Inside Line F1 Podcast

Honda's sudden decision to quit Formula 1 will have sporting and business consequences for the sport, Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen. Will Mercedes go unchallenged for a few more seasons? Basically, a few more 'boring' seasons for Formula 1. Red Bull Racing's two consistent searches to continue - a competitive power unit and a second driver! Will a new power unit supplier in the new era of Formula 1 compromise Red Bull Racing in 2022? As for Max Verstappen, his first Formula 1 World Championship may have been pushed by a few more years. Yes, there's hope that Honda's new power unit might bring him title glory in 2021...but that hope is very slim. In fact, might it be that Verstappen wins his title(s) with a team other than Red Bull Racing? In this week's episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast (https://link.chtbl.com/ilf1p) , Mithila and Kunal discuss the all-round impact of Honda's decision to exit, the possible power unit options for Red Bull Racing and why a new supplier might not join the sport before 2025. Could Honda's exit trigger a Hamilton-Verstappen partnership at Mercedes? Or could we see a Verstappen-Alonso partnership at Renault? The best solution would be to let Red Bull Racing have Mercedes power units and have Hamilton-Leclerc-Verstappen battle for the title in separate teams. Can Liberty Media intervene and convince Mercedes? Or could Ineos be Formula 1's unexpected saviour? Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 49) In this episode: 1. Honda commits to Indycar but not to Formula 1 2. Red Bull Racing is back on the market to search for a competitive power unit supplier - we discuss all their options 3. Can Max Verstappen win a Formula 1 World Championship before 2023? 4. We assess Verstappen's team options and wonder if Liberty Media will step in to get him a competitive cockpit 5. Should Formula 1 power unit suppliers be banned from refusing supply to another team? 6. Two important facts you need to know about the new formula for power units (or engines) in Formula 1 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

The 2020 Russian Grand Prix will permit 30,000 fans to attend the race at the Sochi Autodrom. Will Vladimir Putin, Russia's no. 1 Formula 1 fan, attend the race? If so, will his best friend Bernie Ecclestone be in attendance, too? (Yes, ECC has said that he would rather spend time with his baby boy than attend a race in 2020, but it's ECC - trust him at your own will) In this Pits To Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal list the '5 things to watch for' for the 2020 Russian Grand Prix. Will Pirelli's C5 tyre challenge Mercedes' dominance at this circuit? Traditionally, Valtteri Bottas has been stronger at Sochi than Lewis Hamilton. Can the Finnish driver claim his second win of the season? And what about the third step of the podium - will Max Verstappen return or can Sergio Perez become the season's 10th podium finisher? And of course, there's the mid-field battle that's ever-entertaining. Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 47) Join the fun on Pits To Podium's Grand Prix Prediction League! (https://www.instagram.com/pitstopodium/) 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: Strait Times  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time in the sport's 70 year history, concrete steps have been taken to help independent Formula 1 teams transition from being passion projects to serious businesses. Recently, Liberty Media announced a '$200 mn prize money entry barrier' for a new team eager to join the sport. Will this hefty barrier dissuade new entrants? The one thing it does do is offer the existing teams a sense of stability and opportunity they've seldom experienced in Formula 1. In fact, Gene Haas might be the luckiest and Vijay Mallya might be the unluckiest Formula 1 team owners in recent times. In this week's episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast (https://link.chtbl.com/ilf1p) , Mithila and Kunal tell you why the prize money entry barrier is good for the sport and why $200 mn is a fair price. If you're looking for light-hearted banter, the duo discuss Ferrari-Vettel-Perez-Aston-Martin and wonder if Ferrari refused to give Vettel a discount to purchase the F2004 or did they not want him to purchase a Ferrari whatsoever? Sticking to Ferrari, who might make way for Mick Schumacher - Carlos Sainz Jr. or Charles Leclerc? Also, could LEC and/or SAI go the ALO-VET-RAI way at Ferrari? If so, will they find a competitive seat elsewhere in Formula 1? If results don't come, such a scenario could be as near (or far!) as 2023! Finally, they make a list of the 10 drivers the Haas F1 Team could be talking to for 2021 and later. They discuss Kimi Raikkonen's love for tyre blankets, prepare you to brace for an overdose of comparison between Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher and of course, could Stroll-Wolff purchase and leaseback Mclaren's iconic HQs at Woking? Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 46) Links to previous episodes: 1. Liberty Media's Formula 1, Finally (https://audioboom.com/posts/7664668-liberty-media-s-formula-1-finally) 2. Hamilton: First-ever Formula 1 & Formula E Champion? (https://audioboom.com/posts/7375147-hamilton-first-ever-formula-1-formula-e-champion) Here's a list of full topics discussed sequentially in this episode: 1. Is this really the best time to be a Formula 1 team owner / investor? The value of EVERY Formula 1 team has gone up for just staying in the sport! Helmets off, Liberty Media 2. Ferrari's luck - that their 1000th Grand Prix was not at Monza. Imagine if Netflix were filming their Ferrari special there 3. Ferrari refused to give Sebastian Vettel a discount to purchase the F2004? Or did they not want him to purchase a Ferrari whatsoever! 4. Who could make way at Ferrari for Mick Schumacher - Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz Jr.? Who will run out of patience first - Ferrari or Leclerc? 5. We make a list of the 10 drivers the Haas F1 Team could be speaking to for 2021 and later. Will Haas finally succumb to hiring at least one Ferrari Driver Academy driver? 6. After the steering wheel, Kimi Raikkonen has revealed his obsession for tyre blankets 7. Lewis Hamilton vs. Michael Schumacher comparison stories to grab headlines over the next fortnight. Brace yourselves! 8.  Can Lewis Hamilton be the first-ever Formula 1 and Formula E World Champion in the time to come? 9. Lawrence Stroll & Toto Wolff to get involved in Mclaren's attempt to sell and leaseback their HQs in Woking? Follow our hosts on Twitter: Mithila Mehta (https://www.twitter.com/mith_m) and Kunal Shah (https://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Image: Renault F1 Team Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They said, the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix at Mugello would be a boring and processional race. They said, the race would be all about tyre management. They also said, there would be no overtaking! They were wrong. We were a part of the 'they', weren't you, too? There was mayhem at Mugello - undoubtedly the best race of the season yet! In this Pits To Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal present our race debrief. In this episode - a chaotic race gave us a Mercedes 1-2 + Red Bull driver on the podium; but it was 'how' we got there that made for a fun race. Daniel Ricciardo's almost-podium with Renault, Alexander Albon's first career podium, Lance Stroll's almost scoring a career-first back-to-back podium, George Russell's almost-point score, a double points finish for Ferrari and Kimi Raikkonen finally opening his points tally for the season. And of course, we discuss and dissect the carnage at the Safety Car restart that saw 12 drivers let off with a warning. Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 45) 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: Mugello Circuit's Facebook Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're a true foodie if you understood our word play for this episode's title! At the 'Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio Della Toscana Ferrari 1000 2020' (also known as the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix), Ferrari will celebrate their 1000th Grand Prix start. In this Pits To Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal discuss the '5 things to watch for' for this weekend's upcoming race. We expect the Pirelli tyres, the Arrabbiata corners and Mercedes to be the 'talk of the Paddock' this weekend. And of course, Sebastian Vettel-Aston Martin F1 Team have already stolen Ferrari's limelight. Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 44) 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/) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pierre Gasly's maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix win came at a time when no one expected it. Heck, he races an Alpha Tauri! At the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, GAS made the most of his luck and talent to claim top honours. Mclaren's Carlos Sainz Jr. drove a feisty race to take second while Racing Point's Lance Stroll would be disappointed to finish third. After all, STR started on pole at the restart. In this Pits To Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal decode the crazy race we witnessed at Monza. But was it a crazy race after all? Or just a crazy result? Ferrari's failures, Mercedes' silly pit lane error + their inability to run in dirty air and Red Bull Racing's no-score - after years, the top-3 teams faltered at the same race, one of the key factors for the great result of the race. Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 43) 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/) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much of an embarrassment would the high-speed circuit of Monza be for Ferrari? Will the Renault cars lead the mid-field brigade? What about the 'engine mode ban' for qualifying - will it change the pecking order whatsoever? We bid adieu to the Williams family as they bow out of Formula 1. Soumil and Kunal host our Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment that discusses the upcoming 2020 Italian Grand Prix.  (Season 2020, Episode 42) 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/) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Pits To Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal look forward to the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix hosted at the oh-so-awesome Spa Francorchamps. Will this be the last time we could see the Mercedes cars qualify ahead of their rivals by a mile? Yes, this is the last race where different engine modes will be permitted in qualifying. The 'pink Mercedes' (Racing Point, duh!) cars have historically done well at this circuit. Can they be genuine podium challengers to Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen? Will Ferrari use a low-downforce setup to aid Charles Leclerc's chances one more time? There's always the uber-competitive mid-field battle and George Russell's qualifying lap we keep high hopes for. Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 41) 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/) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix, the heat and tyres were expected to halt Mercedes' dominant run once again. However, Mercedes-Hamilton delivered their strongest performance of the season to further their championship advantage. The race was also proof that two-stop races won't always be a belter!  Such has been Mercedes' form in the 2020 Formula 1 season, that Max Verstappen finishing second in a race is definitely an over-achievement. The 2020 Spanish Grand Prix was no different - as Hamilton led from the start to score yet another dominant win, Verstappen snucked into P2 at Turn 1. Valtteri Bottas' chase could go only as far as P3 while Sebastian Vettel exposed Ferrari's race management abilities yet again. Join Soumil and Kunal's race debrief of the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix in our Pits To Podium (https://bit.ly/5thingsHungary) segment. Also back on the Inside Line F1 Podcast (https://bit.ly/insidelinef1pod) is Mithila - with her unique stories, views and assessments of the current affairs of Formula 1. Tune in! (Season 2020, Episode 39) Here's what's in store for you in this episode: 0:00-5:00 - Yada Yada! 5:00-10:00 - Motorsport & Olympics - the Quadruple Crown of Motorsport? FIA re-banning the 'party mode' in qualifying - good or bad? 10:00-15:00 - Will Aston Martin end up picking the weakest pairing from the four driver options available to them for 2021? Daniel Ricciardo's 'Seb spin' reference. 15:00-20:00 - Could Ferrari hire super-sub Nico Hulkenberg in place of Sebastian Vettel for the 2020 Formula 1 season? Roscoe has gotten involved in the Lewis Hamilton-Valtteri Bottas title battle 20:00-40:00 - A Pits To Podium race debrief of the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix  Follow our hosts on Twitter: Mithila Mehta (https://www.twitter.com/mith_m) , Soumil Arora (https://twitter.com/iamsoumilaroraa) and Kunal Shah (https://www.twitter.com/kunalashah) Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image: Red Bull Content Pool Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could Mercedes be challenged by Max Verstappen-Red Bull Racing at the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix, too? From how we see it, there might be a small chance. And if are you Max Verstappen, that's probably enough. For starters, the track temperature will be warmer - teams are used to testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in February and racing in May. The mid-August summer could see higher than normal track temperatures - one of the few factors that can rattle the otherwise robust Mercedes cars. And of course, the higher downforce and flowing nature of the circuit that loads the front-left tyre. Also in our Pits To Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, we discuss possible tyre strategies for the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel's new chassis, Sergio Perez's return, George Russell's Saturday heroics and the ultra competitive mid-field battle. Tune in to hear our '5 things to watch for' for this weekend's race. (Season 2020, Episode 38) 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/) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices