Ep17 - Bahrain GP Review - Episode Summary and Transcript

Please note that the summary is generated based on the transcript and may not capture all the nuances or details discussed in the podcast episode.

Summary

## **Episode Transcript Summary**

### **Introduction**

* Hosts Dan and Blake introduce the podcast, "The Engine Breaking F1 Podcast."
* They mention their previous episode's record-breaking downloads and thank their listeners.
* The podcast has not been canceled or deleted from the internet yet.

### **Race Review: Bahrain Grand Prix 2023**

* The hosts discuss the Bahrain Grand Prix race weekend.
* They talk about the return of their beloved race review segments, including FraudWatch, EngineGoodBoyAward, and Random Fandom.
* They also discuss the winners and losers of the Grand Prix.

### **Shoutouts and Promotion**

* The hosts give a shoutout to NordVPN for sponsoring the episode.
* They encourage listeners to share the podcast with their friends and family.

### **Race Build-Up and Practice Sessions**

* Dan admits that he missed FP1 and FP2 due to working on his data analysis database.
* Blake shares his observations from the practice sessions, including the hype around Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso.
* They discuss the performance of various teams and drivers, including Williams, AlphaTauri, Red Bull, Ferrari, and Lance Stroll.

### **Qualifying**

* The hosts analyze the qualifying session, which they describe as "distinctly what they thought it would be."
* They discuss the battle between Red Bull and Ferrari, as well as the surprise decision by Charles Leclerc to skip his second run in Q3 to save a set of tires.
* They also talk about the impressive performance of Logan Sargent, who qualified in P19 despite being a rookie.

### **Race Start and Lap One**

* The hosts discuss the biggest gains and losses on lap one of the race.
* Valtteri Bottas had the biggest gains, moving up from P12 to P8.
* Sergio Perez and Guanyu Zhou had a collision, causing them to lose positions.
* Lance Stroll also lost a position on the race start.

### **Fernando Alonso's Penalty**

* The hosts discuss the series of penalties that Fernando Alonso received during the race.
* He received a five-second penalty for being out of position at the grid start.
* He then received a 10-second penalty for failing to serve the first penalty correctly.
* Finally, he received another five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

### **Alpine's Performance**

* The hosts express their amusement at Alpine's comical performance in the race.
* Esteban Ocon qualified in P9 but finished in P17 due to a series of penalties.
* Pierre Gasly, on the other hand, had a strong race, recovering from a poor qualifying position to finish in P9.
* The hosts speculate that Alpine may be finally removing the sandbags from their car.

### **Conclusion**

* The hosts wrap up the episode by discussing the overall takeaways from the Bahrain Grand Prix.
* They highlight the strong performance of Red Bull and Ferrari, as well as the impressive starts of Valtteri Bottas and Pierre Gasly.
* They also mention the struggles of Alpine and the penalties that Fernando Alonso received. ## **2023 Bahrain Grand Prix Race Review**

### **Race Overview**

* Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez secured a dominant 1-2 finish for Red Bull, with Verstappen leading every lap of the race.
* Ferrari's Charles Leclerc retired from the race due to a suspected energy store issue, while Carlos Sainz Jr. struggled with tire degradation and finished sixth.
* Fernando Alonso finished on the podium for Aston Martin, his first podium since the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix.
* Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fifth and sixth for Mercedes, respectively.
* McLaren endured a difficult race, with Lando Norris finishing last after a series of pit stops to address an air leak, and Oscar Piastri retiring with a suspected steering wheel issue.
* Alex Albon scored a point for Williams, finishing in 12th place, while Logan Sargeant finished 15th in his Formula 1 debut.
* Kevin Magnussen's decision to start on hard tires backfired for Haas, as he dropped to last place at the start of the race and finished 18th.
* Nico Hulkenberg received a time penalty for exceeding track limits and finished 17th for Haas.
* Pierre Gasly recovered from a poor qualifying session to finish ninth for Alpine.

### **FraudWatch**

* Red Bull continued their dominance from last season, with Verstappen and Perez finishing well ahead of the rest of the field.
* Ferrari's struggles with reliability and tire degradation were evident, raising concerns about their ability to challenge Red Bull for the championship.
* McLaren's poor performance was a major disappointment, with both Norris and Piastri experiencing issues.

### **EngineGoodBoyAward**

* Red Bull's power unit performed flawlessly, allowing Verstappen and Perez to control the race from start to finish.
* Mercedes' power unit also appeared to be strong, with Hamilton and Russell finishing in the top six.
* Aston Martin's power unit showed signs of improvement, with Alonso finishing on the podium.

### **Random Fandom**

* Fernando Alonso's podium finish was a popular result among fans, who were happy to see the veteran driver back on the podium.
* Lando Norris' struggles with McLaren drew sympathy from fans, who expressed their disappointment with the team's performance.
* Alex Albon's point for Williams was a positive result for the team and its fans.

### **Winners and Losers of the Bahrain GP**

**Winners:**

* Red Bull
* Fernando Alonso
* Alex Albon

**Losers:**

* Ferrari
* McLaren
* Haas **Race Review:**

* The 2023 Formula One season commenced with the Bahrain Grand Prix.
* Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing secured a dominant victory, leading from start to finish.
* Sergio Perez, Verstappen's teammate, finished second, completing a 1-2 finish for Red Bull.
* Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin delivered an impressive performance, securing the final podium position and earning the "Engine Mode Good Boy Award."
* Ferrari, who were considered title contenders, had a disappointing race. Charles Leclerc retired due to a mechanical issue, while Carlos Sainz Jr. finished eighth.
* Logan Sargeant of Williams Racing had a solid debut, finishing ninth and earning praise for his performance.

**New Segments:**

* "Random Fandom": The hosts select a team randomly and provide their analysis and opinions on the team's performance in the race.
* "Fraud Watch": The hosts identify a team or individual who they believe has performed poorly or engaged in questionable tactics, earning them a spot on the "Fraud Watch" list.

**Winners and Losers:**

* Winners: Red Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Logan Sargeant
* Losers: Ferrari, McLaren, AlphaTauri

**Controversies and Insights:**

* The hosts expressed concern over Ferrari's poor performance, highlighting the team's lack of pace and reliability.
* They also criticized McLaren for their continued struggles, suggesting that the team is in a difficult position with an unreliable car.
* The hosts praised Alonso's impressive drive, noting his strategic moves and competitive spirit.
* They also acknowledged Sargeant's promising debut, highlighting his potential as a future star in Formula One.

**Overall Message:**

The Bahrain Grand Prix marked a dominant start for Red Bull Racing, with Max Verstappen securing an emphatic victory. However, the race also raised concerns about the competitiveness of Ferrari and McLaren, while Fernando Alonso and Logan Sargeant emerged as bright spots with their impressive performances.