F1 2025 Japan GP Saturday: Verstappen Steals Pole As McLaren Stumble

It’s almost time for one of the biggest single races in Motorsport, the 2024 Indy 500, with over 300,000 expected to flock to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday for “The greatest spectacle in racing”.  Joining Steph Wentworth on the Autosport Podcast are Motorsport.com’s Global Editor-In-Chief Charles Bradley, and IndyCar Editor Joey Barnes to cover a wide-range of topics, such as asking if Penske are set to dominate the race after their first front row lockout of the race since 1988, with Scott McLaughlin making history with the fastest pole position run ever seen at the speedway (234.220mph), with Will Power and Josef Newgarden sharing that front row.  There’s also discussion on McLaren as the potential top contenders to challenge Penske, whether Helio Castroneves can become the 500's first five-time winner, the drama of bump day as Dale Coyne Racing’s Nolan Siegel was bumped from the field in qualifying, and a full interview with Marcus Ericsson to discuss his own dramatic week with a crash and “Bump Day” appearance and ponder what the 2022 winner and 2023 runner-up can do from 32nd on the grid.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

23 Maj 202444min

It’s almost time for the first double-header of the 2024 F1 Season as the sport’s travelling circus makes the short trip over from Imola to the most famous street track of them all, the Monaco Grand Prix for Round 8 of the 2024 World Championship.  Filip Cleeren joins Bryn Lucas on the Autosport Podcast to discuss some of the fallout from Imola’s race weekend, as well as previewing what’s to come at Monaco in a few days' time, and how it could be a three-way fight between Red Bull, Ferrari and a new one-off, green and yellow McLaren.  Alex Albon also made the news during the weekend for signing a new long-term contract at Williams which could keep the Thai driver in Grove until the end of 2027. Is his signing proof of “The Vowles effect”, or a lack of top team interest?  There’s also chat about the state of the F1 Calendar, as Thailand’s Prime Minster Srettha Thavisin was in attendance to push for a Grand Prix for 2027 or 2028. Could it mean more European rounds are sacrificed as the sport admits it's making a push for more racing in Asia?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21 Maj 202433min

The Formula 1 Imola Grand Prix peaked with a dramatic finish as Max Verstappen just about held on to win ahead of Lando Norris, who closed down a six-and-a-half second deficit in the final third of the race that led to Verstappen saying: "I had to work for it!" Is it a sign that McLaren's upgrades have made it a legitimate contender for the world championship, or another blip from Red Bull that opened the door? Joining Bryn Lucas on the Autosport podcast is Alex Kalinauckas and Filip Cleeren as they debate the quality of the race itself and the frustration over the lack of early action, not helped by a shorter DRS zone compared to two years ago, and the lack of other overtaking opportunities. There's also a deep dive into Sergio Perez's horrible weekend as a Q2 exit in qualifying was combined with going off-road early on and a shocking lack of pace across the race. Also, should Ferrari be disappointed on home soil for finishing third with Charles Leclerc? There's also an update to the silly season, as the trio discuss the latest on Perez's seat, as well as Valtteri Bottas' trip to Williams for "coffee", and whether Kevin Magnussen's seat is secure at Haas. Be sure to listen all the way to the end as well for a sneak preview of Episode 2 of the James Allen on F1 Podcast, as the man himself sits down with the most powerful woman in F1, Liberty Media and Las Vegas CEO, Renee Wilm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Maj 202439min

It was a surprise win for the Porsche customers Jota Sport as they took victory in the World Endurance Championship's Six Hours of Spa... depending on your definition of the term "Six Hours"! With Earl Bamber having a huge wreck on the Kemmel Straight with just under two hours to go, a lengthy red flag was needed to fix the armcoe barrier, and with it, the stewards took the discretion to reset the clock back to the time of the Red Flag. But was this ultimately the "right" move? Joining Kevin Turner on the Autosport Podcast is Gary Watkins and James Newbold as they break down why the clock was reset, why Ferrari lodged a formal protest against the result, as well as where all their cars sit performance wise with Le Mans just around the corner. There's also discussion on Alpine as they bridge the gap to the sport's "Big Three" of Porsche, Toyota and Ferrari, and the LMGT3 class, where Manthey took the class victory after the Iron Lynx Lamborghini's had to stop for fuel in the closing stages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

