Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What are the exciting storylines leading into the Austrian GP?
Hello everybody and welcome back to the P1 Podcast with Matt and Tommy. It is race week once again. One week off is too much these days. It really is. Now we're in momentum month. We're in momentum month and... Long gone are the days of having four weeks off here, four weeks off there. We get to talk about some more Formula One.
We've got some very interesting storylines teed up very beautifully after the Barcelona-Catalonia Grand Prix. And I'm very excited, Tommy, to see what Austria, the Red Bull ring, and the sound of music can bring to us. There we go. First ding-ding on the sound of music. Bingo card. Just get out of the way, you know. LAUGHTER
yeah excited for this one a very different circuit to what we've kind of seen last time out in barcelona obviously had monaco recently as well so kind of had three circuits in very quick succession that were all very different to each other which is uh which is nice makes it exciting and better for predictions because it means that we kind of a bit more guesswork which is good.
Guesswork, you think? Well, we'll see if we go for a Mercedes 1-2 again. What's interesting is we joke about Mercedes and how, do we need to change predictions? It's funny that Mercedes, well, one, they've now been beaten, so that helps us out. And two, what is it, like four or five races now where we've only ever had one on the podium. So to say that we go into every prediction as going,
Which Mercedes 1-2 is it going to be? They've not happened, so it's good for our predictions. It certainly is. Now, I would say there's less of a difference between Barcelona to Austria than there was from Monaco to Barcelona. I think that there are some similarities, I would say, with the Barcelona track as we now head to Austria. Reasonably fast. Grass. Yeah, grass. Yeah, and there's a track.
Perfect. Now, before we get into all of our predictions, a few things to catch you up on. Not that there's been a lot, I'll be honest with you. When you look at Formula One, they've just been like, no, you know what? Don't really want to talk about anything or announce anything.
When we decided to introduce this segment, Formula One did not get the memo because my word, were we starving for stuff? Come on, it's only been a week, Brent. The fact that one of the three things we're going to talk about is about NASCAR and not Formula One tells you everything you need to know.
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Chapter 2: How do the recent races influence predictions for Austria?
But we'll get onto that shortly. The first thing and the most F1 relevant thing is the fact that Mercedes have withdrawn their right of review over the result of the Monaco Grand Prix. McLaren, we're still yet to wait and see how that unfolds. But for Mercedes, they've gone, you know what? Nah, can't be bothered. Not going to go down that route. So one of the two has stepped down.
Yeah, that doesn't surprise me one bit. The cynic in me also thinks that Toto Wolff doesn't want to rock the boat at the FIA, seeing as though he's got ambitions to become their master leader one day, I think. It feels like, just with Toto, so... And also it's George Russell rather than Kimi Antonelli, otherwise... Well, that narrative is crazy.
Obviously, a lot of it is people that just spend too much time online and looking into everything anyway, but... You can understand some frustrations if you're a George Russell fan and you hear Toto Wolff going, yeah, really disappointed about Barcelona. Obviously, the DNF with Kimi. Happy for Lewis, though. And that's all they said.
And they also did a little race review statement thing, which didn't mention George at all. It's like, he did get a podium. It was his 100th race as well for Mercedes, but...
yeah um an interesting narrative of the season uh that with with how much that's really kicking off particularly uh the george russell stands are not happy with with mercedes at the moment that's for sure i can understand them not mentioning if george had finished fourth or fifth but he finished second like it's not even the first podium in quite a while yeah the run he's had
So I know that Mercedes have this sort of expectation now to one-two everything with their current car, and they have a right to be slightly annoyed, but also, George does exist. Also worth mentioning is that there are four straight modes for the Austrian Grand Prix. So basically... Anytime there's a straight, it's a straight mode. So make of that what you will.
And then in terms of where the activation point, the overtake activation is just before the last corner. So you can keep an eye out for that. Similar, I think, to how we used to have DRS. in the past. Now, not really much to discuss with that. That just tells you everything you need to know about the amount of news that's been out there.
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Chapter 3: What predictions are being made for the top three finishers?
But former Formula One driver Kevin Magnusson was stealing all the headlines because nothing was happening, but also because of his NASCAR debut. Now, it was kind of like a special slot, wasn't it, that he decided to take up in NASCAR. And if you haven't seen it, and you were to imagine how a KMAG NASCAR debut would go down, you would be entirely accurate. So he basically had a kerfuffle.
That's a light way to describe it. The guy was brake testing him for 33rd place. I mean, that's quite something. What was his name? Actually, I don't have his name written down. Gregson or something? Was it Gregson? I feel like. Is... Oh my word, I'm scrolling down to find it. Simon Gregson, I want to say, or maybe I'm just... Gregson, yeah. Yeah, it was Gregson.
