P1 with Matt and Tommy - Our 2024 Saudi Arabian GP predictions

Episode Date: March 6, 2024

We're straight in with the second race of the season - and we've decided to go with vibes over sense. It's predictions time!Tickets for our live shows in April have almost sold out - get yours right here! You can sign up to our Patreon here! You'll get access to exclusive episodes you won't hear anywhere else, every P1 episode ad-free, full driver interview videos, early access to tickets and more!Follow us on socials! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello everybody and welcome back to the P1 podcast with Matt and Tommy. We are here today for predictions. It's the second race of the season, although a lot of us will be saying that this is the first race of the season after what occurred in Bahrain. And we've got a lot going on, Tommy, at least off track. We're hoping some of that translates to now on-track action that we can talk about. And have you been cooking this week? That's what I need to know. I need to know that we're just going to have some good track action, like you say,

because that last race felt like almost like an extended testing. Almost. It's very bizarre. And it's all kicking off track. And my word, I need some on track goodness, please. We certainly do. Right, let's get into biggest good surprise. I'm going to kick things off by saying that a fantastic weekend is coming for Nico Holkenberg. Yes, I think Hasse could, with a couple of retirements, score a point.

I actually am on the HapTro, the Hasse hype train now, after seeing Kevin Magnuson's performance at Bahrain around an abrasive track and he finished 12th in a Hasse that's supposed to chew the tyres up in 1.5 laps. I think Hasse have just shaken a big box of parts and actually created something that might be all right at some races. And with a little bit of chaos with Nika Holkenberg, special performances in qualifying, I think there could be a point on the cards or something for Nika this weekend. The Hasse hype train. Who would have thought we'd be here two races in a?

Biggest good surprise I have gone for Logan Sargent and I just just feeling like I don't know why just those vibes that he might have a a good race he was a lot closer to Alex Albin before his steering wheel issue and I can see Matt laughing so I think I know what's coming next maybe no comment interesting thoughts yeah Logan was quite close to Alex before he had that problem so let's see let's see what happens in Saudi. Biggest flop.

My biggest flop is Logan Sargent. Oh for God's sake. So basically mine's already lost. Well, yeah, your biggest good surprise is usually is it the opposite?

Or no, it's usually your flops at the opposite, maybe. I can't remember. But either or. No, Logan Sargent. Either really. Yeah. It's just that you're wrongful all the time.

So, yeah, yeah. I think that the exact opposite, I think Saudi is a confidence track. And look, there's not much more than vibes here, but Logan hasn't exactly performed brilliantly last year, had an all right Bahrain, but Saudi is just a different beast.

And if you're not fully just at one with the car, you can struggle a lot more, you can easily make mistakes. And yet, I just, I feel as though a floppy weekend is coming for Logan Sargent, so sorry Tommy in advance. But maybe, just maybe your powers might be able to counteract that once. Who knows? Speaking of powers, and the listeners and watches will be able to correct me, but I'm pretty sure you predicted Logan Biggest flop last year at Saudi.

I want to say. Well, that's memory that I do not have. And you went for, oh God, are you just doing your same flops from last year? The vibes are there. I'm literally using the same logic. And I'm like, well, Logan's going to struggle at Saudi. You're like, 2024 is basically 2023 part two. That's exactly what I tweeted.

That's exactly what I tweeted. And I won last time. So I may as well just go with, I mean, I literally forgot that that was the case. So my brain must just be going for comfort picks right now. But I still stand by it. Logan Sargent, Biggest flop. Poor Logie. Biggest flop I have gone for Lewis Hamilton.

He's winning the race now, isn't he? Yeah, basically. So you're welcome to MLH. But this is a mad thing to say, because it's his last race win at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but he's not had a good couple of last years there. Last year, he didn't do that great, and the year before, of course, famously got knocked out in Q1,

I think it was actually, in 2022. And there's also, you know, Mercedes have had a few engine issues in the last race. He had a bit of reliability problems again. Saudi might be a similar. similar beast. So the vibes are with a Lewis Hamilton flop at the moment. Wow, we, a big old flop. What does that, what does that sort of translate to? Are we talking, you think Mercedes in general are going to be bad this weekend?

And Hamilton must have a poor weekend as well? Hamilton may be worse, yeah. I tried so hard not to go for Mercedes. I don't back out now. I'm proud of you. I'm proud of you. I didn't go for a team. This is when Hamilton beats George Russell. but Mercedes finished 9th and 10th. Yeah, 17th and 18th. And Hamilton's 40 seconds ahead of him. That's not floppy, in my opinion.

