Looking ahead to the British Grand Prix

I've had a month off. He didn't do anything wrong. I'm not saying that. If you can get an extra quid out of you, he will get an extra quid out of you. the windscream wiper fellllow I mean, did I think it was Blak Yeah, I didn't think it was bleed. Max delivered an unbelievable lab. The only thing that was annoying them was Caron. Were you not watching FP one sign in? You call Cw? Is that your name Park? Did you say Caru? I did yes. I do follow of thirs. A star, good job. You are top of the pile. There's one driver you want, it's Max. Crofty's waving to the public like a king M Hello everybody. Welcome to the F one S sponsored by Audi in which we're going to reflect on the Austrian Grand Prix and I'll do that with the help of two men that were there Caring Chandbook and David Croft, I was lucky enough to watch you to observe you from the comfort of my living room. Great weekend. actually's been I have a month off and Sorry, you just don start with it fresh.. Thanks, Mate. Thanks. Theough fllaming June and a lot of sport on I've been I've got a World Cup fever M not jooying the cricket, but loved all weekend there was so much. I mean it was it was fascinating all the way from mean the Saturday lets let's go back to Saturday. I know you guys discussed it at Nauseum, but that's the only place to start really and I suppose was after Max Verstappen's crash at turn nine and the The single yellow that only turn into a double waved yellow guys after after twenty seconds. and I wonder, I suppose the question is, did that pole position set a dangerous precedent. Youve got a car in the wall at hundred and forty miles per hour. Why on earth didn't we get double wave yellows straight away? Can I start with you, Croon on that one See, there is a gold after allall is muted I didn't mean to tell Good st It st. M work. Cry on though. I can't carry on. Hi. I think it's worth explaining for everyone wh just what happened. So as Max was starting to spin, the marshals at that marshalss post elected press a single yellow on the light panel. Now they have the authority to also do a double yellow, but they chose to go a single, which Honestly I don I don't blame them for it. you know, they are that's a judgment call that they have chosen to make. I then believe that race control should have instantly corered an override and got a double yellow and it should not have been twenty two second lag because As you rightly said, Simon, it's a blind crest, one hundred and forty milile in an ourour corner, Cal the barrier fromrom what I understand from Laura Micys is that it triggered the Um the G sensor, which trigger the deployment of the medical car, which basically tells you he's had a massive shant and he's not going to drive out of it So It's pretty clear when cars had that accident, G sensors come up, go double yellow High speed corner, so I think there's there's definitely a discussion that needs to be had around why that didn't happen Dty I've not spoken to a single person in the paddock who believes it was right to have a single waved yellow instead of a double waved yellow. Now I've not spoken to people in Mercedes about this and on sporting grounds. they might feel that it was absolutely fine. Nobody wants to see drivers having their laps canceled out or spoilt, potential poll lapse because of flags But it is part and parcel of what happens in qualifying. and it's the risk you run by being lasted out on the track. You've got a risk and reward, haven't you? You get the better conditions, nine times out of ten You you've run for Pope. could be curtailed by a double wave yellow This is safety we're talking about here And for an organization like the FIA who continually bang on about safety, So then have something that is unsafe and it is unsafe to have a car against the barriers on the outside of a one hundred and forty mile hour corner where other drivers are just fractionally lifting off bangled about safety and then allow that to happen And I would like to see a thorough review into what happened there so that we can understand, careareer myself, you, everybody can understand why race control thinks that that is acceptable. I'm still angry about this on grounds of safety because we should be putting that first not the show Yeah, I mean I understand your point on it. there's a couple of things to discuss with regards to. I mean the safety thing aside, there's also the way the two Mercedes drivers played it as well to within You know, the single yellow came out. George, well, give me out today. he made a mistake. He misread it He initially thought probably like hisselves that it was going to be a double wave yellow and therefore although would have shedown in his dash, right? So he pulls in and abandons the lap Whereas I suppose George using all his guile didn't anticipate it being double yellow straight away, did the lift the hundred meter lift, lost himself a tenth and a half but still managed to gain poles so All of experience there and and whatever you think about the way George's weekend went and it kind of did again, you know, the the pace was there, then it wasn't there That was a magnificent lap up to that point that with even with a tenth and a half lost in that corner, he still went on to take poll. So how did he assess that crew and the way the two Mercedes tribers handled it So I think I'll pick up on your last point first, Simon. George was point one four up before either of them lifted. So first of all, I think he was on course for Position and That should not be taken away from him. I think on Kimmy I have some sympathy for him because as he, you know, had a driven that track and dri in that corner, when you look at it from the driver's eyeeline You come over a brow from turn eight And your eyeline is already kind of looking to the right hand side for where that blind apex is And he was the first car behind Max, the panel flashed And it would have been in the corner of his eye. you're right. You get it also on the steering wheel. but As we said before, it's a two hundred and thirty kilometer now corner. You're not looking down at the basash on the approach He would have just seen Yellow come up. and made the same assumption as we did whichich is if there's a car that's crashed at that corner, it's probably a double and he bailed out of it Bpallington, his race engineer, came on the radio and said yellow, yellow, yellow. He didn't say single, he didn't say double. He just said yellow, yellow, yellow. So Maybe that's something for them to reflect on and I'm sure they will. you know, they in the future I suspect they'll add the word single or double to that. George, you are right New the rules users experience, knew what to do, knew what the flags were But let's bear in mind he had an extra five seconds And he had time Yeah on the run up from Tour eight to see the panel much more clearly. you know, for anyone who's watched the onboard of Kimy Aidentally, he was He was basically under the panel. It would have just been in the corner of his eyes. So I think in Kimmy's defense He made a decision on based on assumption, which I don't I don't think he can beat himself too much about Now I think