Reaction to Las Vegas GP qualifying

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Hello, everybody, and welcome back to the P1 Podcast with Matt and Tommy.

Let's take a deep breath for a second, shall we?

Because please, I was not ready for that, you know, waking up and seeing

that it had been raining, but to the extent that it had rained as we headed

into Qualley was just, we were not ready.

We had no idea what was going to happen.

Of course, in Free Practice 3, they had a wet to dry session, so there was a little

bit of learnings there, but the expectation was only ever really Friday to have the

rain, and then Saturday, Sunday was supposed to be dry.

That all changed, and it gave us an unbelievably chaotic qualifying session, Tom Bellingham.

It did.

It was very, very chaotic.

It was one of those classic ones where the drivers are just circulating constantly,

and it's last day of the line is getting the best laps.

We literally saw wet tyres.

What world, what simulation are we living in that we've actually seen some wet tyres

this year that tells you everything about the grip level?

An emotional moment, an emotional moment to see those blue-walled tyres out there.

So proud.

Right.

Let's get into, first and foremost, a question.

Before we get into the Qs, the Q1s, the Q2s and the Q3s, and it's from one Pablo Sf1.

How the hell did we get six red flags in Baku and none here?

Well done to all the drivers.

I am utterly stunned.

We were in the watch along, and I was predicting at least 24 red flags.

I thought we were going to have a lot of stoppages, I thought it was going to

be the longest qualifying session of all time.

Are we being Q2 still?

Yeah, I genuinely did right now, maybe midway through Q1.

It was ridiculous that the conditions out there, such low grip around a track that

we've never seen rain before until this year, and they all pretty much kept it out of the

wall.

There was a lot of mistakes out there.

Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of yellow flags, and I am very surprised that

the Albon hit did not create a red flag, but we got none.

That is what will be down on paper, no red flags, and absolutely well done to

the drivers, because I was just waiting for that red flag icon to come up.

There were so many close moments.

It was out of that tricky corner where they were just getting fully sideways, and there

were so many moments in that session where we were watching, weren't we, and going,

oh, have they backed off?

No, they're just that slow, and then they'd actually do like a purple sector or a green

sector, even though it looked like they're going at like three miles an hour, just

because the conditions were so extreme that I can't believe we didn't have a

single red flag, and it even worked out for, not for Albon obviously, but in terms of

the red flags, that Albon hit the wall where he did, that he could just roll

into the pits and they could continue, but insane, what an insane session in

crazy conditions.

It really did remind me of like Turkey back in 2020, where they're just basically

like an ice skating rink.

That's what we like to see, is the drivers fully challenged to the extents of their

skills.

We need to see the world's fastest sport really, really slow.

No, it doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter if the car's a 5-10 second slow, we've spoken about it in

terms of, you know, if they can follow an overtake, it doesn't matter.

You know, it's actually more fun to see them slower and struggling.

Before we dive into everything qualifying related, just want to say as well,

if you missed the practice video or podcast yesterday, we have been nominated

for a Autosport Award for Creator of the Year, which is utterly insane.

To even have that award exist is crazy in my head.

And we've been nominated along with a lot of other amazing creators.

So if you would like to vote, obviously, if you want to vote for us,

then there will be a link at the top of the description where, you know,

if we're able to win this in January of next year, when they have the

award show, it will be definitely one of the highlights of us doing P1,

for sure, to be recognised by such an amazing organisation.

So, yeah, if you want to, the link is at the top of the episode description,

I'm sure, or the YouTube description as well.

Right, let's get into Q1, shall we, where the bottom five was Albon,

Antonelli, Bortoletto, Sonoda and Hamilton.

Let's just go straight into a question, shall we, because there's

a couple of big scalps out in the first part of QWALI.

P1 Patriot member, Lumixion, are we really witnessing the downfall of Hamilton?

We are witnessing, yes, one of the biggest struggles,

if not the biggest struggle of his entire career.

I can't remember Hamilton going through it this bad since maybe 2011

when he kept crashing into Massa every race and it looked like

he was having a really, you know, poor moment in his career.

And, you know, the rest of his career has been, you know, so strong,

he's got the most wins of all time.

