Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS | More
This Sunday (May 28) saw the two crown jewels of international open-wheel racing, with Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix and the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500. A pair of two-time series champions in F1’s Max Verstappen and the NTT IndyCar Series’ Josef Newgarden claimed victory in their respective events.
But the weekend certainly wasn’t without controversy, as the 500 saw a terrifying crash that launched Kyle Kirkwood‘s left rear tire towards a nearby parking lot and an unsuspecting Chevy Cruze, and an interesting call from race control that set up Indianapolis’ first one-lap shootout between Newgarden and Marcus Ericsson. Meanwhile, Monaco saw a shocking 27th consecutive year without an on-track pass for the lead, as spins and penalties throughout the field allowed Red Bull Racing’s Dutchman to cruise to victory by nearly half a minute.
Frontstretch open-wheel editors Jack Swansey and Alex Gintz pick up their microphones for a no-holds barred debate about the future of the Monaco Grand Prix (and the accuracy of Gran Turismo 4‘s replica of the circuit) and a nuanced exploration of sport versus entertainment at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
The Pit Straight is Frontstretch‘s F1 podcast, available weekly on Tuesdays on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Jack Swansey primarily covers open-wheel racing for Frontstretch and co-hosts The Pit Straight Podcast,but you can also catch him writing about NASCAR, sports cars, and anything else with four wheels and a motor. Originally from North Carolina and now residing in Los Angeles, he joined the site as Sunday news writer midway through 2022 and is an avid collector (some would say hoarder) of die-cast cars.