In short
2025 Singapore GP review focused on George Russell’s dominant win, McLaren’s back-to-back Constructors’ Championship clinch, and the feisty McLaren internal battle involving Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri amid Verstappen’s threat.
Guests (backgrounds)
Tom Clarkson (host). Lawrence Barreto (F1 correspondent/presenter). Greg Rust (F1 commentator, presenter, podcaster). Richard Crail appears briefly (broadcasting off; Elton John-related aside).
Key claims
- McLaren’s constructors title is credited to major mid-season upgrade packages and team culture/structure (Andrea Stella, Rob Marshall).
- Lando’s lap-1 move on Piastri was legal; Oscar’s frustration is linked to Max Verstappen contact and the rapid sequence of events.
- Red Bull’s resurgence is tied to development progress and improved process/driver feedback; Verstappen can still disrupt the title fight.
- Russell’s Singapore redemption is framed as a major “statement” after past setbacks; Mercedes contract speculation centers on Max Verstappen availability.
Notable examples
- Russell pole via scraping past the wall; led nearly start-to-finish.
- Lando and Oscar “millimeters” from the wall; radio needle about whether Lando should have yielded.
- Ferrari’s underperformance (P6/P8), with Lewis Hamilton’s lap record as a lone highlight.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOLando Norris's Crucial Move
0:18 to 1:12
Discussion on Lando Norris's important performance and its implications.
“We haven't seen that kind of Lando for a long time.”
George Russell's Performance
1:40 to 2:36
An analysis of George Russell's race and its significance.
“He has had a rare weekend off broadcasting and is off somewhere enjoying Elton John as we sit here and record this.”
McLaren's Constructors' Championship Win
2:36 to 4:27
Exploration of McLaren's success and team dynamics this season.
“the year beyond the two McLaren drivers I think they've proved Red Bull here that they're not on the pace of the McLarens but they could actually get themselves in the fight with them a bit of Max Magic.”
McLaren's Strategic Progress
4:27 to 7:01
Overview of McLaren's strategy and performance improvements over the years.
“the way that they have morphed themselves into the new red bull the new mercedes of this era i thought lando made a very good point after the race in which he said you've got to remember where we were five years ago.”
Celebrations Amidst Competition
7:01 to 7:40
Discussion of celebrations at McLaren and the context of their achievements.
“And you can just see that I know the drivers are maybe starting to get a bit feisty out on track.”
Lando vs. Oscar: The On-Track Tension
7:40 to 9:10
Insights into the on-track tensions between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
“helped put all this together right but amid all this these wonderful scenes of celebration I do want to talk about the drivers.”
Post-Race Reflections and Reactions
9:10 to 11:34
Reactions from Lando and Oscar regarding their race performance and incidents.
“But the FIA obviously thought it was fine and the team did too, so that's it.”
Looking Ahead: Championship Stakes
11:34 to 14:00
Discussion on the championship stakes and the upcoming challenges for McLaren drivers.
“I think even Aussie fans have observed that his growth in mental strength, I'm talking Lando here now, even in the more recent races is quite obvious.”
McLaren's Championship Strategy
14:00 to 16:41
Discussion on McLaren drivers' performance and championship strategy against Verstappen.
“It's back to 1980 and they can see even the mainstream people that don't perhaps follow motor racing closely, I think they're beginning to realise we have something very, very good here.”
George Russell's Dominance in Singapore
16:41 to 19:35
Analysis of George Russell's impressive performance and race win at the Singapore GP.
“I mean, to Lawrence's point there before, right, do you play smart and just go points?”
Show all 22 chapters
Team Dynamics and Contract Talks
19:35 to 22:19
Discussion on George Russell's future with Mercedes and team dynamics concerning Max Verstappen.
“And it was brave, that quali-lap, when he hit the wall and kept his right foot pinned, not knowing how much damage there was to the back of that car.”
Kimi Antonelli's Rising Talent
22:19 to 26:36
Overview of Kimi Antonelli's performance, growth potential, and handling of pressure.
“We just feel, though, that the way George is handling it, the maturity that he's showing around that in what he has to say, what he's demonstrating on track, you can't do any more than what he's doing at the moment.”
Red Bull's Challenges and Development
26:36 to 28:00
Insights into Red Bull's strategy and performance changes during the Singapore GP.
“To be in your late teens, to have that kind of composure, or early 20s if we're talking about a couple of other drivers, I think is an unbelievable skill, however they get to that point.”
Red Bull's Resilience and Max's Confidence
28:00 to 29:19
Explore how Red Bull's strategy has affected Max Verstappen's performance.
“listen a little bit more to driver feedback, to take a more engineering approach to the way that you attack a race weekend.”
McLaren's Competitive Edge and Challenges
29:20 to 31:09
Discuss the challenges McLaren faces in maintaining their competitiveness.
“He's got a contract of 28, but we definitely don't know if he's staying beyond 26.”
Ferrari's Underperformance Analysis
31:10 to 32:44
Analyze Ferrari's struggles and the implications for their future.
“across all of the races fundamentally so far.”
Lewis Hamilton's Struggles at Ferrari
32:45 to 37:05
Examine Lewis Hamilton's adaptation to Ferrari and the cultural challenges he faces.
“That's the reality of the situation that we're in here.”
Hope for Ferrari's Future and Team Dynamics
37:06 to 40:21
Discuss the potential improvement for Ferrari with new regulations and team changes.
“And that's Ricardo Adami is a brilliant race engineer.”
Driver of the Day Discussion
40:22 to 42:00
Analyze the performances of drivers and highlight the driver of the day.
“I wish I had that cooling vest right now.”
Carlos Sainz's Performance Analysis
42:00 to 45:30
Explore Carlos Sainz's performance and emotional journey during the recent races.
“Because I think they knew they had a fast car around here.”
Honorable Mentions and Rookie Performances
45:30 to 47:13
Discussion on impressive performances from rookies and notable drivers in the race.
“the Constructors' Championship for McLaren the drive of George Russell here, right?”
Upcoming Races and Predictions
47:13 to 47:58
Hosts discuss upcoming races, predictions, and McLaren's potential.