15 Maj 202452min

Formula 1 is back on European soil this weekend as the travelling circus heads to Italy, and a return to Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Round 7 of the World Championship, and a welcome comeback after the horrible flooding of 2023 that led to the race’s cancellation.   Joining Bryn Lucas on the Podcast is Alex Kalinauckas, and together they discuss the big speculation around Williams and the future of American driver Logan Saregant. Miami had rumblings that Williams were pursuing an exemption from the FIA to potentially have Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the car despite jot turning 18 until August, against the factory team's wishes. Is the writing on the wall for Saregant? And with Max Verstappen disagreeing with the superlicense system entirely, saying it was brought in because of him, has it outlived its usefulness? The pair also discuss the changes made at Ferrari, with Loic Serra and Jerome D'Ambrosio confirmed to be joining the Maranello factory in October, with the latter taking up a new role as deputy team principal. What sort of role will they play in red, and should there be concern for Charles given his well documented frosty relationship with previous engineer Xavi Marcos? There's also a full preview of Imola this weekend, including the upgrade packages due for McLaren and Ferrari this weekend, whether Pirelli bringing softer rubber will make for more strategic options, and pondering if they'll be any chance of more passing given the complaints about the lack of it in Miami from McLaren's Andrea Stella and Aston Martin's Mike Krack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

14 Maj 202438min

The Month of May 2024 marks the 30th Anniversary of the tragic Imola 1994 weekend where Formula 1 lost the lives of Roland Ratzenberger and three-time World Champion, Ayrton Senna. In Episode 1 of the new "James Allen on F1 Podcast", James remembers Ayrton's legacy and how he's been remembered 30 years on from that tragic day. The podcast features interviews with Manish Pandey, writer and producer of the 2010 "Senna" movie, with a clip from the interview included in this trailer. Ayrton's niece and CEO of the Senna Institution Bianca Senna is also interviewed, where Biancas explains how the Institution has provided educational support to over 36 million children in Senna's home country of Brazil, as well as sit-down chats with Autosport's new Editor-In-Chief Rebecca Clancy, and Brazilian journalist Julianne Cerasoli, who discuss what Ayrton meant to them, as well as the seismic recent news of Adrian Newey leaving Red Bull Racing at the start of 2025. Episode 1 of the James Allen on F1 Podcast: "Senna & The Art Of F1 Storytelling" is available now on the Autosport YouTube Channel, iTunes, Spotify and Google Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

7 Maj 20246min

On his 110th Grand Prix Start, and after 15 podium finishes previous, Lando Norris finally scores his first career victory on the streets of Miami, with it also being McLaren's first win since Monza 2021. On the Autosport Podcast, Bryn Lucas is joined by Alex Kalinauckas to break down the action, including how Norris took advantage of the perfectly timed Safety Car after Logan Sargeant and Kevin Magnussen hit each other. There's more on Max Verstappen who suffered floor damage from a rare error when cutting the Sector 2 chicane, as well as Ferrari, with Carlos Sainz picking up a post-race penalty for hitting Oscar Piastri while trying to pass at the hairpin. Did Kevin Magnussen go too far to defend his teammate in the Sprint after picking up 35 seconds of time penalties? And the midfield battle heats up as RB strong results for both their drivers in the Sprint and the Grand Prix, and Alpine gets their first point of the season. And be sure to follow the new James Allen on F1 Podcast, releasing on the Autosport YouTube and Podcast channels on May 7th, with Episode 1 paying tribute to the legacy of the late Ayrton Senna, with last week marking the 30th anniversary of his passing. Listen in for a sneak peek of an Interview with Manish Pandey, writer and producer of the 2010 movie "Senna". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

6 Maj 202436min

After days of mounting reports, Red Bull finally confirmed on May 1st that Adrian Newey, legendary Chief Technical Officer will be leaving the team in the first quarter of 2025, after what will be 19 years with the team. Adrian will be taking a stepback from his role within the F1 team as he stays to develop their RB17 Hypercar instead. Joining Bryn Lucas on the Podcast is Autosport Editor Haydn Cobb, and on it, they discuss the timelines that led to Newey's announced departure as well as his exit plan with the team, as well as his future, with Ferrari and Aston Martin both reportedly keen to take on his services as the sport enters a critical development period, with the 2026 technical regulation change looming over the horizon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1 Maj 202416min