P1 with Matt and Tommy - Our 2024 Spanish GP predictions

Episode Date: June 19, 2024

We've got a triple-header coming up, with our first stop in Barcelona (the best track in the world). So let's find out who's being sensible and who wants to see the world burn. 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 merch, tickets & 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. Yes, we have returned. We are back for a triple header. Racing coming out of our ears, Tom Bellingham. And we're starting with the circuit to Barcelona, Catalonia, which, you know, with no chicane, should give us the greatest race of all time. And it will because remember, Madrid got announced early this year and everyone loves Barcelona.

So I don't want to see a single. complain about this racetrack when it delivers a boring race, just say. Wow, Tommy's setting some ground rules. Let's go. So before we down into our predictions, it is 27 to me, 25 to Tommy, Tommy clawing back a little bit after Canada. So let's see how safe I have gone to try and secure as many points as possible. First up, biggest good surprise. I've never been more confident in my life with this one. It's happening. It's happening.

And no, it is not Charles LeCler. I have learnt my lesson, okay? I am locking in Lewis Hamilton. He is going to produce a banger this weekend. Mercedes looked really good in Canada, and they bottled it. They threw away a potential victory. Hamilton drove one of the worst races he's ever driven, he said. It's going to all change in Spain.

He had a great Spanish Grand Prix last year. He also, was it in 2020, I think it was 2020, where he was at the back and then caught up a ridiculous amount of seconds in a Mercedes that shouldn't have actually done particularly well, considering it was the 22 Mercedes. So yeah, Sto was Hamilton and let's see if Tommy's gone for the same thing. Well, I actually wrote two down. That's not how, sorry, we've done enough of these to know that there's only one.

No, no, no, but the reason I'm, I did it was I thought you might go for one of them. And that is exactly what's happened because I had gone for Lewis Hamilton. So I'll go for my backup choice soon as though I need, I'm two points down. I'll risk it for the chocolate biscuit and go for Sergio Perez. Now, this is a bold, I've gone big again. I went for Lance stroll last time and it paid off. So I'm thinking, let's ride my luck train to Sergio Perez. And the logic here, and there is logic behind it, whether it will come true or not is another question,

is this is a bit more of a normal circuit, if you can call it that. And surely Perez has to get out this kind of flop stage, flop era, whatever you want to call it. Slop era. Yeah. I mean, he is just a guaranteed flop point at this point, isn't he? He is, so I'm going to back him.

Okay, interesting. Okay, well, let's see if Perris can deliver. And to be fair, the benchmark's quite low at the moment. If he pops in the top four, I know you're going to be absolutely arguing to the cows come home. Okay, let's go to biggest flop. Controversial, because I am going to lock in, George Russell. Yep. Purely based on vibes, as we always know, but I don't think I've ever flopped George Russell.

So it's time for him to receive the flop. What a sentence that is. Only at P1, do you hear such quality F1 content? I mean, it's such insight, isn't it? Yeah, I think George, I don't know, he felt pressure in Canada and unfortunately didn't deliver, you know, what we could have seen from him. You know, he's qualified on poll.

Wasn't able to convert it into a victory. Mercedes does look very good. But as we all know, know, the biggest flop is a biggest flop. But apart from Monaco, which I still will deliberate and contest until the end of this season, I'm in a clean sweep right now, minus one, so it's not a clean sweep. But let's see. Let's see if George flops. Interesting. Biggest flop I have gone for, Oscar Piastri LeCler. Ain't no way, because I thought about giving him another flop. And I was like, I'm not going to do it. Because the amount of messages I got of people going, how could you flop Oscar

Piaastri my boy my goat so enjoy the messages mate well I will but normally I'm wrong in this so um look I obviously don't want it to happen he's on a good run but you do deep down because my logic no no my logic my logic here is and I imagine this is why you were maybe thinking about it as well high speed circuit tough on the old tires and that is you know there's no doubt that oscariastri is one of the quickest guys in Formula One right now. He just has to sort of like work on his races and make him be able to like consistently be very, very quick because sometimes he can kind of fall off with a bit of tire wear and things like that. And it just feels like Spain could be one of those circuits.

I don't feel like it's going to be a biggest flop like in the sense of like a Sergio Perez like I did last time where he's going to have a stinker. he's going to be spinning off and all that, but I just feel like it could be one of those where he's doing quite well and his tyres go to 8,000 degrees and he starts kind of dropping back towards the end. That's my thinking. Well, your thinking is completely irrelevant,

because your biggest flop never comes in. I did last time, but that's like you say, it's an easy perors dub at the moment, or L, if you want to call it that. Okay, pole position. Max Verstappen. I need to, I need to, I know, I know. But it has to be.

