The Annual Max Verstappen Fan Meet - 2023 Dutch GP Preview

It can't get bigger than this! The annual Max Verstappen fan meet, also known as the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, will be the biggest Max Verstappen celebration at a race venue till date.

Will Max Verstappen continue his dominant run (duh!) or can someone challenge him this weekend? Zandvoort comes closest to downforce sensitivity after Budapest and Monaco. If those races are anything to go by, the Dutch Grand Prix should be a closely fought battle, at least on Saturday.

How close will the drivers be in Q1? Zandvoort is also the second-shortest circuit after Monaco. And it's got a short-tight pit lane (13 second time loss); the pit lane speed limit is lowered to 60 kmph.

'Momentum' will be the key talk this weekend, after a three weekend long summer break. Who will hit peak momentum again and who might take time? Let's see how they roll in Zandvoort; 10 races in 13 weeks is a busy time, so early momentum picking would be key.

Tune in!

(Season 2023, Episode 43)

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

Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

**2023 Dutch Grand Prix Preview: Inside Line F1 Podcast**

* **Key Points:**

- The 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, also known as the annual Max Verstappen fan meet, will be the largest Max Verstappen celebration at a race venue to date.

- There is speculation about whether Max Verstappen will face legal issues for speeding, but the focus should be on celebrating his achievements and the upcoming race.

- The Dutch Grand Prix organizers have banned the use of flares due to safety concerns and to create a safer environment for fans of all teams.

- Zandvoort is a classic circuit that has been brought back to Formula One due to Verstappen's popularity. It is a shorter circuit with a unique roller coaster-like design and banked corners.

- Overtaking opportunities at Zandvoort are limited, making Saturday qualifying more exciting than Sunday's race.

- The circuit's characteristics, such as the high downforce sensitivity and short pit lane, will pose challenges for teams and drivers.

- The summer break may have affected drivers' momentum, and it will be interesting to see how they adapt to the resumption of racing.

- Fernando Alonso's performance will be worth watching, as he often delivers exceptional results when he reaches the podium.

- The lower midfield teams, such as Haas and Williams, may face difficulties due to the circuit's characteristics, while Alpine and McLaren could perform well.

**Quotes and Statements:**

- "What would the DUT GP be if Max Verstappen wouldn't be taking part? Would there even be a DUT GP in the first place?" - Kunal Shah

- "I'm actually glad there are no flares to put it very simply." - Sundaram

- "It's nice to see Max taking all of them [records] away and this one was one that we never really imagined would ever be broken." - Sundaram

- "Zandvoort is one of those circuits which can properly be classified as a viewing spectacle." - Kunal Shah

- "Saturday is perhaps going to be a little bit more entertaining than Sunday." - Sundaram

- "Momentum will be key because everybody's found a pause in the momentum." - Kunal Shah

**Analysis and Insights:**

- The Dutch Grand Prix is a celebration of Max Verstappen's achievements and popularity, and the focus should be on enjoying the event rather than speculating about potential legal issues.

- The ban on flares is a positive step towards creating a safer environment for fans and ensuring a better viewing experience.

- Zandvoort's unique characteristics, such as the banked corners and limited overtaking opportunities, will make for an exciting qualifying session and a challenging race.

- The summer break may have affected drivers' momentum, and it will be interesting to see how they adapt to the resumption of racing.

- Fernando Alonso's performance will be worth watching, as he often delivers exceptional results when he reaches the podium.

- The lower midfield teams may face difficulties due to the circuit's characteristics, while Alpine and McLaren could perform well.

**Overall Message:**

The 2023 Dutch Grand Prix is a highly anticipated event that promises excitement and challenges for fans and drivers alike. Despite the ban on flares, the race is expected to be a celebration of Max Verstappen's achievements and a showcase of the unique characteristics of the Zandvoort circuit.

[00:00.000 -> 00:22.840] Ladies and gentlemen, I have a question for you.
[00:22.840 -> 00:27.080] What would the DUT GP be if Max Verstappen wouldn't be taking part?
[00:27.080 -> 00:29.520] Would there even be a DUT GP in the first place?
[00:29.520 -> 00:33.420] The big question this weekend is not who is going to be winning and not by how much they
[00:33.420 -> 00:34.500] are going to be winning.
[00:34.500 -> 00:38.760] The primary question is, is Max Verstappen going to go to jail?
[00:38.760 -> 00:43.020] All of this and more apart from the more serious points as well is going to be discussed on
[00:43.020 -> 00:46.000] this episode of the Inside Line F1 podcast.
[00:46.000 -> 00:48.440] But welcome to our Dutch GP preview.
[00:48.440 -> 00:49.960] My name is Somal Arora.
[00:49.960 -> 00:52.640] I'm the host of the Indian Racing League on Star Sports.
[00:52.640 -> 00:54.520] Joining me as always for this episode,
[00:54.520 -> 00:57.060] Kunal Shah and F1 stats guru Sundaram.
[00:57.060 -> 00:57.960] Now Kunal, of course,
[00:57.960 -> 01:00.340] former marketing head of the Force India F1 team,
[01:00.340 -> 01:03.520] and also a consultant and an on-camera expert
[01:03.520 -> 01:09.040] for the Viaplay Network in Norway. And Sund and Sundaram of course being F1 stats guru. His stats have appeared everywhere on
[01:09.040 -> 01:12.620] every single Formula One global broadcast. So keep your eye on this one
[01:12.620 -> 01:16.460] because there might be a few statistics that Verstappen might be breaking but
[01:16.460 -> 01:21.900] let's get to all of that folks. Wouldn't it be amazing to have a DUT GP where
[01:21.900 -> 01:28.400] Max Verstappen can't compete because he has been fined or rather is going to be fined for speeding Kunal. Wouldn't that be
[01:28.400 -> 01:37.080] amazing? I'm not falling prey for any internet rumors, any news just yet. This
[01:37.080 -> 01:42.160] reminds me of that whole 1991 story which Sundaram in fact just did a real
[01:42.160 -> 01:46.480] recently on Bertrand Garchot not making it to a race,
[01:46.480 -> 01:51.520] he was behind bar, somebody got a break, that break was Michael Schumacher, could it be Mick
[01:51.520 -> 01:56.720] Schumacher who gets a break like this, a second break in Formula One, but no frankly in all
[01:56.720 -> 02:01.520] seriousness since there are some fans who write in saying guys enough banter, where's all those
[02:01.520 -> 02:07.240] serious stuff, well here you go, here's our serious stuff. No, I don't, I don't, I'm not reading too much
[02:07.240 -> 02:11.320] into that online piece of news about Max being in jail,
[02:11.320 -> 02:12.160] blah, blah, blah.
[02:12.160 -> 02:15.080] I mean, let's remember the Dutch Grand Prix,
[02:15.080 -> 02:18.800] Sunfoot is here to celebrate Max Verstappen.
[02:18.800 -> 02:21.000] Whether or not he wins this weekend,
[02:21.000 -> 02:22.760] he is going to be celebrated.
[02:22.760 -> 02:25.280] He should be celebrated, I think.
[02:28.080 -> 02:28.880] I think if even if something did happen to Max Verstappen,
[02:33.200 -> 02:38.720] firstly, people wouldn't be happy, first of all, because he's the reigning champion. He's the homeboy. But the fact is that if he does not compete, Red Bull also have another Dutch driver
[02:38.720 -> 02:43.600] in the wings, someone who they recently contracted or he's off the contract. I don't really know.
[02:43.760 -> 02:44.360] they recently contracted or he's off the contract. I don't really know.
[02:47.280 -> 02:50.280] But if Liam Lawson is not available, and now since Daniel Ricciardo races for Alfa Tauri,
[02:50.720 -> 02:53.760] can Nick DeVries make a comeback in the senior Red Bull car?
[02:54.560 -> 02:56.280] What a sensational start.
[02:56.880 -> 02:59.480] It's a like for like replacement, ladies and gentlemen,
[02:59.520 -> 03:03.400] a Dutch world champion who has done incredible things in a single seater
[03:03.400 -> 03:05.320] Formula One car. I see
