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00:00After a wild weekend in Baku, Formula One heads to one of the hottest, one of the longest and one of the most grueling races on the schedule.
00:07Singapore welcomes the 10 teams and 20 drivers to its punishing street circuit, a massive challenge for both man and machine with a constant threat of rain.
00:17Can the McLaren duo rebound from a drop in form in Baku?
00:20Or can Max Verstappen make it three in a row and win for the first time in the Lion City?
00:25All that and plenty more to discuss from round 18 of the Formula One World Championship, the Singapore Grand Prix.
00:37And you see the fans already here out in full force Thursday in pit lane from Singapore.
00:42Hello, everybody. Welcome to Weekend Warm-Up.
00:44I'm James Hinchcliffe, joined alongside by former Formula One strategist Ruth Buscombe, F1 correspondent Lawrence Barreto, and our resident racing driver expert Alex Brundle.
00:52Hello, guys. Welcome to Singapore. This is always such a fun one for everybody.
00:56Lawrence, let's start with you. We're in kind of the last third of the season now. It's all flyaway races.
01:00What's the vibe? What's the energy? What's the paddock saying as we head into this final stretch?
01:04Well, I always think every time you get on a flight that's longer than 12 hours, it signals the final part of the season.
01:10Carlos Sainz called it a bit of a sprint to finish this part of the year.
01:13Everyone wants to finish on a high. There might not be updates coming, but there's still a lot to fight for.
01:17And the Constructors' Championship, that's tens of millions of pounds between each position.
01:22So even if you're not fighting for the Constructors, there's so much that they need to go after.
01:25Yeah, still lots to fight for in this Championship, both drivers and Constructors.
01:29Alex, this racetrack is so unique. Such a challenge for the drivers. What are they looking out for here?
01:34It's a hugely challenging race. It's a long Grand Prix, and it's going to feel even longer from behind the wheel.
01:39Massively physical, this one.
01:41They've got to try and keep that concentration throughout all of those laps as well.
01:46Got walls really close to the track, a little bit of weather in the air.
01:49We're flat out on the throttle, and we've got Hinch at the wheel.
01:51So this is going to be a great weekend.
01:54It's already an unhinged weekend. Lots to unexpected here in Singapore.
01:58And look, talking about unexpected, this place can be difficult from a strategy standpoint,
02:02but is it one that strategists look forward to, or do they dread the fact that rain can play a part, safety cars can play a part?
02:08I think that's if you're a good strategist or not, Hinch.
02:11This is the strategy Blue Ribbon event.
02:14This is the one that if you ask any strategists, they want to win on strategy.
02:18It's this race. Sure, it's pretty tricky for the drivers.
02:21Arguably, we've only ever had one perfect lap here by Lewis Hamilton in 2018.
02:25But forget both drivers. I'm outnumbered this week.
02:28It's all about the strategy.
02:29It's about safety cars, balancing, high degradation, high risk, and so many experimental factors.
02:35Rain, lizards, it's all to play for.
02:37Lizards a little bit too often here, it sounds like.
02:40But we're going to dive into the strategy a little deeper, a little bit later.
02:43But before we get too much into what's happening here in Singapore this weekend,
02:46let's take a look back two weeks to the absolutely insane weekend that was the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
02:54Welcome to Baku City Circuit.
02:56This is wide open, this Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
03:00The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is underway.
03:03Piastri has not got away at all.
03:04A horrible getaway for Oscar Piastri.
03:09And he's in the wall, he's out of the race.
03:11Absolute nightmare.
03:13It reignites the championship.
03:16And here we go.
03:17Sainz isn't close enough to shape the move.
03:19Let's see, Mercedes side by side.
03:20That was punchy stuff from Antonelli.
03:26Sainz is going down the barrel of a podium there.
03:28Alex Alvin's going to make contact.
03:31Alvin into the back of Kola Pinto.
03:34Norris next to Pitt.
03:35Oh, it's not a good stop.
03:36It's a horrible stop.
03:37Clarence, painful weekend continued.
03:40What a mediocre performance.
03:42Max Verstappen wins the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
03:46Yes.
03:46Oh, they're not putting the race, guys.
03:48For the first time with Williams,
03:50Carlos Sainz will stand on the podium.
03:53Vamos!
03:55What operation.
03:56Best podium in my career, guys.
03:58Red Bull Resurgent rule nothing out in Formula One 2025.
04:07I don't think many people had a Verstappen-Russell-Sainz podium
04:11on their bingo cards heading into last weekend,
04:14but that just highlights what a crazy race that it was.
04:17And, Lawrence, it was a little bit of a letdown for one team.
04:20McLaren went into this one kind of really expecting
04:22to lock up the Constructors' Championship.
04:24It was an off weekend.
04:26They didn't get it done.
04:27What do you think the atmosphere is in that team
04:29coming here trying to rebound?
04:30I agree.
04:31It was a weekend no one expected, not least McLaren.
04:33I think they come here knowing they've only got to score 13 points.
04:36I say only, but it's much more in their hands, I think.
04:39And I think they're in the fortunate position
04:41that the season has been such a strong one for them.
04:43They've put them in such an enviable position
04:46at the top of the Constructors
04:47that actually they can afford that weekend off in Baku
04:50and still probably win it here.
04:51I think it's 98.1% that they're going to win it here.
