Motorsport101

There is nothing, and I do mean nothing that hits quite like a home victory, and Charles Leclerc has decided to have two of them for the year! Ryan King sticks around to have some chat about the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, and the drama at the front that unfolded, as Oscar Piastri refused to back down on the opening lap as Lando Norris now goes 0-7 on leading second laps from the pole. Ooft. But is it time for team orders after another missed opportunity from the Papaya branded team? Lando and Oscar were trading fastest laps so much they didn't respond to Charles Leclerc behind them, who 1-stopped his way to glory! In this episode we also breakdown Logan Saregant's firing from Williams Racing as Franco Colapinto was drafted in at Monza. Is there any future for him in F1, and was Logan's firing justified? We also talk about Kimi Antonelli having the wildest 18th Birthday party you can imagine, by binning an F1 car! All that and more on a catchup edition of Motorsport101!

Well, this was a dramatic weekend to say the least. It's a four person edition of the Podcast as Ryan Erik King of Jalopnik joins the show, with input as well from FrontStretch's Chris DeHarde with both men and Cam Buckley in attendance in Milwaukee for the weekend itself! And there's a lot to get through, with the series CEO Mark Miles getting into a war of words with one of the series biggest promoters, Pato O'Ward. The argument? That Pato isn't as popular as former driver Adrian Fernandez... which is precisely the problem with IndyCar and its lack of popularity as a whole. We'll explain more on the pod.  We also of course, talk about the good racing itself, as Pato said: "Pato, WHO?" with a comeback win to take his third of the year, with the Penske's taking Race 2, but not without complete chaos. Alex Palou with his car stuck in pitroad with a depleted battery and Will Power with a golden chance to take it the finale on equal terms...  until he spins on his own. All that and a whole lot more on a heaped IndyCar edition of Motorsport101!

Well, that was chaotic. IndyCar headed to Gateway for the Bonmarito 500 and the beginning of its five-race post-Olympics run-in to close out the section, and the back end of its race was riddled with more messy racing. Will Power and David Malukas collide when fighting for the lead, with the meme lord going into the wall, a controversial restart by Josef Newgarden leading to Power crashing, and the American being handed an easy win with Scott McLaughlin finishing second. But Race Direction once again came under scrutiny for how they handled that restart. Was Newgarden gaming the rules or were the stewards asleep at the wheel again?  There's also a deep dive into IndyCar's new charter system, nicknamed the 3/22/25/27 programme. The show goes into greater detail, but it freezes out newcomers Prema in 2025 from the Leader's Circle or Charters. Is IndyCar showing the same kind of exclusionary attitudes that F1 and MotoGP are starting to show?  And finally, what about silly season? Is Alexander Rossi on the brink of now being on the 2025 grid? All that and more on another Motorsport101!

Whoops, forgot to add a bio here! But yes, welcome to MotoGP's 75th Birthday weekend and to do it, we got a throwback weekend but a very new result as Enea Bastianini took his first double victory in MotoGP history! We talk about how the other Ducati Italian has forced himself back into the title picture after nursing his rear tyres perfectly and beating Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia, with the latter crashing in the Sprint and losing his Championship lead. Does anyone want to actually win this thing? There's also a deep dive on the throwback liveries and the tradition itself and whether it could become a yearly feature for the series and what our favourite paint schemes were. There's also a chat about the races dwindling attendance and Fabio Di Giannantonio's factory contract being confirmed. And finally, is there a way to fix Qualifying in MotoGP?  All that in a heaped 70 minute Olympics edition of Motorsport101!

It was all coming up Milhouse for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton was leading the Belgian Grand Prix and pulling away from Charles Leclerc. George Russell called his own number and asked to run a 1-stopper, he got to the front and he held off Lewis and Oscar Piastri for a 1-2 finish and George Russell becomes just the second repeat winner this season... ...Until he wasn't. His car was 1,500 grams underweight and as a result, he was disqualified. Lewis Hamilton takes a slightly more awkward win, with Piastri and Leclerc 2nd and 3rd. Dre and RJ breakdown how Russell lost this race, how Hamilton won, and the startegic battle that unfolded in Belgium. Off the track there was huge drama as well, as Carlos Sainz confirmed he was heading to Williams on a two-year deal, Esteban Ocon is heading to Haas, Jack Doohan is probably taking his place and... CHECO IS STAYING?!  All that and more on another team principal change at Alpine on another heaped Motorsport101!

