Ted's Podbook | Las Vegas razzmatazz!

Ted Kravitz is joined by Craig Slater to review the biggest stories from the paddock ahead of the Las Vegas GP including Max Verstappen's comments criticising the opening ceremony. They question if high speeds, low temperatures and narrow tracks could offer a tricky race and debate who could come out on top this weekend.

# Las Vegas Grand Prix: A Thrilling Race Weekend Awaits

## Introduction:

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is set to take place this weekend, and the excitement is palpable. Ted Kravitz and Craig Slater join forces to discuss the most anticipated stories from the paddock, including Max Verstappen's comments criticizing the opening ceremony. They delve into the unique challenges of the race, such as high speeds, low temperatures, and narrow tracks, and debate who might come out on top.

## Key Points:

1. **Max Verstappen's Comments:**

- Verstappen's remarks about the opening ceremony, where he compared himself to a clown in a box, sparked a debate among the media.
- Some saw it as an honest opinion, while others questioned the need for such comments.
- Verstappen's stance highlights the tension between the traditional purist approach to Formula One and the sport's efforts to attract new audiences.

2. **Unique Challenges of the Las Vegas Circuit:**

- The Las Vegas Grand Prix presents unique challenges for drivers due to its high speeds, low temperatures, and narrow track.
- Drivers and teams will need to adapt their strategies to these conditions to avoid potential incidents and lengthy delays.
- The proximity of the walls increases the risk of car-to-wall contact, adding an element of danger to the race.

3. **Contenders for Victory:**

- Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari are the main contenders for victory in the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
- Red Bull's Sergio Perez has a chance to secure second place in the Drivers' World Championship this weekend.
- Mercedes will be looking to challenge Red Bull after a disappointing performance in Brazil.
- Ferrari is hopeful for success in qualifying but has concerns about their race pace.

4. **Other Team Updates:**

- Aston Martin is optimistic about their chances, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll expressing confidence in their car's performance.
- Haas faces an unusual situation where Nico Hulkenberg prefers the old version of the car, while Kevin Magnussen favors the upgraded version.
- McLaren's Oscar Piastri believes the track characteristics suit their car and is excited about the weekend.

5. **Logan Sargent's Future:**

- Logan Sargent's future with Williams remains uncertain, despite positive signs from the team.
- Sargent expressed optimism that the circuit's characteristics suit their car.

6. **Las Vegas Ambiance:**

- The Las Vegas Grand Prix is surrounded by the city's vibrant atmosphere, including Elvis impersonators and the iconic MGM sphere.
- The sphere's LED screen will not display red, blue, or yellow colors during track sessions to avoid distracting drivers.

7. **Daniel Ricciardo's Comparison to Bono:**

- Ricciardo compared himself to Bono from the band U2, highlighting his role as a supporter and motivator within the team.

## Conclusion:

The Las Vegas Grand Prix promises to be a thrilling spectacle, with a unique set of challenges and a captivating atmosphere. The race will test the skills and strategies of the drivers and teams, and it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious.

