P1 with Matt and Tommy - Predicting the ENTIRE 2024 F1 Championship (20th to 1st)

Episode Date: February 26, 2024

The F1 season is ALMOST HERE! And today's episode is a big one: we're predicting the entire 2024 driver standings, from 20th to 1st. Tommy has put Logie Sarge how high?! 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. Today we have ditched our silly little setups for something incredible, Tommy. We are here at the Silverstone Museum with a backdrop of dreams. It is incredible, yeah. Normally I've got half-scale helmets in the background. Now I've got real life-size Formula One cars, waterflex. They're not yours though, Tommy. I wish they were.

You're flexing, but they're not yours. Our good pal David Coulthard's cars are there as well. Our old buddy David. But yes, so big thanks to Silverstone Museum for allowing us to be here. Let's get into our 20th to first Drivers' Championship predictions. Okay. Tommy, I'm going to kick things off. And I feel like...

Who could it be? No, no, it's going to be groundbreaking. Okay. My 20th placed driver for 2024 is Kevin Magnuson. Okay, so Logi Bear's probably pretty buzzing right now. Liggy bears cooking right now. I'm hyping him up to above 20th, which is actually silly considering he was 21st last year. So we maybe should have actually had a 21st like bonus prediction just in case someone comes into the driver's championship that we don't know of.

But we'll stick with 20. Kevin Magnerson, he was lackluster last year. Hasse look absolutely abysmal. However, Holkenberg did give a slight bit of hope, I would say, at some point during day three of testing, a little bit of a decent time, at least within that sort of five and a half, six and a half second gap that they had in the first two days of testing. But I feel like Magnuson will just be outperformed again by Holkenberg in a car that you absolutely have to deliver. If it for some reason works and doesn't degrade the tyres after three laps, I just think KMAG won't really deliver. and he'll get a big fat zero points as well to boot.

So this may shock you, but in 20th, I have gone for Kevin Magnuson. That being said, and I apologise because this kind of spoils the next one. Oh, spoilers. But I have already mentioned this on our predictions podcast that I predicted that Huss would be the biggest meme and thought they might not even score a point. And while I think Magnuson won't do better than Holcomberg, we've seen this before the one that comes to mind

is Robert Kibitsa versus George Russell like I think this between the two hash drivers it could come down to a rogue 11th or 12th place that decides who finishes above in the championship so I have gone for Kevin Magnuson interesting stuff

we now move to 19th give me yours let's alternate alternate okay so no surprise I've gone for Nico Hockenberg have you? No way.

So yeah, I don't think Hasse's going to have a very good time this year. They're going to struggle for points, if any. And, yeah, I mean, when your team principal is already predicting that you're going to be 10th in the title, it doesn't give you much hope, does it? Oh, no, they, I mean, they did say at the start of the season, let's not forget, Hasse are well known for upgrading their car a lot during a season. Yeah, can't wait for their RB20 to arrive in three. race this time. Okay, interesting. So has slander very much kicking off in this podcast. In 19th, I am not has slandering. I'm slandering Logan Sargent. Logan Sargent will finish 19th in the driver's championship with a solitary one point where eight cars get disqualified in front of him and he will

finish P10. But no, I just, I haven't, I know it's testing. I know that I can't take too much from it. But what you can take from it is confidence in the car. James Vowls has. been hyping him up quite a bit as he's as a leader as a boss that's definitely the right thing to do especially in the media yeah Logan feels you know different he's he's gained five kilograms over the winter in a good way rather than five kilograms that everyone else put on which isn't a good way um I I just then he goes backwards into a hairpin exactly I I he didn't show that confidence really throughout testing he was making quite a few errors maybe he's just trying to find the limitations of the car but for me I am not convinced and I think Logan sergeant will have another mediocre season

and it won't really reward him many points. Okay. So now we go to 18th position. And it is Nico Holkenberg. So I'm not expecting anything crazy from Hasse this year, but I am expecting a Nico Holcomburg masterclass from now. Just the odd occasion of a Nico Holcomburg masterclass, Canada, where he just popped at P2 with a bit of rain.

