

Inside Line F1 Podcast
Inside Line F1 Podcast
Hosted by FIA-accredited print-TV journalists and popular Motorsport commentators, the Inside Line F1 Podcast is a weekly show that offers an alternative view on the sport, business and politics of Formula 1. You probably know us from our famous Helmut Marko interview! And yes, we've made Indian Cricket legend Ravi Shastri narrate his Formula 1 stories - twice. On our channel, along with lots of Formula 1 banter, you will find race reviews, previews, interviews and features through the Formula 1 season...and in the summer/winter breaks. Join thousands of Formula 1 fans on our verified WhatsApp broadcast channel for frequent interactions and engagement with us. Our show hosts: Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru, Mithila Mehta & Kunal Shah. Formula 1 drivers on our show: Mika Hakkinen, Nico Rosberg, Charles Leclerc, David Coulthard, Karun Chandhok, Romain Grosjean, Valtteri Bottas, Lando Norris among others. Broadcasters on the Inside Line F1 Podcast: Peter Windsor, Steve Slater, Ben Edwards, Bob Varsha, Atle Gulbrandsen, Matthew Marsh among others. We are an independent Formula 1 podcast available everywhere on the Internet - search 'Inside Line F1 Podcast' on your favourite audio streaming app. Miss us as you wait for our next episode? Follow us on Instagram. Hosts: Soumil Arora, Mithila Mehta & Kunal Shah Stats: Sundaram Ramaswami (aka @f1statsguru) Data: Nithyanand Ram Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt Millions of listeners seek out Bingepods (Ideabrew Studios Network content) every day. Get in touch with us to advertise, join the network or click listen to enjoy content by some of India's top audio creators. studio@ideabrews.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 24, 2020 • 28min
59: The Valtteri Bottas Interview With Parc Fermé
This episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast (https://link.chtbl.com/ilf1p) is a Valtteri Bottas special. In his interview with Parc Fermé, the Finn talks how it is to race in Formula 1 for Mercedes, the intensity of his competition with Lewis Hamilton, how rallying helps him nurture his talent further, the possibility of him racing longer for Mercedes than Hamilton and of course, the threat of George Russell taking his seat in 2022. Could 90% of the drivers win with Mercedes? Bottas weighs in on this opinion. Also in this episode, Mithila joins Kunal for a fun banter that includes pronouncing 'Valtteri Bottas' as they would in Finland. Sit back and enjoy yet another driver interview episode on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. For our listeners from the Nordics, you can use 'pp2020' to avail a 25% off on a subscription to Parc Fermé's informative Paddock Pass section (https://parcferme.no/paddockpass/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=ilf1p) ! (Season 2020, Episode 59) 0:00-15:00: Yada! Yada! 15:00-end: Interview with Valtteri Bottas Follow our hosts on Twitter: Mithila Mehta (https://www.twitter.com/mith_m) and Kunal Shah (https://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Mercedes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 15, 2020 • 29min
58: Lewis Hamilton's Best Championship Winning Race Yet?
