is no, I really also hope that they don't make an adjustment just
[21:10.440 -> 21:14.580] because nine and a half teams or eight and a half teams have sort of gotten it
[21:14.580 -> 21:18.440] wrong. Because you know the rules have been written, the teams have made a
[21:18.440 -> 21:24.400] conscious choice to add more weight while still hoping to go quicker. Because
[21:24.400 -> 21:26.160] if Red Bull is more
[21:26.160 -> 21:29.640] heavy, they're still the quicker teams out there. It's not that they're
[21:29.640 -> 21:35.800] languishing 10th. So they have made a choice to go quicker while still having
[21:35.800 -> 21:40.640] more weight. And the weight is always a minimum weight that you know, that
[21:40.640 -> 21:45.160] stipulate, the regulations talk about. So if you have consciously gone
[21:45.160 -> 21:49.480] overweight, it's a decision you've made, you knew this all along, you've got the
[21:49.480 -> 21:53.420] brightest minds out there and Alfa Romeo hats off to you guys for actually getting
[21:53.420 -> 21:57.540] it within the weight that you need it to. But I really hope you guys have a quick
[21:57.540 -> 22:01.580] car as well. Do you think the Alfa Romeo must have done some intermittent fasting
[22:01.580 -> 22:04.840] or some sort of keto diet or anything? I don't know, I don't know what they do to
[22:04.840 -> 22:06.160] make Formula One cars go lighter and that's. I don't know. I don't know what they do to make Formula 1 cars
[22:06.160 -> 22:07.640] go lighter and that's, I mean, I know,
[22:07.640 -> 22:08.480] but I'm just kidding, right?
[22:08.480 -> 22:09.300] You get the point.
[22:09.300 -> 22:13.440] But it reminds me a lot of those childhood games
[22:13.440 -> 22:14.640] of cricket or football,
[22:14.640 -> 22:16.640] but if you're good, I mean, if you're too good,
[22:16.640 -> 22:19.280] the others will force you to play with your left foot
[22:19.280 -> 22:21.720] or your left hand in the world of cricket, that is.
[22:21.720 -> 22:28.420] It's kind of like a penalty for being successful, in a way, if that ever makes sense. I mean why crib out all the rules
[22:28.420 -> 22:33.520] when you can actually consciously get better at it. Sounds a bit silly to me.
[22:33.520 -> 22:37.440] It does and I really hope that there isn't much of a debate and there isn't
[22:37.440 -> 22:41.560] much pressure and you know suddenly we see an increase in the overall weight of
[22:41.560 -> 22:45.040] the cards because let's admit, that Red Bull looked heavy,
[22:45.040 -> 22:46.240] it looked bulky.
[22:46.240 -> 22:49.160] But again, it's just how it is.
[22:49.160 -> 22:51.960] And then another thing, which is going to be very interesting
[22:51.960 -> 22:54.000] for us to track in the preseason tests.
[22:54.000 -> 22:56.160] And again, I'm going to split the question.
[22:56.160 -> 22:59.720] Will the teams have solved the problem of perpoising?
[22:59.720 -> 23:01.440] Yes, they would have.
[23:01.440 -> 23:07.500] OK, it's a problem that can be fixed at the cost of performance,
[23:07.500 -> 23:11.200] which is actually anti or un-Formula 1-like.
[23:11.200 -> 23:15.500] Teams usually prioritize performance over everything else.
[23:15.500 -> 23:20.400] So, you know, you're asking teams to act against their regular nature
[23:20.400 -> 23:22.800] by saying, hey, just fix the problem for pricing
[23:22.800 -> 23:28.520] by, you know, raising the ride height of of the car so they will work on interesting solutions to make sure
[23:28.520 -> 23:33.160] that they are still as low as they want to be but still not face the porpoising
[23:33.160 -> 23:37.000] problem solver. Hey they have to be a hard parent here they have to say like
[23:37.000 -> 23:41.440] fine get on with it headaches fine we will try our best to solve it but if we
[23:41.440 -> 23:48.900] can't go get a hang of it mate we can't help it you've got to drive with a headache you've got to drive with a car bouncing around at 320 kph or maybe
[23:48.900 -> 23:52.960] even more it's kind of hard to tell what the exact top speed of a formula one car is these
[23:52.960 -> 23:57.500] days but it's funny it's funny that some teams with their design philosophy have really been
[23:57.500 -> 24:02.880] able to avoid it. Case in point McLaren I remember the race which is really leading
[24:02.880 -> 24:06.600] the way in terms of a lot of good technical coverage over this pre-season test.
[24:06.600 -> 24:11.400] They've been able to find out why McLaren haven't been able to get prop oising on their car.
[24:11.400 -> 24:15.300] It's a lovely little feature that it should maybe have a look at and McLaren are fine with it.
[24:15.300 -> 24:18.400] They don't face any issues with the likes of Ferrari, the likes of Mercedes.
[24:18.800 -> 24:21.600] I wonder how they'll be tackling it eventually at the end of the day.