[03:05.320 -> 03:10.600] where the similarities come from, but no, in all seriousness, what a crazy weekend this
[03:10.600 -> 03:15.600] is going to be, but crazy in a negative sense guys, because the problem is, the Dutch GP
[03:15.600 -> 03:20.440] organisers have come out and said, ladies and gentlemen, we have a problem. We can't
[03:20.440 -> 03:26.600] use flares. What? What's the point? I mean, I know they're hazardous to your health.
[03:26.600 -> 03:29.600] Sometimes it's terrible for the drivers and the visibility on the circuit.
[03:29.600 -> 03:32.600] It's bad for the TV spectacle because you can't see the cars and the sponsors.
[03:32.600 -> 03:36.720] But what would a Dutch GP be if there were no flares?
[03:36.720 -> 03:37.720] What are they going to parade around?
[03:37.720 -> 03:38.720] What are they going to do?
[03:38.720 -> 03:39.940] Are they going to take off the t-shirts and wave it?
[03:39.940 -> 03:44.400] Because I've seen the Dutch football fans do that previously, but we need more color.
[03:44.400 -> 03:45.500] Isn't it a shame everyone?
[03:45.500 -> 03:51.500] I mean, they will be wearing orange t-shirts, orange caps, orange flags, the Dutch flag, etc.
[03:51.500 -> 03:56.500] And I'm actually glad there are no flares to put it very simply.
[03:56.500 -> 04:00.500] But I love this approach of the Dutch Grand Prix organizers.
[04:00.500 -> 04:09.720] They know that the average Dutch fan is very emotional, very colorful, very, very, you know, bold out there, you know, wanting to support
[04:09.720 -> 04:14.720] Mac. So yes, one aspect are the flares. The second aspect, and I'm actually going to
[04:14.720 -> 04:20.880] read out a statement, we want the fans to feel safer at the track. I would be really
[04:20.880 -> 04:27.200] disappointed in our fans if as a Lewis Hamilton fan or a Ferrari fan you wouldn't
[04:27.200 -> 04:32.960] feel safe in Sunford and it's not me I actually just read out a quote of the director of the
[04:32.960 -> 04:40.160] circuit Imre Van Leeuwen that's the name of I think it's a gentleman. One second what do you
[04:40.160 -> 04:45.480] mean Lewis Hamilton fans or Max or Alex Sal fans or any other fan? Ferrari fans don't
[04:45.480 -> 04:49.840] even exist anymore. It's just a myth. But do you think anyone else is going to show
[04:49.840 -> 04:54.400] up to the circuit Sundaram? Do you think there is any point of you showing up to the circuit
[04:54.400 -> 04:58.240] as a Hamilton fan this weekend? Apart from the fact that you're going to be swarmed,
[04:58.240 -> 05:03.800] but also on the track, I think it's going to be an easy 45 second win. Do the numbers
[05:03.800 -> 05:05.200] say anything to prove otherwise?
[05:05.200 -> 05:10.200] Oh, if I was a Lewis Hamilton fan, I would probably be very, very scared to be at Zandvoort.
[05:10.200 -> 05:13.400] Also, I mean, primarily considering the sort of rivalry that they tend to have.
[05:13.400 -> 05:15.800] But I stand corrected.
[05:15.800 -> 05:19.400] I thought all of that, all of the yellow orange fans is actually from McLaren.
[05:19.400 -> 05:23.800] So I thought Lando is going to be extremely happy with the sort of support that he gets this weekend.
[05:23.800 -> 05:25.040] But yes, I do not support that he gets this weekend.
[05:25.040 -> 05:28.840] But yes, I do not see anyone else winning this weekend.
[05:28.840 -> 05:34.720] Straightaway Max O'Sullivan on pole, winning it and equaling a very, very important record
[05:34.720 -> 05:36.400] in Formula One history.
[05:36.400 -> 05:39.680] Isn't it the one with the most consecutive race wins in history?
[05:39.680 -> 05:42.640] Isn't it going to be nine in a row Sundaram?
[05:42.640 -> 05:47.600] Isn't that nine? Nine, that's Seb's record. I know the Dutch fans are
[05:47.600 -> 05:53.040] going to be extremely happy because Seb, I mean Seb has been the golden boy of Red Bull for the
[05:53.040 -> 05:57.840] longest time and he's taken majority of the records that Red Bull have ever set in the sport
