Mercedes’ NEGATIVE Preparation?! | STRONG Season Inbound For Ferrari?! | On Track GP Podcast, Ep. 37

Stream the latest episode of the On Track GP Podcast on all major podcast platforms now: https://bit.ly/OTGPPodcast

In today’s episode of the On Track GP Podcast, Abbi Summers is joined by 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 winner Richard Bradley to discuss all the recent happenings in Formula 1! 👀 Richard gives his opinion on Lewis Hamilton’s bombshell move to Ferrari and its implications on Mercedes’ preparation for the coming season, and the duo talk about the recent car launches and their thoughts on Pre-Season Testing to come later in the week in Bahrain! 🇧🇭

🎥 Subscribe to us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/ontrackgpYT
📲 Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ontrackgp
📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ontrackgp
👤 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planetf1com
💬 Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ontrack_gp
🎧 Listen to the On Track GP Podcast: https://bit.ly/OTGPPodcast

🏎️ On Track GP is a brand-new channel brought to you by DR Sports for all things Formula 1. Keep up to date with one of the world’s fastest-growing sports with our previews, reviews, podcasts, watch alongs and more!

#OTGPPodcast #Podcast #Hamilton #Leclerc #Sainz #Mercedes #Ferrari #RedBull #F1 #Formula1 #OnTrackGP

There’s a very good connection to Audi for Carlos in that his his dad Carlos science senior actually races for Audi in the dhar rally every year uh and he actually won dhar with Audi this year yeah I mean I think the the vard just looks like a business C to be honest

With you um you know V visas marketing and it’s like a debit card yeah exactly visas marketing is never that exciting but it does the job and I think that’s the the vibe they’ve gone for there hello and welcome to on track GP it’s myself and Richard this morning how

Are you good very good haven’t actually seen you for ages I’ve been away I’ve been from the other side of the world just avoiding the bad weather you but you’ve been doing the same so I feel like we should just basically move the studio to somewhere hot just in the

Winter yeah like while we have the offseason then we could just pick it up again in Bahrain stick it on the beach in the Maldives there you go I think we should do that definitely think we should do that um but we are very nearly

At the start of the season I mean it’s gone so quickly it has flown it has and to be honest this season normally offseasons are pretty boring I mean this one’s been like anend EastEnders episode you know it’s been so much we’ had like Silly Season now it’s been exactly a

Little bit wild and it’s still going on obviously we’ve got the Christian herner thing still going on um you know then there’s I think there’s still going to be some Fallout from the Cadillac andreti thing once we get into the season there’s still noises coming from

The American side so it’s um yeah been far more entertaining than normal definitely and we also do have Drive survive coming out very soon which we all we all love Drive survive um and also it’s the last one we’re going to see Gunter in so it is which is

Which is a big shame but you know maybe someone else will come into the woodwork who knows the um the new Japanese person at har might turn out to be a bit of a samurai yeah it could be could be but I feel like it’s big boots to feel big

Boots but we going to talk about car launches uh today because all 10 teams have now concluded their launches ahead of the new season um Red Bull Mercedes Ferrari that all got significant updates redesign to their car what have you made of all the the new design

It’s to be perfectly honest with you it’s you can’t really tell much by um by looking at them especially because the regulations aren’t that different to to last year so there’s not going to be any significant visual changes and the other thing is the teams always bring out one

Car for uh for the launch and then they bring out another car for the testing and then they bring out another car for the first race so it’s very very difficult to to to judge anything from that but uh you know the reality is when you don’t have huge regulation changes

Um it’s probably going to be very similar order to next year I don’t think anybody’s going to have found something huge over the winter uh and I expect Red Bull probably had some updates which they didn’t bring in last year which they’ve now bought in over the winter

Well it wasn’t it with Red Bull that they actually stopped development uh about six months six months ago for on the on the old car to focus on the new one yeah so what kind of changes do you think that we can see on the Red Bull to

Be honest it’s as I said I don’t think we we’re going to see all of them until we get to the first race because they’ll be doing their best to hide it but the they would have spent hours in the Wind Tunnel um you know from what we from the

Spy shots that we saw from the Silverstone test it was actually quite unlucky for Red Bull because it was a wet day and on the rainy days you can actually see the aerodynamic flows and the flow of the arrow looked very um it’s getting a bit technical but it

