The 2019 End Of Season Special

On this edition of Talking Bull - It's the end of season special! We hear from Max Verstappen and Alex Albon, talk to the amazing team that make our record breaking pit stops possible, plus Christian horner rounds up his 2019 experience

**Navigating the Nuances of Formula One: A Detailed Summary of the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Podcast**

**Introduction:**

The Aston Martin Red Bull Racing podcast offers an exclusive look into the world of Formula One racing, featuring interviews with drivers, team members, and key figures. This summary delves into the highlights of the podcast, providing a comprehensive overview of the discussions and insights shared.

**Season Review with Max Verstappen and Alex Albon:**

* Max Verstappen and Alex Albon engage in a candid conversation, reflecting on their experiences during the 2019 season.
* They discuss their personal growth and development as drivers, acknowledging the challenges and triumphs they faced throughout the year.
* Both drivers share their perspectives on various aspects of Formula One, including the importance of teamwork, the impact of strategy, and the mental fortitude required to succeed in the sport.

**Pit Stop Precision:**

* The podcast highlights the remarkable achievements of the Red Bull Racing pit crew, who set a new world record for the fastest pit stop in Formula One history.
* Team members involved in the pit stop process share their insights into the meticulous preparation, coordination, and execution that go into delivering these lightning-fast pit stops.
* They emphasize the significance of teamwork, effective communication, and the continuous pursuit of improvement in achieving these record-breaking performances.

**Christian Horner's Year-End Review:**

* Team Principal Christian Horner provides a comprehensive review of the 2019 season, reflecting on the team's transition to Honda power units and the subsequent progress made throughout the year.
* He highlights the team's strategic decisions, such as the aggressive pit stop strategy in Hockenheim, which contributed to their success.
* Horner acknowledges areas where the team can improve, emphasizing the importance of consistency and capitalizing on opportunities to secure more victories in the upcoming season.

**Key Themes and Insights:**

* **Teamwork and Collaboration:** The podcast consistently underscores the value of teamwork and collaboration within the Red Bull Racing team. From the pit crew to the drivers and engineers, the collective effort and seamless coordination are identified as crucial factors in the team's achievements.
* **Continuous Improvement:** A relentless pursuit of improvement is a recurring theme throughout the discussions. Team members emphasize the importance of analyzing data, identifying areas for refinement, and implementing changes to enhance performance.
* **Strategic Decision-Making:** The podcast delves into the strategic decisions made by the team, showcasing the importance of adaptability and quick thinking in Formula One. The team's ability to make calculated risks and execute strategic maneuvers is highlighted as a key element in their success.
* **Mental Resilience and Focus:** The drivers and team members discuss the mental fortitude required to succeed in Formula One. They emphasize the need to maintain focus, manage pressure, and overcome setbacks, demonstrating the psychological strength required to compete at the highest level of motorsport.

**Conclusion:**

The Aston Martin Red Bull Racing podcast offers an immersive experience for Formula One enthusiasts, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the team's operations, challenges, and triumphs. Through insightful conversations with drivers, team members, and key figures, the podcast captures the essence of the sport, highlighting the teamwork, strategic decision-making, and unwavering commitment to excellence that drive the team's success. ## Summary of the Talking Bull Podcast Episode

**Host:** Nicola Hume

**Key Points:**

- Red Bull Racing's Team Principal, Christian Horner, reflects on the 2019 Formula One season and discusses the team's performance, highlights, and areas for improvement.

- Horner emphasizes the team's strategic prowess, including the five-stop race in Hockenheim and the bold decisions made during the Brazilian Grand Prix.

- He praises Max Verstappen's exceptional performance, describing him as the outstanding driver of the season with remarkable consistency and standout victories.

- Horner explains the driver swap decision, highlighting the pressure and challenges faced by Pierre Gasly, leading to his move to Toro Rosso and the promotion of Alex Albon.

- Albon's impressive performance in the remaining nine races warranted his extension for the 2020 season, attributed to his adaptability, work ethic, and self-evaluation.

- Horner identifies the first podium in Melbourne, the home race victory in Austria, and the dominant performance in the Brazilian Grand Prix as the season's high points.

- He acknowledges the need for continuous improvement and emphasizes the importance of a competitive start to the 2020 season to challenge Mercedes' dominance.

- Horner stresses the crucial role of reliability, highlighting the team's zero engine issues and only one mechanical failure in 2019, a significant improvement from the previous year.

- He expresses confidence in the team's capabilities and potential to mount a championship challenge in 2020, citing the stability, talent, and experience within the organization.

- Horner underscores the significance of the post-season testing session in applying learnings from the 2019 season and preparing for the upcoming year.

- He acknowledges the short off-season and the rapid pace of car development, emphasizing the team's dedication to producing a competitive car for the first test in 2020.

- Horner concludes by expressing excitement for the upcoming season, anticipating a thrilling championship battle with Mercedes and Ferrari.

**Overall Takeaway:**

Christian Horner provides a comprehensive review of Red Bull Racing's 2019 Formula One season, highlighting the team's achievements, challenges, and areas for improvement. He expresses optimism for the 2020 season, emphasizing the team's stability, talent, and determination to mount a championship challenge.

