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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