00:57
Most all-in-one HR systems are a patchwork of disconnected and manual tools.
01:02
Rippling is totally automated.
01:04
If you promote an employee, Rippling can automatically handle necessary updates,
01:09
from payroll taxes and provisioning new app permissions, to assigning required manager training.
01:14
That's why Rippling is the number one rated human capital management suite on G2,
01:19
Trustradius, and Gartner.
01:20
If you're ready to run the backbone of your business on one unified platform,
01:25
head to rippling.com.acastbiz and sign up today.
01:29
That's R-I-P-P-L-I-N-G.com.acastbiz to sign up.
01:55
Hello and welcome to the Fast and the Curious.
02:15
This is the Formula One podcast that previews and debriefs the races,
02:19
as well as talks to the biggest names in the sport.
02:22
This is Greg James.
02:22
Lovely to be back on.
02:24
I love listening to this podcast, even when I'm not on it.
02:27
And how good was Susie Wolfe on the show yesterday?
02:31
I think it was a quick, quick turnaround.
02:35
Great, great interview.
02:38
Christian, who goes also here?
02:39
Christian, you're fresh from Austin.
02:41
How are you feeling?
02:43
Speaking of fresh from Austin, Greg James, for you and Betty Glover,
02:48
I've got something.
02:50
Are you excited about this?
02:53
I have got a present.
02:54
You could say, for the first time in quite a while, actually,
02:59
Oh, okay, okay, I hear you.
03:03
I've got two of these.
03:04
This one, for those watching on YouTube, just says Betty.
03:08
Betty, can I open yours?
03:13
Well, no, not for the purposes of this podcast bit.
03:14
No, I'm opening it.
03:15
Not with a little extra seconds.
03:16
So, uh, yeah, no, obviously you're in Manchester.
03:20
So, I've opened the thing and look, Betty,
03:24
for, for those listening, please describe what this is.
03:30
Constructors World Champions t-shirt.
03:37
That's really nice.
03:43
For God's sake, don't call it orange.
03:46
It says this team Constructors World Champions 2025
03:50
and it's been given to you.
03:52
Greg, you've got one as well.
03:53
I've got one as well.
03:54
And they say if you don't wear them,
03:55
there will be repercussions for the rest of the season.
03:56
Well, I was going to say.
04:00
With those, um, with those t-shirts,
04:02
we are quite literally showing our colors.
04:05
Aren't we with papaya?
04:06
Because, yeah, fully signed up McLaren kids.
04:10
Well, congratulations to them.
04:12
Just quickly, before we get into today's episode
04:14
and talk about today's special guest
04:16
who is patiently waiting and sipping on tea,
04:19
potentially coffee.
04:21
What did you make of Susie Wolff?
04:23
Susie was absolutely brilliant, Greg.
04:27
We talked about, we talked about literally everything
04:29
from her and Toto's relationship,
04:32
marriage advice for myself and Christian,
04:33
because we were obviously engaged.
04:35
So she gave us a bit of that.
04:36
We talked about when she...
04:38
Yeah, not to each other.
04:40
We talked about when she was on the podium
04:42
with Lewis Hamilton
04:44
and he helped to open a bottle of champagne.
04:46
We talked about obviously F1 Academy,
04:48
her book, her career.
04:50
Oh, I could have listened to her all day.
04:53
One of the things I love about the front cover of her book
04:55
is she's doing the classic leaning on her fist.
04:59
It's a really, it's a very, it's a very funny photo.
05:01
It's a very deliberate, like, just nonchalant,
05:04
just leaning on my fist.
05:07
Yeah, have a look at it now, you'll...
05:08
But it's like, it's like boss-bitch energy, isn't it?
05:14
Yeah, I'm sure that's exactly how she wants to describe it.
05:19
Is that the sub... That's the subtitle.
05:23
It's called Susie Wolfe Driven, Boss-Bitch Energy.
05:27
I think, I think, do you know that, that would sell.
05:31
You'd go into Waterstones
05:32
wherever you get your books
05:33
and you'd be like, I'm getting that.
05:35
That's caught my eye.
05:39
On to today's episode.
05:42
Would you like to introduce today's guest, Christian Hugill?
05:45
Well, Greg, you've been watching
05:48
all of the stories from the world of Formula One unfold
05:51
while promoting your Sunday Times best-selling book,
05:53
All the Best for the Future,
05:55
which Greg, I believe is available in all good bookstores,
05:59
It is, but sadly, I don't...
06:00
I'm not leaning on my fist on the front cover,
06:03
which maybe for Book Two or the paperback,
06:06
because it is a good look.
06:07
I think it shows, it's an air of confidence.
06:09
I think you should have.
06:10
I think you've missed out there, actually.
06:11
Yeah, I think you're right.
06:14
But you do have Boss-Bitch Energy throughout it.
06:18
As does our guest today, because coming up,
06:20
not only will we cross Not Live to Mexico
06:22
to speak to Esteban Ocon,
06:24
we'll also preview the Mexico City Grand Prix.
06:27
And we have a guest who commentates
06:30
on every single race live for Channel 4 on F1 TV,
06:33
which is arguably too many,
06:34
because there's 96 races a season now.
06:37
F1 TV viewers all over the world, of course.
06:38
And he's also got a book out,
06:40
which also, I believe, promises Boss-Bitch Energy.
06:45
The book is called Grid to Glory.
06:46
75 Milestones of Formula One Moments.
06:49
Please welcome Alex Jakes.
06:50
Alex, welcome back to the podcast.
06:52
Thank you very much for having me.
06:54
Yeah, if there's one thing I want to achieve with the book,
06:57
it's Boss-Bitch Energy.
06:59
So that was always the goal.
07:00
And, yeah, I'm glad it's been hyped up.
07:03
So thank you for having me on the pod again.
07:05
God, I'm the only person that is not writing a book.
07:09
I was going to say, big pressure, Betty.
07:11
Like, where's your deal?
07:14
Yeah, maybe one day.
07:18
I think your book should be called Boss-Bitch.
07:21
Oh, Betty, Boss-Bitch.
07:23
This has turned into brainstorming, hasn't it?
07:26
I've got some ideas up my sleeve.
07:29
It's testament to your career, Alex,
07:33
as a commentator, as a pundit,
07:36
and as a voice in Formula One.
07:37
That I was convinced that you and I had chatted.
07:41
But because I've listened to you,
07:44
and I've seen, I've watched you,
07:45
and you've been on this podcast,
07:48
I was like, oh, nice to speak to you again.
07:49
You're like, we've never spoken.
07:51
So I'm sorry about that.
07:52
But that's, I think that's a compliment to you.
07:54
It's a compliment to you,
07:55
because I feel like a new-know you.
07:57
I will certainly take it that way,
07:58
although it does have the air, Greg,
08:00
of you saying, I've heard enough of this chap.
08:04
Endless, endless broadcasting.
08:07
I'm in no position to ever say
08:09
that someone's been on too many things.
08:13
I'm sort of the Romesh Ranganathan of podcasts, I'd say.
08:20
Anyway, so it's very, very nice to have you on, Alex.
08:23
And I want to kick off with a big talking point,
08:26
the big talking point from the weekend, really.
08:29
And I really enjoyed watching the race.
08:32
I'm so into this late, late in the season,
08:37
potential rug pull from Max Verstappen
08:41
to upset everything.
08:44
Max Verstappen, last time I was on,
08:46
was 69 points off Oscar Piastri with seven races to go.
08:49
He's now 40 points away with five weekends,
08:53
two of which are sprint weekends.
08:55
Let's go round the class, please.
08:58
Can Max Verstappen win this championship?
09:01
I guess the answer is, you know, mathematically, yes.
09:04
But my question to you, Alex,
09:06
Jake's first up is, do you think he will?
09:09
I think he'll get it to a last round decider.
09:12
I think he needs, on the evidence of when
09:16
comebacks like this have happened before,
09:18
he needs something to go dramatically wrong
09:21
with the McLarens once.
09:23
I think if we have five dry races,
09:25
I don't think he's going to be the champion.
