F1 2025 Pre-Season Testing is here! But how much do testing times really tell us? 🤔 From Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut to McLaren vs. Red Bull, in this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Kunal Shah breaks down what matters and what doesn’t from Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain!

There’s so much to analyse, but what are we looking forward to the most? Here’s a lowdown on what we know will keep us hooked for this week!

✅ What is F1 pre-season testing? Why do teams do it?

✅ How to analyse a team’s performance in testing – Reading between the lines! 

✅ Does strong testing = a strong season? 

✅ Can teams get more testing time if they face issues? 🤯

✅ What are Ferrari & McLaren focusing on? (Radical new designs + Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut!) 

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👉 Join our conversation: Who do YOU think will be the fastest in Bahrain’s pre-season testing? Drop your predictions in the comments below. 

It doesn’t end there. The conversations on F1’s 2025 pre-season testing this week will continue. But as the season picks up, we will be reflecting on things to MUST watch out for in the 2025 season:

• Max Verstappen’s hunt for a 5th title – Will Red Bull stay dominant?

•    McLaren’s rapid 2024 development – Can they continue this momentum into 2025?

• Ferrari’s 2025 season preview – Can Leclerc & Hamilton fight for wins?

• Mercedes comeback? – Is the W16 finally competitive?

• Aston Martin & Alpine’s midfield battle – Who takes the lead? 

• Are we witnessing the next gen of superstars? - Can rookies like Bearman, Antonelli & Doohan make an impact?

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(Season 2025, Episode 05)

Follow our hosts: Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru & Kunal Shah

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The biggest Formula 1 season launch event in history just wrapped up at The O2! In this season opener for 2025, Kunal, Sundaram, and Soumil dive deep into F1 75 LIVE. Why did F1 host the event? Was it a success?

We break down the brand-new 2025 liveries: Which teams nailed the design? Which ones played it too safe? And which livery had us completely divided?

Oh and you can spot a new livery for the InsideLine F1 Podcast too!

But that’s not all! We also take a nostalgic trip down memory lane as each host reveals THREE of their all-time favourite F1 liveries—from legendary Ferrari reds to unforgettable McLaren colour schemes. It’s the ultimate design geek-out session for every motorsport fan!

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

00:47 - F1-75 Thoughts and Recap

10:43 - FIA booed - Thoughts?

17:20 - Hot or Not?

21:55 - Stake Kick Sauber

24:55 - Williams

29:47 - Racing Bulls

33:57 - Haas

36:43 - Aston Martin

39:14 - Alpine

45:45 - Mercedes

51:02 - Red Bull Racing

55:41 - Ferrari

58:35 - Sundaram's Bold Prediction

59:23 - McLaren

1:01:35 - Kunal's Favorite McLaren reveals

1:03:30 - Soumil's Top 3 Liveries

1:06:10 - Sundaram's Top 3 Liveries

1:08:20 - Kunal's Top 3 Liveries

Don't miss this unmissable season opener as we kick off the 2025 F1 season in style!

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👉 Join our conversation: Drop your favourite livery in the comments.

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(Season 2025, Episode 04)

Follow our hosts: Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru & Kunal Shah

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Who is Arvid Lindblad and why is he so crucial to Red Bull Racing's future driver plans in Formula 1? What is Red Bull Racing's plan for "life after Max Verstappen"?

Soumil Arora and @f1statsguru sat down for a heartfelt conversation with Red Bull's junior driver Arvid Lindblad.

Arvid spoke about his Motorsport journey, his "promise" to Lando Norris, knowing Max Verstappen and in general, being one of the most-successful racers in Formula 3 who will step up to Formula 2 in 2025 with Campos Racing.

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(Season 2025, Episode 03)

Follow our hosts: Soumil Arora & @f1statsguru

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At our season kick-off event in Mumbai in mid-January, your Inside Line F1 Podcast hosts Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah were joined by FIA-accredited Formula 1 journalist Abhishek Takle to share early and bold predictions for the 2025 Formula 1 season.

On this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, you *will* hear bold predictions for the 10 teams, Formula 1 and of course, the FIA.

The most-common and popular bold prediction of our hosts-guest and the engaged audience was "Lewis Hamilton winning a World Championship with Ferrari in 2025", but could Haas become Toyota sooner rather than later? Which Red Bull / Racing Bulls driver get the swap, and who will get the axe? And finally, Franco Colapinto replacing Jack Doohan isn't a "bold" prediction, even if it may happen "early" in the season.

Lots of banter, insights and conversations in this loooong episode.

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(Season 2025, Episode 02)

Follow our hosts: Kunal Shah & Soumil Arora

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Vitantonio Liuzzi's love for Formula 1 is unmatched and infectious; his love story with Formula 1 is next to none. Tonio went from being World Karting Champ one year to making his Formula 1 debut in the next; and beating the then 4-times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher in go-karts.