[00:00.000 -> 00:03.360] Hi there, this is Christian Horner.
[00:03.360 -> 00:06.360] You've won the Austrian Grand Prix!
[00:06.360 -> 00:08.360] Hi, it's Alex Albon.
[00:08.360 -> 00:12.360] Hi, I'm Max Verstappen and you're listening to the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing podcast.
[00:12.360 -> 00:15.360] Oh, this feels good!
[00:17.360 -> 00:22.360] Hello and welcome to Talking Bull, the official Aston Martin Red Bull Racing podcast.
[00:22.360 -> 00:27.140] As we come to the end of the year and an action-packed decade for the team,
[00:27.140 -> 00:28.640] we thought it would be the perfect time
[00:28.640 -> 00:32.520] to look back at 2019 and reflect on the highs and lows,
[00:32.520 -> 00:34.440] as well as spend some more time with our drivers,
[00:34.440 -> 00:36.400] Max Verstappen and Alex Albon.
[00:36.400 -> 00:38.300] Everyone loves it when they interview each other,
[00:38.300 -> 00:40.200] so we've hooked them up once again.
[00:40.200 -> 00:41.520] Also on this episode,
[00:41.520 -> 00:43.000] the team have been breaking records
[00:43.000 -> 00:44.320] with pit stops this year,
[00:44.320 -> 00:47.360] so we wanted to check in with the guys that make it all possible.
[00:47.360 -> 00:52.880] Plus, as it's the end of the season, we thought it's only right to get our chief Christian Horner on
[00:52.880 -> 00:55.840] to round up the year and look forward to 2020.
[00:55.840 -> 01:00.000] So, sit back, relax, and right now we'll hand you over to Max and Alex
[01:00.000 -> 01:14.080] for the first part of their serious, in-depth interview. Hey dudes, Alex here. This is going to take a long time, okay? This is going to take a
[01:14.080 -> 01:18.560] long time. Right, hey guys, Alex here. We're in Moulton Keynes, we're at the factory. It's
[01:18.560 -> 01:22.640] raining. We've been told to mention it's raining. It's cold. So if it is raining and you can
[01:22.640 -> 01:29.160] hear rain, write it in the comment section and get the sound guy fired because that is not on we're doing
[01:29.160 -> 01:32.120] questions it's the end of season review quite a few and you apparently you got
[01:32.120 -> 01:35.840] a guy can't wait how would you describe Formula One to someone who has never
[01:35.840 -> 01:41.100] seen it before I would just keep it very questions um it's cars going around the
[01:41.100 -> 01:46.800] same piece of tarmac for about two hours. Why would you explain it like that?
[01:46.800 -> 01:48.600] But we don't make it boring.
[01:48.600 -> 01:52.200] Okay, alright.
[01:52.200 -> 01:55.400] How old is too old to be a Formula 1 driver?
[01:55.400 -> 01:56.600] Is age just a number?
[01:56.600 -> 01:59.800] When you're getting towards your 40s, you are going to slow down.
[01:59.800 -> 02:00.800] In what sense?
[02:00.800 -> 02:02.400] In just reaction.
[02:02.400 -> 02:09.940] I think it just doesn't come that natural anymore than when you were like 20 to 30. I think you just need to work a
[02:09.940 -> 02:13.820] little bit harder for it to always get well same fitness even though it's less
[02:13.820 -> 02:18.640] of a limitation but I think the sharp edges are just a little bit off.
[02:18.640 -> 02:24.480] Do you think you get less fearless? I think you just understand more
[02:24.480 -> 02:26.760] through experience and probably when you're around
[02:26.760 -> 02:29.600] your 40s you have a family as well so you think about that.
[02:29.600 -> 02:35.000] Okay, at the US Grand Prix there was a radio message from GP, he said that exceeded truck
[02:35.000 -> 02:37.720] limits, don't answer me.
[02:37.720 -> 02:41.280] In that British Italian accent of his.
[02:41.280 -> 02:44.080] Sexy accent.
[02:44.080 -> 02:46.160] So what would have been your answer if you responded?
[02:46.160 -> 02:52.720] It would have been a radio rant. Oh yeah? Yeah. Because I could hold up again, that was the
[02:52.720 -> 02:58.320] problem. That's why I understood why. I had like three Grand Prix's in a row that I, in practice,
[02:58.320 -> 03:06.200] always there was somebody in my way. In a lap. Like on a fast lap. So that was like, I think the third Grand Prix in a row.
[03:06.200 -> 03:08.520] So I was like, I pressed the radio button to go.
[03:08.520 -> 03:09.360] Did he already, did he say?
[03:09.360 -> 03:11.240] Yeah, and then he was like, no, no, no, don't, don't.
[03:11.240 -> 03:12.080] Did I say it?
[03:12.080 -> 03:12.900] I was like, okay.
[03:12.900 -> 03:14.920] Alex, what are your three highlights from this season?
[03:14.920 -> 03:17.680] Highlights would be Hockenheim.
[03:17.680 -> 03:18.600] That was a nice race.
[03:18.600 -> 03:20.200] First time in the wet, I'd say.
[03:20.200 -> 03:21.520] What happened there?
[03:21.520 -> 03:22.400] Nothing really.
[03:22.400 -> 03:24.600] I was just fighting for fourth and then,
[03:29.000 -> 03:39.000] and then we lost that at the end, but still. And obviously just the whole transition across, so Spa would be good, just because it was a lot of hype, a lot of noise, so it was good to have a good race there.
[03:39.000 -> 03:42.000] And then Brazil, just, that was fun.
[03:42.000 -> 03:45.520] I mean, the last one and a half laps wasn't as fun.
[03:45.520 -> 03:48.960] But it was good to be there. Yeah. It was a cool moment, wasn't it?
[03:48.960 -> 03:54.240] Like that, when we both went on the outside. I felt like, oh, we're cool people.
[03:54.240 -> 03:58.880] Hopefully many more of those moments. Exactly.
[03:58.880 -> 04:02.720] Anyway, when you highlighted Spa, I have a question about Spa.
[04:02.720 -> 04:11.000] So, Alex, your first race with the team, you stomped through the field from P17 to P5.
[04:11.000 -> 04:12.000] How did that feel?
[04:12.000 -> 04:13.000] It felt alright.
[04:13.000 -> 04:18.000] It was a good one because I think the first stint I was actually really struggling.
[04:18.000 -> 04:19.000] I couldn't make any progress.
[04:19.000 -> 04:23.000] It was a DRS train, it was just one of those things where you couldn't get past anyone.
[04:23.000 -> 04:26.480] And then suddenly when the gaps started to open up and then people weren't
[04:26.480 -> 04:30.240] in the IRS you could obviously start to to do some stuff and it was good race. It
[04:30.240 -> 04:35.120] was just a fun race for me. Okay, Max, was the race in Austria diminished by the
[04:35.120 -> 04:41.120] stewards inquiry? It just took a lot of waiting. Okay. No, but I mean the race
[04:41.120 -> 04:47.960] itself was of course pretty crazy. Yeah. It was in a way a little bit of a shame of course to wait for so long to have the full
[04:47.960 -> 04:53.200] confirmation but on the other hand we actually won it on track so whatever the outcome would
[04:53.200 -> 05:00.360] have been I think we would have still enjoyed the moment but overall it was a great day.
[05:00.360 -> 05:01.360] It was.
[05:01.360 -> 05:03.760] So Alex, Brazil, Lewis.
[05:03.760 -> 05:04.760] Oh god.
[05:04.760 -> 05:13.440] Discuss. It was. So Alex, Brazil, Lewis, discuss. Well to be honest, it's what it is.
[05:13.520 -> 05:18.120] Okay that's really well discussed. Would have been nice to finish on the podium
[05:18.120 -> 05:24.760] but it didn't happen. So moving on. Now that we are Monaco homies, will you
[05:24.760 -> 05:26.120] invite me over for dinner
[05:26.120 -> 05:27.440] and what will you cook for me?
[05:27.440 -> 05:28.680] I'm not cooking.
[05:28.680 -> 05:29.500] I would order food.
[05:29.500 -> 05:30.340] I already knew that.
[05:30.340 -> 05:31.620] Yeah, I would order some food.
[05:31.620 -> 05:33.560] So there's a room service app I've heard in Monaco?
[05:33.560 -> 05:35.840] So I would literally order the food
[05:35.840 -> 05:37.320] and then put it on the plate.
[05:37.320 -> 05:38.160] And then I'm like,
