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00:00:00So the reason... Sergio, welcome back to The Grid. How are you feeling?
00:00:03Good. Let's see what happens in the video game race.
00:00:08Yeah, you've got to get to the end today.
00:00:10Of all the races I've ever seen in Formula 1, this is the one to get to the end of.
00:00:14I think... I hope it's an entertainment one for everyone.
00:00:17All right, good stuff.
00:00:18So we've got... Carlos has got on.
00:00:22Let's see if we can... Luis is coming late, but we've talked to his mum,
00:00:26but he doesn't like talking on The Grid, as you'll know very well.
00:00:32And... Sarah Snoop was going to come on The Grid from Succession.
00:00:38I really wanted to talk to her.
00:00:40So I want to talk to... We've got... How are you?
00:00:45Ben Mylander, your 500th Grand Prix as safety car driver.
00:00:50Yeah, it's a big number, isn't it? How many do you have?
00:00:53600 or something.
00:00:54I guess more. No, it's a great number.
00:00:57The great thing is also everything started here exactly in the year 2000.
00:01:02So let's see how many more coming up.
00:01:05I think you're going to be busy today.
00:01:07Thank you very much.
00:01:08You're going to be busy out there.
00:01:09How long have we got before the national anthem?
00:01:1340 seconds.
00:01:15Let's have a little look around.
00:01:19Yeah, I can just say...
00:01:22Let's talk to Pat.
00:01:26Pat!
00:01:26Pat!
00:01:27Martin Brundle.
00:01:28I've got 20 seconds.
00:01:31Thanks for thrashing our cricketers this year.
00:01:33But we're really good in Formula 1, the British teams.
00:01:36But good to see you on The Grid.
00:01:38Your man, Oscar, sadly, is not going to start the race.
00:01:41I know, devastating.
00:01:42It's a pretty silent crowd here afterwards.
00:01:44Australia!
00:01:45Yeah, shame to see.
00:01:47All right, thanks for that.
00:01:48I've got three seconds for the national anthem.
00:01:50Your national anthem.
00:01:59Australians, oh, let us rejoice
00:02:04For we are one and free
00:02:08With gold and soil and wealth for toil
00:02:14Our home is good by sea
00:02:17Our land abounds in ages
00:02:23Gifts of beauty rich and red
00:02:28In history's page let every stage
00:02:33Advent Australia fade
00:02:37In joyful strength and let us sing
00:02:47Advance Australia fade
00:02:52And we're free
00:03:01The national anthem, but for the fans a real shame
00:03:05because Oscar Piaget should be taking no part after crashing on his way to the grid.
00:03:10Let's hear from his teammate, Lando Norris.
00:03:12Who's Rachel?
00:03:14How are you feeling right now?
00:03:18Just a lot of things to think of.
00:03:20A lot in your head, but not feeling good, excited.
00:03:23First race of the year, so looking forward to it.
00:03:26You're well. Thank you.
00:03:29Yeah, even more to think about.
00:03:30Now his teammates crashed.
00:03:32Yeah, exactly.
00:03:32I mean, it's a message, isn't it?
00:03:34A warning sign for everyone left on the grid
00:03:37that's going to take part in this race today.
00:03:39You know, it is a step into the unknown.
00:03:42You have to be wary of the machinery under you.
00:03:44You don't know at all times what that's going to do to you.
00:03:47So taking extra margin, extra care could really be your friend today.
00:03:52Yeah, OK, that's said.
00:03:54James Vowell's having a conversation with Zac Brown.
00:03:56Zac obviously disappointed with what happened to one of these drivers,
00:03:59but they'll live to fight another day.
00:04:01I want to talk, though.
00:04:02We haven't talked about Isaac Hadjar, his best ever qualified performance yesterday in third.
00:04:07What can he do today, do you think?
00:04:08He also had to take the reins yesterday after Max's incident.
00:04:11But a really impressive qualifying performance.
00:04:14He's got his head in the game.
00:04:15I saw him with his headphones walking past.
00:04:17He's a good racer.
00:04:18He's a fighter.
00:04:19But as Anne said, the first two laps of this race, they kind of want to jump on each other,
00:04:23but they just need to be a little bit gentle out there.
00:04:26They've been looking for a second Red Bull driver for a number of years that can keep pace with Max.
00:04:31And actually, in all of the practice sessions, too, he's within two or three tenths.
00:04:34So, yeah, I like him.
00:04:36He's refreshing, isn't he?
00:04:37He's very honest, just like his teammate.
00:04:38It's, you know, we've got to give him time, and we've got to give Max time as well
00:04:43to start to do his thing that he's done to so many of his teammates before.
00:04:48And you often see a rookie or someone that's fresh-faced and come in alongside
00:04:53an established driver like Max Verstappen, and you're kind of naive to it in many ways.
00:04:57And as you start to get beaten more regularly,
00:05:01then it becomes more of a mental challenge to keep your head up, really.
00:05:05Oh, definitely.
00:05:06Adrian Newey, deep in thought.
00:05:08He's got a lot to think about at the moment.
00:05:10He's got his pen out, and he's drawing things, as Adrian Newey does, doing new things.
00:05:15Okay, let's hear from Max Verstappen again with Rachel.
00:05:18I know that yesterday wasn't ideal.
00:05:20Have they managed to work out what happened? Do you know?
00:05:23I think it's a combination of a few things that came together, basically.
00:05:27that are a bit complex to explain on TV.
00:05:31We've just seen Oscar go off as well.
00:05:33It seems like there still seem to be some surprises for you guys when you get out there.
00:05:35Is that basically the main concern, that you're still getting used to these cars?
00:05:38I mean, I don't know what happened to him,
00:05:40but I can only imagine that suddenly the tour kicked in where he didn't expect it.
00:05:43Thank you, Max. Go out.
00:05:48Toto, congratulations.
00:05:48I think it was the 83rd Mercedes front-road lockout.
00:05:51How satisfying is that for you after the ground effect era?
00:05:55Is that after the ground effect era and the troubles you had there?
00:05:59Yeah, I'm glad those ground effect cars went into the bin.
00:06:03This is more conventional.
00:06:05This is what we know.
00:06:06The cars are smaller, more humble.
00:06:08They're like real racing cars again.
00:06:09Toto, I haven't seen you smile like this for a long time.
00:06:13What are you expecting for the race today?
00:06:15Yeah, I don't know if it is a smile because we are front-road lockout
00:06:18or a smile that we don't know what's going to happen if those cars get off the line
00:06:21and how the race is going to be.
00:06:23Are we going to see a nice race between these two at the front?
00:06:26Yeah, are we allowed to race?
00:06:28Yeah, are they allowed to race?
00:06:30Amazing.
00:06:30What I just said is, listen, this is the first course, the first race.
00:06:33We don't want to look silly, so the safety margin between the two
00:06:36needs to be at least a metre.
00:06:39But you know, once the visor goes down, who do I explain that to?
00:06:42They forget about that.
00:06:43Are you expecting chaos, particularly off the line here, Toto?
00:06:46Well, I would hope not.
00:06:48From a spectator standpoint, maybe yes, but from a Mercedes standpoint, not.
00:06:52What do you reckon to those Ferraris off the line?
00:06:54Is it going to be anything like we saw in Bahrain,
00:06:56or do you think things have been more sorted from other...
00:06:59They have the small turbo, which should give them advantage in getting off the line.
00:07:03But again...
00:07:05I've heard that you've had some issues with tyres this weekend with a bit of graining.
00:07:09I guess most of your efforts have been on getting the power unit ready for this track,
00:07:14for the layout.
00:07:15Has there been much thought that's gone into the tyres through the testing period?
00:07:18No, it's really calibrating the power units,
00:07:21and you could see yesterday in qualifying, it's still not calibrated.
00:07:25We are seeing far too much clipping, and then the optimise on one lap,
00:07:28it is much better.
00:07:29So this is also a tough one in that respect.
00:07:32Toto, we'll let you get to it.
00:07:33Thanks very much for joining us.
00:07:34Best of luck today.
00:07:35I'll take that, and I'll hand that over there.
00:07:36Yeah, George Russell, there is expectation.
00:07:38He said he motivated himself, sitting in the car,
00:07:41watching Lando Norris celebrate when he won his title.
00:07:44They came up through the ranks together.
00:07:47Maybe he's thinking it's his turn this year.
00:07:49I think it is.
00:07:50You know, he's in a great position, very confident in his own ability.
00:07:53The car's doing great, and everyone is doing great in Mercedes,
00:07:56so he's got to be the favourite.
00:07:57When you start a season with the best car, it's your time to capitalise.
00:08:01He's been waiting a long time for this moment.
00:08:04He knows it.
00:08:05He's ultra-prepared, but all the drivers are.
00:08:08No Oscar Piaget, as he said, as he crashed on the way to the grid,
00:08:12but the other 21 will line up for the first race of the season.
00:08:15The Australian Grand Prix is next.
00:08:27Biggest set of regulation changes in the history of the sport.
00:08:31Mercedes have made a fast start.
00:08:33Can they translate that into qualifying today?
00:08:35Front row lookout for the race.
00:08:38Here we go.
00:08:43Well, here we are again, standing on the edge of something new.
00:08:49Everything we once called next now lives behind us.
00:08:54I love you, ma'am.
00:08:55I love you, ma'am.
00:08:56Part of history.
00:08:57That's for all the kids out there.
00:08:59And yet, every season begins the same way.
00:09:06With belief, with obsession, with countless quiet hours spent chasing an idea.
00:09:15Not only of faster cars, but of who we are when we dare to push ourselves.
00:09:24Because while the world raced to space, our story was already unfolding every Sunday.
00:09:32And the story remains the same.
00:09:35It has never really changed.
00:09:37Neither has the cost or the cast.
00:09:40They have simply found themselves playing different roles.
00:09:43We have stumbled.
00:09:45We have experimented.
00:09:46We have broken things.
00:09:48And somehow, we have always stayed one step ahead.
00:09:52We are the soundtrack to the moments
00:09:57that forever tell you where you were.
00:09:59You are the world champion!
00:10:01We have seen friends become foes.
00:10:032020 wants it.
00:10:04And through every era, we were there.
00:10:07For your first moment.
00:10:09Thank you very much.
00:10:11Enjoy.
00:10:12And for the one you will never forget.
00:10:15So once more, we return to the drawing board.
00:10:19Not to ask how fast we can go,
00:10:21but how far we are willing to go.
00:10:28Because speed was always the point, but so was progression.
00:10:33And if this journey has taught us anything,
00:10:37it is that anything is possible.
00:10:46It is a journey into the unknown.
00:10:49Lando Norris by himself as a McLaren driver
00:10:52after Oscar crashed on the way to the grid.
00:10:54Bernie Collins is in Sky Race Control.
00:10:56Ted Kravitz in the pit lane.
00:10:58And your commentators for race one,
00:10:59the Australian Grand Prix.
00:11:01Martin Brundle and David Croft.
00:11:58And if you're ready,
00:12:00let's get this show on the road, shall we?
00:12:01Welcome along, ladies and gentlemen,
00:12:03to Formula One's new voyage, new era.
00:12:06Time to set sail around the world for 24 rounds,
00:12:10starting here in Australia
00:12:12for the opening race of the season,
00:12:15the 30th anniversary of the first World Championship Grand Prix
00:12:18to take place here in Albert Park.
00:12:21A 3.28 mile circuit, no DRS zones this year.
00:12:25Replaced by straight line mode, active aero to help the cars maintain a speed, overtake,
00:12:31and an extra electrical boost will replace DRS for this year.
00:12:36We've still got 14 corners.
00:12:37We've still got a very, very tricky street circuit.
00:12:40And the tyres are narrower, same compounds as last year, though.
00:12:44C5, C4, C3.
00:12:47The cars are smaller, they are more nimble, they are more alive,
00:12:51and we have half a million people flocking to the racetrack this weekend here in Albert Park,
00:12:57and a sell-out crowd today waiting to get things underway.
00:13:01The starting grid should have 22 drivers on it,
00:13:05but the home hero, Oscar Piastri, has already crashed,
00:13:08and Nico Hülkenberg has left the grid a few moments ago.
00:13:10Lance Stroll is allowed to take part alongside Carlos Sainz,
00:13:13and Max Verstappen starting 20th today out in Q1 after a crash yesterday.
00:13:18Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, 19th and 18th,
00:13:21welcome to Formula One Cadillac.
00:13:23Fernando Alonso starts 17th and ahead of him.
00:13:25Franco Colapinto getting out of Q2 for the third time in 11th Grand Prix.
00:13:29Alex Albon starts 15th, his lowest start here in three years.
00:13:32Pierre Gasly starts 14th, five places lower than last year.
00:13:36Esteban Ocon will start 13th, his teammate Oli Behrman just ahead of him in 12th.
00:13:40Nico Hülkenberg should have started 11th, but his car is currently in the garage.
00:13:44Into the top 10, Audi replaced Sauber, Gabriel Bortoletto makes it P10.
00:13:49On his rookie debut, Arvid Lindblad is 9th,
00:13:51just behind his teammate Liam Lawson in 8th.
00:13:53Lewis Hamilton, 7th best qualifier on average last season, starts 7th today.
00:13:58Lando Norris starts 6th, he was out qualified by Oscar Piastri.
00:14:01He is the lone McLaren driver left in this race.
00:14:04Charles Leclerc, 4th here for the second time in three years.
00:14:08Isaac Hadja on a Red Bull debut, his best ever grid start,
00:14:11and it's an 83rd front row lockout for Mercedes,
00:14:14and only their 4th that doesn't involve Lewis Hamilton,
00:14:16as Kimi Antonelli starts 2nd,
00:14:18and George Russell, with his 8th pole position of his career,
00:14:22puts his car where the pre-season favourite should be, on pole.
00:14:26Absolutely, George, and Kimi Antonelli there,
00:14:30with a very fast car in qualifying and race trim.
00:14:32I think they'll be very concerned, though,
00:14:34about a fast-starting Ferrari,
00:14:36with Charles Leclerc down there in fourth place.
00:14:39And, of course, now where Oscar Piastri is out,
00:14:42Lewis Hamilton in the other Ferrari
00:14:44has got a clear space in front of him.
00:14:47And, as Anthony was showing you early on in the programme,
00:14:51the Ferrari has been pretty electric off the line
00:14:54for various technical reasons.
00:14:56So we'll keep an eye on those two.
00:14:5820 will leave the dummy grid.
00:15:00Let's hope we get 20 back to the actual grid.
00:15:04But this is going to be a day of attrition.
00:15:06This is going to be a race to survive
00:15:09with the biggest step change in the history of Formula 1
00:15:12by some margin in technical terms.
00:15:15Bernie Collins is at race control for us this afternoon.
00:15:18We've had the pre-season testing, Bernie,
00:15:20but this is the first race.
00:15:21New era, new regulations.
00:15:23How do you sort the strategy out today?
00:15:25Yeah, I think it's going to be new strategy, Crofty, as well.
00:15:27And the teams are just so unsure how this is going to play out.
00:15:31Is it going to be a one-stop?
00:15:32Is it going to be a two-stop?
00:15:33How are the tyres going to perform under these cars?
00:15:36Not quite clear.
00:15:38What we do know is what some of them are starting with
00:15:39on the grid.
00:15:40It seems to be majority medium tyres at this stage.
00:15:43Yeah, that's right.
00:15:45Medium, obviously, with the top at 10.
00:15:48And then we go down to Franco Colopinto on the hard, Martin.
00:15:51Fernando Alonso on the soft.
00:15:52Carlos Sainz on the soft.
00:15:54Hard for Bottas and Verstappen.
00:15:55Verstappen wants to go long.
00:15:57Aston Martin with Alonso.
00:15:58I think we need a bit of soft tyre here.
00:15:59There's been a bit of graining.
00:16:02That means the top of the surface of the tyres sort of ripped.
00:16:05But F2 had it as well.
00:16:07And they cleaned it up the further they went.
00:16:10So what is Charles Leclerc doing?
00:16:12He's just sitting there.
00:16:14Brand new tyres on the grid.
00:16:16That gives you the rubber that hasn't had a heat cycle gives you two or three metres.
00:16:24That's half the car length advantage.
00:16:27That's why they want to.
00:16:28And they've got to bed those in now during this lap.
00:16:31But, yeah, the start is going to be critical.
00:16:34One thing that scares you as a racing driver is a car that doesn't get off the start line
00:16:44from standing start.
00:16:45And we saw as the drivers were pulling away that they have to get to a high revs.
00:16:49Lewis Hamilton took a while to get going.
00:16:51Ted Kravitz, as ever, down in the pit lane afternoon, Ted.
00:16:54Hello, Crofty.
00:16:55Hello, Martin.
00:16:56Yeah, morning, everybody back in Europe.
00:16:57But one issue in the Audi garage is that Nico Hülkenberg is going to try and start the Grand Prix
00:17:03from the pit lane.
00:17:04They lost communication with his car as it went to the grid.
00:17:07They were trying to replace connectors and other electrical systems.
00:17:12I don't think they've had much success.
00:17:13So I'll keep an eye on it.
00:17:14They're going to try and start Hülkenberg's Audi from the pit lane.
00:17:17But it might not start the race at all.
00:17:19So stories today.
00:17:20Max Verstappen.
00:17:21Can he get somewhere near the top eight?
00:17:25That is Red Bull's aim from where he starts down in 20th.
00:17:28And don't forget, two podiums and eight starts for Max in his career from 19th or lower.
00:17:33Last time at Sao Paulo came third there from the pit lane.
00:17:37Cadillac, how long can they go into this race in their debut race in Formula One?
00:17:42A year and a day since they got their entry.
00:17:44Can Aston Martin cope with a race?
00:17:47Can Kimi Antonelli cope with a front row start and race George Russell going into the first turn?
00:17:51And what can Isaac Adger, Orlando Norris do in the top six?
00:17:54Yes, absolutely.
00:17:56Any number of drivers could win this Grand Prix.
00:18:00And all of them can score points.
00:18:02Connor Pinto already noted for starting procedure infringement.
00:18:06I wonder if that you've got to stay at pit lane speed limit, 50 miles an hour, 80 kilometers per
00:18:11hour,
00:18:11until you pass pole position.
00:18:13So he's already under investigation.
00:18:16McLaren then with one car in the race now.
00:18:20And George Russell will want to back the pack up as much as he can because he's going to be
00:18:25sitting on the grid well over half a minute.
00:18:28And then the extended grid start procedure, no doubt you'll cover, Croft.
00:18:33But on the subject of packs and George Russell, his battery pack, he's claiming at the moment that it's not
00:18:38high enough.
00:18:39It's not topped up enough.
00:18:40And he's a bit concerned about the start.
00:18:42So the pole sitter has got 280 meters or so into the first braking zone.
00:18:47And he'll want, once he gets over 50 kilometers an hour, that extra boost.
00:18:51Has he got enough of it?
00:18:52You'll see the orange lights flashing on the mirrors because that means station guards, a safety light.
00:18:57But as soon as they select gear, they should go out.
00:19:00There's the Aston Martin garage.
00:19:02Scotty James, Olympic medalist in the snowboarding alongside his wife, Chloe's son, daughter, I should say, of Lawrence, Lance Stroll's
00:19:12sister, Lawrence Stroll's daughter.
00:19:15I am full of anticipation and keeping my fingers crossed for this start as we've got the green flag now
00:19:21and the starting procedure with the blue panels flashing.
00:19:24Here is the crescendo of noise around Albert Park.
00:19:28And now, come on, the lights, we're all revved up and ready to go.
00:19:32It's lights out, away we go.
00:19:34Oh, wow, that wasn't the star we've seen before, but it was from Isaac Hadjah.
00:19:38George Russell under pressure.
00:19:40Charles McClare coming to join him in the first corner.
00:19:42Charles McClare leads the Grand Prix from George Russell.
00:19:45Lewis Hamilton on the grass.
00:19:46Hadjah swoops past him.
00:19:47Rando Norris trying to make position and makes a position in fifth.
00:19:50And he's going wheel to wheel at the moment with Albert Lindblad.
00:19:53But it's Charles McClare who starts brilliantly.