09:26
I think if it rains in Brazil,
09:28
I think he's going to be the world champion.
09:30
So I still think McLaren have him on the edge of the jab,
09:35
but one chaotic race in Brazil could completely change things.
09:40
It's always dry in Mexico.
09:41
We know it's going to be dry in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
09:45
Vegas is freezing, but usually tends to be dry.
09:47
So Brazil, the weather in Brazil,
09:50
I think, is going to decide the title.
09:53
Wow, what a great answer.
09:55
See, that's what, that's the Alex Jake's difference.
09:57
You get your answer, and then you get some drama at the end.
10:02
And that's what it's all about,
10:04
because this is a very dramatic camp sport.
10:06
It's also the name of Alex's second book,
10:08
the Alex Jake's difference,
10:09
which is available from 2028, I believe.
10:12
Yeah, marginal gains and all that guff.
10:17
There's a lot of money in that or so I've seen.
10:22
What's your heart saying?
10:23
What's your head saying?
10:25
So, right, my heart and my head is saying Max Verstappen,
10:31
and simply because he's still denying that he's...
10:36
He admits he's got a chance,
10:38
but he's not putting any pressure on himself.
10:40
He's still like, when he gets asked about the title race,
10:43
he's like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
10:46
He has no pressure on him.
10:47
So he can just go out there,
10:48
he can just do what he wants to do,
10:50
do what he does best,
10:51
whereas the two McLaren drivers,
10:53
they've got a lot of pressure on them.
10:56
And really, considering the sort of season Oscar had
11:00
and the lead Oscar had at points during this season,
11:05
he's going to be looking at this thing
11:06
and I'm like, God, I shouldn't let this go, should I?
11:09
But I think Max is in a brilliant position.
11:13
Christine McHugh Gill.
11:17
Just before I answer the question,
11:18
I've just realised that he's very much in shot.
11:21
There isn't a sleep dog behind me.
11:24
So welcome, Teddy, to the podcast.
11:27
There's a golden...
11:29
It's his first... My dad's dog,
11:30
I'm looking after because he's still in Austin
11:31
because he went as a fan.
11:32
And I thought he's...
11:34
Oh, big stretch, big stretch
11:36
for those watching on YouTube.
11:38
Yeah, he's a very good boy.
11:39
He's just been out for a walk not long ago,
11:41
So I just thought it was weird not to mention
11:43
if you're watching on YouTube,
11:44
there's just a dog lying in the background.
11:45
Anyway, thank you very much.
11:47
Can't actually see him annoyingly
11:49
because you're in the way.
11:50
So if you could just move to the left,
11:52
then we can just look at Teddy the whole time.
11:54
Anyway, what does Teddy think about the championship?
11:57
Very little at the moment.
11:58
He couldn't give him monkeys.
12:02
Will Max just happen to win the championship?
12:05
McLaren are looking to protect this dynasty.
12:08
They want Oscar Piazza Rinaldo and Norris
12:10
to both be able to fight for titles
12:12
long-term, years into the future.
12:15
They don't want a situation like Red Bull
12:16
have where they're struggling to fill
12:18
second seats, et cetera, et cetera.
12:20
And I understand that.
12:21
The negative to that is their unwillingness
12:26
means there is the chance that they can take points
12:31
And therefore, if this McLaren
12:35
isn't as quick as the Red Bull anymore,
12:38
the thing is it's so difficult to predict
12:40
race after race which car is going to be the best.
12:42
There's the potential where Max must happen
12:45
is taking points out of McLaren,
12:47
not just because the Red Bull is the quicker car
12:49
but because also McLaren aren't maximising
12:52
their points with one particular driver.
12:54
So is it possible, yes,
12:55
I tend to agree with Alex.
12:57
I think it will take something.
12:58
Imagine a similar situation
13:01
to what we had in turn one in the sprint race.
13:03
I think it needs one other thing.
13:06
So if you had to push me for a prediction now,
13:12
British bias fans, get ready everybody.
13:15
I would predict Lando Norris
13:16
if you had to push me to predict someone now.
13:19
I think the momentum is with him.
13:20
He's been the quicker McLaren
13:22
for the last handful of Grand Prix.
13:23
He's chipping away at the points.
13:25
Everybody's talking about Max
13:27
but actually it's Lando's chipping away impressively as well
13:31
but it could be all three.
13:32
It's too close to call.
13:34
I have been watching some quite funny videos
13:37
right of McLaren fans
13:39
that are sort of putting themselves in the naughty corner
13:43
because they're finding themselves deep down
13:45
wanting Max for Stappen
13:47
to make this amazing comeback
13:50
and win the championship
13:51
and it is so funny.
13:53
Everyone's a bit like oh could Max do it?
13:56
Could he make the comeback?
13:57
And a lot of McLaren fans are rooting for him.
13:59
I'm going to say I'm going to put that out there.
14:01
On TikTok, there's a lot of them.
14:02
It's interesting isn't it that we oscillate
14:06
so quickly between people and allegiances
14:09
and stuff because everyone got so bored
14:11
of Max for Stappen winning
14:13
and then suddenly when it's interesting again
14:15
it's like oh Max might win.
14:17
We've forgotten all about the years of turmoil
14:20
of like nothing changes
14:22
and then actually the race we've just seen was quite reminiscent
14:26
of 2022-2023 wasn't it really?
14:30
He's now the underdog that people are rooting for.
14:33
Is he even talking about Max for Stappen like this?
14:35
Yeah, everyone loves Max for Stappen as an underdog.
14:38
Everyone loves an underdog.
14:39
What's it like from your perspective
14:40
in the commentary box Alex?
14:41
Are you enjoying watching Max on the charge?
14:46
Yeah, I mean the idea of this season concluding
14:49
with the greatest ever comeback
14:52
in Formula One history.
14:55
For that to even be possible
14:57
for us to be talking about it
14:59
that is the definition of an exciting sporting season.
15:02
So I can imagine as a McLaren fan
15:06
incredibly terrifying to see
15:08
well we'd have to crash into each other at the first turn.
15:11
Well he'd have to win every race
15:12
and then he starts winning every race.
15:14
I can understand the fear
15:15
from a McLaren fan's point of view
15:17
but yeah the fact that we are now
15:20
in the middle of a potential comeback of all comebacks
15:23
in Formula One history
15:24
and it would be by far the most impressive.
15:27
Forget the point systems.
15:28
No one's ever come back from the equivalent
15:30
of four race wins behind.
15:32
So the fact that we could see
15:33
the greatest comeback ever unbelievable.
15:36
A 64 point gain across four races is ridiculous.
15:41
It's ludicrous guys.
15:46
Alex, at one point Oscar looked
15:48
sort of bulletproof, didn't he?
15:50
For the sort of middle bit of the season
15:53
to me he hasn't quite looked himself.
15:55
There was obviously Baku
15:56
where he really didn't look himself
15:58
but then he's not been way off, has he?
16:01
He just hasn't quite had the pace.
16:03
What if anything do you think's happened there?
16:06
I think drivers across the year
16:08
tend to have one shocker.
16:10
So he's allowed Baku as he's shocker.
16:12
Although that's the worst weekend
16:13
I've ever seen him put together.
16:14
I've been covering him since Formula Three
16:19
so that's five years
16:20
and I've never ever seen him put a race weekend
16:22
that ropey together.
16:24
But let's say you're allowed one shocker
16:26
and then the nature of
16:28
whichever was the lead McLaren
16:30
out of the first lap in Singapore
16:32
was going to be the one putting the pressure
16:35
Historically this year we've seen
16:37
that Oscar is better at passing Max
16:39
quickly compared to Lando.
16:41
That's just objective.
16:43
We've seen that time and time again.
16:44
And then you get to Austin
16:48
and it's just not his track.
16:49
So I think it looks worse than it is
16:52
but then everyone's talking about
16:54
the fact he's in a slump
16:56
and then you've got to deal with that
16:57
from Thursday until Sunday
16:58
and big pressure on Kuali.