Just changeable conditions, Nico Holkenberg is very, very good. and also there are sprints. Let's not forget that as well. That's where he got a decent chunk of points last year was in the sprints rather than the main races because Hass can't do a longer period than a third into a race distance without, and also needed a pit stop in Austria

for that to actually work for them. But, you know, strange things have happened. And I still believe that Holcomberg is a very good driver. I just don't think that Hass will be able to give him anything more than 18th. Yeah, fair. P18 I have gone for Joe Guan Yu Okay Yeah

You really are on the Loki hype train Yeah and not on the Saaba steak, kick, whatever you want to call them Hyped train I think we're going to go with Salba this year potentially Like most seem to But yeah Joe Guan Yu

It's not really on him It's a car thing Although that being said End of last year I was a little bit disappointed With his performances He didn't seem to have that, I don't know, like, just you were, you're hoping for maybe that like one breakthrough result or something. I know he would run second in Zandvoort at one point due to

strategy. Maybe here's the goat because he popped it in P3 in testing, but I just don't buy that steak are going to be this good team. I've just called him steak when I said, I was going to call him Salba. That team is going to be very annoying this year. We all know. I think they're going to be very good. We all know what you meant. I have gone for for P-17. Shoguanu. I am also on the same thoughts of Stakef1 team kicks Albert and the fact that, I mean, they didn't look very good in testing,

to be honest with you, apart from that P3 on day three, and everyone's like, oh my God, they're here! I don't think they are. Similarly to you, Joe wasn't particularly great last year. He should be, in his stage of his career, smashing Bottas, who is just chilling with a mullet and having a great time. You know what I mean? that Bottas is just enjoying Formula One.

He's not at his intense Mercedes level. He is a Kimmy Reiknan, in my opinion at the moment, in terms of the later stages of his career and just having a good time. But as a younger driver, you need to be destroying him. And he wasn't, and I don't think that will happen again this year. Limitations of the car as well doesn't help. But yes, I've gone for P17 for show, Guamu. P17, I have gone for my goat, Logie Bear, Logan Sergeant, P17.

So he's a P-17 merchant this year? Yeah, up four places. And yeah, I think he's going to have a better season. Maybe score the odd point, but I don't expect this drastic improvement that maybe James Vow's expects. Now, do you think that scoring the odd point here and there is due to the car being better or Logie being better or a mixture? I feel like Williams would probably be about the same as they were last year. You're expecting the come-up for Logie? And yeah, he might do a bit of a better job.

so yeah I mean you had a really poor rickie season but you know fingers crossed he can have a have a better season this year so I've gone for 17th P16 I'm locking in the other stake in 14 Jaxaba person Valtry Bottas I think it'll be close between the two teammates I don't see anything to get excited about unfortunately for this team botas as I mentioned when I was talking about Joe I just feel as though he's just chilling. That man's just having a great time.

He looks great. He's getting his ass out on a calendar. This bloke is just living the dream. And I genuinely think he is enjoying himself as well, where he's just driving a Formula One car, which he loves doing, but he's not being, you know, trying to get every micro fibre of his being

to put into the sport and to try and win races. So, yeah, I think Bottas will have the odd, again, performance that, you know, at the start of the year last year, we thought Bottas was the goat. thought he was going to finish seventh in the championship or something, that obviously didn't come to fruition. But yeah, I don't think it's going to be a great season for that team. And it's just

they're just going to be a mean team in some ways, you know, always changing identity. And I just feel as though they're going to be quite lost in these next couple of years before Audi potentially comes in. We don't know if that's going to happen or not because of several rumours that they might or might not. But yeah, I just, I just can't see it. P16, I have also gone for Valtru Bossess. I feel like, obviously, I put him ahead of Logan Sargent. I think the Williams will be the better car. I'm predicting that Williams will be ahead of them in the championship. But I think while Bottas, I do agree with you to the point where, like, yeah, he is

chilling a bit more, enjoying sort of like being in Formula One and just having a bit more fun. You can tell that kind of weight of Mercedes has come off his shoulders and he can express himself a bit more and just have a bit more of a personality and enjoy himself without that pressure of being in a championship fight and helping his teammate and things like that. So that being said, I think he does have a maybe like a Kimi Rikinen, that one or two performances in a year, unlike Joe Guan Yu, where he just pops it like P7 in a qualifying session. you're like, where's that come from? And then he delivers a good race.

And I could see that happening again. That's why I've put him ahead of Logie Bear. Yeah, Bottas loves a low grip track as well. He does. So, you know, when those come around, I'm sure he will probably perform and outperform. That's take a good one in case out of a car. Okay, P15, I have gone for Alexander Albin. Which I guess is quite low down.

Slanderous. Yeah, but. It's weird. Imagine two years ago saying that because I predicted him so much lower down the order. I do think Williams, I do think he's going to have a good season again and Williams will improve. But I look at the teams above Williams and I think it will be hard to beat them, which is why he's down in 15th. I still think he will show, you know, great performances. I think he'll absolutely smash Logan Sargent again and deliver. solid and good points finishes and keep his name in that frame of those top teams that

you know still haven't been decided because he is a name that's been thrown around a lot for Mercedes even a return to red bull and i think he'll do that again but there's only so much uh williams can do in my opinion uh and while i am a i'm probably on the second carriage of the james vows hype train not quite at the front yet i am sat next to the train. Yeah, you are. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Interesting.

