Who is a Lance Stroll fan? 2023 Canadian GP Preview

Seriously, who is a fan of Lance Stroll? From the top-4 teams, he looks farthest from a podium finish despite racing a car that's scored five podiums this year. In fact, six drivers have scored their maiden Formula 1 win in Canada through history but it seems highly unlikely that Stroll Jr. will add his name to this list.

Anyway, Aston Martin are bringing upgrades to their car for the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix. Let's see if Fernando Alonso's wish to 'crush' Mercedes comes true.

In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah preview the upcoming race at Circuit Giles Villeneuve. Red Bull Racing's dominant run could see them match Mercedes' best race-winning streak from 2019 - 8 wins on the trot. In fact, Red Bull Racing could celebrate a century of wins - becoming only the 5th constructor in the history of sport to do so.

Mercedes will be out to prove that their double podium result in Spain wasn't track or weather dependent. The buzz around Ferrari will be around their historic win in Le Mans. And finally, will Williams repay Red Bull Racing the favour while declaring the upgrades on Alexander Albon's car?😉

Tune in!

(Season 2023, Episode 29)

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

Image courtesy: Aston Martin Formula One Team

**Overview**

The Inside Line F1 podcast, hosted by Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah, previews the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix. The race marks the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the safety car in Formula One, and there is excitement surrounding Ferrari's recent victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

**Red Bull's Dominance**

Red Bull Racing is the dominant team in Formula One, having won the last seven races in a row. They are poised to extend their winning streak in Canada and could potentially reach 100 total wins, becoming only the fifth constructor to achieve this milestone. Max Verstappen is also on the verge of equaling Ayrton Senna's record of 41 race wins.

**Mercedes' Response**

Mercedes, the previous dominant team in Formula One, is looking to bounce back from a disappointing Spanish Grand Prix. They have brought upgrades to their car for Canada and will be hoping to prove that their double podium finish in Spain was not just a result of favorable track conditions.

**Ferrari's Momentum**

Ferrari is riding high after their historic win at Le Mans. The team is hoping to carry this momentum into Formula One and challenge for podium finishes. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are both yet to secure a podium this season.

**Williams' Gesture to Red Bull**

Williams Racing is reportedly only bringing upgrades to Alexander Albon's car for the Canadian Grand Prix. This is seen as a gesture of gratitude to Red Bull Racing, who credited Williams for inspiring their diffuser design.

**Other Talking Points**

* Lance Stroll's lack of success at his home race, despite having a grandstand named after him.
* Fernando Alonso's desire to "crush" Mercedes in Canada.
* The potential impact of rain on the race.
* The battle for second place in the championship between Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Carlos Sainz, and Charles Leclerc.
* The introduction of a new awareness rating system for Formula One drivers, which has generated controversy.

**Conclusion**

The Canadian Grand Prix promises to be an exciting race with several storylines to follow. Red Bull Racing is the favorite to win, but Mercedes, Ferrari, and other teams will be hoping to challenge their dominance. The weather and the performance of the upgraded cars will also play a role in determining the outcome of the race. # Inside Line F1 Podcast: Preview of the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix

## Introduction:

The Inside Line F1 Podcast hosts, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah, delve into the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, analyzing the prospects of various teams and drivers. They discuss the potential for Red Bull Racing to match Mercedes' historic winning streak and become the fifth constructor to achieve 100 race victories.

## Aston Martin's Upgrades and Fernando Alonso's Aspirations:

Aston Martin is bringing upgrades to their car, raising expectations for Fernando Alonso's performance. The hosts discuss Alonso's desire to "crush" Mercedes and the possibility of him securing a podium finish.

## Red Bull Racing's Dominance and Mercedes' Response:

Red Bull Racing's dominant run continues, with the potential to match Mercedes' record of eight consecutive race wins from 2019. Mercedes aims to prove that their double podium result in Spain was not solely dependent on track or weather conditions.

## Ferrari's Historic Win and Williams' Gesture:

The buzz surrounding Ferrari stems from their historic victory at Le Mans. Williams, on the other hand, may reciprocate Red Bull Racing's gesture by declaring upgrades on Alexander Albon's car.

## Qualifying Intrigue and McLaren's Dilemma:

The hosts anticipate an exciting qualifying session with tight gaps between drivers. McLaren faces a dilemma due to Canada's circuit characteristics, which may expose their weakness in slow corners despite their traditional strength in low temperatures.

## Fantasy Team Picks and Predictions:

The hosts offer their predictions for the race, with Soumil Arora favoring George Russell for P1 in Formula 1.5 and Kunal Shah expecting a bold statement from Fernando Alonso regarding Lance Stroll.

## Live Event in Mumbai:

The hosts invite listeners in Mumbai to attend a live event at Versova Social, featuring pre- and post-race interactions, discussions, and a quiz.

## Conclusion:

The podcast concludes with a reminder of the upcoming race review episode on Monday and an expression of gratitude to the listeners.

