We're onto our 5th Grand Prix in 6 weekends; are you complaining!? At this weekend's 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, McLaren will be taking on Red Bull Racing in their den at the legendary Spa Francorchamps circuit. Max Verstappen has won 3 consecutive Grands Prix at Spa (yes, we're counting 2021 even though it wasn't really a Grand Prix!). Red Bull Racing-Verstappen have won the last races at Spa despite taking power unit related grid penalties.  In fact, could this weekend's race be the "Power Unit Grid Penalty" Grand Prix? It wasn't too many years ago when McLaren took a 60 place grid penalty, but those were the days. These days, McLaren is now most-definitely the class of the field. But can they deliver a drama-free race? Mixed weather is expected on Saturday for Qualifying - let's hope McLaren's pit wall gets it right...after receiving sermons and team management lessons from everyone...including those who are nobody in Formula 1 (like us!). Also, is Ferrari in the right? Will the cooler temperatures bring Mercedes closer to McLaren-Red Bull Racing? While we will see the regular narratives play out, let's remember to enjoy the Spa Francorchamps this weekend - as a race circuit. They don't make circuits like the Spa anymore!  And of course, Alpine might be set to lose their "works" status by signing up for Mercedes power units from 2025. Let's hope their race weekend management is as spot-on as their new superhero livery.  Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 37) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: McLaren

We called it! In the week leading up to the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, we had our "we told you so" moment when we predicted an Oscar Piastri win in Hungary. But what no one could have predicted is "how" he could go about clinching his debut win in Formula 1. The 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix offered edge-of-seat action for various reasons. First, a chasing Max Verstappen in his Red Bull Racing car. Second, Lewis Hamilton being in the mix or thereabouts. And third, obviously, McLaren's pit walls decisions, communications and eventual optics in how they handed the win back to Piastri. Poor Lando Norris. He was put to the "moral test" on live television, and despite being very very tempted, he did well to make the "right" choice. But what could have happened IF Norris chose to ignore team orders? In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora, F1 StatsGuru and Kunal Shah re-live the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix. They debate the various decisions made by the McLaren pit wall. Could they have handled this situation better? Why did they decide to undercut Oscar Piastri with Lando Norris at the last stop?  Max Verstappen, who was annoyed and impatient, finished a lowly fifth - after tangling with his arch rival Lewis Hamilton. The Stewards ruled "no action", but was it a racing incident or was Hamilton to blame in this situation?  In this hour long episode, the trio discusses various stories, narratives, strategies and race outcomes from the epic 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 36) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: McLaren

Mercedes has never won "three in a row" in this era of Formula 1. Can they claim this stat by winning the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix?  Based on the 2024 British Grand Prix, Mercedes is one the fastest teams in Formula 1, if not the fastest. But of course, they won the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix only because Max Verstappen-Lando Norris had a fallout on track (and George Russell was 15 seconds behind the lead pair). Of all the current teams, Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton have the best stats for the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix in the last decade! Hungaroring was built to mimic the circuit of Monaco, and it isn't surprising that the technical requirements (high downforce!) have labelled this circuit just outside of Budapest as "Monaco without the walls". Will Red Bull Racing be troubled at the Hungaroring as they were in Monaco? Will McLaren be as quick - as they've been everywhere, and will this be the race they finally start delivering "perfect" races, and what about Ferrari? The team that won in Monaco; will they be back in the fight at "Monaco without the walls"? The drivers silly season might see some announcements - Esteban Ocon to Haas to be finally confirmed? As for the others, all eyes on Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez - the two big movers in the market. Yes, Perez has a signed contract for the next two season (2025 and 2026), but given his current form and struggles to resurrect, one wonders if Red Bull Racing will take up their option on the "performance clause" that is often rumoured. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 35) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Mercedes