00:19:55George Russell just couldn't get off the line.
00:19:58And behind George Russell comes Isaac Hadjah.
00:20:01Kimi Antonelli has lost places at the start.
00:20:04Yeah, Antonelli bogged down.
00:20:05Hamilton passed Norris into turn three.
00:20:08Norris quite cautious on the brakes.
00:20:09He was sort of in the middle of two other cars, though.
00:20:12But that Ferrari start we've been talking about, it worked out a treat for them, didn't it?
00:20:17And I'm told there was no battery for Kimi Antonelli.
00:20:20Hence his problems at the start.
00:20:22New era.
00:20:23And he's already experiencing just how complex it could be.
00:20:26But look, racing here, Esteban Occombe being pursued by Pierre Gasly and going into the left-hander.
00:20:32The racing ball swoops fast.
00:20:35And Isaac Hadjah, Arvid Lindblad having an absolute dream start in his debut here.
00:20:40But will the Red Bull come back at him?
00:20:43Has he used a bit too?
00:20:44My battery will see as his tactics and deployments and wheel-to-wheel racing.
00:20:49And Lewis Hamilton now gets ahead of Arvid Lindblad because he was just finding his time.
00:20:54And strategically, he got it right.
00:20:56Hamilton, 41, 381 starts.
00:20:58Lindblad, 18.
00:21:00And this is his first ever start.
00:21:02And he aced it, didn't he?
00:21:02But he's been under a little bit of pressure through the rest of the lap.
00:21:06And Leclerc and Russell comfortable out front.
00:21:09But this has worked out beautifully for Ferrari.
00:21:11Certainly has.
00:21:13Charles Leclerc, last time we had a big regulation change from 21 to 2022.
00:21:18Charles Leclerc won two of the opening three Grand Prix that season.
00:21:22And he leads this on lap two from George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in third.
00:21:26Isaac Hadjah ahead of Arvid Lindblad.
00:21:28Lauren Lando Norris in sixth.
00:21:30Then Antonelli Ocon up to eighth.
00:21:31Gasly up to ninth.
00:21:33And Fernando Alonso in tenth.
00:21:35That's extraordinary.
00:21:36Verstappen up to sixteenth.
00:21:38It probably wasn't the first lap I was expecting there.
00:21:41But he's gained places, obviously.
00:21:42But two of the drivers weren't on the grid.
00:21:45Here comes George Russell behind Charles Leclerc.
00:21:49Trying to hunt him down on the far side of the lake.
00:21:52Trying to go around the outside of the turn line.
00:21:54Charles Leclerc having nothing of it.
00:21:56This is where, on this part of the circuit in qualifying,
00:21:58George Russell was superb.
00:22:00And his car superb in battery deployment.
00:22:02And look at that.
00:22:04An exact carbon copy of what he was doing in qualifying yesterday.
00:22:08To get ahead of Charles Leclerc.
00:22:10But can Leclerc now fight his way back
00:22:13with maybe a little bit more battery at his disposal?
00:22:15Leclerc is just being thwarted for the time being.
00:22:18Yeah, if Russell's got a little bit of overstayer
00:22:21coming out of the penultimate corner,
00:22:22but if he's got some energy over the line,
00:22:25he should be able to defend down into the first corner.
00:22:28And he's got a boost button as well he can use
00:22:30to keep the motor really flying along.
00:22:35But you might pay a price later on in the lap.
00:22:37If George was using his boost,
00:22:39then he's going to have a lower battery deployment
00:22:43available to him on this lap.
00:22:45So he could be vulnerable from Charles Leclerc behind him.
00:22:48Meanwhile, his teammate, Kimi Antonelli,
00:22:50struggling a little bit in these opening stages.
00:22:52He's behind Lando Norris
00:22:53and trying to close in on the McLaren
00:22:56start procedure infringement for Franco Colapinto.
00:23:00He is under investigation from the stewards.
00:23:02Fastest man on the track is Lewis Hamilton currently.
00:23:05And he's reduced the arrears to Charles Leclerc
00:23:07by about eight tenths on the lap and a half
00:23:10that we've just had.
00:23:11And apparently, yeah, Isaac Hadjar
00:23:13and the Red Bull is radioing in.
00:23:14He feels he's got some kind of engine problem.
00:23:17Here comes Charles Leclerc,
00:23:18trying to use the boost.
00:23:20Maybe with a bit of overtake as well.
00:23:22And definitely with the lead of the race.
00:23:24While that's happening,
00:23:25Lando Norris is under pressure from Kimi Antonelli,
00:23:28who this time last year
00:23:29got past Lewis Hamilton in that part of the track.
00:23:31Leclerc about a car length ahead.
00:23:33They said they couldn't go racing in these cars
00:23:35and it wouldn't be that close.
00:23:37They were wrong.
00:23:37They're learning so much live, aren't they?
00:23:40Real time as to what,
00:23:42how to best get the power,
00:23:44how to best use the power unit.
00:23:46Well over a thousand horsepower
00:23:47and everything kicked in.
00:23:49But these two squabbling
00:23:50is helping Lewis Hamilton
00:23:51very nicely in third place.
00:23:53So here's the thing.
00:23:54For George Russell,
00:23:55he's had a go.
00:23:57He's got past Charles Leclerc,
00:23:59but Leclerc's got past him
00:24:00and he's now got to have a little think, Martin.
00:24:02Where tactically can I get the Ferrari
00:24:04and stay ahead of the Ferrari
00:24:07on the next few laps?
00:24:08And whilst he's got to think about that,
00:24:10he's got to worry about Lewis Hamilton.
00:24:12And that gap now is about a second
00:24:14between Russell and Hamilton.
00:24:16Yeah, and Lewis Hamilton's being able to sit there
00:24:18minding his own business,
00:24:20optimising his power unit.
00:24:23And where you need a full battery
00:24:25is coming out of turn six right here
00:24:28because you've got two long straights to follow.
00:24:31And we'll see what Russell's got
00:24:33in reply to the Ferrari
00:24:35as they head for Leclerc then
00:24:38with a decent advantage.
00:24:40So we haven't actually got, unfortunately,
00:24:43any graphics that will be coming,
00:24:45maybe even during the race,
00:24:46as to exactly where their batteries are
00:24:48will help us understand a lot more
00:24:50as to which drivers acing it.
00:24:53Let's try and put this really simply for you,
00:24:55if we can.
00:24:56There are three drivers here.
00:24:58Think of them as three people in the sweet shop.
00:25:00The leader is me.
00:25:02George Russell is Martin Brunel.
00:25:03And we have been going at the sweets
00:25:05and trying to eat as many as we can straight away.
00:25:08But sitting back is Bernie Collins
00:25:11thinking, I'm just going to take my time
00:25:12and I'm going to get some sweets
00:25:14when the others have run out.
00:25:15And that is boost for you in 2026.
00:25:18If you play around with a boost
00:25:19and you try and make some overtakes,
00:25:21that's fine,
00:25:22but you are going to pay for it a little later on.
00:25:24And if you just sit back
00:25:25and watch people squabble,
00:25:27then you might be able to take advantage.
00:25:28There's Kimi Antonelli
00:25:29getting past Arvid Limblad
00:25:31and moving up in the fifth place.
00:25:32Yes, indeed.
00:25:34So just to put it in perspective,
00:25:35an average British household
00:25:36uses 140 megajoules a day.
00:25:39These cars are collecting eight per lap.
00:25:42Every 16 laps,
00:25:43they could run your house for a day.
00:25:45And that's the kind of electrical energy
00:25:47we're talking about.
00:25:49But they've got to find out
00:25:50how best to deploy it.
00:25:52So we've lost downforce
00:25:54because the cars are smaller and nibbler.
00:25:56The aerodynamics have changed.
00:25:58And we've reduced drag by about 55%.
00:26:01We've got to say, Martin,
00:26:01it looks like you're able to follow
00:26:03and keep close to cars in front
00:26:05for a little bit longer
00:26:07than we were having last year in 25.
00:26:08Yeah, and because everybody's wing opens,
00:26:12of course, there's no DRS advantage like that.
00:26:15What they can do
00:26:16is they've got an overtake mode
00:26:18if you're within one second.
00:26:19It's just very close to the entry
00:26:21to the final corner.
00:26:22You're allowed to harvest
00:26:24a bit more electrical energy.
00:26:26At the moment,
00:26:27that doesn't seem like it's enough
00:26:28to make the big difference.
00:26:30But we don't want just easy-peasy overtakes.
00:26:31So Kimi off the line,
00:26:33not the best start he'll ever make.
00:26:35George Russell was kind of going sideways
00:26:37for a minute.
00:26:38Charles Leclerc slicing his way through
00:26:39and into turn one in the lead.
00:26:41And Lewis got very wide in turn one
00:26:44and had to get out of it.
00:26:46And that actually cost him quite dearly
00:26:49as you see then Nando Norris
00:26:51going past him.
00:26:53But Lewis sneaking back up the inside.
00:26:56But otherwise, Lewis would have been
00:26:57right there with George
00:26:59on those opening few corners.
00:27:00He certainly would.
00:27:02We've got the live pictures
00:27:03on the left-hand side of your screen
00:27:04and we're watching at the start now
00:27:06with Charles Leclerc.
00:27:07From fourth to first,
00:27:08we've got a real spin
00:27:09that Kimi Antonelli was getting.
00:27:11Hadjah's going over to the right.
00:27:13Charles Leclerc wanted to follow
00:27:14and then the cap opens.
00:27:15Moses of the Red Sea parting
00:27:17down the middle.
00:27:19Yeah, I think we foresaw that one.
00:27:22Lindblad going a lovely drive away.
00:27:25They can't use the battery power
00:27:27until they're doing over 50 miles an hour.
00:27:31So, 50 come 30 miles an hour.
00:27:34And so, I think it was just wheel spin.
00:27:36I think it was just a, you know,
00:27:38the rear tires.
00:27:39George Russell right in the action now.
00:27:41Yeah, he's coming back.
00:27:42Charles Leclerc moves over to try and defend
00:27:44but I'm not sure he can here.
00:27:46And can he just stays ahead
00:27:48of George Russell going into Turn 11.
00:27:51But Russell is almost pushing that Ferrari along.