Okay, so this is where I've been sheffing slightly, but not in a good way. For P-15, I've gone for Esteban Ocon. I am sensing a terrible season for Alpine. I don't know why. I do know why. They tried to get rid of all of the paint almost immediately, so I feel like maybe in the simulation stay. And now they're putting it back on, so that's...

And now they're putting it back on, which I don't know. That's just mixed messages for me. They didn't look particularly impressive in testing. again. Testing. But I don't know. I watch Drive to survive as well. And I just...

It doesn't make that team look like it's a well-oiled machine. It doesn't at all. It doesn't at all. It seems like they're ready to make some very, you know... Is it brazen? I mean, I don't know. You've stumped me there. All right.

Let's go with... Rash. Rash. Red bully type decisions where they just... Cut throw. Yeah. Let's go with that. God. We're on like an episode of Countdown or something. something. Yes, I just feel like, from what we saw in DTS, I don't know, they just seem like

they're a team that's not particularly, as you say, together, they're just ready to fire blame at anyone that they possibly can because they should be this team that's at the front four. All right, calm down. I don't know if that's really the case. Maybe rebrand to Renaud and we can talk. But I don't know, I just, I just sense that they're falling backwards rather than going forwards now. So yeah, you know, no disrespect to Ocon, but it was very close between him and Gassley last year. They both had their handful of, I would say, unluckiness, perhaps O'Con a little bit more. And I feel like this kind of, as always with Drivers' Championship results at the end of the season, it's very close.

It's between like a point or two. So you kind of have to just go, yeah, that person could go 15th. But yeah, I just feel as though Alpine have got a big storm coming. 14th position. Lance Strull Yeah Yeah yeah yeah I don't

I just Again I don't believe On his side of the garage It's going to be great I've also obviously kind of gone with Fernando Alonzo You know in previous predictions I've said

A terrible flop A terrible flop But but you know I have to kind of continue on that thought Otherwise I'm just a hypocrite here You know what I'm saying So I feel as though Aston Martin May not have as good of a year

as we maybe would hope. And Stroll was absolutely destroyed by Alonzo last year. And I think that will happen again this year. You know, Stroll's best performances last year were when he had an injury. And then it went downhill from there when his hand got better, which didn't really make much sense, to be honest with you. So yeah, I think Stroll will finish quite lowly down. P-14, I've gone for S to Banachon.

Oh my God, we're both... Excuse me. You just caught my breath there. You're so shocked by my prediction. Wow. So Ocon, yeah, I find it very difficult to choose between the two Alpine drivers. I think they are very evenly matched. They were both very close in the championship.

They were, yeah, they had, Gazzley obviously beat Ocon. Both of them had a lot of bad luck, so it was quite hard to maybe judge who was doing what. But I have gone for Ocon just in P-14. Just. Just. Albeen. Albin? Albin, the new team name. They're going to rebrand again. Alpine are going to have a great season either. Yeah, they just seem to be going backwards rather than forward and a bit of a mess. So I thought I was cooking and it turns out we were both in the same kitchen. Absolutely love that.

Go on Tommy. What is your next P13? P13, no surprise, is Pierre Gasly. I think it would be extremely close between the two teammates again. might even be the odd incident between them. I'm not just saying that because I've watched the episode of Tripe Survive where they were even trying to... Yeah, that was a very interesting insight into Alpine and while they can say, oh, we're best friends, it did show there's still a lot of tension there, and I don't think that's good for a team at all.

When have they ever shown that they're best friends? Pretending to be best friends. So Ockon and Gassley? No, I meant Alpine are trying to clearly tried to make that message, not best friends, but like, I was going to say, in DTS they literally said we're not going to get on. Yeah, no, what I meant is, you know, like when they both signed, Alpine tried to push this message of like, oh, it's water under the bridge. Look, we've got them together. Yay. Like, everything's great. And it's clear that there was still.

Yeah. And there's still so much tension there. And I don't think that's going to help them going forward. So, yeah, I think Alpine are going to have a rough year. and we'll see, especially if they're putting more paint on the car and getting even slow, maybe they've just gone. Yeah, this car isn't working either way. We might as well just paint it are browned colours now. Fair enough. I have said that before. If you're going to be slow, you may as well look good whilst being slow. You know what I mean? Exactly.

Okay. My next driver is Pierre Gasley. So I feel as though, Gazley's got a worldly in him. Ocon does as well, as we saw. Both drivers last year did get a podium. him. I feel as though Ghazly, we underestimated him last year. We did. We both said he was going to be biggest flop. We ate our words for that, I think. And for me, he's only going to get

better as he settles into that team. It was a brand new team for him last year. This year, he's had a year there, he's understood the workings and getting used to Esteban Ockle being on the other side of the garage, stuff like that. And I feel as though he will improve on his performance, but he will be counteracted by the fact that car's worse. So

that's why I've gone for P13. for Pierre Gazley. Next up, because you might have noticed, I've not selected a particular driver. Alex Albon is going to be absolutely flying this year, and he's going to finish P12, if I have got my numbers correct. I think Alex is going to have a great year this year. I am, as mentioned already, on the James Vow's hype train, literally sat next to the train driver.