04:55So I think that's an incredible position to be in
04:57when they come in here fighting.
04:58Now, Alex, I think a lot of people were expecting
05:00both McLaren drivers to make a little bit more headway
05:02in the race with the inherent pace that car has.
05:05They really didn't.
05:06Is that just a function of how that car was performing at Baku
05:08or is there more to it?
05:09Yeah, it really was an off weekend, wasn't it?
05:11I think there are a couple of factors to it.
05:13Firstly, they really benefit from having the rear tire
05:16under control through the races.
05:17It's something we're going to see this weekend in Singapore.
05:20In Baku, that's less beneficial
05:21just with the way that the circuit layout is.
05:25They couldn't make their way through the field
05:27because the DRS is less effective.
05:30But essentially as well,
05:32especially Piastri had a real off weekend.
05:34You saw the crashing qualifying.
05:36Lando Norris didn't exactly get his best lap in in Q3 either.
05:40It put them out of position.
05:42And as we saw with Ferrari as well throughout that weekend,
05:44you race where you qualify
05:45and they weren't able to make progress through the field.
05:48And I think on that off weekend,
05:49this is the first real test, I think,
05:51for Andrea Stella's new mentality at that team,
05:53which is trying to kind of positive vibes,
05:55even when it's going difficult,
05:56kind of never let it get in your head,
05:58trying to clear your mindset.
05:59So I think a strong weekend here
06:00is significant in more than one way
06:02because they obviously just don't want any bad rhythm
06:04to kind of continue.
06:05And look, and it wasn't just
06:06the qualifying incident for Piastri.
06:09Alex, he had issues at the start of the race
06:11and then in the lap one.
06:12Yeah, and he really left the door open,
06:14I think, for Lando Norris.
06:15And I think Norris will be a bit disappointed
06:16with only a six-point swing coming out of the event.
06:19Yeah, he's put himself within that 25-point gap
06:24to his teammate at the front of the championship,
06:26which I think is always a psychological benefit
06:29from a driver.
06:29You know you can pick up the championship lead
06:33if the driver falters and DNFs.
06:36You can see the anti-stall for Oscar Piastri.
06:38That was the beginning of the issue.
06:40And then later on, of course, at that start,
06:42trying to make up the positions.
06:44He cleared Pierre Gasly.
06:45He was trying to make his way
06:46around the outside of Esteban Ocon
06:48and just plain drops it down towards turn five.
06:51So really left the door open there, Piastri.
06:53Is this a function of him not being used
06:55to fighting for positions that far back
06:57on the first lap of a Grand Prix?
06:58You know, actually, when Piastri found himself in the wall,
07:01the first thing they said to Lando Norris over the radio
07:03is, watch out for following.
07:05So it could well be a factor that McLaren,
07:08having been out front throughout the year so far,
07:11either from a team perspective, from a setup perspective,
07:14is not that great at following,
07:15or just the drivers aren't as used to it
07:17as they have been in previous seasons
07:18because they've been so great out front this year.
07:20Ruth, it's only Oscar Piastri's fourth retirement
07:23in his career.
07:24Ends a streak of 44 consecutive finishes,
07:2634 consecutive points finishes.
07:29I mean, obviously, a team relishes having a driver
07:31with that kind of metronomic consistency,
07:34but how tough is it for him and the team
07:35to sort of rebound after such a bad weekend?
07:38I mean, when you have a run that long,
07:41it's everything working correct, right?
07:43It's the driver not making errors,
07:44but also it's the team making a reliable car
07:47that is built to specification time in and time out.
07:50And I think as a driver, you know,
07:52when you make those errors,
07:53you feel this weight of responsibility,
07:55you know, to the guys in the garage,
07:57to the engineers back home,
07:59you know, all you had to do was see him
08:01and watch the race.
08:02And that, for me, you know,
08:03rather than walking off with your helmet on,
08:05which is the international Formula One sign
08:07for I don't want to talk
08:08and I don't want to take it in,
08:09I thought it was amazing that he sat
08:10and actually watched it a bit like Charles
08:12did the previous race.
08:13I like that these marshals
08:14are giving up their cell phones
08:15for the drivers to watch.
08:16I think that was F1 TV.
08:18So I really like the choice of the drivers here.
08:21Now, it was a tough weekend for Oscar Piastri
08:25and a little bit maybe of a missed opportunity
08:26for Lando Norris.
08:27Only a six-point swing, Alex, like you mentioned.
08:30Is it kind of just bad luck
08:32that on the weekend where Piastri has trouble,
08:35McLaren doesn't have the dominant race car?
08:37Yeah, you can say that,
08:38but also you can also say
08:40that Lando underperformed in qualifying.
08:41You know, they made a gamble
08:43to run him earlier than other drivers
08:45that didn't exactly work out.
08:47But when you watch the laps,
08:48in terms of his estimation of the conditions
08:50throughout that final lap in Q3,
08:54Lando, for example,
08:55wasn't delivering through the wet parts of the track
08:57like Max Verstappen was at the end of Quali.
09:01The slow stop also a factor in it.
09:03They spent a long time managing this right front
09:06in order to get it on.
09:07But there are other weekends
09:09where that McLaren would have driven through
09:11from sixth, seventh,
09:12all the way to the front of the field and disappeared.
09:14So the pace purely wasn't in the car for Lando.
