The Race To Engineer Ventilators

On this edition of Talking Bull, we speak to Andy Damerum from Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Junior Doctor Alastair Darwood about our efforts to design and manufacture ventilators to help in the fight against COVID-19. We also have an exclusive chat with pro surfer and paddle boarder Kai Lenny from his home in Hawaii – find out how he’s been spending his lockdown period!

# Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Podcast: Episode Transcript Analysis

## Introduction

* Christian Horner, Alex Albon, and Max Verstappen introduce the episode, which focuses on Red Bull's advanced technology and features an interview with surfing legend Kai Lenny.
* The episode also discusses the Formula One season's resumption and the team's efforts in manufacturing medical ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Project Pitlane: Collaboration for Ventilator Production

* Andy Dameron, head of Red Bull Advanced Technology, and Dr. Alistair Darwood, a junior doctor and ventilator designer, join the podcast to discuss Project Pitlane.
* Project Pitlane was a collaboration between seven UK-based Formula One teams and the government to design and manufacture medical ventilators to address the shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic.
* Dr. Darwood explains his existing portable ventilator design, which was adapted for rapid production with the assistance of Formula One teams.

## Ventilator Design and Production

* Dr. Darwood describes the two main types of ventilators: those for non-breathing patients and those that assist breathing. His design focused on the former.
* The ventilator functions by pumping air into the lungs, allowing them to expand and recoil, facilitating breathing.
* The team faced challenges in meeting regulatory requirements and ensuring engineering integrity while maintaining speed in production.

## Collaboration and Innovation

* Andy Dameron emphasizes the Formula One industry's ability to react quickly and efficiently, which was crucial in the ventilator project.
* Renault F1 and other teams joined Red Bull in the project, demonstrating the industry's willingness to collaborate for a common cause.
* Dr. Darwood praises the dynamic problem-solving abilities of the Formula One teams, highlighting their rapid response to design issues.

## Future of the Ventilator and Red Bull Advanced Technologies

* While the NHS ultimately did not require as many ventilators as initially feared, the Blue Sky ventilator has potential for future use in low-resource settings and fragile healthcare economies.
* Red Bull Advanced Technologies focuses on performance vehicles, including projects like the Aston Martin Valkyrie, IndyCar aero screen, and a new concept bike for BMCC.
* The team is considering expanding into medical devices but remains focused on high-performance vehicles for now.

## Kai Lenny's Virtual Monaco Grand Prix Experience

* Kai Lenny, a renowned surfer and Red Bull athlete, shares his experience participating in the virtual Monaco Grand Prix alongside Alex Albon.
* Lenny describes his initial excitement and the challenge of learning to drive a simulator in a short time frame.
* He faced difficulties adapting to the wet track conditions during qualifying and ultimately faced disqualification due to a fuel issue.

## Conclusion

* The episode highlights the successful collaboration between Formula One teams and the government in producing medical ventilators during a time of crisis.
* It also showcases the innovative spirit and adaptability of the Formula One industry, which extends beyond racing.
* Kai Lenny's experience in the virtual Monaco Grand Prix adds a lighthearted and engaging element to the discussion. # **Talking Bull: Navigating the World of Formula One with Kai Lenny**

## **Introduction**

The podcast episode features Kai Lenny, a renowned big-wave surfer, as he delves into the exhilarating world of Formula One racing. Kai shares his unique perspective on the similarities between surfing and Formula One, his experience in a virtual Formula One race, and his passion for the sport.

## **Kai's Virtual Formula One Race Experience**

Kai's virtual Formula One race experience was a thrilling and eye-opening adventure. Initially feeling nervous, he sought inspiration from his big-wave surfing experiences, where he learned to face fear and rely on instinct. With guidance from Red Bull Racing drivers Max Verstappen and Alex Albon, Kai gained valuable insights into the intricacies of Formula One racing. He discovered the importance of smooth pedal control, precise racing lines, and the significance of avoiding oversteering. Through practice and dedication, Kai managed to improve his lap times significantly.

## **Similarities Between Formula One and Big-Wave Surfing**

Kai draws parallels between Formula One racing and big-wave surfing, emphasizing the need for focus, precision, and risk assessment in both disciplines. In both cases, athletes must navigate unpredictable conditions and make split-second decisions to optimize performance. Just as surfers read the ocean's currents and swells, Formula One drivers must anticipate the movements of other cars and adapt their strategies accordingly.

## **The Red Bull Energy Station**

Kai marvels at the impressive infrastructure and organization of the Red Bull Energy Station at the Monaco Grand Prix. He highlights the attention to detail and the luxurious amenities provided for guests, creating a unique and immersive experience. The energy station serves as a symbol of the grandeur and spectacle surrounding Formula One racing.

## **The State of Play for Surfing Competitions**

Kai expresses his concern regarding the uncertain future of surfing competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a traveling sport, surfing competitions face challenges in resuming due to travel restrictions and safety concerns. He hopes that as conditions improve, surfing competitions can safely resume, allowing athletes to showcase their skills and entertain fans worldwide.

## **The Positive Impact of the Pandemic on Outdoor Activities**

Kai observes a positive trend in people embracing outdoor activities during the pandemic. He notes an increase in families and individuals engaging in surfing, paddle boarding, and other recreational activities. He believes that this renewed appreciation for outdoor pursuits can lead to healthier lifestyles and a greater connection with nature.

## **Conclusion**

The podcast episode offers a unique perspective on Formula One racing through the lens of a big-wave surfer. Kai's enthusiasm for the sport, his willingness to embrace new challenges, and his insights into the similarities between surfing and Formula One provide a refreshing and engaging narrative. The discussion highlights the importance of focus, precision, and the pursuit of excellence in both disciplines.