I can see the journey ahead, and it's stardom. I just love his way of working, his management. and all of that sort of stuff. And I believe that he is genuinely going to make Williams a great team. You know, he's got that engineering experience. He knows what makes a car great. He knows how to win championships with Mercedes. And he also has those people skills.

It's very clear. You know, in DTS again, I know we keep referring back to it, but we've just watched it. It's a great. It's a great. I said that one. We see a lot from him, but also there's the most amazing, mean-worthy moment where they're just filming him saying, good morning.

To everyone, yeah. But even when we've met him, like, it's not like that was just for camera. When we met him and there was a filming day, he literally went round the room and shook about 40 people's hands to say hello to everybody before we then continue. It's stuff like that, but you know, he might think, well, but how's that going to translate to the track? Bringing people together and to have that harmonious racing team is so important for success. And I genuinely believe that that effect will start to now sink into Williams. I think, you know, before that, he's not going to be able to change much because the car's kind of set and that sort of. of stuff. But as we go through the years now on this this plan that he has, I feel like, yeah,

he's going to bring the best out of people and Albon's going to have a great year. Lovely stuff. P12, I have gone for Daniel Ricardo. Yeah, V-Cab. Ricardo's going to get beaten by Sonoda. Well, yeah. Spoiler alert. The fan boy is out. Here he is. I know. wearing a Daniel Ricardo jumper. Yeah, how dare you? I know, how dare I? I think you'll be close between them. I think a bit like Alpha Tari, I can see it being some races where they both perform really well,

others they drop back a bit. But yeah, the V-Car pipe train, I think they're going to have a much stronger season. Of course, they were languishing at the bottom. And if they do deliver this, and they are battling your likes, you know, ahead of your teams like Alpine and Williams and things like we've many.

mentioned and even if it got to the point where in some races they were fighting, those top, topter teams. Topper. Topper. Topper teams. Do not get your vocabulary from us. I was going to say lower top teams. Yeah.

It's going to be a lot of controversy, I think, if V-Cubs start delivering. And I think they will. Interesting. P-11, I have gone for Yuki Sanoda. I think he will beat Daniel Ricado but only just. I don't think he'll beat him. I predict him to be as a big as good surprise. I think he'll deliver some good races.

He's improving. Year on year, I hope with a better car, what we saw at the start of last year, when I don't think the Alphiari was that great, he could deliver P-11 every race. And that was when the car wasn't great. So if he can compete and have a car that is quicker, than the likes of Alpine and Williams and stuff,

I would hope. And what I've gone for is that he will score a lot more regular points. I'm not under the illusion that he won't have the odd crazy race where he maybe picks up like six penalties in one race. But then equally I think there'll be some like heroics as well. Inter Sandovot? Heroics into Sandovot. Yeah, maybe.

But yeah, I'm hoping for a good season. Buki, I'm channeling some energy for him. So, Danny, we will be sending back this jumper that he's wearing for disrespect. In P11, I've gone for Yuki Sanoda. I am on the V-carb hype train as well, mainly because, yes, they're going to have a better car. I think there's going to be a lot of talk about them, getting some decent results. They looked decent-ish in testing, but again, pinch of salt. But I do feel as though, you know, just moving in, hey, Red Bull.

Can we come and just move in? Is that all right? Like, just, we're not going to copy anything, but you know what I mean? If you leave a door open, yeah, yeah. What's that in there? Well, we're a blindfold. We'll put like those office blinds. Every time they sign in, they had to be blindfolded.

Yeah. Don't walk past the Red Bull. This way everybody. Yeah, the RB20s in today. Please, can you put your blindfold on as you walk past it? I'm sorry, but like, how do you share facilities and not at some point just go, oh, this guy's left his word document open? I mean, how do you not just, I just feel as though it's, it's a tiny bit suss.