You know, we don't expect it from Hamilton because he has been so good.

But there was a midpoint in the season where there was a lot of pressure

on Hamilton and people were saying that the season wasn't that good.

And he wasn't actually, you know, like a million miles

behind Charlotte Clair and the points.

And I thought maybe it's been overplayed because Hamilton has,

and I remember saying this on the podcast,

that because you expect so much from Hamilton, it seems even worse.

I can't say that now.

He's driving so poorly, you know, there are that there is a whole problem

with Ferrari and everything and the communication between both of them.

But there's two sides to this.

Yeah, Ferrari is not working well for Hamilton.

The communication is poor.

It sounded like he didn't even know that he could continue on his lap.

But you've got to think like, surely you're you're pushing and

continuing and and then, of course, the other side is why isn't the team telling him?

But, you know, he's run over a ballard again.

He's had a messy session.

And these are these are the conditions that Lewis Hamilton so many times

has thrived in and this should be like, you know, look at Silverstone.

It was one of his best races of the year in really tricky conditions.

But he's literally last, you know, the statistical goat

and he's qualifying 20th in those conditions.

It's insane. It's a sad to watch.

It is sad to watch and it's not good enough for Lewis Hamilton.

The stand is nowhere near.

You know, just having a look at the 2011 season that you mentioned, Tommy,

just to see what his kind of results were, if we're considering that as a bad season.

And it had six podiums and three victories.

That's what is seen as a bad season for Hamilton.

Of course, he got outscored by by Jensen Button in that season.

And now we're, of course, in in 2025, where he has not had a singular podium.

We've had Holkenberg have a podium, had our signs.

And yet Lewis Hamilton has not been able to to step on to the podium.

And this quality session, I good surprised him because I genuinely believed

that Ferrari would have a strong package and Hamilton finished second here last year.

I genuinely believe that if there's a track where everything will come together,

it will be this one, especially out of the last three that we have.

Like, surely Hamilton is not going to go an entire season without a podium.

I was just no way that the universe will just, you know, come together

and and something will be will be figured out.

And, you know, that Q1 session, the Bollard thing is utterly clumsy from Hamilton.

I don't care of people.

And I know that, you know, Sky Sports, they they they like to try

and find every excuse under the sun to clear Hamilton's name.

And and fair enough, Hamilton has unbelievable records

and he's a phenomenal driver.

But that was clumsy, the way that he just drove into the Bollard.

And then it looks as if the Bollard was then stuck in his car.

And no surprise, he had no grip after that.

But that's on him.

And then, of course, on top of that, he made the line, which you mentioned,

Tommy, but I'm utterly baffled as to why he's not carried on with his lap

for then the team to tell him after turn one or whatever that the sessions over.

He, of course, saw that it was red.

I don't know if he's maybe misjudged where the start line is.

It was very close.

I think from Farah's point of view, they have an obligation

if they hadn't already to tell Hamilton, it is marginal.

Like you are going to get over the line with maybe a second to spare.

The way he's acted going over the line tells me Farah is not told him that,

which is ridiculous because this is a wet improving session.

They need to know this.

And Hamilton was in a prime position to make it out of Q1,

the last driver over the line, but he had no grip.

Maybe that was Bollard related or whatever.

But I just can't believe I'm even talking about this.

I was actively rooting for him to do well, of course, because of the good

surprise and also because of the fact you don't want to see a season

like this for for Lewis, who has proved himself time and time again.

So are we witnessing the downfall?

We're witnessing. I think downfall is harsh.

He's come into a new team in the final year of a regulation set.

We get to next year.

Maybe that's when we talk a little bit more into whether Hamilton can

can pick himself back up.

But for this year, we are witnessing the worst season of Hamilton's career

hands down. No, no debate.

Yeah, 100 percent.

We need to see what what happens next year because we've said many times

that it's not been, you know, his best by any stretch.

You know, easily, I think his worst like regulation set.

Hamilton's been a driver that has done so well, kind of era to era.

And as the regulations have changed, but he's not gone well with these

ground effect cars, even when he was at Mercedes.

And this is just, you know, as worse as it's ever got.