[00:00.000 -> 00:14.920] Hello everybody and welcome back to the Sky Sports F1 podcast feed and to Ted's pod book
[00:14.920 -> 00:21.400] from Las Vegas, Nevada, the most eagerly anticipated race in some years in the world of Formula
[00:21.400 -> 00:26.400] One. Now, first of all, apology for the late arrival of the pod book.
[00:26.400 -> 00:33.520] There's no excuse other than it was late and I forgot. But joining me for this podcast or
[00:33.520 -> 00:38.720] pod book is Craig Slater, which will explain where we are in a second, Craig. But let's explain why
[00:38.720 -> 00:43.680] I forgot because I mean, this is a Thursday, so it will still go out on a Thursday as it always does.
[00:43.680 -> 00:49.500] But because Friday is not now Thursday in Las Vegas, it meant that at the end of Media Day,
[00:49.500 -> 00:52.120] it got to, I think, 2am when we got back to our hotel.
[00:52.120 -> 00:53.120] Everybody was tired.
[00:53.120 -> 00:56.760] I kind of got a bit tired and forgot to do it in the search for something, some late
[00:56.760 -> 01:01.440] night place to get some sustenance before bed in Las Vegas.
[01:01.440 -> 01:04.400] We did find it's a 24-hour city.
[01:04.400 -> 01:06.060] And yeah, well well you weren't
[01:06.060 -> 01:09.280] there and everyone not I had to do it with you but I want to and everyone
[01:09.280 -> 01:13.960] forgot well I forgot yeah I don't know where you were last night let me just
[01:13.960 -> 01:17.200] say that straight away I've been a little under the weather to be honest
[01:17.200 -> 01:22.200] and I don't know the night myself but yeah incredibly late was an early night
[01:22.200 -> 01:27.100] that was 2 a.m. good question I know it was 2am. Good question. Well, no, it was 5am by the time I'd finished, but I was in my room,
[01:27.100 -> 01:34.300] editing my report for, as you say, what is it, Thursday morning in the UK.
[01:34.300 -> 01:37.900] Yeah. Do you want to explain why we're doing these crazy hours?
[01:37.900 -> 01:46.400] Yeah. Well, no, I'd like to be able to explain exactly why the sessions are as late as they are.
[01:46.400 -> 01:52.120] I have asked the question of Formula 1 because even speaking to Logan Sargent yesterday,
[01:52.120 -> 01:55.480] he's quite aware that people on the East Coast of America, even people on the West Coast
[01:55.480 -> 02:01.360] as he noted, think it's a very late hour to be trying to tune in to Formula 1.
[02:01.360 -> 02:04.640] So is this more for the European market?
[02:04.640 -> 02:05.440] I guess it's just about as early as you the European market? I guess it's just about
[02:05.440 -> 02:10.400] as early as you can get up in Europe and it's just about as late as you can stay up in the
[02:10.400 -> 02:15.080] US. So it's a kind of unhappy compromise. But yes, we really are late. I mean, we're
[02:15.080 -> 02:18.840] working through in the paddock till two o'clock and beyond most days.
[02:18.840 -> 02:25.720] Well, because qualifying will start at midnight local time, the race at 10pm. I think it's a balance also of when the Las
[02:25.720 -> 02:33.320] Vegas authorities, the city of Las Vegas, has agreed to close the roads and therefore
[02:33.320 -> 02:36.840] start traffic chaos. And they want to do that at night time when there are fewer people
[02:36.840 -> 02:41.040] on the roads, fewer tourists, fewer visitors on the roads. And so to keep it open during
[02:41.040 -> 02:48.440] the day, everything has to begin at 7pm, 8pm. And then the way that the weekends are it just stretches on beyond that which I
[02:48.440 -> 02:53.760] suppose is logical. Yeah that was the key to getting the big prize which was
[02:53.760 -> 02:57.280] racing along the strip and then if you haven't been to Las Vegas if you have
[02:57.280 -> 03:03.520] been you know just how vital Las Vegas Boulevard is to the casino economy and
[03:03.520 -> 03:05.940] that it's basically not gridlocked but
[03:05.940 -> 03:12.840] it's slowly circulating traffic. It is the pulmonary artery in economic terms
[03:12.840 -> 03:17.440] of this place and yeah obviously they've had to make that compromise. It
