Bahrain GP in Malaysia Preview: Return of a legendary "Tilkedrome"

Everything Trackside: The Sippang International Circuit is returning to the Formula One calendar for the first time in a decade as the Bahrain Grand Prix. Yeah, you heard that one right. ⁓ welcome to the Everything Track Side Podcast. My name is Sean, back my honeymoon. Shout out to Coops who has been given the night off after covering for for the weekend. Thank you very much, Coops. I am back with I'm delighted I'm back for this one because I'm so excited for this one. We will get into it and the why of the weirdness of this weekend. But first of all, obviously, welcome to the Everything Track Side Podcast. ⁓ do hit like and subscribe wherever you are following and listening along. ⁓ if you like this sort of content, the show is growing every single week, and we're very thankful for that. It's been a fantastic year so far. We've still got ⁓ heap of races left. before the end of the season and we're into a thick of a triple header right now with Barrasia Melane. What are we calling this one? ⁓ Brazia the Barasian Grand Prix. Yes. Of course the vo the voices you're hearing there are my panelists for this evening. Good evening, James. How you? Yeah, very good, thank you. Nice to have nice to have you back. And it's nice to be ⁓ this is the second in a row, so I'm I'm very glad to be back. You're you're fully back in the mix now. We're delighted about that. Fair play. Annika, how are you? Yeah, I'm really good. Super excited about this one. So yeah. Can't wait to talk about it. Yes, ⁓ yourself and Moraid, how are you? Not too bad. Welcome back to the podcast. We missed you. Thank you very much. No, I'm looking forward to this. Good. And I want to actually start with the two of you because you might have some memories from from back in the day of it, but you were saying before we came on that for the two of you this would be kind of a a first time consciously watching a race in Sepang. I won't call it the Malaysian Grand Prix. A race in Sipang. So right off the bat, have you been re educating yourself, Annika, about some of the races that that would have gone on in the past and some of the, shall we say Dramatic moments that have happened at this circuit. Yes. Hundred percent. I've been through down the rabbit hole watching all the highlight reels, kind of all the iconic races on that circuit. And I can't wait for this weekend. I'm looking forward to it. I assume you're watching like the highlights on YouTube and so or F1 T V. Is that where you can get them? Yeah, yeah. We ⁓ might stick a couple of links below if if anybody else wants to to catch up. I'd strongly recommend it. ⁓ yeah, definitely. Highlights, sixteen, two thousand nine, thirteen, ninety nine dramatic ones. Two thousand ninety nine, two thousand three just all of them actually. Yeah, just go back and watch all of them. Yeah. Yeah, but you have all week. Go back and watch all of them. Bread, you've been doing some homework on on Sipang as well, I believe. To be honest, I was still catching up on Baku because it was race week here. So I'm still kind of a little bit behind on it. I do remember watching it when F1 was on RT two. ⁓ on a Sunday. That's a lot. That a long time ago. That is early late nineties, early two thousands. I do remember vaguely watching it. Then it went across the sky and w we never got sky. So yes, this'll be all very fresh to me with tiny memories and I'm really excited to to learn about it, to watch it, even though it's in Malaysia, Bahrain, all over the place. But we'll get into that as we go along. Yes, we will. And James, what are your standout memories of Malaysian Grand Prix of the past? That's a good question. That I think my as a McLaren fan, two thousand three, ⁓ Kimi Riker winning his first race in that sort of a new era of Formula One with Fernando Alonso coming into the sport and Bino rising up the sport as well. So I'd say two thousand three, but honestly this is always this was always one that I absolutely love. Just thinking about two thousand and seven when Hamilton came in as well and made the fries look silly. ⁓ it's just a fantastic circuit. It's one of my favourites. I'm very happy to it was back and it was always one you wanted to to to watch. And I I always quite like an early morning, you know, the the Asian races at the beginning of the season. That always made me feel F1's back and you really made an effort to get up and watch it. And yeah, and there was always some crazy weather as well. So yeah, I'm I'm very glad it's back and I really hope this is not just a one off. I hope we can we can experience it ⁓ for years to come. So fingers crossed for that. Same. And I know we've we'll mention all the the the the big ones, obviously, but for ⁓ one that stands out was seven twelve. ⁓ Fernando Alonso getting hunted down by a nearly rookie Sergio Perez in a sauber with a Chelsea logo on the front of us. ⁓ absolutely rubber scar that just came alive in those changing conditions. Perez obviously historically from the start of his career very good in changing conditions, was I th he he went wide. It was the third the third last corner. Second to last going on second to last corner. He just got on a damp patch and just went well, but he had him. He absolutely Fernando had no chance of winning that race other than Sergio just going off in the very it was so exciting. But yeah, I'm I'm really, really looking forward to this. I absolutely adore this circuit. Like you I hope this is a a sign of good things to come. I'm not getting too excited about it because we'll get into that now in a sec. But yeah, no, I I I am looking forward to this. It's just good to see Formula One back in Malaysia. And I hope 'cause I haven't been able to do the track guide this week, because it doesn't exist. It's not on any game that I own. It's not on the Formula One game, at least not yet. They might do a DLC, but they haven't yet. The last time it was on a Formula One Codemasters game was twenty seventeen, obviously, because it was the last time there was a race. But they haven't even put it as like a DLC pack ever since. So any game that I have for my PS five or my PS four, I cannot find it because I do not have a copy of F one twenty seventeen in I to get Grand Turismo. To download Grand Turismo and get on there. I I have it. It's not on that either. It's not on it's not on Grand Turismo seven. Isn't it just I went really surprising? It might be on an older it might be on an older one, but it wasn't on it when I went there. I couldn't find it anywhere. Sean. Try Motor Chi P There we go. Did a tra did a track guide on that. I'm sure there's an F one mod on that game somewhere. With with with my s with my steering wheel, I'm not sure how ⁓ how successful that'll be. That'll be that'll be an interesting video in itself. But ⁓ no it's it's a shame because I do love this, but strongly recommend people go back and watch some of the the classic races. And obviously let's get into obviously the the why. So the Sipang International Circuit, five point five kilometre circuit takes place in Celanor, if I pronounce that correctly, region of Malaysia. Looks like a beautiful area. It's a spectacular circuit. Hilariously, we all used to shit on Tilka drums, but this is one of Herman Tilk's originals. And it, you know, I pine for the days where our biggest problems in Formula One were Tilka drums. Because you think this cota, like we've got a run of them now coming up. And they're all much better than the shite we've had to put up with in recent races. So I'm looking forward to this. And why? Why are we doing this? This is technically the Bahrain Grand Prix. So, James. Can you educate people as to the the brief history as to why this is the Bahraini Bahraisian Grand Prix this weekend? Of And I think if you've been not living under a rock, you would have heard about the war in the Middle East between Iran, Israel, and ⁓ the USA. Of course, Bahrain is extremely close to the region, alongside Qatar and Abu Dhabi, ⁓ and Saudi Arabia, obviously, which was cancelled at the beginning the season. And because of that, it's not safe to to go to the Bahrain Grand Prix, and Formula One have come up with a nice lateral thinking solution for this. I feel like Malaysia are probably trying to pine to get back onto Formula One circuit. So both Bahrain and Malaysia have agreed to to move the Bahrain Grand Prix over to Malaysia and thus create the Bahraisian Grand Prix, which I absolutely love that