But, hey, I feel as though, again, they will, they will take a leap forward and Sonoda will get beaten by Daniel Ricardo. P10, Daniel Ricardo. I feel as though I'm not going to disrespect DR. I feel as though he ain't done yet, which I've definitely got from DTS. And it's going to be close between the two of them, definitely. I just feel as though Danny Rick absolutely categorically

has to beat Sonoda this year and I feel like he will but it will be close and it will be a hard fought thing throughout the entire year and then in the final race of the season you know 24 points behind Sunoda and he wins the race

can you imagine the scenes that sounds like a DTS script right there you can tell I've been brainwashed yeah interesting P10 I have gone for Lance Stroll He's made it into the top ten

Yeah May shock you that I don't think he's going to beat Fernando Alante But I don't think you'll have A catastrophic Year like he did last year I don't think He's going to be

you know Amazing and suddenly channel these performances because I don't rate him That in that high regard and I don't think he has that him despite, you know, the odd podium and stuff. He's not got that dog in him. No, which we've said many times is mainly and probably because... He used to. You never remember that pole at Turkey? They get us brought up every year? Yeah. And the three podiums that are actually bottled

wins, but maybe that's for another podcast. But yeah, no, I think it'll have a decent, a decent year, if not spectacular. And we'll just do enough to keep his drive. because it's under threat, clearly. Sarcasm. P9. I have gone for George Russell. I'm glad people haven't arrived at Silverstone Museum yet because I feel like I'd be getting eggs thrown at me

for saying that George Russell is going to finish P9 in the championship, but of course I am doubling down on Mercedes is going to be a bit washed. George didn't have the greatest season last year and I found it really difficult to predict actually the top teams because there are a lot of great drivers

and of course last year it was very similar that you had Lando Alonzo Sainzance Lecler Hamilton they were all really close on points weren't they and yeah and it could have it could have gone any way like Alonzo somehow got fourth in the end

but it could have easily been seven It was crazy and I really do feel like it'd be like that again. So it's not as harsh as it sounds, but I have predicted in P9, which is a bit harsh, but I don't think he's going to be like miles off the next eight. So you're not going to say that, you know, Mercedes are going to give him preferential treatment and thrust himself up that championship order

with some nice little undercuts? They might, but I think that Hamilton is a much better driver. Fanboy. Fanboy. Yeah. Crazy British buyers. One bit over another. P9 for me, I have gone for Fernando Alonzo.

You're not going to like that. You're not going to like that. But look, he's still going to outperform the car. He's still going to have miraculous moments, I'm sure. And again, I have to go with what I've said, which I think is Astor Martin. I'm not going to have a great year. Otherwise, I mean, I could just, to be fair, there are some things I'm definitely going against, which you'll find out at the end.

end of this 20th to 1st in my previous predictions, just purely because I have to spread my egg somehow. If I just go on this Dulhu train, then we're in big trouble. But I do think that Alonzo might struggle a little bit more than what we saw last year. Astor Martin came out the blocks firing and they had a car that was unbelievable. But what they clearly struggled with was developing that car and being able to stay with the other teams that were upgrading and developing and getting faster. So yeah, I think Alonzo P9, but yeah, I still think you'll get the odd podium. or two. P8 George Russell.

Yeah. Mercedes, I think, are the hardest team to read in the world when it comes to practice sessions, testing, anything, just purely because they never seem to show their hand that often.

You don't really know how good they are as well because they push a narrative of oh, we're awful and we're not where I want to be and then they finish second in the constructive title. Exactly, exactly. So they do, utilize every single last point. They are a well-oiled machine in that sense, apart from when they're fighting for the win of Vastappan against Vastappan in Kota. And we'll get onto that, you know, I'm sure in some sort of reflection five years from now about how they bottled that

win. But yeah, I just feel as though Mercedes might well be beaten again by McLaren. I think they'll be beaten by Ferrari this year. And that puts them down, you know, that puts them down around the seventh eighth mark. So, yep, Russell for me, P.8. P8. I have gone for Oscar Piastri. Yeah, I think Piastri is going to have a good year. I think he'll improve his race performances, which is what let him down last year. But if you'd have asked me to predict the championship order before we saw testing, I think I'd have maybe put McLaren quite a bit higher and been on that hype train.

But I know it's only testing, but maybe a high. I've just, I could be completely wrong. Like, we all know this. Like, we don't know how the season's going to pan out. Like, none of us could have predicted. No, I know. Is this not a review of the 2024 F1 season? I know we're experts.

Are these predictions? It's almost like we can't get 20 to first exactly right. Otherwise, I'd be a multimillionaire. We might. Should we put an accumulator? Yeah. Put our money where I'm out of every single right. Yeah.

Oscar Piastri is going to have a good year, but I'm just not on the, the height. portraying of McLaren like I was before. I don't think they're going to be like awful. I certainly hope they're not going to be as bad as they were at the start of Bahrain, but I'm, I don't feel like they're going to be a team that's going to be challenging like Red Bull or something at the start of the season and that might suffer for them a bit. P7, I have gone for Fernando Alonso. Dun, dun, done, done. I've persuaded you. You You've been derailed.

What do you mean? Or do you just think it's going to be really close? It's going to be on the other end of the sort of fourth to seven. I think it's going to be very close. I've not, I personally think Alonzo have quite a good start to the year. I don't think as to Martin is so hard to predict second to fifth teams and how close that's going to be between them. But Fernando Alonzo, we know that he's going to get the most. maximum out of the car and will have that insane consistency and grab points which is why while i don't

think ashton are going to be amazing throughout the whole year i think fernando alonzo's consistency will take him to that that next level which is why obviously he's um ahead of a piastrian a russell which maybe have a car just as good um if not a bit better but alonzo has that like metronomic consistency So yeah, I hope I'm wrong and he wins the championship. Will that stay in his 40s? Will it continue to be metronomic? You know, when does he start to fall off? But then he has said that all of his biological stats and tests he's had shows that he's pretty much a big performance still.

So, I mean, to be fair, he does genuinely look like he's de-aging as well. P7. There's certain fan base aren't going to like this one. I've gone for Lewis Hamilton. I think Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton they're actually going to have quite a mediocre year this year as much as they do perform I just I've lost faith in them a little bit

in the sense of building them in my biggest flat pipe train I'm convincing you of stuff you're convincing me of stuff and together we're being completely delusional but yeah I think with Hamilton it's not the fact that he will drive badly I just feel like he'll be limited by his machinery. Hamilton was great last year, did a lot of incredibly consistent,

great performances, a lot of podiums. But yeah, I can just see it being this kind of, thank God it's over kind of interview in Abu Dhabi. You know, there's going to be, so Lewis, you know, another sort of disappointing year for Mercedes. You know, you're looking forward to next year with Ferrari. And he'll be like, yeah, can't wait to get in there. Raining champions Ferrari.

Yeah? Oh, spoiler. Stop it. Come on. But yeah, so sorry to all Lewis Hamilton fans out there. They normally take it well, so it's fine. Yeah, can't wait. Sixth place, Oscar Piastri.

I am on the McLaren hype train, and I will continue to be on the McLaren hype train until they double DNF in Bahrain. Piastri will have a better year, I think, similarly to you, Tommy. I just feel as though his car potentially be a little bit better than maybe you're believing. He has to improve his race pace this year,

and I'm sure with a year under his belt and the data and, and figuring out maybe Lando Norris's driving style slightly if that's going to help him. All of those combinations and factors will allow him to be slightly better in the races. Because it was, and I think when under the radar, slightly worrying how much slower he was than Lando in some occasions towards the end of the year in the races, not in qualifying. I think he was brilliant in qualifying. So closing that gap is something he has to do and I think he will do. But yeah, he won't beat Lando Nouris in the championship.

Speaking of Lando Norris P6, I have gone for Lando Norris Holy cow I know I think like Piaastri it's more on just something about the vibes at McLaren I'm just not feeling that after testing

And if you're wearing orange I know Not papaya though But you're wearing orange I don't get done me started on that Every time I say the McLaren's orange Even if I predict it A 10 out of 10 livery I still get there

It's papaya how dare you yeah the just not I'm just not feeding McLaren for some

reason end of last year I'd have said yeah Landon Norris probably maybe like P3 in the title

or something like that or right up there but now yeah for whatever reason could be totally

wrong but vibes aren't there you're going to read your words I know we're going to reflect

on this at the end of the year and I'm going to go you went for P6 Lando Norris but don't

worry. We'll have to wait and see. Maybe I'll eat my words. Maybe we'll both eat our words and they finished 12th and 14th in the championship or something. Maybe. P5 I have gone for Carlos Sainz. Think Ferrari going to be good. Carlos will have

another year very similar to how he has this year where I think he's a bit more consistent goes under the radar a bit. Won't have those high highs that LeClair has, but will be a solid driver and score a lot of points. And I'm hoping will impress one of the top teams because, yeah, he deserves to be in a good car.

And of course, he doesn't have a seat at the moment. No, he does. And I really hope he doesn't end up at the meme team, but I think he might. P5 for me as well, Carlos Sines. I feel as though, I think it's going to be really close between him and Naclair. because Science has shown every reason for everyone to believe that he is minimally worse than Charles LeCler. It's probably not the best way of trying to give him a compliment.

But I feel as though he is comparable to Charlotte Clare. Last year, he was incredibly impressive. You know, that goes under the radar, I think, how close they actually are. Yeah. Especially when Charlotte Clare is considered to be this upcoming world champion. Yeah, exactly. You know, such a qualifying master and all of this. Carlos, at the big moments, he's the one that delivered last year.

It hurts to say it out loud. But, you know, he got poll at Monsa. He won Singapore. There were these big key highlight moments that I don't feel like he gets enough respect for. But yes, saying that, he's still going to finish behind Charlotte, Clair in the championship. Were you going to say anything else there, let's be honest? No, I can't not, you know, I need to back my boy.

