Inside Line F1 Podcast

OMG! It's happening! Lewis Hamilton & Max Verstappen will arrive at Abu Dhabi on equal points. It's the 'perfect' setting for Formula 1 and we have to ask - did the FIA have a role to play in this? Whilst celebrating Max Verstappen's almost pole lap for the 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, one has to ask, did Verstappen-Red Bull Racing make it tougher for themselves in Saudi Arabia? Is this 'deal or no deal' role of the FIA a normal one? Would you rate Verstappen's driving as fair? All of this and more in this weeks' much-awaited episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast. (Episode description follows below) Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). Subscribe to our newsletter! It's free, informative, insightful and visually appealing. You can read more and sign up. Soumil and Kunal re-live the Verstappen vs. Hamilton duel - because that's what the 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix will be remembered for. And then of course, Valtteri Bottas pipping Esteban Ocon at the finish line to claim a place on the podium. Tune in! (Season 2021, Episode 75) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Mercedes   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

'Howdy Arabia?', yeah, Soumil was in a crazy mood whilst recording this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast. We hope that along with 'speed', 'human rights' is also the buzzword this weekend. 🙃 (Episode description follows below) Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). Subscribe to our newsletter! It's free, informative, insightful and visually appealing. You can read more and sign up. The 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix will be held at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a circuit that was built in record time. In fact, it was only on the Thursday before the race that the FIA homologated the circuit.  Governance aside, this high-speed & narrow racing circuit should entertain us. After all, the barriers are just where they should be for a street circuit. There are 27 corners - so you (and we) are pardoned for goofing them up. What else? 79% throttle, track position, DRS zones, high grip, Mclaren & then the banked Turn 13 - we expect these to be the key talking points through the weekend. Tune in! (Season 2021, Episode 74) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2021 Formula 1 Season hasn't just been about Red Bull Racing vs. Mercedes or Max Verstappen vs. Lewis Hamilton. It's also been about Christian Horner vs. Toto Wolff. We reckon that EVEN IF the Verstappen-Hamilton title battle comes to an end, the Wolff-Horner show might just continue for years to come. (Episode description follows below) Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). Subscribe to our newsletter! It's free, informative, insightful and visually appealing. You can read more and sign up. In this Pits to Podium segment of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal look back at some of the most-feisty moments between Wolff-Horner. Their pot shots have been about track limits, disqualifications, front wings, rear wings, tactical fouls & a lot of other stuff. In fact, is there any part of the other's car they've not brought up for public scrutiny? Remember the recent 'score marks' comments from Horner? It's race week for the inaugural 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix - and we'll be back with our race preview in a few days. Till then, sit back & enjoy the 'Toto Wolff & Christian Horner' show in Formula 1 & on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. Tune in! (Season 2021, Episode 73) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did Fernando Alonso's podium finish boost the overall fan rating for the inaugural Formula 1 Grand Prix in Qatar? It's been a 7 year loooooong wait for all of us!  (Episode description follows below) Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). Subscribe to our newsletter! It's free, informative, insightful and visually appealing. You can read more and sign up. In this Pits to Podium segment of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal discuss Lewis Hamilton-Mercedes' advantage over the rest of the field. Why aren't Red Bull Racing-Max Verstappen worried at their pace deficit? If they're worried, they're definitely not expressing it in public - apart from Christian Horner's crass statements every now and then, of course.  What happened to the Mclarens? And how did the AlphaTauri drivers not score despite starting in the top-10? Alpine's fantastic strategy for Fernando Alonso, Sergio Perez's charge & yes, the tyre bursts in Qatar. We discuss them all. Tune in! (Season 2021, Episode 72) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Alpine F1 Team Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did we see one of the most-dominant wins of the 2021 Formula 1 season in the Mexico City Grand Prix? After overtaking both Mercedes cars into Turn 1 of the opening lap, Max Verstappen sped off into the distance. Given Red Bull Racing's dominance at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Lewis Hamilton's second place ahead of Sergio Perez was that much more impressive. Track position helped Hamilton limit damage in the 2021 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship battle with Verstappen.  (Episode description follows below) Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). Subscribe to our newsletter! It's free, informative, insightful and visually appealing. You can read more and sign up. In this Pits to Podium segment of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal wonder if Max Verstappen is the favourite going into the last four rounds of the season. They celebrate Pierre Gasly's near-invisible race to fourth - a performance that neither Ferrari driver could match. Could Red Bull Racing have undercut Hamilton by pitting Perez earlier? Should Daniel Ricciardo have been penalised for his uncharacteristic mistake at Turn 1 of the opening lap? And finally, there's some context to Antonio Giovinazzi's sarcastic post-race message to Alfa Romeo Racing. Tune in! (Season 2021, Episode 68) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If it comes to it, will Red Bull Racing actually ask Sergio Perez to move over and hand the win to Max Verstappen? Will the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez continue to be a 'Red Bull track' or will we continue to buck the trend of certain circuits favouring one of the two title-battling teams?  