phrase now. We'll be using that a lot. So yes, of course ⁓ you know geopolitical issues have affected Formula One and we are now in Malaysia so there's always a silver lining. That might be a bit too soon. It's ⁓ yeah so it's a really, really interesting one. Fair fair play to the Malaysian government who kind of have a have an ownership in the track. ⁓ because Boraid, the weird one for me is that Bahrain are still earning every penny out of this. Now they are paying for the setup cost, basically. So to to the best of my understanding on this, correct me if I'm wrong, but the best of my understanding, it's already costing Malaysia anything to do this. Bahrain are going to cover it, but they will take every cent of the ticket, and they get to set the ticket prices as well. It's a bit of an odd setup, isn't it? It's very strange, but this world is very strange at the moment as it is. We're just they're just trying to find a fix at the moment. We know Bahrain, I mean Bahrain have sponsors ba they basically own McLaren at this stage. They're really into their Formula One and they do not want to lose their track off of the calendar. Obviously, with geopolitical issues at the moment, they can't be solved overnight. They're often not solved overnight. We don't know if this will be the same case next year or not, but Bahrain will want to keep their name on the calendar basically until everything is hopefully calm and peaceful again. ⁓ but Malaysia are probably trying to get back onto the calendar as well, as are so many countries. around the world at the moment. You even have, is it Saudi that have what I'm calling Rainbow Road for Mario Kart that are doing the rain like the everyone wants to be in the it sport at the moment. So I completely understand why Malaysia have taken this on. Bahrain are, from my understanding, fully funding it as well. I think there would have been an issue as well with going to Bahrain. You might say it's safe at the moment. A lot of it was down to insurance too, because obviously spectator insurance, you've got trackside marshall insurance and even just insurance of a whole Grand Prix event. in general. So it's going to Malaysia, delightful for Malaysia. Hopefully if this is a really successful one, we will see Malaysia on the calendar as well. But like we said, it is due to the conflict in the Middle East. We're thinking of all the people affected and look, hopefully we'll be back there peacefully again soon. And yeah, I'm happy that we have this alternative that we're not losing a weekend, which we could have lost. We've lost one already. We don't know what the situation is for the last two races yet. Nothing confirmed as of the twenty ninth of September from Formula One. If those two are going ahead or if we're going to see a similar scenario with those two races. But look, we've got a compromise, we've got something exciting. I could see going forward maybe more rotations of tracks to to allow this to happen, which wouldn't be a bad thing in some areas. Some places I don't want the track to ever rotate. But yeah, that's basically what's going on. And we'll still have the barrier and grobary technically and Malaysia get their chance to show off as that. So look. It's it's it's a it's a best of both worlds, really. Like you said, Bahrain have obviously great vested interests in Formula. They absolutely adore their Formula One over there. They it's not the first time that a race has been cancelled there. Two thousand eleven, the race was cancelled there for similar geopolitical reasons. Obviously, not quite as big an event then as it is now, because it's become kind of the the opening round. They do the testing there. They own McLaren, so they have a personal interest now and they've won the championship for two years in a row. But ⁓ yeah, no, it's it's a clever enough workaround Annika, obviously it's it they they fit it in quite well to be fair to Formula One, Malaysia, Bahrain, everyone involved. Because Singapore, where we're going next week, is quite literally a stone's throw away. So from a logistical point of view, this was actually very cleverly done because you would have to assume that whatever the logistics the teams were it was announced a couple of months ago, obviously taking some time to do this, but they were all already shipping stuff to that peninsula part of the world anyway. All they to do was stop a hundred miles early, effectively, and then they can all drive down the road on Monday. Yeah, absolutely. And it just happened that we had like this perfect gap in between the two races that it fit in. Kudos to everyone involved for getting it solved so quickly and giving us this additional race for the year 'cause it is gonna be s so interesting. Honestly, just good thinking on the from everyone involved. Big round of applause to you. Well, it was it's it's it's they've all done a good job of it and it's a different world now than the last time we raced in Sipang, right? So we normally do this towards the end of an episode if we do it, but I want to give you a quiz right now, a quick one. Test your knowledge. I have a feeling one of you might do better than others. The last time Formula One raced here was the first of October twenty seventeen, so it's almost exactly to the day, ten seasons, nine years, ten seasons, since they raced in Malaysia. Who was on the podium for the twenty seventeen Malaysian Grand Prix? Have you done your homework properly? Max Verstappen. Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull racing tag hoyer as they were known at the time. Yeah. I think Daniel Ricardo was second, right? Yeah. Daniel Ricardo was third. Was he third? Daniel Ricardo third for also Red Bull. Lots of smiling pictures of the two of them. Anyone know who's second? Wasn't Hamilton. Lewis Hamilton was second. For Mercedes, yes, he was. Obviously he would go on to win that championship that year. Lewis Hamilton also set polls. We didn't actually win, he was beaten by Max. ⁓ Red Bull. Five handedly, I think. Yeah, pretty pretty comfortably in that one. And Sebastian Vettel, interestingly, set what stands to this day as the lap record. ⁓ interesting. In that race, a one a one thirty eight point one thirty four point zero eight zero on lap forty one. It's currently stands lap record, official race lap record for Tapang. So how quickly is that going to be shattered this weekend? Or is it, do we think? I don't know. I don't know if it will. I don't again, this is sort of just me guessing. I can't quite remember. Has any black records been broken this year? Because obviously they were supposed to bring the cars down, you know, by two or three seconds from last couple of years. And twenty seventeen was the first year of the chunky new cars of that new era which were supposed to be much quicker than the t you know, the two thousand what's it, two thousand ⁓ ten, two thousand eight, wherever it was, thousand ⁓ fourteen, two thousand eight, ⁓ I don't know if they will, and I think 'cause of these new battery powers, I think some of those high speed corners they will be going much slower. ⁓ obviously they'll be able to be going d probably slightly down the straits, but I can't imagine it's gonna be beaten this week. No, I don't think it will either. I w I will correct you though. There has been a lap record set this year. Is it Madring? It is Madrin, yes. Little trick question there, little trick question cheeky. Gotta shit, we're going to wait in there, Ladsaw. Yes. We don't mention it. We don't mention the race. We don't mention it. We don't mention that. But I suppose that that obviously brings us on to the next topic is how do we think these cars are going to fare merades? Massive long straights, incredible high speed flowing corners, a a few very, very, very heavy braking zones in the first and last sector, but very little potentially opportunities for harvesting in the mid sector. It's gonna be fascinating. And obviously they have no data whatsoever on this for this era of Formula One. Even the fact now that I th I was thinking about this, obviously a lot of the tracks have had their resurfacing little bits, little patches along the way as well. Do we know if Malaysia have resurfaced the track as well? Because that's what I'm thinking of a new track, I'm thinking, ⁓ resurfacing, and they've had very, very little time to prep for this race. So that's my biggest concern is like, is this surface going to start breaking up? Because so far, any surface that has been put