[00:00.000 -> 00:27.040] I can't believe when I say this, but Ferrari have won something something after so many years
[00:27.040 -> 00:32.520] after 2008 the first time in history Ferrari have won something they have
[00:32.520 -> 00:37.160] won the 24 hours in Le Mans and we can only hope and pray and dream that
[00:37.160 -> 00:41.280] something similar will happen in Formula One as well but not this weekend let's
[00:41.280 -> 00:44.920] be very very honest with ourselves because this weekend is just going to be
[00:44.920 -> 00:49.680] another opportunity for Red Bull Racing to flex their muscles but I'm not here to already
[00:49.680 -> 00:54.720] disappoint you and tell you what not to watch the Canadian GP for. This is the Canadian GP preview
[00:54.720 -> 01:00.400] on the Inside Line F1 podcast and apart from Red Bull's dominance there are so many other exciting
[01:00.400 -> 01:07.320] things to watch for from this weekend's racing action. And that is what we'll cover on this episode of the Inside Lineup 1
[01:07.320 -> 01:08.120] podcast.
[01:08.120 -> 01:10.120] So firstly, welcome along.
[01:10.120 -> 01:11.720] My name is Somal Arora.
[01:11.720 -> 01:15.060] I am the host of the Indian Racing League on Star Sports
[01:15.060 -> 01:17.840] and also the driving force on Disney Plus Hotstar.
[01:17.840 -> 01:20.400] And as always, joining me is Kunal Shah,
[01:20.400 -> 01:23.040] the former marketing head of the Sahara Force India Formula 1
[01:23.040 -> 01:26.160] team, and also an FIA accredited
[01:26.160 -> 01:29.040] Formula One journalist for the Viaplay network.
[01:29.040 -> 01:31.880] This weekend Kunal, Formula One returns to Canada.
[01:31.880 -> 01:36.520] We had the legendary voice of F1 Steve Slater join us on the show and he's come up with
[01:36.520 -> 01:41.760] so many interesting stories but this weekend also marks the 50 years of a very important
[01:41.760 -> 01:44.560] milestone for Formula One.
[01:44.560 -> 01:46.440] Actually wait is that the milestone
[01:46.440 -> 01:47.860] of Ferrari last winning something?
[01:47.860 -> 01:51.680] Because that was also 50 years ago in Le Mans.
[01:51.680 -> 01:56.440] It has been 50 years since the safety car was first
[01:56.440 -> 01:58.820] introduced to Formula 1.
[01:58.820 -> 02:01.380] And since I'm also a marketer, I actually
[02:01.380 -> 02:04.320] thought of a very funny way of putting it.
[02:04.320 -> 02:12.700] 50 years since the safety car interfered in races in Formula 1, since 1973, right?
[02:12.700 -> 02:16.860] But there's just so much that's happening this weekend.
[02:16.860 -> 02:21.220] Yes, we've had a regular fortnight's break and etc.
[02:21.220 -> 02:26.720] But you said Ferrari, Le Mans, I think that's going to be the main chatter this weekend. And I
[02:26.720 -> 02:31.040] think they're going to just stick it up to Leclerc and Sainz and be like, would you guys just rather
[02:31.040 -> 02:38.560] just jump into the Le Mans car or Ferrari, the hyper car and drive it, right? And the strange
[02:38.560 -> 02:47.880] thing is, it's Antonio Giovinazzi, you know, supported driver who literally struggled at Alfa Romeo,
[02:47.880 -> 02:51.800] you know, against Kimi Raikkonen, who won the Le Mans. And that's why the joke goes
[02:51.800 -> 02:57.600] that pretty much everybody in Alfa Romeo Sauber now has something except for Leclerc. That
[02:57.600 -> 03:02.360] includes Kimi Raikkonen, who's a former world champion, Antonio Giavinazzi, 24 hours of
[03:02.360 -> 03:05.840] Le Mans, and then Marcus Ericsson who's of course a former
[03:05.840 -> 03:13.360] Indy 500 winner. It's brilliant, the last three Sauber drivers, rather three out of the last four
[03:13.360 -> 03:19.040] Sauber drivers before Jogvani and Valtteri Bottas have literally completed the triple crown of
[03:19.040 -> 03:26.720] motorsport and our guy Charla Clare here, oh well what do we say about that one? But hey, I think it's that time of the year
[03:26.720 -> 03:29.440] when we can finally come out in all of our numbers
[03:29.440 -> 03:31.840] and be like, yes, we are Ferrari fans,
[03:31.840 -> 03:33.360] but Ferrari Le Mans fans,
[03:33.360 -> 03:35.600] because they have made all of us proud.
[03:35.600 -> 03:36.320] Haven't they, Kunal?
[03:37.440 -> 03:39.440] They have, and I have to say this, you know,
[03:39.440 -> 03:41.760] Valtteri Bottas, you just mentioned him.
[03:42.240 -> 03:44.320] He has scored in just three...
[03:44.880 -> 04:10.400] He's got three points finishes in the last 20 races. It's just the most mind boggling stat for me ever. It's as mind boggling as, you know, hey, Ferrari has won in Le Mans. I've been just on the other end of the spectrum. But the interesting part, and you know, Ferrari, of course, said yes, no, yes, no to it. But the Ferrari-Lamorne participation and the operation came because of Formula One's budget cap,
[04:10.400 -> 04:15.440] where they realized, oh my God, we have a lot more stuff than we now can actually put on Formula One
[04:15.440 -> 04:20.720] for budget cap reasons. So, hey, why don't we go race elsewhere? They produced a stunningly quick
[04:20.720 -> 04:25.800] and a gorgeous looking car that just went yes and one Le Mans, but I
[04:26.360 -> 04:31.600] Think that's enough of Le Mans. Let's move on to Formula one since that's our for day, right?
[04:32.400 -> 04:34.720] Coming into the Canadian Grand Prix
[04:35.160 -> 04:42.080] Another thing that really boggles me is that there is genuinely something called as the Lance Stroll
[04:42.520 -> 04:46.240] Grand stand in there. It's just after the Hepburn.
[04:46.240 -> 04:48.120] Yeah, there's a Lance Stroll Grandstand.
[04:48.120 -> 04:49.960] And I don't know, do you get money
[04:49.960 -> 04:51.120] to sit in the grandstands?
[04:51.120 -> 04:59.120] Or do you see the action half a second after it's gone by?