OK, next question.

People on page remember Squidney, could this have been Albonne's

shining moment with the Williams pace looking promising?

For sure. Carlos Sainz qualified third.

I think Sainz was on another level today, and I don't want to take anything

away from Carlos because he was quick.

The entire quality session or the three parts of the quality session.

Albonne.

I don't want to be too harsh on him because, of course,

it was very tricky conditions, but also he was the only driver

out of the entire 20 to have such a massive crash, which cost him

being able to get out of Q1 and continue on in quality.

So it is a big mistake for Albonne because the Williams package

clearly was was pretty good in these conditions.

And Albonne, I think, would have made it out of Q1.

Had he not hit the wall and but these ifs, buts and maybes,

it certainly was an opportunity for Alex.

And Carlos is now in this sort of latter part of this season

really taking the entire limelight at that team.

Yeah, he really is.

I think Williams pays looking promising.

The Williams did look good.

I do I do think a lot of that performance was just Carlos Sainz

being brilliant. I think he's over delivered in that car.

You know, I don't think Williams had a car that could that should be in P3.

That being said, it is is going to be even more gutting for Albonne

to have that mistake and then see his teammate will weigh up the order

because he knows what what might have been.

And yeah, Albonne, to say like, could this have been Albonne's

shining moment? He's had an absolutely fantastic year.

He scored so many points.

He's already had many a shining moment this season

so he can still look at it as a great season.

But I'd say definitely a missed opportunity with what we've seen

from from Carlos Sainz and it's going to it's going to hurt that one.

You know, you seem very frustrated at the team that there's too much

talking going on, but it still is on him, isn't it?

Not to not to bin it in the wall, even if you have got someone on your in

your ear telling you too much information when you're trying to drive

in very difficult conditions.

Yeah, for sure.

You know, I think recency bias will show, you know, Carlos is

and that's kind of what I meant with my with my car.

Carlos, you know, he's had that podium and also the sprint podium

in the last five races, whereas Alex has only scored in the sprint

in Austin in the last five races.

And I think, yeah, Carlos is definitely building momentum.

But yeah, not to take anything away from Alex's season because

yeah, he's been phenomenal.

He scored one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, seven

in the first eight races.

He was scoring points, had a triple retirement after that,

which we won't talk about.

But he's had a he's had a really good, good season as Alex

and just needs to pick up a little bit in the last few

just to sort of balance the dynamic and the headlines

maybe coming out of the Williams team.

Q2.

Let's head into the middle part of qualifying where the bottom

five in this session were Holkenberg, Stroll, Ocon,

Bearman and Colopinto.

Question.

And this is not something I think we've ever asked ourselves

at least not for the last however many years.

And it comes in from P1 Patriot member, Frankie.

How high could Stroll have qualified?

Well, I think he could have absolutely been in Q3

very easily.

And I think him going for Intas was an absolutely

insane risk.

Why they decided, I don't know, we've not heard yet

if it was the team call, his call, I don't believe

as of yet, but why you're doing that in a session

where I get it, I get it for a Colopinto,

maybe even the Hasses or something

that need to risk something to get through.

Aston were looking good, that's a condition

that Aston liked.

So just stick to the same tires that everyone else

has got and you have the performance.

He was matching Alonso.

At the start of the session, he was obviously looking

very strong, they were first on the wet tires.

And I don't know if it was just Lance maybe

or the team trying to do something heroic,

but it just wasn't needed.

It was far too risky to do it.

We saw of course later on,

and I think a little bit more time in that session,

maybe another lap or two.

He is probably even going straight to the top of the times,

but it doesn't matter because the whole time's a reset

going into the next thing.

All that matters is you get through

and that was just such an unnecessary risk

when the performance was looking so good anyway.

It just didn't need to do it.

I would have respected the call had it been Q3,

roll of the dice, try and get pole position or something.

But this was Q2, Aston Martin were flying.

I genuinely believe Lance could have outqualified Fernando

today and we will never know because it was,

as you said, Tommy, a risk that was not worth taking.

Alonzo made it through to Q3

and I think he would have as well.