[03:17.440 -> 03:22.240] is tricky though isn't it? It's not entirely satisfactory but as the
[03:22.240 -> 03:27.440] great man once said he doesn't like it but they're gonna have to get along with it
[03:27.440 -> 03:33.120] Chris Morris or Patrick Marber I can't remember but yeah so just
[03:33.120 -> 03:36.800] explain where we are so if the strip is the as you say the the pulmonary
[03:36.800 -> 03:41.920] pulmonary artery then I think we're probably the sort of left arm as to
[03:41.920 -> 03:47.040] location we're in our hotel we're in in the Agave Hall, it's a convention
[03:47.600 -> 03:52.640] center part of our hotel and that accounts for the extremely high ceilings and slight echo around
[03:52.640 -> 03:56.800] the place and if you hear some clunking of cutlery and plates in the background that's because we're
[03:56.800 -> 04:02.320] in our makeshift breakfast hall which actually should be lunch. It's 2 p.m. in the afternoon
[04:02.320 -> 04:05.520] on Thursday as we record this and we're just having our breakfast.
[04:05.520 -> 04:06.720] We're going to the track.
[04:06.720 -> 04:08.720] It's an extremely featureless room.
[04:08.720 -> 04:13.520] If you can have... featureless can be extreme.
[04:13.520 -> 04:25.000] It's grey, brown walls, they look like the roof tiles and a sort of a carpet with a grid pattern on it.
[04:27.180 -> 04:28.820] But they are very nondescript.
[04:28.820 -> 04:31.540] But I suppose this is where you'd have your wedding banquet
[04:31.540 -> 04:34.420] if you paid through the nose to have your wedding here.
[04:34.420 -> 04:35.620] What used to be the Hard Rock
[04:35.620 -> 04:40.500] and actually a very vibrant and trendy hotel.
[04:40.500 -> 04:43.140] It's been quite quiet actually during the few days
[04:43.140 -> 04:43.980] we've had here.
[04:43.980 -> 04:44.860] It's now The Virgin, isn't it?
[04:44.860 -> 04:49.300] It is. I've just seen Ian Poulter actually go through reception with two very large
[04:49.860 -> 04:56.420] bags containing golf clubs. So yeah, Poulter's staying here as well. Right, let's get on to
[04:57.460 -> 05:01.120] the story that I wonder whether it will be called Clowngate
[05:02.020 -> 05:07.840] or will it be called 99% 1% gate and I think everybody
[05:07.840 -> 05:15.000] knows what we're referring to and that was the comments questions asked to
[05:15.000 -> 05:19.480] world champion Max Verstappen yesterday and maybe you'd like to or do you like
[05:19.480 -> 05:25.040] me to explain how this all came about with what started with his written press session
[05:25.040 -> 05:28.960] in a busy and slightly raining Las Vegas paddock.
[05:28.960 -> 05:30.480] Yeah, you can explain it.
[05:30.480 -> 05:34.080] Personally, I just want to say I don't have a problem with them expressing an opinion.
[05:34.080 -> 05:37.040] I don't actually agree with it, but I don't think there's a big deal.
[05:37.040 -> 05:42.720] But maybe, I don't know what you think, but there has been a lack of stories
[05:42.720 -> 05:52.000] coming into this weekend. Ond mae wedi bod yn ddod o'r stori i'r diwethaf, a oedd y rhan o'r chwaraewr a'r sgiliau o ffwrdd,
[05:52.000 -> 06:06.320] ac rwy'n credu na fyddai'n rhaid i mi ddweud bod hwn yn rhan o'r cwestiwn na fyddwn wedi'i ymdrechu. set up a big event like this and have all the hoopla and razmataz which is
[06:06.320 -> 06:12.240] unusual for Formula One is it not fair to ask the question is this necessary or
[06:12.240 -> 06:18.920] not or in any sense does it demean the sporting aspect to
[06:18.920 -> 06:23.000] why everyone's here? Well the Las Vegas Grand Prix will be a sport during
[06:23.000 -> 06:28.640] qualifying and during the race when Formula One is always a sport and outside of that it'll probably go back to being a business.
[06:28.640 -> 06:30.800] But I think there are three ways to look at this.
[06:30.800 -> 06:40.320] First of all, you know, Max Verstappen is an honest guy who will always reply honestly and frankly to any question.
