Inside Line F1 Podcast

"The hills are alive to the sounds of the 1.6 litre V6 turbo hybrid engines," said Soumil in this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast as he looks forward to the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix along with Kunal. Is Red Bull Ring the most-picturesque circuit on the Formula 1 calendar? Kunal calls it the 'Wimbledon of Formula 1'! 

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'Fine margins' & 'rain' will be the buzzwords this weekend. As will be the intense title battle between Max Verstappen & Lewis Hamilton that will resume. Can VER score the first consecutive pole positions of his career? Red Bull Racing & Mercedes have fared well in the past - as long as they've stayed away from the kerbs! Can HAM strike back & stop VER's juggernaut? Get ready for rain to be the additional layer in their epic battle. 

Also in this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, will Mclaren retain their edge over Ferrari? Or will the circuit characteristics mask Ferrari's woes? Can Vettel-Aston Martin continue their fine run? Will Gasly-AlphaTauri join the battle, too? There's a lot of stories to look forward to this weekend. Tune in! 

(Season 2021, Episode 38)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt

Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

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OMG! Almost no one saw that coming. The French Grand Prix actually entertained Formula 1 fans! As Kunal said, "The 2021 French Grand Prix has raised bar and how for all the French Grands Prix to follow in the next century." But WHAT IF Max Verstappen had not made the opening lap error at Turn 1 and kept the lead, would the 2021 French Grand Prix have been less entertaining? 

In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil joins Kunal to review the epic race at Circuit Paul Ricard. A race that saw all 20 drivers finish AND not a single yellow flag! 

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Could Mercedes have done different strategy-wise? Could they have switched to the two-stopper mid-race? Why did Red Bull Racing-Verstappen stop twice despite having the lead & track position? Also, how did VER undercut HAM in the race? Oh, just how powerful was the undercut AND of course, Mercedes desperately need to sharpen their race strategy skills. For the third race in a row, HAM's lost track position in the pit-stops. 

Also in this episode - the racy Mclarens, Lando Norris' race to fifth, the RIC-NOR swap that we missed on the world feed, Sergio Perez's play as VER's wingman & taking points off Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship, Valtteri Bottas' expletive-laden radio, Aston Martin Racing's alternate strategy & Ferrari's tyre degradation. Tune in! 

(Season 2021, Episode 37)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Stats Review by Sundaram Ramaswami

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt

Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

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The French Grand Prix is the ONE race that almost every fan fears. Okay, maybe Abu Dhabi as well. For all the history associated with France and Grand Prix racing, the Circuit Paul Ricard almost always fails to deliver a worthy race. In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal preview the upcoming 2021 French Grand Prix. 

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Circuit Paul Ricard is a bit of a standout in many ways - the sheer number of circuit configurations, sprinkler systems, red-blue run-off areas and so on. While the circuit is great for testing, is it really worth going to for a Formula 1 race? Well, now that we're here for the third time in this era, let's look at some of the stories that could light up the weekend. 

Mercedes-Hamilton will be itching to bounce back & regain momentum in the title battle against Red Bull Racing-Verstappen. Will the FIA's new Technical Directive with regards to using the Pirelli tyres impact the intense title battle we have witnessed yet? Can Perez score back-to-back wins for RBR before Verstappen? As for Aston Martin Racing, they made their Grand Prix debut 99 years ago at the French Grand Prix. Will they be able to drive the momentum built in Monaco & Baku to further heights in France?

And of course, there's the Mclaren vs. Ferrari battle in the mid-field along with Alpine, AlphaTauri and maybe even Alfa Romeo. There's a lot of narratives to look forward to this weekend but nothing will replace a classic race on-track. May the Racing Gods bless us all. Tune in! 

(Season 2021, Episode 36)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Stats Review by Sundaram Ramaswami

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt

Image courtesy: Mercedes

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The question on everyone's minds - will the 2021 Formula 1 season be less than 23 races? It's supposed to be the longest season in the history of the sport, but will we actually have those many races? For starters, Singapore has been cancelled and several other venues may be forced to do so due to the ongoing pandemic. In which case, what would be the impact of a shortened season on Formula 1 and its stakeholders? 