It's Spain. It's, there's no bumps. It's just smooth. It's beautiful. It's Red Bull all over, in my opinion. That's why you've gone and put, biggest good surprise, Sergio Perez, because I think,

and probably you think as well, that Red Bull will actually have some kind of advantage around here, rather than it being very nip and tuck with a few teams. So, yeah, I think Max Verstappen's going to get pole, position and run away with it. This could be Bahrain levels, I think. But still tune into the watchlong on all of our content. Thank you very much.

Yeah, I've gone for poor position. Maxisdapen as well. No surprise. I love the way you're allowed to say boring. I was, I was, I held it in because I was like, No, you didn't. I saw it on your face. You literally snoozed.

I was going to banter. For audio listeners, you were like, I was going to banter. I don't even explain it. I said, for audio listeners. I did this. Yes. You were sleeping face.

Indeed. Are you of the same opinion? Literally copy and paste everything you said. I'd be amazed if Red Bull struggled here. They have struggled at certain treks this year, Monaco. Canada, they weren't all that. But I don't feel like they're going to be Bahrain, absolute master class. See you later.

I just think it is very much more their kind of circuit. And if Max can win at Canada, when it's not their circuit, he can certainly do very well with the Spanish Grand Prix because it's high speed. If they don't have the advantage, championship back on. Charlotte-Clair biggest good surprise from here on to the end of the season. So let's see.

Fred Fassur has actually said that Ferrari are going to be back towards the front again after the disaster. Do you tell you that at LaMont? Yeah, of course. You're whispering in your ear when we met him at LeMond. Yeah, do you not remember when we had that? I didn't hear you two are just chatting away like...

No, Fred were just cuddling. No. That didn't happen. Okay, let's go to our top three. In third place, Lando Norris is going to be on the podium. McLaren are going to be good.

It's going to be a ding-dong battle between McLaren and Ferrari for second place. The fight for P2 is back. It's back. It's so back. It's so back. And Lando's getting third.

interesting P3 I've gone for Sergio Perez Wow you really are I am I am I could be this could go horribly wrong

but I am backing Sergio Perez this weekend some would say insanely but if you're going to turn around this form surely it's this track and it is wild

in a red bull that a Sergio Perez podium is such a rogue choice now but it really is like that's a like you could argue that could be a one bold prediction at the end. But no, I will back Perris for a P3. So I've just had an absolute nightmare because I've just said, it's Ferrari versus McLaren

than a biggest good surprise Lewis Hamilton. So spreading your eggs, right? Well, yeah, but I'm also going completely, because it's not a fourth place for Lewis Hamilton is probably not going to be biggest good surprise. Yeah, maybe I am going to spread my eggs here. So second place, it's going to be Charles LeCler, because it is. It just is. What a man. What a legend. Ferrari, I think, I do genuinely believe, and not just from Delirium, that they will be better.

I don't actually know what the weather is saying right now. Let's have a look. I saw warm, but it could change. Barcelona weather. Oh, Sunday rain, potentially. Light rain currently forecast for Barcelona. But I don't think that will probably have. and it's quite warm out there.

So yeah, I think that it will be close. I also think Lewis Hamilton will be in the top three, but I'm not going to predict that. Because, well, yeah, I mean, come on. We just had a whole conversation about I was going to win. P2, I have gone for Lewis Hamilton. I, yeah, same logic as you. Very good around here. I did also cast my mind back to 2022 when he drove that bro.

brilliant race there. He did well last year as well. Surely if Hamilton's going to turn around his form, it's got to be, got to be here. So I'm backing two people that he could argue, I mean, Perra's in a lot worse of form than Hamilton, but two people that may be on to the best of form. And I'm backing them both. What could go wrong? I mean, it is very, I mean, it's not great reading, is it, right now when it's the Russell versus Hamilton head to heads this year. It's very heavily in George Russell's favour. What is it in the race? Have you got it in the race? No, I'm trying to find it. I'm pretty sure. How many races we have not?

It's 8-1. It's 8-1 in qualifying. Yeah, I think it's maybe like 7-2, maybe in the race or something, but it's, yeah, let's have a look. What have we got here? 2024. Okay, so George Russell beat him in the first race, beat him in the second race, beat him in the third race, beat him in the fourth race, beat him in the fifth race. Yeah, it's 7-2. Okay. Wow. Okay. 7-2 to George in the races and 8-1 in the quali, which, yeah.

But I think Hamilton will turn it round, and if not, then he will be back in the media saying things that make everyone question what's going on at Mercedes once more. Let's go to first place then. Spoiler alert. Max Verstappen. What more is there to say? That's my line. That's the bingo line.

Cross it off your bingo card. I fully back Max Verstappen. But I'm also going to wink straight down the camera and say, look, You never know. We could be doing something right now because the last time I fully back to driver in Canada, they didn't finish and were on hard tires in wet conditions. And yeah, so let's see.