[04:59.120 -> 05:00.960] Because that's usually his deficit.
[05:00.960 -> 05:02.600] Or I don't know.
[05:02.600 -> 05:03.280] What do you do?
[05:03.280 -> 05:03.840] Why would you?
[05:03.840 -> 05:07.520] I mean, people just go and sit there because that grandstand has always been there and now they just
[05:07.520 -> 05:13.760] name it after Lance Troll but yes there's a Lance Troll grandstand.
[05:13.760 -> 05:19.860] Wait so actually I think the best way to have a litmus test about Lance Trolls
[05:19.860 -> 05:27.760] what's the right word I'm looking for Lance Trolls popularity would be to only allow Lance Stoll fans into the grandstand
[05:27.760 -> 05:31.640] and then we'll only see one person sitting and that will be Fernando Alonso.
[05:31.640 -> 05:35.440] Can you imagine a Canadian GP grandstand filled with only one person?
[05:35.440 -> 05:42.040] But on the subject of Fernando Alonso, Kunal, I am amazed because Formula One have just
[05:42.040 -> 05:47.760] released the ratings for the new Formula One game and there is this beautiful section called awareness have you gotten a
[05:47.760 -> 05:52.360] chance to see it because in the awareness section our man Fernando Alonso
[05:52.360 -> 05:58.360] has literally gotten a 78 awareness out of 100 this is the same guy Kunal who
[05:58.360 -> 06:01.760] at the Miami GP was watching Lance Stroll race from a big screen while
[06:01.760 -> 06:25.040] racing himself. George Russell has 83. Basically, they're saying George Russell is more aware on track
[06:25.040 -> 06:29.920] than Fernando Alonso is. And this is George Russell, who actually has had more crashes in
[06:29.920 -> 06:35.360] the last several races than anybody else that I can think of. And this is a George Russell
[06:35.360 -> 06:40.160] who's turned around and said, there are three drivers who lack spatial awareness. I don't know
[06:40.160 -> 06:47.000] if he was referring to this sheet, because in awareness, the lowest rated drivers are
[06:47.000 -> 06:51.260] Zhuge Liang, yes, he and George Russell crashed
[06:51.260 -> 06:52.680] in Silverstone last year.
[06:52.680 -> 06:54.840] There's Logan Sargent, there's Nick DeVries,
[06:54.840 -> 06:56.720] that's 74, 75, 75.
[06:56.720 -> 07:00.280] So I don't know if he was referring to this table.
[07:00.280 -> 07:02.440] But you mentioned Fernando Alonso,
[07:02.440 -> 07:03.760] you mentioned he's the biggest fan.
[07:03.760 -> 07:07.800] You know, for Fernando to show how big a fan of Lance he is,
[07:07.800 -> 07:18.280] he should say, I will not drive this weekend, I will sit in the Lance Stroll grandstand and cheer every time Lance Stroll drives back,
[07:18.280 -> 07:26.980] you know, drives around and passes by, of course, I'm being a little over the top, but what better way to showcase your
[07:26.980 -> 07:31.800] fandom for the great Lance Roll. But hey, listeners from Canada, we know Canada is a
[07:31.800 -> 07:36.840] very large market for us. We are sorry if that offends you, but we are just going by
[07:36.840 -> 07:40.920] performance. I mean, top four teams, isn't he the only driver who doesn't have a podium?
[07:40.920 -> 07:50.080] I think so. Maybe Leclerc is the other one, but that's just because that's Leclerc, right? But, uh, or actually neither of Ferrari drivers have a podium
[07:50.080 -> 07:58.320] either. Oh, are you? What? They haven't had one? I can't remember. That's how bad
[07:58.320 -> 08:03.920] it was. They must have had one, right? Okay. Wow. This really puts our F1 expertise into
[08:03.920 -> 08:06.200] jeopardy if we can't remember.
[08:06.200 -> 08:10.560] Again, there's this one incredible dialogue from the show called the Inbetweeners.
[08:10.560 -> 08:16.600] Again, it's a really fun British sitcom of sorts of four blokes and how they just
[08:16.600 -> 08:19.640] go about their teenage years and this amazing dialogue in that show where they
[08:19.640 -> 08:22.920] said, if you don't remember it, it probably wasn't important enough to be
[08:22.920 -> 08:28.800] remembered. Yes, well Leclerc had a podium in Baku.
[08:28.800 -> 08:29.800] He did, yeah.
[08:29.800 -> 08:31.280] Did he?
[08:31.280 -> 08:33.600] Or was it a sprint podium that people are showing?
[08:33.600 -> 08:34.600] I don't know. Either way.
[08:34.600 -> 08:35.600] No, no, he did. He did.
[08:35.600 -> 08:40.800] Remember, he came, he had a spotless weekend because he got one in the sprint and then one in the race.
[08:40.800 -> 08:42.200] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
[08:42.200 -> 08:46.360] And of course, Carlos Sainz doesn't have one. And then Stroll doesn't have one.
[08:46.360 -> 08:49.440] But Esteban Ocon, of course, has a podium.
[08:49.440 -> 08:52.080] And Ocon is just 10 points away or whatever.
[08:52.080 -> 08:54.920] But yeah, I think our awareness would be 45, wouldn't it,
[08:54.920 -> 08:56.720] Dhenkanal, in that case?
[08:56.720 -> 09:05.000] But Canadian Grand Prix, lovely, lovely circuit,
[09:05.280 -> 09:07.480] great history, Samuel.
[09:07.480 -> 09:10.560] I love these former Olympic venues
[09:10.560 -> 09:13.000] that are turned into racing circuits.
[09:13.000 -> 09:15.520] I know Russia was one, I know Barcelona was one,
[09:16.400 -> 09:17.240] and so on.
[09:17.240 -> 09:19.400] But what I love about the circuit is,
[09:19.400 -> 09:21.080] every time there's change in direction,
[09:21.080 -> 09:23.480] more often than not, there are two changes in direction.
[09:23.480 -> 09:28.960] It's like left, right, and hey, you've turned again, turned against your right left and then suddenly there's a bit of a straight and
[09:28.960 -> 09:35.360] and I like it you know it's it's got walls of course it's got the wall of champions and the