00:27:54He is staying right with him here.
00:27:56And Hamilton just hanging back in the background
00:27:58waiting for these two to use up their boost bump,
00:28:02use up their power and see if he can strike.
00:28:04George will be on the phone
00:28:05complaining that that defensive move is too late.
00:28:09But we're going to see an awful lot of that
00:28:11in this phase of Formula 1
00:28:13where you're going to have to,
00:28:15you're going to have to defend
00:28:17in an unreasonable manner
00:28:18in these situations.
00:28:21I think George has already been on the phone
00:28:23Martin complaining or
00:28:24I think radio partner
00:28:26can't have a phone in the car.
00:28:27Here we go.
00:28:28That was very dangerous by Leclerc
00:28:29especially what we spoke about in briefings.
00:28:33I don't know.
00:28:34So what they would have spoken about in briefings
00:28:36is that because the cars can suddenly slow down
00:28:40when they're charging their batteries
00:28:41towards the end of the straights,
00:28:43you don't really want to be right underneath another car
00:28:46because it would be so easy
00:28:48to take the front wing off.
00:28:49I'm not surprised George complained about that
00:28:51but Charles, I don't think the stewards
00:28:53will have too much problem with that
00:28:55but it was right on the limit
00:28:56of being dangerous driving.
00:28:59On board with George Russell
00:29:00as we are now
00:29:01in pursuit of Charles Leclerc
00:29:02down towards turn 11.
00:29:05Just watch the rain lights
00:29:06on the Ferrari.
00:29:08That is when he starts to
00:29:09put more energy and more power
00:29:11into the battery.
00:29:12They call it super clipping
00:29:13and it's just a recharge mechanism
00:29:16on the straights
00:29:17so he's got a nice big battery
00:29:19pack full of energy
00:29:20to get out of the corner.
00:29:22While that goes on
00:29:23we haven't talked about Max Verstappen
00:29:25who from 20th on the grid
00:29:26has made his way up now
00:29:27into 11th place
00:29:28and he's chasing down Oli Behrman.
00:29:30Watch Verstappen.
00:29:31He could well be a feature
00:29:33in the top six
00:29:34by the end of this race
00:29:35starting on the hard tyre
00:29:36and trying to go long
00:29:37in this first stint.
00:29:38He'll need some clear air
00:29:39later on though
00:29:40to make that work
00:29:40because you know
00:29:41he's heading towards
00:29:42being a pit stop
00:29:43behind the leaders
00:29:44already.
00:29:45Look and here comes Russell.
00:29:46George Russell
00:29:47got past Charles Leclerc.
00:29:49Leclerc's fought this one back.
00:29:51George Russell
00:29:51just squeezes the Ferrari
00:29:53then into turn three
00:29:55and retakes the lead
00:29:56of this race.
00:29:57What's that now?
00:29:58Four swaps of lead
00:29:59we've had in the first eight laps.
00:30:01Liking this so far
00:30:02and George Russell
00:30:03back out in front.
00:30:04He'll be liking that position
00:30:05but how long can he defend this?
00:30:07Let's watch this run down
00:30:08to turn nine
00:30:08to see if George
00:30:09was a little bit trigger happy
00:30:10on the battery
00:30:12and if the Ferrari
00:30:13can come back at him.
00:30:15And if not here
00:30:16into turn 11 as well.
00:30:18He's got opportunities
00:30:19but he wants to go
00:30:20dancing around the outside.
00:30:22Charles Leclerc
00:30:22get in there.
00:30:23That's very nice indeed.
00:30:25Charles Leclerc
00:30:26let George Russell
00:30:27have his moment
00:30:28at turn three
00:30:29and then into turn nine
00:30:31and ten
00:30:31he took that moment
00:30:33back again.
00:30:33Russell's going to try
00:30:34and defend this.
00:30:35This is racing in 2026
00:30:37and this is the way
00:30:38we wanted it to be.
00:30:39It's tactical
00:30:41it's strategic
00:30:42and it is high speed
00:30:43chess out there
00:30:44with one swap
00:30:45of the lead
00:30:46after the other.
00:30:47And Lewis Hamilton
00:30:48once again
00:30:49then benefits
00:30:50from the two
00:30:51in front of him
00:30:53squabbling
00:30:54and using their power
00:30:55in an inefficient way
00:30:56trying to get track position
00:30:58and here comes Russell again.
00:31:00Here comes Russell again
00:31:01and it's a massive lock up
00:31:03from George Russell.
00:31:04He did well to stay
00:31:05on the track
00:31:05but Charles Leclerc
00:31:06is going to get that lead
00:31:07back again
00:31:08and Russell
00:31:09surely has flat spotted
00:31:10his tyres
00:31:11and is now
00:31:11under threat
00:31:12from Lewis Hamilton
00:31:13who just for one moment
00:31:15thought a gap
00:31:15was opening up for him.
00:31:17Three cars
00:31:17within about two car lengths
00:31:19going into turn three.
00:31:20Leclerc leads Russell
00:31:21leads Hamilton
00:31:22and Hamilton's coming up
00:31:24now at the Mercedes.
00:31:26George Russell
00:31:27arrived at the corner
00:31:28because he was on the boost
00:31:29arrived at turn one
00:31:30faster than on the other laps
00:31:32and that's why
00:31:33he was too late
00:31:34on the brakes
00:31:34he'll have a horrendous
00:31:36vibration
00:31:36from that tyre
00:31:37and he's got to carry
00:31:38that now
00:31:39and that cost him dearly
00:31:41but it's quite exciting
00:31:42isn't it?
00:31:42Yeah, not sure
00:31:43what George Russell
00:31:43would have said
00:31:44when he had that lock up.
00:31:45Blimey, I think
00:31:46might have been the word
00:31:47that comes into my mind.
00:31:48I didn't think
00:31:49he'd make the corner
00:31:49I thought he was going
00:31:50through the grass
00:31:51to be honest
00:31:51so he did well
00:31:52to cadence brake
00:31:54get off the brakes
00:31:55but to lock a tyre
00:31:57that much
00:31:57at super high speed
00:31:59you really do
00:32:00flat spot them badly.
00:32:02Franco Colopinto
00:32:02has a stop and go penalty
00:32:04for a starting procedure
00:32:06infringement
00:32:07to be served
00:32:08at his next pit stop.
00:32:10And look for Kimi Antonelli
00:32:12Yes.
00:32:13Mining his own business
00:32:14mining his own battery
00:32:16fastest lap of the race
00:32:18for him so far
00:32:19and he's bringing himself
00:32:21right into play.
00:32:22Ferrari versus Mercedes
00:32:24a little bit of a gap
00:32:25back to Hadjar
00:32:26but not massive actually
00:32:27and Linbad's hanging on nicely
00:32:29very impressively
00:32:31in sixth place.
00:32:32Meanwhile
00:32:32that moment
00:32:33at turn 11
00:32:34that George Russell
00:32:35wasn't overly happy about
00:32:36has been noted
00:32:37by race control.
00:32:38Not being investigated
00:32:39by the stewards
00:32:40as yet
00:32:41but they might
00:32:42be taking a look
00:32:43at how Charles Leclerc
00:32:44defended.
00:32:45So stop and go penalty
00:32:46for Colopinto
00:32:47he's basically
00:32:48going to come in
00:32:48stop and go back out again
00:32:49not at his
00:32:50first pit stop.
00:32:51There's the notation
00:32:52for Charles Leclerc.
00:32:54There's the Ferrari
00:32:55number 16
00:32:56out of the lead
00:32:57and on your screen
00:32:58in 10th place now
00:33:00Max Verstappen
00:33:01he's got past
00:33:02Oli Behrman
00:33:02but he's now up
00:33:03into the top 10
00:33:04and he is not far
00:33:05behind Pierre Gasly.
00:33:07Colopinto
00:33:07is in the pits
00:33:08as you can see
00:33:09with the stop clock
00:33:11on there
00:33:11and that's
00:33:12a stop and go penalty
00:33:13will take him down
00:33:14the last
00:33:1420th and last
00:33:15Oscar Piastri
00:33:16didn't make it
00:33:17to the grid
00:33:18crashed
00:33:18on the laps
00:33:19to the grid
00:33:20seemed like
00:33:21a torque spike
00:33:21that really
00:33:22caught him out
00:33:23and Nico
00:33:23Hülkenberg
00:33:24they wanted
00:33:25to try
00:33:25and start
00:33:26the car
00:33:26from the garage
00:33:27and then the pit lane
00:33:28but that hasn't
00:33:28happened for Audi
00:33:29big shake
00:33:30for them
00:33:30on their debut
00:33:31in Formula 1.
