‘Contender for race of the year!’ Did the Las Vegas GP live up to the hype?

Matt Baker is joined by Sky Sports’ Craig Slater and Simon Lazenby who give their first-hand experiences and opinions on the dramatic and spectacular Las Vegas Grand Prix. How did it compare to other races on the F1 calendar and did the actual racing deliver? Were Max Verstappen’s pessimistic pre-race comments justified? How did the fans who attended react to the race weekend? Do the schedule and timings need to change in future years?

# Las Vegas Grand Prix: A Comprehensive Review

## Introduction

- The inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix took place amidst high expectations and skepticism.
- The race weekend was a spectacle, featuring extravagant events and celebrity appearances.
- The actual racing delivered excitement and drama, with Max Verstappen emerging victorious.

## Event Evaluation

### Positive Aspects:

- The event was a resounding success, attracting over 100,000 fans and generating significant revenue for Las Vegas.
- The race track, designed to showcase the city's iconic landmarks, provided a unique and visually stunning setting.
- The organizers made efforts to enhance the fan experience, including improved facilities and entertainment options.

### Areas for Improvement:

- The timing of the race, scheduled late in the evening, posed challenges for fans and teams due to the disruption of sleep patterns.
- The tight schedule, particularly the late-night debriefs, affected the well-being of team members and drivers.
- The race weekend's festivities and events may have overshadowed the sporting aspect for some purists.

## Max Verstappen's Comments:

- Verstappen's criticism of the event's excessive showmanship sparked a debate about the balance between entertainment and sport in Formula One.
- Some viewed his comments as refreshing and honest, while others felt he should have maintained a more diplomatic stance.
- Verstappen's remarks highlighted the need for Formula One to strike a balance between attracting new audiences and preserving the sport's core values.

## Racing Analysis:

- The Las Vegas Grand Prix delivered thrilling racing, with multiple overtakes and intense battles throughout the field.
- Verstappen's victory was hard-earned, as he had to work his way through the pack after a poor start.
- The race showcased the talent and skill of the drivers, providing fans with an entertaining spectacle.

## Future Considerations:

- The organizers are likely to consider adjusting the race schedule to better accommodate fans and teams, potentially moving it to an earlier time slot.
- Discussions are underway to make the event a standalone race rather than part of a triple header, easing the strain on teams and personnel.
- Formula One may explore ways to enhance the racing experience for purists while maintaining the appeal of the sport to a broader audience.

## Conclusion:

- The Las Vegas Grand Prix was a resounding success, combining entertainment, spectacle, and thrilling racing.
- The event sparked important discussions about the evolving nature of Formula One and the need to balance showmanship with sporting integrity.
- As the race settles into the calendar, organizers and stakeholders will work to address areas for improvement and ensure its long-term viability.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix, a highly anticipated event, took place amidst skepticism and uncertainty. Despite concerns about the track's suitability for Formula One racing, the race weekend unfolded with dramatic moments, thrilling on-track action, and an overall positive reception from fans.

The podcast delves into the experiences and opinions of Matt Baker, Craig Slater, and Simon Lazenby, who were present at the event. They discuss the unique characteristics of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, comparing it to other races on the F1 calendar. The race weekend's success is attributed to various factors, including the track's layout, the atmosphere created by the fans, and the unpredictable nature of the race itself.

The podcast also addresses Max Verstappen's pessimistic pre-race comments, which were later justified by the challenging track conditions. The race's timing and schedule are brought into question, with suggestions for potential improvements to enhance the overall experience for fans and drivers alike.

The podcast highlights the potential for a fourth race in the United States, specifically mentioning New York as a possible location. The growth and popularity of Formula One in the United States are seen as positive developments for the sport's global reach.

The on-track action is praised, with the podcast emphasizing the race's status as a contender for the race of the year. Despite the challenges posed by the track conditions, the drivers delivered an exciting and unpredictable race, keeping fans on the edge of their seats until the very end.

The podcast acknowledges the impact of the race on the championship standings, with Aston Martin and Ferrari gaining ground in the Constructors' Championship. The upcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is anticipated to be a thrilling finale, with several teams and drivers still in contention for various positions.

Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll's impressive drives through the field are recognized, showcasing their skills and determination. The podcast also commends Fred Vasseur, the new Ferrari team principal, for his strong leadership and his ability to galvanize the team.

The podcast concludes with a look ahead to the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, where George Russell aims to end the year on a high note. The possibility of Russell squaring up the head-to-head qualifying battle with Lewis Hamilton is also discussed, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the season finale.

Overall, the podcast provides a comprehensive analysis of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, covering various aspects of the event, including the track, the atmosphere, the racing, and its impact on the championship standings. The podcast also offers insights into potential developments in the future of Formula One, particularly in the United States, and sets the stage for an exciting conclusion to the 2023 season in Abu Dhabi.

