Torquing Point

Given that there was next to no on-track action at the Monaco Grand Prix, there's a remarkable amount of stuff from it that needs discussing. For instance, Max Verstappen is suddenly now leading the Drivers' Championship for the first time ever, while Red Bull are ahead of Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship. How did that happen?Finley and Henry start off by looking at just that, paying tribute to two excellent drives from Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, wondering why the real Lewis Hamilton never showed up and paying sympathies to poor old Valtteri Bottas.For the first time this year though, Red Bull and Mercedes aren't the only teams to discuss when looking at the fight for the win, with Ferrari also looking excellent in Monte Carlo. Just how good is that car? And the same question has to be asked of the man who drove it home in P2, Carlos Sainz. What a season he's having. So too his former team-mate and buddy Lando Norris, who claimed his second podium of the year and consolidated P3 in the standings. While he thrives though, his team-mate flounders, with Daniel Ricciardo looking a shadow of the man who won at the very same track. Should we start to be concerned about his form?Another driver to previously win the race for Red Bull was much better, with Sebastian Vettel putting in his best performance in a long time. Whisper it quietly, but he may still have it...After applauding his efforts, the PF1 team then take a look at the young guns who are getting the better of their title-winning team-mates and assess how the three rookies handled one of the sport's biggest challenges before discussing whether that challenge should remain on the calendar given the somewhat dull affair it's been in recent times.Twitter: @Planet_F1Facebook: Planet F1

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Much to the delight of the Torquing Point team, the Spanish Grand Prix actually produced an entertaining race for a change.That was mainly due to the fight at the front as we were treated to round four of the Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen show. Finley and Henry kick things off by looking at how the Brit ultimately prevailed. It may have been his team's excellent strategy call that was the main reason that he won, but that takes nothing away from his drive, with the Mercedes man barely putting a foot wrong all race. Is there any stopping him?Hamilton didn't have many issues making his through traffic to catch Verstappen, but one man who didn't move aside for him was his team-mate, Valtteri Bottas. Does the fact that he's finally defying team orders show that he's aware this could well be his final season with the team? Most likely.Behind the front three, Ferrari and McLaren were once again the stand-out teams, with Charles Leclerc particularly impressive, being a long way ahead of the rest of the midfield all weekend. In fact, he may not have won the official award, but he's Torquing Point's Driver of the Day. Another contender for that award was Daniel Ricciardo, who finished in P6 and had the upper hand on team-mate Lando Norris all weekend. Many expected him to get the better of Norris this season; will he now kick on and do so? It'll be tight either way, as will the fight between the two teams...The other team looking best placed to join that fight is Alpine, with the car looking particularly unimpressive in the hands of Esteban Ocon. Fernando Alonso has been unable to match the Frenchman in recent weeks, but should and his fans be worried about his form just yet? Finally, the PF1 team round things off by paying tribute to the ever-impressive Mick Schumacher, who looked good again, and the various pit-crews of the grid who faced and overcame some rather unusual challenges in Barcelona.Twitter: @Planet_F1Facebook: Planet F1

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It may have turned out to be a bit of a dull affair, but the Portuguese Grand Prix still threw up a number of conversation topics.As has been the case all season. the biggest of them came at the front of the grid, with Lewis Hamilton prevailing in a battle with Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen to take victory.Finley and Michelle start off by looking at that battle, discussing whether Mercedes had a quicker car than Red Bull and worrying that, even though it's just an eight-point gap, Hamilton may start to run away with the title, especially if Verstappen keeps exceeding those pesky track limits.On the bright side for Red Bull, Sergio Perez is starting to look more and more comfortable in his car and wasn't too far off Bottas by the end of running on race-day. Both look set to be number two driver this year, but once he has a few more races under his belt, will Checo be a better one than the Finn?His race was hindered early on by Lando Norris, and for the third time in three aces, the McLaren man was one of the most impressive drivers on the grid. The PF1 team pay tribute to him as well as Fernando Alonso who, after a poor qualifying, looked back to his best on Sunday. With his team, Alpine, looking better, the midfield battle is really heating up. Another man to impress was the son of Alonso's old rival. He may have only finished in P17, but it was an excellent race for Mick Schumacher as he got the better of Nicholas Latifi with a lovely move and was lightyears ahead of his team-mate, Nikita Mazepin. Things are looking good for the German.Twitter: @Planet_F1Facebook: Planet F1

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With rain, Red Flags and rivals clashing, The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix left Torquing Point with no shortage of talking points.Henry Valantine joins Finley to discuss the race, and the pair start off with the fight at the front between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. Unlike in Bahrain, the Dutchman prevailed this time around, putting in the perfect drive to storm to victory. He'll take a lot of confidence from that, but asides from his costly mistake, Hamilton still looked pretty handy himself. Can the Red Bull man really challenge him over the course of a season? Judging by that performance, yes.While Verstappen and Hamilton thrived, their team-mates didn't, with the latter's failing to even survive. Valtteri Bottas may not have been massively at fault in the collision with George Russell, but the fact that he was being overtaken by the Williams man in the first place is cause for concern. As for Russell, the PF1 team are in agreement that his behaviour following the incident was unsavoury, to say the least, and makes his intentions clear. The mask has slipped; he wants that Mercedes seat, and he'll do everything he can on and off the track to get it.One young Brit to fair much better than him was Lando Norris, who claimed his second podium with a stunning drive. With him on form and Daniel Ricciardo willing to play the team game, could McLaren have the best lineup on the grid once the Aussie finds his feet?They'll need both to be at their best if they are to claim P3 in the Constructors' Championship again, as Ferrari are looking mighty strong too, with a good car and two drivers performing well, and Finley and Henry couldn't be happier to see the two teams do battle once again. They may not be alone in the fight for P3 either, with Pierre Gasly impressing with an excellent recovery drive in an AlphaTauri that has a lot of pace. If they are to get in the mix though, Yuki Tsunoda needs to cut out the mistakes.Twitter: @Planet_F1Facebook: Planet F1

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Formula 1 is back, and Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and the rest of the grid left Torquing Point with plenty of talking points.So often last season, there was little to say about Hamilton's wins such was his dominance, but that certainly wasn't the case at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Given how thrilling his fight with Verstappen was, it's the only place to start. Finley and Michelle analyse the battle between the two and how and why the Mercedes man ultimately prevailed. He may have done so this time, but did the Dutchman and Red Bull show that they're ready to challenge him for a title? If they are to do, they'll need some help from Sergio Perez, and judging by how he did in his first race for the team, they'll get it. In fact, so good was his charge from the pit-lane to P5 that the PF1 team can see him getting the better of Valtteri Bottas at the least once he starts further up the order.Once all matters at the front are covered, the discussion then moves on to the stand-out drivers of the midfield, with Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Yuki Tsunoda and Fernando Alonso receiving most of the praise for their efforts.One man not receiving such praise is Sebastian Vettel, who picked up where he left off in 2020, continuing to struggle and making sloppy mistakes. If race number one at Aston Martin was a sign of things to come, his days in F1 may well be numbered. Look on the bright side though, Seb, it could be worse. You could be worse Nikita Mazepin. The Russian couldn't have made a worse start to his F1 career if he tried after crashing out at the start. If he wants to improve his reputation, that's not the way to go about it.His team-mate, Mick Schumacher, had a better debut race, doing all that was required of him, making it to the end. The Haas undoubtedly seems to be the worst car on the grid, but that could at least ease some of the immense pressure on Mick's shoulders.Twitter: @Planet_F1Facebook: Planet F1

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S2: The 2021 Season PreviewAs the return of Formula 1 approaches, the second season of Torquing Point kicks off with a preview of the year ahead.While the cars may be similar in 2021, the same can't be said for who will be driving them, and Finley and Michelle start off by running through all the driver changes.They then dive into their analysis of the grid, starting at the top. Red Bull looked stronger than Mercedes in pre-season testing and have their best lineup in years; can they finally take the fight to the German team? What's more, can Max Verstappen challenge Lewis Hamilton for the title?Even if that's not the case, the 2021 season is sure to be exciting for the midfield battle alone. The chances of some sort of a Ferrari revival are discussed, McLaren's new pairing of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo is looked at and the PF1 team get pumped at the prospect of Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso doing battle again.Attention then turns to the backmarkers. Alfa Romeo look to have taken some steps forward, but can they realistically challenge the midfield? Regardless, they'll surely be ahead of Williams and Haas, who are expected to fight for P9. Even that far down the grid, with George Russell involved and the Schumacher name back, there are reasons to be excited.Once every team is discussed, the episode ends as any season preview should; with some big predictions being made.Twitter: @Planet_F1Facebook: Planet F1

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The first season of Torquing Point is brought to an end with a review of the rollercoaster that was Formula 1's 2020 campaign. Joining Finley for it is Alex Mclachlan, and the pair kick things off at the top of the standings, discussing Lewis Hamilton. Where do his achievements in 2020 rank amongst his many others? And just how much more can he achieve before he calls it a day?They then take a look at the other drivers in the top two teams, debating whether Valtteri Bottas is good enough for Mercedes, applauding Max Verstappen for his excellent season and analysing why things didn't work out for Alex Albon. After doing so, attention then turns to perhaps the highlight of the season: the midfield battle. Perhaps the stand-out drivers in that group were Sergio Perez, Daniel Ricciardo and Pierre Gasly, and their excellent seasons are all explored in-depth.So too are the contrasting fortunes of McLaren and Ferrari. Were did it all go right for the former and where did it all go so horribly wrong for the latter? Well, how long have you got?...Towards the back of the grid, the main points of focus are Romain Grosjean's miraculous escape in Bahrain - and why it was a huge moment for the sport - and how George Russell fared at both Williams and Mercedes.Twitter: @Planet_F1Facebook: Planet F1