And then you would have argued the same thing with the Alpines. I know. Right, biggest pole position. Pole position! Charlotte Clare. You will have the biggest pole position if it's Charlotte Clare. Absolutely. It would be Matt Gallagher, actually, for that,

if that happens. Because, yeah, look, it's going to happen. I'm probably going to predict him every single pole position until he gets a pole position but it was close in qualifying in Bahrain Charles literally had the fastest lap time in Bahrain as well but couldn't translate that into Q3 Max did and it was a much better performance overall for Max

well done congratulations P1 whatever but this weekend sorry this Friday Charles LeCler will be on the top step of the pole position Let's not talk about Saturday race But right now he's going to be You're going to get poll

Do you want that to happen Because you're You know your Mate it doesn't matter where he starts mate He started second last week Didn't win If he starts on poll He doesn't win

So where does he need to start I don't know Very true Interestingly Poll position I've also gone for Charleclair Come on We're going to have a good Friday

Twitch watch along then aren't we? I know. I do think Ferrari look like they've got that race pace again. Race pace? Sorry,

quality pace. Literally the opposite. I was like, have they? What have you read? Have they brought upgrades? No, have that quality pace again. Obviously, like you say,

Shal was the quickest guy on Friday for Bahrain. And they've been good at these kind of a track so I could see Charlotte Claire having a very lovely odd time in qualifying as normal. I beg, please, I need some happiness in my life and this would be a great start. And then we just end the weekend on Friday and we move on to the next race in a couple of

weeks. Top three, let's get into third position. And I am going for Sergio Perez. because Perez was actually last year very good around here. If you do not remember, Vestappen was coming through the field, but when he did, didn't really catch his teammate. Sir Perez, you know, he's the king of street tracks, all that sort of stuff. I mean, third doesn't sound great, but he'll take it.

You know, two podiums in a row at the start of the year to kick things off. I'm sure he'd be very happy with. So, yeah, I think Perez third. I am going to change mine on the fly. because concerned we might have gone for exactly the same thing and it'd be quite boring. So I am going to go for P3, Carlos Sites. Another podium for Carlos.

Good race last time out. And I could see it again, Ferrari are looking like they are the second quickest car. And yeah, I think it's, I think Carlos is driving very well at the moment. And we'll go for another podium for Carlos. Mate, is there a spaceship going on behind you? It's the bin, is the bin, lorry? Literally sounds like the Millennium Falcon is like landing outside your house. It does actually, yeah.

It's all like creaky metal. Yes, mad. Second place, I have gone for, Max Verstappen. Put my mic back in place. I changed that on the fly as well. But I've just been injected with vibes. I just thought about Chola Clair getting pole and thought, you know what?

Let's live a little. Who cares who wins the prediction game, apart from me because I am the most competitive man in the world. But, my God, this would be the chef of the century to not go for Max Verstappen. But I am. I'm locking it in. Max Verstappen, second place.

No, that sounds so bad. But it's fine. I've locked it in now. Wow. P2. I have gone. Four. Charlerclair. It's another poll position to not win Masterclass from Charles Leclair.

And I think he's going to have a good race, though, looking quick. But spoiler alert, there's a very quick driver at the moment that's really good. So I might just predict him first. No, no spoilers. Am I getting double points for not going for Max for Snap and? So we did discuss. We did discuss this and we said, let's wait for the first race. And he won by 20, and he won by an absolutely enormous margin. So I think we lock in the idea that if you don't go for Max, you get two points if it comes in.

Yeah. But you still get the point for Max if you go. No, no, you get minus three points if you predict Max. So no one ever gets any points. Yeah, exactly. But yeah, we'll get new rule, new rule for predictions. New rule locked in. Love that.

That's Copium. right there as I've put Maxwell Stubb in second place. In first position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Charlechle. Cool. It's not, it's, it's not going to happen. But if it does, pandemonium will be on our Twitch channel right now.

Even just remotely imagining Charlotte Clair winning a race. It feels so long ago now. but I'm ready for it you know will Max have some problems probably not will he finish second probably not will Charlotte Claire win probably not as well

but what a prediction if it comes in that's four points come on I love how predictions just become your whole like inner thoughts that's like I was going to win no it's probably not actually no he might

no he won't Max is going to win oh no maybe he will yeah it's a fair point P1 then no surprise I've gone for Max Lestappen it's a very boring and he's making our predictions very boring and there will be a time

where I get the vibes and think that he might not win but this is not a track that I think that will happen because you know there won't be as much extreme tireware maybe as as Bahrain for example so they won't have that huge advantage

like the normal do but I still think it's got a maxis tap and win written all over it. But you should still tune in to the Grand Prix and also the P1 content. Absolutely. Yes. Okay, one crazy prediction time. And I am going to lock in that there will be at least two forms of safety car during the Grand Prix. Two forms. So you're counting VSCs.