it's worth saying as well. and Carun and I said this in commentary. George did absolutely nothing wrong at all. I've seen George get a bit of stick for this on social media. It's not right. He didn't do anything wrong the lift that he was meant to have lifted saying that I'd like to actually sit down with George with his GPDA hat on Now, not the George Russell hat, but the GPDA hat and say Do you think what happened was acceptable Take your own personal situation out of this, but do you think that that was acceptable because Well, I'd just be really interested to see now what he would think because he might not think the correct procedure was followed Yeah, I mean, double yellows just to be clear that youve got to slow down and be prepared to stop single yellow, not set the fastest time. in the relevant sector. So that's the letter of the law and lifted off and yeah, I suppose it's a wider philosophical debate, but I also saw You know, the keyboard warriorors going in hard on George, but That's George isn't he? And what was Totos' Toto say after is that a cold blooded effort from George on the weekend, he disagreed with that and said it was it was calm and collected perhaps that's He's a long way behind he's got to I mean he's going to be prioritizing catching his teammate up right now, isn't he and playing playing everything to his advantage using all of that experience in situations like this He's going to you know, George is that kind of guy he's the kind of guy that will go I am going to do this by the letter of what I know and he leaves nothing left to chance and he would have he would have known those rules. a have extra five seconds. but Ultimately was a it was a race weekend. He needed to win and he did it And I think Simon, this is the point, you know, as much as I take Kraf' view, you know, as a GPDA director, He will probably look at it and say it should have been a dou b yellow if the If it was the other way around, if he'd crashed and M match was on the lap, I'm sure he would be saying it should have been a double yellow But I think this is the point. When you step over the side of the cockpit of a racing car, you get in it, you take off your GPDA hat at that point, you put on your racing driver helmet And you are playing to the same rules and regulations as everybody else. So I think it's really unfair that he's got a load of stake because He played to the rules And more importantly, as we made the point before He did the hard work even before they got to that corner to be ahead of not just Kimatinlli, but of Max Verstappen and the Ferraris and everybody else. So And you know, that should not be taken away from him Nope, I mean, K you misread the situation And he would have started alongside George had he not given up that lap. Toto said it's a mistake he wouldn't make again. But from George's perspective and with the championship in mind, that's his first win since Australia three and a half months ago. And I think he admitted, didn't he after the race that he's been in pretty place He's had some low moments. You can understand that when your teamate, your teenage teammate got five in a row. So with Silverston in mind and that in the immediate horizon, what a great time for him to try to show some form, perhaps tryry and pick up three race victories or four race victories on the spin prior to the summer break, which would bring him right back into things Yeah, it's the perfect momentum builder for Silverson for George as well. I we might not be having this conversation had his, you know, battery not conulked out in Canada for instance when when he was leading the race There have been moments when he has been beaten easily by his teammate. But there have been moments that George has shown why he was that Mercedes team leader for a few years as well I don't think he should beat himself too much The one thing that does concern me on George's season is the fact that coming into the race in Australia, he was talking about these cars not suiting his style of driving Now we've heard that before. Oscar Piastri, for instance, last year towards the back end of the season Is that a driver coming up with excuses or realizing actually ow, No, I'm not in the best place because last year's regulations suited me a lot better and these cars probably suit my teammate a lot better. And if that is the case, then George is going to have to reinvent George and we're going to have to see Russell two point zero to have that championship challenge He said that though, didn't he, Cr? He said he was trying to he took on that Austrian weekend in a slightly different manner, whereby it wasn't just dat to dat to data, delve into that, try and turn that into performance on track. He just tried to drive it as he saw it. Did you notice that from George or not? Yeah, he said that in Spain, Deny S in as well. when he got that pold position. he said, you know, I just focus on my own thing I think you know, I spoke with George briefly on Sunday And He was pretty open to admit it was harder in in Austria to find the pace. you know, he seemed behind in qualifying. I know he did the lap in free practice on Friday but Kimy didn't get the final run in It seemed harder. in Barcelona from the first run of FP he was right there and the laps were coming effortlessly delivered and qualifying. he was he became the favourite And Kidney was slightly other by foot Until we got the Grand Prix Austria seemed harder for him to get to that point. He seemed a bit behind But you know, he delivered when it mattered in that Q three lab. And actually in the Grand Prix, he did a fantastic job. And I think he will take a lot of confidence out of the Grand Prix while in Spain, qualifying was superb In the race, he was slower than Kimmy on the hard tyre. He got overtaken by Kimy before Kimmy dropped out O track So The fact that in Austria, he managed the gap back to Max. He was listening on the radio. He said they were sort of counting down the gap. He was just managing it you know, they've got that reliability concern at Mercedes as we know from earlier this season. And he will be very encouraged that when he needed the pace to open up that gap to ten point seven seconds with Max, he was able to do it And when he needed to manage the gap now to keep Max out overtake, he was able to do it. And he wasn't able to do that in Barcela and got beaten by Lewis Hamilton and would have been beaten by Kimy Anony. So I think He would come to the British Grand Prix with a lot of confidence out of Austria That said, I think all of us would probably admit that Rw pace of Antonlli is more than of George. I mean, you look at it. there was a three The three cars in the end of the Austrian Grand Prix were separated by less than two seconds. Kimmy was off the track multiple times at the start of the race. he's blaming uneven brake temperatures. on that, but it's still there and he's still just As you say, the war pace, I would argue Kimmy's raw pace is greater than George's Does the hair always bait the tortoise? That's the question. I mean, if you want to call Georgeia Torttoise, you one I was just gonna say, I'm not saying that violate it here I'm just Well I'm just trying to find