[00:00.000 -> 00:08.480] Hello everyone, welcome to this week's episode of the Sky Sports F1 podcast. Now the dust
[00:08.480 -> 00:12.680] might have settled on a rather bonkers Las Vegas Grand Prix, but we're going to try and
[00:12.680 -> 00:17.080] answer the question, did it live up to the hype? And to help me do that, I'm joined by
[00:17.080 -> 00:23.240] Craig Slater and Simon Lazenby. Hello to you both. Simon, I'll start with you. Very simple
[00:23.240 -> 00:25.800] question. What time do you think it is right now?
[00:25.800 -> 00:29.600] Yeah, I'm all over the place.
[00:29.600 -> 00:33.400] I had 10 hours on the plane, got back, went straight to sleep at 10,
[00:33.400 -> 00:35.600] woke up at 4, then went back to sleep at 9.
[00:35.600 -> 00:38.200] I think that it kind of sums up really.
[00:38.200 -> 00:42.100] It was bonkers for sleep this week.
[00:42.100 -> 00:46.800] But as I said, we put our viewers through it so often that it was time for us to suffer.
[00:46.800 -> 00:47.800] I did the school run.
[00:47.800 -> 00:51.600] I got back straight away and did the school run.
[00:51.600 -> 00:54.400] And actually, I had to drive to, I couldn't get a flight
[00:54.400 -> 00:55.500] to from Vegas.
[00:55.500 -> 00:58.800] I had to drive to and from Los Angeles, then fly Economy
[00:58.800 -> 01:01.200] overnight all the way back and then did the school run.
[01:01.200 -> 01:02.100] Probably not very safe.
[01:02.100 -> 01:04.600] Greg, you're harder than I am.
[01:04.700 -> 01:06.160] Greg, much harder. very safe, but hey. You're harder than I am, Drake. Much harder.
[01:06.640 -> 01:10.800] Impressive, impressive stuff. So as I mentioned, we'll try and answer that question.
[01:11.760 -> 01:15.680] Did it live up to the hype? And we'll try and do that through a number of sort of ways and
[01:15.680 -> 01:20.400] talk about the event, the Verstappen comments, the show versus the sport. But guys, you were
[01:20.400 -> 01:25.080] both there. Simon, just give us an overview of what it was like to work at. And
[01:25.080 -> 01:29.240] I guess I'm maybe coming at this from the angle of, you know, we've been to Miami recently,
[01:29.240 -> 01:32.440] haven't we? And in your career working on F1, you must have been to quite a few new
[01:32.440 -> 01:38.160] racetracks and new events. Where does this rank in terms of a new event on the calendar?
[01:38.160 -> 01:43.400] Well, in terms of scale, there's never been anything bigger than it. But I think we all
[01:43.400 -> 01:45.000] knew that coming into the weekend.
[01:45.000 -> 01:53.000] I go back to what Max said at the start of the weekend, saying it was 99% show and 1% sport.
[01:53.000 -> 01:58.000] And then the delicious irony of him being dressed as Elvis, spraying champagne on the top step of the podium,
[01:58.000 -> 02:02.000] and go to the Bellagio and go into that Rolls Royce.
[02:02.000 -> 02:07.360] Max calls it as it is. I can see where he's coming from,
[02:07.360 -> 02:16.240] but at the same time I think then the racing spoke for itself and with that I think you have to say
[02:16.240 -> 02:22.880] that it offered both the show and the razzmatazz and also the quality of racing that we hoped and
[02:22.880 -> 02:25.840] it was a little bit like Baku, but better, as Lewis had said.
[02:25.840 -> 02:30.200] So I think that scale-wise, never seen anything bigger.
[02:30.720 -> 02:33.280] Timing-wise, if I was going to change one thing,
[02:33.280 -> 02:36.920] I think everybody thinks that you could, if you can sort out the logistics
[02:37.160 -> 02:40.440] of the local traffic and you can close down the strip earlier,
[02:40.600 -> 02:45.800] why not have a six or seven in the evening race and qualifying, which
[02:45.800 -> 02:49.640] works for the East Coast in America and means that potentially people over this
[02:49.640 -> 02:53.280] side of the pond can stay up for it rather than get up for it.
[02:53.280 -> 02:57.080] And I wonder how the balance would work there in terms of viewing figures.
[02:57.080 -> 03:02.040] I think perhaps it might be, it might be bigger if people stayed up on a Saturday
[03:02.040 -> 03:03.760] night rather than getting up Sunday morning.
[03:03.760 -> 03:06.520] So I think that that's what they have to kind of balance up.
[03:06.520 -> 03:12.000] Yeah, well I could bring the perspective of pay-per-view boxing. That was my 19th
[03:12.000 -> 03:16.880] visit to Las Vegas. 16 times previously I've been for big fights, which
[03:16.880 -> 03:21.800] interestingly are scheduled much earlier in the day than they would be if they
[03:21.800 -> 03:30.160] were on the east coast of America. So typically you'd see the main event fight getting in the ring at 7 or 8 o'clock, so it would be 9 or 10 p.m. on the East
[03:30.160 -> 03:38.240] Coast. Now, I've been in touch with organizers and some leading figures at Formula One today,
[03:38.240 -> 03:44.240] in actual fact, to put that very question to them. And I can reveal that there will be talks
[03:47.920 -> 03:56.000] very question to them and I can reveal that there will be talks about making it an earlier start time next time. Now nothing confirmed yet but there will be discussions to see if by common
[03:56.000 -> 04:03.520] consent the one thing which was particularly hard to deal with out there and actually if we go back
[04:03.520 -> 04:07.200] to Thursday and all the shenanigans then impacted on the fan
[04:07.200 -> 04:15.520] experience as well, I think they will be looking at, is it worthwhile making it start a little
[04:15.520 -> 04:16.760] bit earlier?
[04:16.760 -> 04:18.520] So that is something.
[04:18.520 -> 04:31.000] What I would say about it is, on a scale and what it did to Las Vegas. For all the mumblings about the disruption and maybe local residents not being too happy
[04:31.000 -> 04:36.600] with F1 being there, it was a bonanza night for the city of Las Vegas in economic terms.
[04:36.600 -> 04:41.600] We won't get the full financial results until the end of the year or when the casino is
[04:41.600 -> 04:46.160] published the final quarter results for the new year. But one casino
[04:46.160 -> 04:52.960] boss described it as being like New Year's Eve for the race weekend itself and that is not normally
[04:52.960 -> 05:00.240] a brilliant weekend for Las Vegas. So if they can have that every year with something approaching
[05:00.240 -> 05:10.040] that, something approaching 100,000 people coming in. Many of the big casinos were sold out with room rates by all accounts still pretty high,
[05:10.040 -> 05:14.800] even though the Las Vegas market does tend to drop a little bit when you get absolutely
[05:14.800 -> 05:16.360] on the event itself.
[05:16.360 -> 05:18.480] There are some bargains to be had.
[05:18.480 -> 05:27.480] Then this is a success story for Las Vegas and no question, I think we will be there for the entirety of the contract
[05:27.480 -> 05:30.640] and maybe beyond which is 10 years.
[05:30.640 -> 05:35.880] Still reflecting Craig on you being to Vegas, going to Vegas 19 times in your career. That
[05:35.880 -> 05:36.880] has to be a record.