Indian Cricket legend & Formula 1 fan since the ages Ravi Shastri predicted a Lewis Hamilton victory on the Saturday of the 2024 British Grand Prix on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. Ravi, who has previously been a guest on our show, joined us from Silverstone where he was a guest of the Stake Sauber Kick F1 Team. Soumil Arora hosted Ravi where the duo spoke about athlete mindset and how an "older" star driver like Lewis Hamilton would react to being beaten by a "younger" team-mate aka George Russell. Ravi also told us how he started watching Formula 1 while playing county cricket in England in the 70s and 80s, and Silverstone is special for Formula 1...and for himself. Did you know? Ravi's original inspiration in Formula 1 was former driver turned broadcaster Martin Brundle. Also in this episode, Ravi shares his views on the Max Verstappen-Lando Norris rivalry, why he has high hopes from Aussie driver Oscar Piastri and of course, his thoughts on India recently winning the T20 World Cup in the United States of America. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 34) Follow our host on Twitter: Soumil Arora Image courtesy: Formula 1

What an emotional win for Lewis Hamilton in front of his home fans at Silverstone! The 2024 British Grand Prix will go down in memory as one of the most-special races in history. Yes, a British driver won the British Grand Prix for the 30th time in history, but what makes it special is that Hamilton won at home, his 9th such victory, with Mercedes - a team he has actually given up on! Also, Hamilton-Mercedes won on merit. They were the quickest car on-track. Hamilton's "wing" choices on Saturday and the track temperatures on Sunday played a vital role in his 104th career win in Formula 1. And of course, Hamilton's impeccable driving in mixed weather conditions, too.  It was heartwarming to see the British fans join Hamilton's family in celebrating this win - one that took 56 races to come. Hamilton becomes the first and only driver with over 300 starts to score a race win in Formula 1.  In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah re-live the magical British Grand Prix. Were you also surprised when Red Bull Racing weren't the quickest across the changing track conditions? Also, were you surprised when McLaren decided to "invent" race strategy than stick to the norm? George Russell's retirement, Nico Hulkenberg's mega points score for Haas and several other stories and facts from the 2024 British Grand Prix. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 33) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Mercedes

The Lando Norris-Max Verstappen battle will continue at one of Formula 1's most-legendary and oldest circuits on the calendar, Silverstone. Lewis Hamilton's reaction to the Norris-Verstappen incident from Austria will make headlines. But will he comment at all? A lot at stake for the title protagonists, Formula 1 and the British fans at this weekend's British Grand Prix. In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, @f1statsguru is back in the studio along side Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 32) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: McLaren

Will Max Verstappen and Lando Norris' friendship survive the test of Formula 1? Seemingly, that's the key question after their race-altering incident in the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. Understandable that their friendship is under question, because in 2024 at least, we don't believe the Drivers' World Championship is. It will be won by Max Verstappen! And of course, was Verstappen "dirty" in his wheel-to-wheel battle against Norris? The fan base is split, and we try offer an emotional and objective response. Needless to say, Verstappen-Norris is box-office stuff, and we'd love more of this. But can anyone go wheel-to-wheel against Verstappen at all? Also in this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah dissect the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. Will Mercedes be celebrating their race win? Could Oscar Piastri have won this race had it not been for his "track limits" penalty in qualifying on Saturday? Congrats to Haas for scoring their best race result since 2022 (also in Austria).  Ferrari's optimism with Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez's damaged RB20 and not picking up of the pieces after the Verstappen-Norris incident, Aston Martin's no-score and more in this episode. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 31) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

Can McLaren challenge Red Bull Racing? And could Ferrari and Mercedes potentially join their fight? These might be the two questions we ask ourselves at every remaining Grand Prix of 2024! In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah preview the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix, also an "F1 Sprint" weekend. We have a timeless story from Red Bull's Motorsport Advisor, Dr. Helmut Marko, on the origins of Red Bull Racing, the Red Bull Junior Team, etc. (from the 25th minute). Tune in to the full episode of Dr. Helmut Marko on the Inside Line F1 Podcast All eyes on Sergio Perez, Oscar Piastri and Aston Martin - all in need of a good result. The Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring offers a different challenge to the cars. Of course, we expect the "Orange Army" to cheer for Max Verstappen, but could the cheers this year also be for McLaren's papaya car? Lots of stories, opinions and banter in this episode. (Season 2024, Episode 30) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