[24:21.900 -> 24:23.400] But that's one thing.
[24:23.500 -> 24:29.780] The other thing is reliability because Alpine Kunal oh they have been having bold statements all the
[24:29.780 -> 24:35.000] way through I don't know which head of Alpine and it also begs me to ask the
[24:35.000 -> 24:38.880] question how many heads does Alpine have because I think they had around five or
[24:38.880 -> 24:42.800] six bosses last year add a couple and they'll become Ravan the the ten headed
[24:42.800 -> 24:45.920] boss or the ten headed god of
[24:45.920 -> 24:48.760] the Indian mythology, if you want to put it that way.
[24:48.760 -> 24:52.480] But it's funny, Alpine, one of their bosses just came out and said, well, we're compromising
[24:52.480 -> 24:57.720] on reliability slightly this year because we want to focus on performance.
[24:57.720 -> 25:03.080] And Fernando Alonso stalled the car, or ended up with a bit of smoke at the first test.
[25:03.080 -> 25:04.640] What's going on there?
[25:04.640 -> 25:06.400] That team seems to be so mysterious.
[25:07.480 -> 25:09.120] And they had a DRS issue as well.
[25:09.120 -> 25:11.000] So Alpine's base is hidden,
[25:11.000 -> 25:12.560] but that's what testing is all about.
[25:12.560 -> 25:13.680] They're pushing their boundaries.
[25:13.680 -> 25:15.820] They're hopefully pushing their boundaries and limits,
[25:15.820 -> 25:16.800] I would say.
[25:16.800 -> 25:20.240] And, you know, Alpine again is going by a very old philosophy
[25:20.240 -> 25:21.360] from the world of motorsport,
[25:21.360 -> 25:23.400] which says you can make,
[25:24.560 -> 25:25.360] I need to phrase this
[25:25.360 -> 25:31.440] right, you'd rather have a fast car and then work on making it reliable than
[25:31.440 -> 25:37.040] have a reliable car and work on making it faster. So I think maybe L plan is
[25:37.040 -> 25:41.560] what all of that is all about but teams are figuring all of this out as they go.
[25:41.560 -> 25:45.300] I love the fact that they have limited track time
[25:45.300 -> 25:52.920] thanks to the regulations that govern how much testing they can do and that it's always
[25:52.920 -> 25:57.200] that they are constantly fighting one challenge or the other on the technical front and that
[25:57.200 -> 26:01.720] they have got engineers as well as drivers helping them through and through.
[26:01.720 -> 26:09.320] Yeah, exactly and it turns out that the DNF from Alfpine, why am I saying DNF it's a test it can't be DNF but hey the
[26:09.320 -> 26:13.640] stoppage from Alpine with Fernando Alonso was apparently not the engine
[26:13.640 -> 26:17.340] that's what Alpine said not me I wasn't there Alpine said it was a hydraulics
[26:17.340 -> 26:22.220] issue I don't know this is a really murky thing going on at Alpine and hey
[26:22.220 -> 26:25.760] speaking of their head speaking of how much they
[26:25.760 -> 26:31.920] might potentially get paid there's one new big player who's been earning a lot of money or rather
[26:31.920 -> 26:37.040] who will earn a lot of money Max Verstappen. Kunal have you ever heard of a contract longer than
[26:37.040 -> 26:46.440] Max's? What is it six years and that'll become a total of 12 years with one team. Do you ever remember a driver staying
[26:46.440 -> 26:51.800] with one team for 12 years? Not really but that's Max Verstappen for you you
[26:51.800 -> 26:56.280] know he's he's done did you ever remember a driver less than 18 to have
[26:56.280 -> 27:00.160] you know started a Formula One race to have you know done all the things that
[27:00.160 -> 27:04.240] he's done in Formula One I think it's it's fantastic his stakes are as high as
[27:04.240 -> 27:05.120] they can get.
[27:05.840 -> 27:11.680] For Red Bull, there isn't a talent better than Max Verstappen right now. Of course, Lewis Hamilton,
[27:11.680 -> 27:19.440] but he is contracted with Mercedes, still he's sort of going to retire, I would say. So that's
[27:19.440 -> 27:26.560] pretty good as well. And all the kind of money, I think the most interesting part is my gut
[27:26.560 -> 27:31.600] feeling is that a driver's salary cap is going to be a part of the regulations in the near
[27:31.600 -> 27:38.360] future and Max has already gone and signed a mega contract before such a regulation comes
[27:38.360 -> 27:43.440] into play. Should Formula One drivers be paid so much? Should, you know, should there be
[27:43.440 -> 27:46.360] a salary cap? Again, I have mixed opinions and
[27:46.360 -> 27:51.760] mixed judgments on this. At one point, yes, they're gladiators putting their lives on
[27:51.760 -> 27:57.440] risk. And the fact that they're paid so much also makes them that much more special. But
[27:57.440 -> 28:08.060] on the other hand, $50 million a year is like more than a third of the annual car budget, so to say. And 2021 showed us that the driver
[28:08.060 -> 28:10.940] is also a key performance differentiator.