a speedy and a slower Yeah thing. Yeah. I'm not I' already up said Nikita Mazzipin in the weekend coffee. Oh yes. C I call them out live on the podcast? Is that happening on this what you tell me about But you are watching FP one Simon I That's a session I didn't miss was F. I think it was FP three on the Saturday morning. There were a whole load of black rubber marks, like circles, tyre circles on the track. and for the benefit of our viewers, I said that's not an F one demonstration by Niita Mazapin, that's actually the Drifters that have been out there Right? So As a result, GP Fans Gobal, you know, your first portal call for CickB on Instagram has put this up today David Croft apologizes live on air for remarks about former F one driver. because I said this and Karin said, Oh, that's a bit harsh. So I said no harsh but fair. We didn't call him Maz a spin for nothing. I'm seriously I'm doubling down on it. And yeah, some of then apologized because you know I thought it was only right to do so, but that apparently is what classifies as a Formula one story these days. Great Right, let's pick it up. can I clear my throat here Pless. Too much shouting U England Panama on on Saturday night that was How How did you what were you shouting at England Panama? Like for heavens sake Belliam shing when Bellingham scored and get in when Harry Kane score, but that's, you know, and, you know, and of course qualifying on the race's been look I told you it's been ' been an sporting weekend where I've had to showout out to tell you a lot. Right Max Verstappen obviously out in qualifying as we've discussed, but he turned it aroundound and finished within one point six seconds of George Russell. He's always very good in Austria. Um, The upgrades clearly work. for them, it looks like actually, I mean if If you think about what's going on, they've been classified as the bestest engine It's the chassis that has been the issue. Will he be satisfied with these upgrades because for the first time I mean, I mean you can argue that there was one other opportunity as well earlier in the season, but You know, he's now Call. at a track like Austria where he can challenge these Mercedes cars through That was the most convincing performance we've seen from Red Bull and Max this season, I think. You know, on Friday They looked a bit uncomfortable trying to get the upgrade to work, but they hit the ground running on Saturday I think if he hadn't gone off on the curb and done whatever damage he did in qualifying, which cost him the rear downforce and therefore causeed the accident He would have been third on the grid. And if he had been third on the grid, I think he would absolutely have challenged George much more. So I think that's the first what if. The second what if is I wonder if they just went a bit too long on that second stint there because the gap, he was down to one point two seconds and I was saya Crofty point. piling on the pressure. He's not allowing George to get comfortable and top up the battery where he wants and piling on the pressure Mercedes pull George in Red Bull opted to extend Max for an extra six laps. and I think it just took the pressure off George and allowed him to open up the gap. So you know, hindsight twenty twenty, but I think maybe Reble didn't expect the cliff to go so badly wrong in the gap to get that big. So But overall, I think That is what Max wants, isn't it? He has said all along He's not expecting it to be a given that he has the best car the grid. What he wants is to drive in a car and a team that allows him to fight. victies, allows him to fight for the worldorld Championship And if they can now carry on that development then Why would he leave? So they've just got to keep this development going. They've got to keep bringing baits They've got to keep giving him that opportunity As Crawy heed out, his manager Raymond Vag Murin said, Nas Verstappen was not born to race in the midfield. He was born to race in the front They one't just look at what happened to Max over the weekend, The fact that Isaac Hageel was in contention as well in, you know, in the top six points to a very good upgrade package I'm But it wasn't just what happened in that race and the points that Max got It's now Max's future once again. And these were the this was the big story. going into the race on Sunday, The fact that that Max's management had instigated a chat with Zach Brown at McLare and the CEO there What reasons? to sound out the potential about Max going there leverage against Red Bull in terms of future contracts with the team. you know, we don't know the ins and outs of that discussion, but Zach you know, rightly took the meeting, said he took the meeting and they've had that conversation. So there's another team now that Max can be linked with because I think the route to Mercedes, as I've said before has been closed off Red buull. are under pressure those developments, Engine, ICE and Aero Give Max that potential to compete Because he and his management his management more than him, so I think I'm making no secret of the fact that there could be other options here And he's not tied to a future at Milton Keynes even though that would be his number one choice. So it's putting the pressure right back on everyone at Milton Kynes to keep coming up with the goods Yeah, I mean, with regards to the exit clause, you know, for less than seconds outside of the top two somewhere we don't know when it is, but somewhere in August and he has the opportunity to to exercise that that exit clause. but he doesn't have to notify anyone until October. So that's the thing. He's got that up his sleeve and whether he can use that as a bargaining chip. My point on it is I think I agree with you, Kreon on this is that You think about from a standing start where Rbel power trarains are the best Judged as being the b best engine compared to the others so that Mercedes outside the two percent have have an opportunity to upgrade this year and once next year and and Ferrari outside of four percent, although some people are saying six to eight percent and off of the red boat. power trarain And they get a couple of opportunities, but it's kind of weirdly judged, isn't it with regards to whereas on the ICE as opposed to everything combined Yeah, I think what's happened is the way that the development tokens are being awarded is based purely on the ICE. On the face of it, I I look at and go, well, this just seems bizarre because C is propelled by one hundred percent of power fifty three comes from the ICE, forty seven from the electric So Why would you only award tokens based on fifty three percent of the car you know of the power they' being pushed because That doesn't seem fair You know, the end result is based on one hundred percent, not just the fifty three No. The other teams would argue saying, listen, the electric sideite is all capped anyway. You got a fixed number of kilowatts, you got a fixed number of megaoules. All that's fixed anyway, all capped So then you know I think the question is more around whether Red Bll should have been given or an opportunity But it's like how have Mercedes managed to maneuver themselves in a position to get the