Why did Lando Norris claim that he should have won the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix? In fact, why did Norris run a different race strategy vs. Max Verstappen, and why was he not too concerned about the Mercedes drivers? Why did George Russell's race attack wear off mid-race? And of course, how did Max Verstappen end up winning a race despite the McLaren being the quicker car yet again? Why has Ferrari lost ground for the second race in succession, and why was Carlos Sainz involved in Turn 1 incidents with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton?  Did Mercedes sabotage Russell's race (sarcasm alert!) by putting him on the hard in his final stint while Lewis Hamilton chose the soft? Why was Sergio Perez's 8th place finish lauded by Christian Horner. Fun fact: Perez was the only three-stopping driver who finished in the points What happened to Aston Martin? Fernando Alonso was 17 seconds off Nico Hulkenberg for P11 (lap 58/66), and of course, how did Alpine change their fortunes? Is it the "Flavio Briatore effect" felt at Enstone already?  In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah dissect the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix by answering a lot of race-related questions, discussing stats-facts and more. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 29) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: McLaren

Does Formula 1 actually have a 4-team battle for wins hereon? OR will it be a case of different teams challenging Red Bull Racing's supremacy in 2024? Is Mercedes actually back? And can Ferrari bounce back after their debacle in Canada? Will McLaren deliver error-free weekends to continue to maximise their chances?  The 2024 Spanish Grand Prix will answer a lot of questions. In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah start by answering why the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is the best benchmark for assessing the performance of a Formula 1 car. Yes, this is a phrase we will hear all weekend long! Will Esteban Ocon and Alpine's toxicity continue? Will Lewis Hamilton continue to deliver cryptic messages post-Qualifying? Will Carlos Sainz continue his 100% scoring record at his home race in Spain AND can he stop Charles Leclerc from out-qualifying him for the 6th race in succession. Will Alpine actually ditch the Renault power-unit, and could life come a full circle if Alpine are powered by Red Bull Power Trains come 2026? And of course, we've got our bold predictions for the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix.  Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 28) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

In the end, Max Verstappen won the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, also his 60th win in Formula 1. However, there were two other drivers who could've equally won the race - Mercedes' George Russell and McLaren's Lando Norris. The race, that saw several interruptions thanks to the rain and Safety Car, eventually rewarded "track position" given that the pace between the protagonists was very similar. In fact, Mercedes' pit stops at the restart for fresh tyres was a masterstroke. It gave them significant tyre delta to pull off overtakes and score their first podium of the season. Of course, this was after George Russell scored the team's first pole position of the season on Saturday. The other two key strategy moments were - Haas' "wet" tyre start of the race. Kevin Magnussen & Nico Hulkenberg were flying in the first tenth of the race! They pulled off overtakes at will. The other moment was when Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon chose to not pit under the Safety Car and pile 44 laps on the inters. This gave them track position in the top-10! The 2024 Canadian Grand Prix was chaotic, but fun. It offered us a good mix of on-track action, mixed weather, a multi-team battle and Alpine's first double points finish of the 2024 Formula 1 season. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 27) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

The "kerbs" at the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal, that's where everyone's eyes could be in the build-up to this weekend's 2024 Canadian Grand Prix. Will Red Bull Racing's RB20 continue to struggle over the kerbs, and if so, could this give us another non-Red Bull Racing win in 2024? From the Ferrari and McLaren drivers, Oscar Piastri is the only driver yet to score a win. In Monaco, Piastri could've scored pole and then won the race had he strung all his sectors together in Qualifying. Could he be the one challenging for win in Canada this weekend? Btw, 3 x DRS zones means Red Bull Racing will have that much more tarmac to unleash their efficient DRS wing on! All eyes also on the wind and the temperature - could the wind catch Ferrari out and could cooler temperatures bring Mercedes into play? Is there a Sergio Perez-Red Bull Racing announcement expected pre-Canada? Btw, the Lance Stroll Grandstand has been sold out for this weekend. It's his home race. Can he do something special...for once? Lots to look forward to on and off the track...and in this 40+ mins long episode. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 26) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Google