[05:38.160 -> 05:39.880] Alex, dinner's ready.
[05:39.880 -> 05:41.560] The fact that you would put it on the plate for me,
[05:41.560 -> 05:42.960] that's very kind of you.
[05:42.960 -> 05:44.800] I'd take that as a gesture.
[05:44.800 -> 05:45.760] Of course.
[05:45.760 -> 05:47.160] What are we eating?
[05:47.160 -> 05:48.240] Whatever you like.
[05:48.240 -> 05:50.040] All right, Alex, which would you rather,
[05:50.040 -> 05:52.280] A, win the Monaco Grand Prix,
[05:52.280 -> 05:53.520] or B, finish second,
[05:53.520 -> 05:55.560] but you don't have to do any media all weekend?
[05:55.560 -> 05:56.560] Wow.
[05:56.560 -> 05:57.760] All weekend or all year?
[05:57.760 -> 05:58.680] All weekend, all weekend.
[05:58.680 -> 05:59.880] All weekend?
[05:59.880 -> 06:02.360] You know it's bad that we're even thinking about it.
[06:02.360 -> 06:04.040] Okay, I'll bear with it.
[06:04.040 -> 06:06.000] I'll do it. I guess.
[06:06.000 -> 06:07.000] You go for the win, right?
[06:07.000 -> 06:08.000] I'll go through, yeah.
[06:08.000 -> 06:09.000] It's a close one.
[06:09.000 -> 06:11.000] 51-49, but I'll go through it.
[06:11.000 -> 06:19.000] I think if you win, you should have the right to not do medium.
[06:19.000 -> 06:20.000] I'm not sure.
[06:20.000 -> 06:22.000] I think that's a good idea.
[06:22.000 -> 06:24.000] Alright, what would you choose?
[06:24.000 -> 06:26.560] Finishing fourth and your teammate doesn't finish the race
[06:26.560 -> 06:29.200] or finishing third and your teammate wins?
[06:29.200 -> 06:31.200] Oh, that's a hard one.
[06:35.040 -> 06:38.260] Well, for me at the moment, I'm still lacking a podium.
[06:40.240 -> 06:42.840] And for the team, I'm a team player.
[06:42.840 -> 06:44.840] Nicely said, Alex.
[06:44.840 -> 06:45.960] I want the points for the team. I want a team player. Nicely said, Alex. I want the points for the team.
[06:45.960 -> 06:47.800] I want us to do great in the championship.
[06:47.800 -> 06:50.720] So, podium and a win, baby.
[06:50.720 -> 06:51.560] All day long.
[06:51.560 -> 06:52.400] I agree.
[06:55.120 -> 06:56.880] Okay, so it's 2020.
[06:56.880 -> 06:58.560] You've just won the Drivers' Championship
[06:58.560 -> 07:00.240] and your race career is over.
[07:00.240 -> 07:01.160] What are you doing?
[07:01.160 -> 07:04.280] There are so many things I would still like to do.
[07:04.280 -> 07:05.280] I can't.
[07:05.280 -> 07:07.280] With a grin on his face.
[07:07.280 -> 07:09.280] He's going to become a DJ.
[07:09.280 -> 07:11.280] He's going to become a music producer.
[07:11.280 -> 07:13.280] I need a bit of help for that.
[07:13.280 -> 07:15.280] Martin Garrix to kind of show you the way.
[07:15.280 -> 07:17.280] Quite a lot of help.
[07:17.280 -> 07:19.280] Maybe you could be a singer.
[07:19.280 -> 07:21.280] I need a lot of help for that.
[07:21.280 -> 07:23.280] A lot of things I would like to do.
[07:23.280 -> 07:26.400] I would try to do something with go-karting, sim racing.
[07:26.400 -> 07:27.600] Would you like a karting team?
[07:27.600 -> 07:30.000] Not yet, not yet.
[07:30.000 -> 07:34.080] Alex, what's changed about you in the past year?
[07:34.080 -> 07:35.440] I don't know what I can say on camera.
[07:35.440 -> 07:37.360] Like, you're still the same person you are.
[07:37.360 -> 07:43.360] I'm less awkward on camera, just less awkward, I think.
[07:43.360 -> 07:43.920] Debatable.
[07:48.920 -> 07:53.240] We'll find out after this. Everyone's like, really? awkward on camera just less awkward I think debatable it was like really you seem pretty awkward to me max did you try any food this year and how did you
[07:53.240 -> 07:59.120] rate it yeah I mean I had to eat yeah yeah but you new food new food yeah
[07:59.120 -> 08:03.060] remember we tried chick-fil-a in Hollywood yeah that was good that was
[08:03.060 -> 08:05.520] good good absolutely well
[08:05.520 -> 08:10.080] anyway in LA there are so many things which are so good actually already no
[08:10.080 -> 08:14.440] catch no you didn't go to catch next time you're in LA was that the place
[08:14.440 -> 08:17.640] you're telling me yeah it's quite a trendy place yeah it's like all the
[08:17.640 -> 08:21.360] Instagram is they take like the girls they take pictures and in the flower
[08:21.360 -> 08:25.340] garden kind of entrance already it's all for the gram, you know?
[08:25.340 -> 08:26.500] It's all for the gram.
[08:26.500 -> 08:27.340] Good stuff.
[08:27.340 -> 08:29.780] Like you have to cook the meat on like a hot stone.
[08:29.780 -> 08:30.620] For yourself?
[08:30.620 -> 08:31.440] Yeah, for example you can choose that.
[08:31.440 -> 08:33.380] I thought you said you don't cook.
[08:33.380 -> 08:35.620] Well, this is just putting the...
[08:35.620 -> 08:37.340] That's cooking, you're basically doing it.
[08:37.340 -> 08:38.180] Come on.
[08:39.120 -> 08:41.180] Yeah, that is cooking, Max.
[08:41.180 -> 08:42.180] He's got you there.
[08:42.180 -> 08:44.620] Part two of their chat is on the way soon.
[08:44.620 -> 08:48.460] First, it's been a big year for our mechanics and pit crew.
[08:48.460 -> 08:51.020] A Formula One pit stop is much more than just stopping,
[08:51.020 -> 08:53.800] changing tires, and accelerating away, of course.
[08:53.800 -> 08:55.880] Perfect planning and absolute precision
[08:55.880 -> 08:58.200] at breathtaking speed are needed
[08:58.200 -> 08:59.680] to get it right first time.
[08:59.680 -> 09:01.960] Pit stops are possibly the most visual evidence
[09:01.960 -> 09:04.520] of why Formula One is a team sport.
[09:04.520 -> 09:07.000] We have the fastest pit stop of the season.
[09:07.000 -> 09:11.000] It was a record-breaking 1.82 seconds on Max's car in Brazil.
[09:11.000 -> 09:14.000] So we wanted to speak to the guys that make that possible.
[09:14.000 -> 09:17.000] Jonathan Whealey, Olai Schaak and Phil Turner.
[09:17.000 -> 09:18.000] Over to you, boys.
[09:19.000 -> 09:22.000] I think, obviously, it's been one of our strongest pit stop performances.
[09:22.000 -> 09:26.960] It was great to see the guys trofi DHL ym mis hwn.
[09:28.720 -> 09:33.840] Ac rwy'n credu ei fod wedi bod yn perfformiad cyfathrebu. Os ydych chi'n gwblhau'r pitstopau'n fawr iawn,
[09:33.840 -> 09:37.600] rwy'n credu yng nghanol y seswn, yr hyn rwyf wedi bod yn ymdrech y fwyaf, yw'r cyfathrebu'r person.
[09:37.600 -> 09:46.000] Rydych chi'n gwybod, fel rydym yn gwybod, mae'n seswn 21 o gyfraith. Rhai o'r cyfrifau unigodd, rstop, rai rân lle rydyn ni'n gwneud 7 pit-stops, rwy'n credu,
[09:46.000 -> 09:50.000] ond mae'r cyd-dynesydd yn y peth rydyn ni'n edrych yn ôl ar y rân hon
[09:50.000 -> 09:52.000] a'n meddwl y bydd y peth rydyn ni'n ei wneud yn dda.
[09:55.000 -> 09:57.000] Rydym yn y car penodol ar y ceg.
[09:57.000 -> 09:59.000] Mae llawer mwy o bethau yn mynd ar y sgrifennu,
[09:59.000 -> 10:03.000] o'r gynhyrch, mae'r cymaint o'r cynhyrch yn rhaid i fod yn paratoi
[10:03.000 -> 10:04.000] a phopeth yma.
[10:04.000 -> 10:07.160] Felly, ni ddim yn gallu ddewis i gael car pit-stop yn barod i ffwrdd, mae rhai eraill yn rhaid i ni'n paratoi hynny i ni equipment, all the equipment's got to be prepared and all of this stuff so we can't just turn up and have a pit stop car fully ready somebody else got to
[10:07.160 -> 10:11.120] prepare that for us and all that while we away racing so there's a lot of stuff
[10:11.120 -> 10:15.960] going on behind the scenes not just what we physically do at that pit stop it's
[10:15.960 -> 10:18.720] before the pit stop.
[10:31.920 -> 10:36.960] When the guys are back at the factory, they practice minimum of twice a day. Pre-season they do it twice a day, every day, so that's five days.
[10:36.960 -> 10:47.080] We try on new equipment, we're testing reliability of all the equipment we've got, any development items. We use the time in the factory to sort of push