[05:36.880 -> 05:45.000] I'm only 25, I'm only 25. Just because I look 50 doesn't mean I did it.
[05:47.000 -> 05:50.000] Simon, just to pick up on what Craig said there, because next year when we look at Vegas in the calendar,
[05:50.000 -> 05:52.000] it's going to kick off the triple header,
[05:52.000 -> 05:56.000] the final three races of the season are going to begin with Vegas next year.
[05:56.000 -> 05:59.000] I can see you smiling already, even just contemplating that.
[05:59.000 -> 06:03.000] Surely there does have to be a change to the schedule
[06:03.000 -> 06:06.400] to allow the teams and everyone who's associated
[06:06.400 -> 06:10.160] with Formula One the chance to at least give them a fighting chance to be able to survive
[06:10.160 -> 06:15.320] until Abu Dhabi. Yeah, I mean, I was talking to Shav from Mercedes and a couple of other
[06:15.320 -> 06:20.040] people from within different camps and it's, it wasn't really, it's not, we just talk out
[06:20.040 -> 06:27.720] loud for a living, right? So if we can, we could do that whenever. We're not the ones that are putting together Formula One cars and then
[06:27.720 -> 06:31.220] debriefing as engineers do and had to with the drivers.
[06:31.700 -> 06:33.420] And after that, what night was it?
[06:33.420 -> 06:34.660] Was it the Thursday night?
[06:34.740 -> 06:35.360] I lose track.
[06:35.360 -> 06:36.580] So it was a Thursday night, wasn't it?
[06:36.580 -> 06:38.560] Which was the late finish, 2.30 till 4.
[06:39.000 -> 06:41.980] They then went into their debriefs, their engineering meetings.
[06:42.460 -> 06:47.440] And I think it was, um, one of the driver's trainers literally had to
[06:47.440 -> 06:51.680] pull him out of one of the debriefs because they really have to stick to
[06:51.680 -> 06:57.400] these rigid plans of Slea to make sure that they can, they can operate at their,
[06:58.080 -> 07:01.000] their best when it comes to qualifying in the race.
[07:01.080 -> 07:05.800] And it was, it was getting to that point where it was just, you know,
[07:05.800 -> 07:09.680] not tenable for them to do that. So there was a balance to strike. And I think going
[07:09.680 -> 07:14.300] to bed at seven in the morning, it doesn't matter how you've, you know, tuned your body
[07:14.300 -> 07:19.140] to the time difference, it's going to really wear you down. The fact that it's just hard
[07:19.140 -> 07:22.980] to get enough sleep. You know, there's thumping music coming, there's the planes coming from
[07:22.980 -> 07:28.400] the airport as well. I should imagine if you're a driver and you want to have your eight hours beauty sleep,
[07:28.400 -> 07:29.920] that was one of the difficulties for them.
[07:29.920 -> 07:35.560] So also the beginning of a triple header to then think of them going straight on after
[07:35.560 -> 07:40.920] a D-rig and a pack up and having to do that to go to Qatar and then to Abu Dhabi, that
[07:40.920 -> 07:47.800] is going to be brutal because I think there's another triple header before then, isn't there? So, next year, the end of it, long season.
[07:47.800 -> 07:52.600] I know they've scheduled in another little break in October time, which will
[07:52.600 -> 07:57.600] help the teams, but absolutely everything points to them having to change the schedule.
[07:57.800 -> 08:04.500] And I think as Craig was revealing there, I would imagine that everybody will be behind that.
[08:04.500 -> 08:08.400] revealing there, I would imagine that everybody will be behind that. You're saying that maybe make it a standalone event next year.
[08:08.400 -> 08:09.400] Well, I mean, you could do that, but it's...
[08:09.400 -> 08:13.300] Detach it from the final triple header, because there is a little bit of a space,
[08:13.300 -> 08:15.800] but I don't think it'd be easy to do, to be honest.
[08:15.800 -> 08:16.700] But let's see.
[08:16.700 -> 08:17.100] Yeah.
[08:17.100 -> 08:18.100] I mean, it's full now.
[08:18.100 -> 08:20.100] I'm getting to that point where it is full.
[08:20.100 -> 08:21.900] Before we get into 24 races.
[08:21.900 -> 08:26.400] So, I had a discussion with one of our bosses actually,
[08:26.400 -> 08:29.400] but early in the weekend before the race,
[08:29.400 -> 08:31.200] and I think the race made up for a lot.
[08:31.200 -> 08:35.000] We'll get on to talking about the race and how good or otherwise it was.
[08:35.000 -> 08:36.600] Very good in my opinion.
[08:36.600 -> 08:39.400] But it was, who is this race for?
[08:39.400 -> 08:42.400] And like you outlined, Simon, it's kind of,
[08:42.400 -> 08:46.400] it was such a compromised time slot and I never feel
[08:46.400 -> 08:52.320] comfortable with that. I mean, I quite often in Britain we've had, coming from the sport I
[08:52.320 -> 08:55.920] previously covered, boxing again, you would occasionally have fights in the middle of the
[08:55.920 -> 09:08.960] night at Wembley for an American audience and I just don't, to me it makes more sense to have it at its proper... a reasonable American time zone,
[09:10.560 -> 09:16.720] to have it primarily for its market of its territory that it exists in and then the rest
[09:16.720 -> 09:23.920] of us can get up and watch it, you know, maybe like you say, maybe have an all-nighter and in
[09:23.920 -> 09:26.320] a televisual sense, at least,
[09:26.320 -> 09:28.200] it's sometimes not such a bad thing
[09:28.200 -> 09:30.160] to have something on the middle of a night
[09:30.160 -> 09:31.040] on a Saturday night.
[09:31.040 -> 09:33.980] You know, it can cater to a particular audience,
[09:33.980 -> 09:36.160] whether it's nightclubs or students.
[09:36.160 -> 09:38.720] You know, there is, I think people do get up
[09:38.720 -> 09:41.240] and make an appointment to view for something like that,
[09:41.240 -> 09:43.960] or if you can, if you're a family type of person,
[09:43.960 -> 09:51.200] you watch the replay. But I think maybe to have it live at the time it was didn't feel right in either.
[09:51.200 -> 09:55.200] It didn't really suit America and it didn't really suit Europe either.
[09:55.200 -> 09:59.280] Let's move on to talk about the comments from Max Verstappen. And Simon, you mentioned earlier
[09:59.280 -> 10:05.720] in regards to what he had to say about the event. First off, do we think Max was right
[10:05.720 -> 10:09.800] to criticize the event early on in the weekend?
[10:09.800 -> 10:11.540] Simon, I'll start with you.
[10:11.540 -> 10:12.960] When you heard those comments,
[10:12.960 -> 10:15.120] what was your reaction to him kind of
[10:15.960 -> 10:18.720] not quite towing the party line, as it were?
[10:18.720 -> 10:22.540] Those comments from Max were Max being
[10:22.540 -> 10:28.400] the pure racing driver that he is, that everybody respects up and down
[10:28.400 -> 10:36.440] there. He will call it as it is and that's that. And he felt like a clown being paraded
[10:36.440 -> 10:41.720] in front of just at the warm-up ceremony, the opening ceremony, he said that he felt
[10:41.720 -> 10:45.240] like a clown standing there. Now if he is one of
[10:45.240 -> 10:53.160] those that doesn't like that aspect of the job, that's fine. I think he could have just
