March 25, 2025 • 21 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for Wednesday March 26, 2025 - Bob McMurray - F1 Commentator - On Liam Lawson reportedly being dropped by Red Bull after his a slow start in Melbourne and Shanghai - how much truth is there to the reports?
D’Arcy delivers an opinion on the Brisbane Olympics giving Paris a run for it's money when it comes to danger.
Plus, Newstalk ZB Deputy Sports Editor Elliott Smith joins the panel to discuss the sudden departure of Dylan Walker from the Warriors.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk SED be
follow this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on iHeartRadio.
Welcome to Sportsfax, your daily dose of sport.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
By Hello there, and welcome on and to the Sports
Fixed podcast. My name is Darcy Walter Grave. This is
all you need to know about the wonderful wide world
of sport. Other day today being Wednesday, the twenty sixth
of March twenty twenty five. Coming up in the podcast today,
we'll have a chat with Bob McMurray. Thirty years involve
(00:43):
McLaren in Formula one as we talk about the possible
ejection of Liam Lawson from a red ball after only
two races and one sprint race a bit trigger happy.
We'll talk to Bob about that later on in the piece.
We'll be joining the Chamber by Elliott Smith, our voice
of rugby, although we won't be talking about rugby. We'll
(01:03):
cover off lim and a bit of Dylan Walker as well,
and I've got some opinions around bull sharks and rivers. Wow,
this is something else for the Brisbane Olympic Games. If
you think four billion dollars for a stadium wasn't enough,
check out what's in the water. If you're four outing
a boat, that's how master plan. It's all coming up
right here, right now. This is the fix. In other news,
(01:28):
here's a steaming side and succulent sport for your Liam
Lawson has made all the wrong headlines in Formula one
since his introduction to Red Bull and the undrivable second car.
The trigger happy team is set to throw Laws into
the Sharks as early as tonight and put the hot
headed accident in a helmet. Japanese Yuki Sonoda of Junior
(01:50):
RB Team Racing Bulls in the seat. Clay Wilson reports.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Dutch newspaper to Telegraph claim Lawson will be swapped with
Yuki Sonoda for the next race in Japan. Sunoda drives
for Red Bulls second Team Racing Bulls. The newspaper is
reporting on a meeting in Dubai. We're tie major shareholder
Charlie m Uveja lives engine supplier Honda, who financially backs
the Nota are also understood to be involved.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
NRL three sixty host break and NaSTA has come off
the ropes, swinging wildly as hosts do habitually. His target,
the thirty six year old Sea Eagles half back deal.
Cherry Evans, who's rejected the club's offer a two year,
one point five million dollar deal. A NaSTA is suspicious.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
You're telling me that he's considering retirement or going to
Super League.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
That's garbage to man Fern. They are expected to carry
on there. Shoot first, ask questions later. Approach to opening
the batting in New Zealand in the T twenty I
Seifert and Allen liked to crunch it from the outset,
and black Caps batting coach Luke Canduno Ronky sees no
reason to attach brakes to their acceleration. Siphrom Fine. I
have got this natural ability to go out, and I
(03:03):
had sexes from ball one and have sort of ultra
aggressive mentality, So it's always nice when you say that,
come off. That's war. Welcome to the podcast, too. Formula
one kind of call you an aficionado. Bob McMurray joins
us now. Thirty years in McLaren you would have seen
plenty of this action before the skull buggery, the backstabbing,
(03:25):
the knee jerk reactions. Formula one A hasn't changed, has it,
Bob good A.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
No, it hasn't changed us. But look first of all,
does I've got to say normally it's really difficult to
comment on speculation, and we shouldn't comment on speculation because
we're just speculating on speculation, and that's all it is
at the moment in that Red Bull that made no
official announcement whatsoever, and the announcement I'm sure will be
(03:51):
coming because too many people have said too much about it,
and it's all through the Dutch newspapers, it's all through
the telegraph and stuff like that, and it's strangers come
from Holland. Nonetheless, it is let's say, I'll take it
with smoke and fire at the moment, no smoke without fire.
And it looks like so many places have got hold
of this information that Liam is going to be dropped
(04:13):
from the main team. That is difficult not to worry
on his behalf. And you know, I've got to say again,
first up, Darcy, he is not a bad driver. He's
a very fast driver. He's a very accomplished driver, and
he's proven that. He doesn't have to prove anymore. It
just needs to get together with this damn car that
he's trying to drive.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
At the moment you say, damn carm we'll talk about
that shortly because that's a lot to do with it.
