Suzuka is Scalextric IRL - 2022 Japanese GP Preview

Suzuka is special, for the teams-drivers, for Honda & for Yuki Tsunoda. But above all else, it's special for the Japanese Formula 1 fans. They're a different breed altogether. Passionate, knowledgeable, respectful & humble. We're only glad that they'll get their taste of Formula 1 for the first time since 2019. And definitely, their super-cool merchandise is the one thing we're going to look out for at every session.

Come to think of it, Suzuka is like Scaletrix in real life! It's the ONLY circuit with a figure of eight corner, that means that the circuit is both, clock-wise & anti-clock-wise. So it's only apt that we use this reference in our 2022 Japanese Grand Prix preview episode. Tune in!

(Season 2022, Episode 60)

Follow our hosts: Sundaram Ramaswami, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

- The Japanese Grand Prix is a highly anticipated race, especially for the passionate and knowledgeable Japanese Formula One fans, who are known for their creativity, respect, and humbleness.


- The Suzuka Circuit is a unique figure-of-eight track that combines clockwise and anti-clockwise sections, making it a challenging and exciting circuit for drivers.


- The 2022 Japanese Grand Prix could potentially see Max Verstappen clinch the World Championship title if he manages to gain a 112-point lead over Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc.


- Honda, the former engine supplier for Red Bull Racing, will have a more prominent branding presence at the race weekend, and rumors suggest a potential return to Formula One in 2026.


- The Japanese fans are expected to showcase their creative merchandise, including hats and masks inspired by Formula One teams and drivers.


- The Suzuka Circuit is known for its technical and challenging nature, with a high-speed first sector that demands precision and bravery from drivers.


- The first corner at Suzuka doesn't require braking on entry, generating some of the highest steering wheel torques of the season.


- The continuously moving steering wheel throughout the lap, especially in the first sector, highlights the technical demands of the circuit.


- The balanced number of right-handers and left-handers ensures equal tire wear, making tire strategy crucial for teams.


- The anti-clockwise and clockwise sections of the circuit, along with the tunnel, create a unique and visually appealing layout.


- The race weekend presents a challenge for fans in the eastern coast of the US, with the race starting at 3 am.


- Sergio Perez's recent strong performance in Singapore has raised questions about whether it was a one-off or a sign of a sustained improvement in form.


- Charles Leclerc's quest for a fourth consecutive podium finish matches his career-best podium streak in 2019.


- Ferrari's recent slump is attributed to the new technical directive issued by the FIA, which has impacted their tire wear and front-limited performance.


- Mercedes' first terrible weekend of the season in Singapore has raised doubts about their ability to catch up and challenge for the championship.


- Yuki Tsunoda, the Japanese home hero, is eager to perform well in his home race and make up for his error in Singapore.


- Suzuka's qualifying is crucial as front-row starts have historically led to most wins, but overtaking opportunities exist throughout the lap.


- A prediction for the race is Max Verstappen winning, with Mercedes potentially sacrificing a driver's fastest lap to prevent Verstappen from clinching the title in Japan.

# Japanese Grand Prix Preview: A Scaletrix in Real Life

**Introduction**

In this episode, the hosts delve into the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix, held at the iconic Suzuka Circuit. They discuss the unique characteristics of the track, the passionate Japanese Formula 1 fans, and the excitement surrounding the return of the race after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

**Suzuka Circuit: A Unique Challenge**

The Suzuka Circuit is renowned for its challenging layout, featuring a combination of high-speed straights, technical corners, and the famous figure-of-eight section, which makes it the only circuit with both clockwise and anti-clockwise sections. The hosts compare the circuit to a real-life Scaletrix, highlighting its complexity and the skills required to navigate it successfully.

**Japanese Formula 1 Fans: A Passionate and Knowledgeable Crowd**

The Japanese Formula 1 fans are widely regarded as some of the most passionate and knowledgeable in the world. The hosts emphasize the respectful and humble nature of the Japanese fans, creating a unique atmosphere at the Suzuka Circuit. They also mention the distinctive merchandise sported by the fans, which adds to the vibrant spectacle of the race weekend.

**Predictions for the Japanese Grand Prix**

While acknowledging the possibility of Max Verstappen securing the world championship in Japan, the hosts refrain from making a definitive prediction. They express their personal preference for Carlos Sainz but acknowledge that Verstappen is the likely favorite based on his dominant performances this season.

**FIA Update on Cost Cap Investigation**

The hosts briefly mention an update from the FIA regarding the ongoing cost cap investigation. They express disappointment at the delay in releasing the findings, with the FIA now targeting October 10th for an update. The hosts criticize the FIA's handling of the situation, suggesting that they are buying time rather than providing concrete information.

**Conclusion**

The hosts conclude the episode by encouraging listeners to leave ratings and reviews for the podcast. They also remind listeners about the upcoming Japanese GP Race Review episode, expressing their hope to connect with the audience on Sunday.