[06:41.120 -> 06:46.980] It might get him into a situation where people would rather he weren't wasn't quite so honest and was a bit more
[06:47.280 -> 06:51.520] Reticent in what he said, but if he's asked a direct question, he'll give a direct answer and that's to be
[06:52.360 -> 06:58.600] Appreciated and applauded as a as a straight talking secondly, that's always a gift for as you say us
[06:59.200 -> 07:05.480] reporters journalists who may be scratching around for story in a rainy Las Vegas paddock and wanting something contra to
[07:05.540 -> 07:11.400] Maybe what they're seeing is the sort of pervading thought of you know, it's great. It's going to be fantastic
[07:11.400 -> 07:16.460] you will like what what what's happening just you wait and see wanting something to contra that and
[07:16.980 -> 07:19.980] maybe not want to go down any other line, but
[07:20.740 -> 07:24.440] But they knew that they were going if they'd asked the question
[07:28.600 -> 07:33.200] But they knew that if they'd asked the question, given Max's record of not being too enthusiastic about new things such as sprint races, they knew what they were going to get and they
[07:33.200 -> 07:34.440] got it.
[07:34.440 -> 07:40.320] And then there's the other aspect to it, which is a combination of that, that Max will say
[07:40.320 -> 07:44.880] look, it's just my opinion, I'm going to go out there, try and win the race for Red Bull
[07:44.880 -> 07:47.480] like I have done so many times give Christian Horner a good
[07:47.480 -> 07:52.360] 50th birthday present happy birthday Christian Horner happy 50th and you know
[07:52.360 -> 07:57.880] it's not gonna affect it but um you know I'm perfectly at liberty to say no pun
[07:57.880 -> 08:06.400] intended that I felt like a clown on this elevating stage coming out of a box
[08:07.240 -> 08:09.360] To wave to the crowd at the opening ceremony
[08:09.800 -> 08:14.960] It was a bit more like a jack-in-the-box wasn't either the way it's not very with a slow release the slow release. Yeah
[08:15.720 -> 08:17.720] Could it also be max?
[08:18.000 -> 08:19.480] I
[08:19.480 -> 08:21.720] suppose being consistent with his own
[08:23.040 -> 08:26.080] Straight talking image. Yes, and being maybe I'm not saying he's being deliberately provocative yn cydweithio gyda'i ffotograffa'n ddiweddarol ei hun, ac yn...
[08:26.080 -> 08:27.080] efallai...
[08:27.080 -> 08:29.480] Dwi ddim yn dweud ei fod yn ymdrechol yn ffwrddus,
[08:29.480 -> 08:30.480] ond...
[08:30.480 -> 08:32.880] Nid, roedd y cyfrifiad yn ddiogel i'r cwestiwn,
[08:32.880 -> 08:34.880] ond roedd y cyfrifiad yn gwybod pa cyfrifiad y byddent yn cael,
[08:34.880 -> 08:35.400] ac maen nhw'n cael yn eu gael.
[08:35.400 -> 08:37.600] Ie, a oedd angen iddo dweud clown,
[08:37.600 -> 08:41.360] rwy'n credu, a oedd hynny'n cymryd ychydig o'r...
[08:41.360 -> 08:43.480] yn ymdrechol o'r...
[08:43.480 -> 08:45.520] o'r peth a oedd wedi'i sefydlu yma i gyd.
[08:45.520 -> 08:50.640] Rwy'n credu y byddwch chi'n arwain at y cwmni o ffigurau,
[08:50.640 -> 08:51.800] yn F1,
[08:51.800 -> 08:54.640] rydych chi'n arwain at y gyrfodau sy'n grwpio,
[08:54.640 -> 08:57.120] rydych chi'n arwain at y gyrfodau sy'n agos,
[08:57.120 -> 08:59.560] y gallwch chi ddweud eich enwau eich hunain i'r bobl yma,
[08:59.560 -> 09:02.400] ac rydych chi'n arwain at eich argymhellion.
[09:02.400 -> 09:05.920] Yr ail ddifrifol o'r hyn y mae Mack yn eifarfod o'r cyfarfod o'r cyfarfod o'r cyfarfod
[09:05.920 -> 09:08.600] yw'r ffordd y gallwch chi gael ymddebwydio,
[09:08.600 -> 09:10.720] yn y ffordd y gall Bernie Eccleston
[09:10.720 -> 09:13.240] yn amlwg yn ystod ystod,
[09:13.240 -> 09:27.000] y gallwn ni, efallai, y gallwn-dod o'r ffordd yma?
[09:27.000 -> 09:30.000] A oedd y cyd-dod o'r ffordd yma?
[09:30.000 -> 09:34.000] Ac rwy'n credu bod y rhai o'r drifoedd yn cael ychydig o ymdrechion ar Max,
[09:34.000 -> 09:39.000] ac rwy'n credu bod y cyfathrebu a'r un neu ddau rydyn ni wedi'i gofyn,
[09:39.000 -> 09:43.000] yn y ffordd y byddent yn meddwl, na, mae hynny'n dda,