down, small patches. as broken up with these cars. That's my first one. Yes is the answer to that one. Has it. Okay. The circuit underwent a month ⁓ closure for upgrades in September, ⁓ for a few surface resp repairs, infrastructure updates, which would have been sensors and straight mode activation points, stuff like that. Spectator seating amenities to pr as the track prepared to host the paray and Grant Break. So stupid sentence. But yes, there has a but the last time it got a proper overhaul was twenty sixteen. So they did go and race there a couple of times. It got it Little bit of resurfacing in twenty twenty three. But obviously there's lots of series race there. I don't think that's going to be a factor. But yes, there has been a few extra surfers. Don't know where on the circuit, but it might be a factor because Monaco only got one patch of it and it fucked up a lot of that race. That's it. We're just seeing that those patches are breaking up all season whenever something kinda goes over at any speed at all. I'm excited. I really don't know how this is going to go because you keep hyping this up and saying this is the best track in the world. But I'm nervous because I'm thinking it may be the best track in the world, but these cars don't overtake. They just don't do it. So, well, they overtake in a certain overtakey way. Put that way. But yeah, I am excited. I mean the long straights the harvesting, it is battery management to the last, I'd say, especially for qualifying that last sector. You're definitely going to have to hold back to keep that bit for that last sector. But yeah, I am don't get me on, I'm really, really excited. It's just that how quickly they've had to adapt. There might be slight issues with the track. But we have my favourite FP one going ahead as usual. And we have two other F free practices to solve all of these problems. So yeah, I think it's gonna be good. What's the weather looking like for the weekend, Maraid? I know you're looking that up. Well Weather Woman here has been looking and we're looking at some showers on a Saturday ⁓ just before qualifying. You need your green screen here, Maraid, to to to do this properly. I have it up I have it up since we started this podcast and still haven't used it. So yes at the moment showers Sunday morning but very early and dry Sunday at the moment, but Saturday threatening showers. Dun dun dun. Interesting. I ⁓ on sorry, quickly on the racing, I just wanna to sort of I feel like obviously when we were previously there, it was seen as this, you know, high speed, really intense circuit, which I unfortunately I don't think is going to happen this year. I think we've seen it with Silverstone Spa, Italy. We have lost that sort of on the edge, hot medium high speed corners. But I do think the way the circuit's set up, I think we will see some good action. I think it won't be quite the draw dropping, you know, risk taking that they've had to take in the past. And I actually think I feel quite positive. Like Sass Aid could be tricky listening to the cars, you know, the reds dying and down the back straight. That could be tricky to to listen to. But I think I'm actually quite optimistic that Sunday, because I think there are four bona fide overtaking spots on the circuit anyway. You know, last corner, first corner, up the hill to the fourth, and then down the hill to turn nine, I believe. It is after the double right hander. So I think and I think obviously with these new cars we've seen places of overtaking that we may not have noticed before. And I think There are opportunities that into the second to last corner, a little dive down, you know. So I think I think we will see some really good action. It just might be very 2026 F1, where I'm really intrigued to see what the last the back straight and the main straight are gonna be like, how people are gonna do that, you know. It's interesting you say that. I was thinking I was thinking of the same thing and I was trying to think back to what are some of the best races. I don't particularly remember twenty seventeen being that exciting, just the nature of those low, flat, massive cards. But I have nothing but positive memories of the earlier generation, the high skinny wing cars, the kind of two thousand nine to two thousand sixteen era. At a time where overtaking was not particularly easy in a lot of other places, but the cars were a little bit skittier, particularly in that kind of in the early turbo hybrid area where they still hadn't quite got to grips with the grip, with the amount of torque coming out of those engines. The the overtake at turn nine I think is a brilliant place for a dive bomb because you're going downhill if you can be braver and if you're good on your brakes, because we know is good on their brakes this year. A late move to fucking hell, Daniel Ricardo would have done really well here. Turn nine is a great place for it downhill. I remember Jensen Button making overtakes there. Obviously we have multi-twenty one into turn one in thousand thirteen. We saw Felipe Massa making a dive bomb around the inside and outside and inside and outside in turn four. ⁓ was that with Lewis Hamilton in thousand eight? The two of them going back and forth, thousand seven, going back and forth around there. And obviously we've seen like fifteen at the end of the DRS traits and into one. So like they're I I think it's going to be more like that. So I think the and the reason I say that is again, we don't mention it all that much this year, but because the batteries and engines are kind of all consuming. But the aero regs this year are fucking brilliant. They are. Really, really, really perfect for allowing this close racing. Yes, the batteries help a little bit, but the drivers are following each other for the entire race in almost every track. And so I think that will help to promote some overtakes in different like we might even see a bot ⁓ like someone going around the outside into five, maybe swap back into six. Same in like twelve and thirteen potentially, or do what Perez nearly did and get a lunge into fourteen. I think we could see overtakes anywhere. And again, this is a proper circuit. It's massive. It's incredibly wide. Very wide. Very, very, very wide. With plenty of area for runoff, but there is some grass there as well. There's there's grass and gravel on the outsides, but there's there's enough room to make some mistakes and go for it, which is a good thing, I think, in this sort of era Formula One. So yeah. Do you know where the do we know where the straight line is the two straight line modes? Is it just Back straight and main straight. ⁓ is there anything up to turn four? Not that really straight mode mode means much for overtaking, I guess now it is because everyone gets it, but four straight line modes. Four. Four straight modes. Yeah. Let me find them right now. So it will be the two straights. ⁓ yeah, okay. So between turns three and four. Yeah. Which in fairness used to be a DRS zone. Did it? Yep. It used to if it well, it's not very long. ⁓ we used to be a DRSO in 2011-12. Do remember when they could open DRS anywhere? Yeah. And they had it permanently in the race as well, that down there. ⁓ so three to four will be a d will be a straight mode zone. Eight to nine will be a stra a straight mode zone. It's the downhill. It's an interesting one. It is an interesting one. ⁓ it's not particularly long. Obviously it's not an overtaking eight anymore, but that is still an interesting place to put it. It's quite short. And obviously the two the two straights. So yeah, four four straight modes. And the overtake detection point is About three quarters of the way through turn fifteen. So just past the apex of fifteen. And then the activation is literally on the exit of fifteen. So you would get it all the way down the back straight. So yeah, that's and you'll get it if you get it, you'll have it for the two full straights in positioning. That's quite good. So yeah, so that that is interesting. That's a good call out as well. So yeah, fascinating to see that. On the topic then of how the racing's going to be and what previous races were like. And again, obviously if we look back at the twenty seventeen Malaysian Grand Prix and look at who's still there. Lewis Hamilton was on the circuit then. ⁓ Max Versteppen is still here. Valtery Bottas, S. Manaka, Nico Hulkenberg, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso was only thirty six last time we raced in Malaysia. Actually