Like I genuinely believe that Aston were one

of the quicker car packages because they're able

to generate the heat in the tires better

than other teams, but then ultimately

that makes them pretty poor in dry condition races

when their tires are overheating.

So this was perfect conditions for Aston Martin

and of course it's the benefit of hindsight,

but we also, I mean, to be fair on the watch line,

I believe Tommy, you were like,

Lance Charles is going to go fastest now, watch this.

Well, it was like we were watching

Turkey 2020 where he got his pole position.

But it was Q2.

And the thing was as well,

I believe Lance got two flying laps rather than three,

which I think he was initially promised by the team.

That's what at least the broadcast said.

So perhaps the run plan strategy was not quite on

because I saw in the end of that session,

Lance was beginning to pick up pace.

But the problem was he lost so much time

in that first sector that it was too much

to try and gain in the rest of the lap.

So had he got that final lap in,

maybe last over the line,

I think it could have paid off,

but sadly they look silly for doing it.

But even paid off, like what's the point?

Like paid off by getting through,

he was getting through anyway.

It's crazy.

Yeah, it was a misjudgment of the conditions clearly.

And they were the only team and driver to attempt it in Q2.

Not really much else,

apart from just pure sliding going on in Q2.

Colour Pinto with the most insane save of the season so far.

I can't even remember in Q1 or Q2

when Charles Leclerc literally had his car turn off

because he had the biggest save of all time,

one or the other,

but we'll cover it either or because it's very early.

But Charles Leclerc, only him,

only him could turn on the car back again

and get going after a save.

What a driver.

What a driver, P9.

What a guy.

Shut up.

Why did I even say that?

Why did I even bring him up?

I should have just not said anything.

But yeah, I also saw as well some random FIA

stewards investigations going on.

Antonelli didn't submit his setups before the race

or setup, but I don't even know what setup that is.

But he didn't submit that to the FIA

or the team didn't.

And then also Colopinto using tires from Free Practice 3

that had been electronically signed off or something.

And then he used them in qualifying.

So some very strange stewards investigations going on.

But yeah, and then yeah,

so both houses out in Q2, Hülkenberg just missing out.

I think he got pipped at the end, didn't he?

By, was it Gasly?

I think it was Gasly at the end of Q2.

So well done.

Yeah, because of course that session,

I mean, we'll talk about him later

and how maybe it doesn't matter too much

in the grand scheme of things,

but we almost had Oscar, of course, Oscar Piastri out

in that session.

It was looking very close.

He didn't improve.

And we were looking down the times

and I think a couple more people improving on their lap,

maybe not making a mistake.

And we would have seen Oscar Piastri

going out in that session.

And then championship well and truly over.

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Right, let's head to Q3.

The final part of qualifying

the top 10 is as follows

Norris, Verstappen, Sines, Russell,

Piastri, Lawson, Alonso, Hager, Leclerc.

Gasly.

Question from P1P, remember Will and T.

Has Lando definitely proven

his haters wrong now?

Sadly, his haters are going to hate

no matter what.

They will always pick loopholes

in his performances.

This year, of course, there have been moments

that we spoke about with Lando

that we were questioning

whether what was going on with the car

of course he wasn't very comfortable and there were mistakes

but the last run of races

in the absolute pinnacle,

the absolute utmost pressure

you can possibly think

Lando has delivered time and time again.

This is the best he has driven in his career

by a country mile.

Mexico was brilliant

winning by 30 odd seconds.

Literally, he's won everything he needed to do

and then coming into this session

slippery conditions

they've had hardly any data

around a track that he's crashed at before

and also as well

the fact that McLaren weren't looking that strong

coming into this weekend

and he gets pole position

and would have got pole position by

a much bigger margin had it not been for that mistake

in the final couple of corners.

He has...

I mean, yeah, haters whatever

but proved himself as a champion

yes, for sure.

This is...

I am so impressed with Lando

because we knew he was a very fast driver

we knew that he was able to put together

amazing laps in the dry and in the wet

but putting it together in a championship campaign like this

is not easy.