09:16I thought it should have started on hard.
09:19You know, and it's that aggression.
09:21You know, like we saw Max Verstappen
09:23starting on that hard tie,
09:24opening to have a catastrophic race
09:26if it was a red flag.
09:27And then, you know,
09:27he'd have to limp home on the medium.
09:29You know, I think it's really showing,
09:30you know, that aggression from some teams
09:33and maybe playing it a little bit safe
09:34with other teams,
09:35which of course you can do as a constructor
09:37when you've got such a comfy lead.
09:39But the fight between the drivers
09:40is anything but comfy.
09:42You know, it's a race here.
09:44It's turn one in Mexico.
09:45Oh, that's what Max,
09:46because Max has less to lose, right?
09:47It's now 65, 69 points in the Drivers' Championship.
09:51He can go for it.
09:52And as you say,
09:53maybe a little bit less of a conservative strategy.
09:56Yeah, we'll get more into Max's weekend
09:58in a little bit,
09:58but let's take a look
09:59from missed opportunities
10:00to seized opportunities.
10:02George Russell up on the podium.
10:03P2 really capitalized
10:05on some of those cars
10:06being out of position.
10:07And Lawrence, he did it
10:08going into a weekend
10:09where he was not feeling well.
10:10It's not very often
10:11that a driver gets to miss
10:12their Thursday driver media duties,
10:14Friday and Saturday.
10:15It kind of just showed
10:16how much of a tough time
10:17that George was having
10:18with that illness.
10:19And we heard him on team radio.
10:20It sounded pretty awful.
10:21And it was lucky
10:22he wasn't actually here
10:23in these really hot, humid conditions,
10:25a very physical race.
10:26He said it himself,
10:27Baku's an easier race
10:29to be ill at
10:30and really struggling.
10:30And that he delivered
10:31in that way
10:32at a time when, you know,
10:34they still haven't signed him
10:35for 2026.
10:36So for him to be pumping
10:37in those kind of performances
10:38I think is critical
10:40and it's kind of a message
10:40to the team.
10:41Now look, some strategy
10:42was involved on this one, Ruth.
10:43Let's take a look at first
10:44the pit-in commitment
10:46that he had
10:47in that pit-stop cycle
10:48to get around Carlos Sainz.
10:50It was absolutely 10-10s
10:52on pit-in.
10:52When you compare it
10:53to Lando Norris,
10:53huge difference.
10:54Oh, it's stunning.
10:55And these are the kind of details
10:57that annoyingly George Russell
10:59when I was racing against him
11:00and he was at Williams
11:00and now he's at Alfa Romeo.
11:02He was always very, very good at.
11:04You know, when I spoke to him
11:05about it, he said
11:05he took the inspiration
11:06from a pit entry
11:07that Sebastian Vettel
11:08did in Shanghai
11:09back when I think
11:10he was still a child.
11:12But, you know,
11:12it's all these details
11:13and with the field
11:14as tight as it is,
11:15you know,
11:16the whole season
11:17is spread by 1.3%
11:19between fastest and slowest.
11:20Those are the margins
11:21that matter.
11:22And yeah, bravo, George.
11:23And it was a good weekend
11:24for Mercedes in general, Alex,
11:26with Kimi being right up there.
11:27Good day for the
11:28Constructors' Championship.
11:29Yeah, a driver
11:30who was being called
11:30underwhelming.
11:31Not too long ago,
11:33Antonelli found
11:34a better performance.
11:35The team are talking
11:36with it.
11:36They're working on
11:37trying to find
11:37the right environment
11:39for him.
11:39You know,
11:39he's still such
11:40a young driver.
11:41I think he's a young soul
11:42as well.
11:43And they feel like
11:44they've got that now
11:45for Kimi Antonelli.
11:47So both drivers
11:48performing well,
11:49benefiting, I think,
11:50for the difficult weekend
11:51that McLaren had
11:51and also Ferrari
11:52not quite firing
11:54on all cylinders.
11:55So they will be happy
11:57to take those points away
11:58and in second,
11:59of course,
11:59now in the
12:00Constructors' Championship.
12:02Incidentally,
12:03George Russell
12:03has confirmed
12:04in the press conference
12:04he's still not
12:05feeling well this weekend.
12:07So he'll roll
12:08into this weekend
12:08still carrying
12:09a little bit of illness.
12:10and still doesn't have
12:11a contract yet
12:12for 2026.
12:14Now, as great
12:15as Max Verstappen's drive
12:17was, which we'll touch on,
12:18as impressive
12:18as Russell's performance was,
12:19I think the heartfelt
12:20moment of the weekend
12:21was that podium
12:22for Carlos Sainz
12:23in Williams.
12:25Lawrence, I mean,
12:26that team,
12:26what a boost
12:27for that group
12:28after, especially
12:29on Carlos' side
12:29of the garage,
12:30a tough stretch of races.
12:31I think it was honestly
12:32coming to the point
12:33for the first time
12:34in his career
12:34where he was really
12:35starting to doubt himself.
12:37I think the run
12:37of bad luck
12:39that he had to start
12:39this year,
12:40it normally kind of
12:41curved off
12:41in previous years.
12:42It's normally been
12:42a half a season
12:43then he's clipped back
12:44after the summer break.