upgrades. I think that's what's baffled everybody. Yeah. The people at Red Bull Ptins are saying, Hey, listen We're not upset that we haven't been given tokens actually, because you know what? this is given us an A star endorsement. Our first term report says, A stAar, good job, you are top of the pile. What they are a bit annoyed about is how Mercedes have managed to slip under the radar winning all the one Grand Prix and give themselves the opportunity to upgrade. That's what they're annoyed about Yeah, it is bizarre, but taking it back to Max Verstappen U Therefore, there's a lot of positives aren't there in what Red Bull have achieved so far this year. They've also they've got the chassis down to being overweight and shipping what a couple of tenths per lap up until now. and the upgrades that they have brought have worked. Therefore, they have, since Miami, I think, transitioned absolutely in the right direction. It's just you know what Raymond Verm Mulin is like as his manager. And if he If he can get an extra quid out of you, he will get an extra quid out of you because he's He's representing his client. He knows he's got a job Mes Cin, exactly. that's his job and he's definitely the most sought after on the grid. If you're Zach Brown, surely you are seriously looking at Max Verstappen wasas it Bernie came out on Saturday in Austrip? not our Bernie, that Bernie, Bernie Ecclston and said cost is nothing You know, there's one driver you want it's Max. So why would McLaren and Zack Um not have a look at that And they should. I don't think it's Zach saying I want to get rid of Lando or I want to get rid of Oscar As a CEO of one of the leading teams and the deffending Constructors Champions, you've got to know what's out there. and you've got to have these sort of conversations. That said, quite sure I'd have been hugely amused if I was Oscar Piastri or his management that Zach was having this conversation because you know the inference is if Max came Oscar would be the one to make way, you know because Llando has won that world championship S saying that there' probably be a seat then at Red Bull for Oscopy Astr and he could do a straight swap I think there's a point here that everyone's actually just doing their jobs as well. You know, Raymond's job is to look at every option available for his client, Zach's job is to see if the number one driver on the grid is available and So should every other team principple because I think back to Saturday Cffee, we're talking about Q two, willn't we and on a you set of soft tires Max delivered an unbelievable lap. Redbull put him in a position of risk by saying you only get three sets of tyres new tyires for qualifying You have to do this on a used set and you went quicker than hadjah on a new set and delivered one of those labs and you go That's the value of the guy. That's why because you know you can bank on him. The team know They could give him a car and he will absolutely fulfill the potential. He doesn't have a bad day and in those high pressure moments, he doesn't wt under the pressure. But you look I watch some of the enmbos of Barcelona, right? And You know, you see those long corners there. we saw Antonell' resting his head in the headreress and the other drivers they sort of, you know, you could see the figillion And you're deep in the race and Max is like leaning into the corner.'s he's just he's just a beast. He's relentless lap after lap. and Yeah, if you were Zach, if you were Fred, if you were every other te in principple You should be talking to Raymond van Muellin and finding out, hey, what's the story And I agree with you. And actually when when you look at the Ferrari straight line speed, the McLaren straight line speed, particularly in that run up to turn for the weekend, And you think, okay well they've got work to do, haven't they?ve they've got to get and themselves up to the same sort of standards of as Mercedes and Red Bull when it comes to employing that power. That was the issue for them all weekend and And therefore, I suppose some question marks over that, which we'll need to discuss when we come back next a short break And when we come back, we'll discuss Lis Hamilton's weekend which tailed off for him as did Charlot Clres and also McLarennce Welcome back to the F one show sponsored by Audi. Let's get into Ferrari, shall we? spepecifically Lee Lewis Hamilton and the way that he's wee I mean look really good to start with. I suppose it was a little bit of a misnown, wasn't it? their qualifying positions because Antonlli and Max Verstappen probably would have been ahead but for the mistake for Max Verstappen and the fact that Antonelli abandoned his lap thinking that it was double waved yellows. So they qualified in second and third Charleac Cler noticeably fell away. Lewis Hamilton early on looked okay, but then Tires started to get chewed up and went on to the three stop. That was basically the story of Ferari's weekend, wasn't it? They kind of wilted in the he, didnn't they Crofee Yeah, they did a bit. I think if you looked at the Ghost car comparison, between Che Lecler and George Russell after qualifying, you would get a sense that it wasn't really going to be Ferrari's day, Mercedes was so much faster on the straight that there was no chance Ferrari were going to catch them. Lewis had a bit of I He had bit of a disagreement about strategy And and Ferrari, you know, we're saying we're saying on Sunday morning that the three stopper is a little bit slow Lewis wanted to do a three stopper Ferrari said no, it is a two stopper and then they committed really early to that three stopper for Lewis anyway. gave us some great action with him and Max Verstappen and a brilliant battle there But he just as soon as he had the hard tyres on, there was no pace there with the Ferrari for him all for show. This is a bit of a wake up call, I think for that Ferrari ICE and an overall power unit package because it just didn't L I think it was always going to struggle because we' at altitude and that smaller turbo that the Ferrari has is not as effective at altitude. might be a different story at Silverston But I think it shows that they've still got a bit of a long way to go despite Lewis winning in Barcelona and winning well ye, I mean, the next engine upgrade will come, they think summer break, so it'll be ready for Zanvor or for home Grand Prix at Monza But I routinely they were giving up twenty K KPH T the Mercedes on the approach to the turn for right hander. I mean, that was the issue for them, wasn't it? As you said, it's just you've got a series of long straights no big breaking zones really in Austria. and as a result of that, they just they weren't recovering as well as some of the others, particularly on the super cllipping Yeah, I think we also have to be a little bit careful with the straight linees pasing because it's also linked to drag. Let's keep in mind. peopleeople often talk about how wonderful their chassis is and how amazing they are the corners. Well There's an element of downforce. There So you know a racetrack is made up of everything and they were competitive in Monte Carlo and Barcelona because they got great downforce and great rotation