History was made at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton equaled Michael Schumacher's record of seven Formula 1 World Championships. In fact, was this race his best championship winning race yet? He dug deep into his talent, experience & race craft to conquer the race at the Intercity Istanbul Park. In our Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal wonder if wet conditions were actually easier to tackle than the dry. We were amazed that not a single Safety Car period was required - testimony to the driving talent on display despite apparent lack of grip. Congratulations to Sergio Perez and Sebastian Vettel for their first podium finish of the season. How did Lance Stroll go from hero to zero? Should Ferrari have gambled with the slick tyres? For those pointing out, NO, Max Verstappen wasn't hasty - that's just how his brand of racing is. Alexander Albon's unforced errors, Mclaren's solid recovery despite grid-penalties and above all a race that wasn't classic Formula 1 but entertained us throughout. Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 58) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora (https://twitter.com/iamsoumilaroraa) and Kunal Shah (http://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Mercedes AMG Petronas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 12, 2020 • 23min
57: Faux Rouge, Turkish Corkscrew & Turn 8
Faux Rouge, Turkish Corkscrew & even the Turn 8 (Parabolica, in the other direction!) are some of the corners that will entertain us and the Formula 1 drivers during the weekend of the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix. Before you wonder, yes, these are unofficial corner names! In this Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal preview the upcoming race at the Intercity Istanbul Park. Did you know that the front row starters have enjoyed a 100% win rate at this circuit? Also, Lewis Hamilton has won here from P2 - in case Valtteri Bottas beats him to pole for the third time in four races. Irrespective of who wins, a Mercedes win is almost certain. And of course, Hamilton will also have the first of many chances to equal Michael Schumacher's record of seven Formula 1 World Championship titles. Like every Grand Prix, can Max Verstappen trouble the Mercedes cars or at least one of them? Who will come out on top in the battle for P3 in the Constructors' Championship? Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez have the momentum but let's not write off the Mclaren duo as well as Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll. And of course, can Charles Leclerc spring yet another surprise in his Ferrari? Alpha Tauri have been on a 10-race points scoring spree - can they extend this new personal record at Turkey? Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 57) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora (https://twitter.com/iamsoumilaroraa) and Kunal Shah (http://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Sky Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 10, 2020 • 49min
56: The Lando Norris Interview With Parc Fermé
Yes, THE Lando Norris makes an appearance on the Inside Line F1 Podcast, courtesy of our friends at Parc Fermé, one of the leading Motorsport publications in the Nordics. In this fun interview, Norris dishes out Motorsport and life philosophies on how he would cope if stuck with a bad racing car all season, his social media presence and how his mistaken reveal of Mclaren's launch date for the 2020 car was a planned gimmick after all. Lando Norris explains his love for sim racing and why iRacing is better than most others. And of course, he discusses what he's looking forward to the most in 2021 when he partners Daniel Ricciardo at Mclaren. Tune in to enjoy classic Lando banter! Also in this episode, Mithila makes a comeback to the Inside Line F1 Podcast (https://link.chtbl.com/ilf1p) . The duo (Mithila-Kunal) tell you why Romain Grosjean's human side shouldn't be trolled after his unexpected exit from Haas, rival teams disallowing a 'young' Fernando Alonso to test in Abu Dhabi, Formula 1's $104 mn loss in Q320 and if 'work from home' could be an option for team personnel as Formula 1 seeks to keep expanding it's annual calendar. For our listeners from the Nordics, you can use 'pp2020' to avail a 25% off on a subscription to Parc Fermé's informative Paddock Pass section (https://parcferme.no/paddockpass/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=ilf1p) ! (Season 2020, Episode 56) Here's what's in store for you in this episode: 0:00-6:00 - Turn 8 & Felipe Massa - expect Formula 1 to over-discuss the two at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix 6:00-9:00 - Did you know: Lewis Hamilton has only 10 DNFs in his Formula 1 career that are attributed to car failure (yes, Malaysia 2016 being the most painful?) 9:00-12:00 - Formula 1's $104 mn in Q320 - but 'helmets off' for pulling off a 17-race calendar this season 12:00-15:00 - Should rival Formula 1 teams have allowed Fernando Alonso to test at the young-driver test in Abu Dhabi later this season? 15:00-18:00 - Will Formula 1 team personnel attempt 'work from home' solutions to tackle a 23-race calendar in 2021? 18:00-21:00 - Romain Grosjean has handled his exit from Haas so gracefully that it only makes him more likeable + GRO's way of handling career crisis makes him so relatable 21:00-24:00 - With which team will Lando Norris score wins and maybe even a World Championship with? 24:00-end - The Lando Norris Interview with Parc Ferme Follow our hosts on Twitter: Mithila Mehta (https://www.twitter.com/mith_m) and Kunal Shah (https://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Mclaren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 1, 2020 • 29min
55: Imola Showed F1 Needs Strong #2 Driver At Red Bull
Mercedes created history at the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix by becoming the first team in history to win 7 Formula 1 Constructors' Championships. That they've won it in successive years is proof of their dominance in the hybrid-turbo era. In this week's Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal debrief the Formula 1 race at Imola. Will Mercedes' race strategy for Lewis Hamilton become a controversy in the days to follow? The team used all options to convert a 1-3 running order to a 1-2 at the finish. Also, what came first - the VSC or Mercedes' decision to pit Hamilton? Also in this episode, Imola exposed Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen's desperate need for a strong #2 driver. Despite starting from pole position, Valtteri Bottas lost the race to Hamilton for no fault of his own. In fact, Bottas would've benefited had Albon been racing with the front runners. Btw, ALB blamed a hit for his late-race spin! (Maybe he should've blamed it on Ericsson?) In the mid-field, the battle for P3 in the race and the Constructors' Championship was decided by teams taking risks with choosing either track position or fresh rubber. In the end, RIC & LEC benefited from track position, a wiser choice given the higher level of overtaking difficulty. And of course, PER's 3rd missed podium opportunity of the season. We wrap up the episode talking about GAS' ill-luck, KVY's racy self, the Alfa Romeo duo and Ferrari's missed chance for VET. Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 55) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora (https://twitter.com/iamsoumilaroraa) and Kunal Shah (http://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 31, 2020 • 28min
54: Why Imola's Two-Day Format Is Important For F1
Liberty Media is reworking the formula of Formula 1. At the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, the sport will trial a two-day race format - Free Practice x 1 + Qualifying on Saturday followed by the race on Sunday. While fans might not like a format that offers one less day of on-track action, the two-day format is actually an important experiment for the future of Formula 1. First, the compressed format offers savings in terms of time and costs. Second, it offers far lesser track time for teams and drivers to collect data. If the experiment succeeds, one could expect Liberty Media to make the two-day format as a standard to squeeze 25 races in a season. In this week's Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal preview the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix by wondering why Formula 1 didn't call it the 2020 San Marino Grand Prix in the first place. There's no way we're betting against a Mercedes victory, but could Red Bull Racing-Verstappen spring a surprise? Will Ferrari's upgrades bring it into play for the coveted P3 position - joining the ranks of Racing Point, Renault and Mclaren? Join us as we talk about Italy hosting its 100th Formula 1 Grand Prix. Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 54) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora (https://twitter.com/iamsoumilaroraa) and Kunal Shah (http://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Racing Department Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2020 • 27min
53: Upgraded Ferrari To Fight For P3 At Portimão?
In our Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) race preview, Soumil & Kunal wonder if Ferrari's upgrades will finally allow them to join the fight for P3 versus Renault, Mclaren & Racing Point in the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix. Will Red Bull Racing challenge Mercedes? Let's remember, Mercedes stopped developing their 2020 car a while ago + RBR seem closer thanks to the ban on engine modes for qualifying. Above all else, we can't get over the beautiful circuit, its locales & the challenging nature of corners. But will it deliver a fun race for us? Also in this episode, the duo discuss Pirelli's tyre choice, Haas' driver change announcement, Mercedes' first of many chances to seal the Constructors' Championship & Lewis Hamilton's chance to score his record-breaking 92nd win in Formula 1. Tune in for all other talking points from the upcoming race in Portugal. (Season 2020, Episode 53) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora (https://twitter.com/iamsoumilaroraa) and Kunal Shah (http://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Formula 1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 21, 2020 • 38min
52: F1 2020: Why P3 Is The New 'Best Of Rest' Position