And this is the common denominator with Max Vist Steppen's
teammates over the years, that damn car. But it's been
leaked to the Dutch media, and I'm told that reboard
a tendency to leak stuff to the Dutch media if
they do so. I don't know what traction is in
(04:53):
that comment, but it may very well be the truth.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
It may well be, but it's speculating. As I sit
here as we talk during the day, I think it
is still speculation. But you've got to treat speculation with
the the amount of worth that you think in it,
and I obviously I think there is a certain amount
of Yeah, what's coming is what's happening. Unfortunately for the end.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Look, he's had a rotten ale run of it, and
people say start making excuses Darcy because he's got to
the top and he's failing. But the excuses in this
case Bob McMurray are extremely relevant. What he's faced and
has three races so far, the two GP and a
sprint race. I'd say anybody facing that would struggle, regardless
(05:41):
of the vehicle.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Yeah, I'd agree with that. I in all my years
in and around the sport Darcy, and even after I
returned from Formula One, I have never ever seen a
driver being dropped after two Grand Prix and one sprint race.
Three qualifying sessions. Never happened in my experience. I was
there when Andrettie was dropped for McLaren and all the
(06:05):
Red Bull drivers were dropped half a season they had
a chance. It doesn't seem like Liam Lawson is being
given once again, go back to speculation, but it doesn't
seem that Liam Lawson has been given any more time
in that car than he's had already, which is as
much a reflection on the Red Bull engineers, the Red
(06:28):
Bull management and the Red Bull set up for bringing
young drivers on. It's as much a reflection on them,
in fact, more than it is on Liam. So you know,
nobody's going out of this blameless. And if Red Bulls
think they're going to say, oh we got rid of
him because he was no good, absolute rubbish, he is good.
He is a good driver and he's proven that. As
I said before.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Taking firm aim with the biggest gun, they've got at
their feet yet again, as I said, the common denominator
is the car, therefore the team. So instead of addressing
that they just tuning through drivers is going to be
the thefth one. Now will they not learn? What are
they hoping for? What are they for? Bob?
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Well, they're hoping for Max for Stappen two point zero
and that ain't going to happen. They come along once
in a generation, you know, they come along with a
Schumacher and then then a Hamilton, then a Stappen. You
don't they just don't wind them up from before. The
way to have treated this in the first place, and
hindsight is great. But he's not lost yet, is what
(07:30):
Mercedes did with Antonelli. Gave him eleven thousand kilometers approximately
of testing time in that car. Liam Lawson's had six
Grand Prix whatever it was last year in a Visa
cash app He's had a couple of a good few
simulated sessions. He's had maybe one and a half days
at Bahrain when half the time the car was in
(07:52):
the garage. He's had a practice or a practice session
that was disrupted in Australia, a place he hadn't driven
before at He's had various systems put on the car,
taken off the car, put on the car, it's a
different car. Has been almost a different car every time
he's gone out. He's had the weather issues in Australia.
(08:14):
What god knows, what has the guy got to do
to get a clean race? Just a clean race is
all he needs. But he needs three or four or
five of them. So yeah, that's that's that's where I'd
blame the red ball management completely.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
With the car. And could you do this in Layman's turn,
Bob mclaran, As always, thanks for your time and the expertise.
What makes it so incredibly difficult to drive?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Well, let's just start off with Maxwell Stapfan is the
one that's been earning points a year on year on year,
and he's the one that they you know, pieces, I want,
I want a balloon under my seat, and there's going
to be a balloon under your seat. Whatever he wants
on that car to make it faster for him and
to win is going to be done. Therefore, when they
(09:00):
design new chassis, it's it's not a question of just
adjusting things necessary for Liam Lawson. Inherently, when they design
a whole new car, you've got to think about the
things that begin to the bottom. Where is the center
of gravity of the car going to be, Where is
the driving position going to be? What suspension are we
going to use? Push rod, pull rod, that sort of thing.
(09:22):
How is the engine going to be attached to the chassis?
What gearbox is going to work? So all these things
are fundamental things that you cannot change in the blink
of an eye. It takes a whole new car to
do that, and they haven't done it yet. They've never
made a car that is unsuitable for Maxistappen. Perhaps he's
having difficulty with this one, but although it's not designed
(09:45):
around him, it's designed to do the things that he
wants in the car. Now, he has a particularly aggressive
driving style on turning into corners, very sharply into corners.
He needs the front of the car to work immediately.
No other car has that. You listen to all the
other drivers that have gone through there, no other car
has got that, or no other driver has been able
(10:07):
to conquer that. And Liam is another one that has
never driven a car with such a very sharp turning
and unbelievably catlike sort of reflexes to whatever Max is
doing behind in the car. So it's not a question
of just putting a wing on or adjusting the front
or winding the shock absorbers up a little bit. It's
(10:28):
the fundamental characteristics of the basic parts of the car
that you cannot change inside of eighteen months.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
So you can't lean down and grab their little piece
of plastic under your steering and just wedge it up
a couple of the seat Bob. Thanks so much, as
always a real pleasure speaking to you about Formula one. Hey,
Suzuka is a week and a half away. Enjoy it
because it is a stunning race regardless of what happens
such as Formula one. Thanks for your time as always.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
Tiers Ducy. But if Liam's not there, I'll look at
it with slightly different eyes.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
I've got to say sports, it's spending four billion New
Zealand dollars on a stadium for the Olympics wasn't enough.
They've got more just wearing the river sand in Paris
decided that it was a polluted mess and they should
stick some triathletes in it. The good old Ossies Brisbane said,
hold my beer, look what we've got. They are going
(11:25):
to stick the rowers in a river infested by not
only crocodiles, but there's a high chance that the extraordinary
bull shark will be paying them a visit as well.
The bull shark is a freak of nature. It's a
saltwater beast, but it's worked out how to breathe in
fresh water, so it started going up rivers. So I
think a croc is bad enough, what about a bull shark.
(11:48):
Let's face it, everything in Australia is built to kill you.
They've also got huntsman spiders the size of dinner plates.
They've got a situation where at once a year the
whole place bursts into flames. And it's not on fire,
it tries to flood you. There are snakes in the grass,
there are the delight that is the cane toad. Everywhere
you go in Australia it screams danger. And I couldn't
(12:12):
think of a better place to stick a whole lot
of rollers than in a shark and crocodile infested river.
I tell you what, it'll get eyeballs. People will be
super keen. But this is a long held tradition of
the Olympic Games. Do you remember the fun and games
in Brazil? Games in Brazil when Zeka virus dominated their headlines.
(12:33):
It just gets better and better every time. But you
know what the biggest threat to the Olympic Games is.
It's the Olympic Games themselves. It's all fun and games
once the entertainment starts, but the lead up and the
letdown after the Olympic movement have basically destroyed city after city,
leaving them with unmanageable legacy debt. That is a bigger
(12:55):
problem than your odd crocodile in the river. Enjoy it, guys,
it might be your last use.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Adamian. It's Sports Vex with Nancy Valdegrave.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
That is well, welcome to the chamber, to colleague friend
and can I call you a friend Elliot or not
on this occasion?
Speaker 5 (13:14):
Yessue made?
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Okay, that's good Elliott Smithy's voice of rugby news. Talk
at zed B and a good old friend of mine
as we talk some of the big sports stories of
the day. If anything, Formula one's got a lot of traction,
not only in New Zealand but globally. Sadly, it's all
over the possible demise of Liam Lawson. What's your read
(13:36):
on what you've seen since these stories have been coming in.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
Well, It seems very much like with his smoke this fire,
doesn't it. When you get outlets that are connected to
the sports in that part of the world reporting that
is going to be a change and driver, you would
say that they are going to be correct, and more
and more are beginning to come out with this news.
My reaction is one of real disappointment for Liam Lawson.
(14:01):
He's just been handed you know, not necessarily the golden ticket,
but a real top shot at the seat, and he's
been after two weeks in the role, and we haven't
learned a lot about Liam Lawson in those two weeks.
Read Bull clearly think they've seen enough, But I don't
think we've really seen enough out of them to go yep,
he's not the finished products, or yes, you know he's
(14:24):
worth persevering with. I think the jury is still out,
but basically they decided to ax the jury, and you
know Red Bull of the judge and execution, aren't.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
They Well what do they say about the past being
absolutely no define what happens in the future. You cannot
resign rely on past results to protect the future. So
what have their past results been? Sack everybody? And what's
worked for them? Nothing? The go.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
That's exactly right. Isn't it as this going to work?
I mean, what kind of mindset is uq Sinoda? And
he was overlooked for the seat, you know a few
months back. Now he's going to get it.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
He's so excited, of course, he's so excited that he
will stick it into.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
The fence possibly. And I'm we shouldn't be surprised. But
they're essentially Red Bull treating uq Sonoda and Liam Lawson
has playthings and they're playing them off against each other.
They have done for for quite a while now, and
I don't think it does the mental state of either
driver that good, and especially when you were yanking Liam
Wilson after just two races. I mean, is this it
(15:22):
for his hopes of ever driving a Red Bull top
spot ever again? Or will they persevere with them and
give them more time in the vcarb and say maybe
in two three years. I don't know, but it's hard
to say he's mister shot at the top because he
really just hasn't had one.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
If I was to be super cruel, I could say, hey, Liam,
get out while you can, because Red Bull I've lost
a lot of the keys to their championship success over
the last few years. Some absolute keys to the lock,
and one of them is Adrian Newly. I can see
Red Bull flailing. They're possibly flailing now because they've built
a car specifically for Max first Stappen. And what's he
(16:01):
done while he's been finishing? Yeah, but he hasn't been dominating,
So maybe Liam's going I might just dodge a bullet
and walk.
Speaker 5 (16:08):
And we've seen this before. And if one is that
things can change pretty quickly, you look at some of
the fortunes of other teams that have gone and drastically
changed around movements, not only personnel in the car, but
as you say, outside it and these things can change
very very quickly. And if you're hot, you're hot. But
it can change, you know, in the space of a
few weeks or a season or whatever. People move, things change,
(16:30):
cars change, and it can change all very quickly.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Does this take away your enjoyment from Formula One? I
know there's a lot of people. There's the drive to
survive crowd that just rolled them and that series started.
