Christian Horner on Alex Albon the thinker and Max Verstappen the leader

Alex Jacques (0:01)

This week, why Christian Horner is backing Alex Albon, and the journey that Max Verstappen has been on to become team leader.

And now, from Tom's Penthouse Suite in Barcelona, and my old kitchen table, this is F1 Nation. Lights out in Barcelona, and it's a brilliantly dominant performance for Lewis Hamilton.

Tom Clarkson (0:29)

It was a virtuoso performance, a guy doing it better than anybody else, and I'm not talking about AJ's commentary, good though it was, I'm talking about Lewis Hamilton, win number 88 was one of his very best. So let's talk F1 on the Nation with me, Tom Clarkson, and me, Alex Jacques.

Alex Jacques (0:48)

Well, Hamilton was in the zone, he didn't even know that he'd crossed the line, which is always terrific for a commentator, because you're looking, hold on, is that chequered flag out?

I made a muppet of myself once again. No, that is the end of the race. We're all good, it's all fine. And standing on a podium, TC, for the 156th time, more than anyone in Formula 1 history, another record, maybe not the main one that we'll talk about when this season is concluded, but another record for Lewis Hamilton.

Tom Clarkson (1:17)

It was extraordinary. And actually, in the press conference straight after the race, for the first time in a while, I sensed he was a little bit emotional about that. I put that question to him and he checked himself and just went, to be mentioned in the same breath as Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. He said, I still can't get used to it.

Alex Jacques (1:37)

I wonder if that's something that you only appreciate when you stop as a driver. Interesting stuff that. So a great performance for Hamilton, an impressive performance from Verstappen, but a difficult day for Valtteri Bottas and surprising to hear him saying that he can see the championship drifting away. I know that that is reflective of what everyone might be thinking. Strange to hear it from the man himself though.

Tom Clarkson (2:00)

Yeah, it was a difficult day for him, but do you know what, AJ? Made even more difficult when he came in from the podium, because the cool down room in Spain has a TV in the corner and the volume was up and I think they were watching Sky F1.

Alex Jacques (2:14)

Not the PLC on F1 TV available in over 70 countries around the world. What?

Tom Clarkson (2:20)

If we ever go back to Spain, I'll set them straight, AJ.

Alex Jacques (2:23)

Good, good.

Tom Clarkson (2:24)

But imagine this, you've just had a really bad race.

You've come in all a little bit foe celebrations on the podium, spraying champagne. Last thing you want to do, because you've just had your nose dragged through the dirt. He then comes in, just as Nico Rosberg is slagging Valtteri Bottas on the TV.

Alex Jacques (2:42)

No!

Tom Clarkson (2:42)

Yes, and I'm told he was just wiping his brow with a towel, staring at the TV, just going, what is that man saying? And at that moment, Rosberg was saying, I can't believe he left the door open on the right-hand side on the run to turn one, letting stroll through.

Alex Jacques (2:58)

Is that Rosberg critiquing someone's opening lap in Spain? Interesting.

Tom Clarkson (3:06)

Yeah, but he'll blame the overtake button or something, won't it?

Alex Jacques (3:09)

Yeah, the wrong mode that forced him to chop across from the left to the right-hand side of the track. Either way, not unfair criticism. The brutal reality of when you are winning in Formula 1, everyone wants to know you in that paddock. When you're struggling, it's a very lonely place to be, especially if you time your appearance in the cool-down room at exactly the wrong moment.

Tom Clarkson (3:32)

Too true, mate. And Hamilton, it was a virtuoso performance. And it seems a bit of a contradiction, but it was a tire management race, but also a brilliant driver performance from Hamilton. And that seems a contradiction, but actually the way he managed those tires and was able to get more out of his tires than anybody else while slapping faster than anybody else is a real skill that we all praised Max Verstappen for after the 17th anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone. And it was Hamilton's day on Sunday to get that praise.

Alex Jacques (4:04)

Because we never saw Lewis Hamilton in a Minardi or a Toro Rosso or a team further towards the back of the grid, we never got those days like we did with Alonso, like we did with Vettel, where you could clearly see an exceptional performance with average machinery. And because he's always been basically in a race winning car, only driver in the history of the championship to win a race in every season he's competed, we maybe don't appreciate his ability with tire management as much.