Mercedes & Lewis Hamilton are on course to clinch their respective titles for yet another season. But worry not, it's the battle for P3 that will keep us entertained in the remaining races of the 2020 Formula 1 season. And it's not just the battle for P3 in the Drivers' and Constructors' Championship, it's also in the races. Did you know that 6 different drivers have finished in P3 in the last 6 races? Also, 8 different drivers have finished in P3 in the 11 races held yet. In this week's episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast (https://link.chtbl.com/ilf1p) , Mithila and Kunal discuss the new 'best of rest' position in Formula 1 - P3. They also talk about the probable calendar for the 2021 Formula 1 season, the rumours in the driver market or the 'silly season' and the prize money earned by the teams in 2019. Should Sebastian Vettel be upset that Red Bull Racing have overlooked him as a possible replacement for Alexander Albon? Will Pierre Gasly be a beneficiary of a Red Bull Racing - Renault reunion? And finally, Esteban Ocon and George Russell to join Pascal Wehrlein in the list of Mercedes junior drivers who had a broken career in Formula 1? Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 52) Here's what's in store for you in this episode: 0:00-6:00 - Why Lewis Hamilton's record of maximum wins could stand for a long long time 6:00 -9:00 - Why P3 is the new 'best of the rest' position in Formula 1 - in the race and both the World Championships. For the Constructors' Championship, it's Renault vs. Racing Point vs. Mclaren - who are you cheering for? 9:00-12:00 - A Bottas vs. Verstappen for P3 actually proves just how great a season Verstappen is having. VER has been on the podium in every race he's finished 12:00-15:00 - What Wolff Said This Week - Max Verstappen being in queue behind Esteban Ocon & George Russell to race for Mercedes. The curse of the Mercedes junior driver to strike OCO (again!) and RUS? 15:00-21:00 - 8 drivers from different teams have finished in P3 in the races this season. Also, 6 different drivers have finished in P3 in the last 6 races! Who's been your most-surprising podium finisher yet? 21:00-24:00 - Liberty Media have been ambitious with the probable calendar for the 2021 Formula 1 season. Will the regular calendar be as much fun as the COVID-19 impacted one? 24:00-27:00 - We pick our points from the rumoured prize money earning for all teams from 2019. Thank heavens that this divide-and-rule version of the Concorde Agreement ends at the end of 2020 27:00-30:00 - ECC on HAM: He doesn't dress as a racer. But then again, what do racers dress as? Should Sebastian Vettel be annoyed that Red Bull Racing overlooked his availability for 2021? 30:00-end - Red Bull Racing to FINALLY hire an external driver as Max Verstappen's partner? Pierre Gasly to Renault could be dovetailed with a power unit deal for Red Bull Racing. Why is Haas not appealing enough for Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg? Follow our hosts on Twitter: Mithila Mehta (https://www.twitter.com/mith_m) and Kunal Shah (https://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 11, 2020 • 36min
51: How Many F1 Wins Before Hamilton Retires? 120!
91 wins - Lewis Hamilton equaled Michael Schumacher's 14-year old record for most wins in Formula 1. It's only obvious that the 6 times World Champion will score several more. In this Pits To Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal make a calculated guess - 120 F1 wins don't seem out of reach for the Briton. Let's know what you think the final number could be? Also in this episode, we rate the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix - hot or not? The statistics seem to suggest a good race with a great result. After all, 9 out of the 10 teams scored points. Daniel Ricciardo scored his first podium with Renault, also Renault's first podium in Formula 1 after returning to the sport as a works team. This tattoo will be a memorable one for Cyril Abiteboul! Racing Point's super-sub Nico Hulkenberg is only 7 points behind Sebastian Vettel in the Drivers' Championship. In fact, Hulkenberg has out-scored Vettel in the last 7 races! Perez's podium miss, Leclerc's spirited drive & high number of DNfs in the race - we re-live the key talking points. Also, was the late-race Safety Car period a tad too long? In fact, was the Safety Car slower than normal since drivers were complaining time and again? And a welcome to the points for Haas' Romain Grosjean - he finished 9th despite being shown a black-white flag and suffering finger damage on the opening lap. Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 51) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora (https://twitter.com/iamsoumilaroraa) and Kunal Shah (http://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Mercedes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 8, 2020 • 26min
50: Nurburgring: Cold Tyres & Turns 8-9 To Watch For
The 2020 Eifel Grand Prix couldn't have chosen a better venue than the infamous Nurburgring. In our Pits To Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal talk about the circuit, its history, how the cold and wind will make for interesting racing and how starting from P2 will be a statistical advantage. And of course, 'cold tyres' will be a unique challenge that teams and Pirelli will look to overcome this weekend. Who will come out on top? Send in your predications for our Grand Prix Predictions League (https://www.instagram.com/pitstopodium/) . And of course, we discuss the uber-competitive mid-field battle, Kimi Raikkonen's record, Mick Schumacher & Callum Illot's Formula 1 debut and Sergio Perez finally getting the upgraded RP20 for himself! Btw, look out for the drivers absolutely raving about Turns 8-9. Will they go flat out? Tune in. (Season 2020, Episode 50) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora (https://twitter.com/iamsoumilaroraa) and Kunal Shah (http://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Nurburgring (Twitter) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