[10:53.160 -> 10:57.720] kept his counsel. I think that's the only thing. I think it probably will have annoyed
[10:57.720 -> 11:01.520] – it's going to have annoyed Liberty, it's going to have annoyed Formula One because
[11:01.520 -> 11:08.840] they've put so much behind this, you know, it's half a billion quid's investment and they're the promoter of the F1 race in Vegas.
[11:08.840 -> 11:13.560] So it's not going to go down well because he is the triple world champion.
[11:13.560 -> 11:15.960] He is the reigning world champion.
[11:15.960 -> 11:20.480] And then I kind of think he stepped back a little bit once he enjoyed the race.
[11:20.480 -> 11:22.760] And we all enjoyed the race.
[11:22.760 -> 11:23.760] There was multiple overtakes.
[11:23.760 -> 11:25.240] He had to work for it. In fact, it was one of the probably overtakes. He had to work for it.
[11:25.240 -> 11:27.240] In fact, it was one of the probably the hardest
[11:27.240 -> 11:29.380] he's had to work for a race victory this year.
[11:29.380 -> 11:34.380] So once he was convinced that the track was worth his salt
[11:34.380 -> 11:38.760] and that it produced what was to him a fun race,
[11:38.760 -> 11:41.000] then he about faced a little bit and said,
[11:41.000 -> 11:42.360] ah, you know, that was good.
[11:42.360 -> 11:44.920] I enjoyed that and sang Viva Las Vegas.
[11:47.520 -> 11:48.240] Did everything they needed to do.
[11:52.800 -> 11:58.320] How do you just be kept quiet for the beginning bit? It might have helped the promoter out, but Max is Max and he's refreshing
[11:58.320 -> 11:59.600] and that's what a lot of people love him for.
[12:00.800 -> 12:02.800] He was asked the question, Simon, wasn't he?
[12:02.800 -> 12:05.640] And I was on Ted Kravitz's podcast,
[12:05.640 -> 12:07.640] it seemed to be the darling of the Sky podcast.
[12:07.640 -> 12:10.960] They must be really struggling for guests.
[12:10.960 -> 12:15.960] But anyway, Ted was pursuing his usual conspiracy angle.
[12:15.960 -> 12:17.520] No, I'm not saying that.
[12:17.520 -> 12:21.320] He raised the question about, you know,
[12:21.320 -> 12:22.840] he was slightly put in a corner,
[12:22.840 -> 12:25.840] but as journalists, we knew what we were going
[12:25.840 -> 12:30.320] to get if we asked Max that question because of what he's come out and said previously
[12:30.320 -> 12:36.280] about not necessarily liking Netflix or the Razzmatazz, but want to focus on the racing.
[12:36.280 -> 12:43.320] So I think it was his direct answer to a direct question.
[12:43.320 -> 12:45.560] He's perfectly entitled to that opinion.
[12:45.560 -> 12:48.520] And I think it did spark a very useful debate.
[12:48.520 -> 12:49.900] I 100% agree with you.
[12:49.900 -> 12:51.800] I think he did change his tune.
[12:51.800 -> 12:55.720] I think he's much less of a Las Vegas skeptic today
[12:55.720 -> 12:57.260] than he was a week ago.
[12:58.560 -> 13:03.000] But it's a fascinating, look at this,
[13:03.000 -> 13:04.760] there's so many different ways to look at this.
[13:04.760 -> 13:09.200] One or two people have seen this as new circuits versus old circuits.
[13:09.200 -> 13:16.960] I don't know what you recall, Simon, but I mean, a bit like you, I think I'd been to
[13:16.960 -> 13:22.720] two or three races before we got the rights in 2012 in the flesh.
[13:22.720 -> 13:25.840] I remember in those early years thinking it's quite an old
[13:25.840 -> 13:29.520] demographic looking around the various tracks we went to around the world and
[13:29.520 -> 13:34.240] obviously you don't get much chance to do that with Britain. It was an aging
[13:34.240 -> 13:39.360] demographic and there wasn't that much on offer to fans at some of these old
[13:39.360 -> 13:49.720] circuits and I think F1 did need the transfusion that Liberty Media have given it, which has raised
[13:49.720 -> 13:55.560] the level of the fan experience across the board at some of these new venues, like Miami,
[13:55.560 -> 13:58.360] like Las Vegas.
[13:58.360 -> 14:08.200] I think back to going to places like Hockenheim and Nuremberg Ringing, just no real facilities for fans. Great circuits, yes,
[14:08.200 -> 14:15.100] but years of having to pay maybe excessive fees or fees they couldn't sustain, dropping
[14:15.100 -> 14:25.560] off fan interest as well, they had sagged as places where you could come in and have a good time watching the racing.
[14:25.560 -> 14:30.560] So I kind of, I understand that,
[14:30.960 -> 14:33.040] I think the world has moved on a little bit
[14:33.040 -> 14:35.920] and I think there's a certain romanticism
[14:35.920 -> 14:39.080] in some people's mind thinking about this golden epoch
[14:39.080 -> 14:44.080] when it was Monza, Nürburgring, Spa, et cetera, et cetera.
[14:45.000 -> 14:46.580] you know, Monza, Nürburgring, Spa, et cetera, et cetera.
[14:51.400 -> 14:53.200] And there always is that tendency to romanticize the past. I think he's absolutely right though.
[14:53.200 -> 14:57.640] We do need to, maybe the sport does need to find ways
[14:57.640 -> 15:00.540] of reigniting the support base
[15:00.540 -> 15:02.820] in some of those traditional centers
[15:02.820 -> 15:05.360] which have lost it a little bit, particularly Germany.
[15:07.040 -> 15:12.720] And maybe more needs to be done. He talked about this after qualifying, didn't he? More invested in
[15:14.400 -> 15:22.560] not just the Rasmus Taz, but explaining the level of performance that drivers reach in a race. So
[15:23.040 -> 15:27.560] it's not so much that he doesn't want, well he probably doesn't
[15:27.560 -> 15:33.800] necessarily want the Rasmus Sass, but he wants more emphasis on the racing so it counterbalances
[15:33.800 -> 15:34.800] the glitz.
[15:34.800 -> 15:42.380] I thought as well his comments were interesting in that so often as journalists and people
[15:42.380 -> 15:46.600] who work on that side of Formula One, we're trying to get out
[15:46.600 -> 15:48.280] different responses from drivers.
[15:48.280 -> 15:50.640] Simon, Greg, you've probably done so many interviews
[15:50.640 -> 15:51.920] where you've asked a question
[15:51.920 -> 15:53.760] and you could probably predict the answer
[15:53.760 -> 15:56.080] that a sports person is gonna give in response
[15:56.080 -> 15:57.560] because that's the party line,
[15:57.560 -> 15:59.240] that's what they always tend to say.
[15:59.240 -> 16:01.040] And I think Max isn't doing that.
[16:01.040 -> 16:01.880] Max is-
[16:01.880 -> 16:03.920] Putting it bluntly, Max, it's like they've spent
[16:03.920 -> 16:06.520] 700 million dollars on this.
[16:06.520 -> 16:08.720] Let's get Max to kind of take it down a peg.
[16:08.720 -> 16:12.060] It's sort of hubris versus, you know, it's, it's, yeah.
[16:12.060 -> 16:17.040] And actually with very little else going on story wise, it was always going to be a, it
[16:17.040 -> 16:20.480] was always going to be a bit of a, and I'm not trying to say I wouldn't, that wasn't
[16:20.480 -> 16:24.480] what I would have covered myself because I, you know, it's, it's perfectly legitimate