[09:35.360 -> 09:42.480] walls of course mean that you know very little room for error very little gravel traps a lot
[09:42.480 -> 09:45.800] of grass if you ask Sebastian Vettel he's been lawn mowing there as well.
[09:45.800 -> 09:49.460] I like the circuit, you know, and I like that that whole pit lane.
[09:49.460 -> 09:52.160] It's a different one by going straight into the pit lane.
[09:52.280 -> 09:58.100] You're sort of not driving through four corners the last two and pretty much the first two. So interesting,
[09:58.740 -> 10:04.180] interesting layout and I don't know. I mean, I've always been entertained by the Canadian Grand Prix.
[10:04.180 -> 10:07.800] I can't remember a boring one, genuinely, I just can't.
[10:07.800 -> 10:12.600] There have been so many races here that have been so dramatic and I think Steve Slater
[10:12.600 -> 10:17.800] in our last episode of the Inside Line F1 podcast put it so well that it's not necessarily
[10:17.800 -> 10:23.080] a circuit that gives you the best action at all times, but it produces great moments of
[10:23.080 -> 10:29.840] drama at the right points. I mean, we in the last episode discussed the 2011 Canadian GP, where Jenson Button won
[10:29.840 -> 10:33.120] a 4-hour race where he had endless pit stops.
[10:33.120 -> 10:38.160] We discussed the 2008 Canadian GP, where Robert Kubica had an amazing drive, where Hamilton,
[10:38.160 -> 10:42.040] Rosberg and Kimi Räikkönen came together in the pit lane exit.
[10:42.040 -> 10:47.120] And then also, of course, Nigel Mansell losing the win in 1991 when he
[10:47.120 -> 10:52.240] actually ended up celebrating a bit too soon and caused a technical error in the car and again,
[10:52.240 -> 10:56.960] Steve Slater on the episode clarified that it wasn't a stall that caused Mansell to lose the
[10:56.960 -> 11:02.320] win but these sort of chaotic moments Kunal, also like last year, Fernando Alonso starting on P2,
[11:02.320 -> 11:10.800] I think these are what really makes the Canadian GP so awesome and the fact that we'll have rain this weekend makes it so much better and also then
[11:10.800 -> 11:14.480] we just have an added layer of drama for our event in Mumbai this weekend as well because
[11:14.480 -> 11:20.400] we're having a major F1 meetup at the Versova social location in Mumbai. Again, it's a pre-race
[11:20.400 -> 11:26.280] interaction, a post-race show as well. We We watch the race together, have a fun quiz, have some amazing food and drinks
[11:26.280 -> 11:30.840] at social and imagine watching the race with the community and then having a
[11:30.840 -> 11:34.720] circuit as dramatic as Canada and then the rain, because if that comes in,
[11:34.720 -> 11:37.880] Red Bulls dominance could genuinely be under jeopardy as we've seen so far.
[11:38.720 -> 11:40.760] Or so we think, right?
[11:40.760 -> 11:42.680] That's what we say, every preview.
[11:43.000 -> 11:46.100] Will it finally be that race where somebody takes
[11:46.100 -> 11:52.420] away Red Bull's top position on the podium? But you mentioned a lot of history facts before
[11:52.420 -> 11:57.080] we move on to Red Bull. Interestingly, 50 years since the safety car got introduced
[11:57.080 -> 12:05.120] that we already said, right? Formula One's been blowing it up. you'll hear a lot about Maylander as well, but also 30 years
[12:05.120 -> 12:10.920] since the first ever Formula One race ended behind a safety car.
[12:10.920 -> 12:13.600] Now that is true interference as we know.
[12:13.600 -> 12:21.520] 1993 was Mika Hakanen who won and I think it was Steve Slater who reminded us of this
[12:21.520 -> 12:25.920] and for all of you big Formula 1 fans, history buffs,
[12:25.920 -> 12:30.800] want to listen to one of the voices, the greatest voices of F1, to talk about Formula 1, go back and
[12:30.800 -> 12:36.160] listen to the Canadian GP stories, just the episode before this, where Steve Slater narrates some of
[12:36.160 -> 12:43.760] his favorite stories. But I get a feeling this weekend, Samuel, Lewis Hamilton's contract is
[12:43.760 -> 12:45.360] going to be announced for extension,
[12:45.360 -> 12:51.360] right? There are some rumors on social media. It was said after Spain, Lewis said he's catching
[12:51.360 -> 12:54.600] up a total for a coffee. So everybody's going to go pounding saying, you know, is the coffee
[12:54.600 -> 12:58.000] or how was the coffee? You put sugar in your coffee. Do you have it black? Do you have
[12:58.000 -> 13:01.440] vegan almond milk? That's not what people are going to ask. People are going to be like,
[13:01.440 -> 13:08.400] dude, just tell us who paid the bill. But no, that's not what they're going to ask either. They're going to say, dude, have you all extended
[13:08.400 -> 13:14.160] your contract? And assuming that, you know, this could be Lewis Hamilton's last Formula One contract.
[13:14.160 -> 13:18.720] And why do I say it's all those this weekend? Because there are six drivers who won their first
[13:19.280 -> 13:27.600] races in Canada. Robert Kubica, who we all know, and'll hear it a lot of times. There's Daniel Ricciardo, we end up forgetting that lots of times.
[13:27.600 -> 13:29.000] And of course, Lewis Hamilton.
[13:29.000 -> 13:33.000] So, you know, the century plus of wins, it all started here in Canada.
[13:33.000 -> 13:37.400] So lots of nostalgia for them to announce this weekend if they really want to.
[13:37.400 -> 13:39.800] I mean, they could even announce in Silverstone, but there you go.
[13:39.800 -> 13:43.800] And also, apart from the serious stuff on track,
[13:43.800 -> 13:46.640] Lewis Hamilton is also potentially getting into a
[13:46.640 -> 13:52.000] new long-term relationship, not with the Formula One team, apparently he's with Shakira Kunal.
[13:52.640 -> 13:59.440] Like that, I don't know, there are many things to be jealous of from Lewis Hamilton. Obviously,