[09:43.000 -> 09:46.880] achos rydych chi'n cymryd cymorth i ffans newydd, was that they thought, no, this is good because you need to, it is, yes, you're catering to casual or new fans.
[09:46.880 -> 09:52.000] You need to be kind of an open and welcoming and attractive sports
[09:52.000 -> 09:54.600] to a family audience and have a bit of a show,
[09:54.600 -> 09:57.800] especially when you come somewhere like this, you don't do this at every race.
[09:57.800 -> 10:01.920] So I think the counter argument, which,
[10:01.920 -> 10:05.880] because it would probably have been the expected norm that most of
[10:05.880 -> 10:09.240] them would have said we haven't focused so much on that but the majority of
[10:09.240 -> 10:13.720] drivers took it took a rather different view yeah but was Charles Leclerc yeah
[10:13.720 -> 10:17.560] yeah but we wouldn't we wouldn't be debating it probably if Max hadn't said
[10:17.560 -> 10:21.400] what he said yeah that was Charles Leclerc's views that you know while
[10:21.400 -> 10:31.600] Charles said I probably wouldn't have put it the way Max did you know if you're, if you're not going to do the Razzmatazz and all of this and the hoopla and the opening ceremony featuring Kylie and
[10:32.160 -> 10:36.840] Jared Leto and Journey and all of that and J Balvin, where are you going to do it?
[10:36.840 -> 10:43.960] So there's room amongst races in Spa and Suzuka and Silverstone for the, you know, and to a certain extent Monaco for the purist
[10:44.120 -> 10:47.000] then there are races like this yn y 24 oed.
[10:47.000 -> 10:50.000] Ie, dydych chi ddim yn dod i Las Vegas ac yn gadael ymrwymiad,
[10:50.000 -> 10:52.000] dyna byddai'n ddiddorol.
[10:52.000 -> 10:57.000] Mae'r cymdeithas wedi rhoi rhai pethau i'w sôn amdano,
[10:57.000 -> 11:01.000] ond rwy'n meddwl y bydd Max yn ymwneud â'i ddewisau,
[11:01.000 -> 11:03.000] yn eithaf cyflawni, efallai nad ym mhob diwrnod,
[11:03.000 -> 11:07.640] ond bydd yna gymuned sy'n hoffi'r hyn sy'n dweud Max, moderators views probably not over the coming days but there'll be an audience that that that will like what Max said
[11:07.640 -> 11:10.720] and and and that's fine and it's
[11:10.720 -> 11:12.240] perfectly entitled to that view
[11:12.240 -> 11:14.520] yeah well there was also be an audience
[11:14.520 -> 11:16.840] and if you've seen the opening ceremony
[11:16.840 -> 11:18.560] which seemed to be an opening ceremony
[11:18.560 -> 11:20.160] without an opening ceremony for me it
[11:20.160 -> 11:21.760] was just an act of it was just a load of
[11:21.760 -> 11:24.480] very good pop acts I did like Kylie's
[11:24.480 -> 11:25.280] performance which I think it's a great It was just an act of it was just a load of very good pop acts. I did like Kylie's performance
[11:25.920 -> 11:27.920] which I think it's a great song and
[11:28.320 -> 11:31.640] Then the introduction of the drivers from team
[11:32.880 -> 11:39.120] Insert name of constructor, which is a sort of a bit of Americana, which I didn't know we were gonna have so and now
[11:39.440 -> 11:46.640] Representing team Williams racing is Alex Albin and Logan sergeant. So, hang on, I think they're called Williams Racing.
[11:46.640 -> 11:50.000] And it's Team McLaren Formula One Racing.
[11:50.000 -> 11:52.480] On the very first day that Chase Carey came out
[11:52.480 -> 11:55.240] from Bernie's office and I was able to have a quick chat
[11:55.240 -> 11:56.240] with him, he said,
[11:56.240 -> 11:58.600] I'm not going to Americanize Formula One.
[11:58.600 -> 12:01.760] Well, I think a lot of the reforms-
[12:01.760 -> 12:02.600] Six years later.
[12:02.600 -> 12:04.600] Yeah, no, no, but listen, fair enough.
[12:04.600 -> 12:07.960] We're in America and it's got to be presented to that audience.
[12:07.960 -> 12:09.120] But I didn't...
[12:09.120 -> 12:10.960] Team Scuderia Ferrari.
[12:10.960 -> 12:11.720] I thought it was...
[12:11.720 -> 12:13.600] That's like saying the Autodromo circuit.
[12:13.600 -> 12:16.320] That's right, yes, yes, true, which I probably do.
[12:16.320 -> 12:17.920] But it...
[12:17.920 -> 12:20.080] Listen, I think it was slickly done, I thought.