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In this week's episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal are joined by Dipak Ragav - an FIA-accredited journalist for leading Indian publication, The Hindu. The trio discuss the sporting, commercial and technical impact of the shortened 2021 Formula 1 season. 

How will it impact the title battle between Hamilton and Verstappen? What about the development race between Red Bull Racing and Mercedes? Which driver would actually be hoping for a full season to resurrect form? How will a shortened season impact the commercials between Liberty Media-Formula 1 teams and the teams and their sponsors. And finally, how many races do you think will Formula 1 manage to host in 2021? Write to us via our Facebook page. 

Tune in! 

(Season 2021, Episode 35)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Dipak Ragav, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt

Image courtesy: Mercedes

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The 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix delivered on all of its pre-race hype and promise. For starters, the 'no repeat winner' stat remained intact after Sergio Perez scored his first race win for Red Bull Racing. Max Verstappen's retirement meant that Perez still has a better record of points and podiums in Baku! A Safety Car has made an appearance at every single race in Baku till date. 

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in this week's episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal discuss the great advertisement the 2021 Azerbaijan GP was for Formula 1 and for the 'sprint qualifying races'. VER-STR's tyre failures, Pirelli taking the thunder away from flexi-wings, VET-GAS-LEC's brilliant scrap for the podium, ALO's spirited drive to 6th, BOT's slipping down the order, HAM's rare mistake & RAI scoring his first point of the season. Tune in! 

(Season 2021, Episode 34)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt

Image courtesy: Mercedes

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We REALLY hope that the 'no repeat winner' stat stands true for the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. If so, we will have a new race winner this Sunday! Could Max Verstappen make the most of Mercedes' misery? If he does win this Sunday, it will be Verstappen's first back-to-back in Formula 1. 

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In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal look forward to the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. For starters, they expect that the TV direction will return to normalcy - so no more 'Lance Stroll' slow-mo cutaways! Sergio Perez has more points and podiums in Baku than Max Verstappen. It will be something if he continues the same trend this year, too.

As for Mercedes, their tyre warm-up woes continue. But given the overtaking possibilities and relatively short pit-lane loss time, one shouldn't rule out Mercedes even if they qualify out of place. 

Also, what makes Baku so special? Is it the model street circuit for Formula 1? The buzzword for this weekend will be 'a mix of Monaco and Monza'! And talking about Monaco, let's see if Ferrari are able to maximise performance in the 'Monaco-half' of Baku. Btw, Charles Leclerc was too eager to claim our 'Manscaped Lawn Mower' moment of the weekend already. Will any of the rookies challenge his claim? And of course, was Sebastian Vettel's Monaco resurgence a one-off? 

And of course, the other buzzword through the weekend will be flexi-wings. Something tells us that this 'war of the wings' is about to get messy. 

Tune in!

(Season 2021, Episode 33)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt

Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

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She's back! Mithila returns to join Soumil and Kunal in this blockbuster episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast. 

It's her homecoming, as Soumil puts it. 

For this special episode, the trio discussed a very interesting topic - the future of drivers in Formula 1. 

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The role of the driver in Formula 1 has diminished in time. '80-20' is the number that is most-often cited when asked about the split in role of the car-driver in modern day Formula 1. With new competitive racing formats (like the spring qualifying from 2021), the growing importance of social media imagery, the talks about driver salaries being capped and the influx of younger drivers every other season, what could be the future of drivers in Formula 1? 

Here's a wild prediction that Kunal made - an NBA-style draft in Formula 1. It may be a looong time away, but is the sport heading off in that direction? Do teams need to evolve to cope with 'driver brands' being as big or even bigger than theirs? How agile do the drivers need to be to adapt to newer competitive racing formats? And finally, will they continue to be PR-robots controlled by their teams? Tune in!

(Season 2021, Episode 32)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Mithila Mehta, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt

Image courtesy: Formula 1 

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After most races at Monaco, the typical question is - should we continue to race on the streets of Monte Carlo? The 2021 Monaco Grand Prix has brought this question back into focus. However, it's time we don't blame the track. In fact, if there's one blame we can lay on the organisers, it would be their shoddy TV direction throughout the 78-lap race. 