Looked fairly impressive um I I I still think Red Bull are looking favorites for the season we think so and you know the the situation with Christian Horner I mean obviously we we still don’t really know what’s going on but there is there is a worry that I guess this this is

Going to carry over into the start of the season do you think that’s going to have an impact on report I don’t think it will because everything is so set in stone going into these Seasons it’s it’s like it’s a comment I made um I think it

Was last year when vur came into Ferrari you were never going to see an instant change because everything in Formula 1 the cars already complete the systems are already there everything is is being run in a certain way already for any sort of change to come in when there’s a

Team principal change change it would normally take you know 6 months at the very least for for there to be in effect and you’re going to see the same thing with har it’s still they’re going to still be struggling at the beginning of this season until the new methods come

In um but it’s it’s going to be on people’s minds there’s no question about that and I think the fact that it’s so secret um you know it it that that lack of clarity is um is not going to help things yeah I I agree look hopefully it

Does get resolved um you know sooner rather than later um because for me obviously as a Red Bull fan I want to see the same amount of dominance um that we had at the well in all aspects last season other than czecho maybe um I I feel like looking into this season maybe

We’ve been a little bit too harsh on czecho at the back end of last but do you think that this is this is really like a last harah I feel like for czecho in terms of a Red Bull because I think that these contracts obviously up at the

End of this season yeah so if he was to maybe be able to extend the seat it’s everything is riding on this season isn’t it yeah 100% because he’s the reality is he’s not done the job that’s necessary um okay as I said he he’s you know he’s consistently been um um being

Towards the front and everything but when you look at how much more dominant Max has been the question mark for Red Bull is going to be with the new regulations coming in for for 2025 uh I think they 25 maybe um but then there’s always a shake up when new

RS come in and um you know if Red Bull don’t have as dominant a car as they have now because when teams find loopholes you know remember braw with the infamous double diffuser then you’re going to need somebody on Max’s level to drag the car forwards and if Max is only

Not winning every single race but winning a couple of races and czecho is them m in the Midfield that’s going to be a disaster for Red Bull so I think honestly he has to not saying beat Max because we all respect Max’s ability but he has to be a very consistent P2

Constantly there and right on the heels and Max through this season otherwise I think his time’s up yeah I think so and I think that’s what we what we missed from him really last season the season before that I think we can all commend him for being great teammate like he’s

He was a perfect person you’d want in that second seat but if it he needs to be reliable he needs to be fighting for to make sure that P2 spot is wrapped up and there’s no pressure on that I think the other thing is that if you look at

The very I hate this expression I’m sure racing drivers hate this expression but if you look at the very good number two drivers from the past we’re talking you Eddie irvines we’re talking David Kar Ruben Barry Kell they kind of accepted that they were up against one of the

Greatest of all time you know in shape of Michael schumacker and Mah Hainan and they just adapted to make sure that they were excellent at their role and say that they were happy to be behind Mah or or Michael and they never sort of tried and and to consistently beat it of

Course they had their days and good for them but I think if czecho kind of stops trying to think about winning the World Championship and takes that pressure off of him I know that goes against every single fiber in in a drive body but it’s just the reality of the situation Max is

One of the greatest of all time and focuses on just being that consistent number two then I think he’ll have a lot better year because the pressure will be off him yeah I agree I think because of maybe the start of last season there was

A lot of hype over the fact that he could be battling with Max at the front I think maybe the confidence was massively knocked when he when it when things started to to dip a little bit yeah um but yeah he needs to just focus

On making sure that as as a team that they can do the best they can yeah um I think looking at the other teams Mercedes and Ferrari did you see any Improvement on on their car in testing again it’s it’s it’s hard to say at the minute because everybody everybody keeps

Themselves to themselves because you know they will I can promise you every single team will have had uh their High Reds image downloaders and looking at every little secret so honestly until they hit the track I think it’s it’s very difficult to say anything but I think that Ferrari will certainly be in

A confident mood going to this year with the progress they made towards the end of last season um and you know it seems like vas’s methology and and implementation stuff it’s slowly starting to get results um and we saw that towards the end of last season I think they will probably be