And of course, it's the start of the final triple header of the 2021 Formula 1 Season. But this one's much different than most other triple headers Formula 1 has experienced.  (Episode description follows below) Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). Subscribe to our newsletter! It's free, informative, insightful and visually appealing. You can read more and sign up. In this Pits to Podium segment of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal share story lines to watch the 2021 Mexico Grand Prix for. Sergio Perez, altitude and cooling will be the buzzwords. Are Ferrari and Alpine the dark horses?  In the Drivers' Championship battle, there are about 80 points up for grabs and the pressure will be felt not just on the two title protagonists but also on the guys on the pit wall, the pit crew and more. After all, a tyre strategy error or even a slow stop could have a significant blow in their driver's title hopes.  But of course, the one thing that Mexico will deliver is a legion of fans that are very passionate about Formula 1 and Sergio Perez! Tune in! (Season 2021, Episode 67) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How exactly do you think the Alonso-FIA saga is going to conclude? To be frank, Alonso is doing what every Formula 1 fan wants to do - get the FIA to be consistent in their penalties.  (Episode description follows below) Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). Subscribe to our newsletter! It's free, informative, insightful and visually appealing. You can read more and sign up. In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal discuss the ongoing battle between Alonso and the FIA. Is the lack of a proper on-track fight one of the reasons why Alonso is battling with the FIA? Let's remember, Alonso has had his run-ins with pretty much every major Formula 1 team - Ferrari, Honda, Mclaren and Mercedes. Is the FIA his next target?  From where Soumil sits, he thinks it's a case of 'Fernando is smarter than you' scenario. The former double World Champion is truly pushing the FIA to become consistent in their rule application. On the other hand, Kunal dips into his experience as a competitive sailor and asks if the 'water at the mark' rule from the sport of Sailing could be tweaked for implementation in the world of Motorsport? Tune in! (Season 2021, Episode 66) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Alpine F1 Team   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What a weekend it was at the Circuit of the Americas. Formula 1 celebrated being in America just as much America celebrated hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix after a two year gap.  Max Verstappen drove a Hamilton-esque race to win the 2021 United States GP. In fact, almost everyone believed that Hamilton would make a late-race lunge to grab the lead of the race from Verstappen.  (Episode description follows below) Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). Subscribe to our newsletter! It's free, informative, insightful and visually appealing. You can read more and sign up. In this Pits to Podium segment of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal continue the celebrations that were at COTA. They often say that Formula 1 is a high-speed game of chess & the 2021 United States GP was testimony to that. Red Bull Racing's aggressive strategy saw Lewis Hamilton-Mercedes lose the race despite leading in the early stages. In fact, what could have Mercedes done to help Hamilton win?  Sergio Perez's win despite a drinks system issue, the Mclaren-Ferrari battle and Fernando Alonso's ongoing battle with the FIA. Tune in to re-live some of the most-fascinating stories and talking points from the 2021 United States GP.  (Season 2021, Episode 65) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Max Verstappen is on pole (surprised!?), but does Lewis Hamilton have the pace to challenge him for the race win in today's 2021 United States GP? The heat will continue to be a factor in today's race & in this episode, Soumil and Kunal discuss race strategy options. And will it be a case of two Red Bulls vs. Hamilton's lone Mercedes at the front? Can Ferrari and Mclaren be in the mix? Their gaps to the top-2 indicate that they will create strategy headaches throughout the race.  (Episode description follows below) Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). Subscribe to our newsletter! It's free, informative, insightful and visually appealing. You can read more and sign up. And of course, who was your star in yesterday's qualifying? Why did Carlos Sainz Jr. and Yuki Tsunoda use the soft tyre in Q2 thereby committing to starting the race on that compound? What's the time loss in the pit lane under Green Flag conditions and if there's a SC / VSC during the race? And what's the optimal strategy, a one-stopper or a two-stopper? Tune in! (Season 2021, Episode 64) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Mercedes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for the 2021 United States Grand Prix! After two feature episodes earlier in the week (one with Bob Varsha, the 'Voice of F1 in America'), Soumil and Kunal are back with the race preview episode. What are the '5 things to watch for' this weekend? And remember, it's Liberty Media's home race!  (Episode description follows below) Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). Subscribe to our newsletter! It's free, informative, insightful and visually appealing. You can read more and sign up. In this Pits to Podium segment of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, the duo discuss the Hamilton-Verstappen rivalry and if Bottas-Perez will continue to interfere in the title battle for the 2021 Formula 1 season. But of course, will Red Bull Racing have reduced their performance deficit to Mercedes after Turkey?  Did you know? Ferrari-Mclaren are over 100 points clear to AlphaTauri in 5th place. Pierre Gasly is yet to finish higher than P12 at the Circuit of the Americas & of course, Sebastian Vettel has failed to score a point since the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix.  And of course, look out for the A-list celebrities & the NBA Legends brace the Formula 1 paddock this weekend. It's gonna be an entertaining one, this one - this episode and then the 2021 United States Grand Prix! 😉 Tune in! (Season 2021, Episode 63) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Formula 1 // Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices