F1 Dutch Grand Prix 2024 - Russell On Top as Toto Talks Drivers for 2025

Toto & Mercedes' Future hi everyone we're back me and Ben today we were here with you yesterday today we've had the first two fre practice sessions um and as with F1 stuff around what's been happening on the track has caught the eyes well yeah Ben I think Toto wolf did a session with the Dutch journalists here and a few interesting bits came out that didn't it yeah yeah I mean it's uh an interesting one to kick off the Dutch Grand Prix wasn't it the uh weather this morning was very windy and very wet and we were worried about whether we' get any running in well we did um but yes Toto did do a session with a Dutch um journalist quite a lot to uh sift out of that um you know I think for me the biggest thing was him still talking about VAP and Max V staan and potentially signing Max V Sten for 2025 yes that hasn't gone away um or has it um you know it was quite interesting the fact that he revealed that he was still talking to uh Max's dad and his manager um you know he's definitely Keen to to to sign him um he's obviously missed out the chance once before uh when Max obviously went to Red Bull initially so quite Keen to uh resurrect that mistake and oh sorry quite Keen to make amends for that mistake and obviously if there's half a chance of signing Max with steppen he's going to give it a go but um yeah the other part of the uh the story is the fact that he kind of almost let the cat of the bag well you mentioned there about correcting a mistake and he had to do that again today didn't he because um yeah he let it slip he let the name Kimmy slip didn't he in terms of Kimmy Antonelli was suggesting obviously that he is going to be anounced that at some point as Mercedes driver alongside George Russell next year yeah he quick to clarify that that was a slip of the tongue but it didn't stop reporters reporting what what he said which I think is fair enough isn't it yeah yeah absolutely and I think it's you know shaping up there's very few other drivers now available Carlos signs obviously going to to Williams was an option um or not because Mercedes have always said that they weren't interested in signing um signing him so yeah it looks like it's going to be Kimmy Antonelli um for for next year which is um exciting prospect I think um you know they obviously have a lot of faith in him um they know him so well with all the testing that he's doing and all the simulator work so um big shoes to fill though aren't they leis Hamilton's yeah I won't fancy it um but one seat that Alpine Sign Jack Doohan for 2025 has been filled for next year talk us about Alpine yeah yeah yeah um duan's in there which is um yeah I mean I think that's quite a good fit for Alpine he's obviously got links with flavier briori um and so that's a an understandable um appointment shall we say very quick very likable um you know I think it's quite a good move for them those seats are closing up now aren't they we had a bit of obviously this year we had a stale M of seats for the first time ever yeah but now there's only a few left we hopefully in the next few weeks we'll know what's it's going to look like yeah it's quite nice to see the rookies coming through as well um you know I always think you need fresh blood and it did seem like with everything staying as it was um you know for this season with no fresh faces coming in that was a little bit of a shame so now it looks like we're going to have some you know some good good talent coming in uh which is exciting for Formula 1 Formula 1 Haas' Legal Action being Formula 1 there's always one of those stories you don't expect of a weekend this morning we all arrived to the news that the Dutch bfts were knocking on hass's door I think the the ins and outs his story you know it's quite murky it's quite he said she said basically their their Russian sponsor that they cut the links with after the invasion of Ukraine a Swiss Court determined that some of the sponsorship money that had been paid to H had to go back which I think is fair enough it hasn't gone back so today they turned up with the Dutch court order to to basically almost ounder the cars they're allowed to race at the Grand Prix but as things done at the moment they then can't take any of their equipment or cars out of the Netherlands and head to mza so it's one that needs s out you imagine it will get sorted out but he's playing out in public which H won't like it no and also logistically it's very tricky as well this is a a back-to-back race you mentioned um you know Italian grandpre next week so Logistics is key we need everything packed up you know on Sunday after the race and obviously sent to Monza so any delay um in that happening could have big ramifications for the next race um we've seen it before with um it was Lotus I think at the Dutch uh sorry at the Belgium Grand Prix um good few years ago but of course the cars were there for a good couple of days and I know you know that did have a knock on effect and there you know stuff ared late and you know it's just a spanner in the works that they could do without um you know Hass has made really good progress this year on track and you know this is the first big test um and it's coming in the form of a you know a a a legal um complication yeah it seems performative to me I think it'll all be fine and play that one it's just it's just clearly a way of that they've determined is the next way of getting further down the line with it but on track we saw a lot more action than we thought we we did yeah I mean when we arrived it was very W wet and windy I didn't think many people were going out but um yeah I mean the sping session was fairly mixed afternoon was was also mixed I mean I think that uh you know what we can say is that red bull aren't clear McLaren look quick Mercedes look quick we just don't know how quick conditions were tricky with the uh the Practice Results wind so um I think it's all delicately poised nicely set up for tomorrow qualifying but the reality is I don't think we really fully understand yet just how quick each car is absolutely I mean I think every compound was probably used at some point during today wasn't it but we look at those results Lando was quickest this morning yeah changeable conditions as we said but that could be what we see tomorrow as well so that is actually a more important figure than you might think that time that he said isn't it yes absolutely and obviously George topping fp2 as well so you know You' got two different drivers two different cars and I think that is what's quite nice at the top you've got Mercedes and you've got Red Bull you've also got the mcclaren's I think you could have Ferrari in the mix come come Sunday as well so it's going to be really interesting I'm super excited for this weekend as race when you said yesterday Orlando the best thing you could do this weekend was beat Max yeah not necessarily take the check of flag but beat Max and what he's done today hopefully that's for him that's the start of that process yeah I mean it's all starting with a positive mind isn't it and just keeping it going and building over the weekend and I think Max was a little bit frustrated today with the you know the fact he wasn't topping both sessions and there's still plenty of work to be done there um we also need to probably mention um his teammate as well Sergio Perez didn't have a very good um day did he um couple of offs didn't he yeah and uh you know not not particularly quick so um but like I said we can't read too much into it and obviously no points today anyway so let's see what happens tomorrow [Music]