[00:00.000 -> 00:25.580] Hey folks, welcome to the InsideLineF1 podcast once again for the Japanese GP preview
[00:25.580 -> 00:30.360] and this weekend it just feels nice and warm once again because Formula One
[00:30.360 -> 00:35.760] returns to Japan after 2019 for the first time actually it feels far too
[00:35.760 -> 00:40.000] long not to come to a place like this one but it's incredible to see the
[00:40.000 -> 00:43.120] amount of fans that we're gonna have here and just the quality of fans as
[00:43.120 -> 00:46.440] well and that is one of the major things that we are going to talk about in this
[00:46.440 -> 00:51.080] episode but before we get to it let's actually introduce ourselves. Firstly my
[00:51.080 -> 00:54.840] name is Somil Arora, I'm the host of The Driving Force on Disney Plus Hotstar
[00:54.840 -> 00:58.620] and as always I've got Kunal Shah, the former marketing head of the Force India
[00:58.620 -> 01:02.840] F1 team with me who is also an FIA accredited journalist for the We Are
[01:02.840 -> 01:08.480] Play Network and this weekend Kunal, the first thing that I really, really want to see
[01:08.480 -> 01:12.720] is just to see what kind of funny hats or the caps or even for that matter,
[01:12.720 -> 01:14.880] the masks that our Japanese fans come up with.
[01:14.880 -> 01:17.840] Because I just saw a picture on the internet today,
[01:17.840 -> 01:22.080] which basically was of a couple of Japanese fans with a face mask
[01:22.080 -> 01:23.760] with a front wing attached on it.
[01:23.760 -> 01:28.840] One of AlphaTauri and one of Red Bull Racing and these guys are properly creative just what
[01:28.840 -> 01:35.040] could we have next DRS masks or DRS hats? I think we have seen a DRS hat or a DRS
[01:35.040 -> 01:40.640] cap you press a button and you know one of those cap flaps open up or something
[01:40.640 -> 01:47.360] like that but yes Formula One is back in Japan, in Suzuka. And history of Japan,
[01:47.360 -> 01:55.200] history of Suzuka in Formula One is so epic. We've had some great duels out here. 11 times
[01:55.200 -> 02:03.040] in history has a title been sealed at Suzuka. It could be the 12th this weekend if Max Verstappen
[02:09.440 -> 02:10.440] It could be the 12th this weekend if Max Verstappen finishes 112 points ahead of Perez and Charles Leclerc.
[02:10.440 -> 02:13.240] Of course, there are lots of permutations, lots of combinations.
[02:13.240 -> 02:17.960] He needs to win with the fastest lap and somebody else needs to do something else.
[02:17.960 -> 02:21.040] But let's see, 112, that's the magic number this weekend.
[02:21.040 -> 02:27.160] And if he is winning, I hope that no other rival team purposely pits their driver
[02:27.160 -> 02:33.080] a couple of laps to the end to take the fastest lap point away. Could Mercedes do that just
[02:33.080 -> 02:40.440] to have some fun with Red Bull and Honda at Honda's home race also sponsored by Honda
[02:40.440 -> 02:48.640] even though Red Bull is no longer powered officially by a Honda. So lots of, you know, lots of curveballs out there, but that's true.
[02:48.640 -> 02:50.960] You know, Honda is no longer directly involved in the sport,
[02:50.960 -> 02:56.720] even though they're going to have more prominent branding to start with from this weekend itself.
[02:56.720 -> 03:03.280] And Soumya, I just realized you said Formula One is back since 2019.
[03:03.280 -> 03:04.040] That's three years.
[03:04.040 -> 03:06.920] That's more than 20% of your life ago,
[03:06.920 -> 03:09.520] if you were to put it in absolute numbers.
[03:09.520 -> 03:12.280] Holy wow, that's actually true.
[03:12.280 -> 03:16.000] Yeah, I don't remember the last time I actually woke up
[03:16.000 -> 03:17.640] early in the morning here in India and said,
[03:17.640 -> 03:19.760] right, it's time for a Sunday morning race
[03:19.760 -> 03:21.360] because it's been so long for that.
[03:21.360 -> 03:23.960] But the other thing I'm very curious about,
[03:23.960 -> 03:26.320] especially on the subject of the hats,
[03:26.320 -> 03:33.360] is to see if the fans actually come up with a Haas front wing hat as well with a Kevin Magnuson bent front wing end plate of sorts.
[03:33.360 -> 03:39.800] And if the FIA doesn't really allow them to enter and says, okay, black and orange flag, go back home and change your hats and come back at something.
[03:39.800 -> 03:45.460] But otherwise as well on the subject of Honda, their logos will reappear this weekend on the Red Bull and the Alfa Tauri.
[03:45.460 -> 03:48.980] Apparently, they're going to do so in 2023 as well.
[03:48.980 -> 03:53.180] And now Kunal, there are rumors that they might end up coming back to Formula One in
[03:53.180 -> 03:55.980] 2026 to partner up with Red Bull again.
[03:55.980 -> 04:00.920] It's I read it somewhere on the on the internet, but it's like they only leave just to come
[04:00.920 -> 04:02.260] back to Formula One.
[04:02.260 -> 04:03.500] What just what is it all about?
[04:03.500 -> 04:05.600] Can't they just stay there in peace?
[04:05.600 -> 04:07.800] It kind of reminds me of Ross and Rachel from Friends
[04:07.800 -> 04:09.520] where sometimes on a break and then they're not
[04:09.520 -> 04:11.040] and then they are, then they're not.
[04:11.040 -> 04:12.320] What is Honda doing?
[04:12.320 -> 04:14.640] There's a very good chance that when they actually return
[04:14.640 -> 04:19.640] in 26, the dominance that Red Bull is showing may not last
[04:19.880 -> 04:22.240] because that's also what's happened with Honda's returns
[04:22.240 -> 04:23.400] in the last couple of times,
[04:23.400 -> 04:31.040] especially with the old McLaren Honda thing, right right but my mind still goes to the Japanese fans you know their cap,