[10:47.080 -> 10:50.960] our equipment to its limits and to see
[10:50.960 -> 10:52.040] basically what it can and can't do
[10:52.040 -> 10:52.880] and how long it can last.
[10:52.880 -> 10:55.400] Nothing happens by accident in this business.
[10:55.400 -> 10:57.080] The guys work incredibly hard.
[10:57.080 -> 10:59.840] We have a team of people here that help support them
[10:59.840 -> 11:01.640] through the year.
[11:01.640 -> 11:03.800] Try to, you know, the main goal is to stay
[11:06.520 -> 11:11.840] season-proof, if you like. try not to pick up silly injuries. Funny enough the fastest pit stop we did this
[11:11.840 -> 11:15.240] year we'd actually had three different people in the pit crew and one of them
[11:15.240 -> 11:21.480] it was his first live pit stop so yeah we we've been working on our pit stop
[11:21.480 -> 11:27.400] performance for a long time I think crew is probably at the highest level that I can remember.
[11:27.400 -> 11:32.000] Here at the factory we do, as you would imagine, a lot of pit stops.
[11:32.000 -> 11:36.040] Try not to injure anyone, try not to do too many.
[11:36.040 -> 11:39.560] Maybe the fans don't realise how much development there is in that area.
[11:39.560 -> 11:47.000] We're constantly tweaking wheel guns and jacks and sometimes even the way the wheel connects
[11:47.000 -> 11:48.000] with the car.
[11:48.000 -> 11:50.720] So it's a constant source of development.
[11:50.720 -> 11:54.040] There's a great buzz in the pit crew this year.
[11:54.040 -> 11:58.560] Back here at the factory they contribute towards these tiny little details.
[11:58.560 -> 12:06.560] You're talking about 22 guys having an exceptional two-second period. So any hundredths of a second,
[12:06.560 -> 12:08.480] you know, tenths of a second that can be gained,
[12:08.480 -> 12:10.000] we're looking for.
[12:10.000 -> 12:10.920] Looking at the future,
[12:10.920 -> 12:12.240] there's going to be bigger, heavier tyres,
[12:12.240 -> 12:13.840] there might be more rotational surrounds,
[12:13.840 -> 12:15.760] so you've got to have more people ready for all the roads,
[12:15.760 -> 12:17.720] not to wear out people and have fresher crew all the time.
[12:17.720 -> 12:20.160] That might happen in the future, you never know.
[12:20.160 -> 12:22.200] But at the same time, if somebody gets injured,
[12:22.200 -> 12:26.160] we had a little bit of crew changes at the end of the year, and we still beat the world record at the second time, if somebody gets injured, we had a little bit of a crew change at the end of the year
[12:26.160 -> 12:28.800] and we still beat the world record at the second to last race.
[12:28.800 -> 12:31.200] We're not the same crew as that started the year with.
[12:31.200 -> 12:34.480] And I think that shows a good depth of strength, just same as a football team,
[12:34.480 -> 12:36.480] you know, it's the depth of the squad as well.
[12:36.480 -> 12:42.240] When I talk about 22 people, one of them's the driver because we have left-hand circuits, right-hand circuits.
[12:42.240 -> 12:51.240] There are circuits where we're a lot closer to our competitors and pit stop areas, I don't know if that's always apparent on TV, and all of those
[12:51.240 -> 12:56.820] factors make it difficult for the driver sometimes to stop on the mark, so yeah it's very much
[12:56.820 -> 13:02.740] down to that, the driver has to be smooth, drive into the pit box aligned, stop near
[13:02.740 -> 13:05.640] the marks and then he'll get a good pit stop.
[13:05.640 -> 13:09.520] You know sometimes in the heat of battle there's another car in there having its
[13:09.520 -> 13:14.320] pit stop just ahead of them and they can't get the perfect approach and
[13:14.320 -> 13:17.520] that's where the consistency matters in the season, you know being able to deal
[13:17.520 -> 13:19.680] with it. I don't envy the drivers.
[13:19.680 -> 13:21.720] Well the pit stop is the most visual part of
[13:21.720 -> 13:30.000] teamwork that you see in Formula One. It's the team coming together to turn around the car in record-breaking time.
[13:30.000 -> 13:37.000] We broke that world record, our own record, three times, twice in one race in Hockenheim
[13:37.000 -> 13:40.000] and then lowered it again in Brazil.
[13:40.000 -> 13:47.000] That is a phenomenal achievement and it looks very straightforward when you watch it on the television.
[13:47.000 -> 13:57.000] The practice, the effort, the hours, the scrutiny that goes into achieving those kind of stops, the precision, it doesn't happen by accident.
[13:57.000 -> 14:05.000] And for us, strategically, that's such a valuable thing to have, to know you can turn the car around in about two seconds that you
[14:05.000 -> 14:11.840] can bank on that and maybe it'll be better is a great asset and testimony to
[14:11.840 -> 14:17.320] the hard work, the dedication, the application and just desire that goes in
[14:17.320 -> 14:21.200] from the race team. It's the commitment and the hard work the guys put in every
[14:21.200 -> 14:26.440] time we do a pit stop practice. Focus on the job in hand and make sure every stop
[14:26.440 -> 14:33.840] you do is to the best of your ability. You continue to blow our minds with your achievements
[14:33.840 -> 14:38.880] lads and we can't wait to see what sort of pit stop times you achieve in 2020. Now back
[14:38.880 -> 14:43.600] by popular demand it's our drivers. We've got Max Verstappen and Alex Albon back together
[14:43.600 -> 14:45.920] at the factory to interview each other
[14:46.080 -> 14:50.220] Here's part two of their chat. Alex now that you've done a full F1 season
[14:50.220 -> 14:56.720] Yes, which track and city surprised you the most? I like Melbourne like straight away. I felt it was quite a nice place
[14:56.720 -> 14:57.920] Yeah
[14:57.920 -> 15:02.400] It's the first race that maybe I was a bit excited. It was I maybe everything just felt cool
[15:02.400 -> 15:07.280] No, it's like I also like it over Mexico is a track was very cool. Nothing when you stood out too much
[15:07.280 -> 15:13.120] Oh, I mean, I don't know. I don't know make every place sound unimpressive, but they all were equally impressive
[15:13.120 -> 15:16.760] So I don't have any standout. It's so nice. Maybe so. Do you have a Red Bull?
[15:19.320 -> 15:20.800] No, but actually
[15:20.800 -> 15:24.660] There isn't like one area there isn't one place that stands out like crazy
[15:24.660 -> 15:28.360] I just like to go to Austin as well like good like where you have
[15:28.360 -> 15:32.720] really nice food yeah Austin is really good is there anything you want to do
[15:32.720 -> 15:37.680] next season that you didn't do this season but on and off track yeah win a
[15:37.680 -> 15:46.200] few more races that's a start that's what I would like to do. And of course fight for the championship.
[15:46.200 -> 15:49.080] I think that's what we want to do anyway next year.
[15:49.080 -> 15:53.400] Off track, any hobbies you want to pursue?
[15:53.400 -> 15:59.440] Anything like get a better rating on IRAC?
[15:59.440 -> 16:00.600] It's already pretty good though.
[16:00.600 -> 16:01.600] Is it actually?
[16:01.600 -> 16:02.600] It's okay.
[16:02.600 -> 16:03.600] I need to start again.
[16:03.600 -> 16:11.600] Are you a rookie still? I'm still ranked D in 17 years your little brother can potentially be your teammate if you're still racing
[16:12.000 -> 16:15.680] What help if any would you give him if any?
[16:15.680 -> 16:20.840] Oh, you think Max is that I would I would if it would be my brother. Yeah, I wouldn't mind
[16:20.840 -> 16:26.720] He would be the only one exactly who is allowed allowed to beat me and I would be fine with it.