Boyed even subconsciously within the team about the news of Lewis I mean Lewis does get you a lot more excited than than Carlos and so I think that and Carlos will be out to prove something as well so I think for Aria looking good I’d say less so about Mercedes because

You know they’ve had quite I’d call it quite a negative winter so far you know obviously with the news about Lewis um and then there’s all the the potential moves of Staff going over there’s lots of chats about what Pete bonnington’s going to do um and then obviously

There’s been some criticism from Pacers about George so it’s been quite a negative offseason for Mercedes so that I don’t think they’re going to have that momentum going into it that Ferrari will have yeah I think there’s also the argument though that with Lewis going I

Mean Lewis is going to want to try and prove the point as well Mercedes obviously he’d love to probably go and win the eighth with Mercedes whether or not the car is at that level is is another question but I was I was going to ask you actually because I haven’t

Seen you about the Lewis move were you surprised by that move uh no not really to be hon but to moved to Ferrari where I mean obviously Look Ferrari the most iconic team on the grid I would say but in terms of like progress they’ve made a

Little bit but they’re not they’re not where they used to be we’re going back a long time no but it didn’t really surprise me because you know the thing I think a big big decision in for Lewis was uh was Frederick verer and Fred has an extremely good reputation

Uh for running very very good teams for many many years because he he created a Powerhouse team in the junior formulas called Art and when Lewis was in Formula 3 and in for and gp2 he worked directly with vessa and um and you know was very very successful in those categories and

They’re spec categories so everybody has the same cars and you just have to make the best of what you’ve got in terms of management optimization etc etc so Fred was able to do that and I think that Lewis know know what Fred can bring and and and his abilities and talents and

What he’s doing at Ferrari and also he did a very good job when he was at Alpha and I think that’s what motivated Lewis of course there’s always the the part in the side of a driver’s head that they want to drive for Ferrari at some stage

But I think vaser being there was probably the the key to the move in terms of Carlos signs do do you think that he was aware of that move coming and because there’s a lot of talk about him probably ending up at Audi yeah um for for 26 but that’s still it’s still

Quite a way off yeah I think he probably got completely kibos by that news I expect it was kept very quiet I also don’t think it was I mean look I know you don’t turn down the chance to have Lewis but I actually think that Carlos was the more what’s the word consistent

Consistent driver for me at Ferrari last season I really do and I think that obviously it’s it’s it’s harsh like I think it is harsh to to get rid of Carlos sence I I I I I agree um but you know when Lewis comes available you got

To make some tough decisions and I think naturally if you can control him I think that L clurk has shown more potential than Carlos has Carlos is consistent but is he ever going does he look like he’s ever going to be a world champion at the minute you’d probably say no the other

Thing that hasn’t been spoken about much um to do with Carlos and Audi as well is that there’s a very good connection to Audi for Carlos in that his his dad Carlos s Senor actually races for Audi in the dhar rally every year uh and he

Actually won dhar with Audi this year um becoming the oldest person to ever win the dhar rally quite cool which and that that’s a tough tough race unbelievably tough so there is a direct connection there which I think Ferrari probably knew that there’s a very high possibility of Carlos going to Audi and

Audi is a project that would excite any driver yeah um and he’ probably be number one driver I guess at Audi as well yeah I think he would I think he would and you know I I if I was a driver and having ticked the Ferrari box and

You know not not seeing that they’re going to have the potential to beat Red Bull anytime soon if you’re involved in it then the Audi the Audi thing would be a very very positive move so I expect that Ferrari probably knew this and needed to put a contingency plan in

Place the thing that surprises me a bit though is why they announced it one year early yeah it’s a little bit odd to do that isn’t it I feel like this year it’s a bit of a weird one because we all know it’s all the good stuff is coming from

25 yes so it’s a bit of a weird a weird season and also with with Carlos that means that Audi’s not coming till 26 so what is he going to do within that year is there is there a way he goes to redel in the second seat well that’s the thing

There’s a there’s an interim period there which is going to be which is going to be very interesting and I I can’t believe that he would take a year out um no I can’t see it I can’t see it there might be there might be a case for