[04:31.040 -> 04:38.800] their mask designs as you call it, their t-shirts, their merchandise is beyond any comparison any fan
[04:38.800 -> 04:43.520] in Europe, any fan in America. Now I know a lot of listeners of ours based in these markets will
[04:43.520 -> 04:49.680] suddenly be upset saying oh my god did you just compare me against a Japanese fan who probably doesn't even listen to
[04:49.680 -> 04:53.760] our podcast because we are in English, but Japan is still one of the top 10 markets for us. Either
[04:53.760 -> 05:01.360] way, the point is that, you know, the Japanese fan very well entrenched in the history of the sport,
[05:03.600 -> 05:05.240] they respect Formula One.
[05:05.240 -> 05:07.240] They are the types who actually go and clean
[05:07.240 -> 05:09.280] the grandstands after the race has gotten over.
[05:09.280 -> 05:11.760] So very different set of fans
[05:11.760 -> 05:14.200] that will sort of get the opportunity
[05:14.200 -> 05:17.240] to engage in Formula One after a wait
[05:17.240 -> 05:20.040] of a fair number of years as well.
[05:20.040 -> 05:23.080] So I'm really excited that Formula One's going back.
[05:23.080 -> 05:25.240] I'm gonna have most of the Sunday to myself,
[05:25.240 -> 05:30.240] which also then means that the Japanese review
[05:31.040 -> 05:34.840] of our channel on the InsideLine F1 podcast
[05:34.840 -> 05:36.600] could actually come out on the Sunday,
[05:36.600 -> 05:40.200] so if we were to match all our schedules together.
[05:40.200 -> 05:42.100] But that also reminds me, guys,
[05:42.100 -> 05:44.960] we're getting a lot of love on social media.
[05:44.960 -> 05:46.240] Our watch-alongs
[05:46.240 -> 05:52.000] were hugely popular and successful. This is a bumper month for us. We've had Steve Slater,
[05:52.000 -> 05:57.600] we've got Peter Winsor coming up after Japan, we've got Bob Barsha coming up just before America
[05:57.600 -> 06:07.360] as well. So thank you for all your listens, thank you for your continued patronage and please remember to give us a review and a rating on
[06:07.360 -> 06:13.520] whatever app it is that you tune in from. We'd absolutely love that. Indeed yeah, it just feels
[06:13.520 -> 06:18.560] so amazing to listen to all your feedback. Sometimes the good, sometimes the bad, but the
[06:18.560 -> 06:23.120] fact that you've taken out time for us just makes us feel so good and please continue to do so folks.
[06:23.120 -> 06:29.360] Thank you for all of that and I hope you also come up with more reviews and we've got a big question from one of our dear listeners
[06:29.360 -> 06:34.400] that we're also going to be answering in a couple of minutes time but firstly there's other things
[06:34.400 -> 06:39.600] to talk about the japanese fans too and their merchandise i'm just confused kanal what color
[06:39.600 -> 06:44.640] will they wear this time will it be blue and red for red bull racing and honda will it be white
[06:44.640 -> 06:49.600] and blue for the home hero yuki sunoda or Or just green because they love Sebastian Vettel in general?
[06:49.600 -> 06:55.280] I'm a bit confused about that. I'm pretty sure it's going to be Yuki Sonoda flavored all the time.
[06:55.280 -> 07:00.400] It's the first time that he's going to have a home race and that in itself is going to sort of make
[07:00.400 -> 07:05.880] it very very special and imagine imagine, you have a home race
[07:10.880 -> 07:11.040] in the land of the rising sun at the epic Suzuka Grand Prix.
[07:12.640 -> 07:14.860] And while I was doing my research, something interesting that I found was,
[07:16.240 -> 07:18.600] I'm gonna read out the name, John Hugenholtz.
[07:18.600 -> 07:22.200] And I'm pretty sure our listeners from the Netherlands,
[07:22.200 -> 07:24.880] especially Gaas, will probably write in
[07:24.880 -> 07:27.500] and tell me the actual pronunciation in Dutch.
[07:27.840 -> 07:33.560] But the same designer who designed Sunfood actually designed Suzuki.
[07:33.560 -> 07:40.680] And that's probably why the drivers call it such a challenging circuit and a circuit that they absolutely love.
[07:40.680 -> 07:49.380] And imagine, I mean, this is probably why we also love both the circuits and a designer who I really wish Herman Tilke is able to learn from given all the
[07:49.380 -> 07:55.240] epic circuits that you know John Hugenholtz actually designed and you
[07:55.240 -> 08:00.220] know Suzuka old-school circuit one of those circuits where you know as soon as
[08:00.220 -> 08:03.700] the drivers are going to be out of the car on Friday they will be asked what
[08:03.700 -> 08:08.480] do you think of driving here everybody Everybody's going to praise the circuit. They're all going to talk of the first
[08:10.000 -> 08:16.720] sector because that sector is so fast and flowy. The whole circuit, the driver truly
[08:16.720 -> 08:23.600] makes a difference. Like I said, the fans are vastly knowledgeable and at this circuit,
[08:23.600 -> 08:25.080] bravery is generally rewarded
[08:25.080 -> 08:30.360] and mistakes actually gets punished goes punished as well so lots of you know
[08:30.360 -> 08:34.480] high-risk high-reward thing and one of the things Mercedes actually revealed in
[08:34.480 -> 08:38.720] their race previews which really had me interested is the first corner
[08:38.720 -> 08:44.360] doesn't actually require any braking on entry and in qualifying the drivers
[08:44.360 -> 08:49.400] don't generally hit the brakes until it's close to cornering and that's at about 5G.
[08:49.400 -> 08:53.720] So it generates some of the highest steering wheel torques of the season.
[08:53.720 -> 09:06.640] And it doesn't stop here. It gets even more interesting that the steering wheel is continuously moving during the lap and most of all in the first sector. Like from turn one till the exit of turn