17:00
And yeah, I don't think it's a full slump
17:02
but it's been sticky for him.
17:04
I don't and I also think Alex
17:06
that we underestimate how long the season is.
17:08
I think some dips of form are inevitable.
17:11
I don't think you're going to do
17:12
a 24 race season quicker than your team.
17:14
I sort of think it's inevitable
17:15
that top level sports people have ups
17:18
and downs over the course of what is
17:19
a massively long sporting season.
17:22
Yeah, we've got a differentiate
17:24
between the fact that we're used
17:25
to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
17:27
We've had the Lewis Hamilton era.
17:28
We've had the Max Verstappen era
17:29
and we've become used to generational drivers.
17:32
We've got to remember Oscar and Lando
17:34
are trying to win their first.
17:35
You see the peak performance
17:37
from the generational drivers
17:39
once they've got that title
17:40
under their under their arm
17:42
and there are going to be wobbles
17:43
still in your first title.
17:47
So Hamilton's first championship season
17:50
includes crashing into the back
17:52
because he couldn't tell
17:52
that the red light was on in Canada.
17:56
A horrible race for him in Manicourt
17:57
in the French Grand Prix.
17:59
Hamilton had some really, really tough days
18:01
on the way to his first title.
18:03
So it just happens.
18:05
That is an excellent point.
18:07
I hadn't really thought about it like that
18:09
and we need to celebrate this season
18:11
for what it is as well
18:13
because it's so nice
18:14
not having one driver
18:16
that is just dominating it
18:17
at start to finish.
18:19
Christian made a really good point, Alex,
18:21
earlier about how Lando has got
18:25
all of the momentum at the moment.
18:28
Obviously being better than Oscar
18:31
Do you think that's going to count for a lot
18:33
because I mean Lando will feel
18:34
pretty good going into this one, my name.
18:37
I think it's less the momentum
18:40
that since we've come back
18:43
from the summer break,
18:45
and let's look at the whole weekend,
18:47
he just seems to be
18:48
the quicker McLaren driver
18:50
in the way that we all expected
18:52
at the start of the year
18:52
when he was pre-season bookies favourite
18:54
and we thought he'll get off
18:56
and then Oscar stole his fast start.
19:00
That's exactly the Lando
19:01
since the summer break.
19:03
All right, a little bit late
19:04
but he looks the Lando of last year.
19:07
He looks the quicker of the McLaren pair
19:10
and he can have a quiet confidence going into it
19:12
but 14 points is still a lot to turn around
19:14
when there's going to be fine margins
19:16
between those McLaren's
19:17
between now and the end of the season.
19:22
All we ever wanted was fun, wasn't it?
19:24
We started this podcast.
19:25
We didn't have much fun
19:26
but now we've got some funds.
19:27
We've got, let's get our wellies on
19:30
and let's wade through the fun.
19:32
Well, it's such a good point.
19:34
I just love that we've all sat here going,
19:36
we can all put predictions.
19:38
We don't really know who's going to win
19:39
Mexico this weekend.
19:39
We don't really know who's going to be
19:41
the quickest car across the remaining five races.
19:42
We certainly don't know who's going
19:43
to win the world championship.
19:46
We should celebrate that
19:46
but I just want to go back to it a minute.
19:48
That's such a bloody good point.
19:49
Betty, I'm the same.
19:50
I didn't sort of thought of it like that.
19:52
Shows you the brutality of Formula One
19:54
that the likes of Lando and Oscar
19:57
are being constantly compared to Hamilton
20:02
and the era that F1s had
20:04
with these two ridiculous machines.
20:06
I think there's probably a fair comment, isn't there,
20:09
when fans sometimes feel their drivers
20:12
if you support one particular driver?
20:14
And I do really like,
20:16
I think Susie made the point to us yesterday, Betty,
20:18
that I like the way Lando goes,
20:21
but I am still capable of winning a title
20:23
and I think that's so true.
20:24
They're just held to this stupidly high standard.
20:28
I think also the point
20:30
that she was making about Lando
20:32
is that he doesn't have that same
20:33
sort of mentality that Max has.
20:35
Like he's going to make a few little mistakes
20:38
or he's going to beat himself up
20:39
when he's talking to the media
20:41
and be really honest
20:42
that he's just so incredibly different to Max, isn't he?
20:47
But if he goes and wins the championship, then brilliant.
20:50
We're in such a good position
20:52
because if Max goes and wins this championship
20:55
then that's history.
20:56
We have just watched a legendary
20:58
second part of the season
21:00
from Max Verstappen.
21:02
And if Lando or Oscar win it,
21:04
then we're watching two young drivers
21:07
winning their first world championship.
21:09
Like brilliant, stories everywhere.
21:11
Alex, you must be shaking in your boots
21:13
at the thought of commentating on that.
21:18
Honestly, we haven't had a...
21:20
I remember 2021 there was a title decider
21:23
and someone very, very senior said,
21:27
oh, you'll get loads,
21:29
you'll get loads more of these.
21:30
That won't be, you know,
21:31
there'll be loads of these
21:32
and we haven't had one since.
21:34
So we're overdue for a last race title decider.
21:39
Australia have only had two world champions all time.
21:41
So Oscar would only be the third.
21:43
Lando to come in as preseason favourite
21:46
to take all the hits that he did
21:47
at the start of the year
21:48
to fall all the way back.
21:50
everyone thought it was done
21:51
when he's engine blew in Zandvoort.
21:54
and like, you know,
21:55
almost buys fingertips,
21:57
hauls himself to the top of the mountain,
21:59
that will be an epic as well.
22:01
whoever wins, we've got a story for the ages.
22:04
Alex, I don't know if you know this,
22:06
but when like a good new song comes out,
22:08
Greg stands in the mirror
22:10
and like pretends introducing it on the radio,
22:12
just like hit the vocal and stuff.
22:16
Are you with this title battler?
22:17
You already like talking through the lines,
22:20
like, do you wake up in the morning
22:22
and just when you're not brushing your teeth
22:24
because that'd be impractical,
22:25
but you just sort of wander around the house going to you
22:28
and it's a first title for Piastry.
22:31
No, maybe I should.
22:33
Imagine if I now fumble the line in Abu Dhabi
22:36
and the first thing I'll think is,
22:37
I should have done what Chris can say.
22:39
That means of existence.
22:42
It's a first title for Piastry.
22:49
Oh no, I said first title.
22:53
Yeah, that's all right.
22:54
All winter, just hating myself
22:57
for getting it wrong at the end.
22:59
But no, thanks for the yips, Christian.
23:02
Yeah, appreciate it, mate.
23:06
Sort of reminds me of the sheer horror
23:07
I had every time I...
23:09
When I used to do the news on Radio One,
23:11
introduced the reporter, Tamsin Kent.
23:13
Hi, Tamsin, if you're listening.
23:15
I always got you, Ed.
23:18
I never did what you think it...
23:21
I hate just saying the word Kent.
23:25
I mean, if you say it like,
23:26
Kent County Council is a nightmare,
23:28
or like saying someone listening
23:31
driving through the Kent countryside.
23:35
On my first ever Radio Two sports bulletin shift
23:41
that I did into Sarah Cox's show,
23:44
I had to talk about tennis world rankings.
23:48
I said tennis world,
23:51
and you can imagine what I said.
23:52
And I had loads of friends that were in a car
23:55
and they were filming it all being like,
23:56
Oh my God, Betty's on Radio Two,
24:00
They're like, Oh my God, there she is, there she is.
24:02
And then I say, f***ing.
24:04
And they're all like, everyone just falls silent.
24:07
And they're like, did she just say f***ing on the radio?
24:10
It's also, it's also doubly bad
24:12
because it was on Sarah Cox's show.
24:20
Won't ever get over that.
24:22
I'm sure you're not going to say
24:24
then Tastry wins the Puffer Trivler.
24:27
I think it's going to be absolutely fine.
24:29
Don't worry about it.
24:30
And just to go back to what Christian was saying,
24:33
I do practice sometimes.