“When do we see you back at a Grand Prix?”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Now at McDonald's, get a$5 McChicken meal deal or a$6 McDouble meal deal. They come with small fries, a soft drink, and four-piece McNuggets. We're gonna need a bigger tray. Get more value with your meal deal with McValue. Prices may be higher for delivery. Lando Norris gets by in a crucial move for the World Championship.
0:22Lawrence Barretto:We haven't seen that kind of Lando for a long time. So are we cool with Lando just starting out of the way? I felt this was a much more feisty, frustrated response here than we've seen from Oscar anywhere else, actually. George Russell wins the Singapore Grand Prix. He made a huge stipend here this weekend. I kind of just think that George Russell is in an unfortunate position in the way that Carlos Sainz was at Ferrari, right? Do you think we'll ever get to a point where McLaren favour one driver over the other just to reduce the threat from Max? I think if Max takes a chunk out of them, they're going to have to consider that.
1:00Lawrence Barretto:Max was in the 90s behind and now he's coming back. I think they've got to be worried. McLaren have got to be worried.
1:11Hello, everyone. Welcome to F1 Nation. We're in the Singapore paddock. It's hot, it's humid, but I, Tom Clarkson, am not wearing a cooling vest. Wish I was though And maybe my teammates For our Singapore Grand Prix review Are we have F1 correspondent And presenter Lawrence Barreto And Greg Rust F1 commentator, presenter, podcaster And a regular here At the Marina Bay Circuit Guys, great to have you both on the show How cool are you feeling Rusty? Now there's a fan And an air conditioner over my shoulder I used to work with Tom With the late great Barry Sheen If he was here now he'd say what second prize and the reason for that is because you asked our good mate Richard Crail to come and join you tonight who often appears on this pod at Albert Park.
2:02He has had a rare weekend off broadcasting and is off somewhere enjoying Elton John as we sit here and record this. Drinking champagne or doing something. No doubt. Yeah yeah.
2:11Lawrence Barretto:Lawrence, cooling vest? Oh I'd absolutely take it. I could do one right now and I've still got the fan blasting in my face. Absolutely. I'm here for it. Look when we look at this whole weekend which has actually been dominated by George Russell but but what will be your take home from the Singapore Grand Prix 2025 Lawrence? The Red Bull are in the fight on a high downforce track or specifically Max Verstappen I've got to say I think that if we want to see a fight going through the year beyond the two McLaren drivers I think they've proved Red Bull here that they're not on the pace of the McLarens but they could actually get themselves in the fight with them a bit of Max Magic.
2:51A few of us back home in Australia have been saying kind of write him off at your peril. I know in the press conferences that you guys went to on Thursday, people were asked about percentage chance of Max doing it and so on. I feel like three very different venues, the car's been pretty good at all of them. I mean, they are throwing everything at this to give him the best possible chance. And whatever happens, he could be the disruptor in what ultimately plays out, couldn't he well i mean red bull have always been the disruptors haven't they but look we're going to come on to that because let's start by talking about mclaren they're celebrating the constructors championship here second year in a row the 10th for the team it's been an extraordinary season for them lawrence where to start the celebrations of the constructors championship or are there worrying things behind the scenes into how the papaya rules are going to be going forward between
3:48Lawrence Barretto:the two drivers well i think i'll start with the celebrations because i think they deserve it i think they've been the class leaders this year they've essentially won this construction championship in the first half of the year while everyone else was fighting each other red bull mercedes for i were taking points of each other mclaren just collected the points and lando and oscar were playing happy families to an extent i think they deserve it i think to do it back to back is significant to do it with six races to go is impressive and the fact they haven't done it since the early 90s back-to-back chairmanships is something to applaud you know the team that sat brown has put together the the job that andrea stella has done with the culture at the team and the way that they have morphed themselves into the new red bull the new mercedes of this era i thought lando made a very good point after the race in which he said you've got to remember where we were five years ago.
4:40That gives it a bit of context, doesn't it, Rusty? Let's think about it from even beyond the Formula One realm, right? In sport, that style of comeback to be at the bottom of the pile and to turn things around in that relatively short period of time is nothing short of miraculous, isn't it? I mean, in the game of Formula One, it's enormously difficult to do, very impressive, and to go back to back and win that Constructors' Championship. But before we sat down to record here, nice little moment as they're celebrating with special shirts and things like that just next door to us here. There is a family member from McLaren in New Zealand.
5:18They're having a little champagne with them, a photographer from New Zealand who goes to a handful of the rounds and can remember, you know, when he was quite young, seeing Bruce McLaren race and so on. Nice little tip of the hat there to the New Zealand heritage. But Zac Brown has been very keen on that. That's why they went back to the papaya colour to celebrate McLaren, to celebrate Bruce McLaren. But from a performance point of view, what's been extraordinary is that we're in the final year of this regulation set. And yet McLaren, as you say, in the first half of the year, found a performance advantage that made everyone else look a bit silly, actually.
5:58Where, Lawrence, have they been dominant?
6:00Lawrence Barretto:I think it probably goes back a couple of years from the fact that when they started bringing those upgrade packages like midway through the year, around actually this time, two thirds through the year. And they did that for two successive years. And every time they brought this big package to the car, this big development package that, you know, was led by the by Rob Marshall, that team over there and this new structure that Andrea still has put in. Every time they brought a package to a track, not only did it work as they anticipated, but it was given those big performance steps. no other team has come anywhere near as close as delivering one of those kind of steps and we've kind of done it successively so i guess when you're on the right path and that's the one thing i've learned in form long when you get it's all going well and you know it what you're kind of the end goal that you're chasing then it's very easy this sport in some ways and then you look at other teams aston martin they find a little bit of time then they go in the wrong direction then they find a bit of time when you're in that path and you've got a team that's working in such a great great harmony and you're delivering you're getting the point you're kind of wrapping up then And I think that's what has effectively made the difference.
7:01Lawrence Barretto:And you can just see that I know the drivers are maybe starting to get a bit feisty out on track. But actually, up until maybe halfway through this year, they were getting on really well. And I think that speaks volumes for the whole culture within the team, that they are kind of making sure that they are getting the most out of this package. I don't know whether you can hear the cheers. That's the family photo, if you like, of McLaren taking place in the pit lane. Lots of screaming. I thought Zac Brown said something very nice after the race too he said yeah there'll be a party here in Singapore quite a great place for a party at a night race as well but it's actually all about going back to Woking in the UK to celebrate with the thousand people that have helped put all this together right but amid all this these wonderful scenes of celebration I do want to talk about the drivers.
7:49Lando Norris has got himself up to fourth position might be third position. He's side by side with his teammate. Ah, Noska Piastri is millimeters away from the wall as Lando Norris gets by in a crucial move for the World Championship. So are we cool with Lando disparaging me out of the way or? As a team, we can see Lando has to avoid Verstappen, so we won't take any action during the race. We can review further afterwards. Hey, that's not fair. I'm sorry, that's not fair. If he has to avoid another car by crashing into his teammate, then that's a pretty job of avoiding.
8:20Lawrence Barretto:I might look at it and think there's something else I could have done or could have done better. Anyone on the grid would have done exactly the same thing as what I did. So I think if you fault me for just going up the inside and putting my car on the inside of a big gap, then yeah, I think you should have been in Formula 1. So, you know, I don't think there was anything wrong that I did. Of course, I misjudged a little bit how close I am to Max. But that's racing. Like, you know, nothing happened otherwise. And I am still convinced. I'm sure I still would have just ended up ahead of Oscar anyway, because I was on the inside and he would have had the dirty side of the track on the outside.
8:51So, no, I need to go review it, of course. I need to look at things and see if there was something I could have done better. The last thing I want is to make contact with my teammate, especially because all I get is any questions from you guys. So, I'm the one that can't afford anything comparing to him.
9:04Lawrence Barretto:I would put myself at risk just as much if that kind of thing happens, you know, so I'll see what I can do better next time. But the FIA obviously thought it was fine and the team did too, so that's it. Hey Oscar, well firstly obviously congratulations on the Contractors Championship win, but what about that incident with Lando as well at the start, that obviously we heard a couple of radio messages, understand your frustration obviously, just talk me through what the talks are going to be like after this TV pen. I need to go and look at it, you know obviously there was contact which is never ideal, but I'll go and have a look at the replays.
9:40Rusty, what was your take on lap one here in Singapore and the way that Lando Norris got past Oscar Piastri? I mean, they've sealed the Constructors' Championship here tonight but I think in some of the comments that we've heard reflected it appears like they can race. So from a racing perspective, you know, he seemed frustrated, Oscar, obviously but the damage to the front of Lando's car I think was ultimately from the contact with Max, was it not? So we've got a really interesting fight on our hands here, don't we, for the Drivers' Championship from this point. If they can race, you know, that's, I guess, a win for the fans, isn't it?
10:20Do you think Oscar was just frustrated that his teammate had pulled one over him? Or was he frustrated because he thought it was unfair?
10:30Lawrence Barretto:I'm sure it's probably a mixture of a few things. I've watched the onboard back a couple of times, and I'm not entirely sure he knows that the reason why Lando looked like he kind of sprayed into him was actually because of that contact with Max. So I think without that, probably you wouldn't have had the contact between the two of them. And all Oscar's seen at that point is, I've tried to go after Max. Now Lando's suddenly up inside me. Suddenly he's now banging wheels with me. Suddenly he's ahead of me. So I'm sure that sequence of events, which is obviously happening in very quick succession, is going to irritate him.
10:58Lawrence Barretto:We haven't seen that kind of Lando for a long time. That really feisty guy. I think he gets a lot of criticism, actually, for not being so feisty at the start or doing it and messing up. So I think the very fact... For years, it was Lando can't get off the line, do you remember? But he's now pretty consistent and nails it pretty much every time. Exactly. And I think Lando knows he's going to have to start doing that kind of stuff. If he's going to claw this gap back to Oscar, which now sets at 22 points, he's going to have to keep doing that. It's still not quite enough, is it, Rusty, to kind of pull it back.
11:33Lawrence Barretto:but it's still something and it's got into Oscar's head I think. I think even Aussie fans have observed that his growth in mental strength, I'm talking Lando here now, even in the more recent races is quite obvious. I spent a little bit of time with Oscar on Wednesday night before this race and in the wake of Baku and everything and I felt like he's very good at compartmentalising and moving on. So this has happened here and how we put that in the box and move forward for Austin, I think, will be the really telling thing. He's got, at his age, I think, a very good ability in that regard. That's part learned, I reckon, but I reckon it's also part make-up.
12:12That's a real strength of his.
12:14Lawrence Barretto:I think he was able to do that in Baku brilliantly because if we go back to earlier this weekend, which feels like ages ago, actually, he pulled it back. He was very quick on Friday. Lando was making a few mistakes. Suddenly, it looked like Oscar put it all behind him. So I think, to Rusty's point, I think this is probably just going to be another example of him being able to compartmentalise it and move on again. Because, look, he's still leading the chairmanship. He's just seen that Lando's just chipped out a couple of points out of him. And he's got Mark Webber in the corner, who I think has been an incredible factor in this, in the way that he's been able to counsel him through the junior formula into Formula One to react in the right way.
12:49Lawrence Barretto:And, yeah, I think we saw a bit of needle on the radio when he was kind of going to the team relentlessly almost at the start. Like, are you going to do anything about it? Are you going to do anything about it? But that's normal, right? Except, Lawrence, is it? Because I go back to Monza when he was asked to give the place back after the botched pit stop to Lando. And he asked, I think, once on the radio, and we didn't hear another thing. I felt this was a much more feisty, frustrated response here than we've seen from Oscar anywhere else, actually. Doesn't that just underscore where we're at in the championship and what we're fighting for here?
