With Just 6 Races to go in this season that's been pretty good as we have an actual battle for the respective championships we return to Austin, Texas for fingers crossed a straight fight with Max and Lewis (no engine pens, no torrential rain and the like). At this point we are now in a DNF will be devastating to a title challenge, reliability, wingmen and even the intervention from a Norris or a Leclerc are all possible banana skins for Max and Lewis. With this weekend coverage being quite a few hours behind our podcast will be recorded and published after Qualy 10-11pm so available about midnight /1am and the race (8pm-10pm) result show late Sunday night afterwards. Email us on the show at [email protected] and buy Merchandise and other F1 related stuff at our online shop Beardycat.com

Well it was like a lovely Scottish summer day in Turkey with this one GRAY MISERABLE and WET! If we had gotten a proper drying line maybe just maybe this damp fire work would have burst in to life but alas it was not to be! Instead we got a grind of a race with very little in the way of options for strategy from the teams, Sainz moving through the field as he should along with the focus squarely on Hamiltons progress left us with one to forget, watch the 5 min Youtube highlights and spend the time you have saved on something productive!! With swings in the drivers and constructors championships the only saving grace is that it's still very tight in both of them, 156 still up for grabs so its a long way from over. Roll on USA in two weeks for we hope a great race. Email us on the show at [email protected] and buy Merchandise and other F1 related stuff at our online shop Beardycat.com

With engine penalties for a few of the drivers it was damage limitation for Hamilton on what has not been the easiest track for the drivers! Still memories of the ice rink that the track was last year, with no support races this weekend the track is still GREEN but improving Hamilton breaking the track record even in the not great conditions. Hamilton will still have his work cut out for him tomorrow but this track does allow overtaking and a podium has to be the target, mean while Max can reclaim the top of the table if he can have a trouble free race but with a 40% chance of rain its not an open goal. Mclaren and Ferrari resume their battle for third with a swing back in Ferrari's direction with Leclerc in 3rd on the grid, Norris 7th. Alonso and Gasly in the mix a good top 10 that will hopefully give a good race, riccardo and Sainz also driving for points from well outside the top ten. Email us on the show at [email protected] and buy Merchandise and other F1 related stuff at our online shop Beardycat.com

Back at Istanbul Park! Again i'm sure a welcome return for the fans! Last year it was cold wet and slippery as hell, this year after a good old scrub we hope for a track that will rubber in and give us a great race.FP1 and FP2 we have seen the track rubbering in but still slippery off line making for challenging conditions. Penalties for engines seem to be dominating the new Hamilton 10 place Sainz 120place Aston Martin 1000000 place penalty for new engines and additional components. Is the penalty system fit for the purpose it's intended? Email us on the show at [email protected] and buy Merchandise and other F1 related stuff at our online shop Beardycat.com

The Bernie Effect, a long time ago a man once said that we need sprinklers to pop out of the track to help make the racing more exciting !! How right he was! A wee bit of rain to level the playing field, the best of the best step up and we see what the top 20 drivers in the world can really do but not all succeed. Well we strongly recommend you go watch this one from the lame duck tagged track we get one of the most exciting, interesting, and heartbreaking races for years! With great drives and strategy all torn apart with some heavy rain late on this was a thriller! Email us on the show at [email protected] and buy Merchandise and other F1 related stuff at our online shop Beardycat.com

Well it was an inter bonanza for most of the session but at least we got a result and the promise of an interesting race tomorrow! Some outstanding performances in the drying conditions as some of the best in the field showed us why they are the future stars of the sport, Norris, Russell, and Sainz to name but 3 as the track dried in those last few minutes it became a great qualifying. As we look forward to Max and Leclerc on damage limitation runs from the back with new engines, Perez trying his best to minimise the possible Merc swing on points and a top 10 that may...... but probably not give us a race worth watching. Email us on the show at [email protected] and buy Merchandise and other F1 related stuff at our online shop Beardycat.com

As we arrive at a windswept Sochi we hope against the run of races here in the past for it to be a good one.... Probably won't be but we can live in hope. Max with his 3 place grid penalty! not really being as bad as it could have been say at Monaco, Hungary or Monza, but he still has work to do to try and keep on top of Hamilton (not in his car this time we hope) but still a Russian track that requires a bit of grunt from the engine, sausage kerbs and gusty winds will keep the drivers on their toes. Mercares as a team looking strong with a Bottas that now seems to be on board with his wingman badge, Mclaren can they carry form especially Danny, was it skinny wing and low aero that won it for him in Monza? He will be hoping to have now over come his woes of the previous 13 rounds up to Monza and can maybe help put the final nail in the Ferrari coffin and resign them to 4th in the constructors. Email us on the show at [email protected] and buy Merchandise and other F1 related stuff at our online shop Beardycat.com

Thankfully we had a better than expected race today, not packed with incidents but some outstanding drives from 3-4 drivers and some pretty poor on track decisions along with teams really not thinking it through when it came to pic called and tyre choice. As we count down how many races we still have left with these cars the glaring issue of not being able to overtake is getting worse and worse for us the viewers and cash providers to this sport 2022 can't come quick enough. Some thrills and spills kept this interesting and again incidents should be looked at by the stewards! Highlighting the need for consistent and strict enough penalties that track limits and racing etiquette are either followed to the letter or over hauled so we know what we can get from drivers on the track on the limits of the car. Email us on the show at [email protected] and buy Merchandise and other F1 related stuff at our online shop Beardycat.com

Well another sprint race week end dogged by the fact that you can't over take in these cars!! More whinging and moaning from Red Bull who need to have a word or something as they feel like they are the most hard done by team in F1 history. When clearly their driver was in the wrong the fact that you overtake going over 4 large sausage kerbs AND all 4 wheels outside the white lines!?!?!? then decide to think about it! as if your driver has done nothing wrong! Utter nonsense!! We look forward to what we can only hope as a great race tomorrow, Hamilton in a Mclaren/ Ferrari sandwich and a top 6 that should be interesting in to turn 1 (safety car on stand by!) and two coming through the field from the back Bottas from 20th (Engine Pen) and Gasley (for loosing a front wing and binning it in turn 1 lap 1 today) Email us on the show at [email protected] and buy Merchandise and other F1 related stuff at our online shop Beardycat.com

Yes its a day early, as we catch up on all the moves (Bottas , Russell, Albon) and the confirmed driver line-up's for next season. We talk about the weekend ahead at what should be a Merc track but the Honda engine may have a surprise or two for Hamilton and Bottas this weekend. Yes its another sprint race weekend with a qualifying that people will not see as they are still at work and then a sprint race that looks like the start of the race and blah blah blah the idea is good but the execution is not! Move it all to Saturday (Super Saturday) Qualifying followed by the Sprint right after, reverse the top 10! anything to spice up what is other wise a procession. Email us on the show at [email protected] and buy Merchandise and other F1 related stuff at our online shop Beardycat.com