in slow speed corners The negative effect of lotots of downfalls is drag. so we have to be a little bit careful to separate whether It's just a small turbo, this is that because The reason they're quick in the corners is because they have that extra downforce and they could easily take some off and be fast on the straight, but then that's a compromise they have chosen Um, I think the reality is They just suffered very, very badly on the hard tre in that race. You know, in the first stint, Lewis was okay Crafty wasn't he was able to fight with Max and he wasn't dropping that far off George initially Both cars in the hard tire. I mean, Leclerc Yeah from the front row of the grid to finish eight. That's analling day of the office. abutely appalling day of the office. But he just he feels to me like I mean he's just in one of those moments. he's just not trusting the balance of the car. was it was allright in in quality mode and on low fuel. it wasn't chewing up Um the rear tyres, but but it was And as you said, over half of the The race, I think Lewis spent on the hard tyre and as a result of that, it wasn't particularly Yeah, they just fean away, didn't they They did. And if I was Charlot le Clire, I'd be a little bit worried as well because that's the fourth race in a row now. he's been comprehensively beaten by his teammate, this should be a great time for Che Lecler he just signed a new contract to stay with the Scooterar for many years and Lewis is performing Well sometimes exceptionally well and show just starting to to struggleer touch Iszy the number two at Ferrari But is he the moment is the moment He's forty six points behind And I think before they were going to support a tilt at the title of the Mercedes drivers maybe I mean, I don't know Would they their gold ro Yes, because Ferrari, the team that the play for the team and they put everything there for the team. And Sal might have to be playing for the team, which is his teammate Big call that. I mean it's still quite early in the season M only had eight rounds of Potentially twenty four, but maybe maybe twenty one. you thought about George Russell struggling and you know how's all looking bleak for George Russell. You can't change it around so an early stage of the season because it's now Louis Charles He thought it was bleak. I mean did I think it was bleak? Yeah, I didt think it was blink, but but I think it did thinkick myself with him like that. I think it'd be I think they've done it before. We know that with Ferrari. they They're a team that don't mind a number one and a number two just after Ask Rubens, etcera, etca. But I think that Both Lewis and Chhar would have a tough time with that, wouldn't they her Yeah, I think so. I don't think they're going to make the call just yet. But if we get to the summer break and there is There's two ifs here, right? so we can't answer now. But first one is if we get the summer break and Lewis is still significantly headad of shl And point B, if we get to celebrate and Lewis starts to become in contention for the points, couple of DNFs for Mercedes, a couple of wins for Lewis between now and Budapest, then there's a review to be had. for Zanve and beyond. I don't think anything will happen between now and the summer break. Okay But we now arrive it's just an unbelievable record, though. If you're a Lewis Hamilton fan, and there will be many, many thousands heading to Silverston this weekend I think he's right in saying he he's won nine of nineteen races if he wins this year. ten of twenty, fifty percent win rate at your home circuit. simimilar energy demands from Silverston. Yeah yeah, okay, we don't have the altitude which will have affected that small turbo, but It feels to me that they might have Um, Reasonably similar problems that they had in Austria up against Mercedes, at the very least and the Max Verstapp and Red Bull Yeah, but with Karin sporting a Williams t shirt, let's paraphrase Nigel Mansel to say that home support gives you at least ten seconds a lap of extra pace. Well I'm glad you mentioned my t shirt. Look, this is a nod to the first ever Williams win in the FW or seven. Clar Regatoni, nineteen seventy nine, British C P I'm deing on Absolutely. was meant to be Alan Jones? Welles, I think's the one in my car it to be Allan Jones. Yeah. But it was Clay Reggers only in the end. seeee? number one, number two drivers. we're going back to that again L, I I think I think Ferrari might just struggle a touch at Silverston this weekend. I'm trying to temper enthusiasm for a Lewis Hamilton when I would love to see a tenth win at Silverston for Lewis Hamilton and actually a win for three different constructors as well. Alan Prost did that. Lewis Hamilton could do that. No one else has ever done that as service sort of the British Grand Prix you know Judging by the comments that Max was coming out with about the demands of Silverston and what we have been talking about between us, This is not going to be an easy track at all for these new power units, these new regulations and Ferrari might suffer a similar fate to they did in Austria Okay, we'll watch that space, Oviously there' be a lot of home support for McLaren I suppose their straight line speed was fightly exposed as well was near the weekend eight eight kilometers per hour slower. the number Mercedes in the run up to turn four again to draggy U and and then they believe they're there kind of a couple of months behind others as a customer team. and that's what's holding them back at the moment. Would you agree with that, Caron and also What do you take from that? when you think If you are a works team like your you know of the others of the bigig four, they all are now that Red will have taken on their own engines. how much of a disadvantage going forward is that? have they got to wait to the end of a rules cyle like they did last time to be able to catch up or can they do it quicker that it's a tricky one because what we're talking about is software. You know, that's where they're playing catch up and that's what they're saying is the disadvantage of not being a works team If I'm honest, I feel they are behind though on in terms of the chassis development at the moment. you know, if you look at whereere they were in Miami, the upgrade they brought in Miami delivered a big leap of performance So much so that Orlando could have, and arguably should have won that Grand Prix At no other point since then had they looked like a contender for the win and Ferrari broad upgrades a big package of Sain, Rebel broad Brig upgrades Mercedes It feels like it's more about the chassis development and upgrade race that McLaren have lost a little bit of ground on. So They've got a few bits coming to service in and a few bits to sp. The macarina wighing Cffee we think is only coming after the summer break, isn't it? they're gonna test on a a filming day somewhere I think. So say I think they've slipped behind on the development race and I'm not sure the software thing is necessarily you know, the the issue holding back their overall performance right now. They reckon they're short on gear ratios as well, which is not helping them at the the end of straight. You can change