He's put a second on Oscar, of course Oscar had

the yellow flags at the end

I don't think Oscar would have been a second back

but Oscar was not beating Lando in this quality session

and it looks like really beating him

although beating him occasionally

because of the track evolving

Lando, yeah, phenomenal work

from him once again.

Absolutely, yeah, he's definitely

you know, the last thing that Lando would have wanted

I know

and this kind of will contradict the next question

a little bit because

I think McLaren weirdly would like

perform better in these conditions

and maybe they would have been in the dry

I think it would have been trickier

in the dry session because we all know how

they have struggled in Vegas in the past

but in these sessions

this is where it can be a lottery

like we've said so many times that

Lando's on his way to the world championship

and it would take something

crazy to happen now

that could flip the championship

and a wet Vegas

where everyone's doing almost two minute lap times

is that level of crazy

that you think that we've seen in the past when

championships have

changed and flipped

where there's been crazy conditions

right near the end

and that they are the kind of sessions

that we've seen that you can

end up with like massive gaps

where like you could go out in Q1

and you're tied to rival

pole position or something and then it's completely

flipped on its head

but instead in

incredibly difficult conditions Lando's

stepped up even more

delivered another pole position

you know he's just looking unstoppable

and as you say like what a time

to just be in the absolute form of your life

yeah he's been driving phenomenal

and there'll always be haters that will

try and

you know

Verstappen got haters for winning almost

every single Grand Prix in the season

like that's just the nature

of Formula One fandom

Lando's

very deserving champion

if he wins it and is looking very, very likely

of course and

today just proved it further

it certainly

did and I think with this

these conditions

we speak about actually to be fair

let's go to the question then we'll dive into that a little bit more

P1P, do you remember Formula Thomas

how wrong was everyone about McLaren

being slow in Vegas

what a turnaround from the last two years

well I don't think they were

slow but they

struggled more

I do think we would have seen a very different session

had it been completely dry from start to finish

Mercedes were looking

very strong

Ferrari as well

they'd both been preying that it was a dry normal

session because McLaren

did look a little bit more catchable

and instead

Lando in these conditions

we'd know how strong he is in wet

conditions has delivered an absolutely brilliant lap

so

I don't actually think that

had it been a dry

session I don't think Lando is

on pole by the margin he is

might not even be on pole at all

I think they certainly

were looking a bit stronger than we'd seen them

in the past and I think Lando would have been

they're challenging for the top

two or three positions

but I don't think it would have been

as dominant

as he kind of ended up

setting three tenths on the whole field

because

I do think the likes of Mercedes

and Ferrari would have been very very strong

had it just been a dry

dry conditions

I believe so as well of course Lando did top

free practice too but that was again an

interrupted session at the end

I firmly believe that Ferrari

and Mercedes would have been close

if not ahead of the McLaren

on pure car performance

what we saw today was a session that was a

session the drivers made a difference

Lando is a great wet weather driver

and he's proved it here today I don't think you can

say that McLaren was the fastest package

in terms of

these conditions it's very hard to know

right the drivers every time

we were on board with them you could see

sliding trying to manage the traction

it was all up to

obviously there are some limitations

with the cars but it's much

closer and for Lando to have

put in that performance the head of Max Verstappen

was the best wet weather driver

in Formula 1 by quite some margin

you can't take anything away from Lando

you can't say the McLaren was the fastest

package today I really firmly don't believe

that I genuinely just think he made the difference

today and he's proving

once again he has confidence in the car

like we've seen in the last few

but yes I believe Charlotte Claude

would have been on pole had it been dry

next question Matty Ox

Verstappen P2 Norris P1

odds on neither driver making

the corner

I mean I know that's

probably a slight joke there with the question

but look with Max Verstappen

he's 49 points behind the championship

is basically done

I don't think

there's going to be much grip for Max

in the P2 slot perhaps because we've had

rainy conditions it will even

out the grip levels

between the racing line and

off the racing line because it will be

a green track as they call it but

look we've seen carnage into

Vegas turn one before with lack of grip

so