Charles Leclerc wins at home in Monaco. Finally! Understandably, it was an emotional win - for the small country of Monaco, the Royal Family and even Ferrari. 45 years since Ferrari last converted a pole position to victory. The last Monegasque driver to win in Monaco was way back in 1950 (Louis Chiron)!  Did you know? Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso are 4:4 each in head-to-head qualifying While Leclerc is a popular winner, the way in which he won wasn't. But he did so in typical Monaco style - winning the race at the slowest possible pace. But why did Leclerc & other race slowly? Why were Verstappen-Red Bull struggling? Should Kevin Magnussen have received a penalty for the opening lap crash with Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg?  The top-10 qualifiers claimed the top-10 points scoring finishing positions in the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix! Congratulations to Alexander Albon and Williams for scoring their first points of the season with a fine 9th place finish. Also, Pierre Gasly opened his points account in Monaco despite an embarrassing opening lap clash with Esteban Ocon. (Season 2024, Episode 25) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Ferrari

Everything about Monaco is different. Yes, it is. It's not just the race distance or the circuit length, but even the podium ceremony. Did you know that in Monaco the trophies are handed out before the national anthem? At the other circuits, it is the other way around. Yes, keep an eye out for this one. For the teams and drivers, the challenge of Monaco is what excites them. Qualifying is key and "track position" is everything around the streets of Monaco. In the race, it is more about not ceding track position to your rival than finishing the race in the shortest possible race time. For the teams, Monaco is logistical challenge given the smaller confines to work within. Upgrades are the name of the game, but the "confidence" in the cockpit is what the teams will help their drivers chase in Monaco. The talk about Monaco is usually about "leaving lap time" on the table, since the time comes when you go up close to the walls and barriers! It's more about margins to the walls than margins between teams when Formula 1 is racing in Monaco. Join @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah in this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast as they preview the upcoming 2024 Monaco Grand Prix. (Season 2024, Episode 24) Follow our hosts on Twitter: @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

Max Verstappen & Lando Norris have finished in the top-2 positions in the last 3 races of the 2024 Formula 1 season. The question on everyone's mind is - will the Verstappen-Norris battle continue through the season? If the 2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is anything to go by, it does seem so. If Miami was won by Norris-McLaren thanks to the Safety Car, Norris' late-race charge in Imola confirmed McLaren's turn of pace thanks to their steady upgrade plans...a plan that started in Austria last year. Since their win in Miami, McLaren's communication has changed - from claiming that they could challenge Red Bull Racing, they're now saying than can. For Formula 1's sake, one can only hope so. But how could Lando Norris launch such a late-race charge on Max Verstappen? How did Verstappen-Red Bull recover after a messy start to the weekend? Could Norris have attacked Verstappen earlier, and if the race was a lap longer, could Norris have actually one?  In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Kunal Shah and @f1statsguru review the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Soumil Arora, who is on holiday in the north-eastern part of India, was sorely missed! Is Mercedes now the 'best of the rest'? Why have Yuki Tsunoda and Nico Hulkenberg impressed everyone in 2024? Did Hulkenberg's tow cost McLaren a 1-2 in Qualifying on Saturday? Sergio Perez is now third in the Drivers' Championship behind Charles Leclerc - could this hamper his contract extension talks? And of course, did Ferrari's upgrades work?  Lots of narratives, explainers and facts-stats packed in this 50+ mins long episode. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 23) Follow our hosts on Twitter: @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

Could a new pecking order emerge at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix? It's the first European race of the season and we expect teams to bring a plethora of upgrades to this race. Can the upgrades really make things tighter between Red Bull Racing, McLaren and Ferrari? It's not the top-3, but all teams that could see their fortunes change this weekend onward. McLaren and Ferrari were in the battle for 2nd place, but is it actually for 1st place with Red Bull Racing? OR will Max Verstappen return with vengeance at Imola, as he usually does so after losing a race? Lots of exciting stories to look forward to for this weekend's race. Nico Hulkenberg, the Formula 1 veteran, has never raced at Imola! He's also the first driver to join another team...after racing for Haas. Btw, Kevin Magnussen is 2 points away from a race ban, will he clean up his racing act? Or will Oliver Bearman end up racing for two teams in 2024? In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah preview the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Imola, the historic venue that will host this weekend's race, is often remembered for the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger. It has been 30 years since their passing at the 1994 Imola Grand Prix, of course, at Imola.  Lots in store in this near hour long chat, tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 22) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora, @f1statsguru and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: McLaren