that once in a year, but it's whether the upside is worth You know, all the hassle of changing everything. I they they were really really buoyant about their chances before the wheels had turned at the start of this season. And I tend to agree with Carine on this one. I think what we have seen now is that they didn't they didn't come with the best package. They haven't upgraded to be the best package. They are having trouble integrating that their chassis with the power unit Yes, they've had how unit issues That's not all been because of any problems with the Mercedes Power unit Some of it is kind of chassis related. I'm led to believe on this one. But they're therere all thereabouts. I thought Osar Oscar was pretty anonymous in the race, but to be anonymous and finish fourth, I think he's absolutely fine. Lando certainly struggled in that race and cananill afford to repeatated that again. But once again, I don't think he's going to have that issue at Silverstone. I hope he doesn't Becauseuse you know Carun and his friends at Silverston have spent a lot of money on the Llando stand. It looks absolutely magnificent. and we want to see some celebrations down there, Carun. Yeah This m happenings at home. N sixteen the h thousand. Where is it nineteen and a hf? No, no, it's sixteen and a half. sixteen. is it something to me nineteen of that h? No, is we'd like it to get a twenty, but it's sixteen and a half this year It's amazing. I mean I mean, when you looked at it, I like the way Bernie how we can show this because we've got it. she wasn't particularly happy with some of the cladding that she's put on the group there So it's not quite lined up for her and then it's it's you know the different coloration. So that's something for the the rapping team to work out. But I mean, there's so much h support fifth. I just hope that I don't know, for George's sake, I hope he gets as much. of the of the crowd behind him as As Lando gets and Lewis gets because you know he's the one that's got the best chance best tilt at a championship at the moment. youd think up against Antonlli. I mean, we'll just discuss Lewis' opportunities, but Lando for the first time is coming as a reigning world champion and you should imagine there'll be a huge uptick for him. He must get a massive boost from that Musinia Oh yeah. I mean, it's going to be such a special weekend for all five of the home drivers., you know, forlando As you say, is it' a fantastic homecoming I think it's slightly unfortunate we are now nearly halfway into this year where the novelty might have wn off of being worldorld Champion. his mind is filming on what's happening in the here and now But I hope he gets to enjoy it. I hope he gets to enjoy the whole coming You know, I'm sure. He'll get an amazing reception when we do the Fon show on Thursday on the grid, you know, the crowd, they love him, don't they when you do that that live introduction timing and get him out there, saying for Louis For whatever reason, George isn't as popular for the fans as the other two Youre you're absolutely right. You know, he is At the moment, it feels like the favorite of the British drivers to be chasing the world Championship. So I hope the crowd do get behind him and at a track where by the way, since Melbourne, this is going to be the hardest circuit for energy, I think, you know, such an incredibly fast track We were on the flight crafty with The racing bll drivers, Mt in shouting with with them a little bit at the airport and the saying is It's incredibly hard. You know, it's going to be really tricky to get all of that right Were you with both of the drivers from racing Blls They were sitting one behind the other With they spaming to each other after what happened Yes. Go back over it if you could I mean, it was There was no of a nau, naught boy, wasn't he Yeah, well they were asked to swap positions. So Liam said, that's fine. And then Harvid didn't necessarily respond quite as kindly to giving the positions back again. Alan Permaine did ask Liams just to calm down a bit as he pulled in, but By the time they left the track, everything was fine, by the time they got on our plane, given they'd had another ninety minute delay to get used to the idea, they were absolutely fine. The only thing that was annoying them was Carun, who refused to sit down in their seat and was chatting to them for most of the flight. I can picture the scene that's one of your specialities, isn't it? Annoying drivers, current drivers. plan number one U I imagine Allan th And mean no nonsense. He would have been straight talking in the debrief, wouldn't he and said, No more of this, please. Lovely bloke I could imagine he'd have laid down the law for the pair of them Yeah, I'm sure he would. but you know what? I'm really glad that Avid Limblad didn't stick to the team plan because if heither stuck to the team plan Liam Lawson wouldn't have pulled off the double overtake after losing position turn three and double overtake after that on his teammate Annollie Beermman stop. was the move of the race quite frankly. fair place to Liam Lawson on that one that that was that was a man who was going to send it, knew where he was going to send it and was going to deliver at the same time I mean, all the whole was a really good weekend for them, wasn't it? You know, at the end of the day, the midfield are now shopping further behind the top four teams who in the development race obviously are going to just keep piling on bits more frequently than the midfield And so for the likes of racing Balls, Alped, Audi Williams, et ccera. they're all battling for ninth and tenth. And if you can get both cars to secure ninth and tenth You've absolutely won your race of the midfielder and they did Come onent and let's talk about You know, the team on your t shirt Ioney's just awful for Williams at the moment. you know, on pure pace they're probably the ninth fastest car. I mean, thehead of of Audi, but Audi's reliabilities haven't helped them. sites with his car switched off. They have got upgrades for Silverston, but by God, Caron James Vals and the whole of the team use a lift right now. Do you see them getting that? I mean, as I said, it's been a weight loss issue, but it's been more than that and you know, if your Carlos sciences management team, You know, you've been sold a dream here Williams and it's not prevailed. twenty twenty six was the target and happening. Yeah, you're right. You know, I think Barcelona and Austria has exposed a real weakness in their cars between the aero package and the weight Um, It's not it's not goingone well. you know, they they're already talking about, I think You know, the future years etcetera, et ceter. how much time will science give them? You know, how much time is science going to wait for this to unfold? Obviously, he's got the contract in place, but I think you raise a valid point time mean, you know should he be sniffing around elsewhere? because Where's he going to go Well there's I mean, Audi if you think about I mean, it would he would he go to another midfield team? I mean, the key here again is Max Versteppen, isn't it? If Max decide if someone takes Max Then the whole thing is chaos