don't discount a Max Verstappen move

if he gets even halfway alongside we know

exactly what Max is going to do

but he will require a solid

start for that to happen but we know

we know Max we know what he'll do if

if he has even the slimmest

of chances yeah he's absolutely

going for it you only need to

go back two years where

you know it was him and Charlotte Claude

in front row Max in P2

on the inside and

it was even then I'd say it was

never really on but he went for it

and

that was the race wasn't it where we

kind of it was like

he almost like took the

penalty to be in the lead and based on

2025 and how

it's gone with dirty air and things

you do wonder if he might do exactly

the same thing tomorrow of

well I'd rather be in the lead you know

something he did at Saudi of course as well

that this year

and yeah Max is absolutely going to

go for it he's got nothing to lose

Lando

weirdly kind of

he doesn't doesn't have everything to lose

obviously if those two collide you know

Oscar Piatri might be his best chance to

to get back in this world championship

so I think Lando might be

a bit unless Lando gets the perfect

start he's going to be on the outside

in very tricky conditions I think

he will probably you know unless he gets

makes the perfect start

he will be thinking about Max in the last

which he has done of course

but there's so little grip

at Vegas it's going to be very

fascinating to see how it how it pans

out but Max

I don't see any situation where Max

doesn't go for it really

even if he doesn't get the best start

because he knows it's his best chance

I think we say that

but also I believe

that Norris will not have it

on lockdown at all tomorrow

if we're thinking about dry conditions

I genuinely believe that should Lando

lead out of turn one it is not

over like we've seen in the past

so for Max perhaps

there isn't that

that level of desperation that he's had

in the past

at turn one

as we say I know that there will be

an opportunity there but maybe

he'll give it a like

he has to be 10 metres closer than

or 10 metres one metre closer than

perhaps anyway

I think history tells you

that that won't be

he knows still a very good opportunity

but what I'm saying is that I don't think it's over for Max

I don't think it's over for George even

I think George is

while you mention that I think George

it's insane because George was 8 tenths

off and you think

that's a disaster for Mercedes

this is a track they can win at

a very good chance to win the race

from where he's starting

people on Patreon remember Jess

is this championship over for Oscar

it's difficult because

Oscar has not shown

anything in the last few races

that he can fight for this

championship said so many times

people get upset by that but it's true

and it's a shame

I don't want to see it

of course I don't want to see it

I think it's a massive

massive, massive shame

that you know potentially

after this amazing season that we've had

between all of them and

particularly Oscar Piastri how good he was at the start of the season

they were potentially going to get

Landau Norris winning with two races to go

and Oscar Piastri

again hasn't really shown

anything to show that he's

turned his form around

I know that the final lap didn't go

the way he wanted it to and it looked like

he got caught up with a V-Carb

and all sorts at the end there so it probably would have been a bit

higher that being said

maybe he ends up in P3 anyway

I just think Oscar's best chance

he's going to be praying

he'll never say it publicly but he's

going to be praying that the staff

plows into the side of Norris at turn one

because that's all it seems that he's got now

like he doesn't

he does not have the pace for

whatever is going on at McLaren

but you believe

whether it's on Oscar

whatever's happened there

Oscar does not

have it in him at the moment

to challenge for this world title

he just does not and it's

so sad to watch it such a shame

it is such a shame we

wanted to see a fight all the way to the end

I think Oscar deserved that from the amazing season

he'd put together up until

basically after Zandvoort

is it championship over

my head and my heart say the same thing

which is very unlikely and that's yes

I cannot see a way back

for Oscar Piastri at the moment

if Lando continues

this run of form

he'll wrap it up in Qatar

he'll wrap it up maybe even in the sprint

so

it is a shame it's a massive shame

it depends how of course tomorrow goes

but everything's against him

everything as you say Tommy

whatever the scenario is

at McLaren Oscar I believe

lost a little bit of faith in the team

by the sounds of it and

he doesn't have the pace either to match

and Lando's in the form of his life

so if you use even a few brain cells

you come to the conclusion

that Lando's winning this world championship

and

let's see because

tomorrow will be very very telling

next question people on pitch remember

Sky Sara how does it feel

the Ferrari found this weekend

between the communication issues with Hamilton

and his race engineer and Shah going

