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22/09/2015
NEWS STORY
No stone is left unturned, no subject off limits, in the latest Pitpass podcast as Max Noble, Chris Balfe and Mat Coch join forces to dissect the Singapore Grand Prix.
Focussing on the racing opinions are split on the performances of drivers up and down the field. Max Verstappen is commended for a strong recovery drive, though both Balfe and Coch agree the young Dutchman enjoyed more than his fair share of luck. Coch is also more critical than his colleagues when it comes to debutante Alexander Rossi, suggesting he needs to see more of the American before deciding whether he has a regular place on an F1 grid.
Noble finds himself at odds with Balfe and Coch over the Massa/Hulkenberg accident and stands as the lone wolf in support of the German’s penalty. The Force India driver, Noble argues, could have left more space for Massa while both Balfe and Coch suggest the Brazilian should have used the brakes, and that Hulkenberg had the racing line.
There's also spirited discussion over the future of Red Bull, Renault and Lotus with the team delving into the implications of the current situation. Noble also goes out on a limb by suggesting that if he were in charge at Volkswagen he'd be on the phone to Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz to ink a deal post-haste with little regard for the possible $18billion worth of fines in the US.
No conversation would be complete without an examination of the driver market, with Balfe suggesting we should all come to grips with the fact Jenson Button has to, at some point, retire. Whether that's now the team isn't so sure, but they carry on debating the ins and outs of who'd step into his shoes anyway.
The team manages to completely avoid mentioning the tyres, almost, as the matter is discussed and dismissed as a storm in a tea cup and instead Balfe gets rather enthusiastic about the potential for a proper championship fight thanks to a revitalised Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari. Cue Max Noble for a Crompo-esque conspiracy theory.
As for the other talking point, post Singapore, Balfe suggests that in a bid to spice up the weaker events on the calendar – we mean you Sochi – Bernie Ecclestone could consider deploying a track invader whenever there's a lull in the action.
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