that was was that a year or two before his young driver test? It was a baby. GG was fucking hell, this is a weird grid. Felipe Massa, Jolie Palmer, Lance Rall's still kicking around somehow. We'll talk about him a bit later. ⁓ Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly. Yeah, it was Gasly's debut. It was Gazly's debut, yes, for Tar Osso. Yes, it was, yeah. So that's still hang on, I should have counted that. One, two, three, two. Let's not forget Charles Acclaur did an F B one with Soba. There we go. Yes, he did in twenty seventeen, yeah, was on his way to the GPU title. So there's seven drivers from a decade ago still in Formula One. So I suppose the question, Annika, is who does this favor? Does it favor anyone who was there before? Because they have a little bit of of working knowledge compared to someone who's never been there before? Or is Formula One just so different and it's been so long that it's a total new level playing field again. I think it's a level playing field. I think the regulations and the cars are so different. ⁓ so it might just tiny bit help like, you know, Alonso or Lewis or even Max. But I think it's enough time has passed that ⁓ it has level playing field for everyone. And I think a lot of it comes down to the battery and battery management this time around as well. Because obviously those two long straights ⁓ we might see, you know, some people saving their batteries for That section. Some peop some might just go flat out right before and just drag it out. So we'll ⁓ yeah, I think it's a level playing field. It's anyone's game. So who do you think is gonna come out on top then? Is is it going to be a traditional thing? We're looking back through the the the season so far as to maybe what tracks are similar. I think Britain i and China are the two that are maybe the most just blanketly similar tr circuits in terms of their characteristics, fast flowing corners, long straights, very, very high speed. Obviously Silverstone this year, Charles Lewis, George, so Ferrari and and Mercedes getting the benefits there and and then ⁓ Mercedes and Lewis was on the podium as well. So Mercedes and Ferrari in China. And China obviously we had the the sprint race and the Ferraris had that incredible battle. So who d who do we think it favors? Because Ferrari are little bit more off the boil than they were in the first half of the season. I think Mercedes for sure. I think it's gonna come down to Buffetham and we might see, you know, ⁓ McLaren, my surprise 'cause they're bringing another upgrade. So They might surprise. I think Max will be like will wrangle that car around that track and will be in contention. So I think, yeah, it's gonna come down to Mercedes, McLaren, and Max. Well, actually on the on the subject of McLaren Marade, Landon R said his parts are gone after being bowling balled in Azerbaijan. So that that it was a shame because that upgrade, you look at the kind of parts and the changes that they made. Yes, some of it was supposed to be for lowering the drag, which didn't really seem to work. But the and the car wasn't great, but in Oscar's hands it was pretty good. Typically McLaren do much better at these fasty flowy mid to high speed circuits. So on paper, upgrade or not, this should suit them better. Look at the Netherlands, for example, fast, medium to high speed corners. And Lando was completely dominant there again. Yeah, it should it should really suit McLaren. And like I say, I kind of had predicted that, but like you said, I'm I'm not too worried about the parts actually, because I think all manufacturers, because it's the start of a set of regulations, all manufacturers are going to be taking penalties left, right, and centre for the for the next couple of races to be honest before the last of it. So I know it was an upgrade part, but in general, I think everyone is going to be affected towards the end of the season with missing parts, maybe injun penalties and everything like that. So I'm not actually too worried about that as such. It's the comeback after the weekend that happened and everything that escalated about it and everything like that is more mind game, I think, at the moment. But I do s I still think Mercedes will actually have the edge here though. But yeah, it's so hard to tell. I don't know Malaysia. I'd love to. I'm just so excited the way you've told me, I'm so excited. And I was dreading getting up for Malaysia this morning in the morning. I was like, ⁓ you're actually dragging me up again for this hour. And I'm actually I I really don't know. And I think that's what's more exciting for me about it this time, 'cause normally you could kind of say, ⁓ well, this is this, this is that. I think it's way this is way more exciting because I really have no clue how this will go. And I can't wait. Yeah, absolutely. Another factor to throw into the mix, James, is tires. Now, you spoke in the ⁓ bar in the Baku review that the tires kind of killed the racing a little bit because they were too fucking hard. The softs could do the whole race. Other than Monaco, when do we ever see that? It was an odd choice of tires. We're going into this weekend and apparently all that well, it's not apparently, it's literally b factual. The only data that Pirelli have to go on for this race is twenty seventeen data. And Wa ⁓ nope, there's no similarities in the tires anymore because they're not as wide as they used to be, and the rims are bigger because they were still the minuscule little cast caster 13 inch wheels back then. If you were Pirelli, would you be going soft and go fuck it chaos? Or do you go super safe on this and go with the C three, C4, and C five and just play crazy safe? Well if I was Perelli, I'd go real soft and chaos, but that's my own ⁓ opinion of Formula One. I feel that they'd probably go harder. I do think it's a tire E to this circuit, the high humidity. you know, high to meet high to medium to high corners, a few traction zones as well. I think this could be a a tire that we you know, a track that we see the tires go do get ripped up on. So I'm I'm optimistic for a two stopper. ⁓ obviously yeah I feel like every time I think that it's then a really boring one stopper. But this is a historically a circuit that does eat up tires. I remember in the you know twenty eleven, twenty twelve sometimes p people will do like five stops ⁓ just 'cause they're ripping the tires. So there will be high there will be high track temperatures. ⁓ obviously did I mention the humidity. So I'd like them to go quite soft, but that's just my thoughts about fauna in general. I want at least two or three stops every race. So and we'll see, but I think even if they're hard, we won't see the same as Az Azerbaijan. We've seen that in the years before that it's not really a tyre E to Azerbaijan. Swicks circuit, you know, the relatively lower temperatures, it doesn't necessarily rip up the tires. Well, I think this one could be one we see multiple stops, maybe three, but yeah. But also, if I'm correct, it's been declared a health a heat hazard. It has. And there's the wildfires going around as well, I think so there's some Issues with haze and things and the races during the day. So ⁓ it is gonna be fun with tires. Well, I've just looked it up here and interestingly, James, they've gone right down the middle with this choice. Classic. So yeah, exactly. They're confirming that they will bring the C two as the hard, the C three will be the medium and the C four will be the soft. So right in the middle of the of the the compound range. It's an interesting decision. For them covering bases, isn't it really? It's pretty thinking about it. So yeah. Slap it down the middle be fine. I think again, I think that could ⁓ that could be interesting though. I think that could create some Some tire wear. I I hope there's a decent offset between the C2 and the C4. So you really may see that that that change in strategy. If some teams decide to hold on to a couple, a soft could be may not be the best race tire with these high conditions. We'll see if it if it degrades. But hopefully we see either, you know, we see a couple stops and if there's safety cars or anything that's going on. The weather in in Malaysia can be very localized. So even if it's not saying it's raining now, it can just pop up. And I know it can be very much regimented at this time where you always see obviously the race used to be earlier in the year, but it used to be that you five o'clock, six o'clock, it would