The F1 British Grand Prix Always Delivers on the Drama | Grid Walk July 13, 2023

Grid Walk would like a personal apology from Toto Wolff for getting hopes up about Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team’s performance at The British Grand Prix. We wanted a Lewis Hamilton race win but a P3 finish will have to do.

Nicole also accidentally predicts the future, before it was official that Daniel Ricciardo will be replacing Nyck de Vries at Scuderia AlphaTauri! (Make sure to listen to the bonus episode!)

Grid Walk takes a deep dive into the data from Silverstone with Teammate Battles! Is the Mclaren F1 Team pace for real? Is the success of the Mclaren just thanks to the driving of Lando Norris? Where is Mclaren F1 Team beating out other teams?

Tifosi has been fighting since the split strategy of the Scuderia Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Was Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz faster?

It is another jam packed Gossip Grid, bringing you everything you need to know about F1 and pop culture! Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc learned that love means nothing in tennis when they attended Wimbledon. A ton of stars showed up to Silverstone! Florence Pugh had the time of her life waving the checkered flag. Hannah Waddingham correctly addressed Sir Lewis Hamilton as 8 time world champion. Cara Delevingne visited Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake, the visit included hot laps and jumping into the C43. Brad Pitt and Damson Idris began filming their F1 movie with executive producer Lewis Hamilton. ApexGP took over a garage at the British Grand Prix for filming and unveiled a livery that was reminiscent of Rich Energy. Was Carlos Sainz trying to solidify his cameo in this F1 movie when he was close behind Brad Pitt at Silverstone?

Nicole and Briana bring their favorite moments from Silverstone with their British Grand Prix Podiums! Which drivers had the best helmet designs and why was this so controversial for Grid Walk? What data points from the British Grand Prix do we not have enough time to deep dive?Which Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Moments at Silverstone didn’t make Nicole furious or sad? What were the top F1 marketing moments of the British Grand Prix Weekend?

Formula 1 surprisingly announced the 2024 F1 Season Calendar?!? The Japanese Grand Prix has been moved up earlier in the F1 schedule! F1 still does not plan a race in Africa. What are the real reasons the Miami Grand Prix can’t move in the F1 calendar?

Grid Walk is a weekly Formula 1 show that releases every Thursday. For daily F1 content follow @gridwalkshow on all social media platforms.

00:00 Daniel Ricciardo to AlphaTauri

00:38 Grid Walk Formation Lap

02:30 Mclaren Surges Up the Grid

04:47 Where Were Mclaren Fast in a Lap?

11:35 Max Verstappen is Struggling with Race Starts

12:23 Oscar Piastri Might Be the Next F1 Star

16:13 PODIUM: Our Favorite Specialty Driver Helmets of the Weekend

24:17 Come on Ferrari Fans: Let's Be Mad at the Right People

25:17 Charles Leclerc vs Carlos Sainz British GP Pace

28:53 Reflecting on Ferrari's Strategy Calls this Weekend

32:37 PODIUM: Formula 1 Data Points Worth Talking About, But Limited Time

32:55 Sergio Perez Compared to Max Verstappen

34:44 Lewis Hamilton vs George Russell's Pace

35:09 Williams Got Points on Merit!

36:52 Gossip Grid: Formula 1 Pop Culture

37:02 Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly at Wimbledon

37:22 Celebs at Silverstone

38:31 Lewis Hamilton Fashion Week: Silverstone Edition

38:51 Everything Apex GP (The Brad Pitt and Lewis Hamilton Movie)

44:18 PODIUM: Mercedes Moments That Did Not Make Nicole Cry

49:04 Tire Taboo: Pirelli Brought New Tires to the British GP - Why?

57:31 PODIUM: Best Marketing Moments of the F1 British GP

01:00:30 Reacting to the 2024 Formula 1 Calendar

01:11:10 Yellow Sector Notes

* The episode begins with hosts Briana L. Klein and Nicole Katz discussing the unexpected news that dropped the previous day - a bonus episode featuring Nicole's thoughts and feelings about the British Grand Prix.
* They tease a small preview of the bonus episode, leaving listeners eager to tune in.

**Main Segments:**
1. **McLaren's Impressive Performance:**
* McLaren surprised everyone with their exceptional pace at Silverstone, leading to speculation about the legitimacy of their performance.
* Nicole analyzes the data, revealing that McLaren's advantage was primarily in the high-speed corners, while they lost time in the low-speed areas.
* They discuss the significance of this performance and the need for consistency from McLaren to be considered genuine contenders.

2. **Oscar Piastri's Strong Race:**
* Oscar Piastri impressed in his 10th F1 race, showing great potential despite being in a car with fewer upgrades than his teammate Lando Norris.
* His race pace on older machinery was less than a tenth of a second slower than Norris, highlighting his talent and potential.
* Nicole emphasizes the excitement surrounding Piastri's future performances and the hope for him to become a competitive force in F1.