00:33:32No further
00:33:33investigation
00:33:33for Leclerc's
00:33:35aggressive defence
00:33:36earlier on
00:33:37in the Grand Prix
00:33:38but Russell's
00:33:39made his point
00:33:40and now he's
00:33:41sort of collected
00:33:41himself
00:33:42if he had
00:33:42fillings in his teeth
00:33:43they'd be rattling
00:33:44out
00:33:45because that front
00:33:46especially
00:33:46higher than your speed
00:33:47of course
00:33:48the more
00:33:49that tyre
00:33:50vibrates
00:33:50where you put
00:33:51the flat spot
00:33:51the other problem
00:33:52you have is
00:33:52once you flat spot
00:33:53the tyre
00:33:54badly
00:33:54like that
00:33:55next time
00:33:56you lock
00:33:56the brakes up
00:33:57it stops
00:33:58in the same place
00:33:58it's more willing
00:33:59to stop
00:34:00in that place
00:34:00again
00:34:01so he needs
00:34:02to be careful
00:34:02but he's
00:34:03still got some
00:34:04good end of speed
00:34:05strength
00:34:05hasn't there
00:34:06end of straight speed
00:34:06he has
00:34:07George Russell
00:34:07the medium tyre
00:34:08Bernie Collins
00:34:09they'll be thinking
00:34:10now
00:34:10do they shorten
00:34:11this stint
00:34:12if he has
00:34:12flat spotted it
00:34:13because he might
00:34:14start to lose
00:34:15pace a bit
00:34:15more quickly
00:34:16than they were
00:34:17thinking
00:34:17yeah
00:34:18Russell's already
00:34:18been on the radio
00:34:19and told them
00:34:20that he's going
00:34:20to really struggle
00:34:21with that front
00:34:21left tyre
00:34:22for whatever
00:34:23their current
00:34:24plan A was
00:34:25so he's already
00:34:26told that
00:34:26to the pit wall
00:34:27one other to look
00:34:28out for is
00:34:28Hadjar
00:34:29Hadjar's been
00:34:30really struggling
00:34:30with the energy
00:34:31management
00:34:32since the beginning
00:34:32and we have
00:34:34getting continuous
00:34:35updates from the
00:34:35pit wall
00:34:36about how to
00:34:37maybe do a
00:34:37slightly better job
00:34:38and he's
00:34:39complaining
00:34:39look this isn't
00:34:40working guys
00:34:41I'm just
00:34:42sliding backwards
00:34:43from the group
00:34:43ahead
00:34:44so he's
00:34:45fallen back
00:34:46for Staffan's
00:34:46captain
00:34:47lots still
00:34:48happen
00:34:48there's a
00:34:49very slow
00:34:50Isaac Hadjar
00:34:51and that
00:34:52looked like
00:34:53a lot of smoke
00:34:54coming from the
00:34:54rear of that
00:34:55Red Bull
00:34:56on Isaac Hadjar
00:34:57stop it there son
00:34:59what has he got to
00:35:00do to catch a
00:35:01brake in Australia
00:35:02didn't start the
00:35:03race last year
00:35:04so it'll be a
00:35:04safety car
00:35:05or a virtual
00:35:05safety car
00:35:06come on
00:35:07it's broken
00:35:10everything
00:35:11all right
00:35:12this is in the pit stop
00:35:14window for a
00:35:15two stop strategy
00:35:16right now
00:35:17lap 12
00:35:17virtual safety car
00:35:18has been deployed
00:35:19you have
00:35:20your deficit
00:35:21if you want to
00:35:21pick now
00:35:22the loss
00:35:23that you would
00:35:23normally take
00:35:24but yeah
00:35:25and Lando Norris
00:35:26has been told
00:35:27to come in
00:35:28by his McLaren
00:35:29team
00:35:29this is so
00:35:31heartbreaking
00:35:31for Isaac Hadjar
00:35:32was doing so well
00:35:34in his first race
00:35:35for a Red Bull
00:35:35but through no
00:35:36fault of his own
00:35:36he is out
00:35:37Ted Kravitz
00:35:38down to you
00:35:38a little bit
00:35:40too early
00:35:40maybe one or two
00:35:41laps early
00:35:41but perfect
00:35:42otherwise
00:35:43for a stop
00:35:44so Lando comes in
00:35:45we see the Alpine
00:35:46and the Haas
00:35:47stop as well
00:35:48nothing from Max
00:35:49Verstappen as yet
00:35:50he'll be coming round
00:35:51and nothing for
00:35:52George Russell
00:35:52I think he just
00:35:53missed it to George
00:35:54Russell
00:35:55there's Carlos Sainz
00:35:56making a stop as well
00:35:57but they have to stop
00:35:58now
00:35:58it costs you 21
00:36:00seconds to do a pit stop
00:36:02under normal conditions
00:36:03and only 13 seconds
00:36:05to do a pit stop now
00:36:06the Racing Falls
00:36:07coming in as well
00:36:07I'm expecting to see
00:36:09Russell and potentially
00:36:10Antonelli as well
00:36:11keep an eye on
00:36:12whether the Ferraris
00:36:13I'm not seeing the
00:36:14Ferrari mechanics
00:36:15Crofty out in the
00:36:17in the box
00:36:17but I'm expecting to
00:36:18see them in a moment
00:36:19no top four still
00:36:20Leclerc, Russell
00:36:22Hamilton, Antonelli
00:36:23haven't stopped
00:36:23so a virtual safety car
00:36:25means you've got
00:36:26to keep to a
00:36:27delta time on your
00:36:28steering wheel
00:36:28earliest time of
00:36:29arrival at various
00:36:31points around the
00:36:32circuit
00:36:32so that they shouldn't
00:36:34gain or lose
00:36:35any track position
00:36:37or track distance
00:36:39I should probably say
00:36:40but yeah
00:36:41and the reason of course
00:36:42that you lose
00:36:43just over half as much
00:36:45time under a
00:36:45reversal safety car
00:36:46is because
00:36:47everybody else
00:36:49is going much slower
00:36:49while you're in the
00:36:50pit lane
00:36:51Bernie Collins will come to
00:36:52you in two seconds
00:36:53let's just have a listen
00:36:54on board with Isaac
00:36:56Hajar
00:37:04all the oily bits
00:37:06met each other there
00:37:07I'm afraid
00:37:07that wasn't nice
00:37:09that wasn't nice at all
00:37:09he jumps clear
00:37:11of his car
00:37:12and his race
00:37:13is run
00:37:14while we were
00:37:14watching that replay
00:37:15Kimi Antonelli
00:37:16came in
00:37:17George Russell
00:37:18came in
00:37:19but the two Ferraris
00:37:20have stayed out
00:37:21Leclerc leads Hamilton
00:37:22so do Ferrari
00:37:23Bernie still think
00:37:24that we're going to get
00:37:24a virtual safety car
00:37:25for a bit longer
00:37:26or are they going
00:37:27a different way
00:37:28to the rest
00:37:28well there's a lot
00:37:29of questioning
00:37:30on the pit walls
00:37:30out there
00:37:31as to if they've
00:37:31done the right thing
00:37:32Russell as he went
00:37:33past the accident
00:37:34gave the information
00:37:35the pit wall said
00:37:36this is not going
00:37:37to be quick
00:37:37it's going to be
00:37:37a long VSC
00:37:38that's good information
00:37:39for the pit wall
00:37:40but they still chose
00:37:42to box the two Mercedes
00:37:43Hamilton immediately
00:37:44as he went past
00:37:46the pit entry
00:37:47being told to stay out
00:37:48said are we sure
00:37:49this is the right thing
00:37:50guys
00:37:50they might have
00:37:52another lap
00:37:53to change that decision
00:37:54if they want to
00:37:55no disadvantage
00:37:56under the VSC
00:37:57for stopping
00:37:58on the second lap
00:37:59which is different
00:38:00to a full safety car
00:38:01at least one of us
00:38:02should have come in
00:38:04he might have a point
00:38:05there Martin
00:38:05well of course
00:38:06they're going to have
00:38:06to stack the Ferraris
00:38:08as well now
00:38:08so they'd have been
00:38:09better off doing
00:38:10one lap
00:38:11and one the next
00:38:11but it depends
00:38:12how quickly
00:38:13they're just about
00:38:15wheeling that away
00:38:16aren't they
00:38:16so because the
00:38:18virtual safety car
00:38:19can end
00:38:19at any time
00:38:22it's not a question
00:38:23of the safety car
00:38:24coming in of course
00:38:25and so
00:38:26Lewis is
00:38:27absolutely right
00:38:28marshals have to
00:38:29get back into
00:38:30position
00:38:31that probably
00:38:31buys them
00:38:32another 10 seconds
00:38:33or so
00:38:34it's going to be
00:38:35touch and go
00:38:35if Ferrari
00:38:36want to make a stop
00:38:37here
00:38:37if I was Lewis
00:38:38Hamilton
00:38:38I'd be saying
00:38:39I want to come in
00:38:40just because those
00:38:41around have done
00:38:42and you want to be
00:38:43on the same tyres
00:38:44but let's see
00:38:44what happens
00:38:45and what's he going to do
00:38:47does he come in the pit lane
00:38:48no he doesn't
00:38:49does he come in the pit lane
00:38:50no he doesn't
00:38:51you know what
00:38:52they're bargaining on
00:38:52well they think he's coming in
00:38:54you know what they're bargaining on
00:38:56another safety car
00:38:57aren't they
00:38:57to get further into the race
00:38:59I think
00:39:00the idea was
00:39:01you're going to come in
00:39:02and then someone's made the call
00:39:03to say
00:39:03no it's too tight
00:39:05that VSC might end at any time
00:39:07you guys have got a nice margin
00:39:09at the moment
00:39:10and some nice clear air
00:39:11and see if you'd have come in
00:39:13we might have gone green
00:39:14you might have lost that advantage
00:39:16we're now
00:39:17they would have got it
00:39:17resigned to it
00:39:18VSC ending
00:39:19but they would have got that pit stop done
00:39:21they would
00:39:21in hindsight yes
00:39:22but I think it was
00:39:23caution over risk
00:39:25track's clear
00:39:27and we can go racing
00:39:28watch the Ferraris
00:39:28just shoot away now
00:39:30with that small turbo
00:39:31and they can get going
00:39:32yeah
00:39:32they've got to be really careful
00:39:34on these restarts
00:39:35with cold tyres
00:39:36and not up to temperature
00:39:38not up to pressure
00:39:39and all that power
00:39:40underneath their right foot
00:39:41and so
00:39:43they're learning
00:39:44they're learning so much
00:39:45all at the same time
00:39:47so we've had about
00:39:48three laps of a virtual safety car
00:39:50there Martin
00:39:50before Hatch's engine went
00:39:51we had seven changes of lead
00:39:54in the first ten laps
00:39:56if you're just joining us
00:39:57seriously
00:39:58should have set your alarm clocks
00:40:00in the UK
00:40:00and Ireland
00:40:01just a little bit earlier
00:40:02because you've missed so much
00:40:04but you know
00:40:04stick with us
00:40:05there might be more to come yet
00:40:07it's a little smooth out
00:40:08and these regulations
00:40:09are a little bit fluid
00:40:10but I'm pleased
00:40:12that those overtakes
00:40:13the drivers still had to make it happen
00:40:15when they got there
00:40:16so
00:40:18that bodes well
00:40:19but we will be smoothing
00:40:21these regs out
00:40:21I have no doubt about that
00:40:23oh
00:40:23we have an issue
00:40:24Fernando Alonso
00:40:25being told to stop the car
00:40:27where is Fernando Alonso
00:40:29he might be in the pits
00:40:30there he is
00:40:31I couldn't see him at first
00:40:32but he's on our screen now
00:40:34they weren't expecting
00:40:35to finish the race
00:40:36sadly
00:40:36the end has come
00:40:38on lap 15
00:40:39for Fernando Alonso
00:40:41and that will be his fourth retirement
00:40:42from the Australian Grand Prix
00:40:44his first one
00:40:44back in 2003
00:40:46so of the top
00:40:49nine
00:40:50only the two Mercedes
00:40:52and Norris
00:40:53hit it
00:40:53that
00:40:54Norris was going nowhere fast
00:40:55wasn't he
00:40:56down in southern place
00:40:57didn't appear to have
00:40:58a great amount of speed
00:40:59so he's on the hard tie
00:41:01now
00:41:01Orlando Alonso
00:41:02after his pit stop
00:41:03and that's
00:41:05Cadillac
00:41:06that he's past
00:41:18he wants to get as much
00:41:22out of those tires
00:41:23so Leclerc leads
00:41:25Hamilton second
00:41:26haven't pitted
00:41:27Russell third
00:41:28has pitted
00:41:28Lindblad
00:41:29fourth
00:41:30hasn't pitted
00:41:31Antonelli fifth
00:41:32has pitted
00:41:34Verstappen
00:41:34Behrman
00:41:35Portoletto
00:41:36haven't pitted
00:41:37Lando Norris
00:41:38from ninth
00:41:39down to
00:41:40Carlos Sainz
00:41:41and 13th
00:41:41have pitted
00:41:42now that's
00:41:4310 seconds
00:41:44behind
00:41:44how are they
00:41:45only 10 seconds
00:41:47so far we are on plan
00:41:49we are focusing
00:41:50on plan A
00:41:51plan A
00:41:52which was a one-stop strategy
00:41:54so we're not going to bring you
00:41:56in early
00:41:56to go into a two-stop strategy
00:41:58Colapinto has been into the pits
00:41:59but I don't think
00:42:00he's changed tires
00:42:01oh no he has
00:42:02he's gone hard hard
00:42:03and then
00:42:04Stroll and Bottas
00:42:05have pitted
00:42:06we're on board now
00:42:07with the Mercedes
00:42:09of Kimi Antonelli
00:42:11chasing Arvid Lindblad
00:42:12and catching Arvid Lindblad
00:42:13and going wheel to wheel
00:42:14and then ahead
00:42:15of Arvid Lindblad
00:42:16and into fourth place
00:42:18the Mercedes were guaranteed
00:42:19to be only 10 seconds behind
00:42:20because you lose a bit over 10
00:42:23in a virtual safety car pit stop
00:42:25as Ted was pointing out
00:42:26and they were ahead of him anyway
00:42:28by a second or two
00:42:29so it's virtually guaranteed
00:42:31but Ferrari
00:42:32Ferrari seem confident
00:42:33that they're doing the right thing
00:42:35will stick with
00:42:36I mean if there's another safety car
00:42:38which is highly
00:42:40highly possible this afternoon
00:42:41then there's many more safety cars
00:42:43actually given
00:42:44the newness of these cars
00:42:46but that'll play into Ferrari's hands
00:42:48a little bit
00:42:49but
00:42:50that's it
00:42:51you're leaving your destiny
00:42:52in somebody else's hands
00:42:54at that point
00:42:54I'm just wincing a bit
00:42:55watching Liam Lawson
00:42:56and Sergio Perez
00:42:57at the moment
00:42:58down the main straight
00:42:59I think Lawson is like
00:43:00can I get past him
00:43:01can I get past him
00:43:02I'm going to try it
00:43:03in a turn three
00:43:03they're banging wheels
00:43:04down at turn three
00:43:05Perez is still ahead
00:43:07of Liam Lawson
00:43:08has been a right old scrap
00:43:11that has
00:43:11these two
00:43:12these two
00:43:14when they get on the track together
00:43:16there is a bit of excitement
00:43:17that follows
00:43:18and Benny Collins
00:43:20he's on the hard tyre
00:43:21Lawson
00:43:21Perez on the medium
00:43:22but those that have put the hard tyre on
00:43:24behind the virtual safety car
00:43:25can they go to the end
00:43:27well this is the thing Crofty
00:43:28we just do not know
00:43:30we think these tyres
00:43:32are holding on
00:43:33a little bit better
00:43:34than last year
00:43:34but teams were concerned
00:43:36about greening
00:43:37and the reason that we're seeing
00:43:38these different strategies
00:43:39for example
00:43:40between Lawson and Perez
00:43:41Lawson is stopped
00:43:42Perez is not
00:43:43that's why Perez is ahead
00:43:44in that slower
00:43:45track
00:43:46clockwise circuit
00:43:47more rights than lefts
00:43:49Max Verstappen's
00:43:50front left tyre
00:43:51looks horrible
00:43:52look at it
00:43:53look at the dull there
00:43:54that is grainy
00:43:55because of this
00:43:56it's got three and a quarter degrees
00:43:58of camber
00:43:58the top leans in
00:43:59you work the inside
00:44:01of the tyre
00:44:02and that's exactly
00:44:03what we're seeing there
00:44:04for Max Verstappen
00:44:05so the hard compound tyre
00:44:07they can start to clean
00:44:09that graining up
00:44:10but
00:44:12that doesn't look
00:44:13particularly good
00:44:14that's not good news
00:44:15for Mercedes
00:44:15if they're trying
00:44:16to go to the end
00:44:17and now on the hard tyre
00:44:19we have some graphics
00:44:20we have some battery graphics
00:44:21to show you
00:44:22when it's being deployed
00:44:23and when it's being recharged
00:44:24while we watch those
00:44:25Ted has words
00:44:26from the pit lane
00:44:27I think it's about right
00:44:28that Red Bull
00:44:29don't think the Mercedes
00:44:30can do the rest of the race
00:44:3245 laps on the hard tyre
00:44:33so they're looking at a two stop
00:44:35I think they were all open minded
00:44:36on tyre strategies
00:44:37Crofty
00:44:38it was probably
00:44:38the least of their worries
00:44:40wasn't it
00:44:40given all the demands
00:44:41from the power unit
00:44:42so I'm expecting
00:44:44to see Max Verstappen
00:44:45in on 5 or 10 laps time
00:44:47and then we'll sort out
00:44:48the second stops
00:44:49later in this brilliant race
00:44:50thanks Ted
00:44:51now Arvid Lindblad
00:44:52might be a bit vulnerable here
00:44:54because Max Verstappen
00:44:55has way more battery power
00:44:57than Arvid Lindblad
00:44:58and his overtake
00:44:59is enabled for him as well
00:45:01so there's an extra half
00:45:01a megajoule from that
00:45:02but his battery
00:45:03is more topped up
00:45:04even going into the detection
00:45:06into that corner
00:45:07see when they put the brakes on
00:45:08how the battery tops up
00:45:10Lindblad
00:45:10has just got
00:45:12a little bit more back
00:45:13than he needed
00:45:13Verstappen using
00:45:14a bit more energy
00:45:15as he was gaining
00:45:16towards Lindblad
00:45:17down the main straight
00:45:18Russell massively faster
00:45:20than the two Ferraris
00:45:21on the previous lap
00:45:22and homing in on them
00:45:23and
00:45:24this is Lawson and Ferris again
00:45:26it's amazing
00:45:27that one of them
00:45:27hasn't lost the barge board
00:45:29they're rather massive
00:45:30on the side of the car
00:45:31that's so critical
00:45:32to the airflow
00:45:33and this was where
00:45:35it was going to happen
00:45:35it was happening anywhere
00:45:36and look
00:45:38the wheels intertwined
00:45:39and somehow
00:45:39neither of them went round
00:45:42there's no love lost
00:45:44between those two ever
00:45:45is there
00:45:45that was a little return
00:45:47ah Cadillac
00:45:49Valtteri Bottas
00:45:50we've lost one Aussie
00:45:52before the start
00:45:52we might have lost
00:45:53the honorary Aussie
00:45:54on lap 18 here
00:45:56customer Ferrari
00:45:59engine in the back
00:46:00of that one
00:46:01at the moment
00:46:01and Ferrari
00:46:02will be very happy
00:46:03about that indeed
00:46:04as long as they don't
00:46:05close the entry
00:46:06of the pit lane
00:46:07I was just about to say that Martin
00:46:09will they close
00:46:10the pit lane entry
00:46:11another virtual safety car
00:46:13so Bert Myerlander
00:46:15still waiting to get out
00:46:15on the track
00:46:16in his 500th Grand Prix
00:46:17in the actual safety car
00:46:18and that's such a shame
00:46:20for Valtteri Bottas
00:46:21and for Cadillac
00:46:23the 167th constructor
00:46:25to enter into Formula 1
00:46:27the first full start-up team
00:46:29since Haas made their debut
00:46:31in 2016
00:46:32the entry is not closed
00:46:34so they're all gonna barrel in
00:46:35Lindblad
00:46:36Verstappen
00:46:37and then Oli Behrman
00:46:38coming into the pits
00:46:39to make their first
00:46:40first pit stop
00:46:41Bortoletto's coming in too
00:46:42Lindblad's first ever pit stop
00:46:44in Formula 1
00:46:45and he was taking it carefully
00:46:46and Max