Absolutely. Locking that one in straight away. Look, we've gone from off the back of a 20 car finish, not even one safety car in Bahrain. I think that is at least mildly crazy. If it doesn't happen and it's just a lights to flag nothing in Saudi of all places and everyone finishes, what on earth is going on?

Yeah, we need to introduce banana skins into Formula One. I think we might. I did see a stat actually that it's the first time ever because we had 20 cars finish the finale. So it's the first time it's ever happened where it's been back to back. 20 finishes. Yeah, 20 finishes. Or no retirements, as it were. So, yeah.

It's a weird feeling though, isn't it? Because you're like, you don't want people to retire, but also like you kind of do because it's, you don't wish it. wish it on them. That's the unknown. Like you want a bit of jeopardy. You want, you know, how are other people going to score points? How are the, how is the result going to change if these kind of things don't happen? So we'll see. Although, yeah, on the flip side of that, I'm like, oh yeah, you know, some jeopardy, some flip side, you know, some retirement, some mechanical issues, and it'll be Charles Leclair. And I'd be like, well, I wish 20 people had finished now. So.

So Charles Leclair is going to win, not win, break down, poll position. And not break down. Yeah. And not break down. Cool, cool. My crazy prediction is heavily relying on a bit of carnage and a few people breaking down. I've gone for Hasketa Point. Oh, so we're on the same, we're on the same little... On the Hasse hype train. Yeah.

We're on the... Because I said Niko, couldn't it? The Kamatsu car at the moment. yeah I can see Hass having a good good result there KMAG

I think KMAG got points last year actually and was quite good around there he did get 10th so yeah it's a it's a track that I think

would actually suit Hass and I'm not sure which driver so I've locked in that kind of team but not a team prediction

by doing it in the crazy prediction instead and covering both both bases honestly like an addiction for you. You have to put a team in somewhere, and otherwise you don't feel like you've predicted. No, exactly. Has to be in there.

Ha? Has to be in there? I thought you, I thought you meant to do that. No. Fair enough. I wish I was that intelligent. Yeah. Oh, bless you. You are. Building Lego. And finally, three crazy predictions from you wonderful lot. Be sure to reply to the graphic post on Twitter and Instagram, Matt P1 Tommy, if you want to get involved next time. Lossie Dogg comes in with one of the McLaren boys on the podium That'd be good I don't think it's going to happen but they didn't do very well as howdy last year So I'm gonna

Yeah we've kind of gone all eggs in baskets with Red Bull and Ferrari Yeah no McLaren's But I mean I guess McLaren are a different stage of performance Than they were last year so maybe who knows Dennis says a Merck engine blows up I love that Dennis feel it looks like Dennis understands like a Merck engine, he knows he's spreading his bets here, you know what I mean? He's not just on a Merck, but a Merck engine.

So almost half the grid. Is it? Eight cars? Is that right? So there's Merck, Williams, Aston and McLaren. Yeah, so yeah, almost half the grid. Basically, yeah, it sounds really specific that you're going for a Merck engine, but actually it's almost like... It's actually nearly half the grid.

But then again, even just saying that someone's going to have reliability issues is wild. itself. Serbaken the sixth, V-carb double points finish. Now that is very, very wild. That will require some retirements. If they've not punted each other off on that one. Oh, honestly, Ricardo versus Sonoda part two. It's coming. Which is something we never, ever thought would happen in our lifetime. It's just such a strange clash. But let's see how that goes. Tommy, we have come to the end of predictions. What are your final thoughts? Final thoughts are. that seeing Dennis's prediction of an engine blow up, I should probably have done a little Matt Gallagher loophole and gone for,

there's a retirement, because that would technically count as crazy because it hadn't happened for two races, but unless, come on, I'm the only one that finds loopholes in this prediction series. You definitely look for a lovely little loophole. Yeah, true. You love it. So yeah, what I'll say is Choo-Chu-Hass Hyped Train.

Come on. Yeah, wow. How quickly we've changed from Hasse being seven laps down and us predicting they're going to be the worst team on the grid to them being like, yeah, they're going to score points in round two. God, we are so finished. Right, that is it. Thank you, everybody.

Lots of love. P1 live show tickets are available all over our social media as well as link in the description. And we will see you very soon for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix content, Twitch watchalongs, YouTube staff, podcasts. Everything's coming your way. Lots of love. Bye.

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