[00:00.000 -> 00:07.000] Hi there, this is Christian Horner.
[00:07.000 -> 00:08.000] Hi, it's Alex Albon.
[00:08.000 -> 00:13.000] Hi, I'm Max Verstappen and you're listening to the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Podcast.
[00:13.000 -> 00:17.000] Oh, this feels good!
[00:17.000 -> 00:22.000] Hello and welcome to Talking Bull, the official Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Podcast.
[00:22.000 -> 00:26.400] This episode is all about Red Bull's advanced technology and we'll
[00:26.400 -> 00:31.200] speak to surfing legend Kai Lenny. It's been a big week for the team with the news that Formula
[00:31.200 -> 00:36.400] One will begin to race again in the near future. The factory is starting to get itself back up and
[00:36.400 -> 00:41.680] running with the majority of workers coming back in. It's a big site in Milton Keynes with loads
[00:41.680 -> 00:47.800] of space so we can spread the team out and follow strict social distancing guidelines. It's been a while since we've
[00:47.800 -> 00:51.620] been able to think about racing in the factory. In recent times, along with
[00:51.620 -> 00:55.660] seven other Formula One teams, we put all our efforts into the design and
[00:55.660 -> 01:01.180] manufacture of medical ventilators to help with COVID-19. In this special
[01:01.180 -> 01:04.740] edition of the podcast we've invited on Andy Dameron, the head of Red Bull
[01:04.740 -> 01:10.600] Advanced Technology, and Dr. Alistair Darwood, a junior doctor who designed a new portable
[01:10.600 -> 01:11.600] ventilator.
[01:11.600 -> 01:14.800] Andy, Alistair, thanks for joining us on Talking Bull.
[01:14.800 -> 01:15.800] No problem.
[01:15.800 -> 01:16.800] Guys, there's so much to talk about.
[01:16.800 -> 01:19.840] Andy, I want to have a quick chat with you a little bit later about Red Bull Advanced
[01:19.840 -> 01:22.840] Technology and some of the other projects that you've got on the go.
[01:22.840 -> 01:28.800] But could you tell us a little bit to start with about Project Pitlane and how seven UK-based
[01:28.800 -> 01:32.440] F1 teams answered the call from government right at the start of this?
[01:32.440 -> 01:35.560] It was quite an exciting project and collaboration.
[01:35.560 -> 01:41.360] So it really started back when the UK government put out that call for ventilators.
[01:41.360 -> 01:52.120] I guess from China and also from Italy, they could tell that the pandemic was going to hit the UK pretty hard. And they realized that from the Italians
[01:52.120 -> 01:56.680] and from other countries that ventilators are going to be an issue. It was perceived
[01:56.680 -> 02:02.000] that we didn't have enough. So they put a call out to UK industry to see if they could
[02:02.000 -> 02:05.520] help. It was agreed it would be a good idea for us to have a look at this.
[02:05.520 -> 02:09.000] I think we're just, it wasn't long after
[02:09.000 -> 02:11.040] the Australian Grand Prix had been canceled.
[02:11.040 -> 02:13.800] So it was the whole thing about coronavirus
[02:13.800 -> 02:17.200] and the effects of it were pretty raw with the team
[02:17.200 -> 02:18.680] and we could tell that it was going to kick off.
[02:18.680 -> 02:21.000] So this was right before lockdown had started.
[02:21.000 -> 02:24.280] I made a few calls, I spoke to Jackie Stewart.
[02:24.280 -> 02:32.120] He put me in touch with Matt Hancock and it really, it sort of started picking up speed from there on. Made
[02:32.120 -> 02:37.520] a few calls with a couple of other teams and throughout that week Project Pitlane was formed.
[02:37.520 -> 02:42.960] Alistair, you're a doctor and you had a design which you'd already designed, I think, for
[02:42.960 -> 02:45.280] a new portable ventilator. Could you briefly
[02:45.280 -> 02:50.800] describe what this piece of kit is and why it was important to redesign the ventilator?
[02:50.800 -> 02:56.320] As you said, I work as a junior doctor in general surgery, in A&E. I've actually taken
[02:56.320 -> 03:03.520] some time out doing a PhD in bioengineering. So I have quite an active interest in medical
[03:03.520 -> 03:09.120] device product development, previously working quite a lot in medical robotics. Prior to
[03:09.120 -> 03:12.000] everything kicking off with the coronavirus ventilator requirements, I
[03:12.000 -> 03:18.120] had a small startup producing a novel, very small scale ventilator aimed at the
[03:18.120 -> 03:23.720] trauma and emergency market. So this was working in collaboration with various
[03:23.720 -> 03:26.240] military agencies, first response
[03:26.240 -> 03:30.200] agencies, trying to design a product for use in those situations.
[03:30.200 -> 03:35.400] Once this process kicked off and it became clear that there might be an urgent need for
[03:35.400 -> 03:41.160] ventilators quickly in the UK, this ventilator seemed to have a perfect fit or perfect use
[03:41.160 -> 03:43.400] profile to be able to be built quickly.
[03:43.400 -> 03:48.320] And what we needed was engineering assistance to get this done as fast as possible.
[03:48.320 -> 03:53.120] So a ventilator, as I briefly understand it, is a device which obviously helps you breathe.
[03:53.120 -> 03:55.520] Is that correct? Is that as simple as it is?
[03:55.520 -> 03:59.760] Absolutely. I think everyone's heard so much about ventilators over the last few weeks
[03:59.760 -> 04:03.680] and even people who've never heard of them before. In general, there are two types of
[04:03.680 -> 04:05.840] ventilators. There's ventilators that work on patients
[04:05.840 -> 04:08.040] who actually aren't breathing themselves.
[04:08.040 -> 04:09.600] That might be because they're severely injured
[04:09.600 -> 04:10.880] or because they've been given drugs
[04:10.880 -> 04:13.920] that stop them from breathing, say, during an operation.
[04:13.920 -> 04:16.280] And there are ventilators that help patients to breathe
[04:16.280 -> 04:17.480] when they're already breathing.
[04:17.480 -> 04:21.080] So the Blue Sky ventilator started out as a ventilator
[04:21.080 -> 04:22.920] that was designed to help a patient breathe
[04:22.920 -> 04:24.880] who wasn't breathing for themselves.
[04:24.880 -> 04:27.640] It's effectively a pump that pumps air into
[04:27.640 -> 04:30.600] the patient's lungs expanding them a little bit like a party balloon and
[04:30.600 -> 04:36.040] allowing the lungs to elastically recoil to get the air back out of the lungs.
[04:36.040 -> 04:39.480] Of course there are many different types you would have heard about things like CPAP
[04:39.480 -> 04:43.080] or BIPAP devices in the media that stands for continuous positive airway
[04:43.080 -> 04:48.000] pressure and those can be something as simple as a fan which just continuously pumps air
[04:48.000 -> 04:53.320] towards a patient's mouth. They typically have a sealed mask over their face and
[04:53.320 -> 04:56.880] it's a little bit like sticking your head out of the windscreen or out of a
[04:56.880 -> 05:01.760] window of a car going at 70 miles an hour. You have this jet of air aimed at
[05:01.760 -> 05:05.520] the face and it makes it much easier for the patient to breathe in and out.
[05:05.520 -> 05:09.920] And certainly in this coronavirus pandemic, from a medical point of view, I think the
[05:09.920 -> 05:15.520] optimum management of patients has changed according to the best possible evidence that
[05:15.520 -> 05:19.960] doctors are seeing in hospitals. So at the beginning, it looked like a lot of patients
[05:19.960 -> 05:30.360] were going to be ventilated, a lot of patients are going to need that artificial support for their breathing. And I think as the disease progressed, it certainly looks like ventilation
[05:30.360 -> 05:34.360] is perhaps not the best route. And it's much more important to try and keep patients off
[05:34.360 -> 05:39.080] ventilators at the beginning. But obviously, even now, it's a totally dynamically changing
[05:39.080 -> 05:50.300] field about how best to manage patients. And thankfully, within the UK, and thankfully within the UK and certainly within some other countries we're not seeing that same ventilator need that was projected right at the beginning
[05:50.300 -> 05:51.300] of this process.
[05:51.300 -> 05:55.900] Obviously as diseases develop and as the knowledge about this disease comes we know that now
[05:55.900 -> 06:00.180] but at the time ventilators were very much a priority weren't they and so this was why
[06:00.180 -> 06:05.280] it was such a priority for the government to build as many as we could in the UK.
[06:05.280 -> 06:10.860] So you were teamed up with the guys at Aston Martin Rebel Racing and Renault F1 to progress
[06:10.860 -> 06:13.760] your design to a stage where it could go into production.
[06:13.760 -> 06:15.280] What was that like when they told you?
[06:15.280 -> 06:16.280] What was your reaction?