again, I think. And then maybe Red Bull,s there's other options Yeah. and I think it's all true, isn't it? You know, So coming back to your original question Williams it's a tricky weekend here Silverson because it's a high speed aero dependent circuit. weight is going to play a factor. you know, those high speed changes of direction through magnets and buckets and stuff You know, you serve quite a big weight penalty. So could be a tricky one for them You know, we'll see what their upgrade does. Maybe the upgrade does benefit on both sides and Frags are back. They were the ninth fastest car on pure pace in recent weekends That's the key. the upgrade's not going to cure all the problems, but it's getting a little less heavy. By the time we get to Monza, there should be another upgrade coming there and then the weight that they needed to shed will have gone Now others might have made a step forward on top of that But I think Monza is the real key one there I don't think Be I actually do think Max Verstappen will stay at Rebel. I don't think Carollos Science has got other places to go. and I could be wrong here, but Audi aren't going to get rid of Holenberg or B boughtceato, I wouldn't have thought because they're doing a super job for them. Yeah, there might be a seat to Aston Martin, but that's, you know, jumping out of one frying pan into into a red hot fire at the moment And then, you know, where would you go after that Yeah. okay we're entering silly season if was speaking of another driver. potentially is under a lot of pressure. Est Bar Oockon They're talking about parts consistency. they've got a problem But has. missing rear downfors I've heard a lot of complaints, haven't you from Mr. Bannoock on this year? I think he feels being harshly treated potentially within the media as well. But again, he's being well beaten by his teammate Ollli Bhermman And is he one of the As we enter CivV season, is he one of the drivers that's under the most pressure, would you say, Carw? Yes I think he's been under pressure all season. Paul Ceru? Is that your name? D did you say Caru? didid be C Y you clearly chumping a the bit to jump in? I would agree. I think he would be feeling to a you, wn't he? Be Um he's now down eight three or qualifying across all the sessions that you can compare them That's not a good score. He's even in the weekend, he was a long way behind in the race and Maybe they' all issues with the I thought you know, there's That's a big gap I don't No who the alternatives are. We've heard Raphael Camera who's a Ferrari junior. Oviously Ferrari big links with Has. They've placed Ollie Bhan there. so maybe they would place their current F two star Wh's doing a very good job in F two. He could be another option U you be Sona sniffing. Yeah. I know I know you want to jump in. right. you said you didn't know who the options were. I'm trying to I'm missing them out. Okay U I carry on. Go on. you Soda. And who else Crafty do you think is an option for Has He's Jack Jack D, Wh went I was gonna say And that went quiet. Sorry, Jack. How you keep wor I'm just just I'm just telling you the options. Yuki Senoda's the option. Yuki Senoda's the number one choice. Is? an upgrade? Is it an upgrade I'm not sure I would go for camera. I would go for a young hot shot. If they were going to change it I think I think go for a young hot shot. you know, Bem Bairman's got to experience that by don get to the next season He would be in a third year. They've got an experienced number one driver. whyy not get a young hot shot in? Because then if Ollie does get promoted to Ferrari down the line, then Camera can step into that role. So to me U Yeah, if they were looking to change, I would go I would go for a young after hot shot The last one on Cadillac, by the way, Six laps between them although Perez reckon they had the fight They could have taken the fight to Williams on pace. in fact, he over tooook Albourin on track, but Botas has had three DNF's in a row. The issue is obviously reliability. Can we see that change of Krofty, you can ask this one, G on Krafee. Who yours. Can you see that? I know you're embedded with the Cadillac team, You know them pretty well. they're growing very well He had a lovely Schitzel over there as well I did that. I had a great Schnitzel on Friday at Cadillac actually. It's my favorite Schnitzel of the week and trust me, Kid and I tried many. Yeah had Schitzel on Saturday. What was I going to say? Look, the reliability It's a new team, new procedures, you know, everything is new this season for Cadillac. You are going to get moments like this I think it's a real shame because I think that upgrade actually wasn't bad and we saw that in FP one. If only there was somebody that they could take who was experienced in a senior level that has run garages for many, many years and and can be a calm head when things are going wrong to aid the good people they've already got. Aaru A are you talking about Paul Monahghan from Redad Yes But he's going, isn't he? He's going in the cadlack I mean, it's long rumorered, isn't it? I mean it's rumored for about a year and then he stayed and I think they offered him an upgrade and now perhaps hes thought the time is right. I mean, what it means for Red Bull? I don't know. Yeah, I guess, I mean, what it means for Red Bull is a loss of a very, very experienced engineering mind in the pit carage. So if he does go And if the rumors prove to be true, then it would be a bit of a coup for Cadillac or whoever else who does get him because I think what is clear, Krafty' alluded to there is as a new team with no historical information data, it's really hard to set up procedures and And just the structure that you need to go through the race weekends. you know, clearly they had an issue with cooling of the brakes, Bat drivers got to the grid And the breaks were cooking and then one cooked slightly before the other one. So I think they probably knew they were marginal and just having more experienced minds would help them at this stage as I said, it is rumor and conjecture. Nothing's been confirmed by either Red Pull Cadillac Um But if it all happens to be true and the rumourors do come off, he would be an asset for Cadillac T, right. Right. Okay. Sh we finish with a couple of questions? I'm going to lets let's throw it forward. comeome on. it's Silveron. We're going to the heart of England's Green and pleant land and we're going to enjoy one of the finest weekend of the year. Let's for a You know's back Come on, Brunot. what have you got for us? Hello Simon Crofty Caron. Wlcome back I a question for you this suitcase What are youre looking for most on this week called the Gree British Ecampy T vice goodid Oh thought was that question. Yeah. Bruno He's N's cafe, I don't know where Bruno was. Yeah. Thanks Bruno said bloody blooddy good question, as always. I'll pick up. I'm looking forward to the Milton Kings Grid system ing' of modern day town planning U you know, you can find your way around Milain Keys very easily. The center of course has a lovely Jamaican restaurant which we sometimes are like to if we've not been invited to Caron's barbecue at his You're going, aren't you? You take the