24:37
Are you just making that up?
24:40
I do practice my links sometimes.
24:42
I think about what I believe it or not.
24:44
Sometimes I think about what I'm about to say.
24:47
I don't believe that I've worked with you too long.
24:48
I will think about it the night before.
24:50
As I go to bed and like,
24:52
what's the first thing I'm probably going to say
24:54
I do think about it.
24:55
And when he wakes up in the morning,
24:58
it's eight o'clock newsbeat now with Callum Leslie.
25:03
This has got niche, hasn't it?
25:04
It's still to come and talk about it.
25:06
Do you know what it is?
25:07
It's really positive.
25:09
Alex, you're a good...
25:13
What's the word I'm looking for?
25:15
You should have thought this through
25:16
and then maybe you...
25:19
When everything collapsed earlier,
25:21
you should have practiced the compliment.
25:24
You can't think about every live interaction.
25:27
Influence, influence.
25:28
You're a good influence on all of us, Alex.
25:30
You're getting us excited
25:31
and we love your insight
25:32
and we're going to get more insight from you
25:35
as we talk about your book
25:37
and Christian Hugo will speak to Esteban Ocon
25:40
next on The Fast and the Curious.
25:45
This is an advert for eBay.
25:48
Don't you think car buying
25:50
has become a pretty dull experience?
25:52
I personally cannot think of anything less exciting.
25:55
But on eBay, behind every car and part
25:57
is a story waiting to be shared.
25:59
Like this guy I read about
26:00
who bought a 2020 Porsche Cayman GT4 on eBay.
26:06
I mean, there are plenty of Caymans
26:08
in great condition on eBay,
26:09
but this one, it needed a lot of work.
26:12
So after this guy gets a great deal
26:14
on his dream car, he rebuilds it.
26:16
The whole thing with all of these parts
26:18
that he found on eBay,
26:20
performance breaks, suspension, body panels,
26:23
the absolute works.
26:25
Next thing you know, this nearly scrap Cayman
26:27
was out there on the track
26:29
as a full blown race car.
26:31
You're ready to go daily driver.
26:33
Your next Resto mod.
26:34
That means restoration plus modification,
26:37
if you didn't know.
26:38
eBay has thousands of cars
26:40
and is the largest online selection
26:42
of vehicle parts and accessories.
26:44
eBay things people love.
26:47
Most all-in-one HR systems are a patchwork
26:50
of disconnected and manual tools.
26:52
Rippling is totally automated.
26:54
If you promote an employee,
26:56
Rippling can automatically handle necessary updates,
26:59
from payroll taxes and provisioning new app permissions,
27:02
to assigning required manager training.
27:04
That's why Rippling is the number one rated
27:06
human capital management suite
27:08
on G2, Trustradius and Gartner.
27:10
If you're ready to run the backbone
27:12
of your business on one of these cars,
27:14
run the backbone of your business
27:16
on one unified platform.
27:18
Head to rippling.com
27:19
slash acastbiz and sign up today.
27:22
That's R-I-P-P-L-I-N-G dot com
27:25
slash acastbiz to sign up.
27:27
There I was scrolling my phone,
27:29
then someone cracked open
27:30
a mountain drew Baja Cabo Citrus.
27:32
I grabbed my own and took a sip.
27:35
Next thing I know, I heard a rip.
27:37
My friend tried the splits and skinny jeans.
27:39
The crew couldn't stop laughing.
27:41
But hey, not a drop of Baja Cabo Citrus
27:45
Have a blast with Mountain Dew Baja Cabo Citrus.
27:48
A punch of tropical citrus flavor.
27:50
It's tax time, y'all.
27:51
If you want to file free, this next one's for you.
28:08
Up next, commercials.
28:11
Into a Turbo Tax-Free edition,
28:12
see if you qualify at TurboTax.com slash free.
28:15
No schedules except for earned income tax credit,
28:16
child tax credit, student loan interest and schedule 1A.
28:25
Hello and welcome back to the cast and the fury.
28:27
Oh, no, no, no, I'm selling Alex Jakes.
28:32
It'd be good that we can just call it Alex Jakes,
28:34
but you've actually never done this.
28:37
Yeah, we'll call it, we'll call it a Jalix Akes.
28:41
Yeah, it'd be like that Michael Cain thing where, like,
28:43
he never said not a lot of people know that.
28:45
And it's exactly that.
28:51
Okay, anyway, welcome back to the Fast and the Curious.
28:54
Kristian Hugo, we are about to speak to Esteban Ocon,
29:01
He's not here with us because
29:04
Mexico has quite the time difference,
29:07
but I thought of a way we can do it.
29:10
I thought of a way it will slot seamlessly into the podcast.
29:12
We've done it once before.
29:14
This is going to be bad.
29:15
By the way, this is going to be bad.
29:16
Just let everyone know.
29:17
It's already it's bad.
29:19
It's going to be excellent.
29:20
Because thanks to the magic of podcasting,
29:23
we can cross live now to Kristian Hugo,
29:27
who joins us from the future.
29:29
Future Kristian, talk to us.
29:31
Past Kristian, thank you very much.
29:33
You're looking very handsome this evening.
29:35
I am here in the future and I'm not alone.
29:38
I'm with Esteban Ocon.
29:40
Esteban, welcome back to the Fast and the Curious.
29:42
What a joy to see you.
29:44
Thank you very much for having me.
29:46
It's an absolute pleasure.
29:48
The last time you were on this podcast,
29:50
we were sat at F175 in London.
29:53
Is it just me or does that seem like several years ago?
29:59
it actually doesn't feel that long ago for me.
30:02
Yeah, this year has flew by.
30:04
It's been incredible.
30:05
But no, it feels like a month ago, to be honest.
30:09
Yeah, it's quite strange.
30:11
I think that's probably a great sign.
30:13
And it's not that I've not enjoyed this season.
30:16
But it feels like it is a long season.
30:18
Seasons used to be much shorter.
30:20
So it's nice that it doesn't feel as long for you as a sign.
30:23
You're having a lovely time, I guess.
30:26
Yeah, I mean, lovely time is a big word.
30:28
But it would be a lovely time
30:30
if we were winning every race.
30:31
But no, I mean, it's when your head is down
30:36
and focus on the job,
30:38
you go from races to races,
30:39
from simulator work, from debrief,
30:42
and races to races, it goes by fast.
30:45
You are focused on what matters and it's good.
30:51
I wish normally we say that when we are getting older,
30:54
things go by quicker.
30:55
So that's not really a great sign.
30:56
But at the moment, it still feels like a month ago
31:00
that we were in front of 75.
31:02
But yeah, I realize that there's a lot of things
31:06
A lot of things that have gone by.
31:08
I'm lucky, Esteban, obviously come to several of the races.
31:12
We only spoke last weekend, actually,
31:13
when you were on my other podcast.
31:16
So I'm lucky to see you in and around F1.
31:19
You've always, this season,
31:21
had such a nice smile on your face,
31:23
even when stuff hasn't gone your way.
31:25
Not every weekend is going to be like a great weekend,
31:28
but you seem to always still be smiling.
31:30
Is this fair to say, you look to me
31:33
like you're enjoying Formula One more this season?
31:36
Is that a fair thing to say?
31:40
I think it's a good environment,
31:43
being here with this team,
31:45
the teams really trying to push themselves forward
31:49
and improving and the competition
31:51
is the main goal behind everything.
31:54
And that's the reason why I wanted to come here
31:57
is the fact that people are proud about doing well
32:01
and people are proud about when weekends are decent
32:06
and we are doing what's needed.
32:07
So yeah, I feel like I have a good environment.
32:12
I have good relationship with everyone here,
32:18
Yeah, that definitely is a great place to be working.
32:22
If you're happy with the place of work,
32:23
that's the most important normally.
32:26
But yeah, we need to have a little bit
32:28
of a quicker machine, hopefully,
32:31
to be fighting a little bit more in the points more often.
32:35
And that's what we're working on, but the rest we have.