[06:16.280 -> 06:21.520] Well, the background story there is we started off just us as a very, very small team.
[06:21.520 -> 06:25.760] This is before working with Project Black Lane and the F1 teams.
[06:25.760 -> 06:29.240] And through some contact to the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur
[06:29.240 -> 06:32.080] Program and Innovate UK, it quickly
[06:32.080 -> 06:35.080] became clear that as a small team of just us,
[06:35.080 -> 06:37.920] there was no way we were going to be able to produce
[06:37.920 -> 06:40.920] a device quickly enough and in quantity.
[06:40.920 -> 06:44.800] So through the NHS program and Innovate UK,
[06:44.800 -> 06:46.200] they arranged for me to go up
[06:46.200 -> 06:52.300] to the Red Bull head offices in Milton Keynes and meet with Andy Gamer and Bob Bell. We
[06:52.300 -> 06:56.560] discussed the idea and I think they moulded over that evening and thought, actually, yes,
[06:56.560 -> 07:01.640] this is the sort of project they could help with. So it was an absolutely amazing outcome.
[07:01.640 -> 07:07.040] It was almost like putting a turbocharger onto a project, working with these teams to
[07:07.040 -> 07:12.320] get the device produced. I have a huge amount of respect and gratitude for how the teams
[07:12.320 -> 07:19.040] stepped up to produce this device. On one hand, it's a shame it was never used, but
[07:19.040 -> 07:23.520] on the other hand, it's a good thing that we managed to avoid and dent that peak to
[07:23.520 -> 07:25.520] the extent where such a great
[07:25.520 -> 07:27.920] volume of ventilators wasn't needed.
[07:27.920 -> 07:31.440] Andy, you talked a little earlier about how you heard about this project on a Saturday,
[07:31.440 -> 07:34.960] you got a phone call on Monday. During the week you were in touch with Matt Hancock and
[07:34.960 -> 07:39.240] then how quickly after that did you get put in touch with Alistair here and his project
[07:39.240 -> 07:42.880] and what did you think when you first saw the ventilator?
[07:42.880 -> 07:48.000] So it all kicked off on the Monday really. I started making the calls as you just said.
[07:48.000 -> 07:53.120] It was very hard to get a foot in the door. With the whole ventilator challenge, there
[07:53.120 -> 07:58.360] were so many people who were trying to work on ventilators. I mean, I was in conversations
[07:58.360 -> 08:07.480] with JCB, Rolls Royce and Dyson. They were all doing something. And it wasn't until the Friday night of that
[08:07.480 -> 08:14.080] week I got a call from Mark from Innovate UKRI. And it was at that point there they
[08:14.080 -> 08:19.360] said, look, we might have something. This is not one of the mainstream ventilators.
[08:19.360 -> 08:26.660] It's a rapid response ventilator. Would you be interested? It was literally 10 minutes,
[08:26.660 -> 08:29.760] 10 minute phone call with Mark Gullen.
[08:29.760 -> 08:31.560] And I said, yeah, let's have a chat.
[08:31.560 -> 08:32.880] So that was on the Friday night.
[08:32.880 -> 08:35.860] On the Saturday, I arranged for myself and Bob Bell
[08:35.860 -> 08:37.160] to see Alastair.
[08:37.160 -> 08:39.400] I think Alastair came and showed us the device,
[08:39.400 -> 08:41.200] showed us his invention.
[08:41.200 -> 08:42.040] And that's-
[08:42.040 -> 08:42.860] What an amazing turnaround.
[08:42.860 -> 08:43.700] I mean, like you were saying earlier,
[08:43.700 -> 08:44.600] you were thinking about Australia,
[08:44.600 -> 08:48.200] you were thinking about the early stages of the championship,
[08:48.200 -> 08:52.120] and then suddenly two or three weeks later, you're making ventilators. That's incredible.
[08:52.120 -> 08:57.640] Yeah, I guess we're quite used to it in Formula 1 and motorsport in general. We're quite used
[08:57.640 -> 09:05.880] to being able to react quickly. I think that was the appeal from the Innovate guys and also I guess
[09:05.880 -> 09:10.760] that's what Alice found out. Once we pick something up, we will run with it.
[09:10.760 -> 09:17.000] We were quite fortunate as well that most of the F1 teams in that previous
[09:17.000 -> 09:21.580] week had announced that they were bringing forward the shutdown. So we did
[09:21.580 -> 09:25.440] have people that were there. We were fortunate in one sense that we were able to
[09:26.720 -> 09:28.720] redeploy a resource onto this project
[09:29.560 -> 09:36.400] Unfortunate that we were in shutdown. So a lot of the infrastructure was being turned off around us
[09:36.920 -> 09:38.920] because it was a shutdown period but
[09:39.480 -> 09:41.080] That didn't stop us
[09:41.080 -> 09:44.500] No surprise to anyone who follows the sport that Formula One was
[09:44.720 -> 09:45.240] One of the first ports of call for the government when they needed to put something together like this That didn't stop us. It's going to be no surprise to anyone who follows the sport that Formula One was one
[09:45.240 -> 09:48.100] of the first ports of call for the government when they needed to put something together
[09:48.100 -> 09:49.100] like this.
[09:49.100 -> 09:51.480] Tell us a little bit about that sort of centre of excellence that is in the Milton Keynes
[09:51.480 -> 09:55.640] area and UK Formula One industry in general in terms of engineering and design.
[09:55.640 -> 10:03.960] We pride ourselves on being able to redesign a part for a race in between a two-week slot
[10:03.960 -> 10:06.040] and that's everything from the design,
[10:06.040 -> 10:07.960] initial concept of design and the manufacture
[10:07.960 -> 10:10.320] can be done within that two week period.
[10:10.320 -> 10:11.840] A lot of other industries,
[10:13.240 -> 10:16.120] normally this takes quite a long time,
[10:16.120 -> 10:17.680] normally because of processes.
[10:17.680 -> 10:20.680] I wouldn't say that we go rogue on our processes,
[10:20.680 -> 10:24.080] because we are still putting a driver on the track
[10:24.080 -> 10:24.960] and it has to be safe,
[10:24.960 -> 10:26.600] but we're able to shortcut all those processes.
[10:26.600 -> 10:30.520] Did you ever imagine you'd be working on a project of national importance like this?
[10:30.520 -> 10:32.560] I mean, obviously Formula 1's a national event.
[10:32.560 -> 10:39.280] No, I didn't. And it was exciting. It was exciting. And that kept us going. I think
[10:39.280 -> 10:44.760] it was a pretty hard slog for all concerned. It was 27 days straight where we were doing
[10:44.760 -> 10:46.640] anything between 16 and 20 hour
[10:46.640 -> 10:52.480] days. But you could see the progress every day. You could see the design, the manufacture,
[10:52.480 -> 10:56.800] the redesign. Yes, it was hard because you're learning about medical devices, you know,
[10:57.680 -> 11:00.560] what do you have to comply with a medical device? What are the regulatory
[11:01.840 -> 11:05.720] things that you need to comply with, CE testing, EMC testing.
[11:05.720 -> 11:08.200] So there was a lot to take in, but it was a rush.
[11:08.200 -> 11:10.320] And you managed to get a prototype up and running
[11:10.320 -> 11:12.400] in three weeks, which would have normally taken years.
[11:12.400 -> 11:13.560] That's a huge achievement.
[11:13.560 -> 11:14.960] Alistair, you must be, you've talked about this
[11:14.960 -> 11:15.800] being supercharged.
[11:15.800 -> 11:17.280] I mean, this is really supercharged, isn't it?
[11:17.280 -> 11:18.100] Absolutely.
[11:18.100 -> 11:21.480] I mean, I remember we had a meeting on Saturday,
[11:21.480 -> 11:26.240] I think a sort of briefing meeting on the Sunday evening and by
[11:26.240 -> 11:30.160] Monday afternoon, I mean Andy correct me if I'm wrong, there were parts being
[11:30.160 -> 11:34.840] created. I think the very first use of parts were going into real-life testing
[11:34.840 -> 11:39.880] so the very rigs that were used to test Formula One's components actually
[11:39.880 -> 11:43.320] had ventilator parts placed onto them so we could simulate real-world testing and
[11:43.320 -> 11:47.480] that literally started on the Monday. Speed is a bit of an understatement in
[11:47.480 -> 11:51.240] terms of how quickly it was but I think it's more importantly it's speed whilst
[11:51.240 -> 11:56.680] retaining engineering integrity and quality. It was a... all parts were
[11:56.680 -> 12:02.080] thought of from the ground up. All the failure mode analysis, all of the
[12:02.080 -> 12:06.560] different control algorithms, you know. It was fast and efficient.
[12:06.560 -> 12:10.320] Andy, what was it like working with the guys from Renault and having them alongside you in the factory?
[12:10.320 -> 12:14.240] Oh, it's fantastic. It really was. I mean, you know a lot of these people,
[12:14.240 -> 12:19.440] I know a lot of these people because we've worked, we've all been in Formula 1 and motorsport for
[12:19.440 -> 12:25.720] quite a long time, so you either know the people because you've worked with them before in the past or you've heard of them.
