Inside Line F1 Podcast

There's awards and then there's the Inside Line F1 Parody Awards. We've been hosting our awards for eight years and the reason why it's become ever-so-popular is because 'the winner is never who you think it is'.

For this year's Inside Line F1 Parody Awards, Mithila and Kunal discuss the following categories: 1. Drama of the year 2. Joke of the year 3. Radio message of the year 4. Strategy of the year 5. Innovation of the year 6. Driver of the year 7. Victory of the year 8. Oops moment of the year 9. Mystery of the year 10. Influencer of the year

Grab a drink, sit back and tune in to the Inside Line F1 Podcast (https://link.chtbl.com/ilf1p) !

(Season 2020, Episode 68)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Mithila Mehta (https://www.twitter.com/mith_m) and Kunal Shah (http://www.twitter.com/kunalashah)

Music courtesy: Lucien Byfieldt (https://lucienbyfieldt.bandcamp.com/) Image courtesy: Mercedes

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Our 67th episode of the year is our season review episode for 2020. We have two guests joining us - Sundaram and Nithyanand. You would remember them as the gentlemen who dig cool stats ever so often. This Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment is hosted by the ever-talented Soumil and has Kunal in attendance. For those missing Mithila, she will be back to host our final episode of the year - the Inside Line F1 Parody Awards (out 28th December). 

In this episode, we discuss the driver of the year, race, team, disappointment, strategy and so on. It's a fun discussion, tune in! 

'Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year'!

(Season 2020, Episode 67)

Follow our hosts on Twitter: Sundaram Ramaswami (https://twitter.com/mpformula1) , Nithyanand Ram (https://twitter.com/The_F1fanatic) , 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

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After being let-go unexpectedly, Sergio Perez raced the season of his life to convince Red Bull Racing to hire him for 2021. Just getting a top team drive is a victory for Sergio 'Checo' Perez. But in this Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal discuss why Red Bull Racing needed Sergio Perez as their second driver for the 2021 Formula 1 season. The reasons are more than one!

Also in this episode - we discuss the cyclical nature of junior driver programs, how soon before a Red Bull Junior Driver replaces Perez at the team. And of course, who could get the nod first - Pierre Gasly or Alexander Albon?

(Season 2020, Episode 66)

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/) Stats courtesy: Sundaram Ramaswami (https://twitter.com/mpformula1) & Nithyanand Ram (https://twitter.com/The_F1fanatic) Image courtesy: Red Bull Racing

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Usually, a Safety Car brings a Formula 1 race to life. It triggers a flurry of pit-stops and forces teams-drivers to adapt, evolve & deploy out-of-box tyre strategies. The 2020 Formula 1 season has seen the Safety Car appear in 12 out of 17 races. However, did the Safety Car cost us Formula 1 an exciting race in Abu Dhabi? Soumil and Kunal discuss further in our Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment.

Mercedes couldn't use strategy to try and jump Max Verstappen for the lead of the race. It also eliminated the possibility of a two-stopping race & it made strategy almost null and void for the hard and medium starters. If you're a Ferrari fan, you must be wondering why they didn't pit either driver during the VSC/SC period.  And of course, yet another mechanical issue robbed us of a 'pits to podium' charge by Sergio Perez!

Also in this episode: Mclaren finishing 3rd in the Constructors' Championship while Sergio Perez maintaining 4th in the Drivers' Championship. Carlos Sainz Jr.'s slow driving in the pit lane proved yet again that slow is the way to go in Abu Dhabi (ref: to championship battles). And of course, CONGRATULATIONS to Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing and Honda for claiming their 2nd win of the season. For once, Mercedes aren't to be blamed for boredom caused by dominance. Tune in!

(Season 2020, Episode 65)

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/) Stats courtesy: Sundaram Ramaswami (https://twitter.com/mpformula1) & Nithyanand Ram (https://twitter.com/The_F1fanatic) Image courtesy: Mercedes AMG Petronas

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17 races in 6 months - that's a stat Formula 1 will remember for the time to come. As for the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, there are two stats to remember - 6 pole positions and 6 wins for Mercedes. They have led 88% of all laps here! Basically, they have conquered the Yas Marina Circuit in the hybrid-turbo era. Mercedes have been so competitive and dominant in the 2020 Formula 1 season that they even won a race with the W10 (last year's car) last weekend in Sakhir.

Also in this Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal discuss the battle for P3 in the Constructors' Championship - who's your money on? What's peculiar about the Yas Mercedes Circuit? Why the FP1 session of the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will go down in memory. After all, the 'Schumacher' name returned to Formula 1. This race is also the 'last' for many drivers and brands in Formula 1 - look forward to their farewell. And of course, it's far from our last episode of the year. Tune in!