Him to um if Alex alurn obviously they they have an option on him uh at Red Bull maybe with czecho if czecho goes at the end of the year Alex will be drafted into Red Bull and then Carlos could go to Williams um you know because as a as

A stop gap for Williams that would be pretty good plus we don’t know how Logan Sergeant’s going to perform yeah so Williams could be looking for a stop Gap solution in that seat and Carlos is aen quantity um so it’s all very up in the air but I expect Ferrari wanted to

Announce it because they made tons of money from it when when you saw the share price go up yeah absolutely um from a Mercedes aspect though I mean it’s not actually looking as you mentioned it’s looking quite negative but when you think of like the PowerHouse that Mercedes have been it

Seems like the crown has has kind of slipped a little bit in terms of Toto as well like the relationship that lwis had with Toto I mean it screams to me that there isn’t that belief in the principal in the car anymore it’s like every every sport I mean it’s it’s like everything

Football being a good comparison when you’re winning everything’s easy and you know as soon as you get a few bad results everyone gets on the manager’s back I mean look at West Ham at the minute West Ham won the conference League last year now everyone wants Moy

Out I mean just and exactly very fickle and I think Formula 1 is a bit the same but Lewis is probably thinking the clock’s ticking and as a driver for any driver is a dream to drive for Ferrari Ferrari it doesn’t matter whether it’s Mercedes or Red Bull Ferrari has higher

Higher I would call it a want for a driver to drive for at some point in their career and he probably thinks it’s his last chance but I you know I think that Toto Mercedes have enough experience um that they’ll they’ll get back up to the top one day okay uh let’s

Have uh a little talk about the liveries um I mean for me the Red Bull looks the same yeah uh the Ferrari looks the same the Mercedes looks the same the Aston looks the same the Alpine looks the same the McLaren looks the same uh the Williams pretty pretty much Z pretty

Much yeah the has uh all black like more of the black of the white I mean this is a thing which is becoming a bit I I think there needs to be a bit of a common sense regulation in Formula One that all of these teams now are going

For these uh for these non-painted parts of the car right that was leading me on to my my next question about this carbon fiber thing yeah I mean it’s purely down to weight none of it’s down to design and I think the Formula 1 teams need to

Go okay this is getting sorry Formula 1 generally is going needs to go okay this is getting a bit silly now we’re going to put the weight limit up 5 kilos just so you guys can paint the car yeah cuz we love looking at the liveries of the

Car don’t we want it to to look flashy the whole this is a Formula One car this is what we want to see um do you like this trend then of the carbon fiber thing I like it in small doses and I think that it’s um you know when you

Have it with only a couple of the cars I think it’s very very unique and I think it’s quite a cool thing but if every car has it then it almost just looks like they’re not finished yes you know it’s like it’s like when you when you’re a

Child and you get one of those things where you have to color in the certain sections it looks like they haven’t finished coloring in the sections I get you I do get you on that I want to ask you about the steak and uh the V carb I

Mean two ridiculous names for cars especially the VC carb the Stak is also going to be called Kick um in certain countries that don’t have gambling and then they’ve got the Swiss thing I mean I’m just going to refer to the steak as the sirloin for now because the sirloin

Steak and the V easy yeah uh what what did you make of both of those those cars deliveries we’ve G the bright bright green luminous Neon on for the steak and for the VC carb it’s just got Visa plasted all over it and it’s kind of like a purpley Bluey metallic yeah I

Mean I think that the the vCard just looks like a business card to be honest with you um you know V Visa marketing and looks like a debit card yeah exactly Visa marketing is never that exciting but it does the job and I think that’s the the vibe they’ve gone for there um

Honestly I like the steak I think it’s cool it’s something very very different it’s um you know you don’t really see that many radical colors in Formula 1 anymore so to have something like that I think is pretty cool weird to think that that was an alfha

Romeo yes yeah it’s very I’m looking at it thinking that looks nothing like an alphao and you you also think of what sort of Audi’s are Audi’s are normally quite conservative and quite chilled out in terms of the way they look and are on the road and you can’t really imagine a

Neon green Audi CU that’s what it’s going to become I mean yeah when the Audi comes in I expect it to look in my head I expect it to look like a tit which it’s probably not but like that Sleek sexy type of car yeah I mean Ali