just start chucking it down like like clockwork. So I was there this time two years ago. That's exactly what happens. Yeah. Yeah. Honestly, just boom, God. So I do think there's there's up there's there's there's opportunities for difference and you know, you know, spanners being chucked in the works, which could create the ⁓ make the race any more interesting and change the tri tie strategies as well. Absolutely. And that's that's what we want to see because we you know We needed a a bit of intervention in ⁓ Baku to to make it interesting. Obvious unless you're George Russell, I'm sure he found it perfectly interesting for the entire race. Like Sebastian Vettel used to what do you on top gear? He's like you disappear out front, it must be really boring. He's like, No, it's not boring for me, I watch on He was so far in front of he used to used to watch the races on all the on all the screens. ⁓ which I'm sure George was doing I don't think that's going to be the case. So yeah, it's it's really, really interesting one. Anyone else want to to mention anything about about Sapang before we get into a little bit of news that's come up in the past couple of weeks? Yes, Maraeid. Can I ask James and Sean a question, actually? So for me, obviously this is my really first Malaysian Grand Prix and Annika as well. I do remember by I don't remember the details of it. If I sit down in F P one with my notebook, what should I be looking out for? ⁓ that's a great question. That's a really, really good question. I think the standard one for just for this year is where are they harvesting and where are they super clipping? ⁓ 'cause Total fucking unknown. I think there'll be a huge you'd you'd be really happy this weekend. There'll be a lot of running in F P one because that will be the time that they're going to to get the they have to to understand how to set the cars up. So I don't know if you're going to learn too much about kind of the circuit and the nature of it and who's going to benefit from it in FP one because they're all learning from scratch. The F two and three is going to be really, really fascinating in terms of like sector times because it won't just be batteries. I think they're all going to save to deploy on the streets. They're so long. It's basically two full kilometer long straights with one heavy but one breaking zone. So I think maybe only the Mercs will have enough power to do both in both straights, maybe if they if they save properly. But look at who's who's breaking into nine, who's locking up. Yeah, God just say maybe for F this may be more relevant to F B two, but I do think we keep a very close eye on stint lengths and timings of the back end of stints and what tires, the strategy they use. I imagine people are going to be holding on to a a hard tire, everyone will we'll keep a keep a a brand new heart just in case it can go long. But I think that would be the really key bit of information. Probably more likely an FP because that's the conditions that it will be for the race and qualifying. I do think it would throughout practice, if you can keep an eye on how long the stint lengths are and the tyres in particular at the back end of those stint lengths, do we see a big drop off or do we see quite a consistent drop off? ⁓ I think that would be ⁓ something really interesting to to look out for. And what's interesting is ⁓ on that one as well, that the the tire tire longevity is going to be really important because there there's Yes, sort of half an there's there's no sector where the tires properly get a break. Yes, there's two majorly long straights, but in the in the grand scheme of the the entire sectors, turn one and two, accelerating out of two historically was a nightmare because you're accelerating on a right hand turn. You're accelerating around a corner, which racing cars do not like to do. It's mad that they used to open DRS coming out of that corner and just accelerate in a in a turn, which might Fettled on pole all the time. But like there's fast corners air or or stop start in every single sector. So there's nowhere for the tires to get a break. So wherever, like breaking into turn nine and accelerating out of turn nine, I think whoever and the I don't think Brundle's in in Malaysia, but whoever they send down to the track during the practice sessions, they will at some point go to turn nine. I guarantee it. List that'll be a really, really fascinating part because that that will be an absolute killer on the tires. Breaking downhill out of a straight mode will lock up the tires if they're if they're moldy. And then accelerating back up the hill, they just won't do it if if the tires are gone. So that's gonna be fascinating as well. Good question. So I've got to be busy with my notebook. Look, I have it all here ready to look. Yeah. Have you ⁓ have you heard of the have you heard of the website? I it's called F1 Tempo. Yes, he heard of that. It's basically like a I don't know who's created it, but it basically shows every single lap for every single driver and their stint lengths for every I it's every practice session, qualifying session and race. I used it a lot in all my old jobs. ⁓ it's a great website and it sort of shows you thin those. So again, that might be something else. You Maria, you can probably have it up up on the screen anyway. But ⁓ that's a good one to know to know what the what the performance like of the tires is like and what but of course with engine modes, straight line mode, overtake mode, obviously it's a little bit little less binary nowadays, but I think they'll be really interesting to see what the what the end of the stint look like. If there's, you know, for example, 'cause I think McLaren obviously this year have been better at keeping their tires cool. Do we see that big gap ⁓ in the in the end of the stints? That could be really interesting. 'Cause I think that could decide the race. If someone can ever could do one less pit stop and still eke the tires out, that would be a I'm really hoping for a classic Yogi. I really am. I think it's It could be exciting. It sounds so good. And for a fan who's I've been watching it properly since twenty twenty, I think it's exciting as well that the first time we see this track is actually F one too. So normally if for newer tracks like Mad Ring we had F three, we had F two, we had this build up to F one, but it's gonna be F one straight away and I am really excited for F P one. Even more than my usual excitement for F P one this week. And it's Yes. There's no Horb Academy. And if there's if there's no other car if there's no other cards, I don't know if there's any feeder series or any other series going on at the weekend. There are is it like super cups or something? No, no, it's the Formula Regional Malaysia. Okay. Interesting. So if there's only one, but that I was thinking I was thinking about obviously the tracks not being used for one for a while, laying the rubber down, actually the the conditions in FP one compared to qualifying w could be very different. So we might see that progression, which also means teams not necessarily know exactly what they want to do and you know, they won't have a hundred percent sure we'll do this as the as the weekend ramps up, we could see some pretty different high performance, you know, top performance. That could be really interesting as well. Looking forward to that. Right, a couple of bits of news ⁓ that I want to get into. The big news that was announced today we'll get into at the very end because it's big news, but there's not actually all that much surprise in it. ⁓ but the big piece of news from the past couple of weeks that we actually haven't really spoken about in too much detail yet is the calendar for next year. And the reason I want to chat about it today is Maraid you mentioned a a little while ago on the on towards the start of the show about potentially getting some rotation. Into the calendar going forward to allow tracks like Malaysia to to come into it. And that is technically exactly what we're getting next year. Obviously, is Spa is leaving the calendar. No, sorry. Barcelona is leaving the calendar for next year and will be ⁓ Belgium will be hosted and that will rotate the following year in twenty twenty eight. Spa will be gone and Barcelona will come in. So that's that's one interesting piece. The other interesting piece obviously is the return of Turkey and Portugal, which is extremely exciting. I want to chat about them in detail, but Where I want to start with this actually, ⁓ Annika is interestingly, potentially surprisingly, the first two races of the year once again will be Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Bahrain will be a sprint race, that'll be an interesting way to start the year. But as of right now, they still ha th they're on the provisional calendar that F one have launched. I I don't think the season's starting till April. No, I don't think so. If things keep going the way they are going, I think we're gonna have the first race. Like the third race in the calendar is gonna be our first race. Which would be Australia on the fourth of April. Well yes. With everything going on, I am surprised they made that call and put Bahrain and the Saudi as the first two races. Maybe the fact that they would be easier there wouldn't be a big break if they're cancelled, but I'm still really surprised about that. But yeah, I think Australia will be the first race next year. Braid, you were gonna comment on that? Well, Bahrain is the first race as of right now for next year. Yes. And obviously this episode is talking about Bar L Asia. Could Malaysia be starting the first race next year if this is a problem? Could be. Could be. I'd love a Malay I'd love I'd love a Malaysian. So no wait, Bar Asian, sorry. Imagine if they kept it as a sprint. That'd be great. See? This is where we could get now if I was planning it myself and looking at the world as it is at the moment If Bahrain is the first race, I presume there is a contingency in there to actually go to Malaysia if it works this year. Probably. Just in case. So that's why I would say Saudi is the one that surprises me more because we haven't had a replacement race for that. And then I'm wondering, could you put it in after China? So we Australia, Japan, China and pushed down the Miami a tiny bit. But then there was issues with Miami, I think, this year because of NFL seasons and different things like that. And then Canada with their weather seasons and stuff like that. So it's actually hard enough to put it anywhere else in the calendar because the other calendar events are so solid in those areas. Like Silverstone is nearly booked out for the whole year for something. Silverstone has something on every single weekend nearly. Monaco, you've got the historics and everything going on as well. So it's actually hard to fit it in. So I presume Bahrain in particular, if this is not solved by then, that Malaysia would actually be the opening round. The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia for next year. I I I I agree on that. I think it's more likely they do a like for like replacement in March. 'Cause I'm looking at the calendar here and Miami and Canada can move if there's time for them to move, if that makes sense. ⁓ Miami Miami is at the time it is because it's between football seasons. It can be within a couple of weeks of that 'cause football season technically ends in like February. Yeah. But they've some other stuff going on, they've concerts and stuff like that. But then preseason and drafts and stuff like that and their combines and stuff typically start in July or August, depending on the team. ⁓ so that slot in mm they kind of have the month of May to do the the Miami. The benefit of that is it is ba it's a street track, but it's a permanent street track, so don't have to build it. Yeah. Same with Canada. It's a street track, but it's a permanent stre Australia, Canada, Miami, they're all permanent street tracks. They don't technically have to be built and rebuilt every year. They exist year round. There's usually legal contingencies around traffic and all that crack though, that kind of starts. But in the European season is so condensed as it is, it's very hard to maneuver in between the European seasons as well. What's funny, actually maybe not funny, it's interesting, is for a couple of years now we've been kind of shitting on them for like their poor planning, like having the the triple header between Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi is like on one side of the planet to the other, and you do ⁓ was you do Monaco, Canada, Italy. Fucking stupid for so long. They've actually done a really good job in the butt but particularly this year was the first year that just made total sense. Every single race is ⁓ even down to putting Malaysia exactly now makes total sense. It's right beside Singapore. The the calendar is actually so cleverly planned out now. Even down to like putting Turkey where it is, right after Azerbaijan, they're close enough to each other, right beside each other. Portugal after Monaco, before Britain, again, nice, easy and that and you have Miami and Canada together as a sort of mini North American before you come fully to Europe. Makes total sense. But what it means is when they have these sort of political people need to change shit, they kind of can't. There are also too many fucking races. If they had two fewer races every year, they'd have extra weeks to fit shit in. Yeah. But let's not forget the Malaysian Grand Prix used to be the second race in the calendar. So if it will be replacing either Saudi or Bahrain or Saudi, it will be at the time where it was before. When it wasn't I don't think there'll be any weather issues with it's gonna fucking rain anyway. Mm hmm. It always rains in ⁓ in Malaysia, so I don't and it'll be always hot. So yeah, no, you're right, it it it it can fit there. There'll be no but I I I don't think weather even matters anymore. We might put Ital Imala in December. It's mad. It's just mad it is mad. People fans trying to book like tickets now for next year. Like they I think they should have given Barry I like push them towards the end so that we know that, you know, things have settled and fans have time as well to grasp travel visas, everything like that. It's it's messy to put those two races first. And then you've got your Like well, I I still d can never understand the Las Vegas to Qatar in a week. I will never understand it. I think it's ridiculous for logistics and for teams and burnout. I think that's absolute madness. But there's a two week gap in it next year at least. Hallelujah. Probably because they're going to put those two races in there instead. So it'll be a f a tr a quadruple header or whatever we're going to have in the middle. But I think the most bonkers decision of this whole calendar is apart from obviously the Monaco, they're starting the season with a sprint. Yes. Yeah. Have they not seen Australia this year? Without a sprint. I think I think that's a great idea. For for two reasons. Yeah. For for two reasons. The track that it's at, because they'd have literally just come off a week of testing there. And this year it wouldn't have made any sense at all. Brand new regulations. Next year it makes total sense. They know that they know that track as well as Barcelona these days. If it was baby Australia, you get away with it as well. Where it's a really known track, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing and it would have a little bit of extra kind of spice and chaos because Even though next year's cars will be an evolution, they'll still be an evolution, they'll be new. So it'll put a little bit of extra pressure on testing and we'll get more running and more news at a testing, I think. Because they'd be using that as practice for the race. Ask to Martiner, fucked. But so I I I it's a wild idea. I prefer that to Monaco as a sprint, the opening race. Yeah. But if But it is very sprint heavy at the start of the season. Yeah, it is. But if they can't do go racing in Bahrain, then they can't do preseason testing either. So would the preseason testing be in Barcelona? Almost certainly. Yeah. Which I and they pro they possibly that might be part of the agreement of the rotation with everything that's going on. They're the backup, so at least they'll get some F one interest next year. ⁓ if they don't get it anyway, because the the the they might do two test sessions for all know. ⁓ because the engines are technically changing next year a little bit. They're changing the fuel pools and stuff like that. ⁓ so there will be some testing requirements. Our ⁓ thing as well. Yeah. Yeah. So that's interesting. But the other two big ones, James, for next year are Turkey and Portugal coming back and this is Great news. They are brilliant tracks. We've had legendary races there. The only thing I'm slightly apprehensive about is turn eight in Turkey will not be a challenge