P4, backing my boy, Charlotte. It's going to be fourth for for child this year. Again, I think it's going to be very close between sort of fifth to maybe even second, in my opinion. But yeah, I still don't fully trust that Ferrari are going to. I think it's because I'm hurt. I'm emotionally drained, bruised, bruised, damaged from Ferrari. I just don't trust them in the race, whether that's due to reliability. pit stops which weren't too bad last year but there were still some big moments and just tire

degradation and drivability of the car in which they keep saying it's improved for this year how much it's going to be improved when you've got the likes of red bull looking absolutely unbelievable i just i just don't think they're going to be as close i would love for me to be wrong genuinely i would i would happily eat my words if charlaclair becomes world champion please i will lose all the points um be happy for me P4, I have gone for Lewis Hamilton, which is quite high up for when I said Mercedes would be washed and biggest flop. Does this make Mercedes biggest flop if Lewis Hamilton finishes fourth in the drivers?

Or are you spreading your eggs here? No, I still think they're going to be not great, which is why Russell's down in ninth. I'm just trying to cover off whether you're going to get both points here, Tommy. We'll find out at the end of the season. I will argue it to how it works. but I think Hamilton will deliver in the Mercedes like Alonzo. He is that driver that delivers amazing consistency.

Last year I don't think that Mercedes was, no way was it clear of Aston May and McLaren and Ferrari, yet Hamilton so easily finished third in the end and that included a disqualification as well. And there was points where, where he somehow it would have been a minor miracle that he could have been impressed a second.

And I think that is Hamilton, doing what Hamilton does, where he just extracts the most. And it's a shame because we want to see him win again. But he is that kind of driver that will be like second, second, second in races and third at the moment when like the car's not there

and like deliver the maximum of the car. And that is why I think that he'll score a lot of points, even though I'm not trusting massively in Mercedes. And that's why Hamilton is fourth. Let me pose a question to you then. Okay. You know, we're only human. And I guess maybe something that I believe could happen.

Lewis Hamilton rolls out the blocks in round one, Bahrain. Mercedes are rubbish. You know, they're finishing seventh and eighth. Can he have the same motivation as what he had last year, potentially, where he was maximising all these results. Can he still dig deep for another year with Mercedes knowing he's leaving if that car isn't where it was

and it's the Evil Sister Part 2? Yes. I don't think it's in his nature to just sort of... You know, it will be difficult, but McLaren in 2012, you know, he knew he was going to Mercedes and he was still delivering at the end. I'm not saying he wouldn't try.

I'm not saying he'd be the last person in the garage every night like he would have been trying to develop a Mercedes car that he's leaving. No, but I think he's got the natural talent to overperform, which is why I just, I just, I was, I'm in arring about Hamilton because I do think Mercedes might have a difficult year, but the vibes of like putting him lower down the order, I was just like, I just can't see that for a. Lewis Hamilton and maybe I'm wrong.

We will find out. It's a very fair point. I'm already regretting where I put Hamilton but hey look it's fine I'm locking in the fact that Mercedes aren't going to do very well this year. P3 I have gone for Hamilton's future teammate, Charlerc. Up in P3. That doesn't feel real when you said out. I know it still is mind-boggling. I think Ferrari are going to be

the second best team. Sorry if I've jinxed it already. and I think this year they will actually deliver on that promise. I don't think they're going to be miles ahead of kind of third and fourth. No, say they will. Say they will.

Come on, let's lock this in. Yeah, I think they'll do a better job and I feel like Lecler is going to have a good year. There is always that, I think he's a great driver. There's always that part of me that he is just incredibly unlucky as well sometimes. and you just think that you know like say like when we

went to testing and it was like of course it's Char Leclair that's run over the drain cover and things like that so he has that that in him and that there may be the odd wobble and stuff but I think Leclair's going to do deliver like a really good season I think you'll get a win

yeah I think you'll get I think you will get a win and uh hit like no oh my god you better be tuning into Twitch doing our watch alongs if he does win Yeah, I think what is fascinating is if he does get that win and if he has the year that I'm kind of predicting and it'll be fascinating that dynamic when Hamilton does go there. If LeCleur's delivered this amazing, you know, season and has done a really good job because how does it then shift that Hamilton's coming into his team when he's like LeCleur's delivered and been like that number one driver there. so I'm already getting ahead of myself for that, but I am so excited. Yeah, this is the 2024 Drivers Championship predictions, not 2025.

That one's going to be spicy. Oh, my goodness me. I do think about it almost every single time I go to bed about Charlotte. I'm going to Lerneres. In third, Lando Norris. So I've gone back on him winning the World Drivers Championship. I'm spreading my eggs because the predictions won previously was vibes. You know what I mean?