[16:26.720 -> 16:34.720] Because it should be... I'm 2.0 for my dad and he should be 3.0 or 2.1, I don't know.
[16:34.720 -> 16:35.520] I'll keep looking at it.
[16:35.520 -> 16:36.020] 2.01?
[16:36.020 -> 16:37.020] I would just go 2.01.
[16:37.020 -> 16:38.520] 2.001?
[16:38.520 -> 16:40.520] Yeah, just like next pack.
[16:40.520 -> 16:45.000] What track and city are you most looking forward to returning next year?
[16:45.000 -> 16:49.000] You know what I'm excited to go to? I'm excited to go to Vietnam.
[16:49.000 -> 16:54.000] Because it's going to be my home race-ish, close to Thailand.
[16:54.000 -> 16:56.000] Simply lovely.
[16:56.000 -> 16:58.000] Simply lovely. What about you?
[16:58.000 -> 17:04.000] My city where I would like to return to next year is... I like Austin.
[17:04.000 -> 17:05.040] Austin. Austin.
[17:05.040 -> 17:06.040] Yeah.
[17:06.040 -> 17:07.680] This is a good question actually I have for you.
[17:07.680 -> 17:09.880] If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
[17:09.880 -> 17:10.880] At home.
[17:10.880 -> 17:11.880] Me too.
[17:11.880 -> 17:12.880] Not here, I can tell you that.
[17:12.880 -> 17:13.880] Oh, sorry.
[17:13.880 -> 17:14.880] Oh, oh.
[17:14.880 -> 17:20.600] On a scale of 1 to 10, rate the following.
[17:20.600 -> 17:22.760] 10 being the highest of course.
[17:22.760 -> 17:23.760] How thoughtful you are.
[17:23.760 -> 17:24.760] 11.
[17:24.760 -> 17:33.440] How happy you are. 12. And as a style icon? 0.1. I'm thoughtful but I think we all have a
[17:33.440 -> 17:38.480] selfish side if we're gonna go serious on this and then F-racing we're all a
[17:38.480 -> 17:47.840] bit selfish aren't we. And how happy? Happy? 11. Wow. Happy guy. Yeah and romantic as well. We didn't ask that.
[17:47.840 -> 17:53.600] I'm asking. It's an extra round. Are you a romantic person? Max wants to know.
[17:53.600 -> 17:58.960] Max, how honest are you? Well like straight I'm very straightforward.
[17:58.960 -> 18:07.000] Straight yeah. You? I'm honest when I need to be. When I need to be?
[18:07.000 -> 18:08.000] Shit.
[18:08.000 -> 18:10.000] I say I'm quite honest.
[18:10.000 -> 18:12.000] I'd say I'm quite honest.
[18:12.000 -> 18:13.000] Okay, Alex.
[18:13.000 -> 18:16.000] So have you or anyone you know ever seen a ghost?
[18:16.000 -> 18:18.000] I haven't seen a ghost.
[18:18.000 -> 18:28.800] And my parents claim, or my mum thinks, to be honest, my old house had very spooky ghost vibes.
[18:28.800 -> 18:35.120] So when we were young I had this weird story where some guy, my dad
[18:35.120 -> 18:38.680] used to kind of, he enjoyed doing research of the house kind of thing and
[18:38.680 -> 18:48.160] there's a story that a guy got beheaded at my house. I think he wrote a book or something about Queen Elizabeth
[18:48.160 -> 18:55.440] the first and he said something bad so he had to go and so this guy was whoever. Fast
[18:55.440 -> 19:09.720] forward to 15 years ago, maybe less, 10 years ago and we were living at this place. I would go off by myself and I used to play like race
[19:09.720 -> 19:12.960] toys and stuff by myself right. They used to always say, my mum would be like where
[19:12.960 -> 19:17.160] did you go? I was playing with this guy called, I think his name was Charlie, okay. So my
[19:17.160 -> 19:22.880] mum would be like, who's Charlie? Then fast forward to like that time a year later and
[19:22.880 -> 19:28.160] my sister said the same thing. She was off playing with some old guy, right?
[19:28.160 -> 19:32.080] And it would happen to, I think it happened to every kid at some stage
[19:32.080 -> 19:37.680] that they would speak about, and my mum would ask who this guy was.
[19:37.680 -> 19:42.400] And they would say like some grey, old looking dude with grey long hair.
[19:42.400 -> 19:48.260] And I think, okay, I don't know if this is true. I think it is true that
[19:48.820 -> 19:54.080] One of I think it was like my youngest brother or something because I have four other siblings so it happened four other times and
[19:54.640 -> 19:56.900] He said like Charlie Wow
[19:58.180 -> 20:04.340] And all they all said Charlie. I think we all explained that it was a long like he had long white hair
[20:04.340 -> 20:06.640] Maybe we're just a creep living in our house that we never knew
[20:07.800 -> 20:10.560] But yeah, what are your plans for the offseason?
[20:11.240 -> 20:16.160] What are you most looking forward to? Well, firstly, I think it's time with family. I think it's important
[20:16.160 -> 20:18.160] Oh, you're talking about me as well?
[20:18.160 -> 20:22.820] I mean if you want to come and see my family. One big family. I mean if you want to come over, that's fine
[20:24.120 -> 20:26.120] So I'm gonna have some time with them.
[20:26.120 -> 20:29.880] And then over New Year, I'm going to go to Japan
[20:29.880 -> 20:31.120] and chill out for a bit.
[20:31.120 -> 20:32.720] And go to Tokyo.
[20:32.720 -> 20:34.600] I think we're planning to go to Tokyo Drift.
[20:34.600 -> 20:35.760] For the Tokyo Drift.
[20:35.760 -> 20:37.440] I'm going to go on the Mario Kart things.
[20:37.440 -> 20:38.400] Ah, that's funny.
[20:38.400 -> 20:39.280] Have you done it before?
[20:39.280 -> 20:41.040] No, but I mean, I've seen the footage.
[20:41.040 -> 20:44.920] But I think in December, January, it might be very cold.
[20:44.920 -> 20:46.200] Just dress up a bit warmer.
[20:46.200 -> 20:47.200] Exactly.
[20:47.200 -> 20:51.200] And I honestly, I think from the excitement driving those things, you are laughing.
[20:51.200 -> 20:53.200] It's going to be fun.
[20:53.200 -> 20:54.200] What about you?
[20:54.200 -> 20:58.200] Christmas with the family and our New Year's back home in Monaco.
[20:58.200 -> 20:59.200] Nice.
[20:59.200 -> 21:00.200] Pretty chill.
[21:00.200 -> 21:02.200] To be honest, I just don't want to travel too much.
[21:02.200 -> 21:06.280] And also, besides that, I need to keep my iRacing career
[21:06.280 -> 21:07.320] up and running.
[21:07.320 -> 21:10.720] So I cannot leave home unless I can bring my simulator.
[21:10.720 -> 21:12.720] You should put that as a personal request
[21:12.720 -> 21:14.280] to every race next year,
[21:14.280 -> 21:15.920] bring my simulator to the hotel room.
[21:15.920 -> 21:16.760] Yeah.
[21:16.760 -> 21:17.580] Okay, last question.
[21:17.580 -> 21:20.680] Max, what's life like being Max Verstappen?
[21:20.680 -> 21:23.240] This can be as deep or as undeep,
[21:23.240 -> 21:24.560] as shallow as you want it to be.
[21:24.560 -> 21:25.900] Good. Good.
[21:26.400 -> 21:26.900] Good. It's good.
[21:26.900 -> 21:27.900] We went for the shallow one.
[21:27.900 -> 21:28.400] It's nice.
[21:29.900 -> 21:30.700] It's nice.
[21:31.200 -> 21:36.500] I think the good thing is that, yeah, I could make from my hobby my work.
[21:36.500 -> 21:38.800] So like you probably did as well.
[21:38.800 -> 21:39.300] Yeah.
[21:39.300 -> 21:43.200] So, you know, that's a really nice thing instead of like doing something you actually don't like.
[21:43.800 -> 21:44.300] So,
[21:44.700 -> 21:47.520] How do you find all the attention for that kind of stuff?
[21:47.520 -> 21:52.480] It's just a part of Formula 1 and you have to try and deal with it in the best way possible.
[21:52.480 -> 21:56.480] I think that's also the nice thing about living in Monaco is that you don't get recognised
[21:56.480 -> 21:57.480] that much.
[21:57.480 -> 21:59.280] You can live more of your private life.
[21:59.280 -> 22:05.000] Don't worry guys, I'll tweet out his address so you guys can know where he lives.
[22:05.000 -> 22:07.000] Do you enjoy the busy life?
[22:07.000 -> 22:12.000] No, I don't enjoy it, but then in a way, like in the off-season,
[22:12.000 -> 22:16.000] then at one point I'm like, actually I'd like to have a bit of action.
[22:16.000 -> 22:18.000] So, something in the middle, I think.