[16:24.480 -> 16:25.720] uh, grounds to, to, to, to look at. that wasn't what I would have covered myself because it's perfectly legitimate grounds
[16:25.720 -> 16:30.480] to look at. And I think it's very interesting, the whole issue.
[16:30.480 -> 16:34.800] Yeah. I just think actually having someone who's being honest and speaking their mind
[16:34.800 -> 16:40.320] is something that often we're asking for. And when it happens, it's actually a great
[16:40.320 -> 16:45.560] thing for it to happen. Simon, do you also, do you subscribe to the fact
[16:45.560 -> 16:49.440] that maybe Max is kind of becoming a bit of a celebrant
[16:49.440 -> 16:52.440] of the kind of the purists of motorsport, isn't he?
[16:52.440 -> 16:55.160] In the last, I feel like he's becoming
[16:55.160 -> 16:56.200] quite likable for that.
[16:56.200 -> 16:58.720] He's a true racer, isn't he, at his core,
[16:58.720 -> 17:01.200] and he seems to be kind of harnessing that
[17:01.200 -> 17:03.600] and pushing that agenda forward in a,
[17:03.600 -> 17:07.120] like as we've said, in a sport that's definitely moving in all sorts of different directions.
[17:08.160 -> 17:14.240] Yeah, well, 100%. I think that's what he stands for. I think with a racing father who's undoubtedly
[17:14.240 -> 17:19.920] a purist, and the fact that they, he just loves, he loves racing in Europe, I think,
[17:19.920 -> 17:23.760] more than anything, as you're going back to your point, Craig. I think he's really like that,
[17:23.760 -> 17:26.300] whereas you look, you compare him to somebody like Lewis,
[17:26.300 -> 17:30.600] who arrives at some weekends and you feel like, okay,
[17:30.600 -> 17:32.300] this isn't his kind of weekend.
[17:32.400 -> 17:36.700] He, when he arrives at a US Grand Prix, one of the three,
[17:36.700 -> 17:38.600] he's in his element because he likes that.
[17:38.600 -> 17:42.000] He knows that he's got a big fan base in the States
[17:42.000 -> 17:43.500] and it brings out the best in him.
[17:43.500 -> 17:46.700] I always think that he's a totally different character when he arrives.
[17:46.700 -> 17:53.700] Whereas I think Max, because of what comes with racing in America, inevitably
[17:53.700 -> 17:55.300] it's going to be a bigger show over there.
[17:55.300 -> 17:57.700] It doesn't sit with him as well as it sits with others.
[17:57.700 -> 17:59.300] So yes, I do think he's a purist.
[17:59.600 -> 18:01.100] I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
[18:01.500 -> 18:04.300] I think there's a balance to be struck, isn't it?
[18:04.300 -> 18:05.300] About building this sport and growing in new territories, which then takes There's anything wrong with that. I think there's a balance to be struck, isn't it, about building
[18:05.300 -> 18:08.900] this sport and growing in new territories, which then takes it back
[18:08.900 -> 18:12.400] to what full circle to what Craig was saying about why don't you
[18:12.400 -> 18:17.200] just please the local market for timings as opposed to trying to
[18:17.200 -> 18:22.000] keep that European audience happy, which is the core base of it.
[18:22.100 -> 18:27.000] But at the same time, I do think he could have been managed better
[18:27.000 -> 18:29.000] this weekend on that front.
[18:29.000 -> 18:32.400] And I think, but the thing with America and these races is that
[18:33.200 -> 18:39.400] when they find a problem or they think, okay, that didn't work well this year,
[18:39.500 -> 18:41.500] they try to rectify it for the next year.
[18:41.500 -> 18:45.200] They're very, very good at that because they learn
[18:45.200 -> 18:50.600] fast, they are very malleable and adaptable, and I think that's why we'll see significant
[18:50.600 -> 18:57.480] changes. One thing, for example, just as a side thing, I was fully expecting to see a
[18:57.480 -> 19:02.680] brilliant shot of a Formula One car going past the Bellagio fountains from behind the
[19:02.680 -> 19:07.200] fountains, so they go up like that. But of course, you didn't get that because the catch fencing was in the way.
[19:07.200 -> 19:11.360] And then we had our Bellagio moment at the end, which took about 25 minutes
[19:11.920 -> 19:12.480] to get there.
[19:13.200 -> 19:15.360] So there were a couple of little things like that.
[19:15.360 -> 19:20.480] The, I thought, all right, maybe let's see if we can tweak that for next year.
[19:20.480 -> 19:23.200] But it just, it looked great from the air, didn't it?
[19:23.200 -> 19:24.320] It looked like Singapore did.
[19:24.320 -> 19:28.100] Phenomenal. next year, but it just it looked great from the air, didn't it? It looked like Singapore did, lit up, great backdrop, great
[19:28.300 -> 19:31.800] cityscape at night because it's totally different as Craig
[19:31.800 -> 19:36.400] having been there for 19 occasions, Vegas when it's not
[19:36.400 -> 19:39.900] lit up, those buildings are kind of 70s and a little bit
[19:39.900 -> 19:42.700] drab and you wouldn't want to have it in the daylight because
[19:42.700 -> 19:45.280] it would completely defeat the object to the Vegas Grand Prix.
[19:45.280 -> 19:47.320] So I know I've got a bit of a tangent,
[19:47.320 -> 19:51.040] but yes, I get what he is about being principled
[19:51.040 -> 19:53.440] and purist racer, and that will appeal
[19:53.440 -> 19:56.040] to a lot of the core fan base.
[19:56.040 -> 20:00.560] Did Devil's Advocate, is he addressing his core fan base
[20:00.560 -> 20:03.040] and telling them what they want to hear?
[20:03.040 -> 20:03.880] Maybe.
[20:03.880 -> 20:04.700] Being slightly, you know.
[20:04.700 -> 20:05.240] Maybe.
[20:05.240 -> 20:08.080] I always used to remember the Proclaimers.
[20:08.080 -> 20:11.120] Remember, you know, the Proclaimers is the Scottish band.
[20:11.120 -> 20:14.640] And they always used to come across,
[20:14.640 -> 20:17.120] I remember there was one kid on Saturday Superstore
[20:17.120 -> 20:19.280] saying, I like the Proclaimers
[20:19.280 -> 20:21.280] because they don't have an image.
[20:21.280 -> 20:23.800] You know, they're just pure musicians.
[20:23.800 -> 20:25.280] And yet, of course they had an image, but their image they're just pure musicians and yet of course they had an image
[20:25.280 -> 20:33.200] but their image was we are pure musicians. Listen, I love, you need, you can't have everyone
[20:33.200 -> 20:41.760] the same in F1. You can't have everyone a kind of, you know, a cheerleader for everything
[20:41.760 -> 20:49.560] Formula One is. You need to have these arguments and discussions and it's fantastic that I think Max speaks out that you it's
[20:49.560 -> 20:53.500] absolutely necessary to have that as well but it's like the same time we
[20:53.500 -> 20:56.360] can't get away from the notion that we should all be written. Hockenheim
[20:56.360 -> 21:01.600] couldn't get 60,000 people through the doors in 2018 you know yeah for the last
[21:01.600 -> 21:05.600] race there with with Sebastian Vettel in a Ferrari, a title contender.
[21:05.600 -> 21:06.600] So what do you do?
[21:06.600 -> 21:09.000] To play devil's advocate to your devil's advocate.
[21:09.700 -> 21:11.200] Does Max care?