So if you haven't seen it, well worth a watch. Both the onboard and the face-to-face that they had afterwards where Gregson was kicking off over why K-Mag had basically just yeeted him into a wall. But then you look at the amount of insane moves that he was pulling on K-Mag to stop him getting through. And then was like, why are you wrecking me, man? Why are you effing this, effing that?
And they were swearing. K-Mag's like, get out of my face. You can just tell that K-Mag's like, you know what? We're not in the same league right now. Just stop talking to me. I love that he said as well, like, why did you... He kept asking, like, why did you wreck me, basically? Because it was pretty much a deliberate punt from K-Mag at this point because he was so sick of what the guy was doing.
No, he shoved the little nose in where it didn't deserve to be. It wasn't like, you know, F1 game lobby, I'm going to twat you out the race because, you know, you're just...
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Chapter 4: Why is Lando Norris a surprising choice for a good performance?
You know, you've annoyed me. There was enough to say I'm putting a nose in, but it was obviously, I don't care how you end up in this. But I do love that, yeah, he was obviously just screaming many F-bombs. And sorry, editor, we'll obviously beep this. But when he got asked, why did you basically punt me rather than being like, oh, I just, you know, it wasn't deliberate.
He said, you f***ed around so you found out or something along those lines. I love how instead of just saying you F'd around and found out, you made the editor do a little bit more work to bleep you out there. I love that from you, Tommy. Yeah, you know. We've got to keep people in jobs in this AI climate, haven't we? Oh, my God. What are we doing here? What a ridiculous, ridiculous thing.
So let's get into our predictions now, where the scores, as much as I don't want to talk about it, 28-22 to Tom Bellingham. He extended his lead out of the Barcelona-Catalonia Grand Prix completely disgustingly, I will add, as well. You are so lucky with how it all ended with three laps to go because the swing of points... would have been massive.
And I could have been one or two behind, but instead I'm six behind. And Tommy, it is your turn to go first. It is indeed. So we'll start with good surprise as we always do. And good surprise I have gone for Lando Norris. Of course. Something about Lando Norris, just think of the Red Bull ring and the Austrian Grand Prix and Lando Norris. He is brilliant around here. He's always been excellent.
He got a podium in 2020 and 2021, as I was saying, back when McLaren certainly weren't the front-running team like they had been.
won last year of course the year before that was challenging for the victory with a certain someone can't remember who that was had a collision didn't they and didn't end up obviously getting a good result there but he always goes strong around this track so going for Lando Norris
For those of you that weren't watching in 2024, he's talking about Max Verstappen and doesn't want to say it because he's a Max fanboy. Okay, interesting.
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Chapter 5: What are the reliability concerns for Mercedes this weekend?
Lando Norris is a very easy good surprise, I would say, although off the back of some good form, so it'll have to be an excellent result from him. I would do the Matt Gallagher rule. Good surprise. Don't say Matt Gallagher rule. You jump through that loophole as much as I do, and you can't name that mine because I'm losing as well, so clearly I'm doing something wrong.
My good surprise for the Austrian Grand Prix? Charles Leclerc. So the Leopold is if he doesn't go into a wall. If he has a clean weekend. No, I honestly, and I know I've set myself up many times for failure. I feel like a banging Charles Leclerc weekend is coming up. This is it, right? 81 points behind Kimi Antonelli. I'll break your face in a minute if you're not careful. So...
Yeah, no, honestly, I'm coming into this weekend feeling good about it all. Not Charles Leclerc's season at all, but there have been glimpses of potential and speed from Charles Leclerc before he's ended up in a wall or had some struggles with his brakes. And let's not forget, I think Charles Leclerc's pretty good round here as well.
I feel like he changed as a driver when Max Verstappen shoved him wide in that wheel-to-wheel battle in 2022. I think it was 2022. So... This is it, right? 81 points behind Kimi Antonelli. Charles Leclerc evened the gap between himself and Kimi Antonelli at the Barcelona-Catalonia Grand Prix. Didn't lose any points to Kimi, so it can only get better from here, right? Wow.
And you're like, feeling good, feeling optimistic. Yeah, the bar is very low. The bar is low, but it's going to happen. I just have a really good feeling about this weekend.
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Chapter 6: How do the hosts view Charles Leclerc's chances in the race?
And I may well live to regret saying that. Big flop. My big flop for the Austrian Grand Prix is Mercedes. We have seen Mercedes meltdowns at Austria in the past when they have dominated. They have not liked the hot conditions. I've looked at the weather. It's looking pretty hot, 31 degrees. 31 degrees it's looking like on race day.
So, yeah, look, I feel as though maybe Mercedes are beatable now, which if you'd have told me two races ago that I'd say this... I'd be like, what season are you watching? Because it has turned around very, very quickly. You look at... I know that there's this kind of weird dreamland that Ferrari fans are always in, right? And Charles Leclerc fans in particular were always let down. But...