Audi to be honest if you go back and look at some of their past cars the one thing they always get right is they make very very goodlooking paint jobs yeah I can IM well I can imagine and um if you’ve got an Audi then you then you’ll

Know um right let’s move on to McLaren um I think we all know how much progress that they made last season they they had a rocky start but they definitely turned it around two really brilliant competent drivers probably one of my favorite actual Partnerships on the grid actually

Um in terms of competitiveness as well what do we think in terms of their ceiling for this upcoming season I think they’re going to have a really good year I think they’re going to have an excellent year I think that um you know the progress that they made last year to

Make that progress from being absolutely shocking to you know genuine contenders at some races I think uh I think they’re going to be going in full of confidence knowing that they can change it around and of course they’re just going to keep evolving their concept which still looks

Like it could be improved if we look at the end of last year I think that piastri is going to without a shadow of a doubt make a huge jump just because he know knows everything now he’s done it all before he’s done that season he had

A brilliant rookie season he did he did incredibly even look like a rookie exactly I think he’s going to put Lando on quite a lot of pressure yeah I I I can see this happening I think look I have made no secret about it I would

Love Lando to be at Red Bull I really would um and I think he’s a brilliant driver but I think that between the two of them there’s a really good battle that’s going to go on and that we’ll see unfold especially this season I I think

It’s going to get quite spicy at times I think they’re going to be a lot more level you could kind of see with Oscar last year that Oscar was quite happy to be the number two and take was pushing he was pushing he was he was pushing but

You know when he when there were times where he had to move over and stuff like that he never put up a fight or anything but I think if he’s more competitive this year which he I think he will just naturally through having had that experience I think you’re going to see a

Bit more friction there um I think he’s going to evolve and be quite the test for Lando and I think that I don’t think Lando’s street cred would go down if that happened because piastri is so highly rated I think it will only help piastri I still think Lando would be

Rated extremely highly even if pastra is closer to him well there’s also a conversation about where I know he’s locked into a contract until I think 27 or 28 but there is a conversation about what would what would be the next step for Lando yeah I mean to be honest

Though it’s Formula One it’s not quite as bad as football but it contracts are kind of they just kind of intentions of what you can do but there’ll be a transfer fee if necessary and all the rest of it I I think that’s going to be really interesting as well with the lead

Parts you know Mercedes because I think you know if you look at if you look at the par situation um you know who’s and and Toto wolf also actually came out and said this Toto wolf said when Lewis went that the timing of it’s quite bad because other people have signed new contracts

But that just means they have to pay more money yeah of course drivers will always find a way to get out if they want to without a doubt I mean I’m really I I really am looking forward to next season actually on before we even before we’ve even got on the grid um

Aston Martin um they’re going to try and take steps of course to I guess build on the progress they had at the start of the season um Alonzo was just phenomenal for for Aston but I don’t know in terms of obviously it’s a partnership we we

We’re quite harsh on on Lance stroll I do feel that for for Aston to really be up there they’re going to need some someone else in that second seat yeah 100% but when your dad owns the team then it’s very unlikely to make some tough calls he’s going to have to yeah

Exactly I think you know that that’s probably the toughest call to make is um but it it depends on on how much Fernando can carry them but the reality is even if you said I K Lance you got to step your game up what what evidence has

There been since Lance has been in Formula 1 that he’s able to step his his game up no I agree there’s always that one random race where he’ll like have a decent like maybe finish like P5 or P6 like One race a season but apart from

That I think that I just can’t see Aston really really progressing to where I think Alonzo would love them to be I mean don’t get me wrong they’ve come a long way but I think if they really want to try and break into that top that

That’s kind of like top three three for me mer they’ve got great opportunity here with you know Mercedes probably not being completely at the races we haven’t seen them drive yet but from what we’re going off of I think that there is definitely a mark there which I think

McLaren can capitalize on but for from an Aston point of view I just I’m not entirely sure I can see them getting podiums no I I I I agree I I I mean unless I really understand what happened with their concept because obviously they were so strong at the beginning and

Then just totally dropped off exactly so that’s then a case of whether they bought an all new concept or they’ve just made updates and whether the updates were effective enough but honestly honestly on paper I can’t see them returning to the form they were in at the beginning of the season I think