[13:59.440 -> 14:03.680] there's a penthouse flat in Monaco, there's this amazing car collection, the fact that he gets to
[14:03.680 -> 14:11.600] work with Toto Wolf and drive a Formula One car, but he gets to spend time with Shakira. That is, yes.
[14:12.480 -> 14:19.200] Wow. Really? I thought, you know, I wasn't sure where Alonso Swift was going and that's when
[14:19.200 -> 14:24.080] the old rivals of the McLaren days are like, you got Swift, I'm going to get Shakira. But
[14:24.080 -> 14:27.200] oh, God, how do you remember that? Anything you can do, I can do better.
[14:27.200 -> 14:30.640] The whole Amiga months were up from 2007.
[14:30.640 -> 14:31.480] Oh my God.
[14:31.480 -> 14:32.320] Yeah.
[14:32.320 -> 14:33.160] Interesting.
[14:33.160 -> 14:34.000] Yeah.
[14:34.000 -> 14:39.200] And I mean, you just said, what better than spending time with Shakira,
[14:39.200 -> 14:42.600] assuming that it's a musical life that she keeps living.
[14:42.600 -> 14:44.040] I mean, then it's probably good.
[14:44.040 -> 14:46.440] Not that I listen to Shakira, right?
[14:46.440 -> 14:48.360] But why do you not, Kunal?
[14:48.360 -> 14:49.040] Wasn't it?
[14:49.040 -> 14:53.640] It was literally the best music of the 2000s, Shakira.
[14:53.640 -> 14:54.680] Obviously, it was.
[14:54.680 -> 14:56.360] What do you listen to normally?
[14:56.360 -> 14:57.080] I don't know.
[14:57.080 -> 14:58.480] Metallica is my stuff.
[14:58.480 -> 15:01.400] Amin Van Buren, A.R. Rahman.
[15:01.400 -> 15:04.120] Lots of fun music, but I can't remember
[15:04.120 -> 15:05.220] what I heard of Shakira.
[15:05.220 -> 15:07.400] But anyway, Shakira looks like.
[15:07.400 -> 15:10.200] Have you heard his piano mix?
[15:10.200 -> 15:11.560] No, I haven't.
[15:11.560 -> 15:12.400] No, I haven't.
[15:12.400 -> 15:13.760] I haven't.
[15:13.760 -> 15:14.320] No.
[15:14.320 -> 15:15.120] Sorry, Shal.
[15:15.120 -> 15:17.000] But big fan, get a poll.
[15:17.000 -> 15:18.780] Please convert the poll one day.
[15:18.780 -> 15:23.080] But I don't think I really have heard Leclerc either.
[15:23.080 -> 15:29.120] But coming to Leclerc's biggest rival, who's run away with everything, Max Verstappen.
[15:29.520 -> 15:45.440] And of course Max Verstappen because of Red Bull Racing. I mean what's next for Red Bull Racing? The last time in Spain they said, we've released a new diffuser and we've taken inspiration from rivals and after the race they said, yeah we actually took inspiration from Williams right that's like
[15:45.440 -> 15:51.520] rubbing it in everybody's eyes even more saying guess what you saw that simple floor of Williams
[15:51.520 -> 15:55.360] we took pictures of that and said that's a real copy the diffuser and I don't know what's next
[15:55.360 -> 16:01.520] putting Nikita Mazepin in the car to say that's the kind of a car we can make Mazepin a world
[16:01.520 -> 16:06.680] champion if we had to and then of course this whole conversation is like Valentino Rossi, Honda, right?
[16:06.680 -> 16:08.160] Yeah, it's not about the bike.
[16:09.160 -> 16:11.760] Similarly, it's not about the driver or it's not about the car.
[16:11.760 -> 16:12.800] Something like that will come up.
[16:12.800 -> 16:17.760] But Red Bull could win their eighth on the trot.
[16:19.200 -> 16:22.400] Red Bull could also have their hundredth win overall.
[16:22.400 -> 16:25.120] Only five constructors have had them before,
[16:25.120 -> 16:27.720] easy to guess which the other ones were.
[16:27.720 -> 16:29.240] If they win eight on the chart,
[16:29.240 -> 16:31.120] it's a record which goes back to 2019,
[16:31.120 -> 16:33.720] which Mercedes has had, okay.
[16:33.720 -> 16:35.960] And then the target could be winning 11,
[16:35.960 -> 16:38.020] which is what McLaren had in 88.
[16:38.020 -> 16:39.360] Now I know you're a history buff,
[16:39.360 -> 16:42.080] but these are great records to match.
[16:42.080 -> 16:48.680] And interestingly, Red Bull is one of two teams with a 100% finishing record in 2023.
[16:49.040 -> 16:50.440] Do you want to guess the second team?
[16:53.240 -> 16:53.920] Aston Martin?
[16:54.840 -> 17:00.360] No, it's Haas. Aston Martin's role has had a lot of retirements, right? But anyway, it's Haas.
[17:06.240 -> 17:11.200] Interesting. Actually, on that front as well, I know it's a big, big number that F1 stats guru will add more context to in our stats preview section in a couple of minutes. But can you
[17:11.200 -> 17:17.360] believe Kunal that if rather let's get it out of the way, when Max Verstappen wins this weekend,
[17:17.360 -> 17:27.520] he will equal Ayrton Senna's record for 41 race wins. I just can't, it just, it's wrong. It doesn't make sense. I don't know.
[17:28.560 -> 17:33.920] Maybe it's too early to accept how good this guy is, but it's just wrong. And I think when we
[17:33.920 -> 17:38.800] normally praise someone so much before the race weekend, something or the other definitely goes
[17:38.800 -> 17:44.080] wrong for them. So I just don't want to jinx Max. I just want a good race, but hey, there's more
[17:44.080 -> 17:47.720] good news that could make it a really, really exciting race weekend Kunal.
[17:47.720 -> 17:50.740] And there's a couple of very interesting facts.
[17:50.740 -> 17:55.480] I think one thing that we need to keep in mind now is that this weekend, it's just been
[17:55.480 -> 17:59.600] announced that Red Bull Racing are going to celebrate both Sebastian Vettel and Daniel
[17:59.600 -> 18:04.000] Ricardo's time in Formula One with a demo run of their old Formula One cars from the
[18:04.000 -> 18:05.520] early 2010s
[18:05.520 -> 18:12.320] and they'll be done with e-fuels at the Nordschleife. Honestly, wait have I just made an
[18:12.320 -> 18:20.240] inadvertent Seb reference? I have, yes, but honestly it's just filled my life with joy.