There's the horrible old petroheads like myself, and there's people
who want to see in New Zealand sportsmen do well,
Will this take away that interest? Do you think in
New Zealand if he does indeed get gas completely, absolutely
it will absolutely.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
Look if if it gets gas completely he doesn't even
got a VG car, then absolutely it's real drop off
stuff in New Zealand in terms of interest levels here.
And you know myself personally, yeah, I was going to
watch more if one races this year and take more
notice because there's a key we involved. If he's gone
or he's at an inferior team or infurior setup, then yeah,
(17:16):
I probably won't take as much interest, and I'm sure
I wouldn't be alone out there.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
I will always take interest because there's something wrong with me.
In the case of Liam made, I do feel and
we've talked that excuses before. Some excuses are excuses that
mean nothing. Some excuses are very relevant, and I think
that he has got a quiver of excuses, but that's
not going to help him any and I don't think
he'll bring them out and start firing them either. I
(17:41):
think if it does happen, he's old enough and ugly
enough to stand with his head high and go that's
formula one.
Speaker 5 (17:48):
Absolutely. And you know we've we've heard him interview plenty
of times before. He sounds like a realist. He's been
waiting for this opportunity and has taken it with both hands.
From his own perspective, the team haven't seen that, but
I think he'll cop it on the chin and do
what his team asked him to do.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Let's hope we're all incredibly wrong and he does. In
their regets Suzuka coming up in a week and a
half's time, Dylan Walker has wandered, or so tempted to say, walked,
and I just did. What does this actually mean of anything?
Speaker 5 (18:21):
I think it's a loss of the Warriors. I think
he's been that hard nosed sort of player that they
need in that team. At times, he's been a.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Piece of lego right clock him in anywhere.
Speaker 5 (18:32):
And that's what I think has been really valuable, is
just moving him around the park, filling positions, popping up wherever.
I think he's a bigger loss than perhaps you know
your immediate look, he look immediately look and go oh,
he's not really a regular piece of that starting thirteen
comes in and out occasionally. But I think he's a
bigger loss than many would expect from this team. And
(18:55):
I understand the reasons they've let him go clearly family reasons,
because why would you want to go to the Eels
in the film they're playing, And so they must be
pretty good personal reasons to go and go And was.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
That personal reasons or compassionate grounds or family reasons. It's
a list as long as your arm for excuses to
run away from your contract.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
If you're willingly going to the Eels in the shape
there and the season, then and you've got personal reasons,
then they must be pretty legitimate.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Contracts don't mean anything, do they No, No.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
They don't.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
And this is why the NRAL needs trade windows and
wayn Bennett mentioned that today around the Daily Chair even saga, Ye, look,
if they had a trade window where players can move
in the middle of the season, in say a two
week block around rounds twelve to thirteen, whatever it might be,
So that's bang in the middle of the season, and
then again at the end of the season there's a
free agency or whatever it might be that keeps all
(19:45):
this contract stuff largely confined to.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
It's on compassionate ground.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
But even then you'd go, Jill and Walker could probably
stick it out. I don't know what these competsion reasons
are but you go, okay, well, if they're going to
release me in June, then I'll stick around till then,
rather than you know, this absolute free for all, which
it is at the moment. So the NROL needs to
get that sort of badly.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
And I'll give the NRL one thing. And you look
at the Landys and you look at people abdo that
run this show. They're very very good at pivoting very fast.
I find it strange that they've not addressed this issue
over the year has gone by, when it's something that
a number of pundits and players and ex players have
actually been asking for.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
They have the one countess of that, and I don't
agree with it is that it keeps NRAL in the headlines.
And you look at the last twenty four hours forty eight,
it's constant daily chair Evans talk. We're talking about Dylan
Walker now. It keeps shows like NROL three sixty basically
ticking over this sort of stuff even when there is
football going on on the field. So that would be
the counter. I don't agree with it. I think there
needs to be a defined window and it would clean
(20:48):
things up for the SWOOT big time.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Well it's not that out kicking potential christ Judge franchises.
You've got to like that.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
And then on that, mister, bring on the South Iron
Care or the Orcas or whatever other mammal you want
to throw in there, there'll be my team.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Disclaimer. Elliot and I both hail from the anti christ
Church ch Elliott Smith, thanks so much for joining his
scen leasure in the Chamber sports Tex sixx and that's
at the Sports Fix another day, another dollar. Thanks very
much for joining us. Wednesday, twenty sixth of March twenty
twenty five. I'm Darcy Watergrave and if you want more
sports talk, and of course you do, you can get
(21:21):
that on News Talk and said B Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday Friday from seven pm through to eight myself or
Jason Pine and it's all about the Pine Master, which
it should be. Very talented broadcaster Weekend Sports Saturday Sunday
between twelve mid day and three o'clock. Look, if you've
enjoyed what you've heard, please subscribe that way this will
(21:41):
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tell your friends, tell your family, tell your colleague, tell
anybody and get them to subscribe as well. This has
been the Sports Fix. My name's Darcy Watergrave. Catchy again tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
For more from News Talk sed B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on Iartradio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk SED be
follow this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on iHeartRadio.