[09:06.640 -> 09:14.160] seven, the drivers are constantly cornering for around two kilometers of the lap. Can you imagine
[09:14.160 -> 09:20.080] that? That's actually so right because even after the spoon curve, the straight isn't exactly a
[09:20.080 -> 09:24.000] hundred percent straight because you've got the 130R coming in flat out over there as well.
[09:24.000 -> 09:24.560] a 100% straight because you've got the 130R coming in flat out over there as well.
[09:29.920 -> 09:35.360] If you think about it, it's the perfect circuit. There's nothing else that's really missing about it, right? Okay, maybe you might just say, oh, well, we need a little more gravel on the exit
[09:35.360 -> 09:39.040] of some corners here and there, but we've got so much of it at Suzuka as well. Oh, you need an
[09:39.040 -> 09:45.280] eight ball kind of thing, or maybe a figure of eight, we've got that as well. Fast corners, yes. Slow ones, yes.
[09:45.280 -> 09:47.000] And also history and incredible fans.
[09:47.000 -> 09:50.240] It seems like a very easy sell to anybody.
[09:50.240 -> 09:52.840] But there's been one thing I'm very, very confused about.
[09:52.840 -> 09:54.600] The spoon curve.
[09:54.600 -> 09:55.640] I don't get it.
[09:55.640 -> 09:59.400] Why have commentators never called a crash at a spoon curve?
[09:59.400 -> 10:01.840] I mean, a crash involving two cars at a spoon curve being
[10:01.840 -> 10:04.040] called something as, oh, some driver
[10:04.040 -> 10:05.520] has been spooned by somebody else.
[10:05.520 -> 10:08.240] It is a pretty tough thing to say on the broadcast,
[10:08.240 -> 10:10.840] but I'm sure they can try.
[10:10.840 -> 10:11.340] No?
[10:11.340 -> 10:11.840] OK, that one.
[10:11.840 -> 10:15.080] They've not said it, but my commentator, friend,
[10:15.080 -> 10:18.080] and co-host, Samuel Arora, has definitely said it now
[10:18.080 -> 10:19.920] on the Inside Line F1 podcast.
[10:19.920 -> 10:23.320] This is why we should have had a race watch long for Japan.
[10:23.320 -> 10:25.360] It just so happens that it's so early in
[10:25.360 -> 10:30.160] some of our key markets that we were like we'd rather sleep in and watch it in bed even though
[10:30.160 -> 10:34.960] I'll be in the broadcast studio but I'm still going to stick to Suzuka. You know qualifying lap
[10:34.960 -> 10:41.360] at Suzuka is going to be so epic. I mean it's a technical track. You know you need to have flow,
[10:41.360 -> 10:46.000] you need to have momentum because like I I said, most corners are interconnected.
[10:46.000 -> 10:47.920] So if you make a mistake at one,
[10:47.920 -> 10:50.920] it will impact the next couple of corners
[10:50.920 -> 10:52.960] that lie in the sequence in itself.
[10:52.960 -> 10:56.440] So, it's gonna be another, like I said,
[10:56.440 -> 10:59.000] a massive driver challenge, a very different challenge
[10:59.000 -> 11:01.320] to what the drivers actually had at Singapore,
[11:01.320 -> 11:02.920] which was more physical.
[11:02.920 -> 11:05.160] Here, it's a more technical challenge in itself.
[11:05.160 -> 11:09.120] And sticking more to Suzuka, it's again,
[11:09.120 -> 11:10.660] very Japanese in nature.
[11:10.660 -> 11:15.660] It's an anti-clockwise and a clockwise circuit in itself
[11:16.080 -> 11:17.960] because of the figure of eight and the tunnel
[11:17.960 -> 11:20.320] that sort of they have, right?
[11:20.320 -> 11:22.960] So it's like a scale it tricks in real life,
[11:22.960 -> 11:24.540] if I may put it that way.
[11:24.540 -> 11:27.800] And there are almost an equal number of right handers
[11:27.800 -> 11:29.280] to equal number of left handers.
[11:29.280 -> 11:32.040] I think there are 10 right and 8 left,
[11:32.040 -> 11:35.480] which also means the tire wear is also fairly balanced,
[11:35.480 -> 11:37.840] because there's a balanced number of corners out there.
[11:37.840 -> 11:41.440] So a very Japanese in nature circuit
[11:41.440 -> 11:45.200] that's designed for Japan, if you would put it that way.
[11:45.760 -> 11:51.440] It's just amazing. And it's a kid's dream, right? Suzuka, if you look at the map, I mean, I, as a
[11:51.440 -> 11:56.080] kid always used to wonder, oh, well, what if we had a circuit that goes on top of each other, but
[11:56.080 -> 12:02.000] Suzuka manages it so easily. It doesn't even feel fascinating, because it's built so early on and
[12:02.000 -> 12:09.200] built so well, actually. But on the subject of all the fans this weekend and if you're someone listening in from the east coast of the US,
[12:09.760 -> 12:13.680] I'm so sorry for you because I think at three o'clock in the night, that's when all the
[12:13.680 -> 12:18.800] celebrations might end up beginning. So what do you do at that stage? Do you stay up or wait for
[12:18.800 -> 12:23.280] the sunrise to come up? Do you sleep suddenly or actually what do you do the night before? Do you
[12:23.280 -> 12:28.800] actually wake up at one o'clock or do you stay up till one o'clock and then watch the entire race? I think it's a good
[12:28.800 -> 12:33.040] weekend for Red Bull to actually sell a lot of energy drinks because a lot of Formula 1 fans
[12:33.040 -> 12:40.000] would love to see Max Verstappen potentially winning and just ensuing among a Schumacher-esque
[12:40.000 -> 12:44.240] calibration, isn't it Kunal? Because I suppose when he won the World Championship back over here,
[12:44.240 -> 12:48.400] the pictures from that celebration are still kind of world famous or infamous if you could
[12:48.400 -> 12:52.960] call it that way because people love it but nobody wants to discuss it in the public eye per se.