[22:18.000 -> 22:21.000] Shall we just do half the season? Shall we stop in July and just...
[22:21.000 -> 22:23.000] So, who's doing the first half and the second half?
[22:23.000 -> 22:24.000] We'll just run one car.
[22:24.000 -> 22:27.720] Yeah, exactly. I think it's cheaper for the team the only thing is
[22:27.720 -> 22:30.980] that the pedals need to come they need to come back a bit if I'm driving after
[22:30.980 -> 22:38.680] you we just put a cushion in the back yeah or wear a thick jacket might be a
[22:38.680 -> 22:43.880] bit tricky in Singapore guys thank you very much for watching and listening and
[22:43.880 -> 22:47.280] listening I think Alex did a very, very good job here.
[22:47.280 -> 22:50.400] Max did an even better job.
[22:50.400 -> 22:52.400] I couldn't be more proud of him.
[22:52.400 -> 22:53.600] That's very sweet.
[22:53.600 -> 22:58.000] I hope you guys are already looking forward to next year.
[22:58.000 -> 23:01.360] We're wishing you a very Merry Christmas.
[23:01.360 -> 23:03.920] We hope you get everything you wanted for.
[23:03.920 -> 23:06.000] And a happy new year.
[23:06.000 -> 23:10.000] Happy new year. Enjoy the time off and see you in the new season.
[23:10.000 -> 23:13.000] Well done this season chaps. Great to have you back on the podcast.
[23:13.000 -> 23:18.000] That's almost it for 2019. Now that the tyres have cooled and the fans can breathe again,
[23:18.000 -> 23:23.000] we wanted to speak to Christian Horner to reflect on this year and look forward to a new decade.
[23:23.000 -> 23:25.800] Vicky caught up with him back at the factory.
[23:25.800 -> 23:28.360] So now the 2019 season is complete,
[23:28.360 -> 23:30.240] can you just talk us through what was built
[23:30.240 -> 23:32.200] as a transitional year for the team?
[23:32.200 -> 23:34.200] Yeah, it's been an exciting year.
[23:34.200 -> 23:37.000] It started obviously with a new engine supply
[23:37.000 -> 23:41.440] with Honda joining the team for the testing.
[23:41.440 -> 23:43.680] That went reasonably well.
[23:43.680 -> 23:44.800] And then we got to Melbourne,
[23:44.800 -> 23:45.480] and of course,
[23:45.480 -> 23:46.560] you don't really know where you're at,
[23:46.560 -> 23:50.280] but for Max to get a podium, and Honda's first podium
[23:50.280 -> 23:54.520] in the hybrid era at that first race was,
[23:54.520 -> 23:57.060] you know, it was a fantastic start to the season.
[23:57.060 -> 24:00.200] And then really we built on that, you know,
[24:00.200 -> 24:02.920] on that momentum, there were other, you know,
[24:02.920 -> 24:06.000] high points, you know, Monaco Grand Prix was a really competitive
[24:06.000 -> 24:13.000] race for us, fighting for the lead, unfortunately we got a penalty with the unsafe pit release,
[24:13.000 -> 24:20.000] but we could see our competitiveness was growing and it was only when we got to the Austrian
[24:20.000 -> 24:32.560] Grand Prix with some aerodynamic updates, with engine updates coming through. It all came together and it came together in a huge way with a really dominant race
[24:32.560 -> 24:36.560] win at our home race.
[24:36.560 -> 24:41.360] So much support for Max there and it wasn't just about winning the race, it was about
[24:41.360 -> 24:42.360] how he won it.
[24:42.360 -> 24:45.400] He had to overtake all the
[24:45.400 -> 24:50.160] lead runners to achieve that, so that was a fantastic performance and that set us
[24:50.160 -> 24:55.040] up then really to really build momentum in the second half of the year and pole
[24:55.040 -> 24:59.440] positions in Hungary stood out, another pole position even though we lost it in
[24:59.440 -> 25:05.160] Mexico and obviously in Brazil as well, So, and then further victories,
[25:09.440 -> 25:11.760] the race in Hockenheim was just nuts. So to win that Grand Prix,
[25:12.760 -> 25:15.400] I think we did five pit stops with Max on that day.
[25:15.400 -> 25:18.400] We broke the world record twice in that race.
[25:18.400 -> 25:21.680] We went on to break the world record again in Brazil.
[25:21.680 -> 25:23.500] We won the race in Brazil.
[25:23.500 -> 25:25.620] We could have potentially won in Budapest. We should have won in Brazil. We won the race in Brazil. We could have potentially won in Budapest.
[25:25.620 -> 25:27.140] We should have won in Mexico.
[25:28.580 -> 25:30.980] You know, we're on the podium in America,
[25:30.980 -> 25:32.700] on the podium in Abu Dhabi.
[25:32.700 -> 25:35.900] So it's really been, you know,
[25:35.900 -> 25:38.300] successful year for us.
[25:38.300 -> 25:40.900] Three victories, nine podiums,
[25:40.900 -> 25:42.460] third in both championships.
[25:42.460 -> 25:44.700] It was, you know, considering the change
[25:44.700 -> 25:45.040] that we had over
[25:45.040 -> 25:47.960] the winter was a really positive season. Just going back to the victory in
[25:47.960 -> 25:51.440] Austria, obviously that was a huge moment for Honda and the emotion there was
[25:51.440 -> 25:55.040] amazing to see. Can you just talk us through what that meant because for the
[25:55.040 -> 25:58.640] team it was obviously a big step going with Honda, was it sort of vindication
[25:58.640 -> 26:03.400] for that decision? Yes, in many respects it was just everything coming together
[26:03.400 -> 26:07.500] and it was a fairy tale story.
[26:07.500 -> 26:11.000] Red Bull's home event at the Red Bull Ring,
[26:11.000 -> 26:14.000] Honda's first victory,
[26:14.000 -> 26:18.000] and the emotion that that brought was phenomenal.
[26:18.000 -> 26:20.500] It was won in such a convincing manner,
[26:20.500 -> 26:24.500] having to overtake Sebastian Vettel,
[26:24.500 -> 26:27.440] Valtteri Bottas, close and catch in the last few laps,
[26:27.440 -> 26:35.480] Charles Leclerc and for Max to win that race, you could see on the podium, you know, the emotion,
[26:35.480 -> 26:42.520] the noise was just enormous from the crowd behind us and on that day we sent up to Nabe-San,
[26:42.520 -> 26:48.600] you know, to collect the trophy on behalf of the constructor as our engine representative
[26:48.600 -> 26:54.600] because Honda have worked so hard for this, they had a tough time coming back into Formula 1 in the hybrid era
[26:54.600 -> 27:07.440] and they've really stuck at it and it was very much a vindication of the decision to move from Renault power to Honda power. And just looking at the whole season the team itself I think is really
[27:07.440 -> 27:11.120] capitalized on you know strategy and obviously the
[27:11.120 -> 27:15.280] pit stops. What do you put that down to? Well I think
[27:15.280 -> 27:22.080] the pit stop epitomizes teamwork and it's all the minute areas that
[27:22.080 -> 27:29.000] you're looking for marginal gains you know whether it's where you stop the car, it's the equipment that you use, where the mechanics are standing,
[27:29.000 -> 27:32.640] where they're positioned, where the wheel on is, where the wheel off is
[27:32.640 -> 27:37.520] being, you know, going to. And it's that synchronization of everything
[27:37.520 -> 27:43.240] working together in perfect harmony that enables you to, you know, achieve
[27:43.240 -> 27:45.000] 1.82 second pit stops.
[27:45.360 -> 27:49.220] And it's not just that teamwork in the pit stop crew,
[27:49.220 -> 27:52.240] it flows throughout the whole team here.
[27:52.240 -> 27:56.560] And that's our biggest asset, is that culture,
[27:56.560 -> 27:58.920] is that can-do attitude,
[27:58.920 -> 28:01.900] is that striving for always wanting more.
[28:03.040 -> 28:04.720] And just looking at the strategy
[28:04.720 -> 28:26.320] and some of the calls that have been made this season, would you say that as a team, Mae'n dweud bod ni wedi gwneud y rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o we've grabbed what we could and sometimes a bit more. And we've been sharp strategically this year,