[21:11.700 -> 21:17.000] Is he one of these people that goes on social media and does his own stuff?
[21:17.000 -> 21:18.800] Or does he have someone doing it for him?
[21:18.800 -> 21:22.900] I don't see him as the kind of person that's trawling through comments going,
[21:22.900 -> 21:24.000] I've got to say this.
[21:24.000 -> 21:28.500] I just think it's innate. and he knows what those race fans,
[21:28.500 -> 21:31.100] pure race fans want to hear you right and says it.
[21:31.100 -> 21:35.100] But I think actually it's part of his DNA and nothing's going to change him.
[21:35.100 -> 21:35.600] So.
[21:35.600 -> 21:41.000] That speech he made on after qualifying, you can find it online.
[21:41.000 -> 21:41.600] Yeah.
[21:41.600 -> 21:45.520] That was very powerful and that's worth listening to and very thought through.
[21:45.520 -> 21:48.880] And I think that's out of the whole debate that he started,
[21:48.880 -> 21:52.080] I think that is real food for thought.
[21:52.080 -> 21:55.200] So I think it's been a good debate, the whole thing.
[21:55.200 -> 21:56.120] Yeah.
[21:56.120 -> 21:58.880] A couple of other sort of key moments across the weekend.
[21:58.880 -> 22:01.140] Obviously we have to talk a little bit about Friday
[22:01.140 -> 22:01.980] and the drain covers.
[22:01.980 -> 22:03.720] It was obviously a long time ago
[22:03.720 -> 22:09.000] and I don't want to dwell too much on it, But Craig, you spoke to fans afterwards, didn't you? And
[22:09.000 -> 22:12.240] what was the sentiment amongst those people? Because I was trying to compare it to other
[22:12.240 -> 22:16.560] sports and thinking, you know, if you'd, I guess, maybe like Wimbledon, possibly, if
[22:16.560 -> 22:20.020] you'd, you know, back in the day, you might have seen 10 minutes of play on the on the
[22:20.020 -> 22:24.240] outside courts and then gone out, it's raining, we can't, we can't see anymore. But because
[22:24.240 -> 22:29.800] there were no support races, the only thing you would have seen for your quite expensive ticket,
[22:29.800 -> 22:34.400] I would expect, would have been nine minutes of track action, which is probably not enough,
[22:34.400 -> 22:35.400] is it?
[22:35.400 -> 22:43.640] Yeah, you know, you don't like rushing out to go and speak to people who you know are
[22:43.640 -> 22:46.160] going to probably say something negative
[22:46.160 -> 22:49.360] about the sport, which gives you a living
[22:49.360 -> 22:50.620] at the end of the day.
[22:51.520 -> 22:55.280] But I think you can't have credibility as a broadcaster
[22:55.280 -> 23:00.280] or as a journalist unless you go and have those voices heard
[23:00.280 -> 23:02.160] if such circumstances arise.
[23:02.160 -> 23:05.800] So, you know, I was quite surprised.
[23:05.800 -> 23:08.560] I didn't hear many others go and speak to the fans,
[23:08.560 -> 23:12.040] funnily enough, about that whole episode.
[23:12.040 -> 23:15.080] What was very interesting was actually,
[23:16.520 -> 23:18.080] although the ones I think we played out
[23:18.080 -> 23:19.760] were probably more on the negative side,
[23:19.760 -> 23:22.840] the whole sample, most people, although they were,
[23:22.840 -> 23:24.240] yeah, of course, a bit put out,
[23:24.240 -> 23:25.440] were quite philosophical
[23:25.440 -> 23:30.880] about it in actual fact. Most of them had three-day tickets. The ones who didn't have
[23:30.880 -> 23:37.960] a three-day ticket were, yeah, as you can imagine, thinking, well, what do I do now?
[23:37.960 -> 23:47.000] But getting back to what we were talking about initially, about how well the event is run, you know, that was
[23:47.000 -> 23:53.000] the sense I got. They've been well catered for during the day. There was good food on
[23:53.000 -> 23:59.200] offer, there were entertainments, a good effort was made to provide a show even when the cars
[23:59.200 -> 24:07.080] weren't off, that it did mitigate the fact that not much, well almost zero action happened.
[24:07.080 -> 24:11.640] Funny enough, there was one person said to me, and I was, you kind of, when you're in
[24:11.640 -> 24:15.240] that situation, I'm not saying you're looking for a negative comment, but you're expecting
[24:15.240 -> 24:16.240] angry fans.
[24:16.240 -> 24:19.480] One of them said to me, yeah, but the eight minutes was really good.
[24:19.480 -> 24:20.480] Goodness.
[24:20.480 -> 24:21.480] That FP1 session.
[24:21.480 -> 24:28.760] You know what, I need some of your positivity in my life at that point.
[24:28.760 -> 24:36.520] But yeah, I mean, that was a gosh, I saw Netflix were behind the scenes in the situation room
[24:36.520 -> 24:40.840] or whatever it's called at that point, because that would be unmissable drama.
[24:40.840 -> 24:45.400] I mean, that if the event felt like in crisis at that point
[24:45.400 -> 24:51.640] what a job they did to fill in 60 I've learned 60 of those
[24:51.640 -> 24:57.360] water valves and with cement in five hours. And now they're putting them back
[24:57.360 -> 25:05.840] aren't they now? Yeah. And then the Fred Varsour thing with Tom Clarkson, you know, it was like,
[25:05.840 -> 25:10.920] you feel for Tom in that situation but it's, yeah.
[25:10.920 -> 25:14.880] Simon, did you ever think you'd do a FP2 session at 4am?
[25:14.880 -> 25:19.400] No, I didn't think I'd do that. We were all going mad by that stage because we'd been
[25:19.400 -> 25:25.320] off for 22 hours. Because, you know, when you go that way, everybody's waking up at five in the morning anyway.
[25:25.320 -> 25:28.080] It doesn't matter what you try to do.
[25:28.080 -> 25:31.520] So yeah, I mean, that was one of the stories of the week.
[25:31.520 -> 25:38.560] I think that's what made it unique and probably a bit special.
[25:38.560 -> 25:40.120] It was certainly confusing.
[25:40.120 -> 25:46.800] When we're finishing it, coming on air at 2.30 for 4am and thinking that's no-call.
[25:47.760 -> 25:52.960] East Coast at 5.30 on air, you know, it actually worked out well for the UK audience that, but
[25:55.200 -> 26:00.880] I think, yeah, that's why they need to change it because it's just not fair on the teams.
[26:00.880 -> 26:08.760] The final couple of points, I do want to talk about the racing a little bit, but there was one thing that I thought was an interesting discussion about Miami and
[26:08.760 -> 26:13.680] where now the success of Vegas, and I think we can all agree that was a hugely successful
[26:13.680 -> 26:18.840] race, it delivered amazing racing on a brilliant street track through the under the lights
[26:18.840 -> 26:26.040] in Las Vegas. I wonder what Miami think now of the three US races. Simon, I'll come to you on this, maybe.
[26:26.040 -> 26:27.040] Where does that sit?
[26:27.040 -> 26:31.960] You've obviously got Austin, which is the racetrack in terms of, you know, it is an
[26:31.960 -> 26:33.440] out and out racetrack.
[26:33.440 -> 26:37.240] But would Miami kind of go, well, we're a street track, but we're probably not delivering
[26:37.240 -> 26:40.920] the same level of racing that we saw on Sunday?
[26:40.920 -> 26:49.800] Well, if I was to rank them at the moment, this is dangerous, but Austin won Vegas two,