[12:20.080 -> 12:24.120] I mean, you can find fault with one or two things, maybe.
[12:24.120 -> 12:28.000] But I thought it looked good. Mae'n ddiddorol i weld y cymaint o bobl sydd wedi dod allan, ond rwy'n meddwl mai'r cymaint o bobl sydd wedi dod allan yn ystod y cyfan,
[12:28.000 -> 12:30.000] ond rwy'n meddwl mai'r cyfan,
[12:30.000 -> 12:32.000] a'r cyfan,
[12:32.000 -> 12:34.000] a'r cyfan,
[12:34.000 -> 12:36.000] a'r cyfan,
[12:36.000 -> 12:38.000] a'r cyfan,
[12:38.000 -> 12:40.000] a'r cyfan,
[12:40.000 -> 12:42.000] a'r cyfan,
[12:42.000 -> 12:44.000] a'r cyfan,
[12:44.000 -> 12:45.960] a'r cyfan, a'r cyfan, and they all left with a kind of a hubbub of excitement about them looking
[12:45.960 -> 12:49.360] forward to the weekend and I sense there is that. Well yes but there wasn't any I
[12:49.360 -> 12:52.560] mean my only issue was that as an opening ceremony there wasn't somebody
[12:52.560 -> 12:57.080] saying hello I wanted a hello yeah no that's that I was I wanted a hello and a
[12:57.080 -> 13:01.720] goodbye you needed a moment of a I don't know what you would do here smash a
[13:01.720 -> 13:04.640] bottle of champagne. Hello welcome here are the drivers here's some good song
[13:04.640 -> 13:08.400] acts and now goodbye we'll see for the race. Right, still on Red Bull, let's go to
[13:08.400 -> 13:13.840] Sergio Perez who can wrap up his second place in the Drivers World Championship this weekend,
[13:13.840 -> 13:17.280] but he was saying what everybody is saying, I think, which is going to be the other stories
[13:17.280 -> 13:25.920] about this race circuit, are the temperatures, the effect that's going to have on the cars and the tyres and the proximity of the walls and
[13:25.920 -> 13:35.720] I think we're going to see some car to wall action. It looks very very tight out there
[13:35.720 -> 13:36.720] and slippery.
[13:36.720 -> 13:46.000] I mean the forecast with rain yesterday which is a really unusual thing in the desert is Mae'r cyfnod o'r ffordd yma, gyda'r ffordd o ddewis, sy'n beth anhygoel iawn yng nghymru, yn ymwneud â chyfnod o 12 C,
[13:46.000 -> 13:48.000] dwi'n credu, dros y diwrnod o'r wythnos.
[13:48.000 -> 13:50.000] Felly, nid yn ychydig i'r ffordd
[13:50.000 -> 13:52.000] y gwnaethom ni'n gwybod.
[13:52.000 -> 14:05.680] Un o'r cwestiynau i'r drifoedd rydw i wedi sôn i yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma yma y frequent interruptions. Will drivers just lose it on underheated tyres at certain points?
[14:06.320 -> 14:08.880] There seemed a level of confidence that that wouldn't be the case,
[14:10.320 -> 14:17.600] but yes, the high speeds, the temperatures and the narrow track surely mean
[14:19.680 -> 14:26.640] potential incidents and then lengthy delays at this time of night as well which is a concern.
[14:26.640 -> 14:30.560] We'll see what happens with Red Bull. Mercedes will be challenging them.
[14:30.560 -> 14:35.920] They say that Brazil was an outlier. George Russell still thinks he has a podium in him before the end of the season.
[14:35.920 -> 14:42.800] Lewis Hamilton excited about the weekend to come. And Lewis Hamilton who is now to be seen in the video game Fortnite.
[14:42.800 -> 14:45.760] I think it's the Fortnite Icon series. You can be
[14:45.760 -> 14:50.080] Lewis Hamilton and Roscoe on on a surfboard or that was the bit I saw it
[14:50.080 -> 14:53.980] anyway so we'll see what's happening there but neither Hamilton nor Russell
[14:53.980 -> 14:58.180] would specify exactly what it was they found on the car that meant they were so
[14:58.180 -> 15:01.780] lacking in performance last time in Brazil in contrast to how quick they
[15:01.780 -> 15:07.700] were in Austin and Mexico so we will see whether that goes better for them this weekend.
[15:07.700 -> 15:12.800] As for Ferrari, high hopes from Ferrari of certainly success
[15:12.800 -> 15:17.700] in qualifying due to their single lap pace, but not so much race pace.
[15:17.700 -> 15:20.300] No, they're still concerned about that.
[15:20.300 -> 15:23.600] You were pointing out, weren't you, that Carlos Sainz won the last