Tonio proudly calls himself the "start up" driver for Formula 1 teams after racing with "start ups" Red Bull Racing, Force India and HRT. In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Tonio shares his journey through Formula 1, the highs-lows and why he is so proud of his appointment as FIA's Driver Steward.

For the geeks, Tonio's story on how the f-duct ruined his career in the sport is one definitely worth listening to!

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(Season 2025, Episode 01)

Follow our hosts: Kunal Shah & Soumil Arora

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Our most-awaited season-ending episode is here - the Inside Line F1 Parody Awards.

Most drivers say that our F1 Parody Awards are the best; better than the FIA Gala Awards, of course.

"The winner is never who you think it is" is the key phrase to remember as you tune in to this episode. We've got 10 categories and several nominees. There's a 100% chance that your favourite teams-drivers have at least one nomination, if not, a category win.

Tune in! See you in 2025...

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(Season 2024, Episode 65)

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"Negotiations are ongoing. I am positive that there will be a decision & announcement this week."

"Yes, this is the first time share holders are involved (in a driver decision)."

Inside Line F1 Podcast's Kunal Shah spoke to Red Bull's Dr. Helmut Marko about 2025 driver line-ups for both Red Bull-owned Formula 1 teams, celebrating Max Verstappen's fourth win, strengths and areas of improvement for all Red Bull contracted drivers for 2025 (including Verstappen) and Arvid Lindblad's future in Formula 2, and hopefully, Formula 1...with Red Bull Racing.

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(Season 2024, Episode 64)

Follow our hosts: Kunal Shah

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Welcome to the season finale review episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast! Join us as we review the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP—a race that had it all! McLaren ends a 26-year drought with a historic Constructors' Championship win 🏆, Ferrari's strategy drama unfolds 🔄 and Lando Norris proves he's the man under pressure 💪

We also bid goodbye to some of the sport's finest drivers and gear up for an exciting 2025 season. Don’t miss this in-depth race analysis, driver highlights, and all the action from Yas Marina Circuit! 🚦

And of course, the Inside Line "Parody" Awards is next!

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🎧 Listen to the podcast:

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(Season 2024, Episode 63)

Follow our hosts: @f1statsguru & Kunal Shah

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6, if not 7, drivers racing in the 2024 Formula 1 Season will be enjoying a farewell at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz, Franco Colapinto, Kevin Magnussen, Zhou Guanyu, Valtteri Bottas...and maybe, Sergio Perez?

And of course, three drivers haven't had a farewell in 2024 - Daniel Ricciardo, Logan Sargeant and Esteban Ocon. Luckily, we will see OCO back in Formula 1 with Haas in a tyre test after Abu Dhabi.

In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast,  @f1statsguru  and Kunal Shah preview the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 9 out of the last 12 races have been won from pole, and 11 (of these 12) have been won from the front row.

Half of the 10 Constructors' Championship standings could change after this Sunday's race - McLaren vs. Ferrari for P1, while Alpine, Haas and Racing Bulls are battling for P6.

The lesser hyped battle is the one for P2 in the Drivers' Championship between Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. Could Norris go from battling Max Verstappen for P1 to losing P2 to Leclerc? This is the 2024 Formula 1 season and stranger things have happened. But for everyone's sake (and sanity), let's hope that all battles are settled fairly and justly...and without the intervention of the FIA.

Tune in!

(Season 2024, Episode 62)

Follow our hosts: @f1statsguru & Kunal Shah

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Max Verstappen won yet another race in a car that wasn't the fastest. But which car was the fastest in the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix? On Friday, it was the McLaren. On Saturday, it was the Mercedes, but on Sunday, was it the McLaren again? Or the Red Bull Racing car have a slight edge?

We believe it was McLaren's race to win...and they didn't. Yet another race where they didn't maximise their result. M4xsterclass in Qatar was the reason this time. Verstappen ensured he didn't lose the race lead to George Russell at the start and to Lando Norris at the restarts.

Along with Verstappen's 9th win of 2024, it was also his 1-place grid penalty in Qualifying that made the headlines. On Sunday, Norris' "10 second stop-go" penalty was another fiasco that dogged the FIA - did they exaggerate the safety situation by throwing a double yellow flag? Why were they late in deploying the Safety Car to remove Alexander Albon's broken wing mirror?

In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah present to you the review of the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. The unfortunate punctures for Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton, Hamilton's unforced errors in the race, Russell's lack of spatial awareness, Pierre Gasly's 5th place for Alpine, Fernando Alonso scoring in his 400th race in Formula 1 and of course, Zhou Guanyu scoring his and Sauber's first points of the season.

A lot happened in Qatar, on and off track. We dissect the chaos and the racing.

Tune in!

(Season 2024, Episode 61)

Follow our hosts:  @f1statsguru  & Kunal Shah

Image courtesy: Mercedes

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