[26:49.800 -> 26:53.960] Miami three at the moment on the basis of this year.
[26:53.960 -> 27:00.880] I just think that the circuit of the Americas has done such a good job and always gets over
[27:00.880 -> 27:03.800] 400,000 fans there year on year.
[27:03.800 -> 27:04.800] It's a great racetrack.
[27:04.800 -> 27:05.120] One of the best racetrack, one of the
[27:05.120 -> 27:09.520] best racetracks I think we go to on the calendar and you talk about purists
[27:09.520 -> 27:15.080] that's one that no one can argue it's it's really cemented I think it's number
[27:15.080 -> 27:21.480] one status and it's for the others to try to change and make it like
[27:21.480 -> 27:25.800] that. I know they're all they've all got different feels. They all do have genuinely
[27:25.800 -> 27:32.780] different feels. But my favourite feel is Austin. And that's just a subjective thing.
[27:32.780 -> 27:37.320] I've always liked going there. I think it's a great city. I think you get a lot of really,
[27:37.320 -> 27:41.800] really knowledgeable fans there too. You get a big Mexican contingent that are always cheering
[27:41.800 -> 27:49.080] on Sergio Perez. They love motorsport over there. And you get people flying in from all over the States to go and sample it
[27:49.080 -> 27:52.840] because they know that it's become a real staple of the calendar.
[27:52.840 -> 27:54.720] So that's still my favorite.
[27:54.720 -> 27:56.560] I think there's a place for all three of them.
[27:56.680 -> 27:59.440] And I think that Vegas will grow and learn.
[27:59.440 -> 28:04.200] And it was a good start in the end, and they rescued it, as Craig said,
[28:06.640 -> 28:10.920] from what was the most embarrassing start that they would have wanted.
[28:10.920 -> 28:16.320] And they turned it around and the racing was good and it was different racing to what you
[28:16.320 -> 28:17.920] get at the Circus of the Americas.
[28:17.920 -> 28:26.100] So yeah, I think as you said, it's the space for all three, but I think Vegas and Miami, that identity
[28:26.100 -> 28:30.460] and improving on what they've got will definitely be their priority over the next two or three
[28:30.460 -> 28:31.460] years.
[28:31.460 -> 28:34.700] The Miami one, I suppose, what is its USP now?
[28:34.700 -> 28:40.460] It's interesting, people were questioning what is Monaco's USP now that Las Vegas is
[28:40.460 -> 28:46.920] on the calendar, aren't they? And which is an interesting sacrilegious
[28:47.120 -> 28:50.360] for the purists like Simon down there.
[28:50.360 -> 28:55.360] And the, but it's, yeah.
[28:55.360 -> 28:57.240] I mean, the, Louis kind of-
[28:57.240 -> 28:58.840] Do you agree with the ranking?
[28:58.840 -> 29:00.560] You agree with the ranking?
[29:00.560 -> 29:03.280] Yeah, no, I think you've got it spot on, yeah.
[29:04.240 -> 29:07.960] And yeah, Louis had a bit of a question,
[29:07.960 -> 29:11.360] the Miami track, didn't he, last week about how,
[29:11.360 -> 29:13.480] but what it might create is a bit of an arms race,
[29:13.480 -> 29:15.280] hopefully, between the three of them
[29:15.280 -> 29:17.340] to work on their products.
[29:17.340 -> 29:19.440] Maybe Vegas will try to be a bit more,
[29:19.440 -> 29:22.600] move a little bit to quieten the dissenting voices
[29:22.600 -> 29:26.600] and maybe the others, you know, we're not, I mean, Austin,
[29:26.600 -> 29:31.760] I think we, especially our generation of folk coming into F1, Simon, we'll always have a,
[29:31.760 -> 29:34.480] we'll always fall in love with, we've fallen in love with Austin, haven't we?
[29:34.480 -> 29:35.480] Yeah, we have, yeah.
[29:35.480 -> 29:36.880] From the first visit.
[29:36.880 -> 29:43.140] And yeah, it's just, it'll always be special to those of us that went to that first race.
[29:43.140 -> 29:45.480] And who knows, maybe a fourth in America
[29:45.480 -> 29:46.640] in the near future as well.
[29:46.640 -> 29:49.280] It was interesting that somebody said,
[29:49.280 -> 29:50.120] can't remember who it was,
[29:50.120 -> 29:51.320] that said New York as well,
[29:51.320 -> 29:52.640] they mentioned New York, didn't they?
[29:52.640 -> 29:54.400] Yeah, someone, I heard that this week.
[29:54.400 -> 29:55.240] Yeah, I can't remember who it was.
[29:55.240 -> 29:56.320] Somebody high up the food chain.
[29:56.320 -> 29:59.080] I drove around that, yeah, I drove around that New Jersey.
[29:59.080 -> 30:01.760] There's a new, there was a pit building built
[30:01.760 -> 30:03.800] and there's a New Jersey kind of layout,
[30:04.920 -> 30:05.040] which the old New Jersey New Jersey kind of layout, which
[30:05.040 -> 30:10.160] the old New Jersey mayor was kind of keen on and then they kiboshed, but it has that,
[30:10.160 -> 30:15.960] it was kind of based on a spa-esque kind of elevated Eau Rouge style section, but
[30:15.960 -> 30:21.120] it's whether it ever gets there. We're at the limit now, aren't we, of who loses out
[30:21.120 -> 30:28.200] if Austin comes in, New York rather, comes in. I'm sure they'll find someone to suffer if it means building it over there.
[30:28.200 -> 30:28.800] Do you know what I mean?
[30:28.800 -> 30:33.200] It feels like that's absolutely the direction and nothing stopping it
[30:33.200 -> 30:36.400] over in the States at the moment.
[30:36.400 -> 30:39.400] And that's, you know, it's good for the growth and the popularity.
[30:39.400 -> 30:44.500] As we said, if they're cracking it over in the States, then that helps it globally.
[30:44.500 -> 30:48.940] So I don't, I could easily see there being a fourth one
[30:48.940 -> 30:50.480] added from over there.
[30:52.300 -> 30:54.360] Just a final point then on the racing
[30:54.360 -> 30:55.460] and the success of it.
[30:55.460 -> 30:56.620] Craig, I know you've got to go soon.
[30:56.620 -> 31:01.000] So just a brief word really on how much you enjoyed the,
[31:01.000 -> 31:02.980] not just the event, but the on-track action.
[31:02.980 -> 31:04.460] Because to my mind,
[31:04.460 -> 31:06.400] it was one of the best races we've had all year.
[31:06.400 -> 31:09.800] I know Verstappen obviously was never really in doubt
[31:09.800 -> 31:12.520] by the last few laps, but the fact that Charles got
[31:12.520 -> 31:14.800] Sergio Perez on the last lap, I mean,
[31:14.800 -> 31:16.960] it just delivered brilliant drama, I thought.
[31:16.960 -> 31:20.920] Yeah, I mean, I guess Charles might have won
[31:20.920 -> 31:24.720] had it not been for the second safety car,
[31:24.720 -> 31:26.120] or maybe Ferrari's choices
[31:26.120 -> 31:35.280] again should they have changed tires for his last stint. So it's there'll be
[31:35.280 -> 31:39.960] those that that say well it was all a bit you know when you see then on the
[31:39.960 -> 31:42.880] negative side if you but you would you say it on it you know that the cold
[31:42.880 -> 31:47.640] tires thing and do you see you want to see a driver of Lando Norris' skill
[31:47.640 -> 31:51.400] have an off like that, which is probably related more
[31:51.400 -> 31:55.240] to the conditions than his abilities.