[18:21.840 -> 18:25.000] Isn't it the best thing in the world that's come out this week?
[18:25.000 -> 18:30.720] I mean absolutely and I would say it's also bringing back the V8s even though Seth Hettle
[18:30.720 -> 18:34.640] wanted the V10s it's going to be the V8s that will be back.
[18:34.640 -> 18:39.920] Nordschleife always the most perfect place to be but I you know talking of perfection
[18:39.920 -> 18:43.200] what is next for Max Verstappen right?
[18:43.200 -> 19:07.040] In the last two races he's led like every lap of the race I think the last time somebody achieved three in a row was Vettel, Japan, Korea and India in 2012 and this is this is very interesting if Max Verstappen actually can do something like that of course in Spain he topped every session and he basically was, it's like now what else can he top?
[19:07.040 -> 19:10.360] I wonder if he's topped every session ever before
[19:10.360 -> 19:14.320] and won the driver of the day poll.
[19:14.320 -> 19:18.180] Because the driver of the day poll is of course fan led,
[19:18.180 -> 19:20.000] but everything else is Max Verstappen led.
[19:20.000 -> 19:22.080] So what is next for Max Verstappen?
[19:22.080 -> 19:27.100] And you know, Anushka wrote to us on Spotify and asked,
[19:27.800 -> 19:30.200] is Max actually a prodigy?
[19:30.200 -> 19:32.560] Or is it that the other teams are struggling so much
[19:32.560 -> 19:36.580] in the hybrid era that Max is forced to be the prodigy
[19:36.580 -> 19:37.620] because Red Bull got it right?
[19:37.620 -> 19:40.220] The truth is, look at Perez and what he's able to do.
[19:40.220 -> 19:41.700] Look at Max and what he's able to do.
[19:41.700 -> 19:46.040] And Max is a prodigy who has been given the right car.
[19:46.040 -> 19:47.280] That's the best way to put it,
[19:47.280 -> 19:49.280] because even when Lewis Hamilton,
[19:49.280 -> 19:50.440] right now he's not winning,
[19:50.440 -> 19:51.920] he's always saying, I'm waiting for the car.
[19:51.920 -> 19:53.040] The team's working on the car.
[19:53.040 -> 19:54.960] The day I get the car, I can't wait for the car.
[19:54.960 -> 19:56.200] So it is, of course, the car.
[19:56.200 -> 19:58.280] You need the tools to show your talent.
[19:59.120 -> 20:02.480] But once the tool comes,
[20:02.480 -> 20:04.080] once the tools come, rather,
[20:04.080 -> 20:06.160] you need to also be able to extract
[20:06.160 -> 20:13.040] all the talent you possibly can. And that's what Max has been doing. I mean, he's outscored Perez
[20:13.040 -> 20:21.360] 77 to 30 since Azerbaijan. Now, the gap in the driver's championship between P1 and P2 is the
[20:21.360 -> 20:27.040] longest ever in history for Sergio Perez to actually claw back and win.
[20:27.040 -> 20:29.840] And that's why Cristiano said, you know what, guess what, the pressure's off,
[20:29.840 -> 20:35.760] Checo can just be himself. I mean, imagine drivers going through a 21, 22, 23 race season
[20:35.760 -> 20:39.440] with all that pressure and Checo's unfortunately crumpled in what, five races?
[20:40.640 -> 20:45.560] Yep, exactly. Five odd races and it's championship over it seems already at
[20:45.560 -> 20:49.880] this stage. But hey, I think you seem to be obsessed with Max Verstappen Kunal.
[20:49.880 -> 20:54.680] Have we been losing Dutch listeners lately? Because we haven't been
[20:54.680 -> 20:59.080] talking about it enough in the first three weeks. Maybe, could be the case. But
[20:59.080 -> 21:03.400] it's so correct, right? It's funny how in the first three weeks we were just
[21:03.400 -> 21:05.280] not talking about Max. Like it's a
[21:05.280 -> 21:11.680] given. It's a given now. But every week he's just breaking all these new records and you just can't
[21:11.680 -> 21:19.760] stop and stare and be in awe. Isn't it true? And I find it amazing how everyone else just is not on
[21:19.760 -> 21:24.160] that same level. But I think this weekend it'll also be interesting to watch the whole driver
[21:24.160 -> 21:29.360] battle between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell as well the way things have been going so far because
[21:29.360 -> 21:33.840] believe it or not Kunal this is the first time we'll actually see them potentially be the
[21:33.840 -> 21:38.560] undisputed P2 and they said that's where we feel we are but the upgrades we saw that in Spain as
[21:38.560 -> 21:44.640] well so there's suddenly a six-car fight for P2 in the championship in the Constructors Championship
[21:44.640 -> 21:45.840] and the best part is there's an intra Mercedes fight as well2 in the championship, in the Constructors' Championship. And the best part is,
[21:45.840 -> 21:49.920] there's an intra-Mercedes fight as well. And so, the way this will be going, I think it's just
[21:49.920 -> 21:57.280] going to be an amazing weekend. And I think, I really want to know firstly from you, who you
[21:57.280 -> 22:01.920] think comes out and on top of the six-car battle, because we've got Fernando Alonso, Large Troll,
[22:01.920 -> 22:07.440] Lewis Hamilton, George Dossal, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. That is a royally good battle between five cars
[22:07.440 -> 22:08.120] and Lance Stroll.
[22:08.120 -> 22:09.040] That is amazing.
[22:09.040 -> 22:09.540] Oh.
[22:09.540 -> 22:10.040] Oh.
[22:10.040 -> 22:10.540] Oh.
[22:10.540 -> 22:11.040] Oh.
[22:11.040 -> 22:11.540] Oh.
[22:11.540 -> 22:13.360] Oh.
[22:13.360 -> 22:14.480] I'll tell you who I'll pick.
[22:14.480 -> 22:18.880] I'll pick Fernando Alonso to come out on top,
[22:18.880 -> 22:20.480] because it's Fernando Alonso.
[22:20.480 -> 22:24.040] And he said he doesn't want to have a single race this season
[22:24.040 -> 22:25.440] where he's not on the podium.
[22:25.440 -> 22:27.480] That's what he said after Spain.