Originally a written article on Motorsport101.com, Dre catches up with all the news hitting Formula 1 before, during and after the Belgian Grand Prix, including Alpine's new team boss, Esteban Ocon going to Haas, Carlos Sainz to Williams, and Red Bull keeping Sergio Perez. 

Bit of a bumper edition of the show on this occasion. Before we get to IndyCar in Toronto, Dre, RJ and Cam discuss the Formula E Season Finale in London, as Pascal Wehrlein would win Race 1 and finish second in Race 2 to steal the title from Jaguar, who while winning their first World Championship since the Sportscar days of 1991, they missed the one title that eluded them, the drivers title, as Nick Cassidy was stuck behidn Pascal Wehrlein, and Mitch Evans had a battery drain after two failed Attack Mode activations. For the New Zealander, it was the THIRD time he's lost out on a last lap decider. Then the action moves to IndyCar in Toronto, as for the first time in 800 days, the Rockstar Colton Herta finally won a race, as he dominated the weekend to hold off Kyle Kirkwood and a hard charging Scott Dixon going from 15th to 3rd, and Alex Palou extending his title lead to 49 points. But it wasn't without drama. Alexander Rossi broke his thumb on Friday practise and in a shock, Theo Pourchaire was called in at the eleventh hour to replace him, and he ended up being the only McLaren finishing after a huge wreck with Pato O'Ward spinning out led to Santino Ferrucci sideways in the catchfence, and six cars wrecked.  All that and more on a chaotic Motorsport101!

Never has such a dominant victory provided so much pointless drama! The timing sheet will say that McLaren had a 1-2 finish by 14 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s 200th career podium in third. But in reality, an ugly team orders scandal broke out that marred Oscar Piastri's first win as Lando Norris was given the lead due to an undercut from the McLaren pitwall and it led to the team begging him to give the win away, which he eventually did. Dre, RJ and Cam try to make sense of a baffling turn of events. There's also a chat about Max Verstappen, who got flack from the internet for a clumsy race, and collission with Lewis Hamilton that cost him a spot on the podium, and an "out" as to his poor performance - Staying up too late racing for Team Redline at 3am in a 24 Hour Sim Race. Too far, or just best to let Max cook? Sergio Perez is also talked about and whether Red Bull will cut him for... (insert Driver here), as well as Audi moving on from Andreas Seidl as he leaves Audi and in his place... Mattia Binotto. Yes, that one. All that and more on another Motorsport101!

Just when you thought this title was looking half over, Iowa happens and more IndyCar chaos ensues. And not in a good way either.  The controversy started before we even had either race, with more hybrid issues disrupting qualifying, with Jack Harvey nursing back and neck spasms and doing three runs to get a time in, and Colton Herta almost risking a Race 1 pole to get another run for Race 2, which he ultimately declined. The gang discuss that, as well as Harvey's injury nursing in general.  Scott McLaughlin and Will Power than split wins in a title race that looks a lot more interesting after Alex Palou crashed out of Race 1 (His first DNF in 2 years), before bouncing back into 2nd in Race 2 behind a very lucky Will Power (Delayed caution, quelle surprise). But big questions remained over the poor repaving that led to Iowa becoming a one line race.  All that and more in another M101. 