[15:23.600 -> 15:26.000] street event in Singapore. Iawn, rydych chi'n dweud bod Carlos Sains wedi gwaith ystafell y stryd yng Nghymru.
[15:26.000 -> 15:54.000] Iawn, roeddent i'w ddweud y byddai'n dweud y byddent yn ymwneud ag ymgyrch, ond rydyn nhw'n gobeithio nad ydyn nhw'n gallu gael y pwysleisio h'r blynyddoedd, ond rwy'n meddwl y byddwch chi'n edrych ar y gweithgaredd o un o'r tîmau sy'n ychwanegu y bydd y blynyddoedd nesaf yn dechrau'n fwy cymhwysol.
[15:54.000 -> 16:10.320] Ond wrth gwrs, mae'r cyfnod o'r tîmau sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gwneud yn ystod yr hyn sydd wedi'u gweithio'n ffyr. sense has been that they've abandoned this year's car and the upgrades to it at an earlier point in the season so that they're not finishing the year as strongly as they might. So I mean
[16:10.320 -> 16:15.440] there's been a lot of sacrificing for 2024 and maybe that's impacted.
[16:15.440 -> 16:20.120] Okay, just go through a final couple of few teams before we end on a line from Daniel
[16:20.120 -> 16:24.720] Ricciardo which you got. Aston Martin some high hopes there. Fernando Alonso and Lance
[16:24.720 -> 16:28.720] Stroll saying you know we should go better now that we understand our car again coming off that podium
[16:28.720 -> 16:34.880] position, finish for Alonso in Brazil. Lance Stroll though cautioning that with the long straight here
[16:34.880 -> 16:42.160] the car is still a little bit draggy, it has quite a high drag cost effect that Aston Martin so that
[16:42.160 -> 16:46.640] might slow them down but it tends to go he tends to go well in low grip conditions.
[16:46.640 -> 16:48.600] So we'll see how he goes.
[16:48.600 -> 16:50.320] At Haas, there is an interesting experiment
[16:50.320 -> 16:52.640] where Niko Hulkenberg said that the upgrades that
[16:52.640 -> 16:54.400] are meant to make the car go faster
[16:54.400 -> 16:57.400] have actually made it go slower for him.
[16:57.400 -> 16:58.780] So even though, as Kevin Magnussen
[16:58.780 -> 17:01.720] says, that the car is more predictable with the upgrades
[17:01.720 -> 17:03.160] with a little bit more downforce,
[17:03.160 -> 17:04.560] Magnussen likes it, so he's going
[17:04.560 -> 17:06.240] to go with the car with the upgrades. Hulkenberg doesn't. He prefers the car upgrades with a little bit more downforce. Magnussen likes it so he's going to go with the car with the upgrades.
[17:06.240 -> 17:07.240] Hulkenberg doesn't.
[17:07.240 -> 17:10.840] He prefers the car to be a little bit loose but he thinks it's quicker and better on tyre
[17:10.840 -> 17:11.840] wear.
[17:11.840 -> 17:17.000] So Hulkenberg is going to go with the old version of that Haas which is pretty unusual.
[17:17.000 -> 17:22.240] Neither of those looks as though it might deliver the points they need to get them a
[17:22.240 -> 17:23.680] place or two.
[17:23.680 -> 17:25.160] It won't do. Valtteri Bottas
[17:25.160 -> 17:33.640] was promoting his bare-cheeked calendar which is in support of Movember so go
[17:33.640 -> 17:39.920] online look for Valtteri Bottas Movember and you can buy his cheeky calendar at a
[17:39.920 -> 17:48.000] rock-bottom price I'm sure. Yeah, he's just full of surprises isn't he?
[17:48.000 -> 17:50.000] Well they took more, they took more
[17:50.000 -> 17:54.000] bot-ass pictures at the time than the only one that came out on social media
[17:54.000 -> 17:56.000] which I thought was quite interesting.
[17:56.000 -> 17:59.000] Oscar Piastri saying that he thinks McLaren can have a good weekend
[17:59.000 -> 18:04.000] but came here, he said I came to Las Vegas ages ago
[18:04.000 -> 18:05.400] and I said what do you mean
[18:05.400 -> 18:10.920] you're only 21? He said yes I came here when I was about 11 or 10 with my family
[18:10.920 -> 18:14.580] and we went to the Grand Canyon which is nearby so he had a great time, has been
[18:14.580 -> 18:18.220] here before. Logan, Sargent, Williams anything you got from them before we
[18:18.220 -> 18:25.520] finish? Yeah I mean they're optimistic that the characteristics of the circuit suit the car.
