F1Weekly Podcast # 1109

McLaren lack of team orders may come back to haunt them! In 2007 Nasir and the host discuss this very issue after drama at Monaco between El Machismo and LCH. Our interviews this week…Jan Magnussen, and from the 2005 USGP podium finishers Tiego Monteiro! Bravo.

Our interview: Jan Magnussen

Jan Magnussen, the father of 2014 McLaren driver Kevin, is one of only a handful of racers to have participated in just one grand prix for McLaren, joining Frenchman Philippe Alliot as the only driver in the 1990s to have achieved the feat.

After blazing a trail through British Formula 3 in 1994, Jan was hailed by his team boss Jackie Stewart as possessing an ability comparable to Ayrton Senna. Those early wins, indeed, had looked supremely effortless, and the Dane looked set for a glittering grand prix career.

His impromptu 1995 McLaren call-up, subbing for an unwell Mika Hakkinen, was only expected to underline Stewart’s findings. Instead, it was to mark the start of a steady unravelling as Jan somehow failed to find his footing at the sport’s top level.

That race for McLaren, the 1995 Pacific Grand Prix, in Japan, was Magnussen’s F1 debut, and a somewhat inauspicious one. He qualified in 12th position, just two places behind regular driver Mark Blundell, and finished a respectable 10th, just one position behind his more experienced team-mate.

In 1997, Stewart once again underlined his belief in Jan’s abilities by signing the young Dane to his titular racing outfit. But Jan failed to score a point in his first full season in F1. In 1998, he fared little better, earning one point before being replaced mid-season by Jos Verstappen, who himself failed to score in the remaining nine grands prix.

Tiego Monteiro interview.

INDIANAPOLIS – JUNE 19: Tiago Monteiro of Portugal and Jordan celebrates his 3rd place finish while the winner Michael Schumacher of Germany and Ferrari looks on during the podium ceremony after the US F1 Grand Prix on June 19, 2005 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Only six drivers eventually competed in the race after the teams failed to resolve the Michelin tyre safety row. (Photo by Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Michelin couldn’t understand the problem and seven of its customer teams, including Alonso’s Renault outfit, had suffered similar problems.

New tyres couldn’t be flown in and suggestions to slow the cars down before the banked Turn 13 with a chicane were thrown out, leading to an uncomfortable solution that was set to benefit the only three teams that used Bridgestone tyres – Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi.

How Tiago Monteiro ended up on the podium alongside Michael Schumacher
On Sunday, all 20 cars lined up on the grid, with Schumacher and Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello fifth and seventh respectively.

The formation lap started but before returning to the grid, all 14 Michelin returned to the pits, leaving just six cars on the grid.

Five rows back from Barrichello, Monteiro’s Jordan lined up alongside Minardi driver Christijan Albers, with the second Jordan of Narain Karthikeyan in 19th ahead of Patrick Friesacher.

The race began, with the two Ferraris already significantly ahead of the four cars desperate fighting for the unlikeliest of chances to finish on the podium, so much so, that they nearly collided going into the first corner.

Monteiro and Karthikeyan finished a lap behind the Ferraris – Schumacher leading Barrichello home by 1.5 seconds – with the Minardis a lap further down.

It was Monteiro’s only F1 podium and the last time a Portuguese driver has featured in the top three of a Formula 1 race, and in Jordan’s final season before being taken over by Midland, it was their 19th and final visit to the rostrum.

Schumacher and Barrichello looked embarrassed standing in front of a sparse and far from impressed Indianapolis crowd, but Monteiro was delighted to have achieved such a feat in his debut F1 season.

INDY NXT

Salvador de Alba Gets First Win, Dennis Hauger Title in Banner Day for Andretti.

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025) – Salvador de Alba and Dennis Hauger both achieved significant career firsts in a tour de force for Andretti Global in the INDY NXT by Firestone at the Milwaukee Mile race Sunday.

Veteran De Alba earned his first career victory in the INDYCAR development series in the No. 27 Grupo Indi machine, while rookie Hauger clinched his first series championship with a second-place finish in the No. 28 Nammo car. Rookie Lochie Hughes finished third in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship entry, giving Andretti Global its first podium sweep of the season and its first since September 2022 in the penultimate race on the 2025 schedule.

Mexican driver De Alba, who started second, took the lead from pole sitter Hauger with an outside move exiting Turn 2 on Lap 1 of the 90-lap race and led the rest of the way on the historic 1.015-mile oval. His breakthrough win came in his 27th series start over the last two seasons.

“We knew we had the car yesterday to go a little bit wider than my teammate Dennis, so we had to try it,” de Alba said of his winning move. “It worked out. The car was on rails all race long, and we brought it here to victory lane. Super happy about the 1-2-3 result, Dennis getting the championship today. It’s just a big day for all the Andretti team.

“I’m thankful to finally be here with all the years of preparation, to finally break through.”

Hauger entered the race with a 54-point lead over Caio Collet – exactly a one-race edge in points – and only needed to finish ahead of his rival to become the first Norwegian driver to claim the championship. Collet finished seventh in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car.

It was the seventh INDY NXT championship for Andretti Global – tying the series record set by Sam Schmidt Motorsports – and second in a row, as Louis Foster claimed the crown last season before climbing to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES this year. Hauger has six wins and seven poles in 13 races this season.