(Season 2020, Episode 64)

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/) Stats courtesy: Sundaram Ramaswami (https://twitter.com/mpformula1) & Nithyanand Ram (https://twitter.com/The_F1fanatic) Image courtesy: Mercedes AMG Petronas, Twitter

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After 10 years and 190 race starts, Sergio Perez is finally a Formula 1 Grand Prix winner. In our Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal discuss how the Mexican went from P5 to P18 to P1 in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix. Like Perez, Lance Stroll drove a strong race - but could Racing Point have scored a 1-2 finish?

Also in this episode: George Russell's stellar Mercedes debut, Valtteri Bottas' struggles, Mercedes' pit-stop embarrassments, maiden career podium for Renault's Esteban Ocon and all other talking points from one of Formula 1's most-memorable races of recent times. Should Formula 1 permanently host the Bahrain Grand Prix on the 'outer' layout? And has Alexander Albon blown all his chances to a Red Bull Racing seat in 2021? Write to us via our Facebook page (http://bit.ly/insidelineonfacebook) . For now, tune in and re-live the crazy 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix!

(Season 2020, Episode 63)

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/) Stats courtesy: Sundaram Ramaswami (https://twitter.com/mpformula1) & Nithyanand Ram (https://twitter.com/The_F1fanatic) Image courtesy: Racing Point F1 Team

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First things first, get well soon wishes to Lewis Hamilton. We always wanted to see George Russell in a Mercedes Formula 1 car but not in the manner in which it has happened for the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.

In this Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal discuss what to actually expect in a RUS vs. BOT battle this weekend. Could George Russell actually score a win on his Mercedes debut? Let's remember, Max Verstappen did so when he received a mid-season promotion from Toro Rosso to Red Bull Racing. Either way, could RUS go from being points-less in his career till date to scoring a podium?

Will the simpler track layout help RUS settle down faster in the Mercedes setup? How will the super-fast low-drag nature of the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix impact the podium predictions and the fight for P3 in the Constructors' Championship? Renault and Racing Point have fared well in the low-drag configuration as have Alpha Tauri - let's see if Ferrari and Mclaren are in the mix, too. And of course, Pietro Fittipaldi gets lucky with his break with Haas - we discuss the story to his replacing Romain Grosjean AND a welcome to Formula 1 for Jack Aitken as well. Tune in!

(Season 2020, Episode 62)

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/) Stats courtesy: Sundaram Ramaswami (https://twitter.com/mpformula1) & Nithyanand Ram (https://twitter.com/The_F1fanatic) Image courtesy: Mercedes AMG Petronas, Twitter

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Was Romain Grosjean's survival from his crash in the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix a miracle? In our Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, Soumil and Kunal attribute Grosjean's survival to the FIA's relentless pursuit of safety over many seasons. Yes, Grosjean was lucky and his guardian angel was on duty on Sunday, but citing luck as the sole reason for his survival (or labeling it a miracle!) would do disservice to the progress FIA has made over the seasons. We discuss the crash, the recovery and how various elements came together to save Grosjean's life and of course, give us a Formula 1 Grand Prix despite the delay. 

Also in this episode, we talk about yet another dominant victory for Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas' incorrect setup, Sergio Perez's missed podium, Mclaren jumping Racing Point in the Constructors' Championship and Pierre Gasly's one-stopper to P6. Tune in! 

(Season 2020, Episode 61)

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/) Stats courtesy: Sundaram Ramaswami (https://twitter.com/mpformula1) & Nithyanand Ram (https://twitter.com/The_F1fanatic) Image courtesy: Haas F1 Team

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In the hybrid-turbo era, Mercedes have scored 12 podiums in 6 races - that's a 100% podium record at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Bahrain International Circuit has seen Mercedes dominate like no other. Strangely though, neither of the Mercedes drivers have scored a pole position here in the last two years. But we expect that to change this weekend, don't we?

Also in this Pits to Podium (https://bit.ly/pitstopodium) segment, can Lewis Hamilton win 13 races in the 2020 Formula 1 season? He seems to be in a class of his own. Can Valtteri Bottas finally convert a pole position into a win? He's failed to do so the last 3 times he had pole. Red Bull Racing haven't finished in the top-3 in Bahrain for 7 years. Can Max Verstappen change that? Or will Racing Point-Sergio Perez be able to challenge for the podium?

Join Soumil and Kunal as they look forward to the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2020 Formula 1 World Championships may have settled but the fight for P3 in the Constructors' and P4 in the Drivers' Championship will keep us entertained. How much further can Ferrari climb? Will Carlos Sainz Jr. finally break his Bahrain points-scoring duck? Will Turn 9 ruin a few qualifying attempts and impact race strategy? Tune in!

(Season 2020, Episode 60)

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/) Stats courtesy: Sundaram Ramaswami (https://twitter.com/mpformula1) & Nithyanand Ram (https://twitter.com/The_F1fanatic) Image courtesy: Bahrain International Circuit, Twitter

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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 

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