Inside Line F1 Podcast

Is Mercedes the favourite already for the 2026 F1 season, or have others had a much quieter but solid shakedown in Barcelona? In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, hosts Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah delve into the intricacies of the 2026 Formula 1 season's shakedown. They discuss the blurred lines between testing and shakedown, the implications of private testing on fan engagement, and the performance of various teams, particularly Mercedes and Aston Martin. The conversation also touches on the aesthetics of car designs, the impact of new power units, and the potential for new teams in the future. The hosts share their predictions and insights on the upcoming season, emphasizing the excitement and challenges that lie ahead for Formula 1. Chapters 00:00 The 2026 Formula 1 Season: A Shakedown or Test? 02:43 The Role of Fans and Media in F1 Testing 06:01 Mercedes and the 2026 Championship Predictions 08:34 Team Performances: Insights from the Shakedown 11:39 Aston Martin's New Era and Design Philosophy 14:50 Standout Teams from the Shakedown 17:28 The Future of Power Units in F1 20:36 Liveries and Design Trends in 2026 23:26 Christian Horner's Ambitions and Future of F1 #F1 #F12026 #Barcelona Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2026 F1 season is a full reset, and the fun part is how quickly teams will try to stretch the wording. In this first short episode of the season, we break down what the new regulation set is really aiming to change, and what it could mean for the way F1 actually races: power unit priorities, driver modes, and why aero conversations are about to sound very different. And yes, we also get into the first big “everyone’s watching this” storyline of the new era: the compression ratio debate and the kind of interpretation battles the FIA wants resolved before lights out in Australia. If you’re trying to get ahead of the 2026 noise before launches and testing, this is your clean primer. Drop your boldest 2026 prediction below, and tell us what you want us to explain next. 📍CHAPTERS: 00:00 - 01:32 - 2026 starts here: new era teaser 01:32 - 04:20 - Why F1 keeps rewriting the rulebook 04:20 - 04:37 - Power units: battery becomes the headline 04:37 - 05:12 - Driver modes and manual override talk 05:12 - 11:05 - Active aero vibes: “DRS thinking” changes 11:05 - 14:10 - What the FIA is actually trying to fix 14:10 - 18:09 - The loophole mindset (hello, Mercedes) 18:09 - 20:00 - Compression ratio and “cold vs hot” advantage 20:00 - 20:43 - Predictions and what to watch next 📢 F1 journalists & bloggers — if you quote this interview, please credit: Inside Line F1 Podcast. Sharing is caring. So is attribution. 🧡 Don’t forget to like, comment with your thoughts, and subscribe for more exclusive F1 interviews and breakdowns! Follow Us: X: https://x.com/insidelinef1pod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidelinef1pod/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3P2RsaP89xP1xvG7twj8pd Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-line-f1-podcast/id632531804 Follow our hosts: ► Soumil Arora: https://www.instagram.com/iamsoumilarora/ ► Kunal Shah: https://www.twitter.com/kunalashah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our most-awaited, most-popular and hilarious "Formula 1 Parody Awards" episode is now out on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. We recap F1’s most unbelievable, hilarious and unforgettable moments from 2025 — from Norris’ title chase shock and Verstappen drama to team wars, rivalries, WTF moments and aura highlights. Hit Subscribe to join our F1 community now! Your hosts for the evening are two of India's most-popular voices of Motorsport, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah, also the hosts of the Inside Line F1 Podcast. 📍CHAPTERS: 03:03 - 12:02 - Rivalry of the Year 12:02 - 15:28 - Interview of the Year 15:28 - 22:05 - WTF Moment of the Year 22:05 - 27:15 - Aura Moment of the Year 22:05 - 29:22 - Aura Loss Moment of the Year 29:22 - 32:00 - Quote of the Year 32:00 - 33:15 - Rookie of the Year 33:15 - 36:03 - Relationship of the Year This is the 15th edition of the Inside Line F1 Parody Awards and like every year, the "winner is NEVER who you think it is". 📢 F1 journalists & bloggers — if you quote this interview, please credit: Inside Line F1 Podcast. Sharing is caring. So is attribution. 🧡 Don’t forget to like, comment with your thoughts, and subscribe for more exclusive F1 interviews and breakdowns! Follow Us: X: https://x.com/insidelinef1pod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidelinef1pod/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3P2RsaP89xP1xvG7twj8pd Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-line-f1-podcast/id632531804 Follow our hosts: ► Soumil Arora: https://www.instagram.com/iamsoumilarora/ ► Kunal Shah: https://www.twitter.com/kunalashah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yes, we are stirring the pot. But was Lando Norris on anyone's list of favourites for the F1 2025 World Champion? And yes, we ask this while celebrating Norris' crowning glory. Could Max Verstappen have done something "different" to win the race, but also the title? And what about Oscar Piastri? Soumil Arora, Sundaram Ramaswami and Kunal Shah discuss the upcoming 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. #F1 #F12025 #AbuDhabiGP #MaxVerstappen #LandoNorris #OscarPiastri Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's all happening in Abu Dhabi, and our man Kunal Shah is on-site. Will it be Lando Norris, or will it be Max Verstappen? And of course, can Oscar Piastri do anything of his outside chance to win? Yes, McLaren-Lando Norris need to do better to handle the pressure, but what about the Race Control? The last time the title battle went down to the wire saw Race Control interpret the regulations differently and on-the-fly! The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix brings an end to an era that included ground-effect aerodynamics, hybrid-turbo power units, the (wretched) DRS and of course, the legendary team called Sauber. Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah discuss the upcoming 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. #F1 #F12025 #AbuDhabiGP #MaxVerstappen #LandoNorris #OscarPiastri Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Max Verstappen is making McLaren toil harder than anyone imagined to clinch their first Drivers' World Championship since 2008. After the 2025 Qatar GP, Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri & Lando Norris are all tied on 7 race wins apiece. Given the way the season has gone, which driver actually deserve the 2025 F1 Drivers' Championship more? Carlos Sainz scored another podium on merit for Williams, Ferrari's struggles and did Kimi Antonelli let Norris drive past in the last laps to the end? Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah discuss the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. #F1 #F12025 #QatarGP #MaxVerstappen #LandoNorris #OscarPiastri #McLaren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lando Norris' first proper chance to clinch the Drivers' Championship of the 2025 Formula 1 season. Will he clinch it on his first attempt, or will the title battle go down to the wire in Abu Dhabi? In Las Vegas, Norris was frazzled by Max Verstappen on the front row. Will this trend continue in Qatar? And btw, have we all resigned to the fate that Oscar Piastri won't be crowned F1 World Champion in 2025? Qatar will be the final "Sprint and Grand Prix" format of the F1 2025 season. Traditionally, Red Bull Racing has struggled to get their car in optimal working range when there is just one FP1 session. Given their plank woes, will McLaren suffer similar fate i.e. require more "track time" to find the accurate ride height to race with? How aggressive will McLaren go, or will they be conservative given Norris' 24-points lead at the top of the table? The battle for P6 in the Constructors' Championship is another one to watch. A lot of money is at stake and we expect teams and drivers to throw everything at it. 📢 F1 journalists & bloggers — if you quote this interview, please credit: Inside Line F1 Podcast. Sharing is caring. So is attribution. 🧡 Don’t forget to like, comment with your thoughts, and subscribe for more exclusive F1 interviews and breakdowns! Follow Us: X: https://x.com/insidelinef1pod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidelinef1pod/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3P2RsaP89xP1xvG7twj8pd Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-line-f1-podcast/id632531804 Follow our hosts: ► Soumil Arora: https://www.instagram.com/iamsoumilarora/ ► Sundaram Ramaswami: https://www.instagram.com/f1statsguru/ ► Kunal Shah: https://www.twitter.com/kunalashah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Both McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, have been disqualified from the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix for excessive skid wear. What do the rule say, and crucially, how does this impact the F1 title battle in the 2025 Formula 1 season? Max Verstappen dominates the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, but would he have won even if Lando Norris didn't make a boo-boo of the start? Is Oscar Piastri's championship challenge over and done with? And above all else, were you entertained by the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix...and we mean entertained on-track. Kimi Antonelli's P17 to P5, how did that happen? How did he climb through the grid but Lewis Hamilton couldn't? Nico Hulkenberg in the points yet again for Sauber, while Carlos Sainz claimed the "best of the rest" for Williams. Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah discuss the McLaren's double DSQ and other stories from the the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

F1 gets ready for its final triple headers of races - Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. But will there be more to Las Vegas than "cold temperatures" and the full focus on tyre warm up? What impact does the cold temperatures have on F1 car and driver performance? Will Mercedes continue to lead the "cold weather" performance table? Has McLaren cured their Las Vegas outlier issues, and will Red Bull give Max Verstappen a well balanced car that he can score BIG with? We have bold F1 predictions for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, including which driver is in the hot seat - and hence, needs to perform better as the season ends to a close. All eyes on the celebrities, the night life, the cold weather and of course, the ongoing F1 title battle. Let's see if Max Verstappen signs off already or keeps his hopes alive for Qatar. Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah preview the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. #F1 #F12025 #LasVegasGP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lando Norris with his champions' drive, Max Verstappen with yet another masterclass in Brazil consecutively, and Kimi Antonelli coming on his own on the podium at Interlagos. A race start full of incidents, and a race that entertained all the way till the final lap. Ferrari's double DNF made headlines, but not so much as John Elkann's unnecessary statement about Charles Leclerc & Lewis Hamilton "talking more" rather than focusing on driving. Did Andrea Kimi Antonelli deserve a penalty for his part in the Oscar Piastri tangle? Liam Lawson's "defensive masterclass" to make his 1-stopper work and lots more stories from Interlagos. We are LIVE with the review of the Brazilian GP, right here on the Inside Line #F1 Podcast. #F1 #F12025 #BrazilGP #SaoPauloGP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices