Eric Thompson: Sports Journalist on the Formula one Grand Prix in Japan

Formula one hits Japan this weekend, with Liam Lawson to race for the first time since dropping to the Racing Bulls. 

Lawson's replacement, Yuki Tsunoda, will be racing for oracle this Sunday. 

Sport's Journalist Eric Thompson says Yuki and Lawson have been friends since junior days. 

He says some strain in their friendship is to be expected. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Formula One hits Japan this weekend. Liam Lawson to race
for the first time since dropping to the Racing Bulls.
Lawson's replacement, who we've already heard from this our, Yuki Sonoda,
will be racing for the main team on Sunday. Eric
Thompson is a motoring journalist and has got up early
for us. Good morning to you, Eric, Good morning Andrew.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
How are you.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
I am good. Do we expect any bitterness or awkwardness
or maybe some elbow out racing between Liam and Yuki?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Maybe some elbow out racing. Lawson has already shown that
he's not scared of anybody on the track. You know,
he's upset Fernando Alonso and a few other people. So yeah,
I think I don't think elbows out will be an issue.
Is certainly not going to hopefully he's not going to
try and change his driving style. But those two have
been friends since junior junior days, so I think there

(00:46):
will be a little bit of a strain on there.
You know, it's like your best you know, you get
the big gig and then all of a sudden, you
know you're still mate because you've got the big gig,
and then all of a sudden you'll sort of move
sideways for your your best mate to get the big gig.
So and you know, egos are a play in that
sport supports, and.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
This is what makes it so watchable. So look, this
is a test for Liam, but it's also a test
for the rebel car. Lawson claimed it was a dog,
Yuki said this week it's okay Liam. Fans will want
to see Yuki at the back of the track to
prove that Liam wasn't as bad a driver as some maccount.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
What a great soumation Andrew, yes, exactly. But the thing
is Liam Lawson, after his days on the simulator, said
a very similar similar thing to Sonoda before the start
of the sea. He said, Oh, the car's not that bad.
I quite enjoy drying it. But although simulators are close,
they're not the real thing. It's like having virtuality goggles

(01:45):
on and you're playing your immerse inside a game. You know,
you think it's real, but it's not real. And I
think in about fifteen minutes pre practice starts, so in
about half an hour we'll see how good a Sonoda
Isn't that.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
I have one last question for you. I have one
last question for you, because this has been worrying me.
Do you think UB's RB twenty one, the Red Bull
car has been fixed in the fortnight since the last race,
changing conditions.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
No, because that car's fundamental problem is in the chassis.
It's very nervy at the rear and very pointy at
the front, which means everything's on the front. And there's
very few drivers in the world that can drive a
car like that makes the step and just happens to
be one of them, So there's no way they can
completely change the geometry of their car in a couple
of weeks. They can't try the air over and other things.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
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