[31:55.240 -> 31:57.760] Of course, it was related to the conditions.
[31:58.600 -> 32:03.600] So was there too much Las Vegas casino jeopardy
[32:04.520 -> 32:05.700] Was it the too much Las Vegas casino jeopardy?
[32:10.200 -> 32:14.100] Against that, you know, it's the same for everyone. And yeah, it's, yeah, as we said at the outset,
[32:14.100 -> 32:16.720] it's gotta be a contender for race of the year.
[32:16.720 -> 32:18.920] Yeah, it does.
[32:18.920 -> 32:20.080] I know when you think about what,
[32:20.080 -> 32:25.000] actually what is thrown up for the last race in Abu Dhabi,
[32:25.040 -> 32:28.920] because the net gainers were Aston Martin, weren't they?
[32:28.920 -> 32:31.960] And Ferrari, and therefore it's close to within,
[32:31.960 -> 32:33.880] what is it, 11 points now, I think,
[32:33.880 -> 32:35.240] Aston Martin and McLaren,
[32:35.240 -> 32:37.160] and four points Ferrari and Mercedes.
[32:37.160 -> 32:40.800] And that's brilliant for Abu Dhabi.
[32:40.800 -> 32:44.120] I mean, this is, you know, into the millions of pounds,
[32:44.120 -> 32:45.400] $10 million probably for second, and Mercedes will want to cling onto it. for Abu Dhabi, I mean this is, you know, into the millions of pounds, 10 million dollars
[32:45.400 -> 32:50.140] probably for second and Mercedes will want to cling on to it and actually when you think
[32:50.140 -> 32:55.600] about the nature of the Abu Dhabi track, probably more a Ferrari track than it is a Mercedes
[32:55.600 -> 32:57.040] track I would have thought.
[32:57.040 -> 33:00.880] Certainly the first half of the track is with the kind of technical slow stuff and the long
[33:00.880 -> 33:06.360] straights maybe the second half of the track is a little bit more swayed
[33:06.360 -> 33:10.680] towards Mercedes, but then you have to worry about the Ferrari deck. So I think that we've
[33:10.680 -> 33:15.240] got potentially a really good grand finale with a lot still at stake. And we're talking
[33:15.240 -> 33:24.720] about the lower places too. And that's a good thing. And going to what we saw in Vegas,
[33:24.720 -> 33:26.200] it wasn't just the racing at the front.
[33:26.200 -> 33:29.200] We saw a couple of brilliant drives through the pack.
[33:29.200 -> 33:33.200] Got to give some props, haven't we, to Lance Stroll and to Esteban Ocok
[33:33.200 -> 33:34.700] to make up that amount.
[33:34.700 -> 33:36.500] So it had a bit of everything, you know.
[33:36.500 -> 33:38.600] It had back and forth, it had coming together,
[33:38.600 -> 33:42.200] it had a couple of safety cars, it had racing to the end.
[33:42.200 -> 33:44.100] And that's what we want from these street tracks.
[33:44.100 -> 33:45.360] And that's what you get
[33:51.920 -> 33:58.000] when it is, you know, tires on a cold track and people locking up and the wall's really close and a few bumps here and there. So yeah, I think it had the racing which made it live up to the hype.
[33:58.000 -> 34:04.160] I think yeah, Lance does deserve, I think, I know if you think what might he have done if he'd been
[34:04.160 -> 34:08.560] fully fit at the start of the year with the better car, he might have had a completely different
[34:08.560 -> 34:09.560] season.
[34:09.560 -> 34:15.520] But get back to your Ferrari versus Mercedes thing, if Fred Vasseur puts one over on Total
[34:15.520 -> 34:28.320] Wolf a year into the job or whatever, that's quite, I thought he came of age a little bit, or has, finding him becoming a little, I mean
[34:28.320 -> 34:31.720] as a kind of believable Ferrari figurehead.
[34:31.720 -> 34:34.760] Yeah, I agree, Craig, I agree.
[34:34.760 -> 34:39.920] I think the way he was in the press conference, the anger that he embodied would have made
[34:39.920 -> 34:45.200] him a lot more liked by the Tifosi because he sort of, he felt it didn't he in himself,
[34:45.200 -> 34:46.200] he felt the anger.
[34:46.200 -> 34:50.800] 100% and also he was in the pack, you could see it in his eyes, he felt like there's a
[34:50.800 -> 34:57.880] man who is going to lead this team and is going to confront others, not just kind of,
[34:57.880 -> 35:06.280] I don't know, be in their own corner or kind of be a shy retiring type, not suggesting all the previous incumbents of that job
[35:06.280 -> 35:09.720] necessarily were like that, but targeted, you know,
[35:09.720 -> 35:13.380] but yeah, I thought he felt like a genuine leader.
[35:13.380 -> 35:16.200] There was a bit of the Jean Tart there for a moment,
[35:16.200 -> 35:18.640] which I think that's the sort of thing
[35:18.640 -> 35:20.800] that galvanizes everyone back at base.
[35:20.800 -> 35:23.680] He's strong-willed, he's got a good sense of humor,
[35:23.680 -> 35:25.000] but he's tough and he's, you know, he's got a good sense of humour, but he's tough.
[35:25.000 -> 35:29.000] And he's done it in the lower formula as well.
[35:29.000 -> 35:34.000] I think that they believe in him as a kind of racer himself.
[35:34.000 -> 35:36.000] That's what Freud needed. I agree with you, Craig.
[35:36.000 -> 35:41.000] I think that he could be a formidable leader going forward.
[35:41.000 -> 35:47.000] Yeah. What a way to tee up the the final race but also next year as well.
[35:47.000 -> 35:54.080] Can George Russell end on a bit of a high? You know I guess that was
[35:54.080 -> 35:58.360] something I was thinking about coming out of that race. He's felt a little bit
[35:58.360 -> 36:03.080] low hasn't he? He's hit his first little career plateau this year and kind of I'd
[36:03.080 -> 36:05.520] like to see him have a decent high note.
[36:05.520 -> 36:11.960] Kenny had that strange collision with Wispo Stappen, didn't he? Which maybe robbed him
[36:11.960 -> 36:17.360] of a pretty high finish. But I wonder if he can square up the head-to-head qualifying.
[36:17.360 -> 36:21.360] I think it's 11-10 to Lewis, isn't it, going into that last event?
[36:21.360 -> 36:22.360] That is right, yeah.
[36:22.360 -> 36:25.000] That would be a thing to, there's a lot of little,
[36:25.000 -> 36:27.560] yeah, there's quite a few, all right,
[36:27.560 -> 36:30.280] they're not, it's not the big showdown for the title
[36:30.280 -> 36:32.320] or anything like that, but there's a lot quite
[36:32.320 -> 36:34.480] interesting little things to be concluded,
[36:34.480 -> 36:36.120] I think, in Abu Dhabi, which I won't see,
[36:36.120 -> 36:37.760] I won't be there for, so.
[36:37.760 -> 36:38.680] But Simon, you will.
[36:38.680 -> 36:39.760] I will.
[36:39.760 -> 36:41.980] One more day of rest and then you're straight back to it,
[36:41.980 -> 36:42.820] so best of luck.
[36:42.820 -> 36:45.120] Yeah, it's all right, it's fine.
[36:45.120 -> 36:48.320] We're used to this by now, I think.
[36:48.320 -> 36:50.360] I think.
[36:50.360 -> 36:52.920] Of a 23 race season.
[36:52.920 -> 36:54.240] Yeah, so look, one more to go.
[36:54.240 -> 36:56.280] We're gonna be back obviously after Abu Dhabi
[36:56.280 -> 36:57.200] to wrap up the season.
[36:57.200 -> 36:58.880] So yeah, we hope you can join us then,
[36:58.880 -> 37:00.920] but until next Tuesday, it's bye for now.
[37:00.500 -> 37:01.340] Bye for now.