32:39
But you're picking up those points still
32:42
and as we speak, pre-Mexico, your ninth in the standings,
32:46
you guys know like one result
32:48
from even one of you or Oli can change that.
32:52
What are the aims for you guys in these final handful of races?
32:56
And do you know whether they'll suit you or not?
32:58
Mexico, as we look ahead to the likes of Brazil or Vegas,
33:01
do you think it'll suit you guys?
33:05
And I think, you know, since we have the updates,
33:09
it should go in the right direction as well.
33:12
You know, tracks like Mexico, for example here,
33:16
you know, it's quite a lot of low-speed corner
33:17
with traction and it's usually a place
33:20
where we are pretty decent exiting corners
33:23
is usually a strong point of us.
33:24
So, I mean, these are all facts on previous races and stuff,
33:30
but we need to see it in action,
33:32
see how it goes after practice.
33:33
But yeah, I mean, if we have a weekend
33:36
where we don't have issues
33:37
and we manage to extract the best out of it,
33:39
we should be in a decent position
33:40
and that's going to be the end.
33:42
We said you were coming on the podcast in the week.
33:45
We got so many questions.
33:47
I'm going to put a couple of those questions to you now.
33:50
This first one is from one of our listeners and viewers called Izzy.
33:54
And Izzy, and our producer Will actually,
33:56
I need to give Will some credit for this,
33:58
told me something I had no idea
34:01
and I'm staggered at myself, I didn't know this,
34:04
that you were in a French language,
34:05
Netflix original film.
34:08
So Izzy's question is,
34:09
is there more acting on the way in your career?
34:12
But right, we need to go back a bit.
34:14
How did this come about?
34:15
What role do you play
34:16
before we answer Izzy's question about any more acting?
34:19
Well, I don't know if it's really a role,
34:22
but to be honest, I have two scenes in a great,
34:27
actually, Netflix movie with some great French actors as well.
34:33
We have a good friend of mine who's called Michel Laroc,
34:36
she's a French actress,
34:37
she's been having so much experience in movies,
34:40
she's done so many great movies,
34:42
and she's going to be playing in Emilia in Paris quite soon as well.
34:47
So, you know, she basically asked me if I wanted to do that little cameo.
34:54
It was supposed to be a cameo,
34:55
but at the end of the day,
34:56
they gave me a little bit of a bigger scene
34:58
where I had two scenes on two different locations.
35:01
And it was one on a church,
35:04
and then the other one was in Barcelona.
35:07
So it's a bit weird because I play Damien,
35:10
and I still, basically, the girl there.
35:14
She exited the church,
35:17
and she doesn't want to get married with her husband,
35:19
and I basically steal her away.
35:22
But on the track, you know, I'm Damien,
35:25
but I'm still in an Alpine suit because it was last year.
35:28
So, you know, it's quite funny, the whole thing.
35:31
And it was great to have a little bit of experience,
35:35
see how, you know, movie works and how it is.
35:38
I don't know if there will be more soon,
35:40
but there will be definitely more in the future.
35:42
That's what I want to do for sure.
35:44
So this is a thing.
35:46
You'll do more acting in the future.
35:48
This is a bit of a thing.
35:50
I mean, that was an experience that I could not say no.
35:53
I could not decline the way it was presented to me,
35:56
and how Michel wanted me to play in that movie was...
36:00
Yeah, I had to try.
36:02
Basically, I had to give it a go,
36:03
and everyone will welcome me so well and teach me,
36:06
you know, the little things that I could do better,
36:08
and, you know, learning about the job, really.
36:12
But yeah, I would love to do, you know,
36:15
a bit more maybe action stuff in the future.
36:18
We never know after my career when I retire.
36:22
This is comfortably my favorite thing I've ever found out
36:25
about a Formula One driver away from the track,
36:27
because you know this podcast.
36:29
We speak to you guys about your lives away from the track,
36:32
and a lot of them, your colleagues, Esteban, Max especially,
36:36
they all say, oh, well, what do you do in your spare time?
36:38
I'm a sim racer, I drive something else.
36:41
I do that too, mate.
36:44
But you've got something else called that's brilliant,
36:47
that's absolutely fantastic.
36:48
So, I guess what I was going to ask is,
36:50
who'd play you in, like, a story of your career,
36:52
in, like, a film of your life?
36:54
You'd play you, I guess.
36:56
I don't know if there will be a movie about me in the future.
37:01
First of all, I don't know if, you know,
37:03
there is enough to tell about me, but...
37:08
At the moment, I'm still in my career.
37:10
There's still a lot of things that has to come
37:13
and that I have to achieve.
37:14
And, you know, we can talk about that in 10 years' time.
37:19
Get thinking about what roles you'd play,
37:21
because I think you could play...
37:22
I think you could be the hero.
37:24
I think you could be the anti-hero.
37:25
I think you've got range, Esteban.
37:27
I think there's a...
37:27
Oh, thank you, mate.
37:28
There's a career in that.
37:30
Andy's question is a funny one.
37:32
Now, for those that don't know, last weekend,
37:35
there was a bit of a story that came out after the weekend
37:39
about crafty red bull people peeling away tape
37:44
that other drivers had been using to mark their grid slots.
37:47
So, Andy asks, do you use tape to align your car on the grid, Esteban?
37:54
No, but I take your reference before,
37:56
because, you know, there's always those banners and sponsors,
38:00
which was MSC crews, I think, from that last race.
38:03
And basically, I was on the bottom of the M.
38:07
If I look left, you know, my chassis and my headrest
38:10
were stopping there at the bottom of the M,
38:12
so that was my reference.
38:14
But I understand the little mind games
38:17
that they are trying to play to each other or the team
38:19
is what we like about competition, really.
38:24
Yeah, it's a bit of gamesmanship.
38:25
It's what we like in sport.
38:27
Also, but I also think it shows you an example
38:30
of your guy's talent, because I've sat in the shell
38:34
of an F1 car, so there was nothing in it,
38:36
but it was an actual chassis.
38:38
I am staggered at how little you guys can see.
38:40
Like, when you're going onto the grids,
38:42
just explain how difficult it is.
38:45
You look at it and think it's the easiest thing in the world.
38:47
Park the car up on the grid before the start of the race.
38:49
Even that bit's difficult, right?
38:51
It is super difficult.
38:52
We can't see anything.
38:52
We don't know where the lines are,
38:54
you know, where the grid spots are.
38:57
It's super difficult.
38:58
And actually, I made my girlfriend Flavie sit in my race car
39:03
in my YouTube video, and she was amazed as well
39:07
on how she could not see anything.
39:09
She was like, you can't drive like that.
39:10
No way, you're lying to me, you're higher than this.
39:13
And I'm like, no, that's the actual position.
39:17
Yeah, it's surprising because from outside,
39:20
you know, it looks like the helmet's quite high
39:22
and we see quite a lot of it,
39:23
but we don't see the front wing.
39:24
We see only that much of the wheel on the top of the wheel.
39:28
So, yeah, it is part of the job
39:30
and it is one of the difficult bits of things.
39:33
And especially these new cars, you see less and less.
39:35
But yet weirdly, the halo, you see less of than you think, right?
39:40
That's sort of, I don't know whether it sits in the bridge
39:42
if you know, but I thought the halo would block the view,
39:44
but that seems okay.
39:45
No, that's not too bad.
39:46
Yeah, that's actually okay.
39:47
It's like if you put your hand like that,
39:49
but you see through, for example,
39:50
like I'm in front of you now,
39:52
but I see you because, I don't know,
39:54
the eyes, they basically match up
39:56
so that you can see in front of it, you know?
40:00
Estaban, I'd now like to apologise.
40:02
I'm looking after my dad's dog who has been quiet all day
40:05
except for when I interviewed a Formula One driver
40:06
and he's now parking at next door.
40:10
He's a Golden Tree driver.
40:13
Oh, that's awesome.
40:14
Teddy, can you treat me as a Formula One driver?
40:17
Right, I'm going to ask you another question
40:19
because this has all gone terribly wrong.
40:21
Don't be mean to him.