00:46:47ooh what's happened there
00:46:49they had to hold him briefly
00:46:50to find a gap
00:46:51for him to feed back into
00:46:53but
00:46:54so Lindblad
00:46:55obviously treating
00:46:55the speed line
00:46:56a little bit cautiously
00:46:58and Max
00:46:59was very angsty
00:47:00behind him
00:47:01wanted to make
00:47:01the most of it
00:47:04now
00:47:04Lance Stroll
00:47:05is out on track
00:47:07in the Aston Martin
00:47:08Charles McClare
00:47:08is right behind him
00:47:10currently
00:47:10Stroll is a
00:47:12it's a long way
00:47:13off the pace
00:47:14and about to be lapped
00:47:15I don't know if you can
00:47:17lap a car
00:47:18under the VSC
00:47:18I thought you actually can't
00:47:20you can't have a take
00:47:22I'm surprised Ferrari
00:47:24didn't come straight
00:47:25into the pits
00:47:25I thought the timing
00:47:26was absolutely right
00:47:28for them to make
00:47:29a pit stop
00:47:30but maybe they just wanted
00:47:31maybe they thought
00:47:32there was at least
00:47:33a couple of laps
00:47:33behind this VSC
00:47:34so I'll tell you what
00:47:35we'll use
00:47:36one on the old tyres
00:47:37and one on the new tyres
00:47:38Bernie
00:47:38yeah I need to go back
00:47:40and track through it
00:47:40but I think they were
00:47:41just too far ahead
00:47:42of the pit entry
00:47:43so they didn't have
00:47:44the opportunity
00:47:45that others did
00:47:45I'm hearing their
00:47:47lead strategist
00:47:48also known as
00:47:48Lewis Hamilton
00:47:49is not at all happy
00:47:51about this
00:47:52the pit lane entry
00:47:53is now closed
00:47:54so Ferrari didn't see
00:47:56that one coming
00:47:56did they
00:47:57well it's funny
00:47:58you did
00:47:58do you want a job
00:48:00of lead strategist
00:48:00I'll tell you why I did
00:48:01because Bernadette Collins
00:48:02the strategist
00:48:04told me
00:48:05so I won't claim that
00:48:06for myself
00:48:08yeah she knows
00:48:08a thing or two
00:48:10Marshall's on the track
00:48:11so they have to
00:48:12close it now
00:48:13this is why
00:48:13Valtteri Bottas
00:48:15what happened
00:48:16to Valtteri Bottas
00:48:22and I think he was told
00:48:24to stop
00:48:25no he didn't just
00:48:26trundle into the
00:48:27Aussie V8
00:48:27sorry the F2
00:48:30supplementary pit lane
00:48:31he was told to stop
00:48:32immediately
00:48:33and that's why
00:48:34he did comply with that
00:48:35now this is bad news
00:48:37for Ferrari
00:48:37who are leading this race
00:48:39but haven't stopped yet
00:48:40the VSC
00:48:41is ending
00:48:43they need
00:48:44to start building up
00:48:45a bit of a gap here
00:48:45if they can
00:48:46as Max Verstappen
00:48:48is right on it
00:48:49behind Arvin Lindblad
00:48:50who moves over
00:48:51to the left hand side
00:48:52and slams that door
00:48:53shut
00:48:54in the face of the
00:48:55four time world champion
00:48:56rookie against
00:48:58four time world champion
00:48:59here
00:48:59sister cars
00:49:00sister team of course
00:49:01but Lindblad
00:49:03in his first run through
00:49:04will not be intimidated
00:49:05by Max Verstappen
00:49:06he's gone very wide
00:49:07in turn three
00:49:08but recovers it
00:49:09so the 18 year old
00:49:10is keeping his head
00:49:12under extreme pressure
00:49:14and there's no
00:49:16nothing between
00:49:17these two teams
00:49:17anymore
00:49:18where they say
00:49:18just let my man
00:49:19through would you please
00:49:20it's not like
00:49:21there's a world championship
00:49:22anywhere near at stake
00:49:23at the moment
00:49:23Max Verstappen
00:49:25is Formula 1
00:49:27world champion
00:49:28for what
00:49:291457 consecutive days
00:49:31pulling off overtake
00:49:32after overtake
00:49:33at will sometimes
00:49:34and he's going to
00:49:35try and pull off
00:49:36another overtake here
00:49:37on the young rookie
00:49:38Arvin Lindblad
00:49:38into turn nine
00:49:40he's got his red ball
00:49:41ahead and up
00:49:42into sixth place
00:49:42while that happens
00:49:43Esteban Ocon
00:49:45goes past
00:49:45Gabriel Bortoleto
00:49:46and moves up
00:49:47into ninth place
00:49:50Rari better hope
00:49:51there's another
00:49:51virtual safety car
00:49:53but um
00:49:53but Bernie said
00:49:55that she thought
00:49:56they were
00:49:56uh
00:49:57too far past
00:49:59the pit entry
00:49:59to use that
00:50:00my tyres are still
00:50:02okay
00:50:02do not pop to me
00:50:03at the same time
00:50:04Lewis is thinking
00:50:05how can I just
00:50:06gain a bit of an edge
00:50:07on my teammate
00:50:07here
00:50:08do not pop to me
00:50:09at the same time
00:50:10I do not want to sit
00:50:11in the pit lane
00:50:11waiting behind him
00:50:13thank you very much
00:50:14and then you've got
00:50:15to get all your
00:50:15restart sorted out
00:50:16with your turbo
00:50:17so um
00:50:19Lewis
00:50:19yeah
00:50:20and uh
00:50:20quite a
00:50:21quite a bit of
00:50:21graining on his
00:50:22front left
00:50:23but he's just saying
00:50:24don't stack us
00:50:25don't stack us
00:50:26I think the thing is
00:50:27everyone will have to
00:50:29stop again
00:50:30of the leading
00:50:31contenders
00:50:31so whilst it might
00:50:33look like Ferrari
00:50:34have lost out a bit
00:50:35as Pierre Kinsley
00:50:36right behind Esteban
00:50:37Ocon tries to squeeze
00:50:38down into turn three
00:50:39and Ocon gets hit
00:50:41by the front left
00:50:42tyre of the Alpine
00:50:43and then has to move
00:50:44off and out of the way
00:50:45Gasly's up in the
00:50:46tenth place
00:50:46but Ferrari
00:50:48they need to stop
00:50:49they haven't stopped yet
00:50:50the other leading
00:50:51contenders are all
00:50:52going to have to stop
00:50:53again
00:50:53it might be that
00:50:54they've not lost out
00:50:55if they can put a
00:50:57decent pace in
00:50:58these next few laps
00:50:59and that could be
00:51:00a big if
00:51:01looking at the pace
00:51:02of the two Mercedes
00:51:03and Antonelli
00:51:05flung along nicely
00:51:06but we'll see how
00:51:07they settle down
00:51:08again so the Ferraris
00:51:09in the 123s
00:51:10Russell 122.6
00:51:12on his fresher tyres
00:51:14so uh
00:51:15we can't help but
00:51:17think that the Mercedes
00:51:17is the faster car
00:51:19in this race
00:51:20but Ferrari have done
00:51:21well with getting
00:51:22track position
00:51:22mostly because of
00:51:23the start
00:51:25Leclerc leads
00:51:26from Hamilton
00:51:26one and a half
00:51:27seconds give or take
00:51:29the gap
00:51:30George Russell
00:51:32catching Lewis
00:51:33Hamilton
00:51:33in five laps time
00:51:34he's going to be
00:51:35right on the tail
00:51:36of his former
00:51:37teammate
00:51:37Kimi Antonelli
00:51:38runs in fourth
00:51:39Lando Norris
00:51:40fifth and Max
00:51:41Verstappen
00:51:41up to sixth
00:51:42after starting
00:51:4320th on the grid
00:51:44Arvid Lindblad
00:51:45is seventh
00:51:45and Ollie
00:51:46Behrman is eighth
00:51:47and there are five
00:51:47British drivers
00:51:48in this race
00:51:49currently
00:51:50the five British
00:51:51drivers are all
00:51:52in the top eight
00:51:52apologies to the
00:51:5415 other
00:51:54or the 14 other
00:51:55nationalities in this
00:51:56race
00:51:57you know but
00:51:58it's why the union
00:51:59flag there
00:52:00one of them
00:52:01on the
00:52:02grand world champion
00:52:03is not
00:52:04he's at quite any speed
00:52:05Lando Norris
00:52:06and Max Verstappen
00:52:07is catching him
00:52:07very quickly
00:52:09in every sector
00:52:10of the lap
00:52:11so for some reason
00:52:12and we haven't
00:52:13really seen
00:52:13any lightning pace
00:52:14from Norris
00:52:15and his McLaren
00:52:16today
00:52:17I just wonder
00:52:18as well
00:52:19with what happened
00:52:20to Oscar Piastri
00:52:21on the laps
00:52:22to the grid
00:52:22have McLaren
00:52:24had to be a bit
00:52:25cautious
00:52:25in this race
00:52:26to try and
00:52:27prevent
00:52:29anything like that
00:52:30happening to Lando
00:52:31in the races
00:52:31is the only McLaren
00:52:32in it
00:52:33you want to get
00:52:34to the checker flag
00:52:35but
00:52:36you do
00:52:36but no I think
00:52:37it was a very specific
00:52:38thing wasn't it
00:52:38with Pitt Street
00:52:39going to the grid
00:52:40there
00:52:40so
00:52:41yeah
00:52:42McLaren
00:52:43and Hamilton
00:52:44then
00:52:44running still
00:52:45in the mid 23s
00:52:46to Mercedes
00:52:48in the late
00:52:491 minute 22s
00:52:50and then a big
00:52:51gap to Norris
00:52:52in the late
00:52:531 minute 23s
00:52:54so he's at the 23.6
00:52:55his best lap
00:52:56of the race now
00:52:57Lando Norris
00:52:58but it's still
00:52:59it's still off the pace
00:53:01so
00:53:01we'll see how
00:53:03the rest of the afternoon
00:53:04unfolds
00:53:05Ollie Berman
00:53:06is right on the back
00:53:07of Arvid Lindblad
00:53:08as well now
00:53:09Ollie Berman
00:53:10in his second full season
00:53:12in Formula 1
00:53:14and having a much
00:53:15better Australian Grand Prix
00:53:16than he had down here
00:53:17in Albert Park
00:53:18last year
00:53:19where he didn't take part
00:53:20in qualifying
00:53:21started from the pit
00:53:22and only finished
00:53:23a 14th
00:53:24in the race
00:53:26Oscar Piastri
00:53:27speaking to the media
00:53:28we'll hear from him
00:53:30with Rachel Brooks
00:53:30in a short while
00:53:32he'll be absolutely
00:53:33devastated
00:53:33I'm sure