Barcelona is a track that is quite literally the benchmark the baseline for a Formula 1 car it can't hide around that circuit we heard it so many times during the weekend of that Grand Prix and they weren't fastest You saw they were second, washed, big flop, locked in. Antonelli would have finished second, Russell would have finished third, but I'm flopping them.
May have even been one-two had there not been a virtual safety car. We have no idea. Look, there are things here. I need points, and that is what my gut said was Mercedes, because not only do I think pace-wise perhaps they're beatable now, but reliability. They have a problem with their reliability currently, and are they going to turn it around?
at this stage i don't think so so big flop i've gone for ferrari jesus do you want to even like pause for a syllable there you just good lord where's the where's the tension the tension the jump scare there that's fine you can leave it there for Ferrari. Perfect. All right, moving on. We don't need to hear your explanation. The end. The explanation is it's very much a power track.
Maybe Ferrari bring their engine upgrades.
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Chapter 7: What are the hosts' unique crazy predictions for the race?
There's rumors they may. Of course, it seems like they will have engine upgrades as well, thanks to Red Bull having the best power unit and them being behind. But Ferrari do seem a team that are more suited. Their best strength is the corners. And this track is very much accelerate, slam the brakes on and accelerate out, which we've kind of seen. So,
The logic behind it is that I do get your thoughts behind Mercedes, but I think Mercedes will be strong. Being a power track, rumours that Red Bull have potentially shifted some of the weight out of the car, so maybe Max is in the mix as well. Of course, I've gone for good surprise Lando, so McLaren up there as well. Are we going to see Ferrari maybe the fourth fastest and lock in that point?
Who knows? But... Again, you could argue that it's also the bar is high because they won the last race. So we'll see. Again, you call me like Matt Luke Pole Gallagher. The way that you've just put about three or four different things that could happen and how you'd still score a couple of points is ridiculous. You're six points clear. We're going to be fielding grace soon.
So just, you know, you'll be having a week off. All right, pole position.
Chapter 8: How do family predictions add to the episode's fun?
No sprint weekend. Straight into the Saturday pole position. Tom Bellingham. No, I've not gone for Tom Bellingham as the pole position. It's over to you to do. You wouldn't get pole if you were the only person in the field. Well, mine is just as delusional, actually, to be fair. Pole position I've gone for. Max Verstappen. Why not? Feeling, you can tell I've got a six-point lead.
Yeah, yeah, you're feeling like you're six points ahead. All right, mate. If Red Bull, because clearly they have the best power units, according to the FIA, Max has been close a few times, been on the front row. And if it's believed that they have shifted the weight out of that car, we all know what Max Verstappen can do around here.
So just had a weird feeling about Max Verstappen, so I thought I'd go for it. Why not? Interesting. Tommy is pushing the boat out here. Speaking of funny feelings, my pole position... Charles Leclerc. Anyone watching this podcast for the first time is like, I'm in a Max Verstappen top. Max Verstappen pole position. Charles Leclerc pole position.
This is the first time I have predicted pole position for Charles Leclerc, I believe. This is what people want, you know, when we don't predict our favourite driver to win all the time. They're like, do you even like them? It's like, no, I have a brain. Now we are appeasing these people, these chronically online people.
So, yes, I'll go for pole position Charles Leclerc because I'm still believing in the Ferrari hype. If they bring this upgrade to their engine, we're winning. We're winning it all. We're winning absolutely everything. So... Fast forward to two days from now where Ferrari confirm they are not bringing the engine upgrade and think that they're going to be struggling around here.
And I will be regretting this prediction immensely. But I'm going to go with it. Charles Leclerc, smile on my face. My imagination is flowing. Let's see what can happen. Third position for the main race, the Sunday Grand Prix. In P3, I am going to lock in Lewis Hamilton. Now, no disrespect to Lewis Hamilton. A third place is actually a good thing for the 2026 season. Yeah, I know, right?
Hamilton's off the back of some incredible results. And I still think Ferrari... I hope Ferrari will still be competitive. It... It's an unknown entity right now, just generally the Formula One season with all the upgrades that are being brought in. But I think Hamilton will still be showing strong signs. So I'm putting him on the podium, P3. P3, I've gone for Max Verstappen.
So my delusion will only go so far. Obviously, put him on pole position but my delusion of him breaking the curse of getting a race win this year if you want to call it a curse or whatever I do think there's a good chance that he could get on the podium here if he has a good race and the Red Bull is looking quick so I've gone for Max P3 Fair enough. P2, Tommy. P2, I've gone for George Russell.
Back to back. P2s for George Russell, potentially. If this comes in, I do think Mercedes will still have a good opportunity here. I do back your logic that they've never gone well in the heat and there will be pressure on the Mercedes cars with their reliability issues, of course, as well. But Yeah, I'm going for George P2. In second place, I'm going to lock in Lando Norris.
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