Jorge Martin, in the words of co-host Cameron Buckley, why are you the way that you are? The full trio of hosts come together to make sense of MotoGP's German GP, the final round before the summer break, and with a key chance begging for Jorge Martin to restore his whittled-away Championship lead, he tucks the front and crashes from the lead with just two laps to go and just like that, Pecco Bagnaia wins his fourth on the bounce and fifth in the last six races.  The gang make sense of that bottling, and the Marquez brothers, who became the first duo to share a MotoGP Premier Class-era podium since 1997. There's also a chat about Fabio Di Giannantonio likely staying at VR46 and claiming factory equipment in what looked to be a big Pramac switch. And more silly season dialogue about Trackhouse Racing, and whether they should take on Joe Roberts in Moto2, Sergio Garcia (The Championship leader), or keep Miguel Oliviera, who was struggling until this weekend.  And finally, a chat about Kazakhstan being taken off the calendar for good, and Misano replacing it for what will now be a doubleheader. Does Dorna have a problem swinging for the big project rounds that ultimately don't happen? All that on a heaped MotoGP edition of M101!

It's been a good week for ending cold spells. Lewis Hamilton waited 945 days to win in Formula 1 again. Alex Bowman broke an 80-race dry spell in NASCAR to win in Chicago this past weekend. And over in IndyCar, Pato O'Ward was able to claim his first IndyCar win (while taking a chequered flag to do it), in 716 days, in an intense battle with Alex Palou in Mid-Ohio, with the Mexican winning by just half a second. Dre and RJ make sense of a calm, yet intense race where the lead battle dominated proceedings. It was also a debut running for IndyCar's hybrid system, using super-capacitor technology to generate an extra 60 horsepower, which when combined with push-to-pass, has the cars over 800 horsepower for 4.5 seconds a charge. But this is antiquated technology by any measure, and it took Scott Dixon out of the running due to his hybrid unit failing before the race even started. Should it be IndyCar's future? Also, McLaren's had more silly season unseriousness, this time with Christian Lundgaard joining from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing replacing Alexander Rossi in the #7 car. And in shock news, Dre, the biggest Rossi hater... doesn't like the move? Let him explain in another Motorsport101!

After 945 Days, Lewis Hamilton finally returned to the winner's circle onm home soil via the British Grand Prix. For the hometown hero, it was a record-breaking NINTH win at Silverstone for the seven-time Champion, but how did he finally break that dry spell? Dre and RJ try to make sense of it all! The pair also breakdown another fumbled bag for McLaren as another chance to win, maybe even a 1-2 finish, went begging as Lando Norris overshot his box on his final stop then lost second to Max Verstappen by overcooking his soft tyres. Is the operational side of the team now their biggest weakness? Does McLaren have to learn "how to win?" There's also a heap of clean-up topics as Nico Hulkenberg cooks again for Haas with his second straight Top 6 finish, Sergio Perez might still be at risk of getting sacked despite his new contract, and talk on F1's new Movie Trailer: "F1". No, seriously. 

Well... that was a beating.  Francesco Bagnaia spared absolutely no one in what Dorna called a Super Grand Slam, with Pecco winning both the Sprint and the GP from pole, while leading every single lap, AND the fastest lap in both races. In fact, the only session he didn't lead, was the Sunday warm-up. Dre, RJ and returning guest Ryan Erik King breakdown just how dominant Pecco was, as the title fight took another twist.  There's also a big catch-up on the silly season movements since Marquez's factory move was announced. Pramac are leaving Ducati for Yamaha for 2025 on a MASSIVE 7-year agreement, including a partnership, rider salaries covered and a lot more. A good move for Pramac? And what does it mean for Ducati's factory support? Also, KTM load the deck with Vinales and Bastianini, and Bez is heading to Aprilia for 2025. All the thoughts on those moves AND Lewis Hamilton's rumours about buying Gresini and that horrible social media faupax on a big MotoGP catchup edition of Motorsport101. 

The clash heard around the world and the biggest flashpoint of the 2024 F1 season so far. After weeks of close battles and teasing, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen really go to war, and this time, they take each other out, leading to George Russell taking a shock win after sitting in third. Nearly the entire episode is dedicated to that Norris vs Verstappen clash and everything around it. Who was at fault? Is Verstappen returning to his 2021 ways or have they always been there? Is this a battle of nature vs nurture given the sports' stewarding? What about George Russell sneaking the dub? So much to discuss and break down and we do it all across the hour. And finally some strong words regarding Yuki Tsunoda's ableist slur usage during Qualifying. Lock in. 