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It wasn't the best finale, but thankfully for Torquing Point, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix served as an ending to far more, than just the season.If that wasn't the case, it would have been difficult to do an episode lasting more than five minutes considering how dull the race was. Given that, Finley and Michelle can't help but despair over the fact that it's on the calendar at all, let alone as the final race.After doing so, they then discuss the race-winner, Max Verstappen. It may not have been as exciting or dramatic as some of his other victories, but both agree that it was one of his most impressive, and dream about how great a title fight between the Dutchman and Lewis Hamilton would be. Maybe one day...The pair then take a look at Verstappen's team-mate Alex Albon. If rumours are to be believed, Red Bull have decided to replace him Sergio Perez, but should they be believed? And in finishing in P4, did he do enough to change his team's mind?The focus then turns the multiple journeys that came to an end in Abu Dhabi. One of them was Sebastian Vettel's with Ferrari, and the PF1 team consider whether it was, on the whole, a successful partnership, even if it didn't produce a title. The man replacing him, Carlos Sainz, is then discussed. How will he feel about leaving a team in far better shape, McLaren, for the Italian outfit? Can he challenge Charles Leclerc more than Vettel did? And will Ferrari let him?The final parts of the episode, and Torquing Point's coverage of the 2020 season, consist of a look at the drivers seemingly leaving the grid for good, and an evaluation of how successful this year has been for the sport.Twitter: @Planet_F1Facebook: Planet F1

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Various 2020 races have left the PF1 team with plenty to discuss, but perhaps none more so than the Sakhir Grand Prix.The fact that Sergio Perez winning it arguably wasn't the biggest talking point says it all. Nevertheless, the episode kicks off with a look at his remarkable triumph. Luck did undoubtedly play a large role in it, but given how he fought his way up the order after falling to last place at the end of the first lap, it was a stunning performance regardless, and one worthy of a win. Was it enough to finally convince Red Bull to sign him? It should have been. Will Racing Point be regretting letting him go at the end of the season? They should be.Perez took his first-ever win in F1, but for the vast majority of the race, it looked like a different man would do so. George Russell. The young Brit was hugely impressive standing in for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes and would have almost certainly claimed victory if not for his team's pit-stop disaster and a late puncture. While he may not be happy with the result now, it may just turn out to be one of the best, and most important, weekends of his career.That's because, by undoubtedly coming out on top against Valtteri Bottas, he's all but secured a 2022 seat at the German team. However, could he end there even sooner given how well he performed? Finley and Michelle take a look...The pair then share their thoughts on the alternate layout used for the second of the two races in Bahrain and discuss whether, given how thrilling the Grand Prix was, it should be used again in the future, before taking a look ahead to next week's season finale in Abu Dhabi and briefly paying tribute to a man who unfortunately won't be there, Romain Grosjean.Twitter: @Planet_F1Facebook: Planet F1

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The biggest talking point of the Bahrain Grand Prix came on Lap 1 as the race became a mere after-thought to Romain Grosjean's crash.Given this, the latest episode of Torquing Point focuses on the incident, looking at how it impacts the sport and what it says about the safety standards.Finley and Michelle start off by recalling what their first impressions were when the huge explosion was seen in the background of the television coverage.The only thing more shocking than the incident itself was the fact that the Frenchman managed to emerge from the flames largely unscathed, and the pair then discuss just how that was the case. It was in large part due to the halo, which begs the question, has that debate finally been put to rest for good? With Grosjean leaving the sport at the end of the season, they then ponder whether the world will see him in an F1 car again. Minor burns may have been the only injuries he sustained, but there's more than just his physical wellbeing to consider.There was, of course, a race that followed the crash, and it is discussed, however inconsequential it may have felt in comparison. Alex Albon took the second podium of his season and career, finishing in P3, but given that he only did so because of Sergio Perez's engine failure, is it really enough for Red Bull to justify keeping him rather than signing the Mexican? And Would Helmut Marko and co be mad for doing so?Mercedes's number two driver, Valtteri Bottas, was even less impressive, struggling to recover after an early puncture and only managing P8. If he wants to challenge Lewis Hamilton for the title next season, he needs to gather some momentum in the final two races.The first of said races will be at Bahrain again, but it will be on the outer-track layout. The PF1 team look ahead to that before giving their final thoughts on Grosjean's crash, being thankful for the people that came to his rescue and, most importantly, that everything worked out alright in the end.Twitter: @Planet_F1Facebook: Planet F1

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