in these cars. But Portomau is great. And we actually got to see a modern F1 car in well, nearly modern F1 car in Portemo this week with Jamie Chadwick taking the Williams out. And it still looks great. It's still a fast flowing track. So that's good news. And they're both there for for a couple of years now, not just COVID replacements. So good to get some proper racetracks back again. Yeah, 100%. It's not it's good to good to see the Four still does value these actual racing circuits rather than just dinky donut street circuits. And ⁓ yeah, I l I love both of these circuits. I think Turkey's got a special place in my heart more maybe than Portugal. I think we've had some fantastic races at Portugal that came in during Covid. And but Turkey's just a fantastic track. And I think fantastic track. I also think that's a Hernan tilka. Yes it is. And again, back to some days where we just pile over a shit tilker draft. But I think it's just that you you look at you look at these circuits and I think what he does well is that they they're all wide. There's always Multiple opportunities to overtake and there's back and forth as i which I mean by that, if you look at the Turkey's final sequence of corners, a long straight down into a tight left hander, then a then a right left chicane. We always saw some, you know, cross you know, crossovers and and some dives down into the final corner. And Port Mouth's got a little bit of that. I think in the middle sector it's pretty much a roller coaster. ⁓ the first corner's interesting while you don't really necessarily see too much overtaking that you really have to get alongside, which probably these cars will help with that anyway. So I'm I'm really happy with fast flowing, wide opportunities to overtake. I think they will suit Portemal maybe particularly suit these cars. I think I think Turkey will suit them as well. But unfortunately, we won't get quite the hair raising turn eight that we're used to. But I think they're I think they'll both be fantastic. I'm very happy they're back for multiple years. We just need to get Malaysia and Hockenheim and places like that back, and I'll be truly happy. Yeah, same. Yeah, no, I'm excited about this as well. That they are I think I think Portemel is a tilt pajama as well. ⁓ but my only my only concern about the best circuit designer of all time. We We now know it. We now know you, Hermann. We we we f perhaps we treated you too harshly, Herman Tilga. He's he's like the he's like ⁓ the guy who played Anakin Skywalker, he was hated for all of the two thousand Hayden Christensen. Hayden Christensen, now one of the most loved actors in the world. Okay, no, we were wrong. Blame the generation above us. They were all miserable about the whole thing. No, I I look forward to ⁓ port Port Mouth is is good for for for this era. Obviously, again, hopefully there won't be as much battery requirements for next year anyway, so we might at least if it's not necessarily a as much of a challenge, as long as Turnate is flat out, that's all I care about. I don't want to hear them super clipping through turn eight, 'cause that'd shit. But ⁓ no, we look forward this because like s some of the best races I think for the past fifteen years were in Turkey. You think was it twenty thirteen? Seb took Mark out and or twenty ten. No, the twenty ten races are great. Seb took Mark out and blamed Mark, and then Christian Horner blamed Mark, and then everybody blamed Mark, and then when you watch it back, it's very fairly fine. The two McLaren's ⁓ made contact twice in that race, didn't take each other out and it's Goes down history as the most miserable podium of all time. None of them were particularly happy with anyone. Everyone was just stood there on Brilliant Scale Fit. I my model made a comment and was like, What is wrong with everyone? It's because they in that race, Lewis turned his engine down because he was told Jensen won't overtake you. Jensen then overtook him. And that's when you talk about that final sector, they were going back and forth and back and forth. And this is a deep cut for any like F1 codemaster nerd game nerds like me. If you play go back and play the 2011 game, which I have a count you have right there. If you go back and play the 2011 game, there is a wild Easter egg trophy that you can get if you go to any session in Turkey. Drive as Jensen Button and overtake Lewis Hamilton, you will get a trophy that says, Is Jensen going to overtake? It's it's the best Easter egg ever. I love it's one of those things that's just stuck in my mind for nearly fifteen, sixteen years. And I just brilliant little Easter egg. So just have to mention that when we were talking about Turkey. Annika, Murray, do you guys have any major memories of of Turkey? And Portugal was recent and we had Turkey in twenty twenty, but th the the rest of the races were probably in the in the the gap of of your of not really watching F1 for a while. No, no memories of Turkey at all for some reason. I presume it was there in the early two thousands, but for some reason it's not standing out in my little brain. No. But it started two thousand six, I think was the sixth. So that would be why. So then Portimo I loved Portimo. That was during COVID and there was the co that COVID season was kind of huge. There was kind of double races and stuff. That was my first really got into it. So yeah, I'm excited for Portimo for sure 'cause I actually thought that that was really, really good. And Turkey I have no idea, but I think if formal one haven't learnt anything from the mad ring whereby a street circuit. You just can't turn a random city into a circuit. For commercial rights to keep people happy, you can't. And I'm glad that they're s finally kind of seeing to bring back a track. Racing is meant for a track. Race track. It's in the name. Just use them. And I also I see I have heard as well is there was one in Africa I've heard about as well. Everyone seems to be talking Kyle Kilami. Kylami. Kylam and apparently that was good too. So I am looking forward to Formula One bringing back all of these tracks that I have missed. Yeah, well there's a random one on that. I saw it. I read all about it in here. Kyle Trek there. Kylami is a great track, very much in the mould of Malaysia or or Turkey, that those sorts of tracks. Rumours this week that apparently Cape Town might be getting a street circuit for twenty thirty one. Don't love the idea of that when they have one of the best fucking circuits in the world sitting there doing piss all that has been upgraded to FIA grade one that's ready for Formula One. Why are they not using that? Great street. They've No idea. Could I quickly say before we move on, Annika Moray, you may not remember Turkey, but twenty twenty Turkish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton becomes seven time world champion there. One of the the great races I'd highly recommend you watch. They go back and watch it. I will watch in the rain, do the whole thing. Watch qualifying as well. I remember that actually. Lad stroll was on poll. Yeah. Remember that. I think it was a re I think it was a force India one two. I think they looked at And Lewis Hamilton basically spoiler alert, munched his wet tires into slicks to win the race. Yeah. He started quite low down as I think. Started really low down, yeah. Shanks Bolford. The gap between first and tenth in Q three was like three seconds 'cause the rain was so wild. I think they'd I think they'd resurfaced it as well, so this was really slippery and yeah. Yeah, really good race. Really, really good race. 'Cause both of those, both Portemau and Turkey are new for me. ⁓ I because I only started watching it last season. So twenty twenty five was my first season after years and years and years. So I didn't see any of the COVID races. Like as much like I know a little bit from Trive to Survive, but I haven't watched any of the races from that air at that time. So I will go to the If you don't have if you don't have F one T V's archive, two ninety nine a month, I'd highly remember. It's the best value best value thing I've ever bought in my life. And also everyone in the comments, everyone send me recommendations which years to watch. On both packs. I'm gonna give you one more, and it's not F one. The two thousand six GP two race in Turkey. Yeah. Okay. That is one of the best junior series races ever. And that is the moment that literally on commentary everyone said this kid is a future champion of Lewis Hamilton, and he was spectacular. Yeah, he was. That was the moment he re like I I I'm pretty sure Bron Dennis signed him like that day kind of thing. It was it was that impressive. I don't know where you're gonna find it. Probably YouTube. You've had any highlights on YouTube, I mentioned. Yeah, but tr try find the twenty the two thousand and six GP two race in Turkey. It was brilliant by the Lewis. It's a really, really good race. And shows the best to that track as well. Isn't it mad? Last time I watched Porto Turkey, there were no fans in the stands. No, not at all. Yeah. And yeah. Now we're holding record breaking Formula One stands. I think it's just mad how the how the world is. Just bonkers. That's just a side note. I've never seen fans at these tracks. I thought it'll be really interesting to see your Updates on what it's like. If I if I can go to a race next year, Portugal is number one on my list. Number one on my list comfortably, 'cause it's in the Algarve and it's in the middle of summer, which sounds class. But it's an awesome I've been thinking about that. Right, we're nearly finished. So I want the three of you to have a quick think as much as you can, because we've no data for this about your poll and podium positions while I read out the schedule for this weekend. Get it up here. There we go. So early on this weekend. For us in the UK and Ireland, practice one on Friday the second of October at five thirty in the morning. Merade, sorry about that. Set your early alarm. If you love Form F one that much. Practice two at the slightly more reasonable nine o'clock in the morning on Friday. Practice three will be Saturday the third at five thirty again, qualifying on Saturday at nine o'clock. And then the race is on Sunday the fourth of October at eight o'clock in the morning, which is lovely for a bit of breakfast and a cup of tea in bed. Yeah, definitely. Formula was a perfectly reasonable time to watch Formula One. Yeah. Not no one really, really important to that. I'll be up the whole night because there's Motor Chippy going on that weekend as well in Japan. So I'll be keeping you all up to date with everything. Mode the cheapy and f1 and so will Marine. Yes, and of course, being Everything Track Side, that is all available on our website, everythingtrackside.com and across all of our socials. So find us anywhere. Give the girls all the support they deserve for the work they that they put in in these morning sessions. Right then, predictions, please. Let's go poll position first. James, who's getting the first poll in Malaysia since twenty seventeen? I'm gonna go. Kimmy's gonna re re ⁓ get some form back. I'm gonna think Kimmy's gonna take poll. Okay, Annika? I wanna say George, but I think it's Kimmy. Okay, so but you're saying George. Sat on the fence. Well Essentially, but I'm giving it to Kimmy. A A Mercedes will be on Paul, okay. Yes. Maraid, can you be a bit more specific than that? I'm gonna be very specific because I see rain on the radar and Max Verstappen is a lovely driver in the raid, so I'm going Max Verstappen for pole. Well, if there's rain on the horizon, I'm going to say Lewis Hamilton for pole. He loves it. He loves it. He didn't love it too much in twenty sixteen. There's one you should definitely go back and watch. Didn't love it too much in twenty sixteen, but he did he does love my Too soon, Sean. Too soon. Not soon enough, James. If you're cold any time this weekend, watch that one. It'll warm you the fuck up, I promise. Fireball. Right, top three then on Sunday for the Bar Asian Grand Prix. James. ⁓ I'm gonna switch it round slightly I'm gonna go George to win. I think Kimmy could be having a little ⁓ even though you've got Powell, I think the pressure of the championship maybe g I wanna get a little bit of a slump going, not too much, but I'm gonna say Lando Norris second and then Kimmy third, just to bring that gap a little bit closer between the two Mercedes drivers as well. That would be nice. Annika, your podium? George, gimme a Max, and I really hope I didn't just curse George. Maraid? George first. Clean sweep side on. George first, and I'm gonna go Max second. And I'm gonna go Lando third. And I think I'll explain now for ne in the next break as to why I've said that. A bit of a teaser for episodes coming up, you know. Teaser. I'm going to say George Russell will win. 'Cause I think he's got a bit of mojo back now. Baku is a good weekend for him. ⁓ yeah, for sure. Really good weekend for him. I'm gonna say Lewis will drop the second at a poll and I Landon Arsenal's getting third in that carcass. McLaren have said ⁓ reading the there, McLaren have said that they are still confident their upgrades will work much better at a track like like Malaysia. So that's a positive sign. So Marina are gonna tell us what your reasoning is there? Are you gonna save that for same for few you'll have to listen on? You'll have to listen to the next couple of episodes because you won't know. There we go, there's now this could really backfire on Sunday morning, but Keep listening and you'll find out my reasoning first. It's spoiling. If this works, I'll write to RTE and get you a job as a writer on the on the traitors, because that's a cliffhanger and a half. Keep listening and you'll figure out why. She's been media trained. Yeah. ⁓ have we talked about Ash then? No, we haven't. No, we haven't. We haven't. We haven't. So I d I d ⁓ there's not much to talk about on them, but I did forget about it. So the last thing. Obviously news broke today, very good at them before we record it. We're on a bit of a roll at that now that Asta Martin have re-signed both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll for the twenty twenty seven season. Sound off your shock in the comments, I suppose. Wow. Yeah. Wow. I was How much do you Ben Sulayam paid Fernando to sit around? Fernando must like own a couple of countries now, I think. I mean they might have sold him a few countries. He's now king of Spain. Did you know? Yeah, well. Yeah. I just feel sorry for F two, F three drivers were smashing it out of the park. Like They are so good. Then they just can't get the chance. Yeah. I wanna you know, don't wanna keep shitting on the guy, but that's Fernando fair enough. If he wants to keep going, he can. Like he's shown he's still got it. But it's just the Lance troll, it's just whatever he's doing, it's just it's just irrelevant. It doesn't matter. Like it doesn't even seem like he wants to be there. That's the my issue. It's like, yeah, give someone else a chance. But Fernando's deserved it and earned it. I think he's dri driven great this season despite the crap car, but Lance just it's just that's the problem, isn't it? It's just he's just a no nothing driver in a in a nothing. Yeah. I could I completely agree. It's it's such a shame and it it it goes even further to show that they're just not a serious outfit. They're just not. Their car, their engine, their management, unfortunately. Again, as we always say, this is not a slight on all the people who work in Aston. I know that they're being dealt a pretty bad hand with Honda not being able to get their hand on the car again and the engine. And I know they're working their bollocks off. And yes, they have fantastic facilities to hopefully be able to do that. They're just getting zero support whatso fucking ever from the billionaires in charge who don't give a fuck anymore because they're still earning all their money. Just lumbering around at the back. That's the the reality of Modern F1, unfortunately. On that dower note, ⁓ yes, there we go. Thank you very much for listening. This has been the Bar Asian, I'm not gonna have that one go, ⁓ preview. We will be back for the Bar Asian review on Sunday or Monday. I'm looking forward to that after hopefully a brilliant race. So last thing for me, thank you very much, James. Thanks for having us. Go on, Bar Asia. Yeah, let's go, Bar Asia. Thank you, Annika. Thank you very much. And thank you, Maraid. Thanks a million. I'm really excited for this one now, thanks to you. So I'm hyped, I'm ready for Yeah, me too. Why what have we Half five, four o'clock alarm. Let's do this. Coffee. We got this. Ready. I'll clip this for when it doesn't go to plan. I'll be here with like an eye mask and like hair here and it's like yeah, typing away. Yeah. Went exactly as planned. I've been shocked envy. Thank you so very much for watching. Enjoy the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Bye now.