[22:27.480 -> 22:32.300] Aston Martin are also bringing lots of upgrades to Canada, obviously, you know, home race
[22:32.300 -> 22:34.280] for the Strolls.
[22:34.280 -> 22:41.320] And very interestingly, Fernando Alonso also said that he wants to crush Mercedes in Canada.
[22:41.320 -> 22:42.320] Okay.
[22:42.320 -> 22:44.780] And last year, Fernando was P2 in an Alpine.
[22:44.780 -> 22:45.920] Let's see what he can do
[22:46.680 -> 22:50.200] this weekend in an Aston Martin, but I trust
[22:51.000 -> 22:55.600] Fernando Alonso to get it right. He'll be very swift as he gets
[22:56.300 -> 22:59.360] to pole position in the battle for P2, I would say.
[22:59.640 -> 23:06.920] Pole position in the battle for P2, correct, correct. For a second I second I thought, what on earth are you on about?
[23:06.920 -> 23:11.800] Even though Alonso got P2 in an Alpine last year in qualifying, maybe that could be just
[23:11.800 -> 23:13.120] a little bit too much to ask for.
[23:13.120 -> 23:17.120] Unless the weather comes in the way, which it might because the forecast says that there
[23:17.120 -> 23:19.840] is rain on the cards for Saturday and Sunday.
[23:19.840 -> 23:21.120] So let's wait and watch.
[23:21.120 -> 23:26.480] But now folks, I think it's time to get a better idea of what the Canadian GP weekend
[23:26.480 -> 23:28.680] looks like from a numerical standpoint.
[23:28.680 -> 23:33.880] And so to bring in more perspective, is F1 Stats Guru with our stats preview section.
[23:33.880 -> 23:34.880] Let's listen in.
[23:34.880 -> 23:38.020] Hey folks, it's time to do the stats preview of the Canadian Grand Prix.
[23:38.020 -> 23:40.880] My name is Sundaram, also known as the F1 Stats Guru.
[23:40.880 -> 23:42.720] Let's get straight into the numbers.
[23:42.720 -> 23:45.200] Since 2005, every pole sitter in Montreal
[23:45.200 -> 23:49.780] was either a world champion already or went on to become one later on. So who's taking
[23:49.780 -> 23:54.300] pole this time? Is it going to be Max Verstappen, Charlotte Clerk or could it even be Lance
[23:54.300 -> 23:59.080] Troll? Due to Red Bull's recent dominance, they've reached some milestone or the other
[23:59.080 -> 24:04.300] in every race. And it's no different for Canada as well. Because if Verstappen wins this race,
[24:04.300 -> 24:09.600] he could actually match Ayrton Senna's overall race win tally. Senna is currently on 41 race
[24:09.600 -> 24:14.800] wins and Verstappen is on 40. But his teammate Sergio Perez has had a few difficult race
[24:14.800 -> 24:19.120] weekends off lately, especially when it comes to qualifying. And it's not really looking great for
[24:19.120 -> 24:23.600] him going into the Canadian Grand Prix because he's never qualified higher than 8th at this
[24:23.600 -> 24:28.420] particular circuit, and the last time that he scored points in Canada was in 2017.
[24:28.420 -> 24:31.260] But Red Bull also have a few things to look forward to. They could actually take their
[24:31.260 -> 24:36.140] 100th victory in Formula 1 this weekend, joining teams like Ferrari, Williams, McLaren and
[24:36.140 -> 24:40.860] Mercedes but they wouldn't be really disappointed if they didn't win it this time because Austria,
[24:40.860 -> 24:44.700] the home race, is coming up right next. And they'd prefer to do that in front of their
[24:44.700 -> 24:48.960] home crowd. But in Canada, they could also match their longest winning streak in
[24:48.960 -> 24:53.940] Formula 1. They've won 9 races in 2013 and also in 2022. And they're also very close
[24:53.940 -> 24:59.120] to the overall record set by McLaren in 1988 of 11 consecutive races.
[24:59.120 -> 25:02.600] But let's talk also about the local boy Lance Stroll. You see, there's something known as
[25:02.600 -> 25:07.640] the home race advantage, which has worked for drivers like Carlos Sainz who's always scored in Spain and also for
[25:07.640 -> 25:12.180] Lewis Hamilton who's taken 12 podiums in Great Britain. But there's also something known
[25:12.180 -> 25:16.600] as a home race disadvantage and Charles Leclerc's name pops up straight away because he's never
[25:16.600 -> 25:21.000] taken a podium in Monaco and he's had a string of retirements in his home race. But luckily,
[25:21.000 -> 25:24.600] Lance Stroll actually belongs to the former group because in the 4 Canadian Grands Prix
[25:24.600 -> 25:27.720] that he's been a part of, he's actually scored on 3 occasions.
[25:27.720 -> 25:32.360] And there's only one other Canadian driver who scored in more races in Canada and that
[25:32.360 -> 25:33.360] was Gilles Villeneuve.
[25:33.360 -> 25:37.480] Now if you're wondering, wait, where is Jacques Villeneuve because he's had a longer Formula
[25:37.480 -> 25:40.400] One career and he's also been a former world champion.
[25:40.400 -> 25:44.160] But the interesting point is Jacques has scored in only one home race and he's retired from
[25:44.160 -> 25:47.000] 7 other Canadian Grands's during his career.
[25:47.000 -> 25:49.640] Well, that was the stats preview of the Canadian Grand Prix.
[25:49.640 -> 25:50.960] I hope you folks enjoyed it.
[25:50.960 -> 25:54.560] For more such interesting stats and facts from this race weekend, do follow me on my
[25:54.560 -> 25:57.120] Twitter and Instagram under the name F1StatsGroup.
[25:57.120 -> 26:07.520] I'll see you folks very soon. I am so in awe of the numbers part and the whole Verstappen center point just doesn't
[26:07.520 -> 26:08.520] make sense to me.
[26:08.520 -> 26:10.760] But hey, that's the Verstappen dominance aside on one part.
[26:10.760 -> 26:15.800] There's also dominance within Williams because there's a word going around that Williams
[26:15.800 -> 26:18.740] are only going to bring an upgrade to Alex Albon's car.