Welcome to Sportsfax, your daily dose of sport.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
By Hello there, and welcome on and to the Sports
Fixed podcast. My name is Darcy Walter Grave. This is
all you need to know about the wonderful wide world
of sport. Other day today being Wednesday, the twenty sixth
of March twenty twenty five. Coming up in the podcast today,
we'll have a chat with Bob McMurray. Thirty years involve
(00:43):
McLaren in Formula one as we talk about the possible
ejection of Liam Lawson from a red ball after only
two races and one sprint race a bit trigger happy.
We'll talk to Bob about that later on in the piece.
We'll be joining the Chamber by Elliott Smith, our voice
of rugby, although we won't be talking about rugby. We'll
(01:03):
cover off lim and a bit of Dylan Walker as well,
and I've got some opinions around bull sharks and rivers. Wow,
this is something else for the Brisbane Olympic Games. If
you think four billion dollars for a stadium wasn't enough,
check out what's in the water. If you're four outing
a boat, that's how master plan. It's all coming up
right here, right now. This is the fix. In other news,
(01:28):
here's a steaming side and succulent sport for your Liam
Lawson has made all the wrong headlines in Formula one
since his introduction to Red Bull and the undrivable second car.
The trigger happy team is set to throw Laws into
the Sharks as early as tonight and put the hot
headed accident in a helmet. Japanese Yuki Sonoda of Junior
(01:50):
RB Team Racing Bulls in the seat. Clay Wilson reports.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
Dutch newspaper to Telegraph claim Lawson will be swapped with
Yuki Sonoda for the next race in Japan. Sunoda drives
for Red Bulls second Team Racing Bulls. The newspaper is
reporting on a meeting in Dubai. We're tie major shareholder
Charlie m Uveja lives engine supplier Honda, who financially backs
the Nota are also understood to be involved.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
NRL three sixty host break and NaSTA has come off
the ropes, swinging wildly as hosts do habitually. His target,
the thirty six year old Sea Eagles half back deal.
Cherry Evans, who's rejected the club's offer a two year,
one point five million dollar deal. A NaSTA is suspicious.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
You're telling me that he's considering retirement or going to
Super League.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
That's garbage to man Fern. They are expected to carry
on there. Shoot first, ask questions later. Approach to opening
the batting in New Zealand in the T twenty I
Seifert and Allen liked to crunch it from the outset,
and black Caps batting coach Luke Canduno Ronky sees no
reason to attach brakes to their acceleration. Siphrom Fine. I
have got this natural ability to go out, and I
(03:03):
had sexes from ball one and have sort of ultra
aggressive mentality, So it's always nice when you say that,
come off. That's war. Welcome to the podcast, too. Formula
one kind of call you an aficionado. Bob McMurray joins
us now. Thirty years in McLaren you would have seen
plenty of this action before the skull buggery, the backstabbing,
(03:25):
the knee jerk reactions. Formula one A hasn't changed, has it,
Bob good A.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
No, it hasn't changed us. But look first of all,
does I've got to say normally it's really difficult to
comment on speculation, and we shouldn't comment on speculation because
we're just speculating on speculation, and that's all it is
at the moment in that Red Bull that made no
official announcement whatsoever, and the announcement I'm sure will be
(03:51):
coming because too many people have said too much about it,
and it's all through the Dutch newspapers, it's all through
the telegraph and stuff like that, and it's strangers come
from Holland. Nonetheless, it is let's say, I'll take it
with smoke and fire at the moment, no smoke without fire.
And it looks like so many places have got hold
of this information that Liam is going to be dropped
(04:13):
from the main team. That is difficult not to worry
on his behalf. And you know, I've got to say again,
first up, Darcy, he is not a bad driver. He's
a very fast driver. He's a very accomplished driver, and
he's proven that. He doesn't have to prove anymore. It
just needs to get together with this damn car that
he's trying to drive.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
At the moment you say, damn carm we'll talk about
that shortly because that's a lot to do with it.
And this is the common denominator with Max Vist Steppen's
teammates over the years, that damn car. But it's been
leaked to the Dutch media, and I'm told that reboard
a tendency to leak stuff to the Dutch media if
they do so. I don't know what traction is in
(04:53):
that comment, but it may very well be the truth.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
It may well be, but it's speculating. As I sit
here as we talk during the day, I think it
is still speculation. But you've got to treat speculation with
the the amount of worth that you think in it,
and I obviously I think there is a certain amount
of Yeah, what's coming is what's happening. Unfortunately for the end.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Look, he's had a rotten ale run of it, and
people say start making excuses Darcy because he's got to
the top and he's failing. But the excuses in this
case Bob McMurray are extremely relevant. What he's faced and
has three races so far, the two GP and a
sprint race. I'd say anybody facing that would struggle, regardless
(05:41):
of the vehicle.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Yeah, I'd agree with that. I in all my years
in and around the sport Darcy, and even after I
returned from Formula One, I have never ever seen a
driver being dropped after two Grand Prix and one sprint race.