12:45But I think that he came
12:45back from Zambor
12:46and Monza
12:47and it was still
12:48not kind of clicking
12:49for him.
12:49And it's always more galling,
12:51I think,
12:51when your teammate
12:52is doing an incredible job
12:53and the team are telling
12:54you yourself, Carlos,
12:55you're doing a great job
12:57and the results
12:57aren't really
12:58kind of coming through.
12:59So I think the scenes
13:00that we saw there
13:01were an immense amount
13:03of relief
13:03that he was delivering
13:04on that performance.
13:05And Ruth,
13:06for a smaller team,
13:07a midfield team,
13:08how much of a boost
13:09is a result like that?
13:11You honestly
13:11can't put words
13:13into it.
13:13And, you know,
13:13every race win is special.
13:15Every podium is special.
13:16But, you know,
13:16you saw it with Zambor,
13:18with Hulkenberg's podium
13:19before,
13:19and you can see
13:20what it means there.
13:21That is not for the cameras.
13:22That is pure emotion.
13:24And I would say,
13:24not just for every single
13:25individual in Williams.
13:26Last time they got
13:27a podium was 2021,
13:28but it was a bit
13:29of a weird race.
13:29Not that I'm jealous
13:30because, you know,
13:31I was on the wrong side
13:33of it that time.
13:34But for Carlos as well,
13:36you know,
13:36I spoke to James Vals
13:38and I spoke to Carlos.
13:38You can really see
13:39that both of them,
13:40when they left
13:41their respective big teams,
13:42Mercedes and Ferrari,
13:44they didn't know
13:45how long it was going to be
13:46before they were going
13:47to be tasting champagne again.
13:49And one thing
13:50about a Formula One pit lane,
13:51where they are
13:52in the pit lane,
13:52is you often get
13:53the champagne
13:54from the race winner
13:54on your pit gantry,
13:56and you have to clean it off
13:57every week.
13:58And it's not your champagne.
14:00And speaking to the Chucky's,
14:01they were like,
14:02it was absolutely brilliant
14:03having to clean off
14:04the sticky champagne
14:05from our own gantry,
14:06and it feels much better.
14:08You know,
14:08it was vindication as well
14:10for science.
14:10You know,
14:11a driver there
14:12who hadn't scored
14:13for the last six races,
14:15he said after the race,
14:16I was beginning to worry
14:18that people weren't
14:19buying it anymore,
14:20that I was getting used
14:22to the car,
14:23and that the performance
14:23is going to come.
14:24Finishes ahead,
14:25of course,
14:26of Ferrari having been bruised
14:27after being let go
14:29and having to move
14:30to Williams.
14:30So I think for him,
14:33it was a huge moment.
14:34And you flagged me earlier,
14:35he highlighted it
14:36as the greatest podium
14:38of his career,
14:39and I think those
14:40are the reasons for that.
14:41Yeah, incredible,
14:42very powerful message
14:43on the radio,
14:44on the in-lap.
14:45Greatest podium of his life,
14:47despite all the ones
14:48he's had with Ferrari,
14:48including victories,
14:49including right here
14:50in Singapore.
14:50But let's actually hear
14:52from the man himself
14:53how he felt
14:54about that result.
14:54Five minutes.
14:55But finally,
14:56a result like that
14:57where we were
14:58almost on pole
14:59on Saturday
14:59and a very strong
15:01race pace on Sunday
15:02just to bring home
15:03a solid podium
15:04was exactly
15:04what I needed
15:06and exactly
15:06what the team deserved,
15:08what I deserve,
15:08and now it's time
15:09to try and do
15:10a good little
15:12end of the season
15:13with the same performance.
15:15Do you kind of see it
15:16as a mini season now
15:17heading into this
15:18final stretch
15:19because it feels like
15:19it's finally unlocked
15:20for you?
15:21I want to hope so,
15:22yeah.
15:22I'm going to take it
15:23as a sprint
15:24to the end now.
15:25Seven races flat out.
15:27Try and bring the team
15:28as many points as possible
15:29to secure that fifth
15:29in the championship.
15:31And, yeah,
15:33use it as a confidence
15:34builder for all my
15:36engineering team around me
15:37or everyone around me
15:38to go into 26
15:39feeling good
15:40just in case the 26 car
15:42brings something good.
15:43Great stuff.
15:44Good luck this weekend.
15:45Champagne definitely
15:46tasting sweet
15:47for Carlos Sainz
15:48last time out
15:49in Baku.
15:50And while he was
15:50the emotional
15:51driver of the day,
15:53guys, the actual
15:53driver of the day
15:54was Max Verstappen.
15:55What a weekend
15:56for him and Red Bull.
15:57Alex, let's start
15:58in qualifying.
16:00That was one of the
16:00most difficult
16:01qualifying sessions
16:01I think a lot of
16:02these drivers
16:02have ever experienced.
16:03But once again,
16:04Max just maxed it,
16:05didn't he?
16:05You know, it's often
16:06said of the great
16:07drivers that they
16:08have a sense
16:09for where the grip is
16:10before they arrive
16:12at the turn
16:12rather than having
16:13to judge it
16:14based around
16:15the last turn
16:15or something else.
16:16And that, I think,
16:17was demonstrated
16:17by Max in qualifying,
16:19particularly in
16:20the wet areas
16:21of the racetrack
16:22and then in the race.