[26:18.740 -> 26:21.840] And that's the sort of shenanigans the teams will have to do right now because the budget
[26:21.840 -> 26:27.960] cap, although it's there, teams will have to just play around and optimize their upgrades, which brings us to upgrades in general
[26:27.960 -> 26:32.960] because now Kunal, Mercedes have a new upgrade, Ferrari have brought one last weekend as well,
[26:32.960 -> 26:34.920] Aston Martin are bringing new ones.
[26:34.920 -> 26:38.320] There's a word that a couple of midfield teams will be now bringing in their proper right
[26:38.320 -> 26:39.320] packet.
[26:39.320 -> 26:42.080] So the grid could well be changing for the better now.
[26:42.080 -> 26:45.800] And this could be the first chance to get a realistic idea of where everyone is.
[26:45.800 -> 26:49.600] Like, seasons part two really start here, I feel.
[26:49.600 -> 26:50.440] Starts here.
[26:50.440 -> 26:54.640] We can hype it up all we want, but I don't see much changing.
[26:54.640 -> 26:57.840] But I like the fact that all top 10 teams
[26:57.840 -> 27:00.840] have been in the top 10 and qualifying at least once,
[27:00.840 -> 27:02.480] which is fantastic.
[27:02.480 -> 27:05.840] All top 10 teams are all, not top 10. I mean, there's
[27:05.840 -> 27:10.280] just 10 teams, right? All 10 teams actually realistically have had a chance of scoring
[27:10.280 -> 27:14.680] points, which they also have had done that this season. So it is very bunched up and
[27:14.680 -> 27:19.160] will it, will the bunch sort of juggle up a little more? I would love so. And you know,
[27:19.160 -> 27:32.640] you mentioned Albin. Yes, it is confirmed. It is only Albin's car that will have the upgrade. And I really hope that in their upgrades document, Williams pays the love back to Red Bull and says,
[27:32.640 -> 27:39.520] this upgrade is courtesy what we saw of Red Bull's floor in Monaco. I mean, Red Bull credited
[27:39.520 -> 27:45.000] Williams for the diffuser. Williams can credit Red Bull for everything, including Alexander Albon,
[27:45.000 -> 27:51.300] right? But let's see, you know, it's going to be raining. It's going to be damp. Mercedes
[27:51.300 -> 27:55.600] will definitely want to prove that Spain wasn't just about the conditions. McLaren would hope
[27:55.600 -> 28:00.880] that it'll keep remaining cool enough so that they remain a little more competitive. But
[28:00.880 -> 28:09.000] apart from that, I don't know. I mean, I'm so excited to watch qualifying because this is a really quick circuit.
[28:09.000 -> 28:13.000] Again, how closely bunched will the whole pack be in qualifying?
[28:13.000 -> 28:15.000] That's something that I'm always tracking.
[28:15.000 -> 28:18.000] And if you read my social media, I'm always the guy who's tweeting like,
[28:18.000 -> 28:24.000] Oh my God, this is just a second, you know, 1.2 seconds that the whole bunch is split by.
[28:24.000 -> 28:29.120] So I'm excited to see what this weekend brings, even though we know that it will be Max Verstappen
[28:29.120 -> 28:31.960] on the top step, but everything else is unknown.
[28:31.960 -> 28:34.780] Yeah, that's what Formula One is these days.
[28:34.780 -> 28:35.780] Everything is certain.
[28:35.780 -> 28:39.120] I mean, everything is uncertain apart from Max Verstappen winning at the end.
[28:39.120 -> 28:43.720] But qualifying is going to be amazing, as you rightly mentioned, Kunal.
[28:43.720 -> 28:44.960] The gaps are going to be interesting.
[28:44.960 -> 28:45.200] And the last thing I just want to talk about before we conclude today's episode is just is going to be amazing as you rightly mentioned Kunal. The gaps are going to be interesting.
[28:45.200 -> 28:50.320] And the last thing I just want to talk about before we conclude today's episode is just McLaren
[28:50.320 -> 28:55.120] because there is such an air of confusion around them. The temperatures might be low,
[28:55.120 -> 29:00.560] which has traditionally been the McLaren's strong point, but Canada is also a circuit of slow corners,
[29:00.560 -> 29:04.880] which has also been McLaren's major drawback. So we get to find out which is their biggest
[29:04.880 -> 29:06.040] weakness this weekend as well,
[29:06.040 -> 29:08.400] which is again, something very, very interesting.
[29:08.520 -> 29:13.200] And so if you are making your fantasy teams this weekend, oh my God, just pick
[29:13.200 -> 29:18.000] some, just pick Max and everything else seems to be totally, totally uncertain.
[29:18.000 -> 29:20.640] So Formula 1.5 looks good this weekend, Kunal.
[29:20.760 -> 29:46.320] So before we just end off your predictions about who takes P1 in Formula 1.5, I am going for George Russell. week But I think I'll also pick Fernando Alonso for making a very heroic statement around Lance
[29:46.320 -> 29:49.840] Stroll. Maybe he'll just say it in French for all we know, but yeah.
[29:52.240 -> 29:58.400] That we'll wait and see. But folks, this weekend, if you are in Mumbai, we would so, so much love
[29:58.400 -> 30:04.160] to have you at our live event at Versova Social. It'll be myself hosting it along with one of our
[30:04.160 -> 30:09.440] really good friends, Siddharth. It'll be a fun interaction pre and post race where we can get to chat Formula
[30:09.440 -> 30:14.120] One, you get to share your opinions and we just properly have an F1 community discussion
[30:14.120 -> 30:18.360] along with the quiz as well. So in case you're looking for how to join in, click on the link
[30:18.360 -> 30:22.720] in the description of this episode to register in, but I hope that you join us this Sunday
[30:22.720 -> 30:26.000] as well. But now folks, that's about it from the InsideLineF1 podcast.
[30:26.000 -> 30:29.000] We'll be back with the race review episode on Monday.
[30:29.000 -> 30:31.000] And if you're in Mumbai, see you on Sunday everyone.
[30:31.000 -> None] Bye-bye. you