[05:57.840 -> 06:03.360] and it's nice to see Max taking all of them away and this one was one that we never really
[06:03.360 -> 06:06.480] imagined would ever be broken and that's coming
[06:06.480 -> 06:12.080] very very close to be broken but I do have to tell you this Seb actually is not the first driver to
[06:12.080 -> 06:19.920] take nine consecutive Grand Prix wins it was actually Alberto Ascari in 1952-53 and it's not
[06:19.920 -> 06:29.360] spoken as much only because there was an Indy 500 in between which is never considered a Grand Prix and also the fact that Ascari never participated in
[06:29.360 -> 06:34.380] that race so he has won nine consecutive Grand Prix's that he's participated in.
[06:34.380 -> 06:43.380] Incredible. Dude, damn I actually didn't know that. It's crazy how even in all the
[06:43.380 -> 06:45.800] lack of documentation in the past we still have
[06:45.800 -> 06:49.900] this one record that's somehow lost in the muddle. It's incredible to know more
[06:49.900 -> 06:53.560] about this. But I want to talk a little bit more about the numbers Kunal
[06:53.560 -> 06:57.960] because if we look at it in the grand scheme of things this will be win number
[06:57.960 -> 07:01.200] actually this will be I'm not saying this could be this will be win number
[07:01.200 -> 07:09.880] 11 for Max Verstappen this weekend and the reason why I'm saying will firstly is I'm just trying to reverse manifest something for some sense of drama whatsoever.
[07:10.080 -> 07:22.480] But the point being, if it happens or rather when it happens, it'll be win number 11, which will be funnily enough, the same as what Lewis Hamilton achieved in 2018, 19, 20 and also in 2014.
[07:23.240 -> 07:24.880] Kind of crazy when you think about it, right?
[07:25.240 -> 07:27.720] Yeah. But that's what it is.
[07:27.720 -> 07:31.760] It's Max Verstappen on a role, on a dominant role
[07:31.760 -> 07:33.200] in that Red Bull.
[07:33.200 -> 07:37.760] And that's what fans are going to be celebrating this weekend.
[07:37.760 -> 07:42.600] And to put it literally, I mean, I love Sunfoot as a circuit.
[07:42.600 -> 07:46.200] It's, yes, we have Silverstone, British drivers, British teams,
[07:46.200 -> 07:46.720] et cetera.
[07:46.720 -> 07:49.840] But there is something different about Sunfort.
[07:49.840 -> 07:54.360] And to me, it's a race where the fans literally
[07:54.360 -> 07:56.800] become a part of the race in every way,
[07:56.800 -> 08:00.120] flares or no flares, literally put there, right?
[08:00.120 -> 08:07.600] And I also love that it, yeah, in every way, there's a celebration right from the Thursday.
[08:07.600 -> 08:13.520] There's music everywhere. It's one of those festivals that you sort of go racing at.
[08:13.520 -> 08:17.840] And again, the circuit in itself is such a fantastic celebration.
[08:17.840 -> 08:21.920] You know, I mean, look at the corners. I mean, they're banked.
[08:22.560 -> 08:25.360] There's pretty much just one line through most of the corners
[08:25.360 -> 08:31.120] you cannot overtake. Like Samuel said while we were preparing, it's like a roller coaster ride,
[08:31.120 -> 08:38.320] literally. So I'm excited for this weekend. And, you know, we all love Suzuka. It's the
[08:38.320 -> 08:46.640] same designer of Suzuka who has actually designed the Zanfut circuit. So lots of epic things to look forward to.
[08:46.640 -> 08:49.040] You know, the one thing that I really like about Zandvoort
[08:49.040 -> 08:51.340] is the fact that it's a classic circuit.
[08:51.340 -> 08:54.240] And we have so few of them these days.
[08:55.400 -> 08:58.280] It's one of those circuits that was there in Formula One
[08:58.280 -> 09:02.360] since the 1950s, and then it vanished in the mid 1980s.
[09:02.360 -> 09:04.800] And the fact is that Verstappen's popularity
[09:04.800 -> 09:06.560] has risen so