[12:25.720 -> 12:31.120] We've got certain people at Red Bull who we believe are the best in the business.
[12:31.120 -> 12:38.840] To come across somebody in another company who's equally as good was quite humbling and
[12:38.840 -> 12:43.880] it was a joy to work with these people and to see them put the effort in that we were
[12:43.880 -> 12:52.160] putting in at Red Bull as well. I mean it was uh Renault, Haas, we even had Mercedes guys involved, Williams had a
[12:52.160 -> 12:56.320] did some rapid prototype for us as well so there was a lot of people involved on this project but
[12:56.320 -> 13:04.080] yes I guess the the mainstay was the Renault guys, Bob Bell and his team and us at Red Bull.
[13:04.080 -> 13:08.080] And how does the Bobziddle lie being welcomed into the heart of Formula One and being in an
[13:08.080 -> 13:12.400] industry which is normally quite secretive and understandably needs to keep some of these
[13:12.400 -> 13:14.320] important engineering developments to themselves?
[13:14.320 -> 13:19.760] It was an amazing contrast from the medical device and medical industry which is by definition very
[13:19.760 -> 13:26.560] conservative and very steadfast in its processes for understandable reason and moving into
[13:26.560 -> 13:33.320] an industry which has that same engineering rigor but is just built on speed and engineering
[13:33.320 -> 13:34.320] prowess.
[13:34.320 -> 13:35.320] So it was an amazing experience.
[13:35.320 -> 13:40.280] I mean I think I was probably most impressed with the dynamic problem solving abilities
[13:40.280 -> 13:43.540] of all the Formula One teams involved.
[13:43.540 -> 13:47.200] Looking at issues that cropped up in the design challenge
[13:47.200 -> 13:49.880] and honestly within hours even,
[13:49.880 -> 13:52.060] we would have complete redesigns of components
[13:52.060 -> 13:56.100] and they'd be on CNC machines starting to be produced.
[13:56.100 -> 13:58.640] Certainly an experience I won't forget in a hurry
[13:58.640 -> 14:01.680] and I think we in the medical device industry
[14:01.680 -> 14:04.040] and into the medical innovation industry,
[14:04.040 -> 14:09.520] we really have things to learn from the Formula One teams and the way in which products are prototyped
[14:09.520 -> 14:10.520] so rapidly.
[14:10.520 -> 14:13.920] Now as it's turned out, the NHS didn't need as many ventilators as were feared, which
[14:13.920 -> 14:17.600] is obviously a good thing, but that's not the end of the road for this device, is it?
[14:17.600 -> 14:22.840] Absolutely. I think the Blue Sky ventilator was created with the primary goal of being
[14:22.840 -> 14:28.680] low cost and able to be manufactured incredibly quickly. I think most importantly it was built to not
[14:28.680 -> 14:32.360] tread on the toes of any other products that needed to go into existing
[14:32.360 -> 14:36.640] ventilators because we didn't want to get into a state where we were competing
[14:36.640 -> 14:42.480] for parts. So I think the BlueSky device very much has a future as a rapidly
[14:42.480 -> 14:45.400] produced product that's able to meet
[14:45.400 -> 14:50.080] what the MHRA was setting out as the requirements for coronavirus ventilators.
[14:50.080 -> 14:54.880] Now for us moving forward, we're still looking and still developing our
[14:54.880 -> 15:00.700] sort of low scale trauma emergency device where we're taking the
[15:00.700 -> 15:08.940] time to be able to reduce costs even further and develop a product that we hope can open up portable ventilation to
[15:08.940 -> 15:15.740] fragile healthcare economies where patients might not be able to have products of this type when they're injured.
[15:15.740 -> 15:19.620] Andy, this isn't the only exciting project you've been working on over the last 12 months or so.
[15:19.620 -> 15:22.420] Can you tell us a little bit about Red Bull Advanced Technologies?
[15:22.420 -> 15:25.980] Yeah, Red Bull Advanced Technologies was set up around 2014.
[15:25.980 -> 15:27.740] So we've been going for a while.
[15:27.740 -> 15:32.180] We set it up really because we had some engineers and we wanted to give them something other
[15:32.180 -> 15:34.780] than Formula One to have a look at.
[15:34.780 -> 15:40.380] So really it was predominantly simulation and modelling based engineering consultancy
[15:40.380 -> 15:45.040] services and that was I guess the first gig we had was with Ben
[15:45.040 -> 15:46.520] Ainslie racing on the America's Cup.
[15:46.520 -> 15:49.880] So we did some course optimization simulation work
[15:49.880 -> 15:52.760] for the superyachts, something completely
[15:52.760 -> 15:54.840] different to Formula One.
[15:54.840 -> 15:57.080] That was an extremely interesting project.
[15:57.080 -> 15:59.680] And then from there, we went on to doing some of the more
[15:59.680 -> 16:03.200] public projects, the Aston Martin Valkyrie.
[16:03.200 -> 16:06.420] We started working on that towards early
[16:06.420 -> 16:10.820] early 15 and that's still still going at the moment. So that initial discussion
[16:10.820 -> 16:16.900] with Aston Martin which led on to them becoming our title sponsors.
[16:16.900 -> 16:23.040] Also we've been doing stuff with using our expertise in Aero,
[16:23.040 -> 16:27.800] we've been working with IndyCar, with the IndyCar aero screen which
[16:27.800 -> 16:31.920] has been gone into production now and that's going to be raced this year.
[16:31.920 -> 16:37.640] So a little bit like the Halo, but they've got an actual full windscreen, so a full canopy.
[16:37.640 -> 16:41.880] And then more recently, earlier late last year and this year we've been doing some work
[16:41.880 -> 16:51.320] with a Swiss premium bike manufacturer, BMCC and we've designed them a brand new concept bike which they are
[16:51.320 -> 16:59.200] now taking and putting into a working prototype, actually two prototypes so
[16:59.200 -> 17:04.200] that was an extremely exciting project for all the guys to work on.
[17:04.200 -> 17:08.160] This is going to be a bike with the blood of Red Bull running through it.
[17:08.160 -> 17:09.160] Exactly, yeah.
[17:09.160 -> 17:16.440] So we've gone to town on this from an aerodynamic perspective and we're still maintaining, I
[17:16.440 -> 17:26.240] would say, it's still a UCI legal bike, so it can still be raced, but the front end looks quite radical.
[17:26.240 -> 17:30.320] I'm imagining nose cones and spoilers.
[17:30.320 -> 17:34.080] Unfortunately they're not legal but yeah I think
[17:34.080 -> 17:37.760] some of the principles that we've employed on this bike
[17:37.760 -> 17:44.080] have all backed up with our CFD and ultimately it will go into a
[17:44.080 -> 17:45.000] winter fairly soon.
[17:45.260 -> 17:47.360] Yeah, the Valkyrie had its first drive on public roads
[17:47.360 -> 17:49.000] just before lockdown, I think, didn't it?
[17:49.000 -> 17:50.520] Was it good to see it in the wild?
[17:50.520 -> 17:52.400] It's been extremely exciting
[17:52.400 -> 17:54.680] and challenging project, the Valkyrie.
[17:54.680 -> 17:58.600] Whoever's getting that car are quite lucky.
[17:58.600 -> 17:59.760] How do these projects, I mean,
[17:59.760 -> 18:02.120] obviously they're all based around vehicles and movement.
[18:02.120 -> 18:03.600] How do they feed into each other?
[18:03.600 -> 18:07.280] Is there stuff you can learn from designing a bike which you can take back into Formula One?
[18:07.280 -> 18:12.860] I wouldn't say the stuff from the bike. I mean, the Formula One has definitely helped
[18:12.860 -> 18:19.520] that bike project development. Some of the principles and processes that we learned whilst
[18:19.520 -> 18:25.600] we were working with Aston Martin has definitely helped Formula One or they will help the Formula One processes.
[18:25.600 -> 18:32.880] As far as new technology, so far I think it's only gone one way which is the Formula One way
[18:32.880 -> 18:38.560] out to other industries. It'd be unfair to say that we haven't learned from these other industries,
[18:38.560 -> 18:42.720] we definitely have. We've all learned a lot from working with these other areas.
[18:42.720 -> 18:46.560] With the last few months in mind, do you think continuing to work in medical
[18:46.560 -> 18:49.840] devices might be something that the Advanced Technologies team do?
[18:49.840 -> 18:53.120] We made a decision probably about two years ago
[18:53.120 -> 18:56.240] because we were looking at lots of different projects. We made a decision to
[18:56.240 -> 19:00.480] focus on what we know best, which is performance vehicles.
[19:00.480 -> 19:08.000] So that's why we've stayed with high-performance cars, high-performance push bikes.
[19:08.000 -> 19:14.000] Whether we go into medical devices will be a strategic decision that needs to be made later on.
[19:14.000 -> 19:18.000] But at the moment we are just high-performance vehicles.