whole family again. Will we be having your we'll be invited a curry night at the mot home What is that please? We haven't yet thought about our food plans because Aunt and I were in Austria and then you know, obviously we don't have executive authorities to make food decisions without our wives Anding you can discuss this He's taking the beer machine This is true. I need to figure how to use it. I am looking forward to I will be in the grandstand with my children watching the Grand Prix listening to you guys on the sky app But love I love sitting with the fans of the grassand. I'll be at Abbey, first Horner, watching the star and just enjoying the race with my kids, which I only get to do once a year. So I'm very much looking forward to that Do you have Dan still is Dnt taking a moto again? and we'll be in a caravan L little one, You get that one Yeah a little one, isn't it? He's small. He tied to get the big caravan anyd gets little one. And do you want to lift through Milton Keynes? I've got an eray a Cvette eray. It's like a sting rray, but it's a hybrid eray that they've lent me so I can go to Silverson in the back in a sports car. Do you want to get the top down? he's going to arrive like the king of Silverston You know, last year he came in this Morgan A friend ofine followed him in and said, Crofty's waving to the public like a king. It's pouring rain, he's got the roof down and he's still waving king my subjects. The windscreen wiper fell off. It wasn't great for the Morbne Sy, which I loved, but said, no, got the earray, I'll pick you up on the way through I canan't wait to see all the fans because that is the best part of the British Grand Prix as the we get to have a chat with the fans. And also I'm celebrating my four hundredth Grand Prix as a commentator as well, which is quite a nice place to have a milestone. You're the only one that does that. I mean, weve none of us kept Tally apart from you. So well Wondth Grand Prix peoplee will be dancing in the street. Talking of dancing, who is who's performing who's performing on day? get aspir? J Richard Ashgro. U we've got our so shouldall I run through it? David Getter on Thursday. You're a massive David Getter fan I could tell Con, you'll be have your rave glasses on.. David Getter Thursday, Richard Ashcroft on Friday, Chasing status on Saturday and James Arthur on Sunday There you go. Which one are you going to Simon No no, no,'s fine, I'm not going to any. I can't do much work to do. You are going to be You're going to be living it up Milton Kees, aren't you came toiles one of our producer Tommy's got is leaving D on Friday so we'll all be doing that. shout out for Tommy Hurts, by the way, our mighty producer who's been doing this for fifteen years. It's his last race on site. We'll be thanking him. Another occion this weekend, but well well done to him. He's one of the guys behind the scenes that has made Skya on tick over the years. And we've got one more question actually talking of music. This one is from British rock band Kindred Cro the test downownload. Come on then, come on then Hey F one show. We are skkin Grein. We just wr download festival, did a secret set. It was incredible, absolutely amazing And what we want to know is What is your biggest F one secret that you know that nobody else knows you wantna know? D are durch I want to say. Weve got number one album this year with you've got this and we're playing Ali Palli Halloween. So come along. out Wow. you want to go you want to go see Skindred boys Well, I mean, the only reason you got that that is because you probably introduced them on stage. That must been the highlight of your F one career That could be the hardl of my life quite frankly. They asked s there to band meetic and said, would I do it? And I'm like, well yeah, I'd love to actually. That would be Mega. And it was Mega and their set was Mega. And yeah, we all did the helicopter. Mega. So come on then What thought it's the F one secret then Care go secret first Um Well, I mean, I think I think I I don't. I mean, Do I have a secret? No one you can say on there. No one I can say on a. That' no problem. But I could tell you, you know what is the most closely guarded secret in the padlic, which I actually don't know. so I'm slightly cheating the answer is you remember Coffee all of those years, McLaren had absolute taste when their catering and they had the world's best brownies And Lindy Redding, who ran it at the time Brownie recipe is such a closely guarded secret. Nbody ever nobody ever got it. And I think, you know, there were so many people up and down the paddock who were itching to try and that brownie recipe, but we never did. Best brownies I've ever had in my life KFC and the eleven herbs and spices, Coca Cola and Lindy's brownies. They're the three that we'll never know Do you remember when he was on to Pitwall years ago and every time the cameras came to him, Flavio Briatori was always like pressing the button and having animated conversations? Um, and and and The cameras could see how Flav was in complete control and was barking orders at everybody. Janobi wasn't actually talking to anybody and it was all for the show. U I've actually had this confirmed by the team. Flav was speaking to nobody When the cameras used to pick him up, it was like all arms shouting at these drivers and stuff. Never did button went nowhere um b. can I just do a sidebar here Simon, while you think of an answer for your secret. Did you watch Flav on our show? on the weekend. But Natalie and I went to interview him. Is it asked him a question and his answer was he just sort of looked at me Hm. all these people. I was like, well Pved I call these cameras and sound ten people second on here 'ar you N it was very bizarre Well, yeah, I mean, he is he can be quite bizarre. I mean, you want to be careful, Crofty. you've upset the Mazabins That's not I'm sorry this weekend I letady go Watch yourself four hundred then final grand pie. Whatatch yourself? What's your secret my secret. Um, that your first job was a butcher's boy That's not a secret. That was in the number one bestselling book And with justressedob, I mean, there's not some of you F one secret, but yeah, yeah, the butcher's boy Our very own butcher's boy who we dressed up for his tag as a butcher and I'm sure that our good friend's stags will insert the picture into this. That's the only reason I said it because I just wanted to get your photo of you as a butcher. Then I wasn't allowed into the cricket dressed up 'cause can't you fancy dress at Lords. That's okay. I will send a picture of Dave the Butcher to he is There he is. Dave the Butcher Beautiful R back. didn't you cfee with that one? They coughed Thank This was my table place Bernie Collins wedding. Dave Croft. Thanks, Bernie. You bring it upon yourself And there we are. Right, Well, we can't wait for it. British Grand Prix whoo's supporting? Let us know in the comments, but we've got huge British representation and we can't wait to get there. So we will see you on Thursday with a live F one show from on the grid and then broadcasting all weekend. Thanks Garon. Thanks to the Butcher and we'll see you Silverston from all here by for now