Our "voices of F1" series is back. This time, we have former Formula 1 driver and RTL's F1 expert Christian Danner on the Inside Line F1 Podcast. Why has Formula 1 declined in Germany? In fact, how popular was it in Germany during Michael Schumacher's reign? Danner shares interesting insights on Schumacher's legacy, why he was loved by Germany and how different Sebastian Vettel is remembered as a Formula 1 legend today. Also, is Nico Rosberg celebrated as a German Formula 1 champion? We also touch upon Mick Schumacher's surprisingly short Formula 1 career, the possibility of a comeback and why Nico Hulkenberg is a perfect fit for Audi. Danner also tells us how the Sainz family knows enough about Audi for them to wait for a seat elsewhere - naming, Red Bull Racing and Mercedes. For those who love Motorsport history, Danner goes back in time to talk of his moments with Ayrton Senna, why Formula 1 is the "only true racing car", how driver contracts were in the 80s and much more.  This is one super hour (and little more) with Christian Danner packed with fantastic stories and experiences. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 21) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora, Kunal Shah and Christian Danner Image courtesy: Ferrari

Did Lando Norris get lucky with the Safety Car to win his first-ever Formula 1 Grand Prix? OR was McLaren genuinely quick in Miami? Mercedes' customer team, McLaren, has won a race in 2024 before the works team! Also, McLaren's second Grand Prix win in the last 12 years! Could Carlos Sainz have won the race, had the timing of the Safety Car been different? The 2024 Miami Grand Prix was a race of two halves - Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri shining in the first half, while Lando Norris and Esteban Ocon shone in the second. In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah review the 2024 Miami Grand Prix - including Donald Trump's choice of visiting the McLaren garage pre-race. For our Indian listeners - Yuvraj Singh and Ibrahim Ali Khan were the two celebrities who attended the race. Was Kevin Magnussen unsportsmanlike, and should Lewis Hamilton have received a penalty for his Turn 1 shenanigans in the Sprint? In fact, Hamilton's fiercest battles were with Magnussen (Sprint) and Nico Hulkenberg (Grand Prix). Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 20) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: McLaren

The Adrian Newey bombshell has finally dropped...on Red Bull Racing and all of Formula 1. But what Newey does next is more of interest, of course. F1 TV's lead voice and commentator Alex Jacques is our special guest on this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast. "What a problem to have for someone who has won 200 Grands Prix," said Alex Jacques, the guest on this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast. Soumil Arora and Jacques discussed with a lot of confidence that Maranello is where Newey will be headed to next...to work for Ferrari. "A great addition to his already fabled CV!" concluded Jacques. In this "voices of F1" episode series, which is also a bonus episode before the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, Soumil and Alex spoke about Carlos Sainz's options, including Audi, Kimi Antonelli to Mercedes, Wolff-Hamilton and lots more. Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 19) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Alex Jacques Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool

Could Fernando Alonso get a penalty yet again? He's had 2 in the first 5 races of the 2024 Formula 1 season...for "racing" his rivals on-track. This race, last year - was when Max Verstappen engaged "God" mode. He's never had pole position in Miami, but has won both the races held here. The weather is expected to be hot and humid - could Verstappen score yet another pole position, race win, fastest lap...and also, the fastest pit stop of the race? Red Bull Racing is operating on a different level than the others. We expect Red Bull Racing's "politics" to also hit a new peak this weekend. After much silence in the Austral-Asian rounds, Adrian Newey reportedly wants to leave Red Bull Racing for "personal" races / moral grounds in the aftermath of the Christian Horner misconduct saga. Will Newey actually GO or is he doing what Helmut Marko did a few races ago - report an exit via the media only to then have the owners of Red Bull stage a public "comeback" confirmation? Already, the three pillars of Red Bull Racing - Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and Adrian Newey, have all had their own stories of leaving/staying with the World Champion team in only the first 5 races of the season. Audi's first-ever signing in Formula 1 is Nico Hulkenberg. Who will their second driver be? And is signing Nico the best step forward for Audi? We expect the "driver silly season" to be another key talking point this weekend, which btw, also happens to be a back-to-back "F1 Sprint" race weekend. In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah look forward to the F1 Sprint and Grand Prix in Miami. They discuss stats, facts and fun trends that have emerged from the first 5 races of the season.  Tune in! (Season 2024, Episode 18) Follow our hosts on Twitter: Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah Image courtesy: Red Bull Content Pool