13:22And, I mean, if you were in his shoes and you had the chance to pull this off, wouldn't you fight? I mean, I think you'd be going in there, boots and all, and making a statement. Rusty, just give us the Aussie take. What's the temperature on Oscar Piastri like back home? There is a huge amount of mainstream support that seems to grow with every weekend. Most weeks I'll do three or four radio chats with FM stations down there, and they get frustrated sometimes. We're crying out for this time. You've worked with Alan Jones when we've been in the network 10 days. It's back to 1980 and they can see even the mainstream people that don't perhaps follow motor racing closely, I think they're beginning to realise we have something very, very good here.
14:14So, Lawrence, looking ahead, there's the threat of Max Verstappen. You can hear the Jaws music, can't you? as he's coming for them. I feel that both of those McLaren guys, after a couple of underwhelming races, I feel, for the McLaren guys, they both need statement wins to sort of reaffirm where they're at in the championship. Do you agree or do you think it's now just about managing the situation and just taking whatever points they can grab?
14:48Lawrence Barretto:I don't think they need the statement win because I think there was enough that Lando saw in particular today to show that his car was actually the fastest one on track. So if they hadn't qualified badly, if he'd qualified on the front row, he couldn't have gone and dominated the race, I think, in the way that he did last year. So actually, I think from what he learned today about the way the car responded on Sunday, and especially, remember, they did no long runs on Friday. So they kind of went in with the unknown of not really understanding what the car was going to do, the tyres and stuff. The McLaren actually performed very well in that metric.
15:20Lawrence Barretto:I think will give them confidence. I think for Lando, he could do with that statement win to try and get some proper momentum in the chase of Oscar. But actually, even talking in the TV pen just now, Oscar was super cool. Like, obviously, he was frustrated in the moment, but he kind of felt like he'd already got over it. He's going to go and do his talking behind closed doors, which I'm sure he will do with the team. But I still get the impression, I think he thinks he's got this. So I think it's two very different things for the McLaren drivers. I think for Oscar, actually, I think he's going to be OK.
15:48Lawrence Barretto:Okay, for Lando, I think he just feels like he needs to chip out a bit more of a win, but I think he'll probably take confidence in the fact that Max is getting in on the fight, and if he could have done a better race today and been ahead of Max, actually Max might help him take points of Oscar, if that makes sense. If Max properly gets in this, do you think we'll ever get to a point when McLaren favour one driver over the other just to reduce the threat from Max? I think if Max takes a chunk out of them they're going to have to consider that and Lando doesn't want them to do that so I think to that point he is going to have to start taking more points out quickly to make that decision harder because you know when you edge to 15 points between them 10 points between it's going to be super hard for McLaren to convince Lando to do that but I think that Max will take a lot from today I think he'll take a lot from the fact I think he thinks he's going to get in their heads and when you've got a Max who thinks that and he's chasing and when was the last time we saw Max chasing for a title because you know through his successes these last four years he's pretty much had the rub of the green and talking of getting in their heads I thought everything that Max said after qualifying about you know Lando giving him dirty air I'm going to remember that going forward I just he was playing with Lando I felt do you Rusty do you think now that the the constructors championship is in the bag P1 is in the bag all the dosh that comes with that is in the bag flowing woking's way will the gloves come off will the rules of engagement between the drivers at mclaren be different i have said um to a number of people back in australia that is our hope that is let them race let them race um because you feel i mean that the team will tell you that they've been doing that i know i know but but they have had a a an approach about the greater good the collective the whatever you want to call it the Maybe the evidence of that, if you will, is going to be more obvious to us from this point on.
17:48I mean, to Lawrence's point there before, right, do you play smart and just go points? Or you've asked about statement wins. What's the wiser play for the final six races here, right, in approach? If you've got a guy that's keen to try and get in their heads, the best thing to do is to not let him get in your head if you can.
18:12George Russell closing in on a standout result. Brilliant couple of laps yesterday in Q3. He took pole position by scraping past that wall. He was in contention a couple of years ago, but in 2025, George Russell wins the Singapore Grand Prix. Well weakened. Well done. Oh yeah. Come on. George, that was mega today. driver car combination perfect thanks made up for two years ago now let's talk about our race winner george russell he did two laps good enough for pole position in qualifying he led the race virtually from start to finish the only word to describe george russell's singapore grand prix is dominant i was hugely impressed as were you i'm assuming Lawrence.
19:06Lawrence Barretto:Oh absolutely I mean maybe Toto Wolff has to make him wait even longer to sign a new deal because like drives like this make it incredible that he hasn't locked down a drive yet or come to contract terms to continue with Mercedes for next year because what George has done frankly all year has been outstanding I think from the early podium finishes that he's putting together George has shown that he's one of the best in the field and I think we saw another example of that today I think the fact that he couldn't really understand why Mercedes were so good around here is almost irrelevant because he just did the best that he could with the package that he had and to do two laps that were good enough around a track that clearly is in his head after what happened to him and that accident a few years ago to then put that all behind him and get over the illness that he had in Baku and it was still lingering when he came here as well and in one of the most physically tough races on the calendar, get the job done, is nothing short of outstanding.
20:07And it was brave, that quali-lap, when he hit the wall and kept his right foot pinned, not knowing how much damage there was to the back of that car. Because if something had broken, he would have been in the wall at a very high speed. You were both here two years ago. The collective heartbreak around this venue, you could feel it in the commentary box when that happened. So the redemption that you're talking about, I think, is brilliant. We used in an earlier question the point about making a statement. He made a huge statement here this weekend at a track and a place where they thought that it would be perhaps one of their worst of the year.
20:42The way he laid it on the line in qualifying was a joy to watch. And then to back it up like that and be untouchable at points in the race, get him signed. It was a very, very impressive performance. Rusty, he's been making that statement since 2022, hasn't he? even when he's ill in Baku last time out, delivering above and beyond. I'm sure that 2026 is in the bag. It's all in the detail about 2027. I think Toto is dying to keep a seat open for Max Verstappen should he become available in 2027.
21:16Lawrence Barretto:I kind of just think that George Russell is in an unfortunate position in the way that Carlos Sainz was at Ferrari, right? When Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, is up for grabs, Ferrari went and took him and that is probably the only person that could have taken Carlos' seat. George is in the same spot. Max Verstappen is potentially available and I guess when Toto, he's the guy in charge, right? The buck stops with him and he has to look at what is the best thing for Mercedes. Now, it's just unfortunate in the way that it was unfortunate for Andy Murray that Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal was around.
21:51Lawrence Barretto:It's just unfortunate that they were around. Lawrence, can I interrupt you very briefly? Sophie from McLaren has just delivered Sophie what have you delivered? Some Constructors Championship winning teas for you That's very kind Sophie Thank you very much Enjoy the party For the rest of this podcast we are now dressed in papaya and it says as you say Constructors World Champions 2025 There we go Proud moment for us all guys I wonder how long they've been carrying these around They definitely had them in Baku I'm sure what a great point though about how George Russell is it's Carlos Sainz all over again isn't it and Max is the only guy although you would I would question right now in the career trajectory of Kimi Antonelli Max Verstappen and George Russell would make a stronger team than Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli so quite why it's George who's going to have to make way for a Max Verstappen I I wouldn't understand if that's the case.
22:53Don't you? We just feel, though, that the way George is handling it, the maturity that he's showing around that in what he has to say, what he's demonstrating on track, you can't do any more than what he's doing at the moment. So to prove that point that he should be squared away. Before we move on from Mercedes, quick word on Kimi Antonelli. Two races ago, Toto Wolff described his performance as underwhelming. He bounced back in Baku last time out where he finished P4. He was fifth here after another strong weekend, in my opinion. What do you guys think?
23:26Lawrence Barretto:I think he had a great weekend. And I think it was especially good here because he had so many areas in quality. What Kimi could have done is rode it back so much that he was super safe. But actually, he's rode it back by the finest of margins. So he still had those two moments in Q1. He had those two moments in Q2. And he still got the car into a very good position. Yes, OK. he could have been fighting for the front row if he'd got it all together. But I think this is one of the reasons why Toto really likes him, because I think he can see something in him, that when he's kind of softened the edges of what he believes is a great diamond, Kimi could be a real fascinating talent.
24:03Lawrence Barretto:And I think to get two back-to-back top five finishes after those pretty brutal comments from Toto at his home race in Monza shows that actually Kimi can handle it really well. I saw him deep in conversation with his father Marco, for almost an hour yesterday, actually, after Quali, just here outside the F1 hospitality. I think they're really trying to push him to his greatest limits, but also trying to give him the support and kind of wrap around him as much as possible. And I think that to do it at two very difficult races, Baku and Singapore, for actually two very difficult conditions, I think is significant.
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24:38We're in a sport and in life generally where we want instant results. We want things to instantly be good. and we do need to keep just a little bit of perspective is that he's a young man, he's growing, he's growing up in a very public space here and we need to give him the room to grow. We've got to keep that in perspective, as I say.
24:56Lawrence Barretto:And there's an example of how it can go the other way. So Liam Lawson had a great weekend last time out in Baku. Great result. He didn't get a call from Helmut Marko because apparently he only calls when things go badly. And then we saw him crash in FP2. We saw him crash in FP3. And then we heard utterances from the team of it's not good enough we're still going to put our arm around you but it's gone the other way for Liam so I think the job that Kimi has done in two successive weekends when his teammate is performing at such a high level he didn't overdrive in the race today he still brought it home with a number a great number of points and it's significant for Mercedes of course in the fight for P2 and the constructors and let's not forget too that it's a really hard time for a young driver to come into Formula 1 at the minute because the gaps are so small now if you're two tenths off George Russell you're five places behind him on the grid and it looks really bad, we're talking two tenths two tenths five years ago would have put him on the same row and we've all been saying what a great job so it's a really tough time and Kimi's kept his head he can deal with criticism, he proved that after Monza when Toto got after him a little bit I agree with both of you that I think he's a huge talent.
26:10He was interesting. I caught up with him very briefly last night after qualifying and he was describing to me the difference that a little oversteer moment makes on a quali lap. He said he had one little oversteer moment through turn seven and his rear tyre temperatures went up by 10 degrees, which he never got back. And that compromised him for the rest of the lap. When you're dealing with such minuscule differences, it's incredibly hard to get your head around as a young driver. To be in your late teens, to have that kind of composure, or early 20s if we're talking about a couple of other drivers, I think is an unbelievable skill, however they get to that point.
26:47I know the sport demands that, right? And I spend a lot of time in New Zealand now, as you know, Tom. The nation over there is massively behind Liam Lawson, and it's been an up-and-down year for him. I was so thrilled to see him get those good points in Baku, and I hope the back end of the year is kind to him, is good to him. So let's talk a little bit more then about the third guy who we think might be in this title fight, Max Verstappen. We've mentioned him a few times. The big question coming into this weekend, Loz, was how would Red Bull fare at Singapore? It's been their Achilles heel for the last few seasons.
27:27Max has never won here. Max has never started from pole position here. What did we learn?
27:31Lawrence Barretto:We learned that A, Red Bull are not giving up from a development perspective. It might have been only a small tweak to the front wing, but they are still trying to give it everything that they can within the realms of not messing up 2026 and taking resources away to try and find answers to a problem that they've really suffered with for quite a long time now. And I think that coming here, we're starting to see a clearer vision of what the Laurent Mechies way is. And I think that is kind of move away a little bit from pre-race simulations, listen a little bit more to driver feedback, to take a more engineering approach to the way that you attack a race weekend.
28:09Lawrence Barretto:And what we've seen now is the third successive different track where they performed that. This kind of approach is working and that they've performed at high downforce is significant. Like, Max tried to play it down earlier, the TV pen. But I think that the reason why he had so much confidence yesterday after quali was I think he feels like they ran in the fight. I think he senses that he's got a car that he can take the fight to it. And he was actually a bit more annoyed that maybe he wasn't better than he was today because I think they generally think that something's clicked. So, I mean, the other thing is so much has happened off track for that team.
28:43Don't you feel like there's a bit more of a collective calm there, if you want to call it that? So three different venues, upgrades coming on that car. You've got one of the all-time greats who is energized for the fight. Mathematically, it might be tough, but this is someone who is not going to quit. And it's nice to see that they're giving him the chance to put up the best possible fight, don't you think?