[09:06.560 -> 09:12.780] I mean vastly globally that they've brought back the old circuit itself and they've not
[09:12.780 -> 09:17.160] gone in the modern way by choosing a street circuit somewhere in the middle of the city.
[09:17.160 -> 09:20.760] They've actually picked the classic circuit. It's shorter than, it's actually you know
[09:20.760 -> 09:25.280] not short as the previous versions, but it's great to see Formula One is back
[09:25.280 -> 09:29.280] at Zandvoort. It's a classic circuit, it has a mix of everything like you mentioned, it's a
[09:29.280 -> 09:34.720] roller coaster. So I am very very excited to see what happens on Saturday and Sunday. You know what,
[09:34.720 -> 09:39.600] I love the Dutch for this one simple reason. When it comes to solving a problem, their way out is
[09:39.600 -> 09:45.360] not to build something grand or new and completely change the problem in itself. It's just to use the
[09:45.360 -> 09:49.360] resources more sustainably which is what they've done with Zandvoort. And by the way folks, do you
[09:49.360 -> 09:53.600] know that they actually very cunningly created this circuit in the past where when the Germans
[09:53.600 -> 09:57.680] were occupying the Netherlands, they badly wanted a race, tried to keep themselves entertained,
[09:57.680 -> 10:01.520] and so they claimed this to be a patch of road where they could do a parade and a ceremony for
[10:01.520 -> 10:05.480] the German army. So that's where the opening straight for soundboard got laid down back in the
[10:05.480 -> 10:08.800] day. And then once the Germans left, they ended up building a circuit around it.
[10:09.160 -> 10:12.600] Kind of crazy how it worked out, but here we are with that.
[10:13.840 -> 10:16.320] That was some incredible piece of history.
[10:16.320 -> 10:18.280] Something I definitely didn't know,
[10:18.560 -> 10:22.120] but this weekend there is going to be a climate protest.
[10:22.120 -> 10:24.800] There's already in fact been a climate protest that's happened.
[10:25.520 -> 10:28.520] The trucks apparently were delayed in entering
[10:28.520 -> 10:30.000] or were not allowed to enter.
[10:30.000 -> 10:34.000] Or one of the many entry points into the circuit,
[10:34.000 -> 10:36.700] there were climate change protesters sitting on track.
[10:36.700 -> 10:37.760] That was one.
[10:37.760 -> 10:40.320] The local taxi operators around Sun Food,
[10:40.320 -> 10:44.760] they have also protested against something which they,
[10:44.760 -> 10:46.800] I believe they are not being allowed to operate.
[10:46.800 -> 10:56.700] And frankly, I don't understand why F1 fans in general are not sitting and protesting against the very fact that there is a single team and driver dominance that's going on.
[10:56.700 -> 11:04.800] So if F1 fans are not protesting, I don't understand why anybody else has any reason to protest at SackFood this weekend.
[11:04.640 -> 11:05.520] I don't understand why anybody else has any reason to protest at Zaanvod this weekend.
[11:10.960 -> 11:16.080] Quite clearly, no. But there is one simple reason, folks, why there shouldn't be any concerns at all this weekend in terms of the entertainment. Because we all talk about Formula One potentially
[11:16.080 -> 11:21.280] going to Saturday races, right? We've spoken a lot about Las Vegas and how it's very revolutionary.
[11:21.280 -> 11:25.280] But hear me out. Zaanvod actually is going to be the first Saturday race of
[11:25.280 -> 11:31.200] this season because Sunday literally should not and will not exist. You want to know why? Look at
[11:31.200 -> 11:35.840] the circuit, look at how wide the cars are. Last year we barely got a handful of overtakes and
[11:35.840 -> 11:39.840] I know I'm a part of a cult which says that every single overtake in Formula 1 doesn't quite feel
[11:39.840 -> 11:50.000] like an event anymore but for people like us we're going to be eating our heart out because there are only going to be two or three overtakes on Sunday, which means Saturday is going to be