[28:26.320 -> 28:31.320] we've been on our toes, we've relied on the pit crew work
[28:32.600 -> 28:34.040] to be able to service the car
[28:34.040 -> 28:35.320] and turn the car around quickly.
[28:35.320 -> 28:38.640] But some great strategic calls have been made
[28:38.640 -> 28:40.040] during the course of this year.
[28:40.040 -> 28:44.040] I mean, that five-stop race in Hockenheim
[28:44.040 -> 28:46.000] was a complicated race to navigate.
[28:46.000 -> 28:50.000] The brave decisions at the end of the year in Brazil,
[28:50.000 -> 28:54.000] pitting from the lead to put yourself behind Lewis Hamilton,
[28:54.000 -> 28:57.000] giving yourself a tyre advantage,
[28:57.000 -> 29:01.000] they were all brave and worthwhile decisions.
[29:01.000 -> 29:09.360] Sometimes you've got to take risks, but it has to be a calculated risk. And then just moving on to drivers Max obviously has had a great
[29:09.360 -> 29:14.600] season finished third in the drivers championship would you say you know he's
[29:14.600 -> 29:17.880] at the peak of his performance is there more to come? I think there's definitely
[29:17.880 -> 29:22.720] more to come for Max but he's hit such a high level this year I think he has been
[29:22.720 -> 29:26.760] for me he's been the outstanding driver of the season he's delivered at such a high level this year. I think he has been, for me, he's been the outstanding driver of the season.
[29:26.760 -> 29:30.360] He's delivered at such a high level throughout the year.
[29:30.360 -> 29:32.240] Some of his standout performances
[29:32.240 -> 29:34.440] of the three victories, obviously,
[29:34.440 -> 29:38.560] the races in Hungary, his race in Monaco,
[29:38.560 -> 29:40.560] his race in Melbourne at the beginning of the year,
[29:40.560 -> 29:44.000] he's really driven some phenomenal races this year.
[29:44.000 -> 29:51.680] And yeah, I think he's now a veteran at the age of 22, he just completed 100 Grands Prix,
[29:51.680 -> 29:55.000] so remarkable at just 22 years of age.
[29:55.000 -> 30:02.680] But he's got that knowledge and data bank of experience now to really use that, and
[30:02.680 -> 30:05.880] hopefully we can give him the tools to really take
[30:05.880 -> 30:10.440] and build a championship campaign. Obviously we saw a lot in the media
[30:10.440 -> 30:14.120] where you have spoken about the driver swap but could you just tell us in your
[30:14.120 -> 30:17.960] words a little bit about how that came about and the reasoning behind that.
[30:17.960 -> 30:21.440] Well the driver swap was a very difficult one I mean in all honesty Pierre was
[30:21.440 -> 30:26.240] probably promoted into the Red Bull seat through the circumstance
[30:26.240 -> 30:33.400] of Daniel Ricciardo leaving earlier than would have been ideal. Unfortunately, two crashes
[30:33.400 -> 30:39.920] pre-season put him on the back foot going into the season. His confidence had been knocked
[30:39.920 -> 30:47.400] from those two incidents. Having Max Verstappen as your teammate only makes life incredibly hard.
[30:47.400 -> 30:51.560] And unfortunately, we saw a variable performance
[30:51.560 -> 30:53.120] from Pierre.
[30:53.120 -> 30:55.680] We know he'd got speed and we know he'd got talent,
[30:55.680 -> 30:58.760] but we could see this pressure that was building on him
[30:58.760 -> 31:03.560] and the media scrutiny, and it becomes a downward spiral.
[31:03.560 -> 31:06.800] And there were a couple of races in Austria,
[31:06.800 -> 31:08.320] obviously Hockenheim, Budapest,
[31:08.320 -> 31:11.400] that it was just getting to a point
[31:11.400 -> 31:15.440] where it was painful to see him in that position.
[31:15.440 -> 31:20.120] So we made the decision that hadn't been our original intention
[31:20.120 -> 31:22.400] to switch the drivers after the summer break,
[31:22.400 -> 31:26.000] to remove Pierre from that pressure cooker
[31:26.000 -> 31:30.000] and put him in the less pressured environment of Toro Rosso.
[31:30.000 -> 31:34.000] We knew Danny Kvyat very well from his time with the team previously,
[31:34.000 -> 31:38.000] but we've been watching this emerging talent in Alex Albon,
[31:38.000 -> 31:43.000] a rookie in his Formula 1 season, getting better and stronger and stronger.
[31:43.000 -> 31:46.520] And so for us to put Alex in for those
[31:46.720 -> 31:52.320] remaining nine races was an opportunity to see how would he cope with that pressure?
[31:52.520 -> 31:56.680] And, you know, would he be a candidate for 2020?
[31:56.880 -> 31:58.160] And,
[31:58.360 -> 32:02.320] you know, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands from the first race.
[32:02.520 -> 32:05.200] He really showed his race craft
[32:05.200 -> 32:07.000] and in difficult circumstances for him,
[32:07.000 -> 32:09.000] he really did a very good job
[32:09.000 -> 32:12.240] and that's what warranted his extension
[32:12.240 -> 32:13.920] in that seat for 2020.
[32:13.920 -> 32:16.960] And Alex seems to fit into the team really easily.
[32:17.800 -> 32:20.000] What would you say that's down to?
[32:20.000 -> 32:21.800] Is it his personality?
[32:21.800 -> 32:24.520] Do you think it's just the way he approaches,
[32:24.520 -> 32:26.000] you know, working with team members?
[32:26.000 -> 32:34.000] Alex has got a really endearing personality. He's smart, he's funny, he's very humble.
[32:34.000 -> 32:48.280] He really, really takes it very seriously. He applies himself incredibly well. And he's making notes all the time.
[32:48.280 -> 32:49.600] He's working with the engineers.
[32:49.600 -> 32:51.880] He lives just around the corner here in Milton Keynes.
[32:51.880 -> 32:55.920] He's constantly talking to the engineers
[32:55.920 -> 32:57.680] and constantly self-evaluating.
[32:57.680 -> 33:02.000] And he's very hard on himself, almost too hard on himself
[33:02.000 -> 33:04.280] to continually improve.
[33:04.280 -> 33:08.440] And of course, he's got that benchmark in Max that is a very
[33:08.440 -> 33:11.040] tough one to be gauged against.
[33:11.040 -> 33:17.520] So just looking at the season as a whole, three high points, three highlights.
[33:17.520 -> 33:22.120] Obviously the wins would have to be there but I think I would have to pick out, I think
[33:22.120 -> 33:29.280] that first podium in Melbourne was Nupana seeing the emotion and joy of achieving a podium.
[33:30.960 -> 33:34.480] I don't think Honda actually believed that we could win a race this year.
[33:34.480 -> 33:42.480] So then to see that emotion of that Grand Prix victory in Austria at our home race,
[33:42.480 -> 33:45.960] I mean that was absolutely the high point of the year.
[33:45.960 -> 33:48.080] And then I would say the Brazilian Grand Prix,
[33:48.080 -> 33:52.840] where on that day, Max, the car, the team,
[33:52.840 -> 33:53.680] were outstanding.
[33:53.680 -> 33:57.160] So those, for me, would be the three high points.
[33:57.160 -> 33:59.320] And there are always improvements that can be made.
[33:59.320 -> 34:00.160] Of course.
[34:00.160 -> 34:01.340] What things do you think we need to focus on
[34:01.340 -> 34:02.480] as a team for next year?
[34:02.480 -> 34:07.400] But we need to come out the blocks the blocks really competitively next year.
[34:07.400 -> 34:13.400] Mercedes have done an unbelievable job for six years now of being the benchmark.
[34:13.400 -> 34:20.000] And that is the case as we go into the winter and into the season of 2020.
[34:20.000 -> 34:31.000] But it feels like it's converging, it feels like it's getting closer. And we have got to be absolutely on the best, on our front foot
[34:31.000 -> 34:38.000] and really come up with a competitive car from the first race to the last race.