16:23You know, he just
16:24took off with
16:25massive speed.
16:27They're getting
16:27their head around
16:28that Red Bull
16:29in the slower corners
16:30of what the team
16:31are saying
16:32and the word
16:33in the paddock
16:34that they're
16:34in the last kind of
16:36the final throws
16:37of this regulation set
16:38really getting a sense
16:39for a little bit more
16:40how they want to run
16:41the front end of the car.
16:42But Max was truly
16:43peerless, wasn't he?
16:44So impressive.
16:45He was.
16:45And that Red Bull
16:46has been very impressive.
16:48We had that floor upgrade
16:49in Monza,
16:49kind of found a bit of pace.
16:51Back-to-back wins.
16:52Ruth, from the engineering side,
16:54is this car capable
16:56of continuing this run?
16:58You know, I think it's the team.
17:00You know, you look at Max,
17:01phenomenal driver,
17:02and they just don't leave
17:04any margin on the table.
17:05We spoke about how McLaren
17:06sent Lando out earlier
17:07in the session,
17:08which is the safer thing to do.
17:10They're at the end.
17:10We spoke about how Lando
17:12started on the medium tire.
17:13They started on the hard tire.
17:14And Mekka's confirmed
17:15what most strategists
17:16looking at it thought.
17:17That was a driver-driven decision.
17:19Max said,
17:20the reason why I wasn't able
17:21to fight for the win,
17:22you know, in somewhere like Monza
17:23was because, you know,
17:24I was being worried about,
17:26you know, the McLarens
17:27getting the jump on me.
17:28You know, when it comes
17:29to extending the stint,
17:30if it was going racing here,
17:31I want to be on the hard tire.
17:32I don't care about
17:33a red flag risk.
17:34You know, you look at the pit stops,
17:35you look at everything.
17:36You know, you look at races
17:37where they're just throwing
17:38one step softer compound
17:39than every single race after it.
17:41I think on pure pace,
17:42the McLaren is still
17:43going to have the edge.
17:44But, like, do not count out
17:46Max Verstappen
17:47with a mathematical chance
17:49of winning a championship
17:49or a race.
17:50Plus, if he wins this one,
17:52he'll have the full set.
17:54And if there's anything
17:55that boy likes,
17:56it's a record.
17:57I'm really intrigued
17:58by something that Max
17:59actually said recently,
18:01where he said that
18:01Laurent Mekka's has changed
18:02the way that they go about
18:03running that team
18:04and they don't kind of
18:05focus their weekend preparations
18:07on pre-race simulations.
18:08They're going more driver-led.
18:10And I think that's changed
18:10the way that they've approached
18:11a Friday practice.
18:13And I think you've seen
18:13even with Yuki Tsunoda
18:14as teammate
18:15that he's brought through
18:16and he's carried that pace
18:18through the weekend.
18:18I think that's given Max
18:19the confidence,
18:20the team the confidence
18:21to really then go
18:22and push it through
18:22quality and the race.
18:23But this is the big test.
18:25We've come to a high
18:25Danforth circuit.
18:27If they're good here,
18:28maybe, just maybe,
18:29it is game on
18:30for the championship.
18:31All right, so let's talk about that.
18:32I mean, it seems a bit ironic
18:34that they had as a team
18:35such a good race,
18:36Yuki's best performance,
18:37and yet they were
18:38mathematically eliminated
18:39from the constructors championship.
18:40But Alex, down to 69 points
18:42in the drivers,
18:43and to Lawrence's point,
18:44if at a high downforce circuit
18:46in hot temperatures,
18:47this car works,
18:49is it game on?
18:50They're calling it
18:50the acid test, aren't they?
18:52Because it is also
18:52so bumpy here.
18:53And that's been another
18:54Achilles heel
18:55of the Red Bull
18:56through this era.
18:58All the drivers
18:59were asked in the press conference
19:00whether they would
19:01give a percentage
19:02on Max Verstappen
19:03winning the championship,
19:04and they all ducked
19:05out of the question.
19:06So, I don't know.
19:09It's a long way to go,
19:10isn't it?
19:10It's a long way to go.
19:12If there's one driver
19:12you pick in the field
19:13who can do it,
19:14it's Max.
19:15I think McLaren
19:16will return to form here.
19:18With the strength
19:18of that McLaren
19:19and everything else,
19:21I think they've really
19:22got their work cut out.
19:23But we'll see.
19:23Could have a bit of weather
19:24in the air,
19:25which can only help.
19:25Well, because that's just it, right?
19:26It's not just a function
19:27of Max and Red Bull performing.
19:29You also need McLaren
19:30to have more off days.
19:31And that's really been
19:32few and far between this year.
19:33And it really was an off day
19:35in Baku for McLaren.
19:36So, it was Max versus the rest,
19:39which I think
19:39is why you saw that golf.
19:41And it's been
19:42a pretty good month for him.
19:43Back-to-back Grand Prix wins.
19:44In the middle,
19:45he decided to get his license
19:47for the Norshleife.
19:48And, you know,
19:48you're the sports car
19:49racing expert here.
19:50How impressed are you
19:51with his ability
19:52to jump right into
19:53that GT3 car,
19:54first crack at it,
19:54and win the four-hour race there?
19:55Man, that's impressive.
19:57Man, that is impressive.