29:08Lawrence Barretto:Oh, for sure. And I think that they know that by doing that, it does multiple things. It keeps Max happy. It gets the best out of Max. And obviously, the long game, we can't forget, is to keep hold of Max, right? we know he's staying for 2026. He's got a contract of 28, but we definitely don't know if he's staying beyond 26. And I think Laurent Mechies, yes, okay, he wants to hit the grand running next year with a new engine and the new package and the new era. But there's so many things that he wants to make sure that he kind of gets on top off. And one of the big plays is making sure that Max stays.
29:38Lawrence Barretto:And I think by proving that he's changing the culture, by proving that he's changing the way they go about it technically and the way the engineer cars and the way he goes about managing Max, I think is significant and whether or not that turns into a championship for Max at the end of the year is almost irrelevant it's about making sure he can prove to Max that we are giving everything we are changing the way we do things to give you the possibility of fighting at the sharp end I think that's what is so fascinating about it and that Laurent plays it all down and he keeps saying you know it's nothing to do with me a lot it's all down to the people that we've got here and the processes they got in place I think that speaks to really good management and And I think that's what Max is crying out for.
30:17Lawrence Barretto:I think to Rusty's point, that's what that team needs. It needs stability. It needs this culture of not being afraid to make mistakes, to go after things. And I think that that is what we're seeing actually to a lot of success, right? That's two second places and two wins in four races. Red Bull would have given anything for that at the start of the year. And do we think he can do it or he can close the gap? Mappi's 63 points behind Piastri now, 41 behind Norris. It's still a big ask, isn't it? Even when you look at the races we've got coming, I think the Red Bull will be very strong in Austin.
30:51Those fast corners, I think, will really suit it. It's always been pretty good in Mexico. I feel that Interlagos is a Max Verstappen showground. And then you go Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. How do you see it playing out? It mathematically looks like a difficult mission, but we say that because of the form that McLaren has had across all of the races fundamentally so far. But, I mean, it's not insurmountable. And three different races, good performances by him in each of those. If something goes wrong, he is there.
31:26Lawrence Barretto:I think it is those two factors, isn't it? It's whether or not Red Bull continue in that upward curve and McLaren's curve kind of relatively goes down. so if McLaren aren't the best or the class leader coming into every weekend which essentially was the case in every race coming up to the summer break if that is the case and they keep going the other way and Red Bull coming up the other way we return to that factor of Max getting in the head again right that they're there that he's there and I think for so long I was even writing we're in a private two-way fight for the driver's championship before the summer break because that was the reality right max was in the 90s behind and now he's coming back i think they've got to be worried mclaren have got to be worried because yes they've got the constructors down but they've got two drivers who are fighting and potentially taking points off each other and rebel have got one focus haven't they they've got one focus and that's making sure that max is happy in these final six races and we have had three races in a row where the mclaren pit stop crew brilliant as they are have made mistakes and i do wonder as the pressure increases the likelihood of mistakes increases as well doesn't it that that's human nature you human beings feel pressure but this is where the group of people that we've been chatting about that they have they put all these people in the right place at at mclaren they'll go away and have a a good look at that.
32:51Yes, there's pressure. That's the reality of the situation that we're in here. But I can't see them not learning from that for the remaining six.
33:05Prior to coming to Singapore, there were many people in this paddock who thought the track would suit Ferrari. It didn't. Sixth and eighth at the flag. Lewis Hamilton eventually behind Fernando Alonso after those brake problems in the closing laps. Another frustrating, underwhelming weekend for the Scuderia.
33:29Lawrence Barretto:I mean, I was one of those people, Tom, who thought that Ferrari would bounce back. You know, Carlos won here a couple of years ago in 23. The pre-race simulations were suggesting that Ferrari should be the second best here behind McLaren. But they are effectively the fourth best. And I put that to Charles in the TV pen and he had no answer to explain what on earth. has happened because, you know, they made the gains or they made some gains when they brought the new rear suspension and things started to look a bit better. But to his point, he was like, but everyone else was bringing performance as well.
34:00Lawrence Barretto:And Ferrari had found gains, but just not as much as everyone else. And then we've just seen two teams around them, Mercedes and Red Bull, find more gains. And look, it was special to watch Lewis on a soft tyre making those gains, but it kind of hid where they really are, which is they are P4 in the pecking order at the moment and no more updates to come. This is what they've got for the rest of the year. And, you know, to think that we're sitting here and looking back on the weekend, I think all we can really hold up as a highlight if we were to drink glass half full is the new lap record that Lewis took, you know, eclipsing that old marker for Daniel Ricciardo.
34:36History shows that this, in theory, should have been a good place for them. And the fact that it's not. We've seen them. Ferrari season has been one of moments, right? There have been moments of brilliance. Even, I'm talking individual stints in races, invariably, particularly on Lewis's side of the garage, there have been stints later on in some of the races that have been really, really strong. And you go, wow, where did that come from? What a pity he couldn't reproduce that more often. And then you sort of, you know, even there was the red flag infringement yesterday where, you know, he was being told to push to the pit lane exit by his team.
35:13Lawrence Barretto:So I think there were two separate things here. I think there is the Ferrari performance and it's how Lewis feels at Ferrari. So I think if we look at that, I do think Lewis is feeling more comfortable with the team. I think he feels more comfortable with the brakes. I think he feels more comfortable with this package. But I think it's the other things, to your point Tom, about the operational issues, the strategic issues, the way they were approaching sessions, the ultimate performance of the car, that is the problem. So while I think this has been a really difficult year for him, and I think that's annoyed him, made him sad, because I think he thought it was going to be so much better when he came here.
35:47Lawrence Barretto:I think when he ultimately goes away from this year, probably knowing it's not going to be the one that's going to yield a podium or a win unless something rash happens, I think he will hopefully feel confidence that actually he's starting to crack the Ferrari car. And I think once he feels the confidence in that, it's then up to the team to give him this car to fight for it. I think it is a different Lewis when I talk to him in the TV pen. At the start of the year, he just didn't understand what was going on, and he was like, is it me? Whereas he isn't doing that anymore, I think. I think he's going, okay, I get it, and I'm trying, and I understand what I need to do.