[19:18.000 -> 19:24.000] That could be anything from boats, cars, apparently we've got a submarine coming our way for us to have a look at,
[19:24.000 -> 19:26.000] and maybe even
[19:26.000 -> 19:32.360] aircraft. So we're looking at high performance vehicles. I mean, it'd be interesting to branch
[19:32.360 -> 19:33.360] into other areas.
[19:33.360 -> 19:38.080] The rebel submarine. That sounds very exciting. Alistair, are you going to continue in medicine
[19:38.080 -> 19:41.280] or you switch over to engineering having had a taste of this?
[19:41.280 -> 19:45.080] It's a great question. I still don't know the answer. I think I need
[19:45.080 -> 19:51.260] to see how this engineering PhD finishes. I mean, it's in a crazily different direction.
[19:51.260 -> 19:58.440] It's in orthopedic stem cell research. And I need to make a decision at the end of that
[19:58.440 -> 20:04.540] PhD, but certainly I'm pretty attracted to surgery. So a bit of a wishy-washy answer,
[20:04.540 -> 20:05.440] but the honest truth is that
[20:05.440 -> 20:09.760] I don't know the answer. I think certainly I'll be continuing the medical device development on
[20:09.760 -> 20:13.120] the side. Well, good luck with that, Alistair. Andy, thanks for joining us on Talking Bull.
[20:13.120 -> 20:14.320] Thanks very much. Thank you very much.
[20:14.320 -> 20:19.200] Wow. What a project to have worked on. And I also hope to get a ride on that submarine one day.
[20:19.200 -> 20:23.840] Now, we know we'll hopefully get a return to the track soon, but in the meantime,
[20:23.840 -> 20:25.040] we've been taking part
[20:25.040 -> 20:26.760] in some virtual Grand Prix
[20:26.760 -> 20:29.260] with some of the biggest names in the sporting world.
[20:29.260 -> 20:31.220] We turn our attention to Monaco
[20:31.220 -> 20:32.800] and we enlisted Rebel athlete,
[20:32.800 -> 20:34.760] Taekwor Ambassador, Paddleboarder,
[20:34.760 -> 20:38.160] and superstar surfer, Kai Lenny, to the driver lineup.
[20:38.160 -> 20:39.000] Here he is now.
[20:39.000 -> 20:40.380] So stoked to join you.
[20:40.380 -> 20:41.320] This is awesome.
[20:41.320 -> 20:43.380] I listen to this podcast all the time.
[20:43.380 -> 20:46.020] It's like where I get my fill for Formula One
[20:46.020 -> 20:52.420] Especially when it's not happening like now it's not happening right now, but you've been taking part in the virtual version
[20:52.420 -> 20:54.240] We're gonna chat to talk about that in a second
[20:54.240 -> 20:58.600] But first of all, I can see you the audience obviously calm, but you're in Hawaii right now
[20:58.600 -> 21:00.720] What's life been like over the last couple of weeks?
[21:00.720 -> 21:06.520] Oh, I'm very lucky to be I I guess, stranded here on an island in the Pacific.
[21:06.520 -> 21:10.640] You know what, it's been really nice because for me, I'm a professional surfer, professional
[21:10.640 -> 21:11.640] water athlete.
[21:11.640 -> 21:16.600] So I do a bunch of other sports besides surfing, like windsurfing, kiting, big wave riding,
[21:16.600 -> 21:19.640] stand up paddling, hydrofoil riding.
[21:19.640 -> 21:25.080] And so where I live, I live on the water and I can sneak out in the water and, you know,
[21:25.080 -> 21:26.320] self-isolate out there.
[21:26.320 -> 21:31.680] And it's actually been pretty mellow since we haven't had much cases over the last week.
[21:31.680 -> 21:38.040] So we've been allowed to just kind of go about life as usual, minus going sit down restaurants
[21:38.040 -> 21:40.240] or going to the movies, for example.
[21:40.240 -> 21:42.880] So we're really, really lucky, I would say.
[21:42.880 -> 21:45.400] We're probably in the best place you could be at this point.
[21:45.400 -> 21:49.680] Absolutely. And I guess without tourists being there as well, it's been quite quiet. You've
[21:49.680 -> 21:53.320] probably had some experiences that you wouldn't normally have had in any other situation.
[21:53.320 -> 21:57.720] Yeah, no, there's a few beaches here in Hawaii that, you know, I didn't realize there was
[21:57.720 -> 22:02.040] that much sand on them because normally they're pretty packed with people. And, you know,
[22:02.040 -> 22:09.760] why wouldn't you want to come visit Hawaii and hang out? I do not blame anybody, but it has been pretty cool to see the island very empty and kind
[22:09.760 -> 22:14.840] of can imagine what it would have been like back in the day, maybe 50 years ago.
[22:14.840 -> 22:19.000] So at least I got a taste of that and I don't have to imagine it.
[22:19.000 -> 22:26.200] That being said, you know, our islands definitely, you know, lean on tourism and to keep the economy going.
[22:26.200 -> 22:29.240] So I think when everything sort of comes back
[22:29.240 -> 22:32.320] to semi-normal, it'll definitely help
[22:32.320 -> 22:33.680] to have everyone back again.
[22:33.680 -> 22:35.760] I mean, I have a lot of friends that wanna come out
[22:35.760 -> 22:38.480] and I wanna see them, so hopefully they can visit soon.
[22:38.480 -> 22:41.160] Your natural habitat is of course the sea and the water,
[22:41.160 -> 22:44.120] but for one day, you were a Formula One driver.
[22:44.120 -> 22:49.400] You took part in the virtual Monaco Grand Prix alongside Alex at the weekend. How was it?
[22:49.400 -> 22:54.000] Well you know what it was a dream come true. I have been a huge fan of Formula
[22:54.000 -> 22:59.560] One gosh since maybe 2011 when I was first introduced to it. You know being
[22:59.560 -> 23:05.680] from an island on Maui you know it's like you don't get exposed to the kind of motorsports
[23:05.680 -> 23:10.160] stuff unless somebody kind of shows it to you or, you know, you get to travel and see
[23:10.160 -> 23:15.360] it firsthand. You know, I've always been into sort of motorsports, but when I really figured
[23:15.360 -> 23:19.820] out Formula One, it was like, there was so much going on about it was so interesting
[23:19.820 -> 23:27.220] and to actually take part in a virtual race and for one split second think that maybe I was a Formula One driver
[23:27.300 -> 23:30.880] That was pretty damn cool. And I'm such a perfectionist and
[23:31.480 -> 23:34.420] Super competitive I've won so much in my sports
[23:34.420 -> 23:40.140] So to go into a sport being like a complete noob a beginner was pretty terrifying
[23:40.220 -> 23:46.320] But I felt like it was a good challenge to try to learn something and learn it quick.
[23:46.320 -> 23:49.000] It takes forever to get anything shipped here.
[23:49.000 -> 23:51.880] So by the time the simulator came to the island,
[23:51.880 -> 23:54.120] I had maybe just over a week, eight days
[23:54.120 -> 23:56.040] to kind of get ready and acquainted
[23:56.040 -> 23:58.580] from never driving a simulator.
[23:58.580 -> 24:02.200] And it was because Alex and some advice from Max
[24:02.200 -> 24:05.920] that I was able to sort of figure it out.
[24:05.920 -> 24:09.840] I definitely feel like if I had one more week, I might have been a few spots further up in
[24:09.840 -> 24:10.840] the ranking.
[24:10.840 -> 24:15.320] So Red Bull shipped out the full virtual simulator, the Grand Prix simulator with the chair and
[24:15.320 -> 24:17.960] the screen and the proper steering wheel.
[24:17.960 -> 24:18.960] What was that like to drive?
[24:18.960 -> 24:21.040] Did that make it feel even more real?
[24:21.040 -> 24:22.040] You know what?
[24:22.040 -> 24:29.400] It was crazy because it's just nothing like driving my normal truck. I actually have a pretty murdered-out truck it's a
[24:29.400 -> 24:33.680] Ford Raptor but it's kind of has a Baja kit on it so you know to me it feels
[24:33.680 -> 24:37.880] like a race car but when I got on the sim you know I realized you have to be
[24:37.880 -> 24:40.720] thinking one whole turn ahead and if you're really good you're probably
[24:40.720 -> 24:49.520] thinking two turns ahead and you got to start turning the steering wheel barely, but you got to do it before the next corner and very
[24:49.520 -> 24:54.680] much gentle on the gas and you know slamming on the brakes but maybe for a
[24:54.680 -> 24:58.240] brief second before you gently bring your foot off. So the opposite of driving
[24:58.240 -> 25:02.200] a normal car where you know you're gentle on the brakes and you're kind of
[25:02.200 -> 25:06.240] slamming down the pedal since there's a huge delay and it made driving my truck not
[25:06.240 -> 25:11.100] Seem that much fun anymore. I'm like, gosh, I need to get myself into a actual fast car
[25:11.540 -> 25:13.540] So, how did your race pan out? How did you do?
[25:13.540 -> 25:13.920] well
[25:13.920 -> 25:19.160] so I did a bunch of practice races actually did a practice race before the actual race on the day and
[25:19.400 -> 25:20.940] I thought it was gonna go good
[25:20.940 -> 25:24.220] but what totally threw me for a loop was when they put