40:22
Don't be mean to him.
40:22
Oh, he is gorgeous,
40:23
but he barks at people getting home
40:24
in the next door flat and it's not his flat.
40:26
He's got no right to do so.
40:28
Katie says you're clearly at a better place
40:30
this year compared to last.
40:31
When you get into a better car
40:34
or the car has improved,
40:35
can you feel the change when you get in the car?
40:39
Yeah, yeah, you do feel.
40:42
You know, changing things is not an easy thing.
40:45
There's a lot of things to learn,
40:46
but you straight away feel
40:49
when I did the test in Abu Dhabi,
40:50
you know, where the differences are,
40:51
where the car is stronger,
40:52
where the car is a bit weaker.
40:55
And it's a different way of driving as well
40:58
because you extract the lap time
40:59
from a different place normally.
41:01
But yeah, straight away took me three or four laps
41:04
to discover, you know,
41:05
where the car was stronger,
41:06
where it was a bit weaker,
41:08
and the way that I should have drive, you know.
41:11
And then the rest is about adapting,
41:13
about making sure I'm comfortable really.
41:16
But on that side of things,
41:18
I think we've done a pretty good job
41:19
in terms of adapting
41:20
and that's been quite flawless.
41:23
Loads of these came in,
41:24
so I'm not going to name any listeners
41:25
and viewers in particular,
41:26
but we're obviously a podcast
41:28
presented by British people.
41:30
So hence this question,
41:31
we've obviously got loads of listeners
41:33
and viewers in America,
41:34
you guys are an American team.
41:35
Therefore, loads of said,
41:36
how are you getting on with Oli?
41:39
I guess it's a bit different
41:40
for you compared to say last year,
41:42
you were with Pierre,
41:44
How different is it being
41:45
with a rookie alongside you?
41:46
Does it feel different
41:47
or is it completely the same?
41:49
No, it's great with Oli.
41:51
I mean, he's a really nice character,
41:53
really fun, you know,
41:54
to spend time with.
41:56
You know, once we get to work,
41:57
obviously it's very professional
42:00
and we talk a lot about a lot of things,
42:02
you know, in debriefs
42:03
and we make sure to be transparent,
42:04
you know, from one side of the garage
42:08
But when we do activations outside the track,
42:10
that's where we'll spend the most times.
42:15
you know, to spend time with him.
42:16
He's a very nice guy.
42:17
I get along super well with him
42:20
I'm really happy to be teaming up with him
42:22
for this year and also the next.
42:25
it's going well at the moment.
42:27
The atmosphere that there is in the team
42:29
and yeah, there's no reason that it should change
42:32
and I hope that, you know,
42:33
we get a lot of success together
42:35
because yeah, we are putting the work in,
42:38
you know, with the team
42:39
and I hope it will pay off.
42:41
And just finally, Esteban,
42:43
Mexico this weekend,
42:44
we've already spoken about how tight it is.
42:46
Like the midfield battle
42:47
is genuinely ridiculous.
42:50
you look at like, say,
42:51
Hulk's podium back at Silverson or something.
42:54
It changes it completely.
42:55
When Carlos gets one for Williams,
42:57
like one little result
42:58
come out the difference.
42:59
So what's possible in Mexico?
43:00
What are you feeling and thinking?
43:02
Obviously, you've not driven the car yet.
43:03
So I know it's difficult to say,
43:04
but what should be possible for you guys?
43:06
Where are you looking to be in Mexico?
43:09
Well, the aim is going to be to qualify better
43:11
than we've done recently.
43:12
It's been quite tricky for us in Kuali,
43:14
but the race pace has been pretty solid, you know,
43:19
to be able to join the top 10.
43:22
the aim is to be scoring some points always
43:24
and I hope that, you know,
43:26
we can deliver something like that.
43:28
I think the team was very competitive here last year,
43:31
towards the end of the year, especially.
43:33
And, you know, we've got the upgrade as well.
43:35
So I hope it's going to go that direction also.
43:37
We've got everything crossed for you, Esteban.
43:38
Listen, Haas are great to this podcast.
43:40
You are great to this podcast.
43:41
Appreciate you coming back on.
43:42
So when you were last on, Esteban,
43:45
so many people got in touch
43:46
and said how much they enjoyed hearing from you.
43:48
So there's a lot of, like,
43:49
love and well wishes for you from team,
43:50
the fast and the curious.
43:51
So go well at the weekend, Esteban.
43:53
And we, yeah, we hope to see you in the points.
43:56
We keep you in touch.
43:56
And thank you, everyone, for listening.
43:58
Take care, Esteban.
43:59
Go well this weekend.
44:23
Most all-in-one HR systems are a patchwork of disconnected and manual tools.
44:40
Rippling is totally automated.
44:42
If you promote an employee,
44:44
Rippling can automatically handle necessary updates,
44:47
from payroll taxes and provisioning new app permissions
44:49
to assigning required manager training.
44:51
That's why Rippling is the number one rated
44:54
human capital management suite
44:55
on G2, TrustRadius and Gartner.
44:58
If you're ready to run the backbone of your business
45:01
on one unified platform,
45:02
head to rippling.com
45:04
slash accastbiz and sign up today.
45:06
That's R-I-P-P-L-I-N-G dot com slash accastbiz to sign up.
45:18
Anyway, welcome back if you're still there
45:20
to the fast and the curious.
45:24
I must say he was brilliant.
45:26
Loved what he said.
45:31
I really enjoyed that.
45:32
The bit where he talked about the F1 stuff was brilliant.
45:35
I do love the time traveling Christian Hugh Gill.
45:37
There's definitely mileage in that.
45:40
Although what I would say is
45:40
when you were introducing yourself in the future,
45:43
our guest, Alex Jakes, had his hands in his head
45:46
or his head in his hands.
45:47
Both either way, it was fine.
45:51
Alex knows me well.
45:52
Alex has to work with the other race weekend.
45:54
It won't be the first all the last time, don't worry.
45:56
So, Alex Jakes, tell us about Grid to Glory, please.
46:00
75 milestone F1 moments.
46:03
That is a lot of moments in F1.
46:06
To whittle it down to 75
46:08
was probably quite difficult, I imagine.
46:10
Yeah, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
46:13
And then as I was writing it,
46:14
I was thinking I should have written this
46:16
for the 60th anniversary of Formula One
46:17
rather than the 75th.
46:20
You've got to cover the entire time.
46:22
Better than the 80th, though.
46:24
Better than the 80th.
46:26
So, it was a lot of fun.
46:28
We go all the way back to 1950
46:29
in the start of the championship.
46:31
And the idea was we've got so many new fans
46:35
who don't even know who Sebastian Vettel is,
46:37
let alone Sterling Moss.
46:38
So, let's tell the stories in a fun, accessible way.
46:42
And the maddest moments, the most serious moments,
46:45
the breakthrough moments,
46:46
everything that changed the game,
46:48
like the race where they turned up
46:49
with a giant fan on the back of the car.
46:51
And it's short chapters, hopefully,
46:55
covering the history of F1 in a fun way.
46:57
What is the funniest moment?
47:00
Can you whittle one down?
47:02
The fan sounds funny,
47:03
because I'm imagining a large person.
47:06
But you mean like an extractor fan, don't you?
47:10
Rather than someone in merch hanging on for dear life.
47:15
I hadn't even thought of it like that.
47:18
I'd say the one that I enjoyed the most
47:20
is the driver's strike, which happened in the 80s.
47:24
Loader, the drivers just signed their super licenses.
47:27
Nikki Lauda knew his onions, read the small print.
47:30
The small print was outrageous.
47:32
They're trying to take the drivers rights away.
47:34
So he sets up camp at the tunnel to the paddock,
47:39
and he says, yeah, have you read your super license?
47:41
And they all go, no, Nikki,
47:42
because Nikki's the one who pays attention to these things.
47:45
And he's like, yeah, well, it's really bad for us.
47:47
And we're going on strike because he was Nikki Lauda,
47:49
and he could do that.