19:58To learn that,
20:00it's like a rally stage,
20:01that racetrack.
20:02He jumped in,
20:03he got his license,
20:04he went about it
20:05with an incredible attitude,
20:07and then jumps in
20:08and wins the race
20:08in the top class
20:09for the first time.
20:11I'm not sure
20:11what we were all expecting
20:13in the world of sports cars,
20:14to be honest.
20:15But whatever we were expecting,
20:17that's topped our expectations.
20:19Lawrence,
20:19you get to talk
20:20to a lot of these drivers
20:21every weekend.
20:21does Max stepping out
20:24of a Formula One car
20:25and into a totally new realm,
20:27going out,
20:27having the kind of performance
20:28that he just did,
20:30does that get into
20:30drivers' heads a little bit?
20:31Like, man,
20:32this guy is not just
20:33that good here.
20:34He is that good
20:35in everything on four wheels.
20:37I think it was Olly Baerman
20:38who was just talking about
20:39how frighteningly good Max is
20:41when he goes out
20:42and he delivers
20:43in a completely different championship
20:45with very little experience
20:46within the realms
20:47of all the procedures
20:49and everything
20:49that he needs to go by.
20:50But I think the greatest benefit
20:52of that win
20:52is for Max's happiness.
20:55Like, he's come bouncing
20:56into this paddock.
20:56The team gave him
20:57an extra day off
20:58because it was his birthday
20:58last week.
21:00He's crowd-billed
21:00all his promotional activities
21:01into a shorter period,
21:02so he loves that as well.
21:04And then,
21:04when you've got a Max Verstappen
21:05who's operating at that level,
21:07when he feels so good
21:07about himself
21:08and he knows he's chasing,
21:09we rarely see Max
21:10as a chaser
21:11with a car
21:12that really can go after him.
21:13I think that's probably
21:14the most terrified thing
21:15for his rivals,
21:16that actually showing
21:17he can really go after this.
21:18And, Ruth,
21:19from a team perspective,
21:20do you like the fact
21:21that you're a team principal?
21:22Do you like the fact
21:23that your driver
21:24wants to jump
21:26into other equipment?
21:26Does that make him
21:27a more rounded driver,
21:28or would you prefer
21:29to see his focus
21:30solely on Formula One?
21:32Well, I think
21:32as a good team principal,
21:34you've got to recognize
21:35what's good for your drivers
21:36and what's good
21:37for your assets.
21:38If their focus
21:38is showing
21:39a diminished performance,
21:40don't do it.
21:41If your focus
21:42gives a Max Verstappen
21:43that's smiling
21:44the way we all saw him
21:45in the paddock
21:45this afternoon,
21:46and honestly,
21:47you know,
21:47I've done a bit
21:48of endurance racing too
21:49and it's very cool
21:50and there's so many elements
21:52of it that's racing
21:52and a lot of us,
21:53well, we love racing.
21:54We love racing.
21:55Obviously,
21:55you've done a little bit
21:55of IndyCar too
21:57and I think,
21:57you know,
21:58you can see
21:58it's that effervescence
21:59going into this race
22:01and, you know,
22:01this is the one
22:02that got away.
22:03You know,
22:03he probably should have won
22:04in 2022
22:05without that turn one instant
22:06and, you know,
22:07like it's still
22:08the only race
22:09that I can say
22:09I led more laps
22:10than Max Verstappen
22:12and Tony Giovinazzi
22:132019 four laps.
22:15He's led only three
22:16so maybe I only get
22:17to say that
22:18on this weekend.
22:18Yeah, watch the space.
22:20He might beat that
22:20this weekend
22:21but Ruth,
22:21keep your team principal
22:22hat on.
22:23We talked about
22:23at the top of the show
22:24the strategy required
22:25to be good here.
22:26Walk us through
22:27some of the key points
22:28of strategy
22:28for this weekend.
22:29Okay, so this is
22:30such a challenge.
22:32Now, it's,
22:33you know,
22:33it's 62 laps.
22:34They've changed
22:35the track layouts.
22:35We used to have 23 corners.
22:37We now only have 19,
22:39only 19
22:40because of the actual,
22:41that's the structure
22:42of the place itself
22:43but it is so technical
22:45and from a strategic
22:46point of view,
22:47we've got four DRS zones
22:48but there's barely
22:49any overtaking.
22:50Absolutely qualifying
22:51is king here.
22:53Now, we've got
22:54a bit of a resurfacing
22:55that's gone on
22:56into turn 16.
22:57I asked every single
22:58Formula One team
22:58and no one had been
22:59out there yet
22:59to see whether or not
23:00the bump into that
23:01turn 16 is going to
23:02help improve the overtaking
23:03because they weren't able
23:04to overtake on that
23:05new 400 metre section.
23:07In terms of the track itself,
23:09it's all about
23:09having the most amount
23:10of downforce you can
23:11and having as much
23:13in terms of ability
23:15to ride those bumps
23:16and bumps is something
23:17that's really difficult
23:18to train for
23:19both in a simulator
23:20and as a driver
23:21and as an engineer
23:22or a strategist
23:23simulating it
23:23and so is the tyre stress.
23:25If you look at that graphic,
23:26you'll see,
23:26ah, it's pretty easy
23:28on the rear tyres
23:29here in Singapore
23:30and it is
23:31in terms of absolute load
23:32but that doesn't tell you
23:34half the story.