And meanwhile in IndyCar in California, Alex Palou decided to be the himminest him, that ever himmed.  Dre and Cam sit down and make sense of the Grand Prix of Monterrey at Laguna Sega, and Alex Palou who pulled off an insanity middle period of the race to come back into contention and win comfortably over Colton Herta and Alex Rossi, with Kyle Kirkwood in the mix early on too. How did Palou pull it off. There's also some chat about how Josef Newgarden blew a golden chance to revitalise his season after the worst rule in modern Motorsport as the stewards decided to delay the caution while the leader chose to pit. A chat about why we hate it. We also catchup further on Nolan Siegel's hiring at McLaren, as well as the series' move to FOX Sports for 2025, it's new calendar and what it means for them going forward. All that and more on another Motorsport101!

Originally a written article for Motorsport101.com, Dre Harrison opens his inbox for June's edition of #AskDre. Questions include, whether F2 has become unserious for a feeder series, guessing IndyCar's 2025 roster, an answer people won't want to hear on British GP tickets, wondering whether anyone else from Moto2/3 is moving up alongside Fermin Aldeguer and Dre damages his mental health when talking about England football... 

A familiar tale broke out at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Max Verstappen takes early control of the race, only for Lando Norris in a quicker McLaren to try and gun him down managing his tyres better... but came up just shy. Ah, fiddlesticks. Dre and Cam break down a race where you could argue McLaren was truly faster for the first time, as well as Mercedes new found role as antagonists and why Ferrari slipped back down the order. The back half of a show, is a huge hot mess on Alpine. From the initial news about them potentially becoming an engine customer to another supplier for the 2026 regulation change, and why we think it's a colossal admittance of failure, to the bigger news that 74-year old Flavio Briatore is making a return to the term as a special advisor. Yikes. In what context is bringing back the former race fixer ever a good thing? And finally, they've thrown their hat in the Carlos Sainz sweepstakes too. With three firm offers now on the board, where will the Spaniard sign? All that and more on another, Motorsport101!

The 92nd Running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans did not disappoint, with an all-time classic finish. 62 runners, 14 different marques, 23 Hypercars, and in the end, just 14 seconds covering the winning #50 Ferrari of Miguel Molina, Antonio Fuoco and Nicklas Nielsen taking it all over Jose Maria Lopez, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck De Vries.  But how did we get there? Dre Harrison and RJ O'Connell fresh off his trip there with Daily Sports Car break it all down. From the rain taking nearly seven total hours off the runtime, a B-Pillar look at the driving stints, and the controversial direction taken by the stewards as Ferrari may have dodged three bullets in the final two hours, with an Unsafe Release, a small penalty for a spin that ended the #8 Toyota's race and then a broken door on the 50 that took too long to call in.  There's also a look at LMGT3 and LMP2 and a quick chat on Nolan Siegel as it's announced he's replacing Theo Pourchaire at McLaren in IndyCar immediately. All that on another Motorsport101!

Originally a written article for Motorsport101.com, in another shock for McLaren's IndyCar team, Theo Pourchaire has been replaced for Nolan Siegel. Here's Dre on the seventh man in McLaren colours in 2024.

Sorry this one was a little late, we all in for Le Mans at M101 HQ, but we're back on schedule with a review on the 24 Hours later this week! But in the meantime, welcome back to M101 and it's another great Canadian Grand Prix to review! With Montreal having its own island climate, we had a changeable conditions race for the ages once again, as Max Verstappen kept a cool head and limited the errors to win a tight battle with McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, as well as Mercedes George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, in a surprising comeback for the Brackley boys! Has their new front wing upgrade brought them into the fight? We also talk about some of the silly season action as Sergio Perez and Yuki Tsunoda both signed new contracts at Red Bull and RB respectively, as well as catch up on Esteban Ocon leaving Alpine. Was Checo's horror show weekend a regression to the mean and hence, a bad idea for Red Bull to keep him? And what does it mean for Daniel Ricciardo's future? And what about Ferrari, who left Canada with no points at all?   And finally, our first chat on the 2026 regulations and talking about MOM - Manual Override Mode. As you do. All that and more on another Motorsport101!