00:53:34with what's happened
00:53:35but he'll pick himself up
00:53:36go to China
00:53:37and try again
00:53:38under investigation
00:53:40Sergio Perez
00:53:42for forcing another driver
00:53:43off the track
00:53:44with Liam Lawson
00:53:45Stewart's having
00:53:47a little look at that one
00:53:48gap in the front
00:53:491.7 seconds
00:53:50between Charles Leclerc
00:53:51and Lewis Hamilton
00:53:52make that 1.6
00:53:53as Lewis crosses the line
00:53:55the gap back to George Russell
00:53:564.1 seconds
00:53:58give it another three laps
00:53:59the clever computer
00:54:00says he'll be right
00:54:01on the tail
00:54:02of Lewis Hamilton
00:54:03Bernie Collins to you
00:54:04yeah just going to
00:54:05quickly on what you said
00:54:06there about Landon Norris
00:54:07his pace looking
00:54:08a little bit off
00:54:09they have been discussing
00:54:10how he can improve
00:54:11that pace
00:54:12and he's just been told
00:54:13directly from the pit wall
00:54:14I know you're worried
00:54:15about the front left
00:54:16push a little bit more
00:54:17we're making this
00:54:18a two stop
00:54:19so it seems like
00:54:20Norris was a bit unsure
00:54:21how much management
00:54:22he needed to do
00:54:23on that front left tyre
00:54:24as we heard
00:54:25Martin describe earlier
00:54:26for Verstappen's car
00:54:27and now he's been told
00:54:29like a minute
00:54:29to two stop
00:54:30push on on this tyre
00:54:32a little bit more
00:54:32and he responds
00:54:34with his fastest lap
00:54:35of the race
00:54:35thanks Bernie
00:54:37yeah well that makes
00:54:38sense of that
00:54:39but he's still not
00:54:40in the 122s
00:54:41like the Mercedes
00:54:42where he needs to be
00:54:44so Ferrari then
00:54:46because they're
00:54:49deploying
00:54:49and regenerating
00:54:51obviously in exactly
00:54:52the same way
00:54:53they're
00:54:55unsurprisingly
00:54:56they're circling around
00:54:57circulating
00:54:58at a very
00:54:59consistent distance
00:55:00with the package
00:55:01they've got
00:55:02and obviously now
00:55:03I want to try to get
00:55:04these tyres
00:55:06somewhat further
00:55:07into the race
00:55:08but Hamilton's front
00:55:09looks ugly
00:55:10his front left tyre
00:55:12you can see
00:55:13that sort of dark
00:55:14stripe on it
00:55:15as he comes down
00:55:17the pit straight
00:55:17now his front left
00:55:19it's not pretty is it
00:55:20and he was
00:55:217 tenths of a second
00:55:22slower
00:55:22in Charles Leclerc
00:55:24on lap 24
00:55:26Charles Leclerc
00:55:27leading this race
00:55:28trying to do something
00:55:29that no one has
00:55:30ever done
00:55:31in the hybrid era
00:55:33here in Albert Park
00:55:34and that's win this
00:55:34Grand Prix
00:55:35from outside
00:55:36the top three
00:55:37on the grid
00:55:37he started fourth
00:55:38in this race
00:55:39the 1-2-3
00:55:40on this grid today
00:55:41was George Russell
00:55:42Kimi Antonelli
00:55:43and Isaac Hadjar
00:55:44Hadjar's out of the race
00:55:45so still
00:55:46the 1-2-3
00:55:47have never finished
00:55:48in that order
00:55:48in an Albert Park
00:55:49F1 race
00:55:50this is Pierre Gasly
00:55:51and his battle
00:55:52with Esteban Ocon
00:55:53there's a history
00:55:54between those two
00:55:55isn't there
00:55:55yeah there is
00:55:57here at Albert Park
00:55:58where the
00:55:59as teammates
00:56:00crashed into each other
00:56:01and were out
00:56:02of the race of ruin
00:56:03what would have been
00:56:03a sensational finish
00:56:04for them that day
00:56:05they're under investigation
00:56:07by the stewards
00:56:09Esteban Ocon
00:56:10has been noted
00:56:10for driving
00:56:11unnecessarily slowly
00:56:12and that was
00:56:13the box box
00:56:13shout
00:56:14from Ferrari
00:56:15to your race leader
00:56:16Charles Leclerc
00:56:18box and stop
00:56:19box and stop
00:56:20it is
00:56:21the international
00:56:23phrase for
00:56:24we want to see you
00:56:25in the pit lane
00:56:26please
00:56:26Ted is down there
00:56:28I know
00:56:28as Charles Leclerc
00:56:30navigates his way
00:56:31into what's
00:56:31quite a long entry
00:56:33before he gets
00:56:33to the speed limit line
00:56:36and there it is
00:56:36and take it away Ted
00:56:37but they've given away
00:56:3910 seconds of race time
00:56:40they've given
00:56:41Ferrari have given away
00:56:42race time
00:56:43that they could have had
00:56:44by stopping now
00:56:45yes it's onto the hard tyres
00:56:46yes this is target lap
00:56:48for a one stopper
00:56:49going medium to hard
00:56:50but they've just given away
00:56:52loads of lap time
00:56:53to Mercedes
00:56:54we'll see what happens
00:56:55to Lewis Hamilton
00:56:56he'll be praying
00:56:56for a VSC
00:56:57I don't know whether
00:56:58he's going to get it
00:56:59where he might get it
00:57:00Martin
00:57:01is that the Aston
00:57:03has rejoined the race
00:57:04Fernando Alonso
00:57:06has had a nice little time
00:57:07in the pits
00:57:08he's got the feeling
00:57:09back in his hands
00:57:10and has rejoined the race
00:57:12some how many laps down
00:57:1310 laps down
00:57:14yeah it still says
00:57:15on our timing screen
00:57:16that he's in the pits
00:57:16but you're right
00:57:17I can see him now
00:57:18out of the track
00:57:19he passed me
00:57:20I'm absolutely sure
00:57:20he's rejoined
00:57:21he's on the soft tyres
00:57:22and well done to Lance Stroll
00:57:24for making it past
00:57:24the 15 laps
00:57:26in fact we're now
00:57:2625 laps
00:57:27where he felt
00:57:28he couldn't continue
00:57:28because of the vibrations
00:57:29causing nerve damage
00:57:31to his fingers
00:57:31well look there's four drivers
00:57:32definitely out of this race
00:57:33if they can finish
00:57:34Aston Martin
00:57:35that might be
00:57:36very very important
00:57:37later on
00:57:39in the season
00:57:40Lewis Hamilton
00:57:41yet to pick
00:57:42don't forget of course
00:57:43Ferrari sticking
00:57:44to their guns
00:57:45and the strategy
00:57:46that they wanted
00:57:47going into this race
00:57:48and Russell and Antonelli
00:57:50are still going to have
00:57:51to pit again
00:57:51and if you haven't
00:57:52got the pace
00:57:53of the Mercedes
00:57:54and Hamilton's
00:57:54carrying on again
00:57:55if you can't beat
00:57:56Mercedes pace for pace
00:57:57throughout the race
00:57:58you've got to try
00:57:59a different strategy
00:58:01you have
00:58:01it feels like a mistake
00:58:03doesn't it
00:58:03because they're now
00:58:05if Mercedes
00:58:06have got a pit again
00:58:07which we expect
00:58:09they will
00:58:10they'll have much
00:58:11fresher tyres
00:58:12at the end
00:58:13of the Grand Prix
00:58:13anyway
00:58:13so there's the grainy
00:58:15you can see
00:58:15on his front tyre
00:58:16Lewis was really
00:58:18wrestling that car
00:58:19on the previous lap
00:58:20I was somewhat surprised
00:58:21that he didn't come in
00:58:22to the pit lane
00:58:23what he's trying to do
00:58:25is get a tyre offset
00:58:26against his team mate
00:58:28if he can get
00:58:28two or three laps
00:58:29further on these
00:58:30he'll have fresher tyres
00:58:32and a better chance
00:58:33of getting to the end
00:58:34than his team mate
00:58:35Charles Leclerc
00:58:36Bernie Collins
00:58:37yes
00:58:38just as that graphic
00:58:38shows there
00:58:39the difference
00:58:39between the Ferrari
00:58:40and the Mercedes strategy
00:58:42Mercedes
00:58:42gained those 10 seconds
00:58:44as Ted said
00:58:45during the first VSC
00:58:46and what they're hoping
00:58:47for is that
00:58:47their second pit stop
00:58:48if they gain a second
00:58:50manage to get another VSC
00:58:51or another safety car
00:58:52they'll see if that time
00:58:53again
00:58:54and that's what they're
00:58:55banking on
00:58:55on this Australian Grand Prix
00:58:57is the uncertainty
00:58:58that we know
00:58:59is coming with
00:59:00lots of retirements
00:59:01that we're seeing
00:59:02throughout it
00:59:03so the Mercedes
00:59:04if they get another safety car
00:59:06will have saved
00:59:07a full pit loss
00:59:08effectively
00:59:08and have quicker tyres
00:59:10for the stints
00:59:11in between
00:59:11Aston Martin
00:59:12decided to bring
00:59:13Fernando Alonso
00:59:14back into the garage
00:59:15after making some
00:59:16adjustments to their car
00:59:17that's why he's
00:59:18rejoined the race
00:59:20and here's the race
00:59:21for the lead
00:59:22Lewis Hamilton
00:59:23hasn't pitted yet
00:59:25lap 27
00:59:26of 58
00:59:27and he's got a gap
00:59:29of about 9 tenths
00:59:30of a second
00:59:30to George Russell
00:59:32Russell has pitted
00:59:33every single driver
00:59:35has been into the pits
00:59:36in this race
00:59:37other than Lewis Hamilton
00:59:39two-time winner
00:59:40here in Albert Park
00:59:42and whilst we watch
00:59:43this battle
00:59:44Sergio Perez
00:59:45has just been noted
00:59:46for ignoring blue flags
00:59:47I know he's been away
00:59:47for a year Martin
00:59:48but he must remember
00:59:49the blue flags
00:59:50yeah
00:59:50so he's not been
00:59:51letting the ladies
00:59:52through
00:59:52he doesn't seem
00:59:53very happy
00:59:53he didn't seem happy
00:59:54when I spoke to him
00:59:55on the grid either
00:59:55did he
00:59:56Sergio Perez
00:59:57but it's with
00:59:58approaching half distance
00:59:59he hasn't seen
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