[12:54.560 -> 12:59.200] And like I said at the start of the show 11 times that a title has been sealed at Suzuka
[12:59.200 -> 13:06.240] but you know normally sealing a title is something I relate to with Brazil, because at least in my mind,
[13:06.240 -> 13:09.160] lots of them have been sealed that in Brazil as well.
[13:09.160 -> 13:11.840] And of course, last year, Abu Dhabi controversially
[13:11.840 -> 13:13.360] famous, et cetera.
[13:13.360 -> 13:16.480] By the way, that reminds me, the FIA
[13:16.480 -> 13:19.680] was expected to make a statement around the financial
[13:19.680 -> 13:23.540] regulations breach on Wednesday, which was literally
[13:23.540 -> 13:25.220] when we recorded this episode before
[13:25.220 -> 13:28.160] it's out on the Thursday, which is our normal schedule.
[13:28.160 -> 13:31.920] Soman and I decided to wait a couple of hours and then a couple of hours and still then
[13:31.920 -> 13:36.960] a couple of hours with the hope that the FIA actually makes a decision or maybe they've
[13:36.960 -> 13:42.320] made a decision, but they're framing the statement and legally correct and so on.
[13:42.320 -> 13:48.000] And then finally we said, you know what, screw it, we'll just record and we'll see what happens with the whole financial regulations.
[13:48.000 -> 13:52.720] But yeah, we were actually waiting for that set of news to come in as well.
[13:53.520 -> 13:58.880] And going back to what you said about Verstappen, him winning the title, it's only a matter of time.
[13:59.520 -> 14:07.200] Like I said, 112 points is what he's going to do. He's going to need some of the key questions.
[14:08.320 -> 14:14.320] Who'll get qualifying? I mean, if Charles Leclerc gets a poll ahead of Verstappen this season,
[14:14.320 -> 14:21.760] he would have actually had more polls in 2022 by default, even if Max sort of gets a poll
[14:21.760 -> 14:28.440] in all the races after Japan. So that's going to be a head-to-head battle between Charles and Max if Charles wants to be Mr. Saturday
[14:28.440 -> 14:30.080] while Max has been Mr. Sunday.
[14:30.080 -> 14:31.800] So that's gonna be interesting.
[14:31.800 -> 14:34.040] One of the other things for me is,
[14:34.040 -> 14:39.040] can Checo Perez continue his momentum from Singapore?
[14:39.640 -> 14:41.720] And you know, he said something very interesting
[14:41.720 -> 14:43.000] after Singapore.
[14:43.000 -> 14:45.160] He said, the media is very critical.
[14:45.160 -> 14:47.120] Everybody thinks that I need to be on the podium
[14:47.120 -> 14:49.520] in every race just because I race a Red Bull racing car.
[14:49.520 -> 14:52.520] But hey, to me, Checo, that's the truth
[14:52.520 -> 14:55.920] because that is what Max Verstappen is able to do
[14:55.920 -> 14:59.220] time and time again, unless he's under-fueled
[14:59.220 -> 15:03.140] or unless he's had a power unit issue or something.
[15:04.560 -> 15:07.360] And of course, another caveat here is Max is
[15:07.360 -> 15:12.320] driving a different Red Bull racing car to Checo Perez but the truth is if you're racing a Red Bull
[15:12.320 -> 15:17.760] you better have more spots on the podium than off it. That's so true and this weekend will be such
[15:17.760 -> 15:23.280] a big test for Sergio Perez because at the end of the day we just all want to know was it actually
[15:26.720 -> 15:31.600] at the end of the day, we just all want to know, was it actually a one-off or is it just a continued turn of form for Sergio Perez right now? And many people say, okay, he's a street circuit expert,
[15:31.600 -> 15:35.920] so you can only expect things like that from him over there. But wouldn't it be amazing to see
[15:35.920 -> 15:41.920] Sergio Perez actually, let's not say challenge Max, but at least beat all the Ferraris once
[15:41.920 -> 15:48.040] again. I mean, I'm really curious to see how that plays out this weekend as well, because it's such an important race weekend for him in
[15:48.040 -> 15:52.480] his fight for second place in the World Championship. Because remember now, Kunal, I think that's
[15:52.480 -> 15:57.360] the most prestigious battle that's going on in Formula One right now, barring, of course,
[15:57.360 -> 16:04.180] Alpine versus McLaren, which we should come to in a little bit. But firstly, I want to
[16:04.180 -> 16:05.920] just keep on with the subject of the FIR
[16:05.920 -> 16:10.040] because one of our very dear listeners, Karthik, has come up with a great question on Twitter
[16:10.040 -> 16:14.740] and he's asked, why are drivers to follow the safety car closely as long as everyone
[16:14.740 -> 16:18.840] has caught up with the safety car in the end? The point is penalties apply for gaining an
[16:18.840 -> 16:24.080] unfair advantage or causing unsafe conditions. Does this apply here in the case of Sergio
[16:24.080 -> 16:26.240] Perez and a Singapore GP penalty?
[16:26.880 -> 16:32.080] So I suppose Kunal, it's a precautionary approach, isn't it, by the FI just to ensure that drivers
[16:32.080 -> 16:36.000] sometimes don't end up hitting the safety cars because I think we've seen that in other racing
[16:36.000 -> 16:41.520] championships, right? Yes and we have to remember the safety car actually is brought into the race
[16:41.520 -> 16:45.920] to neutralize whatever danger is on track to control that and then they also want to neutralize whatever danger is on track, to control that.
[16:45.920 -> 16:49.400] And then they also want to neutralize the race
[16:49.400 -> 16:52.000] where the race resumes as a bunch.
[16:52.000 -> 16:54.660] So what happens is when the safety car is leading
[16:54.660 -> 16:59.660] and is expecting the cars to follow within 10 car lengths,
[17:00.180 -> 17:07.040] it is so that the FIA is able to control the safety on track at that moment as well.