on off it seems like we can't

catch a break

so my

good surprise for the weekend was Lewis Hamilton

he starts P20

my flop was Lando Norris

who starts first

if I get either points

we've had a very chaotic

Las Vegas Grand Prix

how does it feel

it feels so bad

it's the hope that kills you

and that really has

pinned me off P9 and P20

and

Charles as well like

he's not had the best quality session

he made a lot of mistakes in qualifying which is

that was the one

the Saturdays was something I enjoyed

it was the Sundays I used to hate

but Ferrari and wet conditions

just clearly I don't

when they build a car

they just go dry and dry only

and even then the dry has not been great this year

because in the wet I can't remember

the last time they were ever quick

like the fastest team in wet conditions

it's just never happens

since Michael Schumacher think you said Tommy and the watch along

no Alonso

sorry Alonso he drags a car

he drags a car to the great results

but it's

it's such a disaster

of a weekend because Ferrari

did look good in practice

which is something I've said a few times

and got my hopes up

with Ferrari I think they've got good dry pace

so I do believe that

Charles could finish in the top five tomorrow

as for Lewis

we've obviously spoken about him in detail in Q1

he's going to have to do

an insanely different strategy

hope that there is some innate

pace in that Ferrari

go either long or

pretty early who knows hope for a well

time safety car but it's just

it's just horrendous

I don't see Ferrari anywhere near

the pace in Qatar and Abu Dhabi

and the one weekend

where I've got my hopes up

P9 and P20 cool

I think

now the session's over

and after the hype of the rain

and it being this amazing session

I think you've probably come down

to earth and been like

I wish it was dry because

I do think

that would have been

competitive definitely

Charles would have been challenging for pole position

had it been a completely dry session

even in the wet that first sector was purple

every single time and I was like

here we go and then just loses like a million seconds

in the next two sectors it's really great

but yeah this was their big opportunity

wasn't it going into

into the weekend you mentioned

your

how bad your predictions are

same for me I've got

the driver I predicted to win

out in Q1 as well in Antonelli

and yeah I think

I think Mercedes and Ferrari

would both be like

why now like why did it rain

because this was our big

opportunity to get a race win

it was and

it's not happening so that's fun

at least I can process that before

tomorrow's Grand Prix and the 5 red lights going out

you touched upon Lawson

I mean what a turnaround from

just into Red Bolt to now he is

and I think as well sort of

steadied the ship against Hajar

Hajar was getting all of the

headlines of course having that podium

but Lawson is just very quietly

going about his way and delivering

some great performances

Lawson deserves a huge amount of credit

for the end of the season that he's had

we said didn't we when he

got demoted

in inverted commas demoted

back to VCarb we thought he'd hit the ground running

took a little while for that

to happen but now

you know on his day Lawson

you know is quicker than Hajar

and proving that

I think he'll stay at VCarb

and be that benchmark for

Limblad if they do sign him and that's looking very likely

you know because we'll see

it in that situation but yeah

Lawson again had

a great end to the season

and put in some really really good results

I think Lawson is fully

deserving of a seat for next year

and beyond after the performances

he's put down and then you have Yuki

Snowder down in 19th and I think his

his fate is is fully

was sealed

7 races ago but sadly

yes not a demotion but yeah

not being on the grid

for next year so finally

on a more positive note who is

winning tomorrow that is the big question

I believe

that the winner

of the Las Vegas Grand Prix will be

Max Verstappen

Max is going to win it I think

well

I will say

George Russell

Max goes to the dive bomb

they both run wide George goes up the inside

like cuts the inside both

takes the lead and then he's like

see you later guys and then dry conditions

he'll be like see ya

let's see oh right very

exciting looking forward to watching along

with you guys tomorrow live on

twitch and youtube as always

Tommy final thoughts

final thoughts I can't

wait for this one I know we've been a bit like

the championships over and all this kind of stuff

but my god what like what a race

on paper that that you've got as

we said there that you know

Norris can't afford to do anything too risky

because of piastry and Verstappen

is going to go for it and George Russell wants to win

it's going to be great

can't can't wait for it

even with the early start here in the UK

it's going to be good

hell yeah looking forward to it

and that is it we'll see you very soon

lots of love take care adios

God that was a beefy podcast

bye

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