Three qualifying sessions. Never happened in my experience. I was
there when Andrettie was dropped for McLaren and all the
(06:05):
Red Bull drivers were dropped half a season they had
a chance. It doesn't seem like Liam Lawson is being
given once again, go back to speculation, but it doesn't
seem that Liam Lawson has been given any more time
in that car than he's had already, which is as
much a reflection on the Red Bull engineers, the Red
(06:28):
Bull management and the Red Bull set up for bringing
young drivers on. It's as much a reflection on them,
in fact, more than it is on Liam. So you know,
nobody's going out of this blameless. And if Red Bulls
think they're going to say, oh we got rid of
him because he was no good, absolute rubbish, he is good.
He is a good driver and he's proven that. As
I said before.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Taking firm aim with the biggest gun, they've got at
their feet yet again, as I said, the common denominator
is the car, therefore the team. So instead of addressing
that they just tuning through drivers is going to be
the thefth one. Now will they not learn? What are
they hoping for? What are they for? Bob?
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Well, they're hoping for Max for Stappen two point zero
and that ain't going to happen. They come along once
in a generation, you know, they come along with a
Schumacher and then then a Hamilton, then a Stappen. You
don't they just don't wind them up from before. The
way to have treated this in the first place, and
hindsight is great. But he's not lost yet, is what
(07:30):
Mercedes did with Antonelli. Gave him eleven thousand kilometers approximately
of testing time in that car. Liam Lawson's had six
Grand Prix whatever it was last year in a Visa
cash app He's had a couple of a good few
simulated sessions. He's had maybe one and a half days
at Bahrain when half the time the car was in
(07:52):
the garage. He's had a practice or a practice session
that was disrupted in Australia, a place he hadn't driven
before at He's had various systems put on the car,
taken off the car, put on the car, it's a
different car. Has been almost a different car every time
he's gone out. He's had the weather issues in Australia.
(08:14):
What god knows, what has the guy got to do
to get a clean race? Just a clean race is
all he needs. But he needs three or four or
five of them. So yeah, that's that's that's where I'd
blame the red ball management completely.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
With the car. And could you do this in Layman's turn,
Bob mclaran, As always, thanks for your time and the expertise.
What makes it so incredibly difficult to drive?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Well, let's just start off with Maxwell Stapfan is the
one that's been earning points a year on year on year,
and he's the one that they you know, pieces, I want,
I want a balloon under my seat, and there's going
to be a balloon under your seat. Whatever he wants
on that car to make it faster for him and
to win is going to be done. Therefore, when they
(09:00):
design new chassis, it's it's not a question of just
adjusting things necessary for Liam Lawson. Inherently, when they design
a whole new car, you've got to think about the
things that begin to the bottom. Where is the center
of gravity of the car going to be, Where is
the driving position going to be? What suspension are we
going to use? Push rod, pull rod, that sort of thing.
(09:22):
How is the engine going to be attached to the chassis?
What gearbox is going to work? So all these things
are fundamental things that you cannot change in the blink
of an eye. It takes a whole new car to
do that, and they haven't done it yet. They've never
made a car that is unsuitable for Maxistappen. Perhaps he's
having difficulty with this one, but although it's not designed
(09:45):
around him, it's designed to do the things that he
wants in the car. Now, he has a particularly aggressive
driving style on turning into corners, very sharply into corners.
He needs the front of the car to work immediately.
No other car has that. You listen to all the
other drivers that have gone through there, no other car
has got that, or no other driver has been able
(10:07):
to conquer that. And Liam is another one that has
never driven a car with such a very sharp turning
and unbelievably catlike sort of reflexes to whatever Max is
doing behind in the car. So it's not a question
of just putting a wing on or adjusting the front
or winding the shock absorbers up a little bit. It's
(10:28):
the fundamental characteristics of the basic parts of the car
that you cannot change inside of eighteen months.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
So you can't lean down and grab their little piece
of plastic under your steering and just wedge it up
a couple of the seat Bob. Thanks so much, as
always a real pleasure speaking to you about Formula one. Hey,
Suzuka is a week and a half away. Enjoy it
because it is a stunning race regardless of what happens
such as Formula one. Thanks for your time as always.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
Tiers Ducy. But if Liam's not there, I'll look at
it with slightly different eyes.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
I've got to say sports, it's spending four billion New
Zealand dollars on a stadium for the Olympics wasn't enough.
They've got more just wearing the river sand in Paris
decided that it was a polluted mess and they should
stick some triathletes in it. The good old Ossies Brisbane said,
hold my beer, look what we've got. They are going
(11:25):
to stick the rowers in a river infested by not
only crocodiles, but there's a high chance that the extraordinary
bull shark will be paying them a visit as well.