[17:07.040 -> 17:12.560] Because when there's a safety car on track, it's usually that there are marshals or recovery vehicles or whatever
[17:12.560 -> 17:20.160] that is also doing the round. So they bunch up the track and then they move slowly around the track together
[17:20.160 -> 17:27.760] so that it is more predictable for those who are actually working on clearing the track for the next session of racing to resume.
[17:27.760 -> 17:37.080] So that's why it is critical for the FIA to see how to ensure that a 10 car length or lesser is maintained.
[17:37.080 -> 17:47.560] Otherwise, imagine this, the safety car is on track and the track is still littered with Formula 1 cars all around. And then the recovery that's happening on track,
[17:47.560 -> 17:51.280] whether it's to the barriers or to a car or anything,
[17:51.280 -> 17:54.320] cannot happen at a sustained pace in itself,
[17:54.320 -> 17:56.760] if I'm making any sense out here.
[17:56.760 -> 18:00.680] So the safety car and the gaps are primarily
[18:00.680 -> 18:02.160] for a safety point of view.
[18:02.160 -> 18:06.720] They need a choo-choo train, essentially, in easy terms, that is.
[18:06.720 -> 18:08.920] But yeah, crazy how Sergio Perez got the penalty
[18:08.920 -> 18:10.880] and how he was actually able to ensure
[18:10.880 -> 18:12.400] that it didn't matter at the end.
[18:12.400 -> 18:13.880] But we've spoken about that enough
[18:13.880 -> 18:15.800] in our Singapore GP review episode,
[18:15.800 -> 18:17.280] which you can also check out.
[18:17.280 -> 18:19.880] But on the subject of other things in Suzuka,
[18:19.880 -> 18:21.840] we should talk about Ferrari very briefly, Kunal,
[18:21.840 -> 18:25.920] because they claim that their recent slump is not a result of
[18:25.920 -> 18:32.320] the new technical directive that's been issued by the FIA since the Belgian Grand Prix. I am
[18:32.320 -> 18:37.360] curious because we've seen similar tracks earlier on the season where Ferrari have been incredible.
[18:37.360 -> 18:41.840] Yes, Red Bull Racing have pulled out a few big rabbits out of their hat in terms of development
[18:41.840 -> 18:45.040] but Ferrari can't suddenly be that slow and
[18:45.040 -> 18:49.480] the TD can't have no effect at all, right? There's got to be some influence off it. But
[18:49.480 -> 18:52.640] will their slump continue this weekend is I think the major thing we have to track for
[18:52.640 -> 18:56.640] them because right now they're in the midst of a major battle for P2 in the championship
[18:56.640 -> 19:02.360] with Sergio Perez and as it stands, momentum is just barely on their side. I can't quite
[19:02.360 -> 19:11.200] tell if they will even be competitive this weekend because their performance has been so topsy-turvy, if that's the right term for it. To me, you know,
[19:12.080 -> 19:17.840] sorry, Ferrari's performance has not really taken a beating. What's taken a beating is their tire
[19:17.840 -> 19:22.880] wear. So, you know, leading up, if you remember Austria, you know, we had a sprint race out there,
[19:22.880 -> 19:25.280] Charles Leclerc was very confident on Saturday
[19:25.280 -> 19:31.720] that they would be able to outpace Red Bull purely
[19:31.720 -> 19:32.640] on tire performance.
[19:32.640 -> 19:35.700] So where the technical directive has impacted Ferrari,
[19:35.700 -> 19:38.320] especially if you were to ask the likes of Giorgio Piola
[19:38.320 -> 19:41.120] and read the stuff that he and Mark Hughes normally
[19:41.120 -> 19:44.160] end up writing, which is a lot of technical information,
[19:44.160 -> 19:47.640] the assumption is that it's impacted Ferrari's tire wear
[19:47.640 -> 19:49.320] and they've become front limited
[19:49.320 -> 19:51.320] is probably one of the reasons
[19:51.320 -> 19:53.400] where they've lost some performance, right?
[19:53.400 -> 19:55.520] Which, like you rightly said,
[19:55.520 -> 19:57.240] for the first time since Miami,
[19:57.240 -> 20:00.200] we actually had two Ferraris on the podium
[20:00.200 -> 20:02.720] and Miami was a very long time ago.
[20:02.720 -> 20:03.960] Between Miami and now,
[20:03.960 -> 20:07.960] Leclerc has had what, seven or eight polls, which in itself is a telling statistic
[20:07.960 -> 20:10.280] that they have a quick car on Saturday,
[20:10.280 -> 20:13.520] they've just not been able to translate the pace
[20:13.520 -> 20:15.720] and strategy to make it work on a Sunday.
[20:15.720 -> 20:18.000] And this is a story of 2022.
[20:18.000 -> 20:23.000] And Charles Leclerc, despite all his heroics on the Saturday,
[20:23.480 -> 20:26.640] he's looking for his fourth consecutive podium
[20:26.640 -> 20:33.280] this weekend. And guess what? If he gets his fourth consecutive podium, it will still only
[20:33.280 -> 20:41.600] match his career best podium streak, which was, I think, in 2019 when he had four consecutive
[20:41.600 -> 20:46.040] podiums. So that's just so telling. And will Mercedes catch up?
[20:46.040 -> 20:46.920] Should they catch up?
[20:46.920 -> 20:49.160] I mean, it's a great battle in Singapore.
[20:49.160 -> 20:52.280] Mercedes, of course, lost a lot of ground to Ferrari,
[20:52.280 -> 20:53.680] but can they strike back?
[20:53.680 -> 20:56.360] And the momentum, I remember seeing,
[20:56.360 -> 20:58.680] this was in, till Sanford,
[20:58.680 -> 21:00.760] on an average, Mercedes was scoring more points
[21:00.760 -> 21:03.800] after Australia, till Sanford all the way.
[21:03.800 -> 21:06.640] I'm sure Singapore has skewed those numbers, so to say,
[21:06.640 -> 21:09.440] but I'm gonna try and tweet them out at some point.
[21:09.440 -> 21:13.160] But imagine this, Mercedes have not won a race yet,