Of course, even a world-class TV director wouldn't have managed to save us from the boredom the race inflicted, but there were several positive narratives from the weekend. 

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In this Pits to Podium segment of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal review the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. The duo discuss why the cars are more to blame than the tight-twisty and narrow layout of the Circuit de Monaco. Should Ferrari have changed Charles Leclerc's gearbox out of precaution? Isn't starting the race from 6th place better than not starting at all? What would you have done if you were the decision-maker at Ferrari? 

Also in this episode: Mercedes' botched pit stop + race strategy, the power of the overcut, Pierre Gasly's 78-lap defence on Lewis Hamilton, the return of vintage Sebastian Vettel and Aston Martin Racing's smart race strategy, Carlos Sainz Jr.-Lando Norris' podium bromance, why Hamilton struggled and of course, Sundaram's kick-ass stats from the race. Tune in! 

(Season 2021, Episode 31)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt

Image courtesy: Aston Martin Racing

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No, we're not delusional. We believe that Ferrari could win this weekend's 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. If they get pole, and mind you, they look quick, they could dictate the overall race pace and go for the win. For those naysayers, Mercedes did exactly that with Nico Rosberg in 2013. The lack of overtaking opportunities makes track position even more vital in Monaco. But of course, the key point here is 'if they get pole'. 

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Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). A special contest is coming up for the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. Predict the pole position time and win vouchers worth INR 3,000 from Puma. 

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In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal look forward to this weekend's 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. The flexi-wings controversy is another angle to the ongoing Red Bull Racing vs. Mercedes battle. When exactly will Verstappen-Red Bull Racing's championship challenge take off? Monaco hasn't been most-kind to VER. As for Lewis Hamilton, his lowest race-to-pole position ratio (0.15%) is at Monaco. Could someone else snatch the spoils from the two title protagonists? 

Sergio 'Checo' Perez has scored a podium before in Monaco - could this weekend be his first with RBR? PER will need to deliver on Saturday. Will BOT struggle from tyre warm-up issues here, too? What are the possible race strategies and the pit lane time loss? What makes Monaco so special? How will the four Monaco virgins (TSU, MAZ, MSC & LAT) fare? Will Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso be able to keep up with their Monaco records? And of course, an unpopular opinion is that at least one of us (Kunal, in this case) doesn't care about the special car-driver liveries in the sport (case in point: Mclaren's Gulf-special livery for Monaco). 

Hereon, we will have two special segments in our race preview episodes - first, Sundaram presenting his uber-cool stats. Second, Akaash hosting 'race track 101' to look back to circuit history and memories. Tune in! 

(Season 2021, Episode 30)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Sundaram Ramaswami, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt

Image courtesy: Mercedes AMG Petronas

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The 2021 Formula 1 season has had a brilliant start. The Max Verstappen-Lewis Hamilton battle seems set to last the full course of the season (no, we're not jinxing it!). But we don't want the title to be decided or be influenced by a controversy - flexi wings, to be more specific. But there are more stories we don't wish to see/hear this season. 

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Use 'PUMAINSIDELINE' to avail an additional 5% discount on Puma's Motorsport merchandise collection (exclusive for our listeners in India). A special contest is coming up for the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. Predict the pole position time and win vouchers worth INR 3,000 from Puma. 

For our global audiences, get 20% OFF at Manscaped + free shipping with promo code TRIMINSIDE at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

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In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil and Kunal are joined by Lucien Byfieldt from Australia. The trio discuss 'stories they don't wish to see or hear' in the 2021 Formula 1 season. Sebastian Vettel still struggling to find his mojo. The Yuki Tsunoda hype train - let's give the young Jap a bit of time, c'mon. The trolling of Nikita Mazepin for being a bad human - let's focus on his spinning first? 'It's the car, not the driver', in Hamilton's case. Drive to Survive overusing it's creative license and more. Tune in! 

(Season 2021, Episode 29)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt

Image courtesy: Aston Martin F1 Team

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