“It’s been an incredible season as a rookie with Andretti,” Hauger said. “Super proud to be a part of them and part of this championship season. A few ups and downs but mostly ups. This is a big championship win for me.”

Callum Hedge placed fourth in the No. 17 Abel Motorsports car, while Bryce Aron rounded out the top five after a spirited late-race charge in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing machine.

The only threat to de Alba’s lead came after the only caution period of the race, triggered on Lap 47 by Jack William Miller’s spin and contact with the wall exiting Turn 2 in the No. 40 Abel/Miller/Vinatieri Motorsports car.

On the restart on Lap 53, de Alba removed all suspense by rocketing into Turn 1 ahead of Hauger and the rest of the 18-car field. He pulled away to a 2.629-second lead with eight laps to go before cruising to the checkered flag 1.4693 seconds ahead of Hauger.

The final INDY NXT by Firestone event of the season is the Music City Grand Prix on Sunday, Aug. 31 on the Nashville Superspeedway oval.

INDYCAR

Christian Rasmussen – Snap-On Milwaukee Mile 250 – By: Chris Owens.

Late Charge Delivers First Win to
Rasmussen in Milwaukee Stunner.

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025) – Christian Rasmussen got the break he needed from Mother Nature, and then he and Ed Carpenter Racing did the rest.

Rasmussen used deft tire strategy by his team during a late caution period and then powered his No. 21 ECR Splenda Stevia Chevrolet past the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda of pole sitter and freshly crowned series champion Alex Palou with 16 laps to go to win the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 on Sunday, his first career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory.

“Today was amazing,” Rasmussen said. “We were so good on new tires, even compared to other cars on new tires. Wow – that’s a good day, a good Sunday.”

2023 INDY NXT by Firestone season champion Rasmussen, in his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with ECR, earned his breakthrough victory in his 30th career start. He became the newest first-time winner in the series since fellow Danish driver Christian Lundgaard in July 2023 at Toronto, and this was the first victory for ECR since Rinus VeeKay triumphed in May 2021 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

“I knew this was coming for Christian,” team owner Ed Carpenter said. “He’s the best there is right now on short ovals, He has shown it all season long. That yellow played to his hand, and he did an amazing job taking advantage of his new tires and Chevy power. It feels so good; it’s been a while since we’ve won a race.”

Rasmussen beat Palou to the finish by 1.9463 seconds after taking the lead on Lap 235 of 250. Scott McLaughlin finished third in the No. 3 Sonsio Vehicle Protection Chevrolet of Team Penske, tying his season best.

Alexander Rossi finished a season-best fourth in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet to put two ECR cars in the top five at the checkered flag for the first time this year. Pato O’Ward rounded out the top five in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Palou, who led 199 laps, saw a 2.011-second lead over McLaughlin evaporate when sprinkles around the historic 1.015-mile oval were reported on Lap 209, triggering the fifth and final caution period of the race.

During that caution, Palou, McLaughlin and third-place Josef Newgarden elected to stay out of the pits and keep their track position. Meanwhile, Rasmussen, Rossi and O’Ward were among a handful of drivers to dive into the pits for a quick change to fresh Firestone Firehawk tires, knowing speed diminished quickly when tire wear ramped up during this race.

After the restart on Lap 222, it took Rossi and Rasmussen just one lap to climb to fourth and fifth, respectively. Rasmussen then passed Rossi for fourth, with his sights set on Newgarden in third.

Rasmussen dove under Newgarden’s No. 2 Snap-on Team Penske Chevrolet in Turn 3 on Lap 227 and was .6 of a second behind second-place McLaughlin and 2.2 seconds behind Palou.

But the traction provided by the fresh Firestone tires – Palou, McLaughlin and Newgarden each made their final stops on Laps 196 or 197, nearly 15 laps earlier than Rasmussen – proved decisive.

Rasmussen was gobbling time on every area of the track with fresh rubber and his typically aggressive style, driving around McLaughlin with a high-line move in Turn 2 on Lap 230. Palou was 1.321 seconds ahead in the lead, but it appeared to be only a matter of time until Rasmussen would catch the four-time series champion and pounce.

That moment arrived on Lap 235 when Palou and Rasmussen went side by side through Turns 3 and 4, inches apart, with Palou hugging the low line and Rasmussen in the high groove. Rasmussen edged ahead on the front straightaway, officially taking the lead for good at the start-finish line, and finally got around Palou for clear sailing in Turn 1 on Lap 236.

It was the first time Rasmussen led all day, a spot he wouldn’t surrender. The Dane held steady while navigating lapped traffic over the closing laps for his momentous first win, which maybe shouldn’t be considered a stunner considering he, Palou and O’Ward are the only three drivers to finish in the top 10 in all five series oval races this season.

“We were talking before the race that if there was a late caution, then we want to go on new tires because it is such an advantage,” Rasmussen said. “There were more people that did it than I thought there would in that last stint, but it was definitely the right choice.”

The runner-up finish for Palou was his 12th top-three result in 16 starts this season, with eight victories. But finishing second also ended his chance to tie fellow legends A.J. Foyt and Al Unser for the most victories in an INDYCAR SERIES season, 10, at the season-ending Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by Willscot on Sunday, Aug. 31 at Nashville Superspeedway (2 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).