[18:25.520 -> 18:33.760] He still wasn't confirming his future yet, which is late in the day now, isn't it?
[18:33.760 -> 18:39.440] The last soundings I was hearing was that he was going to be retained, but I think that's
[18:39.440 -> 18:42.320] still TBC.
[18:42.320 -> 19:06.400] But yeah, so it's interesting. He's maybe got this opportunity now, this is that he'll know in his own head, this is the track that should suit my car, things still in the balance, there's quite a troop of Elvis impersonators, Elvi, and
[19:06.400 -> 19:14.840] well what did he say to you in terms of the previous inhabitants of the new MGM
[19:14.840 -> 19:18.600] sphere around here in Las Vegas? That sphere is an interesting little topic
[19:18.600 -> 19:24.320] isn't it because they've gone to the extent to say that they won't televise
[19:24.320 -> 19:26.480] or they have this enormous LED
[19:26.480 -> 19:30.740] screen outer shell of the building don't they but they're not going to have the
[19:30.740 -> 19:35.320] colors red blue or yellow projected during any track sessions in case it
[19:35.320 -> 19:39.600] distracts the drivers. In case the drivers think it's a red flag.
[19:39.600 -> 19:46.000] Exactly so but yeah you're right they you two were in residence there but Iawn, ond dyna'r iaith. Iawn, ond dyna'r iaith. Iawn, ond dyna'r iaith.
[19:46.000 -> 19:48.000] Iawn, ond dyna'r iaith.
[19:48.000 -> 19:50.000] Iawn, ond dyna'r iaith.
[19:50.000 -> 19:52.000] Iawn, ond dyna'r iaith.
[19:52.000 -> 19:54.000] Iawn, ond dyna'r iaith.
[19:54.000 -> 19:56.000] Iawn, ond dyna'r iaith.
[19:56.000 -> 19:58.000] Iawn, on ddyna'r iaith.
[19:58.000 -> 20:00.000] Iawn, on ddyna'r iaith.
[20:00.000 -> 20:02.000] Iawn, on ddyna'r iaith.
[20:02.000 -> 20:04.000] Iawn, on ddyna'r iaith.
[20:04.000 -> 20:06.000] Iawn, on ddyna'r iaith. I think Lewis Hamilton was the edge.
[20:06.000 -> 20:11.000] Adam Clayton, Charles Leclerc, Larry Mullen, I'm not sure.
[20:11.000 -> 20:13.000] Larry Mullen Jr.
[20:13.000 -> 20:14.000] Yeah.
[20:14.000 -> 20:16.000] But Bono was Daniel Ricciardo.
[20:16.000 -> 20:17.000] Yes, he was.
[20:17.000 -> 20:19.000] Which Daniel Ricciardo, his face lit up.
[20:19.000 -> 20:21.000] Well, I mean, his face always lights up, doesn't it?
[20:21.000 -> 20:25.320] But it lit up in the neon you know almost
[20:25.320 -> 20:31.800] like the sphere to greet that happy comparison I asked him to do you
[20:31.800 -> 20:38.880] self-identify with Bono he said yes yes I do which I don't know how to follow up
[20:38.880 -> 20:45.120] well he tried with this race will be this race will be great with or without you Bono
[20:45.120 -> 20:51.400] or I was gonna go the race was gonna go down that street but you know he wanted
[20:51.400 -> 20:56.520] to say don't get lost around here Bono because the streets have no name which
[20:56.520 -> 21:01.680] they do of course they have Coval and Paradise and Harmon and Las Vegas
[21:01.680 -> 21:10.620] Boulevard otherwise known as the Strip and that is where you can find us for practice in the early hours of the morning on Friday morning and
[21:10.620 -> 21:15.000] then qualifying Saturday morning and then Sunday the race Sunday morning so
[21:15.000 -> 21:20.000] yeah thank you very much Craig we will speak to you throughout the weekend lots
[21:20.000 -> 21:25.400] of things still to happen and I will think that probably the words clown and
[21:25.400 -> 21:31.400] 99% 1% will be distant memories by the time we we get to Saturday night here
[21:31.400 -> 21:36.360] Sunday morning European time. As long as this is Cirque du Soleil level clone
[21:36.360 -> 21:39.380] then who wouldn't want to be a clone in Las Vegas they're highly skilled
[21:39.380 -> 21:43.640] artists. They are and the drivers will be performing around the race at this
[21:43.640 -> 21:45.120] highly anticipated
[21:45.120 -> 21:50.080] Las Vegas Grand Prix. Thank you very much for listening to the pod book and we'll look forward
[21:50.080 -> 21:51.920] to your company throughout the weekend. Bye bye.