36:19Lawrence Barretto:I just can't do it with what I've got. So the cultural aspect of Ferrari, I think, is what's holding him back. The actual driving bit, you look at Lewis's career. I go back to 2007, and he came in and finished on the podium in his first season in Formula One in the opening seven races, right? He took zero time to get up to speed in a Formula One car. He overtook Fernando Alonso around the outside of Turn 1 in his first ever Grand Prix. He's not a man who needs time to learn how to drive a car quickly. I feel it's everything around it that's been holding him back. And he tried to persuade Pete Bonington, Bono, who we know from the radio at Mercedes, to join him at Ferrari this year.
37:04And there's no doubt in my mind that had he succeeded, his first season in red would have been a lot smoother, a lot smoother. And that's Ricardo Adami is a brilliant race engineer. Carlos Sainz loved working with him. It's just taken Lewis time and he hasn't got time. He's 40 years old. He's 41 in January. He hasn't got time. and therefore it's a real pity that I think Bono didn't go with him just to help the transition.
37:32Lawrence Barretto:I mean, we're seeing that up and down the paddock, though, with Carlos Sainz taking time to get used to his new race engineer. I think that's a point that, Tom, to be fair, shouldn't be overlooked, that it does take time to gel. I don't know how quickly he is going to be able to gel with that team, and he's obviously in the twilight of his career, so things probably just take a little bit longer in the way that when he was fresh into McLaren, things probably just came a bit more naturally to him. So I do feel for him, and I think that's probably why he's so disappointed and a little bit sad that it hasn't come together as quickly as it hoped.
38:07Bono's one person, and I think we all tend to look back on the Schumacher era, don't we, and the nucleus of people that they had there, and wonder whether culturally they can get back to something as strong as that. So on the cusp of a regulation change, significant regulation change next year, hopefully they can piece together the right people ultimately. Do you know what? I feel it's increasing the pressure at Ferrari. They haven't had a podium now for five races. Charles is saying, look, I can't see where this car is going to win a race without some safety car circumstance. But it's looking harder this year for them to get a result.
38:47And this all just places so much pressure on the team for 2026. every team in the pit lane is is seeing it as a chance to leapfrog up the order Ferrari are no different and they really have to do that now after such an underwhelming year in 2025 but I
39:03Lawrence Barretto:think I think there's still one glimmer of hope that Lewis will hold on to and it's that relationship that he's got with Fred and I think he's a big reason why when he came he thought that Fred could turn it around and I think Fred has done a good job changing the culture there but it won't work if they don't have a car in which they can develop. And they made so many changes to that car over the course of the winter, last winter, despite that car almost winning the Constructors' Championship. So I'm interested to see whether or not they've learned those lessons when they've applied them to obviously a new regulation change they're going to have to change the car.
39:36Lawrence Barretto:But just the way they go about developing a car, if they've learned those lessons, then maybe it will be different next year. And the 26 car will be the first Loic Serra car. Of course, Lewis worked with Loic at Mercedes. You wonder whether the characteristics that Loic knows Lewis likes in a racing car will be somehow implemented in the new Ferrari. I mean, let's hope so. I am fully into the romance of Lewis Hamilton winning in a Ferrari, but it just feels a long way away at the moment. But I think more than a few listeners to your podcast here would dearly love that, Tom, to think that, you know, someone who's had the incredible achievements that he's had in the course of his career could achieve that in red would be a massive thing.
40:21Well, guys, it's been wonderful to chat. I wish I had that cooling vest right now. It's even late in the evening here. You know, the race ended at 9.45 this evening. We're now getting on for 12.30 here local time, 12.30 a.m. I'm sweating buckets. We're going to end this the traditional way, driver of the day, and it gives us an opportunity to talk about maybe some of the guys who came home in the lower points paying positions as well. I mean, Fernando Alonso won the vote on the telly. He certainly won it in his own cockpit. He was very pleased with his overtake on Isaac Hadjar in that Grand Prix, wasn't he?
40:58Fernando Alonso, I'm going to join the TV vote in that it's been a really tough couple of races in Baku and Monza for Aston. A bit more downforce here. I love his attitude to racing. I love his passion. And I thought he drove a really, really strong Grand Prix today. I mean, it goes back to Friday too, doesn't it? Topping a practice session. And what was the stat? It's been like a decade or something or other since that's happened or something along those lines. I mean, that's great. The fact that Williams were on the back foot going into the race after qualifying. Carlos finishes in the top ten.
41:32For me, though, George Russell, you know, from qualifying to what he did in the race to drive of the weekend for me. You mentioned Carlos Sainz's drive from P18 to P10. Of course, both cars disqualified after a DRS discrepancy in qualifying. How did he do that? I mean, he stayed out forever, didn't he? But what a genius bit of strategy.
41:55Lawrence Barretto:So I think this was partly why Williams was so disappointed, irritated, annoyed that they got disqualified. Because I think they knew they had a fast car around here. And there is just something about this circuit that Carlos can just hook himself up to so quickly. And so I think what we saw today was the combination of Williams actually having had a faster car. And they were talking about probably should have been finishing up round fifth, sixth, maybe taking the fight to the Ferraris. And Carlos is scraping into the top ten. I think we just saw the evidence of what this car can do. but we saw the evidence of what I think we know Carlos could do as a driver and he up until Baku he'd had the worst year of his career effectively he sure reminded us what he could do with the points that he got from that podium in Baku and this was just another example of how good he was so for me he's actually my driver of the day I think it was outstanding what he's done without Williams in the way that Liam didn't understand why he wasn't up there fighting for points with a drive that he did so well Albon had a great drive as well to kind of come back from that pit lane start but it was Carlos who got the job done out there and got that that final points paying position you know Carlos well uh do you beat him on the squash court these days what's the latest we haven't actually played squash for a long time although he did remind he did say to me actually here that he still thinks he can beat me even though he's only beaten me twice in his life so I don't know what he's talking about but because you know him well right have you seen a change in him since that podium in Baku.