The bull shark is a freak of nature. It's a
saltwater beast, but it's worked out how to breathe in
fresh water, so it started going up rivers. So I
think a croc is bad enough, what about a bull shark.
(11:48):
Let's face it, everything in Australia is built to kill you.
They've also got huntsman spiders the size of dinner plates.
They've got a situation where at once a year the
whole place bursts into flames. And it's not on fire,
it tries to flood you. There are snakes in the grass,
there are the delight that is the cane toad. Everywhere
you go in Australia it screams danger. And I couldn't
(12:12):
think of a better place to stick a whole lot
of rollers than in a shark and crocodile infested river.
I tell you what, it'll get eyeballs. People will be
super keen. But this is a long held tradition of
the Olympic Games. Do you remember the fun and games
in Brazil? Games in Brazil when Zeka virus dominated their headlines.
(12:33):
It just gets better and better every time. But you
know what the biggest threat to the Olympic Games is.
It's the Olympic Games themselves. It's all fun and games
once the entertainment starts, but the lead up and the
letdown after the Olympic movement have basically destroyed city after city,
leaving them with unmanageable legacy debt. That is a bigger
(12:55):
problem than your odd crocodile in the river. Enjoy it, guys,
it might be your last use.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Adamian. It's Sports Vex with Nancy Valdegrave.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
That is well, welcome to the chamber, to colleague friend
and can I call you a friend Elliot or not
on this occasion?
Speaker 5 (13:14):
Yessue made?
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Okay, that's good Elliott Smithy's voice of rugby news. Talk
at zed B and a good old friend of mine
as we talk some of the big sports stories of
the day. If anything, Formula one's got a lot of traction,
not only in New Zealand but globally. Sadly, it's all
over the possible demise of Liam Lawson. What's your read
(13:36):
on what you've seen since these stories have been coming in.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
Well, It seems very much like with his smoke this fire,
doesn't it. When you get outlets that are connected to
the sports in that part of the world reporting that
is going to be a change and driver, you would
say that they are going to be correct, and more
and more are beginning to come out with this news.
My reaction is one of real disappointment for Liam Lawson.
(14:01):
He's just been handed you know, not necessarily the golden ticket,
but a real top shot at the seat, and he's
been after two weeks in the role, and we haven't
learned a lot about Liam Lawson in those two weeks.
Read Bull clearly think they've seen enough, But I don't
think we've really seen enough out of them to go yep,
he's not the finished products, or yes, you know he's
(14:24):
worth persevering with. I think the jury is still out,
but basically they decided to ax the jury, and you
know Red Bull of the judge and execution, aren't.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
They Well what do they say about the past being
absolutely no define what happens in the future. You cannot
resign rely on past results to protect the future. So
what have their past results been? Sack everybody? And what's
worked for them? Nothing? The go.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
That's exactly right. Isn't it as this going to work?
I mean, what kind of mindset is uq Sinoda? And
he was overlooked for the seat, you know a few
months back. Now he's going to get it.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
He's so excited, of course, he's so excited that he
will stick it into.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
The fence possibly. And I'm we shouldn't be surprised. But
they're essentially Red Bull treating uq Sonoda and Liam Lawson
has playthings and they're playing them off against each other.
They have done for for quite a while now, and
I don't think it does the mental state of either
driver that good, and especially when you were yanking Liam
Wilson after just two races. I mean, is this it
(15:22):
for his hopes of ever driving a Red Bull top
spot ever again? Or will they persevere with them and
give them more time in the vcarb and say maybe
in two three years. I don't know, but it's hard
to say he's mister shot at the top because he
really just hasn't had one.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
If I was to be super cruel, I could say, hey, Liam,
get out while you can, because Red Bull I've lost
a lot of the keys to their championship success over
the last few years. Some absolute keys to the lock,
and one of them is Adrian Newly. I can see
Red Bull flailing. They're possibly flailing now because they've built
a car specifically for Max first Stappen. And what's he
(16:01):
done while he's been finishing? Yeah, but he hasn't been dominating,
So maybe Liam's going I might just dodge a bullet
and walk.
Speaker 5 (16:08):
And we've seen this before. And if one is that
things can change pretty quickly, you look at some of
the fortunes of other teams that have gone and drastically
changed around movements, not only personnel in the car, but
as you say, outside it and these things can change
very very quickly. And if you're hot, you're hot. But
it can change, you know, in the space of a
few weeks or a season or whatever. People move, things change,
(16:30):
cars change, and it can change all very quickly.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Does this take away your enjoyment from Formula One? I
know there's a lot of people. There's the drive to
survive crowd that just rolled them and that series started.
There's the horrible old petroheads like myself, and there's people
who want to see in New Zealand sportsmen do well,
Will this take away that interest? Do you think in
New Zealand if he does indeed get gas completely, absolutely
it will absolutely.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
Look if if it gets gas completely he doesn't even
got a VG car, then absolutely it's real drop off
stuff in New Zealand in terms of interest levels here.