[25:21.200 -> 25:27.160] I thought it was going to go good. But what totally threw me for a loop was when they put kind of the wet setting on and all
[25:27.160 -> 25:29.660] of a sudden I had to do qualifying in the rain.
[25:29.660 -> 25:34.720] And just reading what they sent over to me, I didn't expect that because they said everything
[25:34.720 -> 25:38.280] was going to be in dry and maybe it was a mistake or maybe it was for entertainment
[25:38.280 -> 25:39.320] value.
[25:39.320 -> 25:43.720] And I accidentally did one wet qualifying actually, and one of the trainings, but I
[25:43.720 -> 25:45.960] kind of like I did half of it and I quit because I was like, oh, I accidentally did one wet qualifying actually, and one of the trainings, but I kind of like, I did half of it and I quit,
[25:45.960 -> 25:47.840] because I was like, oh, I accidentally left it on wet
[25:47.840 -> 25:49.920] or whatever, or it was on random.
[25:49.920 -> 25:52.720] And I was just going, gosh, I should have trained that.
[25:52.720 -> 25:55.220] It's just like surfing where you can train
[25:55.220 -> 25:56.680] at every single thing,
[25:56.680 -> 25:59.160] but you just never know what's gonna actually happen,
[25:59.160 -> 26:01.760] because in the ocean, no two waves are the same,
[26:01.760 -> 26:03.920] even if you're surfing the same spot all day.
[26:03.920 -> 26:07.200] And I should have known better. I was slipping and sliding and getting in all
[26:07.200 -> 26:12.120] of my favorite f1 drivers ways even got in front of Alex on one point cuz I was
[26:12.120 -> 26:16.200] like sliding I didn't know how to like go in the rain and it was hilarious it
[26:16.200 -> 26:20.880] was kind of embarrassing I ended up getting disqualified because I slid and
[26:20.880 -> 26:25.440] then I kind of lost some fuel two seconds from making it back to the pits,
[26:25.440 -> 26:26.840] I didn't make it so I had to start dead last.
[26:26.840 -> 26:28.080] I was like super bummed.
[26:28.080 -> 26:29.780] I was actually pretty pissed.
[26:29.780 -> 26:32.960] But I had a really good start once it was dry
[26:32.960 -> 26:36.460] and I got up to 14th and I was holding 14th for a bit.
[26:36.460 -> 26:40.520] And then another driver just ran me into the wall
[26:40.520 -> 26:43.000] on the inside corner and I just spun
[26:43.000 -> 26:44.040] and I was dead last again.
[26:44.040 -> 26:50.900] I was like, this can't be happening. I have to be like finishing really well. So it was, it was crazy.
[26:50.900 -> 26:56.480] So Monaco in the rain as well. I mean, this is a baptism of fire for any driver.
[26:56.480 -> 27:02.120] Yeah. I mean, you know what? I didn't try one other track on the sim besides Monaco
[27:02.120 -> 27:07.180] for fear that I might realize how hard it is. And I know firsthand how hard it can be
[27:07.180 -> 27:10.940] just from being in Monaco, watching the actual GP
[27:10.940 -> 27:12.020] like I was last year.
[27:12.020 -> 27:17.020] And, you know, it totally added to the respect I have
[27:17.080 -> 27:19.300] for the actual drivers who are in real cars
[27:19.300 -> 27:21.660] and there's no tapping anything.
[27:21.660 -> 27:24.120] And it's so narrow, I'm like, how do you even pass?
[27:24.120 -> 27:28.920] And you have to be pretty courageous to go for a pass even in a sim and when you do do that
[27:28.920 -> 27:32.120] you end up rubbing the wall or hitting somebody else it's unbelievable it
[27:32.120 -> 27:36.640] actually gives me a whole new perspective on what the guys do on the
[27:36.640 -> 27:39.760] track I always had that respect for them that's why I was such a fan because
[27:39.760 -> 27:44.240] they're going so fast or so extreme but man Monaco's legit and I'm and the cars
[27:44.240 -> 27:48.480] keep getting bigger it seems or they have been over the last you know few seasons
[27:48.480 -> 27:52.100] so it's how do they even fit those things around there it's crazy.
[27:52.100 -> 27:55.020] How nervous were you before the race? I mean obviously it's virtual but you know
[27:55.020 -> 27:58.120] there are people watching, there are teammates, there's expectation
[27:58.120 -> 27:59.120] there as well.
[27:59.120 -> 28:03.040] You know I was really nervous because I really wanted to prove myself that I
[28:03.040 -> 28:05.120] could do something you you know, not be
[28:05.120 -> 28:09.360] completely dead last and spinning out and not having good laps. I wanted to really have
[28:09.360 -> 28:15.480] like a couple really good runs. And the whole time I felt like the, not the pressure, but
[28:15.480 -> 28:19.520] I kind of felt the responsibility to uphold the Red Bull racing name. And you know what,
[28:19.520 -> 28:26.400] I don't think I really did, but at least I didn't come dead last. And I had a few good laps, but you know,
[28:26.400 -> 28:28.560] when I first was asked, it was funny
[28:28.560 -> 28:31.460] because I was doing something pretty extreme already.
[28:31.460 -> 28:33.800] I was like standing on these rocks
[28:33.800 -> 28:35.480] when I got this phone call where these waves
[28:35.480 -> 28:36.920] were probably hitting this rock
[28:36.920 -> 28:39.480] and sending spray 50 to 60 feet in the air.
[28:39.480 -> 28:43.440] And I was like more scared of when I heard the phone call
[28:43.440 -> 28:46.240] then kind of the waves coming in off these rocks
[28:46.240 -> 28:47.720] before I was trying to jump in the water.
[28:47.720 -> 28:51.160] And I was like, wow, just a shift of perspective,
[28:51.160 -> 28:53.720] what you're comfortable in versus what you're like
[28:53.720 -> 28:56.640] completely new to and you're not comfortable in,
[28:56.640 -> 29:00.720] which is, you know, driving a car, be it even virtual.
[29:00.720 -> 29:03.680] Yeah, it was, I was terrified even right before the race
[29:03.680 -> 29:09.080] was I was like trying to rely on all of the things I've learned surfing big waves when you've
[29:09.080 -> 29:12.000] got to go face something that could kill you.
[29:12.000 -> 29:16.040] And, well, sitting in a chair couldn't kill me, but maybe emotionally, yes.
[29:16.040 -> 29:20.800] Well, two guys who go through that same emotion every race, Max and Alex, our drivers, you
[29:20.800 -> 29:22.800] had some simulator training with them.
[29:22.800 -> 29:25.120] We can have a quick listen to some of that now.
[29:25.120 -> 29:32.960] Awesome. Kai will be faster than me already. I doubt it. That's it Kai, that's perfect right there.
[29:33.760 -> 29:37.680] It tends to be that when you do that corner good, you'll tend to overshoot the next one.
[29:37.680 -> 29:42.720] Yeah, I definitely gotta like hit the brakes a little more than I was. I also need some surfing lessons.
[29:42.720 -> 29:50.480] I was uh, I was just gonna say I was trying to convince Max so I could take it let him take him surfing. Yes. And I was like you gotta do like a
[29:50.480 -> 29:56.000] a Red Bull project where you take the cars here in Hawaii. Would there be a way to pull you on like a
[29:56.000 -> 30:01.520] like a road where the cars the F1 cars on the beach? Sure that'd be possible I think over here
[30:01.520 -> 30:05.040] maybe not but I feel like somewhere in Europe for sure, you know, like
[30:05.040 -> 30:08.960] one of the lakes in Austria, Switzerland, you know, when the roads are like right there.
[30:08.960 -> 30:11.680] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that'd be cool.
[30:11.680 -> 30:13.760] So Kyle, was their advice helpful?
[30:13.760 -> 30:17.520] Oh, yeah, Alex and Max's advice were extremely helpful.
[30:17.520 -> 30:19.680] I only got to speak to Max briefly.
[30:19.680 -> 30:22.960] And but what he told me was just don't hit the walls like I do.
[30:22.960 -> 30:25.320] And I thought that was funny because you know
[30:25.320 -> 30:30.340] I was teasing him that he just kisses the walls, but it helps them go faster because he's really on that line
[30:30.380 -> 30:36.060] But no max told me just to be like basically gentle on the pedal, you know, like don't be like flat out
[30:36.060 -> 30:42.340] I think being a complete beginner. I had the tendency to want to just be kind of flat out to flat breaking
[30:42.340 -> 30:45.280] You know where you kind of have to massage it a little bit.
[30:45.320 -> 30:46.840] And that really helped.
[30:46.880 -> 30:49.360] I think they were giving me pretty basic information.
[30:49.600 -> 30:55.080] I got to do a bunch of basically practice races with Alex and just by following him,
[30:55.080 -> 31:00.280] I got to figure out the racing line better than the actual kind of like line that the
[31:00.280 -> 31:01.240] game gives you.
[31:01.520 -> 31:06.560] I understood like, how are these guys doing one Oh 108s and I can barely do a 113.
[31:06.560 -> 31:12.080] Like I just couldn't understand it. I'm like trying to go as fast as I could but what they