3. **K-Magnussen's Impact on the Race:**
* Kevin Magnussen's aggressive driving style and Haas's questionable strategy led to a dramatic race outcome, preventing a potential McLaren double podium.
* Briana expresses her desire for a more competitive and unpredictable season, rather than Max Verstappen's continued dominance.

4. **Special Helmets of the Weekend:**
* The hosts discuss the various special helmets worn by drivers to celebrate the British Grand Prix and Silverstone's history.
* They each share their top three picks for the best specialty helmets, with honorable mentions for Esteban Ocon's tribute to factory workers and Lewis Hamilton's Mission 44 logo.
* Their choices reflect their personal preferences and highlight the creativity and individuality of the drivers.

5. **Ferrari's Operational Blunders:**
* The conversation shifts to Ferrari's strategic errors during the race, particularly their decision to pit Charles Leclerc too early.
* Data analysis shows that Leclerc and Carlos Sainz had nearly identical pace throughout the weekend, making the team's decision even more questionable.
* Nicole criticizes Ferrari's inability to adapt to changing circumstances and their failure to take advantage of the tire performance data available to all teams.
* The hosts agree that Ferrari's operational issues are a bigger concern than the debate over which driver is faster.


# Silverstone Grand Prix 2023: A Review

## Key Takeaways

* Ferrari's strategic decisions were questionable, leading to subpar performances from both Leclerc and Sainz.
* Perez and Verstappen showcased similar braking patterns, but Perez lacked confidence in throttle application, resulting in a significant lap time deficit.
* Lewis Hamilton and George Russell exhibited nearly identical average lap times, highlighting Hamilton's continued prowess despite driving on the slower medium tires.
* Williams' impressive performance, particularly Albon's strong showing in Sector 1, hinted at their potential to score points on merit.

## Gossip Grid

* Silverstone played host to a star-studded event, with celebrities like Florence Pugh, Hannah Waddingham, and Cara Delevingne gracing the grid.
* Lewis Hamilton's fashion choices, including his "Maui-Laula" matching set and the "Good 44" design, were widely praised.
* Brad Pitt's F1 movie, titled "Apex," is currently being filmed at Silverstone, with cameos from drivers like Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz.
* The movie's plot revolves around a washed-up F1 driver (played by Pitt) who returns to the sport to mentor a young phenom (played by Damson Idris).

## Mercedes Podium of Moments

* George Russell's wholesome family moment on stage, bringing his niece and nephew decked out in Mercedes merch.
* George Russell and Toto Wolff's uniquely patterned shirts, featuring Darth Toto and Suzy Wolf designs, respectively.
* Roscoe Hamilton, Lewis's dog, stole the show with his media appearances and interactions with fans.

## Tire Taboo

* Pirelli introduced new tires at Silverstone to address concerns about potential tire explosions.
* The new tires performed as expected, with no incidents of tire failure.
* However, the lack of tire degradation raised concerns about the potential for boring races in the future.

## Marketing Moments of the Weekend

* F1's first attempt at digital on-track advertisements received mixed reviews, with some praising the innovation and others criticizing its execution.
* Williams' pop-up store in Austin was lauded for its interactive experiences, simulator drives, and exclusive merchandise.
* Apex GP's clever marketing strategy of selling sponsorships for their fake movie car generated buzz and increased brand visibility.
* The Ferris wheel with the Chrome logo in the background of many shots was a creative and effective use of sponsorship.

## 2024 Season Calendar Announcement

* F1 surprised fans by releasing the 2024 season calendar during the Silverstone weekend, a move that was met with mixed reactions.
* Some criticized the timing of the announcement, arguing that it overshadowed the ongoing race weekend.
* Others praised F1 for its long-term planning and providing fans with something to look forward to. **Major Takeaways from the F1 Podcast Episode Transcript:**

- **Next Year's Calendar:** The 2024 F1 calendar features 24 races, marking a significant increase from the usual 22 or 23 races in recent years.

- **Japanese Grand Prix:** The Japanese Grand Prix has been moved to an earlier date in the season, which is welcomed by fans and drivers alike. This change aims to avoid the unpredictable weather conditions that often affected the race in its previous slot.

- **Miami Grand Prix:** The Miami Grand Prix remains in its current slot, despite requests to move it to accommodate the Canadian Grand Prix or to the end of the North and South American leg of the season. This is due to scheduling conflicts with other events held at the Hard Rock Stadium, the venue for the Miami GP.

- **African Representation:** The lack of a race on the African continent continues to be a point of frustration for many fans and stakeholders in the sport. Despite efforts to include a race in South Africa, no concrete plans have been announced yet.

- **Sector Notes:** The podcast segment "Sector Notes" provides insights and updates from the F1 paddock, including news about team activities, driver appearances, and upcoming events.

- **AlphaTauri Disqualification:** AlphaTauri's disqualification from qualifying at the British Grand Prix due to under-fueling Yuki Tsunoda's car is briefly mentioned, highlighting the need for further discussion on the incident.

- **Fan Engagement:** The hosts encourage listeners and viewers to engage with the podcast by following, rating, and reviewing the show on various platforms. They also invite fans to join them for daily grid walks on social media.