47:50
And so the entire F1 grid threatened, it's like,
47:55
you got to back down.
47:56
All right, we're not signing these super licenses
47:58
and the powers that be said, you're going to have to,
48:00
or we're not going to have a race.
48:01
And they're like, all right, we're on strike.
48:03
And they all went to one hotel room.
48:06
They didn't have separate rooms.
48:07
So you imagine the entire grid today piling onto a bus.
48:11
They're all on there, all 20 are on there.
48:13
They go to a hotel.
48:15
Lauda's been clever enough to realize
48:17
that those at the back are going to be threatened with the sack
48:19
and then they're going to crumble.
48:21
So they have to sleep in the same room.
48:23
So you had drivers playing the piano,
48:25
others telling stories.
48:27
One was doing caricatures and then they all went on strike
48:33
for two days in the hotel for the South African Grand Prix.
48:38
And it's the, I loved it.
48:40
I like the idea of that happening today.
48:42
You've got, you know, Charlotte Claire on piano,
48:44
Lewis Hamilton singing along, Liam Lawson going,
48:47
when's it my go with the guitar?
48:48
Everyone's like, all right, Lawson, give it a time down.
48:53
And that really happened in the 80s.
48:55
This isn't happening now, by the way.
48:58
Even if they wanted to strike,
49:00
the backlash that they receive from the public,
49:03
because we all know how much they're paid,
49:06
it would just never work.
49:08
Unless they were striking for the rights of the team,
49:11
people work at the teams or something,
49:13
then you could get it.
49:14
But if it was anything to do with the drivers,
49:15
unfortunately, when people are paid that much money,
49:18
they just become collateral.
49:20
But, but if one driver on today's grid
49:25
was to read the small print and call a strike,
49:28
which driver would it be?
49:30
And why would it be George Russell?
49:31
George Russell, 100% George Russell,
49:34
any day of the week.
49:35
And do you know what?
49:36
He'd rock up, he'd be wearing a suit,
49:38
he'd be ready, he'd be like,
49:39
Oscar, come here right now.
49:40
I need to speak to you.
49:43
He'd be like, right, everyone,
49:44
everyone to my yacht now.
49:48
Tarquin, get the drinks.
49:49
And this is going to take a while.
49:52
Well, we'll set sail at noon.
49:53
We're not coming back until they've agreed to the terms.
49:56
Alex, that's a lovely moment.
49:57
And I do, I do wonder, like you,
50:00
I know that you, like me,
50:02
been a fan of this sport since you were a kid.
50:04
And now, like, obviously,
50:05
you're still a fan of the sport.
50:07
Obviously, you work in it.
50:07
But, like, you'll do what anyone else does.
50:10
And you'll scroll through your phone
50:12
and see a clip of an F1 race from recent times.
50:15
And because you do the F1 TV commentary,
50:19
How is that to process when you're like,
50:21
oh, there's F1, but I'm all over it.
50:23
Like, you can't take yourself away from the sport.
50:26
That must be a bit mad in the nicest possible way.
50:29
It doesn't really get old.
50:30
It gets really weird in the summer break
50:32
when you unplug for a couple of weeks
50:34
and then you come back and, like,
50:35
in the summer break, I always delete social media.
50:37
And then you go back to work and you need to use it.
50:40
So you download all the apps again.
50:42
And there is always a jolting moment where,
50:44
I'm commentating on this.
50:47
Cool. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
50:47
Because that's your job.
50:48
But there is always a jolting moment
50:50
where it is strange when we go back
50:51
to the first race after the summer break.
50:54
It's a lovely, it's a lovely thing.
50:56
I found it by accident flicking through the channels
50:59
It became my sport.
51:00
I always wanted to be a F1 commentator.
51:02
I would have been very, very happy
51:04
to do sports broadcasting of any description.
51:07
But to get the chance to do F1
51:08
is it just never gets old.
51:11
Related to you having watched the sport
51:13
for a long time as a fan,
51:14
you've also, as Christian said,
51:16
spent a lot of time working in it.
51:17
You've spent a long time commentating
51:18
in F2 and F3 nine rookies
51:21
doing it free practice one this weekend.
51:24
Is that because a lot of the drivers
51:26
can't be asked or is that just
51:27
to give everyone a go or is it both?
51:32
I'm not sure every driver would do F1
51:34
if they were forced to.
51:36
But no, it's a nice rule that we've had
51:37
in recent years that's been doubled for this year.
51:39
Four sessions for the teams,
51:41
two for each car across the year.
51:43
You've got to give to a driver
51:45
who doesn't have the same experience.
51:47
And it means that we get some different names.
51:50
And it is good this,
51:52
because sometimes you get drivers
51:54
who would deserve a seat on the grid,
51:56
who don't get the chance.
51:58
And these sessions mean that
51:59
even if they don't get a full-time seat,
52:01
they still get to participate
52:03
during the Grand Prix weekend.
52:04
And if you consider that there are tons of people
52:07
who don't quite make the grid,
52:08
who were brilliant drivers,
52:10
whose family spent a lot of money
52:12
and a decade of their lives
52:13
trying to reach the goal,
52:14
the least they deserve.
52:15
Someone like Fred Vesti at Mercedes,
52:18
the least Frederick Vesti deserves,
52:19
running up in Formula 2 a couple of years ago,
52:21
is a F1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
52:25
when they talk about the Mexico City Grand Prix,
52:27
Alex, talk about the altitude
52:30
and what it's like racing in it.
52:33
Why does that matter?
52:35
And is there anybody in particular
52:36
who is just going to really suit?
52:38
Well, Max has won there five times,
52:40
so he just seems to love it full stop.
52:42
But that was a little bit because of the fact
52:45
that it takes the performance away from the engine.
52:47
Red Bull traditionally,
52:50
They always had a good chassis,
52:51
but they didn't always have a good engine.
52:53
So they would get to Mexico
52:55
and suddenly it would be a level playing field
52:56
for the first time all year,
52:57
when things were dominant for Mercedes.
53:01
So he's pinched a couple of wins there
53:03
because of the reset of the altitude.
53:05
The lack of air density means
53:08
that they run monocoe levels of downforce
53:10
at Monza levels of speed.
53:12
So they've got all the downforce
53:13
they can possibly bolt on
53:15
and there's just less oxygen,
53:19
less air density because of the altitude.
53:21
So as a result, they're going ludicrously quick
53:23
with loads of downforce,
53:25
which is why Verstappen's got so many wins,
53:28
because Red Bull has always been good at that.
53:30
And the power is a little bit down
53:32
on the outright performance.
53:34
So yeah, it does change things a little bit.
53:36
It won't change this year's world championship as much
53:39
because no one's got an outrageous advantage
53:42
or a super efficient car
53:43
when it comes to the aero.
53:44
They're evenly matched.
53:45
Just on the FP1 thing
53:48
and getting a go in free practice.
53:52
This might be stupid question, Alex.
53:53
How exciting is that for a driver?
53:56
Because we, as the viewer
54:00
we look at it and go,
54:02
Or we might go, oh, yeah, I've heard of him.
54:03
That's cool that he gets to go.
54:05
But is that, as you mentioned,
54:06
the money they spend,
54:09
the years they spend trying to get into Formula One,
54:11
is that a really exciting moment?
54:14
they've thrown me some crumbs here?
54:19
It's not quite the crumbs,
54:20
but you're on to something, Greg.
54:23
They work all their lives.
54:24
They're very appreciative of the moment.
54:26
But then if you speak to all the FP1 drivers,
54:29
the number one fear that they have
54:31
is binning the actual race driver's car.
54:34
Yeah, it's a nightmare, right, that gig?
54:36
You get this moment,
54:37
but then your moment is clouded by the fact
54:39
that please don't stick this in the wall
54:42
and you know for a while,
54:43
the driver's on the pit lane,
54:47
and you know the director will just crash Zoom
54:51
like we saw with Antonelli
54:52
when he crashed George Russell's car.
54:53
Bang, Antonelli's in the wall
54:55
and let's crash Zoom to George Russell looking grumpy.