43:20There was a lot of relief immediately after the race. How did that play out here? How did that influence his performance here, if at all?
43:28Lawrence Barretto:So I've seen a couple of changes. I saw a change in Monza where he was starting to think that it might not work out here and he doesn't ever let that happen to himself. So difficult has this year been. And then I saw... Genuinely worried, do you think? Yeah, I do. I do think so because I think the success of Carlos has been that he's always backed himself to find a solution, that he's got that family unit of his dad, Carlos Sanzinha, his cousin, Carlos Onoro. They always believed, but it was just another problem after another problem after another problem, and they were always so different that he was starting to think, what on earth have I got to do?
44:05Lawrence Barretto:And then Baku came, and it all came together, and it came at the perfect time, because he needed that. And then to answer your question, yeah, I think he is always fed off success. He's always fed off when he's got that job done over the course of a weekend, when he know he has. He trusts in this team. He trusts in Williams. He trusts in his engineering team. He's really good at going to a new team and getting a really close engineering unit that become family. I think it's a cultural thing. I think the Spanish are incredible at that, at kind of building a team around them, locking in, and then just not allowing the external factors.
44:40Lawrence Barretto:He did that. They believed, they got to Baku. But I do think in Monza he was starting to think it's crack. So now that he's known, he's got that kind of stress off his shoulders and he's got that podium, he's back to where he was beforehand in that utter belief. And I think it helped that he's come to a circuit that he knew he could be good at. You know, his dad wasn't here significantly. His cousin wasn't here. And he was still able, you know, without that really super tight unit to deliver out there. So I think, yeah, to answer your question, I think he's gone through the emotions of these last three races from Monza to Baku to here and it's just another reminder of why James Vowles paid so much for him fought so hard for him, fought Aldi and Alpine off to get him.
45:23Lawrence Barretto:This is the Carlos Sainz that he bought that he hopes together with Alex Albon can take them back to the front. And it might be off the radar in some respects because we're celebrating the Constructors' Championship for McLaren the drive of George Russell here, right? But for both those guys, for both Alonso and Sainz Carlos Sainz rather, got a window again into the tenacity of both of them even even at uh at fernando's age i mean you've cycled with him you know the the programming that that he has i love that i love that even at at this point in his career to to drive like that that difficult pit stop lost all of that time to come back through and score points like that little wonder he's walked away as the the driver of the day for some final one i feel an honorable mention to ollie bearman electrifying qualifying lap and and and and held it together in the race.
46:10Lawrence Barretto:Well, I actually couldn't believe that it was Japan that was the last time that he got a Q3 because it's felt like Oli's been a stronger driver on a Saturday through the year. And I think what is particularly impressive that the job that he did here this weekend is that the Haas is what? The P9 in the Constructors' Championship and in a very tight midfield battle probably has no right to be fighting up in Q3 and in the race for the points. And he managed to do that. You know, he was able to keep a level head in very difficult conditions and deliver. And Ocon had a difficult weekend and there are a myriad of reasons why he struggled.
46:48Lawrence Barretto:But when it came down to it, Oli's got a crucial couple of points for that team. And he's, to your point, Tom, reminding everyone that, you know, Ferrari believed in him. Ayo believed in him and said, look, we haven't just taken a Ferrari driver. We've taken a driver who I believe can deliver. And, you know, I think there's some really impressive rookie performances this year from Isaac Hadjar, Gabriel Botoletto. We shouldn't forget Oli Behrman. Guys, thank you both very much. Lovely debrief here in the heat of Singapore. Rusty, great to see you. When do we see you back at a Grand Prix? That's probably it for me for this year.
47:21I'm off to Bathurst next weekend, bike GP at the island, but we'll be watching closely, and no doubt there'll be a lot of interest back home for us. That's a good triple header. You've done the Singapore Grand Prix, then you're going to the Bathurst 12 hours, and then you're going to the MotoGP at Phillip Island. Yeah, the 1 ,000 is huge, as you know, and MotoGP, I've been going there for years. I'm very lucky to do the two-seater ride there once, which blew my mind. So, yeah, it's going to be good. Enjoy. Have a great time. And, Lawrence, we'll be seeing you in Austin. Who's your money on for Austin?
47:51Lawrence Barretto:Oh, God, it just reminds me of that battle that Max and Lando had last year. I think, who's my money on? Oh, you've put me on the spot. I think this is probably where McLaren are going to come back to. There's a lot of long corners there where I think which will really suit their car. So I think we're going to see McLaren come back to the fore. And that means it sets it up nicely for a battle between Oscar and Labdo. Bring it on, everybody. Guys, thank you both very much. A couple of parish notices before I go. James Vowles is my guest on F1 Beyond the Grid this week. That's out on Wednesday. And it's Volunteers Month here in Formula One.
48:25And on Friday, F1 Explains meets the Marshals, the unsung heroes in orange who keep our sports safe. Check out the F1 app and F1.com for more post-race reaction from Singapore. As we said earlier, Up Next, Austin, Texas. And we'll be back next week with our preview of the US Grand Prix. Thank you very much for listening. F1 Nation is produced by Formula One and Audioboom Studios.
49:02Thank you.
From the publisher
McLaren have become World Champions for the second year in a row, but the big talking point was the opening lap contact between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Will that incident change how their championship battle plays out in the final six races, especially now the team have wrapped up the Constructors' title?
George Russell converted a stunning pole into his second win of the season with a dominant performance from lights out. But as his wait for a new contract with Mercedes continues, why does Lawrence think Russell is in a similar situation to the one Carlos Sainz found himself in at Ferrari?
Behind George was Max Verstappen in P2. It's his fourth podium in a row and, given Red Bull’s previous struggles in Singapore, does this result confirm they've finally turned a corner with their car? And if Max does significantly close the gap in the title fight this year, will McLaren favour one of their drivers over the other to ensure they win a first Drivers' Championship since 2008?
Also on the agenda, the guys discuss another frustrating weekend for Ferrari, while celebrating impressive points finishes from Sainz, Fernando Alonso and Ollie Bearman.
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