[21:13.160 -> 21:15.560] but they are still in contention to finish P2.
[21:15.560 -> 21:20.520] And what face palm, or how much of a face palm moment,
[21:20.520 -> 21:24.720] would it be for Ferrari if they were to have the quickest car,
[21:24.720 -> 21:26.000] let alone finishing
[21:26.000 -> 21:31.680] first in the championship, but are even beaten to second in the championship by a team that
[21:31.680 -> 21:39.120] eventually may not score a win in the season at all. That'll be the ultimate Ferrari moment,
[21:39.120 -> 21:44.400] to put it very simply. Incredible how the season is going on for them, but many claim that the
[21:44.400 -> 21:48.040] best chance for Mercedes to win has actually gone behind them in terms
[21:48.040 -> 21:49.280] of Singapore.
[21:49.280 -> 21:53.520] And I'm not sure about this, because sometimes it's hard to really make conclusions out of
[21:53.520 -> 21:54.880] a statement like that one.
[21:54.880 -> 21:57.680] I suppose we've only got to wait and see how things play out, right.
[21:57.680 -> 22:02.560] But if you think about it, it's the first terrible weekend that Mercedes have had so
[22:02.560 -> 22:03.560] far this year.
[22:03.560 -> 22:04.560] And that is incredible.
[22:04.560 -> 22:08.320] After so many races, it's the first time Mercedes have actually had a proper
[22:08.320 -> 22:12.800] howler of a weekend that's incredible to see how consistent they are let's get to
[22:12.800 -> 22:18.160] another very consistent person we now have the stats preview by F1 stats guru
[22:18.160 -> 22:21.820] and let's just have a better idea about what the numbers have to say about the
[22:21.820 -> 22:27.200] Japanese GP. Hey folks it's time to do the stats preview of the Japanese Grand Prix. My name is Sundaram,
[22:27.200 -> 22:32.040] also known as the F1 Stats Guru. Let's talk numbers. Now there are clockwise and anti-clockwise
[22:32.040 -> 22:37.000] circuits in Formula 1. And then there's the Suzuka circuit, the only figure of 8 track
[22:37.000 -> 22:42.320] in the sport, which means that the circuit runs both clockwise and anti-clockwise. Interesting,
[22:42.320 -> 22:49.600] isn't it? The biggest question, however, will be if Max Verstappen can clinch the title in Japan, the home of their actual engine supplier,
[22:49.600 -> 22:53.920] Honda. If you didn't know already, the Suzuka circuit also belongs to Honda,
[22:53.920 -> 22:59.200] who initially built this venue as a test track. There are quite a few permutations and combinations
[22:59.200 -> 23:03.760] through which Verstappen can win the championship, but if he does, it'll make him the second youngest
[23:03.760 -> 23:10.720] double world champion in Formula 1 at the age of 25 years. The youngest is of course Sebastian Vettel, who still holds on
[23:10.720 -> 23:15.840] to that record. In the last three decades, only thrice has a driver won at Suzuka when starting
[23:15.840 -> 23:21.280] further back than the front row. Raikkonen won from 17th in 2005, that is a brilliant race by
[23:21.280 -> 23:27.480] the way, Alonso won from 5th in 2006 and Valtteri Bottas won the last Japanese Grand Prix from 3rd
[23:27.480 -> 23:28.960] on the grid in 2019.
[23:28.960 -> 23:33.600] Now although the races at this venue seem to favour the front runners, there's plenty
[23:33.600 -> 23:35.440] of overtaking on offer.
[23:35.440 -> 23:40.600] The Suzuka circuit sees an average of 32 overtakes per race, which is on the higher end of the
[23:40.600 -> 23:41.600] spectrum.
[23:41.600 -> 23:45.440] And the last stat of the day, and one which probably Ferrari fans wouldn't want to listen
[23:45.440 -> 23:51.200] to is that only 3 Ferrari drivers have won at Suzuka, Gerhard Berger, Michael Schumacher
[23:51.200 -> 23:52.800] and Rubens Barrichello.
[23:52.800 -> 23:57.840] The last of those wins came back in 2004, almost 2 decades ago.
[23:57.840 -> 24:00.520] Will Leclerc or Sainz add their names to this list on Sunday?
[24:00.520 -> 24:02.720] We'll have to wait and find out.
[24:02.720 -> 24:05.120] Well, that was the stats preview. I hope you guys
[24:05.120 -> 24:09.600] enjoyed it. You can find more such interesting stats and facts on my Twitter and Instagram pages
[24:09.600 -> 24:14.960] under the name F1StatsGuru. I'll see you guys later. Hey folks, welcome back into the InsideLineF1
[24:14.960 -> 24:20.080] podcast. The last voice you heard was that of F1StatsGuru, who was back here with his stats
[24:20.080 -> 24:24.800] preview as usual. And it's incredible to hear him and the kind of numbers that he's got in here.
[24:24.800 -> 24:25.080] But we've got to start, we've got to very quickly talk about Yuki Sonona, the home hero as well, that's preview as usual and it's incredible to hear him and the kind of numbers that he's got in here.
[24:25.080 -> 24:28.840] But we've got to start, we've got to very quickly talk about Yuki Sonona, the home hero
[24:28.840 -> 24:29.840] as well.
[24:29.840 -> 24:34.400] Because yes, while there may be a more intense and a more tricky battle between McLaren and
[24:34.400 -> 24:38.880] Alpine going on at the top of the midfield, where the two of them are actually just separated
[24:38.880 -> 24:41.780] by four points right now with McLaren leading.
[24:41.780 -> 24:45.040] This guy is actually in his home race and I think Kunal it's the first time
[24:45.040 -> 24:50.320] ever that he's going to get so much attention in a race weekend barring Bahrain 2021. It really is
[24:50.320 -> 24:56.080] high time to deliver because he's got the contract but the performances are I don't know stuck in
[24:56.080 -> 25:00.560] Japan perhaps maybe it's the right time to come and reclaim them. Absolutely maybe he's going to