[28:10.940 -> 28:14.800] So if you're 150, 140 or a million that you spend
[28:14.800 -> 28:18.500] is capped so that your performance differentiation
[28:18.500 -> 28:22.700] also falls into place when it comes to the car,
[28:22.700 -> 28:24.020] why not the driver?
[28:24.020 -> 28:25.680] So various things to ask
[28:25.680 -> 28:31.440] about Somil but you know pretty exciting he's got a he's extended his already existing contract by
[28:31.440 -> 28:36.560] five years a massive deal he would have done like he'd be 30 years old and would have done 300 odd
[28:36.560 -> 28:42.240] Grand Prix's already and that's pretty phenomenal. Hard to think about it Max in 2028 will still just
[28:42.240 -> 28:45.680] be 30. 30 it feels like we've known him forever.
[28:45.680 -> 28:51.600] But my question to end this episode on Kunal and I know how the dynamics of economics work,
[28:51.600 -> 28:56.560] demand and supply. If Red Bull thinks that Max is worth 50 million, they will give him 50 million
[28:56.560 -> 29:00.560] dollars so long as Max agrees and why wouldn't you right? Unless he feels that he's worth 70
[29:00.560 -> 29:09.520] million which I think at this point he doesn't but the point is is he that much better is he that much better than a Charles Leclerc or Orlando Norris at this stage that his paycheck is
[29:09.520 -> 29:14.320] say five times or ten times more than that I know I know it's Red Bull who are out there to pay that
[29:14.320 -> 29:18.800] money and McLaren and Ferrari may not be willing to at this stage but I get it that because the
[29:18.800 -> 29:22.480] cars are bunched up the driver becomes more important at the end of the day because that's
[29:22.480 -> 29:27.920] where you can gain so many tenths of a second but that much of a difference really is it that much better than those guys?
[29:28.960 -> 29:35.600] I'm going to answer your question with a question back to you. Who's the most recent benchmark in
[29:35.600 -> 29:45.000] Formula One and that is Lewis Hamilton. Correct. Max Verstappen has gone and broken that benchmark in 2021,
[29:46.540 -> 29:50.500] however close or not, however wide the gap or not.
[29:50.500 -> 29:54.280] The fact is that he met and beat that benchmark.
[29:54.280 -> 29:57.240] And that's exactly the kind of financial benchmarking
[29:57.240 -> 29:58.400] that he and his team would have done.
[29:58.400 -> 29:59.600] And let's also put it this way.
[29:59.600 -> 30:02.680] You said he's probably worth $50 million,
[30:02.680 -> 30:03.800] which is why Red Bull paid him.
[30:03.800 -> 30:07.640] My point is, Red Bull probably think he's worth more than that,
[30:07.640 -> 30:09.400] which is why they paid him $50 million.
[30:09.400 -> 30:11.400] You know, Red Bull's got a title sponsor.
[30:11.400 -> 30:13.280] They've got a crypto sponsor.
[30:13.280 -> 30:18.440] There is admitted talks, you know, with a Volkswagen brand to come in.
[30:18.440 -> 30:23.440] With the might of a Max Verstappen, their bargaining capacity
[30:23.440 -> 30:27.040] will only be that much higher in every such partnership
[30:27.040 -> 30:32.240] meeting that they sit in. And that is why Red Bull has decided to pay him. It's not just
[30:32.240 -> 30:36.000] what he can do in the car, but it's also what he does in the boardroom, what he does for
[30:36.000 -> 30:41.920] merchandise sales, what he does to galvanize not just the Orange Army, but everybody in Formula
[30:41.920 -> 30:49.000] One in a good way and in a bad way somehow. And also to sell cans in Netherlands because that turned out to be a big thing last year.
[30:49.000 -> 30:54.000] And well, that could turn out to be a big thing this year as well, but Formula 1 coming to the Netherlands.
[30:54.000 -> 31:00.000] But hey, all things considered folks, these are the things that we're looking forward to until the second pre-season test.
[31:00.000 -> 31:07.260] And can you imagine? This is such an amazing year that we've got so many things to look forward to until the next couple of days but there's gonna be
[31:07.260 -> 31:11.260] more stuff coming up after the second test so subscribe to the inside line f1
[31:11.260 -> 31:14.880] podcast and pitch the podium for more such content where you can listen to us
[31:14.880 -> 31:19.140] listen to our takes on how things are going to unfold and as always listen
[31:19.140 -> 31:23.500] back to our voices of f1 series and our AWS special episode with Priya
[31:23.500 -> 31:27.920] Ponnapalli as well. Folks if if you enjoyed this one, you know the deal, you know what to do, you know
[31:27.920 -> 31:31.760] how to subscribe, you know how to leave a good rating and the likes and see you
[31:31.760 -> 31:36.000] again for a few more episodes and the regular race weekend coverage right here
[31:36.000 -> None] on the InsideLine F1 podcast and BITS Deporium. So long, bye bye. you