[31:12.080 -> 31:17.280] told me too is like don't try to go super fast just try to do everything perfect and what we
[31:17.280 -> 31:22.960] kind of came down to is the second sector was my slowest part and the first I was actually on pace
[31:22.960 -> 31:30.380] and the second I was or the third I was just off of it. So if I could work on my second then I could you know really get
[31:30.380 -> 31:36.460] through and I think one one tip Alex gave me that was pretty cool was don't try to oversteer
[31:36.460 -> 31:41.380] just be kind of like predicting it a little earlier because if you try to oversteer the
[31:41.380 -> 31:46.360] steering wheel you know you're almost losing speed because the wheels are so sideways by the time they catch.
[31:46.360 -> 31:49.280] I don't know, I still need some advice from those guys,
[31:49.280 -> 31:52.420] but that got me down from like 117 in the beginning
[31:52.420 -> 31:53.920] to 113, so it was.
[31:53.920 -> 31:55.640] Oh wow, that's a huge improvement.
[31:55.640 -> 31:58.920] Would you fancy giving the real track a go in a real car?
[31:58.920 -> 32:02.600] Oh, 100%, and there's nothing more in the world
[32:02.600 -> 32:06.440] than I would love to, but I feel like I still have so much training to do.
[32:06.440 -> 32:09.240] And the Sim was a good eye-opener.
[32:09.240 -> 32:12.360] I never in a million years thought or think
[32:12.360 -> 32:13.800] that I could get in a real car,
[32:13.800 -> 32:16.920] but if that opportunity ever came up,
[32:16.920 -> 32:19.280] it would be like a dream come true for sure.
[32:19.280 -> 32:22.600] Because when I was at Monaco for the Grand Prix,
[32:22.600 -> 32:27.040] when I was, you know was in Austin for a Grand Prix
[32:27.040 -> 32:28.500] a couple years ago as well,
[32:28.500 -> 32:30.000] I just couldn't get my eyes off the car.
[32:30.000 -> 32:32.080] I was like, gosh, I can't imagine just sitting in a thing,
[32:32.080 -> 32:34.920] like a rocket ship on land.
[32:34.920 -> 32:36.520] That opportunity, if it ever comes up,
[32:36.520 -> 32:37.900] would be absolutely insane.
[32:37.900 -> 32:39.600] But I would wanna do really good.
[32:39.600 -> 32:41.360] I wouldn't wanna be like,
[32:41.360 -> 32:43.600] basically falling out of the gearing
[32:43.600 -> 32:45.260] and doing terrible. to be like you know basically falling out of the gearing and and and you know
[32:45.260 -> 32:49.280] doing terrible. So you were there last year were you? You saw the race in
[32:49.280 -> 32:54.600] Monaco? Yeah it was just watching that race between Max and Lewis you know at
[32:54.600 -> 32:58.880] the head of the pack was pretty crazy and it was just crazy how it proved how
[32:58.880 -> 33:06.320] hard it was because you know Lewis had some degrading tires and Max was just like on one.
[33:06.320 -> 33:12.520] He was just hitting basically every apex and trying to get any sort of opening to, uh,
[33:12.520 -> 33:15.000] pass Lewis, but Lewis is a master at blocking.
[33:15.000 -> 33:18.600] And that basically, I think it was maybe the second to last lap, right?
[33:18.600 -> 33:24.000] When, um, there was that huge lockup and Max went for the, uh, swimming pool chicane and
[33:24.000 -> 33:28.840] it was just like, it was almost a big disaster and he almost basically got into first. It was crazy
[33:28.840 -> 33:32.400] that was like really exciting because I watch that race every single year and I
[33:32.400 -> 33:35.920] would say that was one of the most most exciting races. Consider even the
[33:35.920 -> 33:41.360] midfield was it was very dynamic as well. There was like you know some other
[33:41.360 -> 33:45.280] drivers that were started way back versus where they
[33:45.280 -> 33:48.200] would normally start in the front and it was just there was some chaos
[33:48.200 -> 33:52.120] especially like that hairpin how everybody just kind of got stacked up
[33:52.120 -> 33:56.120] that was wild I'm like imagine being on a good lap and all of a sudden
[33:56.120 -> 33:59.040] everyone's in your way I guess that happens there there's no going around
[33:59.040 -> 34:02.600] It comes to an end so quickly doesn't it? Tell us about the Red Bull Energy Station as well
[34:02.600 -> 34:05.200] that's always a highlight on that circuit.
[34:05.200 -> 34:10.860] It just blew my mind. The Red Bull Energy Station especially, just the amount of infrastructure
[34:10.860 -> 34:17.200] that goes into a race. A race that, you know, has basically two hours of actual driving
[34:17.200 -> 34:23.500] maybe. It was pretty nuts to see, you know, that place with the swimming pool, which is
[34:23.500 -> 34:26.680] pretty iconic now with, you now with winners of the past,
[34:26.680 -> 34:29.240] like Daniel Ricciardo doing his belly flop in there.
[34:29.240 -> 34:33.560] And then you see the heaviest of the heavy celebrities
[34:33.560 -> 34:36.080] and sportsmen in the entire world there.
[34:36.080 -> 34:37.680] I mean, the food was insane.
[34:37.680 -> 34:40.680] I would see, before I even met Alex and Max,
[34:40.680 -> 34:43.440] you'd see them walking through to go to their area
[34:43.440 -> 34:47.080] to get either prepared for the race or take a bit away from everyone.
[34:47.080 -> 34:48.360] And it was just wild.
[34:48.360 -> 34:52.480] Like, I'm like, dude, this thing, if you had to build something like this here in
[34:52.480 -> 34:56.840] Hawaii, it would take you like two months and these guys built it in what two days.
[34:56.840 -> 34:58.560] And it was taken down in two days.
[34:58.780 -> 35:00.220] Just remarkable.
[35:00.260 -> 35:04.700] I mean, I love seeing what goes into the race week and beyond the track and the
[35:04.700 -> 35:10.220] Red Bull energy station is probably the coolest kind of outfit outside of the track.
[35:10.220 -> 35:16.000] So tell us about the similarities between driving a Formula One car, albeit virtual,
[35:16.000 -> 35:17.000] and being a surfer.
[35:17.000 -> 35:21.220] I guess that they're both similar in that you have to sort of push it as far as you
[35:21.220 -> 35:26.960] can but try not to cross the line? Yeah, no, I think there's a lot of similarities
[35:26.960 -> 35:30.600] between Formula One and big wave surfing.
[35:30.600 -> 35:32.720] That being said, I don't know exactly what it's like,
[35:32.720 -> 35:35.120] but from my experience on the sim
[35:35.120 -> 35:38.280] to watching the guys on the track
[35:38.280 -> 35:41.400] and just being near these amazing machines,
[35:41.400 -> 35:44.680] you know, you have to be kind of in the moment,
[35:44.680 -> 35:45.600] but you can't be thinking
[35:45.600 -> 35:52.200] too much, at least in big wave surfing, you got to be looking basically at the landscape
[35:52.200 -> 35:56.500] in front of you, like on a wave, for example, you don't know what the wave is going to do,
[35:56.500 -> 35:59.180] just like you don't know what the other races are going to do around you.
[35:59.180 -> 36:06.680] And you're all within, you know, millimeters of each other and you basically really got to just focus on
[36:06.680 -> 36:12.660] kind of the stuff that comes before you and relying on your skill and being
[36:12.660 -> 36:16.900] confident you want to be pushing to the limit but if you push too far that waves
[36:16.900 -> 36:21.140] gonna pick you up and slam you down extremely hard so I can imagine you'll
[36:21.140 -> 36:26.560] go into a wall in a race car. I hear you've got a Red Bull liveried surfboard.
[36:26.560 -> 36:27.960] Actually, okay, it's funny.
[36:27.960 -> 36:33.040] I've painted every single one of my surfboards like the Red Bull Racing colors.
[36:33.040 -> 36:35.160] So they're blue with a red stripe down the middle.
[36:35.160 -> 36:36.840] It's like the closest idea to it.
[36:36.840 -> 36:42.240] So I have 112 boards that are all painted like an F1 car.
[36:42.240 -> 36:44.240] And people always ask me, why did you choose that color?
[36:44.240 -> 36:46.160] And it's kind of a bad color for surfing
[36:46.160 -> 36:49.120] because the wax melts, because blue gets really hot.
[36:49.120 -> 36:51.480] But I'm like, F1, it's an F1 car.
[36:51.480 -> 36:52.400] And they're like, oh.
[36:52.400 -> 36:53.720] And actually a lot of my friends
[36:53.720 -> 36:55.140] have been starting to paint their boards
[36:55.140 -> 36:57.040] and they've been looking more like F1 cars.
[36:57.040 -> 37:00.200] Like, different colors, but it's funny.
[37:00.200 -> 37:01.520] It's classic.
[37:01.520 -> 37:03.260] What is the state of play
[37:03.260 -> 37:05.040] with surfing competitions this year, Kai?
[37:05.040 -> 37:06.200] Do you reckon they're going to kick start?
[37:06.200 -> 37:07.760] Do you reckon they're going to get going again?
[37:07.760 -> 37:11.400] Yeah, the hope for the surfing competitions is they will get up and running.
[37:11.400 -> 37:15.040] It's kind of a similar situation with the Formula One season.
[37:15.040 -> 37:17.840] Surfing is a travelling sport.