[25:00.560 -> 25:06.240] unlock them you know home home base, fan power, all of that.
[25:06.240 -> 25:10.640] He made a silly driver error in Singapore in the wet conditions.
[25:10.640 -> 25:14.480] So he, of course, will want to undo that error.
[25:14.480 -> 25:20.240] He's never driven in Suzuka in a Formula One car, but he's driven here several times before
[25:20.240 -> 25:22.880] in Formula Four is what he claims.
[25:22.880 -> 25:29.200] And I believe he has driven or done a demo run in an F1 car here, I recollect.
[25:29.200 -> 25:36.600] But yeah, when Yuki Tsunoda was asked about Suzuka, one thing he really wanted to say which he left till the very end was,
[25:36.600 -> 25:47.000] and finally a very important point, I get to eat Japanese food for a whole week when I get to race in Suzuka.
[25:47.000 -> 25:48.300] So that's what it's going to be like.
[25:48.300 -> 25:54.000] But yeah, I would love to see what Yuki is able to pull out, what Alfa Tauri is able to pull out.
[25:54.000 -> 26:00.400] Pierre Gasly had top seven starts for the first time in 2022, Monza and Singapore back to back.
[26:00.400 -> 26:02.500] So that's something to look forward to.
[26:02.500 -> 26:09.360] And you know, Saturday qualifying, while it's great to watch it from a driver's point of view. Let's remember, you can overtake
[26:09.360 -> 26:15.400] in Suzuka. There is one DRS zone along with 130 hour overtaking into the chicane to follow
[26:15.400 -> 26:21.840] and so on. There's the hairpin as well and some beautiful corners out there. But qualifying
[26:21.840 -> 26:26.000] is critical because front row starts have actually seen the most
[26:26.000 -> 26:35.360] wins in recent times and in fact in 15 out of the 31 races at Suzuka, pole has claimed victory
[26:35.360 -> 26:43.120] and the front row has actually won 26 out of 31 times and in 2019 it was Valtteri Bottas who won
[26:43.120 -> 26:46.960] here from P3 so qualifying is going to be key.
[26:46.960 -> 26:48.680] I know I'm going to ask you for predictions.
[26:48.680 -> 26:51.240] You're still going to pick Carlos Sainz.
[26:51.240 -> 26:55.880] I think I'm going to pick Max Verstappen for the win,
[26:55.880 -> 26:59.360] but I genuinely think Mercedes is going to pit
[26:59.360 -> 27:01.120] one of their drivers towards the end
[27:01.120 -> 27:03.560] to take the fastest lap of the race away,
[27:03.560 -> 27:08.000] just so that Max doesn't win in Japan.
[27:08.000 -> 27:11.520] And the title is sort of carried forward to America,
[27:11.520 -> 27:13.720] which might not be a bad thing altogether,
[27:13.720 -> 27:17.720] given how F1 absolutely loves the American fans.
[27:17.720 -> 27:21.400] And also for the television broadcasters in Europe.
[27:21.400 -> 27:23.920] I mean, imagine crowning a world champion,
[27:23.920 -> 27:26.280] especially in the Netherlands at, you know,
[27:26.280 -> 27:28.360] 8.30 in the morning on a Sunday.
[27:28.360 -> 27:30.640] Not ideal because you can't quite say,
[27:30.640 -> 27:32.720] oh, hey, Max has won the world championship.
[27:32.720 -> 27:34.560] Let's go and have breakfast.
[27:34.560 -> 27:35.800] That's not ideal, right?
[27:35.800 -> 27:37.320] You probably want to see that happen
[27:37.320 -> 27:38.600] in some place like the US,
[27:38.600 -> 27:40.720] but let's wait and see how things play out.
[27:40.720 -> 27:44.200] As for predictions, my heart will always say Carlos Sainz,
[27:44.200 -> 27:49.120] but my mind actually has to go for Max this time out as well but let's wait and see how it
[27:49.120 -> 27:53.120] goes out this time and folks as we mentioned early on in case you liked our
[27:53.120 -> 27:56.960] podcast in case you didn't like our podcast please feel free to leave a good
[27:56.960 -> 28:02.980] rating and a review as well. And before we go actually Samuel here is finally an
[28:02.980 -> 28:05.400] update that's come from the FIA, which I'm going
[28:05.400 -> 28:12.760] to be reading. It's just flashed on my screen. So I'm going to read that out. And frankly,
[28:12.760 -> 28:18.360] it has been a bit of an anti-climax. Why? Because after saying last week in the build-up
[28:18.360 -> 28:23.880] to Singapore that we will have more information on the 5th of October, the FIA have now said
[28:23.880 -> 28:25.600] that it's actually a very complicated
[28:25.600 -> 28:33.280] process and that they will actually have an update on the 10th of October which is the Monday after
[28:33.280 -> 28:39.520] Suzuka, which also means that the FIA is now working in the multiples of five so if they
[28:39.520 -> 28:45.920] don't reveal something on the 10th it's going to be on the 15th of October.
[28:49.760 -> 28:55.360] So it's just like every one of us when trying to wake up in the morning to an alarm, 6.5, 6.10, 6.15, 6.20 and then by the time it's actually November the 21st,
[28:55.360 -> 29:00.800] or no not 21st, that's not a multiple of five, I don't know, November the 25th, they'll say oh
[29:00.800 -> 29:05.800] yeah now we have an update, nothing's happened, nobody has breached it. It's just an anti-climax.
[29:05.800 -> 29:09.520] But hey, at least it's something, at least they're honest about it.
[29:09.520 -> 29:11.360] It's just like they're buying time in this case.
[29:11.360 -> 29:15.480] But I suppose we'll have to buy some time as well because folks, now we'll be seeing
[29:15.480 -> 29:19.040] you hopefully on Sunday itself for the Japanese GP Race Review.
[29:19.040 -> 29:23.440] And in case you enjoy this episode, please don't forget to actually leave a good rating.
[29:23.440 -> 29:29.200] It'll not be ideal if you forget to, but also don't forget to join us on Sunday for the race review as well.
[29:29.200 -> None] Enjoy the weekend folks and have a great time. Bye bye. you