They’re probably going to have improved a little bit but I don’t think they’re going to have improved that much and then again as you say if if strolls not at the races so to speak um nice P it’s uh it’s it’s going to be it’s going to

Be tough for Fernando um no question Williams um again I feel like they had an actual decent season for them Alex Alvin had a decent season yeah Alex Alin had a decent season not so much Lan Sergeant um but Alex albourne has become a really good driver I think I think

Being at Red Bull so early on I mean it’s it’s a lot to to carry and I think Alex will be the first person to admit that as well yeah but he’s he’s definitely redeemed himself we know he’s a he’s a really great driver um what the what’s the ceiling really for for

Williams this year what can they achieve I think a lot would depend on on what Logan Sergeant does I mean I I was personally quite shocked that he got another opportunity I think it’s the American aspect it has to be I I can’t see any other reason um and I don’t see

How the Gap was so big it wasn’t like a little bit it was it was massive and I know that he’s come out and he’s changed his training and everything like that but I I can’t see him closing that Gap to Alex and so I think Logan’s going to

Be under serious pressure and I think that’s going to put Williams under a lot of pressure as well because they’re probably going to be in a Midfield battle again to be at the top of the Midfield and if you have only Alex scoring points uh it’s going to make

Life very very difficult for them y I agree with with you um which car did you like the most which Livery I like the steak you like the steak I like the steak I think it’s so cool to have something that different I think it it’s just like when McLaren first came out

With the orange we’ve all got used to it now but to have something really different I think it’s really cool as you say Red Bull Ferrari same they all look the same every year but that steak is going to be really unique do you think on the steak or the vop there’s

Any expectation for the season or are we just we’re just basically hanging around till every time I think of that I keep thinking of dieting you know yeah I know the steak in the car exactly maybe they’re trying to tell us something I no

I I I I don’t know I mean the a livery change and a name change is not going to change anything uh I still think they’re going to be in a very similar position to how they were last year yeah I I I think I can’t see them making huge

Progress you know what one team we haven’t spoken about really is Alpine yeah it’s because they were so boring last year yeah and there’s been a lot of investment we we’ve said it quite a lot of times on the Pu but like there’s been a lot of investment going to Alpine um

You know from the NFL players and footballers ET and I feel like they’ve got the the whole the whole French driver lineup I just don’t find this whole lineup par they’re good drivers but I don’t think they wow you and I just think for 25 I

Think there you hit the nail on the head there’s just no wow factor there it’s just so they’re just Bland and last year as well they were just Bland there was nothing there’s nothing exciting about Alpine there’s nothing that gets you they used to be exciting AB when they

Were Rena yeah they were exellent yeah and that Livery talking about good liveries it was gorgeous I love but I it just um no there’s nothing exciting and I think they’ll just not be exciting again to be honest well they’re going to need to with all that investment I mean

I’ve just got this feeling that either that that czecho could end up there I’ve said it a couple times yeah I I I think that’s a good I think that’s a good a good sh obviously the money that he brings in and in terms of you know the

Investors they’ve got I’ve got this feeling they’re going to turn it into their own kind of like reom documentary about Alpine and I think they’re going to need someone like an Alonzo or like a Perez to bring that in and really get people talking about Alpine I think I

Think that’s actually a really good shout but I if you if you go back and look at gazley and Aon there’s nothing apart from gle’s win at Monza there’s nothing they’ve ever really done which makes you go wow no um the other thing to note though which is quite

Interesting is Paris and aom were obviously teammates and they hated each other so I mean I think I felt kind of that it would be gazy that kept the seat yeah over Aon well I think the other thing to potentially look at as well is

If Lewis does go Aon could be one of the potential Replacements at Mercedes because Toto obviously manages him and he does have a habit of bringing in drivers that he’s looked after into the Mercedes maybe we’re maybe we’re seeing the whole spider diagram right before us

There you go exactly and you never know George Russell Under Pressure potentially we’re seeing the moving Parts we’re seeing it all I can see that actually yeah but okon at Mercedes that would just for me that would be quite underwhelming it would be like okay it it would almost be you’ve gone from