[11:50.000 -> 11:54.320] incredible. That's where all the fun really begins. And guys, if you really look at it,
[11:54.320 -> 11:59.440] right, SunVote is one of those circuits which can properly be classified as a viewing spectacle.
[11:59.440 -> 12:03.520] What I urge you to do this Saturday is turn off the commentary. I know this comes from a
[12:03.520 -> 12:08.720] commentator, but still turn off the commentary, low down the volume of the commentators rather,
[12:08.720 -> 12:13.520] and listen to the cars and just watch them go past in qualifying on their high speed runs,
[12:13.520 -> 12:18.240] especially through turn three and the final corner. It's like a Hot Wheels car going through
[12:18.240 -> 12:22.640] a Hot Wheels track. That is the fun of Formula One. And that is what we're going to get to see
[12:22.640 -> 12:28.400] this weekend Sundaram, which means that Sunday might be a little bit boring, but it's a Saturday race. Sunday doesn't
[12:28.400 -> 12:33.120] happen anywhere soon. That's very well put firstly. And yes, Saturday is perhaps going to be a little
[12:33.120 -> 12:38.720] bit more entertaining than Sunday. But we've had a few Saturday races this year. I mean,
[12:38.720 -> 12:42.480] typical example is Monaco and a few Monaco fans are going to hate me for this. But
[12:42.480 -> 12:45.040] Monaco has always been a Saturday
[12:51.600 -> 12:56.480] event where qualifying usually kind of pretty much decides what happens on a Sunday. We had a very good qualifying in Monaco this time out and we did have a few opportunities for Fernando
[12:56.480 -> 13:01.280] Alonso to win the race as well, but yes, overtaking around Zandvoort is going to be
[13:01.280 -> 13:05.600] pretty difficult. We've had roughly around just 20 overtakes in each of
[13:05.600 -> 13:13.120] the previous two races and 90% of the overtakes happen in the DRS zones and over 70% of that
[13:13.120 -> 13:19.840] happens around the first corner. So these are the most crucial zones to have a little bit of racing
[13:19.840 -> 13:28.020] action but I'm also very very excited to see the banked corners. And this is what really excites me to have banked corners in Formula One that this circuit
[13:28.020 -> 13:33.700] has two of them, turn three and I think turn 13, 14, each around 18 to 19 degrees, which
[13:33.700 -> 13:37.560] is almost double than what we have at Indianapolis.
[13:37.560 -> 13:42.300] The bankings, literally the bankings, that's and turn three specifically on the opening
[13:42.300 -> 13:43.300] lap.
[13:43.300 -> 13:45.920] Ladies and gentlemen, you guys should watch.
[13:45.920 -> 13:51.520] There will be at least four different lines that four different cars will take through the corner,
[13:51.520 -> 13:58.800] everybody trying to gain or protect position. And I absolutely love that. You don't really get to
[13:58.800 -> 14:10.480] see that. And even Formula One does extremely well of you know camera positioning there you literally see the cars arriving at you from the corner so you're seeing various lines through it and the cheekiest the
[14:10.480 -> 14:17.280] cheekiest amongst all of them is always Fernando Alonso but you guys spoke of a Saturday race
[14:17.280 -> 14:22.640] maybe we should bring our race screening event this weekend on to the Saturday rather than the
[14:22.640 -> 14:25.280] Sunday but yes ladies and gentlemen, there
[14:25.280 -> 14:27.720] will be a pre-race screening.
[14:27.720 -> 14:29.680] Not a pre-race screening, a race screening,
[14:29.680 -> 14:32.280] a live race screening for the Dutch Grand Prix
[14:32.280 -> 14:35.240] at Warsaw Social in Mumbai.
[14:35.240 -> 14:38.160] So check out our social media handles
[14:38.160 -> 14:40.200] for more information and details.
[14:40.200 -> 14:41.840] And we look forward to seeing you there.
[14:41.840 -> 14:44.880] I know F1 Stats Guru is going to host an extremely
[14:44.880 -> 14:46.400] interesting pre-race quiz
[14:46.400 -> 14:51.440] and then hopefully we actually have a really interesting race as well.
[14:51.440 -> 14:56.000] And Sundaram, you mentioned that you mentioned Monaco.
[14:56.000 -> 14:59.600] This is actually the second shortest circuit after Monaco, right?
[14:59.600 -> 15:03.040] Monaco goes around 78 laps, this does 72 laps.
[15:03.040 -> 15:05.880] That's how short the circuit is.
[15:05.880 -> 15:07.840] And what I love about short circuits
[15:07.840 -> 15:11.840] is just how close it can get in qualifying.
[15:11.840 -> 15:15.760] In terms of downforce sensitivity,
[15:15.760 -> 15:18.040] Monaco is the highest, then comes Budapest,
[15:18.040 -> 15:20.200] and then comes Sunfoot.
[15:20.200 -> 15:22.600] And we saw what happened in Monaco.
[15:22.600 -> 15:26.480] There was Ocon, Alonso, and Max, almost all of them on pole.
[15:26.840 -> 15:27.260] All right.
[15:27.760 -> 15:33.800] In Budapest, we had Lewis Hamilton on pole, Max Verstappen less than a tenth away.
[15:34.400 -> 15:39.120] And then I think it was Lando Norris in P3 also less than a tenth away.
[15:39.120 -> 15:42.600] So the top three drivers were less than a tenth away from each other.
[15:42.600 -> 15:48.320] So it could really be that Saturday is extremely interesting.
[15:48.320 -> 15:52.240] And talking about race strategy, short circuit
[15:52.240 -> 15:54.760] also means a short pit lane.
[15:54.760 -> 15:57.280] It's just 235 meters long.
[15:57.280 -> 16:00.960] The pit lane here actually has a lower speed limit
[16:00.960 -> 16:03.400] of just 60 kilometers per hour.
[16:03.400 -> 16:05.680] And to avoid traffic in the
[16:05.680 -> 16:11.960] pit lane the pit boxes between teams actually are separated by an extra 1.5
[16:11.960 -> 16:16.560] meters this year as well so something new to look forward to in the pit lane
[16:16.560 -> 16:20.640] hopefully it makes it all easy and safe. So in that case Sundaram we're not
[16:20.640 -> 16:23.760] gonna see a repeat of what Ferrari happened but what happened with Ferrari
[16:23.760 -> 16:25.480] last year which is Sergio Perez
[16:25.480 -> 16:27.720] running over one of their pit guns.
[16:27.720 -> 16:31.520] And we're also hopefully not going to see Carlos Sainz make a terrible strategy call,
[16:31.520 -> 16:35.640] have a very slow pit stop, hit a couple of cars and then remind us why Ferrari are operationally
[16:35.640 -> 16:36.640] brilliant.
[16:36.640 -> 16:37.640] Right?
[16:37.640 -> 16:38.640] That's not going to happen again, no?
[16:38.640 -> 16:40.920] I really hope it doesn't happen.
[16:40.920 -> 16:46.980] Because if Hungary is a track that kind of gives Charles Leclerc haunting memories of what happened the previous year
[16:47.020 -> 16:53.040] It's Zandvoort for Carlos Sainz. He had a torrid race the last time, an extra-long pit stop
[16:53.040 -> 16:59.580] And he also had an unsafe release. So he had a terrible race the last time, but I'm hoping it's much much better for them
[16:59.780 -> 17:04.900] But continuing with Kunal's point as well in terms of circuit characteristics
[17:04.900 -> 17:05.360] This circuit has only four left corners and ten right corners But continuing with Kunal's point as well, in terms of circuit characteristics, this
[17:05.360 -> 17:10.560] circuit has only four left corners and ten right corners. So that means it's going to put a lot of
[17:10.560 -> 17:15.520] strain. So tire degradation in general is pretty high. That's why Pirelli is coming with their
[17:15.520 -> 17:20.720] hardest compounds. But it's going to put a lot of stress on the left side, the left front and
[17:20.720 -> 17:28.920] the left rear tires. That's also going to be very, very interesting. But I think it's also important to see the sort of momentum
[17:28.920 -> 17:30.680] that these teams are coming into,
[17:30.680 -> 17:34.160] because it's good to have a break in between.
[17:34.160 -> 17:38.080] But Sergio Perez has never finished higher than fifth
