F1 2024 Abu Dhabi GP: McLaren Seal Constructors Title As Norris Dominates

Max Verstappen secured pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix qualifying session, despite facing a five-place grid penalty for the GP due to the fitting of a fifth gearbox of the season. This penalty, however, does not affect his starting spot for Saturday’s sprint race.   Verstappen had a tense exchange with his engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, over Red Bull's run plan, which saw him barely make it through in 10th in Q2 following the switch from wet to dry tyres in that session.   In the final runs of Q3, Charles Leclerc initially took the top spot with a time of 1m46.988s. However, Verstappen, running deep in the Q3 pack, secured the fastest time with a 1m46.168s, pushing Leclerc to second place before Verstappen's grid penalty was applied.   Alex Kalinauckas joins Martyn Lee to analyse all of today’s action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

28 Juli 202324min

It was a record-breaking Hungarian GP for Red Bull with 12 consecutive wins beating McLaren’s previous achievement.   Chief Editor Kevin Turner is joined by Alex Kalinauckas and Matt Kew alongside your host Martyn Lee to look back at today’s action in Hungary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

23 Juli 20231h 10min

No spoilers! Jake Boxall-Legge joins Martyn Lee to talk about a mixed up grid in Hungary, and a tantalising battle at the front. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

22 Juli 202322min

First Practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix was marked by rain and crashes, with George Russell of Mercedes emerging as the fastest driver in the highly disrupted session. The session was interrupted early on when Red Bull's Sergio Perez crashed on his first timed lap. Perez lost control of his RB19 after his left-rear wheel touched the grass on the outside of Turn 5, causing a 360-degree spin and collision with the wall. In the second practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc put in the fastest time just ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris, with Max Verstappen of Red Bull only managing 11th place. Editor of autosport.com, Haydn Cobb, joins Martyn Lee to work out how Friday's running will impact Qualifying and the Grand Prix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21 Juli 202321min

Martyn Lee is joined by Matt Kew, who is heading to the Hungaroring this weekend, and Alex Kalinauckas to preview the grand prix in Hungary. This is one of the longest running circuits on the calendar, only second to Monza in terms of an unbroken run of races since Piquet won at the new custom-built track in '86. That was the final year the British GP was at Brands Hatch which is why Silverstone is just behind in terms of a continuous streak. The Hungaroring can also throw up unexpected victories with recent examples such as Button, Kovalainen and Ocon taking wina here. But will this weekend be an opportunity for the chasing pack, or can Red Bull make history with a twelfth straight win in a row? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 Juli 202320min

The Super Touring cars, known for their sophistication and cost, were stars of the recent Brands Hatch Super Touring Power. The event was a hit with fans, who flocked to see the cars back on track and get autographs from the stars of the period.   Tom Howard, Marcus Simmons and Kevin Turner hosted the Autosport fan stage and on today's podcast we're delighted to bring you one of our interview sessions with two title winning drivers, Alain Menu and Tim Harvey.   We're also very happy to confirm it WILL return and the 2024 event is scheduled for 29-30 June! Once again Super Touring Power will feature races on both the Grand Prix and Indy layouts of the Brands circuit. The 2024 event will also include all categories of the Classic Touring Car Racing Club.   The recent event showcased the potential for these cars to be a regular feature in historic championships with short, intense races designed to accommodate the high-end vehicles.   Fans were treated to on-track demonstrations and displays of Super Tourers and other impressive vehicles. Highlights included seeing Alain Menu's 1997 British Touring Car Championship-winning Renault Laguna on the track alongside Ash Sutton's current NGTC Ford Focus and a 2008 Holden Commodore driven by Greg Murphy.   A new addition to the 2024 event will be a Group A race featuring the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500s and BMW M3 E30s from the 1980s.   Find out more here: https://www.brandshatch.co.uk/news/2023/jul/12/super-touring-power-to-return-in-2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

14 Juli 202331min

Nyck de Vries is out, and Daniel Ricciardo is in at Alpha Tauri. Formula 1 teams changing a driver midway through a season is nothing new, and perhaps when one of the Red Bull stable is cast aside it raises fewer eyebrows than otherwise, but it's still a significant moment for F1 in 2023. Jake Boxall-Legge joins Martyn Lee to look at why Alpha Tauri decided their driver of a decade ago was a better choice than a promising 28-year-old who had just ten races to prove himself. JBL discusses how de Vries finally scored his opportunity in F1 and why it lasted so little time. He talks about what it means for Daniel Ricciardo who failed to replicate his Red Bull success at Renault and McLaren. And finally, JBL dives into the implications for Alpha Tauri and their other driver Yuki Tsunoda. For the best motorsport coverage, from F1 to Britain’s club-racing scene, why not get Autosport magazine delivered to your door each week? Subscribe today and never miss your weekly fix of motorsport: www.autosportmedia.com/offer/Autosport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

12 Juli 202333min

Martyn Lee is joined by Matt Kew in Silverstone, and Sam Hall, to talk about the major storylines coming out of the British Grand Prix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

9 Juli 202351min