Lewis Hamilton to esan a I mean how do you replace a seven time world champion of course unless it’s with Max yeah but it’s orando but then you’ve got or alurn or someone like that you know you got but aom just wouldn’t make you go oh

Okay they’re going to be a be I agree I do agree with you on that um let’s just quickly talk about preseason testing how important is preseason testing for the teams it’s absolutely vital uh for the and you know for the drivers it is as well because it shakes off the cobwebs

Um but they understand the systems to be honest there’s very unlikely to be any huge reliability issues um this year because the cars are very similar to how they have been for the previous years and teams know how they work and everything just it’s more just to

Clarify everything um but 3 days is it’s it’s racing teams and drivers will always say that they want more uh more testing even if we have 100 days we’ll say we want more but three days definitely isn’t enough I was going to say that’s not really enough when you’re

Getting into you know the N of understanding the car and the changes I mean I know they’ve been part of the process but putting it on track is a completely different thing it’s it’s nowhere honestly it’s nowhere near enough I mean as I said even if you give

Them 10 days they’ll want 100 days but sort of s days would be would be a lot better because a lot of the stuff you do in preseason testing with a new car honestly the first day is a bit of a right off because you have so many

Systems to check and you have to go through procedures make sure all the switches work how they’re supposed to so you’re not actually testing then you’re just confirming that you’ve you’ve effectively built the car in the right way um but then of course the drivers then haven’t been haven’t driven for a

Couple of months so they need to get their get up to speed okay they’ve been on simulators but nothing on a simulator will pray for 5G you know so the drivers have to get the brains into gear so honestly 3 days is nowhere near enough especially when you have to switch

Drivers between one car well that’s that was leading me on to my next question because Fernando Alonzo commented on that and said why why can’t we use both cars in testing why why won’t they allow that well to be honest I think that’ll be 22 drivers saying that and all the

Teams will be saying no way we don’t want two cars because Formula 1 teams will be building the cars right until the last minute with all the updates on their concept so the teams will never push for that and and that’s probably why it isn’t in place but I completely

Agree with him from a driver’s perspective I don’t see why you can’t have two cars um they say it’s for cost but honestly in the grand scheme of things it’s it’s absolutely nothing you got 24 races a year now there the cost side of testing for a couple more days

Or having an extra car should not even be thought about yeah 100% And um looking at the testing what what are the main things that we should be focusing on that we can we can see from the cars from the drivers honestly you know when

You go to test um 95% of the time you know within three laps whether you’re going to have a competitive year or a competitive race or something like that yeah because it’s you can tell immediately and we had it last year everybody said after half a day that Red

Bull’s going to be streaks ahead and we knew with Braun GP when Jensen Button had that year they didn’t use the car at all during winter testing they did one five lat run and they were fastest and they knew they were okay um so there’s not really that much you can fix okay

You can find tune your car but until midseason the way it’s going to look in testing is probably how it’s going to be um but it’s it is incredibly important the there’s no question about that and you have to optimize it I’m excited so when we’ve had the testing then I’m

Going to say to you who what do you think the lineup’s going to be then for the season I think you could probably call me after one hour of the first session of the first day and I could probably speak to someone in the paddock

And I’ll be able to tell you really yeah okay we’re going to have to hold you that but before we do that I just want to know your predictions without saying anything top three for the season well Max is obviously a given um oh It’s Tricky I got to go Max I

Think that L cler will be second and I think that Norris will be third is that including the constructors as well uh Constructors yeah I think yeah Red Bull Red Bull yeah Red Bull Ferrari and yeah McLaren I think I think Mercedes really aren’t going to be at the races uh I

Totally agree I just I don’t have much Faith going into watch them prove us completely wrong they proba unbelievable L win wins an eth with Mercedes but we should actually start doing our predictions we’re going to make a note of them so we can see where it all at

Thank you so much for today Richard of course we will be back very very soon CU it all kicks off basically God hate the winter months we got nothing going on I do really I like I know we said it at the start but I do feel like this has

Actually gone way quicker than last year yeah it’s because there’s been so much going on honestly who needs these senders when you have Formula One honestly we had talking points the whole way through the offseason uh but don’t forget please do like and subscribe as well to on track GP we really appreciate

It and make sure you join us every week uh for all of our podcasts as well so we will see you very soon take care oh