[17:38.080 -> 17:38.580] over here.
[17:38.580 -> 17:41.000] So I don't know how that break is really going to help him.
[17:41.000 -> 17:43.200] Is it going to help him refocus and probably better
[17:43.200 -> 17:44.360] his results at this track?
[17:44.360 -> 17:50.800] But Perez really needs a lot more points in his bag. And momentum, very very interesting point to bring
[17:50.800 -> 17:55.440] forward because we've had a break, it was a summer break and remember guys, you know in a busy season
[17:55.440 -> 18:01.120] like how many we have 24 races this year, one cancels or 23 especially when you're in the
[18:01.120 -> 18:05.560] European leg of the season, races come to you fast and furious.
[18:05.560 -> 18:07.480] So when you're a driver like Daniel Ricciardo,
[18:07.480 -> 18:09.760] suddenly thrown into the thick of things,
[18:09.760 -> 18:11.480] the summer break would have actually helped you
[18:11.480 -> 18:12.920] hit a bit of a reset.
[18:12.920 -> 18:15.880] Or drivers even like Logan Sargent, Yuki Tsunoda,
[18:15.880 -> 18:19.020] Checo Perez, the two Ferrari drivers as well.
[18:19.020 -> 18:21.320] But when it comes to momentum,
[18:21.320 -> 18:23.640] you want to sort of hit momentum
[18:23.640 -> 18:25.280] early part of this week as well.
[18:25.280 -> 18:29.600] You know, everybody who has to hit a minimum baseline of the performances
[18:29.600 -> 18:33.760] that they've been hitting in the last few races, you know, Max Verstappen, his
[18:33.760 -> 18:37.600] baseline is just being on the front row and winning a race or Lewis Hamilton
[18:37.600 -> 18:41.680] making sure he's on the podium, etc. So momentum will be key because everybody's
[18:41.680 -> 18:45.100] found a pause in the momentum. Some of them would have liked it.
[18:47.560 -> 18:50.360] Some of them will use that to come back stronger. Some of them might take longer to start up again.
[18:50.980 -> 18:52.540] Let's see how it all turns up.
[18:52.820 -> 18:58.660] But the one story I'm really looking forward to is how Fernando Alonso is able
[18:58.660 -> 19:03.940] to use this break to come back stronger because, you know, the podium is a little
[19:03.940 -> 19:06.300] different when Fernando Alonso is on it.
[19:06.300 -> 19:11.280] So I'm really hoping he's the one who's able to put that car on the podium this weekend.
[19:12.880 -> 19:18.680] Absolutely, and hopefully we get to see some value from, okay, I'm not gonna slander Lance Stroll again.
[19:18.680 -> 19:20.180] But hey, you know what will be interesting?
[19:20.180 -> 19:24.560] It'll be interesting to watch how the lower midfield evolves as well. Haas coming up with some upgrades.
[19:24.940 -> 19:28.400] Williams potentially having a tricky one because of the circuit characteristics
[19:28.400 -> 19:33.220] But you never know how things go and always always keep an eye out on
[19:33.360 -> 19:39.820] People like Alpine and McLaren at circuits like this one. So it's chaos guaranteed on Saturday, Sunday
[19:40.520 -> 19:43.400] Just join us for our race weekend to celebrate Max Verstappen
[19:43.400 -> 19:45.320] That's all that's going to happen over there.
[19:45.320 -> 19:49.360] And we will do it with great pleasure and pride with a lot of drinks and food as well.
[19:49.360 -> 19:53.520] So you're all welcome to join us at Versova Social this Sunday, ladies and gentlemen.
[19:53.520 -> 19:57.560] But if you've enjoyed listening to this episode, thank you for reaching this part.
[19:57.560 -> 20:02.080] Please subscribe to the Inside 9F1 podcast and also check out our special episodes in
[20:02.080 -> 20:09.080] the meantime, where we've had guests like Helmut Marko and Ravi Shastri, among many others, join us on the podcast as well.
[20:09.080 -> 20:11.600] So see you on Monday for the race review.
[20:11.600 -> 20:15.560] Enjoy Max Verstappen, enjoy the weekend and make sure that you wear orange because if
[20:15.560 -> None] not this weekend, then when? Bye-bye. you