23:34The reality is
23:36is those rear tyres
23:37are screaming
23:38because they're getting
23:39so hot.
23:40In qualifying,
23:41it's all about
23:41balancing your temperatures
23:43whether it's on the
23:44outlap
23:44into the sector 1
23:46getting sector 3.
23:47Basically,
23:48no one's ever
23:48got it right here.
23:49And then in the race,
23:50it's all about managing
23:51the thermal degradation
23:52and you saw
23:53last year's winning strategy
23:55was a one-stop race.
23:56It looked super simple
23:58but that's because
23:59last year
23:59was the only
24:00Singapore Grand Prix
24:01we've ever had
24:02without a safety car
24:03interruption.
24:04In the first 15 races here,
24:06we've had 24,
24:07one in every single race.
24:09And so going into the race,
24:11it's this massive play
24:12for strategists
24:13as to whether or not
24:14you want to go
24:14for the undercut
24:15covering off track position
24:16because it's so important,
24:18worth about
24:18one and a half seconds
24:19or do you extend
24:20and go
24:21for the safety car
24:22and this year
24:23they've only got to
24:24make the hardest race
24:25of the season
24:25for strategy
24:26even harder
24:27by increasing
24:28the pit lane speed limit.
24:29Right now,
24:30it's 80 kph
24:31instead of 60 kph
24:33which has dropped
24:33the pit loss
24:34from 29 seconds
24:36by 5.7-ish
24:37according to our F1 numbers
24:39to around 23 seconds
24:41which means that
24:42if we do get
24:42a virtual safety car,
24:43if we get a safety car
24:44interruption,
24:45it's only 11 seconds
24:46to take another stop.
24:48So it really does
24:49tempt drivers in.
24:51It's going to be
24:51absolutely critical
24:52plus
24:53because there is more
24:55weather.
24:55But wait,
24:56there's more.
24:57There is always
24:58weather here.
24:59Now,
24:59forecast here
25:00often looks the same.
25:02It's literally
25:0227 to 32
25:04every single day
25:05and usually
25:06an icon
25:06of a grey cloud
25:07that it couldn't
25:08be further
25:09from the truth.
25:10It's constantly changing.
25:11It's a microclimate.
25:12You can be sweating
25:13one moment
25:14and wet the next.
25:15And even though
25:15right now
25:16it does look like
25:17the highest chance
25:17this Friday
25:18we have had rain
25:19appear out of
25:20literally nowhere
25:21that it literally
25:22pops up over
25:22the circuit here.
25:232017 was a great example.
25:25When we go into the race
25:26we thought it was dry
25:27then we're all soaked
25:28on the grid
25:29and the crossover
25:30here is dastardly
25:32because all of our data
25:33is based off
25:34of running
25:35in the day
25:36and here it's
25:37the night
25:37which means the track
25:39dries really fast
25:40then very, very slowly
25:41it goes from
25:41one and a half seconds
25:42per minute
25:43it's completely glacial
25:44and then when
25:45the first car
25:46that gets on it
25:46is five seconds
25:47a lap faster.
25:49Well, that's
25:49how you get around
25:5061, 62 laps
25:52of the Grand Prix
25:53whatever it is
25:54but Alex
25:54we talked about
25:55how this was a bogey track
25:56for Max Verstappen
25:57what do you need to do
25:58over one lap
25:59because qualifying here
26:00is going to be important
26:00so talk us through
26:01how to get around Singapore.
26:03Well, our race car drivers
26:03are one lap at a time
26:04aren't we?
26:05That's all we can handle
26:07across the start finish line
26:08is the only prepared
26:10area of the circuit here
26:12just peaking over
26:13300 kilometers per hour
26:14three apexes
26:15one, two and three
26:16they're diminishing
26:17apex speed
26:19you've got to make sure
26:19you get out
26:20of the exit of turn three
26:22and down Republic Boulevard
26:24through turn four
26:25the open apex
26:27of turn five
26:27turns you on
26:28to Raffles Boulevard
26:29which is the first
26:30of four DRS zones
26:32through the middle
26:33of turn six
26:34it's a really difficult
26:35braking zone
26:36down towards turn seven
26:37you've got to make sure
26:37you don't overshoot
26:38and use too much
26:39of that outside curb
26:41it's a slow apex
26:43down towards turn eight
26:44and then another
26:45street circuit spec
26:47roll through 90 degree
26:49in turn nine
26:50then as we head
26:51down towards turn 10
26:53it's a tricky
26:54braking zone
26:54first you go right
26:55then left
26:56rolling the car
26:57through the mid corner
26:58to make sure you're
26:59in the right place
26:59for turn 11
27:00and across the bridge
27:01for turn 12
27:02slowest apex of the lap
27:04is turn 13
27:05and you'll hear
27:06drivers short shift
27:07to make sure
27:07they keep that rear
27:08tyre under control
27:10through the middle
27:11of turn 13
27:12and down towards
27:14turn 14
27:15now the rear tyres
27:16are really screaming
27:17enough
27:18as we have Marina Bay Sands
27:19off to our right hand side
27:21and the bright light
27:22screaming through turn 15
27:23where we used to go
27:24right, left, left
27:25and right again
27:26now we head down
27:27towards 16
27:28where that bump
27:29may have been deleted
27:30on the inside