[37:17.840 -> 37:24.040] You know, we go to all corners of the globe and a lot of the contests are cancelled for
[37:24.040 -> 37:28.440] now. And I think as soon as traveling becomes something
[37:28.440 -> 37:30.380] that's kind of more of the regular,
[37:31.540 -> 37:35.000] that opportunity to go to these events will happen.
[37:35.000 -> 37:37.920] So, I mean, gosh, I'm a huge fan of surfing
[37:37.920 -> 37:39.720] as much as I'm a huge fan of F1.
[37:39.720 -> 37:43.120] And the funny story is I was in a surfing competition
[37:43.120 -> 37:46.760] down in Tahiti, and Formula One was about to start
[37:46.760 -> 37:49.940] in Australia and it was like whatever the day before
[37:49.940 -> 37:53.080] and I figured out a TV that had the station
[37:53.080 -> 37:54.280] and I was so eager.
[37:54.280 -> 37:57.880] I had just watched the Drive to Survive series on Netflix.
[37:57.880 -> 38:01.760] I'd been watching like every breakdown F1 video on YouTube.
[38:01.760 -> 38:03.640] It's like my number one recommendation
[38:03.640 -> 38:06.080] and I was just so excited.
[38:06.080 -> 38:08.440] I was so pissed when it wasn't gonna happen
[38:08.440 -> 38:11.900] because where I was in Tahiti was like sweltering hot
[38:11.900 -> 38:15.680] and not good internet, but I was gonna have it on TV.
[38:15.680 -> 38:17.040] And I was there for a competition
[38:17.040 -> 38:20.240] and I was like more bummed that the race wasn't happening
[38:20.240 -> 38:22.600] than the fact that we didn't have
[38:22.600 -> 38:24.000] that creative waves for the contest.
[38:24.000 -> 38:29.360] I ended up not even doing the contest because the coronavirus hit down in Tahiti and
[38:29.360 -> 38:33.920] we all had to bail and leave. They cancelled the event before my
[38:33.920 -> 38:37.360] heat even started so it was like a double whammy. I was just like, are you
[38:37.360 -> 38:41.560] kidding me? I've waited all winter break for this and now I have to wait until
[38:41.560 -> 38:45.480] God knows when, July, August. So it was crazy.
[38:45.480 -> 38:47.560] So you'll be more keen to see the Formula One season
[38:47.560 -> 38:50.140] get back up and running than maybe the surf competitions?
[38:50.140 -> 38:50.980] I think, yeah.
[38:50.980 -> 38:53.320] I think I'm looking forward to the F1 season more
[38:53.320 -> 38:56.100] only because my whole world is surfing.
[38:56.100 -> 38:58.900] And so, you know, there's so much to learn watching F1
[38:58.900 -> 39:01.400] and surfing though is like my number one priority
[39:01.400 -> 39:02.400] in my life for sure.
[39:02.400 -> 39:05.380] But, you know, on an entertainment level,
[39:05.380 -> 39:08.720] I just wanna like see everyone go to battle in F1.
[39:08.720 -> 39:09.800] I wonder whether it's the same there.
[39:09.800 -> 39:11.540] Here in London, a lot of people have been getting out
[39:11.540 -> 39:13.000] and doing more exercise,
[39:13.000 -> 39:15.200] and maybe it's one of the positive things
[39:15.200 -> 39:17.680] that might come out over the last,
[39:17.680 -> 39:18.900] what's happened over the last few months
[39:18.900 -> 39:20.960] is that people might be taking care of themselves
[39:20.960 -> 39:21.800] a little bit more.
[39:21.800 -> 39:24.800] I saw a guy paddle boarding on the Thames on Sunday.
[39:24.800 -> 39:25.940] Do you reckon that could be a new way
[39:25.940 -> 39:27.180] of getting around our cities?
[39:27.180 -> 39:30.000] You know what, I absolutely agree with you.
[39:30.000 -> 39:31.500] It's been kind of astonishing
[39:31.500 -> 39:34.500] because the beach where I live next to is,
[39:34.500 -> 39:35.820] you know, on the weekends,
[39:35.820 -> 39:38.240] there's a bunch of families always down here,
[39:38.240 -> 39:39.560] but it's never like crazy.
[39:39.560 -> 39:40.920] It's been crazy.
[39:40.920 -> 39:43.420] Like cars parked for a mile down the road
[39:43.420 -> 39:48.000] to go to this small little beach and I think two reasons a couple of
[39:48.000 -> 39:48.960] The other beaches were closed
[39:48.960 -> 39:55.640] But I feel like more families and more people have been getting out like it hasn't been uncrowded surfing here in Hawaii
[39:55.640 -> 40:01.120] It's like it's been really crowded because all the locals that do live here all of a sudden, you know
[40:01.120 -> 40:03.120] They're they don't have jobs. They don't
[40:03.520 -> 40:05.220] Have I guess, scheduled plans.
[40:05.220 -> 40:06.300] So what do you do?
[40:06.300 -> 40:08.100] You go to the beach, you go surfing,
[40:08.100 -> 40:10.220] or you go up to the mountain and you go mountain biking
[40:10.220 -> 40:11.300] or something like that.
[40:11.300 -> 40:16.000] So I've been seeing a lot of people on the bike paths.
[40:16.000 -> 40:19.380] I've seen a lot of people exercising and that's amazing.
[40:19.380 -> 40:22.600] The ocean, in my opinion, is the greatest playground
[40:22.600 -> 40:23.540] in the entire world.
[40:23.540 -> 40:24.940] It gives you so much opportunity
[40:24.940 -> 40:28.080] and kind of endless space too to go do something fun.
[40:28.080 -> 40:29.500] You can always be alone.
[40:29.500 -> 40:32.400] And so it's been really cool to see
[40:32.400 -> 40:34.480] and I'm glad to hear that, you know,
[40:34.480 -> 40:37.800] places like London, you're seeing like people being active.
[40:37.800 -> 40:39.040] I mean, what else are you gonna do?
[40:39.040 -> 40:40.240] Sit around inside all day?
[40:40.240 -> 40:43.040] If you can get out and do something, that's way more fun.
[40:43.040 -> 40:44.240] You know, hopefully it just leads
[40:44.240 -> 40:49.000] to kind of healthier lifestyle when everybody just has to go back to work and
[40:49.000 -> 40:53.000] you know people carve out a part of their day where they can go do something.
[40:53.000 -> 40:57.200] Absolutely. Kyle, brilliant to talk to you. Thanks for joining us on Talking Bull.
[40:57.200 -> 41:03.160] Oh, thank you so much. Looking forward to watching F1 when it returns and looking forward
[41:03.160 -> 41:08.280] to many more podcasts from you guys. Mahalo. That's almost it for this edition of Talking Bull. We'll
[41:08.280 -> 41:11.340] leave you with another exclusive track from Red Bull Records. This is Daily
[41:11.340 -> 41:15.200] Chiefers and 1050 called My Lane. We'll be back with some more behind-the-scenes
[41:15.200 -> 41:45.200] content from the world of Red Bull Racing and Red Bull very soon. Until then, take care. My moves, just my chain Whole squad goin' up, I'm on a move with the
[41:45.200 -> 41:49.360] gang Festa with my dawg, my whole crew got a range
[41:49.360 -> 41:52.480] Draco got some kick, but I can shoot, I got aim
[41:52.480 -> 41:56.080] What's broke, I gotta check, not to be rude, can't complain
[41:56.080 -> 41:59.200] Got my haters sick, they all confused and deranged
[41:59.200 -> 42:07.000] Designer on my clothes, yeah, shoot and shot Ballin' hard, we the team, chevy rings, yeah, pullin' up on the scene
[42:06.000 -> 42:10.200] and shit you never seen, When I got married to the dope
[42:09.200 -> 42:13.200] game, I was seventeen, I'm a legend
[42:12.800 -> 42:17.000] Pizza on cruise in my lane, Bad bitch on my drip
[42:16.200 -> 42:20.200] Blowin' blues in the flames, Diamonds VVS
[42:19.400 -> 42:23.800] No Vs2s in my chains, Know this shit rough
[42:22.800 -> 42:26.000] in these shoes in the rain
[42:26.000 -> 42:29.000] Better watch your b**, you might be losing your mind
[42:29.000 -> 42:32.000] She don't use these, she just said her dude is a lie
[42:32.000 -> 42:39.000] Don't call the one up, my moves just my chain Whole squad going up, I'm on a move with the gang
[42:39.000 -> 42:42.000] Fist up with my dawg, who she doing her thing?
[42:42.000 -> 42:45.500] Twerking on the stage, her bills gettin' paid, huh?
[42:45.500 -> 42:47.000] Paid off in a day
[42:47.000 -> 42:49.000] She can't lose with that frame
[42:49.000 -> 42:50.000] She be goin' insane
[42:50.000 -> 42:52.000] Got me losin' my brain
[42:52.000 -> 42:53.500] Might just drink my bank
[42:53.500 -> 42:55.500] All this juice need a drink
[42:55.500 -> 42:57.000] Bank in blood like vans
[42:57.000 -> 42:59.000] Please excuse all these chains
[42:59.000 -> 43:00.000] Ice all on my lip
[43:00.000 -> 43:02.000] Like it bruised in the spring
[43:02.000 -> 43:07.000] Chasin' clubs, sure they using my name
[43:07.000 -> 43:12.000] Pizza on cruise in my lane Barriers on my d**k, blowing blues in the flame
[43:12.000 -> 43:19.000] Diamonds VVS, no VS2s in my chains All this r**f in these shoes in the rain
[43:19.000 -> 43:25.200] Better watch out, you might be losing your mind She don't usually, she just said her dude is
[43:25.200 -> 43:29.400] a lie Don't call the one up, my mood just might change
[43:29.400 -> 43:32.720] Whole squad going up, I'm on the move with the gang
[43:32.720 -> 43:33.840] Friends still with my dawg
[43:40.750 -> 43:42.750] you