Let's see what powers. Powers. P1. Max Lestappen, of course. It's been, yeah, it's been surprising. I love the way you say that. Like we've had like, you know, Max dominating every single race. Just like Max.

Of course. But he hasn't, has he? I think that's the surprise of this season so far that even the last race, he drove a brilliant race to win. But he was, well, his Red Bull was beatable. And someone else could have easily won there, and we would have gone into, you know, this race with Max having lost more races than he won, which would have been a wild thing to predict at the start of the year.

But, yeah, Spain is... You've got to think Red Bull realistically look at Spain and go, yeah, that's one of our tracks. If Red Bull were picking circuits for their dream calendar to suit their car, Spain is in there, isn't it? Oh yeah, that's number one Christmas wrapped up for them, definitely. So, okay, so fingers crossed, this doesn't come true. Otherwise, people might be very angry with us. No, they won't. No, they won't.

Enjoy a race. It doesn't matter if Max Verstappenop and wins, as long as it's a close race. but I don't think this one's going to be close. One crazy prediction. Max Verstap and Gran Chalem. Please keep watching. Yep, he's getting pole position, leading every lap, fastest lap.

That's what Grand Chalem is, right? Leads every lap, yeah. Poll, win. Fastest lap leads every lap. Yeah. Yeah. Now we end win as well, obviously. Imagine.

He leads every lap but doesn't win. Somehow. How is that possible? Yeah, maybe. That would be something, wouldn't it? Imagine that came true. That would be unbelievable. That would be. Carry on.

But again, like I said at the top of the show, not allowed to complain if it happens because Barcelona is the greatest circuit in the world and we'll all miss it dearly when it goes. Anyway. I thought that was what your crazy prediction was going to be. I was like, you're like to say it's going to be the best race of the season or something.

Best race of the season. No, my one crazy prediction is a crazy prediction that it's a crazy prediction and it's that Lewis Hamilton out-qualifies George Russell. Oh, you're dirty loophole using leap. You disgust me. That is a masterclass of a loophole that. Can't wait for him to be out-qualified by Russell by half a second,

but it's a great loophole, neither-of-the-less. It's a great loophole. Disgusted actually that I didn't even think of that. There was part of me that thinks you were going to go for it as well. It's all right. You let me have something to do with Max Verstapp and doing really well as a crazy prediction, so I will take that as well. Three crazy predictions.

First and foremost, David Doherty, 8, assigns win. We haven't even really mentioned him at all in his predictions. Rumour has it that he might find out where he's going this weekend, but who knows. I've been saying that for about three. months. Yeah, we'd love to know at some point. Steegi 613, Salbo will get their first points of the season. To be fair

Joe had an absolute banger of a race last time out. He did. Last time out, last Spanish Grand Prix, finished ninth. So, let's see. He will need it. He'll need to just not qualify 20th and have a good race. That would be good for him. And finally, racing numbatts, all cars finish the race,

no safety car, or red flag. So much hype around Spanish Grand Prix, isn't it? It is the greatest race ever. It will be missed, dearly. But at least we don't have testing around there. So we don't have to see it as much. So we just see it during the conference.

So we don't know. We're only 99% sure that Red Bull will be clear. Yeah. As opposed to 100% if we'd have done testing there. Exactly. So good stuff. All right. Well, Tommy, we are done here.

Thank you everybody for watching and listening. What are your final thoughts, Mr. Bellingham? My final thoughts are that. I'm very much looking forward to Formula One being back and I will enjoy it regardless of how the race will be. Okay, wow. I mean, your hopes are through the floor as well, aren't they? Jeez, you really are not looking forward to this one.

Mike, you don't even have to turn up for the watch song if you want. I can just literally stick a picture up of you and then, to be fair. As long as you've got a face that looks unimpressed, it will probably match what's going on. I'll take a picture for the sake of de Barcelona Cattle and your reaction. No, that's just... For audio listeners.

This is a great audio podcast, isn't it? Great audio podcast. Tommy basically just had a resting bee face, to be honest with you. And actually, it's quite funny as well that I... For some reason, I wasn't filled with Delirium and Ferrari, this, that and the other after we've just come off the back of being at LeMond and watching Ferrari win back to back Lamont 24 hours. So I'm proud of myself for actually engaging my brain for once.

Well done. Yeah, you could have been on the hype train. didn't jinx Ferrari like a lot of people thought. I was very concerned when the door was hanging off at the end. Yeah, me too. Very much so. Yeah, I'm really glad that they didn't lose it in the last sort of half an hour or something. But they won.

So we don't curse people anymore. So, well done. Ferrari. Thank you, everyone. Well done to Ferrari. They're going to win again this weekend. I've just turned on Delirium again. So yeah, thank you very much, everybody.

Disregard all mass predictions. Cancel everything. Goodbye. Che, chew. P1 is a stack production and part of the A-Car created network.