[34:38.000 -> 34:42.000] We've got to be reliable, we've got to be quick at all types of circuit
[34:42.000 -> 34:45.600] in order to take that challenge to them and I think you know it feels
[34:45.600 -> 34:52.160] like there's a buzz in the factory and anticipation and hopefully we can capitalise on that.
[34:52.160 -> 34:55.840] And just talking about stability, this year the team had excellent reliability
[34:56.560 -> 35:04.240] both from the engine side and from a mechanical perspective. How important is that to the team
[35:04.240 -> 35:06.180] and I guess the next year as well
[35:06.180 -> 35:10.080] to continue on that same vein? Well reliability is crucially important I
[35:10.080 -> 35:18.280] mean this year we had zero engine issues or failures. We had only one mechanical
[35:18.280 -> 35:23.840] failure with the driveshaft on Pierre Gas's car in Azerbaijan and that was it
[35:23.840 -> 35:26.000] for the year. When you compare that to nine, you know,
[35:26.000 -> 35:28.000] DNFs the previous year,
[35:28.000 -> 35:31.000] it's a huge step in the right direction.
[35:31.000 -> 35:34.000] But that's the kind of reliability we need to achieve
[35:34.000 -> 35:36.000] to be taking, you know,
[35:36.000 -> 35:39.000] the fight to the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari.
[35:39.000 -> 35:41.000] Do you think we have the people here
[35:41.000 -> 35:43.000] to fight for that championship next year?
[35:43.000 -> 35:50.000] I think we have all the ingredients and all the i ddod i mewn i Mercedes.
[35:50.000 -> 35:55.000] Rydyn ni wedi mwynhau gwych o stabilitiaeth dros y blynyddoedd, rydyn ni wedi ceisio'r tîm,
[35:55.000 -> 36:00.000] mae llawer o ddewis yn mynd i mewn, galluoedd iawn yn y tîm hefyd sy'n cynyddu i'r gofod.
[36:00.000 -> 36:05.920] Rydyn ni'n ei weld gyda'r drifyrwyr, rydyn ni'n ei weld ar gyfer pob aspect o'r tîm.
[36:05.920 -> 36:10.320] Mae wedi bod yn llawer o ddysgu bod Red Bull yn gweithio yn y deithyddiad,
[36:10.320 -> 36:12.800] yn datblygu deithyddiad a'n rhoi cyfle i deithyddiad.
[36:12.800 -> 36:16.400] Rydyn ni'n ei weld yn dechrau gael argyfwngau nawr.
[36:16.400 -> 36:21.120] Felly, rwy'n credu bod y tîm hwn yn y lle i gyd a'n gallu
[36:21.120 -> 36:27.520] gael ymgyrch o gympaniadau. Yn ddiweddaru'r seswn yn y cyhoed, pa mor bwysig yw hynny ar gael yn y
[36:27.520 -> 36:30.000] cwmniwch ymhellach ar gyfer y preparatiynau ers 2020?
[36:30.000 -> 36:35.280] Mae'n bwysig iawn i gael y seswn yn y cyhoed. Rydyn ni'n cyntaf yn y
[36:35.280 -> 36:39.520] amser diweddar, mae cyfnod o ddewis ar draws y bwrdd, ar draws yr aerodinamig, y
[36:39.520 -> 36:43.520] mecan, y tyriau, mae popeth yn ymwneud â'r un i 2020.
[36:43.520 -> 36:46.760] Felly mae hynny'n gallu i ni ddweud yr holl ddysgu o'r blwyddyn hon ac yn the tires, everything remains the same for 2020. So that enables us to take all the learnings from this year
[36:46.760 -> 36:48.640] and apply them into next year.
[36:48.640 -> 36:51.120] It's a very short off-season,
[36:51.120 -> 36:53.600] it's less than 100 days to Melbourne,
[36:53.600 -> 36:57.160] and we'll be testing in less than two months' time.
[36:57.160 -> 37:02.160] So, the car is being created as we speak,
[37:02.680 -> 37:04.640] the factory's working at breakneck speed
[37:04.640 -> 37:09.960] to get that car produced in time for the first test next year.
[37:09.960 -> 37:14.040] And it's exciting to be going into a season
[37:14.040 -> 37:17.720] with that stability and with that momentum
[37:17.720 -> 37:22.800] that hopefully we can build on for the fans, for the neutrals.
[37:22.800 -> 37:25.840] It's been a great second half to this year
[37:25.840 -> 37:29.760] and it's gonna be a humdinger next year.
[37:29.760 -> 37:31.080] Roll on 2020.
[37:31.080 -> 37:32.220] Great to hear from Christian.
[37:32.220 -> 37:34.680] You're right, it is gonna be a humdinger.
[37:34.680 -> 37:36.640] That's it for this edition of Talking Bull
[37:36.640 -> 37:38.160] and for the season.
[37:38.160 -> 37:40.240] We'll be back in the new year with more insight
[37:40.240 -> 37:42.800] from the track, the paddock, and the factory.
[37:42.800 -> 37:44.760] Until then, take care.
[37:44.760 -> 38:06.460] ♪ Screw the petition, yeah � the factory. Until then, take care. My bread like casinos explains why my ego is And I might have a new baby in it from Japan all the way to Haiti with it
[38:06.460 -> 38:09.600] I'm shady with it, go crazy with it, might pull up in the stadies with it
[38:09.600 -> 38:10.100] What's up?
[38:10.100 -> 38:13.020] I be on the winning team, yeah, pulling up looking hella clean, yeah
[38:13.020 -> 38:16.060] Money trees like a evergreen, I'ma get the money like you never seen, yeah
[38:16.060 -> 38:18.640] That's my 365, every season we go party like this
[38:18.640 -> 38:21.520] Every weekend we been winning and we never plan to leave it like, ayy
[38:21.520 -> 38:24.680] Just know when you winning they gon' have to go, hey
[38:24.680 -> 38:25.000] I been on the grind for like 24 straight We never plan to leave it like that Just know when you in it, they gon' have to go, hey
[38:25.000 -> 38:28.000] I been on the grind for like 24 straight
[38:28.000 -> 38:31.000] Gotta get it now, ain't no time to go away
[38:31.000 -> 38:34.000] Tell me when I'm on top, really, what they gon' say
[38:34.000 -> 38:36.000] Tell me what you gon' say
[38:36.000 -> 38:38.000] What you gon' say, what you gon' say
[38:38.000 -> 38:41.000] What you gon' say, what you gon' say
[38:41.000 -> 38:48.000] Win it all day, win it all day Win it all day, win it all day
[38:48.000 -> 38:50.000] Stay low key, stay stealth
[38:50.000 -> 38:52.000] Stay winning, finna get the belt
[38:52.000 -> 38:53.000] Then I'm finna get the wealth
[38:53.000 -> 38:55.000] Show me the money, cause ain't nobody else
[38:55.000 -> 38:56.000] Done it like this, wanted this quick
[38:56.000 -> 38:58.000] Get in the booth and press up on the hit stick
[38:58.000 -> 39:00.000] Oh, she got me on a wish list
[39:00.000 -> 39:01.000] Hit it once and I dip quick
[39:01.000 -> 39:03.000] Like I'm running from the cops
[39:03.000 -> 39:04.000] How I'm dipping from the dots
[39:04.000 -> 39:06.160] They running on top in the yacht And back on the low on the cot You gotta quick Like I'm runnin' from the cops How I'm dippin' from the dots They want it on top in the yacht
[39:06.160 -> 39:07.760] And back on the low on the cot
[39:07.760 -> 39:09.500] You gotta know that I'm a boss
[39:09.500 -> 39:11.060] High stakes, all costs
[39:11.060 -> 39:12.260] Steady payin' what I'm seein'
[39:12.260 -> 39:13.900] Gettin' paid for it like I'm Bob Ross
[39:13.900 -> 39:15.460] Pull up now, pull up now
[39:15.460 -> 39:17.100] Show up now, I'm finna go now
[39:17.100 -> 39:18.700] Pull up now, pull up now
[39:18.700 -> 39:20.900] Go up, ready for my close up now
[39:20.900 -> 39:21.700] Don't slow it down
[39:21.700 -> 39:23.340] Been the only one to really hold it down
[39:23.340 -> 39:24.900] And the city thinkin' I'm a part now
[39:24.900 -> 39:26.000] Y'all owe it now
[39:26.000 -> 39:29.000] Just know when you winnin' they gon' have to go, hey
[39:29.000 -> 39:32.000] I been on the grind for like 24 straight
[39:32.000 -> 39:35.000] Gotta get it now, ain't no time to go away
[39:35.000 -> 39:38.000] Tell me when I'm on top, really, what they gon' say
[39:38.000 -> 39:40.000] Tell me what you gon' say
[39:40.000 -> 39:42.000] What you gon' say, what you gon' say
[39:42.000 -> 39:46.000] What you gon' say, what you gon' say What you gon' say, what you gon' say
[39:46.000 -> 39:49.000] Win it all day, win it all day
[39:49.000 -> 39:52.000] Win it all day, win it all day
[39:53.000 -> 39:58.000] Thanks for listening. Don't forget to subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.