27:31mid corner of 17
27:32is tricky under traction
27:33then it's 18
27:3419
27:35back onto the prepared
27:36tarmac
27:37and the bumpy
27:38run to the line
27:40limitation of ride height
27:41in those last
27:42couple of corners
27:43under 50%
27:45full throttle here
27:46Hinch
27:46which shows you
27:47just how much
27:47you have to do
27:48just how much
27:48you have to do
27:49and just how challenging
27:50this place is
27:51we were watching
27:51that lap
27:52earlier back in the office
27:53and then compared it
27:54to the onboard lap
27:55from the safety car
27:56it is tough
27:56to put into words
27:57how fast these cars
27:59are going around
28:00this track
28:00you know
28:01this place gets put
28:01together for Formula 1
28:03so you see Formula 1
28:04cars pound
28:04around here
28:05it becomes
28:06the normal speed
28:06when you watch
28:07anything else
28:08go around here
28:09it looks glacial
28:11in comparison
28:12the skill required
28:13to keep these cars
28:14between the walls
28:15especially when they
28:16get a little bit loose
28:17as Ruth was describing
28:18on the hot tires
28:19at the end of the lap
28:20is incredible
28:21and we do see errors
28:23even in those
28:24drive-through
28:25final two corners
28:25absolutely
28:26all right
28:27here's a take
28:27a look at the
28:28weather conditions
28:29that we're looking at
28:29I mean you said it
28:30it can say one thing
28:31but it usually ends up
28:32being something else
28:33and don't forget
28:34also to get involved
28:35in F1 Fantasy
28:36carrying on from Baku
28:38to the second street race
28:39in a row
28:39Oracle Red Bull Racing
28:41have their own mini league
28:42running
28:42the Street Showdown
28:44make sure you
28:45take a look at that
28:46and join in
28:47always fun
28:47to play
28:48F1 Fantasy
28:49well guys
28:52that is about all we have
28:53for weekend warm-up
28:54let's take a quick look
28:54at the weekend schedule
28:56as we head into Friday
28:57FP1
28:59starting tomorrow evening
29:01you see it there
29:02it's at
29:03515 local
29:04that's the first hour
29:05of practice
29:05then you head into
29:06practice 2
29:07845
29:08you never know
29:09what the weather's
29:09going to be
29:10into qualifying
29:11when it starts to
29:11really matter
29:12you've got FP3
29:13and then of course
29:13qualifying at 9
29:15local pre and post show
29:17there
29:17and then the big day
29:18when the points are paid
29:20pre-race show
29:20starting at 7pm local
29:22and then of course
29:23the Formula 1
29:24Singapore Airlines
29:25Singapore Grand Prix
29:26of 2025
29:28starting at 8pm local
29:30make sure you stick around
29:31for the post show
29:32after that as well
29:33guys
29:34start with Alex
29:34what are you looking forward
29:35to the most?
29:36I'm really looking forward
29:37to the battle
29:38around these streets
29:39I mean back in 2023
29:40we saw the most extreme
29:42battle to the line
29:44for the Grand Prix here
29:45and also watching these guys
29:46take it to the limit
29:48under the lights
29:48Lawrence
29:49I want to see how
29:50him can respond
29:50after such a difficult weekend
29:52and especially
29:52probably Lando
29:53because obviously
29:54I think he kind of
29:55reacted very differently
29:56in the TV pen
29:57he didn't beat himself up
29:58he kind of
29:58was much more relaxed
30:00and positive
30:00about the future
30:01and Oscar
30:01he said a great couple
30:03of days in Monaco
30:03doing nothing
30:04and that seems to be
30:05his best preparation
30:06for a Grand Prix
30:06so I want to see
30:07how he reacts
30:08I want to see
30:09how the track changes
30:10play out into the strategy
30:11but also props
30:13to the drivers
30:13you know
30:14for once
30:14from me
30:15I want to see
30:16a new track record
30:17on Saturday
30:17I think we're probably
30:19likely to get
30:20because 2024 Q3
30:22that was the record
30:23Lando's lap
30:23right?
30:24Yeah
30:24and you want to see
30:25that fall
30:25yeah I want to see
30:26it topple
30:27well let's see
30:27what we can do
30:28alright guys
30:29we have lots
30:29to look forward to
30:30there are walls
30:31there's weather
30:32there's strategy
30:33and there are 20 drivers
30:34that are going to be
30:35going for glory
30:36trying to win
30:37the Singapore Grand Prix
30:38make sure you tune back
30:39in over the weekend
30:40to watch all the action
30:41right here on F1 TV
30:43thanks for watching
30:44Formula 1 returns
30:47to the original
30:48night race venue
30:50one of the tests
30:51of the season
30:53and the Singapore Grand Prix
30:55is underway
30:56it hits him
30:58it is fine margins
31:01this track
31:02under the light
31:03is such a buzz
31:05spectacular sight
31:06in Singapore
31:07it's super close
31:08between the two of them
31:09oh they make contact
31:11oh it's Russell
31:14into the wall
31:14driving brilliance
31:18Lando Norris
31:19takes the checkered flag
31:21one of the great
31:24Singapore Grand Prix
31:25phenomenal entertainment
31:28thank you
31:30thank you
31:30thank you
31:31thank you
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