54:58
Russell's thinking don't look grumpy
55:00
on the international feed.
55:02
Russell's like that.
55:06
He's crashed my car.
55:07
There's no way I can now win this weekend.
55:10
Then they cut away from the garage
55:11
and then you can have a proper
55:12
stropping the debrief afterwards.
55:13
But now, Greg, you're right.
55:15
It's a lovely moment
55:17
that they can celebrate afterwards,
55:19
but not at the time.
55:21
They feel massive pressure in the car at the time.
55:23
I think with this particular batch we've got,
55:26
I think let's be honest,
55:30
there are some who have more of a chance
55:32
of getting F1 seats in the future.
55:35
So the one I would look out for in particular
55:40
is Limblad at Red Bull.
55:44
So he, I'm going to go and talk about this in a minute.
55:49
The only non-Red Bull seat for grabs next year
55:54
your only hope of getting on the grid
55:56
next year is in a Red Bull car.
55:57
Well, basically, we don't really know what they're going to do
56:01
Do you know, I went Alfa-Tarri,
56:02
then I went Toro Rosso.
56:03
I actually mean racing bulls.
56:10
So we don't know what they're going to do with them
56:11
and we also don't know what they're going to do
56:12
with the main Red Bull seats.
56:14
But there is a world where, say, for example,
56:20
Isakhajia swaps out for Sonoda
56:23
and they, for whatever reason,
56:25
don't put Yuki back in the RB
56:27
or they choose not to put in Lawson.
56:30
Limblad is the one people are talking about, I think.
56:33
So he's maybe the one I'd keep an eye on,
56:36
the one, I think, who will be being judged very closely
56:40
as to his performance.
56:41
Because Dr. Helmut Markow,
56:42
the, I don't know his official title,
56:44
I suppose the Overlord,
56:46
the driver advisor of Red Bull,
56:47
the, you know, the Dark Lord.
56:49
Yeah, all of those.
56:52
He said that they're going to think
56:54
about this seat after Mexico
56:56
and you might hear something after Mexico.
56:59
I mean, you never know.
57:01
Red Bull's calmed a little bit, for whatever reason,
57:03
in the last few months.
57:04
But still, what Dr. Markow says
57:08
and what actually happens,
57:09
don't always follow perfectly in sync.
57:11
So, you know, it might be that we hear something
57:13
after Mexico, it might not.
57:14
But he's the one I'd keep an eye on, maybe.
57:16
Alex, do you think Hadja should,
57:19
like, obviously, if he gets offered it,
57:20
do you think he would, he should be going to that
57:23
second Red Bull seat alongside Max?
57:25
Hard to say now, isn't it?
57:26
But like, do you think it would be good for his career?
57:29
Do you think he'd thrive in that seat?
57:30
I think it's a great seat to have for 26
57:32
with the regulation change.
57:34
I think if you offered it,
57:35
if we had the same rules next year,
57:37
I think you'd be looking at it going,
57:39
but look at what's happened to Lawson,
57:41
look at what's happened to Yuki.
57:43
Also, Cecho was fairly good as well
57:45
in the grand scheme of winning races
57:46
in Formula One history.
57:47
He's had a very good career.
57:50
But a total rule reset,
57:52
they're going to have to understand the car.
57:53
It's the best chance to be Max Verstappen's teammate
57:56
is at the start of 2026 and a total rule change
57:59
because you don't know at that point
58:01
whether they're going to have the same problems
58:02
for the second car.
58:03
And I suppose as well, if you're going to do a long term,
58:06
if you're going to go long term
58:08
and they will want stability in that seat,
58:10
it sort of feels like to me,
58:13
they've got to go right,
58:14
or stick them in right from the start of this rule set
58:17
to give him the absolute maximum chance
58:20
and actually don't make it.
58:22
If he doesn't look quick after half a lap of FP1,
58:25
don't get rid of him then.
58:26
Just maybe stick with someone a bit.
58:28
I know it's a bit radical,
58:29
but maybe stick with someone a bit.
58:31
Well, there's no one obvious,
58:32
is there, after Isaac,
58:34
because if Lindblad gets promoted,
58:36
he's going to have to learn the sport.
58:38
I just, Hajar was very, very impressive last year in F2,
58:41
probably the fastest driver in F2 last year.
58:44
Didn't win the title.
58:44
Bortletto had world-class race craft,
58:46
almost outthought him to the title.
58:48
But in terms of raw pace,
58:50
Hajar is so quick that you'd say,
58:55
in terms of raw speed,
58:56
not overall race performance,
58:57
but in terms of raw speed,
58:58
I think he's probably the quickest driver
59:00
they'll have in that car,
59:02
in terms of, you know,
59:04
Checo was brilliant all-rounder,
59:05
but not the fastest qualifier.
59:07
So if it doesn't work with Hajar,
59:10
who's he going to work with?
59:11
I mean, it's been a long-term problem for Red Bull.
59:14
Alex has been fantastic having you on the podcast.
59:17
Christian, lovely to see you.
59:19
Betty. Wonderful to see you.
59:21
Esteban probably won't answer me,
59:22
but lovely to have you on the podcast as well.
59:26
Be great if he answers me.
59:27
Sorry, I've just heard from,
59:29
from, hang on, future Christian,
59:31
who spoke to Esteban.
59:32
He told me to tell past Christians,
59:34
tell presents, Greg.
59:36
He's enjoyed it, and you're welcome.
59:38
Great, I thought he would have enjoyed it.
59:41
I just, I thought I'm just glad to get the confirmation.
59:44
Yeah, no, I'm just sure.
59:44
As we said at the start of the episode,
59:45
if you haven't listened to our special
59:47
Susie Wolf interview,
59:48
that is on the feed just before this episode.
59:51
Everyone should go out and buy Alex Jake's book.
59:53
That's the main thing.
59:54
And everyone should be following the Grand Prix this weekend.
59:57
We'll be back with a debrief on Sunday slash Monday.
00:02
What's the timings, Christian?
00:03
Give us some timings.
00:05
Yeah, if you're in the UK, it's late.
00:09
If you're in the US, it's not quite as late.
00:12
Is that right? Have I got that right?
00:15
Yeah, that's why I thank Alex.
00:17
So no, we'd think the race finishes about nine-ish.
00:21
So it will be, it'll be Sunday night if you're in the UK.
00:25
But after the race, a podcast will happen
00:29
and it will eventually get uploaded
00:31
and you'll be able to listen to it.
00:32
Or, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, watch it.
00:35
It's 8 p.m. UK time.
00:37
That's when it starts, is it?
00:40
Strikes me as late for a breakfast shell host.
00:42
Greg, what are we saying?
00:45
Don't mind that because I'm on the sort of wind down.
00:48
I really didn't mind, I didn't mind Austin for that reason.
00:51
I thought, oh, this is quite nice.
00:52
It's quite, it's nice to have an afternoon situation.
00:56
But anyway, who cares about that?
00:59
Enjoy the race, everyone.
01:00
I hope you enjoyed the podcast.
01:02
We're going to be following it this season,
01:05
right to the very last race as there are,
01:07
there are twists coming.
01:09
We just know there are.
01:10
We know to expect them.
01:11
Alex, Jake's told us to.
01:13
And we'll speak to you very soon.
01:15
Alex, have a great rest of the season.
01:16
We'll catch up soon and we'll be back next week.
01:46
There I was scrolling my phone,
02:05
then someone cracked open a Mountain Dew Baja Cabo Citrus.
02:08
Next thing I know, I heard a rip.
02:10
My friend tried the splits and jeans,
02:12
but not a drop was spilled.
02:14
Have a blast with Mountain Dew Baja Cabo Citrus,
02:17
a punch of tropical citrus flavor.
02:20
Save more at Dania Furniture this President's Day.
02:24
For a limited time, save $200 instantly
02:28
for every $1,000 you spend in store.
02:31
It's the perfect way to complete your look for less
02:34
or splurge on your dream piece from living room
02:39
Stop by your local showroom today.