And you know myself personally, yeah, I was going to
watch more if one races this year and take more
notice because there's a key we involved. If he's gone
or he's at an inferior team or infurior setup, then yeah,
(17:16):
I probably won't take as much interest, and I'm sure
I wouldn't be alone out there.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
I will always take interest because there's something wrong with me.
In the case of Liam made, I do feel and
we've talked that excuses before. Some excuses are excuses that
mean nothing. Some excuses are very relevant, and I think
that he has got a quiver of excuses, but that's
not going to help him any and I don't think
he'll bring them out and start firing them either. I
(17:41):
think if it does happen, he's old enough and ugly
enough to stand with his head high and go that's
formula one.
Speaker 5 (17:48):
Absolutely. And you know we've we've heard him interview plenty
of times before. He sounds like a realist. He's been
waiting for this opportunity and has taken it with both hands.
From his own perspective, the team haven't seen that, but
I think he'll cop it on the chin and do
what his team asked him to do.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Let's hope we're all incredibly wrong and he does. In
their regets Suzuka coming up in a week and a
half's time, Dylan Walker has wandered, or so tempted to say, walked,
and I just did. What does this actually mean of anything?
Speaker 5 (18:21):
I think it's a loss of the Warriors. I think
he's been that hard nosed sort of player that they
need in that team. At times, he's been a.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Piece of lego right clock him in anywhere.
Speaker 5 (18:32):
And that's what I think has been really valuable, is
just moving him around the park, filling positions, popping up wherever.
I think he's a bigger loss than perhaps you know
your immediate look, he look immediately look and go oh,
he's not really a regular piece of that starting thirteen
comes in and out occasionally. But I think he's a
bigger loss than many would expect from this team. And
(18:55):
I understand the reasons they've let him go clearly family reasons,
because why would you want to go to the Eels
in the film they're playing, And so they must be
pretty good personal reasons to go and go And was.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
That personal reasons or compassionate grounds or family reasons. It's
a list as long as your arm for excuses to
run away from your contract.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
If you're willingly going to the Eels in the shape
there and the season, then and you've got personal reasons,
then they must be pretty legitimate.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Contracts don't mean anything, do they No, No.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
They don't.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
And this is why the NRAL needs trade windows and
wayn Bennett mentioned that today around the Daily Chair even saga, Ye, look,
if they had a trade window where players can move
in the middle of the season, in say a two
week block around rounds twelve to thirteen, whatever it might be,
So that's bang in the middle of the season, and
then again at the end of the season there's a
free agency or whatever it might be that keeps all
(19:45):
this contract stuff largely confined to.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
It's on compassionate ground.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
But even then you'd go, Jill and Walker could probably
stick it out. I don't know what these competsion reasons
are but you go, okay, well, if they're going to
release me in June, then I'll stick around till then,
rather than you know, this absolute free for all, which
it is at the moment. So the NROL needs to
get that sort of badly.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
And I'll give the NRL one thing. And you look
at the Landys and you look at people abdo that
run this show. They're very very good at pivoting very fast.
I find it strange that they've not addressed this issue
over the year has gone by, when it's something that
a number of pundits and players and ex players have
actually been asking for.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
They have the one countess of that, and I don't
agree with it is that it keeps NRAL in the headlines.
And you look at the last twenty four hours forty eight,
it's constant daily chair Evans talk. We're talking about Dylan
Walker now. It keeps shows like NROL three sixty basically
ticking over this sort of stuff even when there is
football going on on the field. So that would be
the counter. I don't agree with it. I think there
needs to be a defined window and it would clean
(20:48):
things up for the SWOOT big time.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Well it's not that out kicking potential christ Judge franchises.
You've got to like that.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
And then on that, mister, bring on the South Iron
Care or the Orcas or whatever other mammal you want
to throw in there, there'll be my team.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Disclaimer. Elliot and I both hail from the anti christ
Church ch Elliott Smith, thanks so much for joining his
scen leasure in the Chamber sports Tex sixx and that's
at the Sports Fix another day, another dollar. Thanks very
much for joining us. Wednesday, twenty sixth of March twenty
twenty five. I'm Darcy Watergrave and if you want more
sports talk, and of course you do, you can get
(21:21):
that on News Talk and said B Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday Friday from seven pm through to eight myself or
Jason Pine and it's all about the Pine Master, which
it should be. Very talented broadcaster Weekend Sports Saturday Sunday
between twelve mid day and three o'clock. Look, if you've
enjoyed what you've heard, please subscribe that way this will
(21:41):
turn up in your inbox on a weekdaily basis. Better still,
tell your friends, tell your family, tell your colleague, tell
anybody and get them to subscribe as well. This has
been the Sports Fix. My name's Darcy Watergrave. Catchy again tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
For more from News Talk sed B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on Iartradio
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