It's one formula of 1.5. It's, you know, I need to make sure that I cover off some bases here. And this one, you know, if I don't win the other predictions, I want to win this one. See, Alana and RSP3, I think he's going to have a fantastic year this year. Last year, there were some moments that I'm sure he will hopefully have learnt from. But I just, I just think that when that McLaren works, Lando is unbelievable. That he showed on so many occasions last year, especially in that second half. As soon as that McLaren got good, he led the British Grand Prix.

He I just McLaren I know you're listening to this McClaren please give him a good car because if he if he is given one he will win races and he will get that duck off his back and it will be great

okay so please for the love of God and Alan Nouris have a good car P2 I wonder what I've gone for Sergio Perez we'll finish P2 in the driver's championship he has to have a better year than last year

and I feel like he will to a degree I don't think he's going to start winning 10 races this year the car looks very scary so that's going to play into Sergio Perez's hands

if he's got an even bigger buffer to the teams behind which literally makes me want to cry thinking about that but yes I think Perez will still will secure another double red ball one to on the on the bounce um but will he keep his seat that is the question i'll do my p2 now

because uh yeah and it will shock you to hear that i've also gone for sergio perras um yeah i've seen i've seen some people put perras like really low down in predictions and things which is absolutely ridiculous i think unless he loses his race seat halfway through the year like look at look at last season right he finished p2 in the title and and we were still talking about him losing his drive. He had went through that season where he had poor results for quite a few races. Holkenberg had more Q3 appearances and Perez at a certain point in the season we were talking about. And Perez still, you know, if that Red Bull has the advantage, you know, he will be there in the title.

I don't think he's going to challenge Maxx. I don't think he'll have a bad of the year as he did last year. but there is that advantage that it looks like Red Bull have. So I think Sergio Perez will take second in the title and do a good job. I will say, actually, what did play into Perez's hands last year in securing P2 is that we had three other teams that were second fastest. So they were, in theory, taking points off each other. other you know if you had Fernando Alonzo being the second fastest driver at all times Perez isn't finishing second same with Hamilton same with Lando Norris but I guess it

played into his hands that they were all sort of getting podiums and that sort of stuff so interesting and should we set together in first position we have both gone for sorry Maxfus Stappen you had to ruin it with Logan Sartz that's crazy just how did Logie get slander at P1 that's crazy Max for Stappen obviously is the safe bet Formula E's CEO putting a quarter a million on the line

if anyone else wins the driver's championship that's how confident he is I am also incredibly confident I would bet everything that I own that Max Verstappen's going to win this driver's championship I hope I theoretically lose everything I own so that someone else can win but I'm not obviously going to put that on the line

yeah it's so hard to bet it's so hard to bet against him like it's not a regulation change you wouldn't know that based on Red Bull changing their entire car. And he said that the RB20 suits him even more. Does everything he wants and it suits him more. Yeah. That is the worst sentence a Formula One fan that wants neutral competitive racing can hear. Yeah. It's so hard to bet against Max. We said before that in those years where the Red Bull wasn't quite there, he still delivered

and got victories and it was scary to think how good he was going to be when he got that dominant car and it looks like he's going to get an extremely dominant car and he doesn't have a day off. He does not. He does not. He, you know, there's never that moment where it's like, oh,

you know, this is the, he's wrapped up the title. I'm going to like make it. Bloke wins, 19 wins last year and then pops on eye racing. You know what I? Yeah,

to win even more. That's the level that this guy is, is at. And yeah, you'd be very silly to bet against him. which is what I did in the other predictions, but we're fine, we're okay, aren't we? It's fine.

You know, just in case a miracle, a miracle happens. We do know, don't we, deep down? But that is it. That's pretty much sums up our 20th to first Drivers Championship predictions. A big thanks to Silverstone Museum for hosting us here at their incredible venue.

Surprisingly, it's at Silverstone. It is a brilliant venue. It's just great. isn't it? Like you just look around. Formula One cars. There's the Silverstone Trophy there. Helmet designs. There's loads of really cool, nerdy stuff up there. They absolutely love as well. What's this trophy right here? Oh, we've got a trophy on the table as well. This is kind of, we haven't really even inspected it. This is us for being P1 at Silverstone. P1. So they've given us this. Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah. What is it actually for? Does it say on the front? Like, what's,

it's for winning? First place. At the British Grand Prix in 20. 2019. Pass me the trophy. I need to. It's mine. What do you mean it's yours? Can I even lift it? Oh my God.

I'm glad I'm not Formula One driver. Is it heavy? That is more than I've ever. Okay, put it there so I can pick it up individually so I don't actually drop it. You know what I mean? This is, oh my God. Right?

We've won. New fan respect. My arm just, it's quite cold in here. My arm just twinged. Okay, right. That is it. Thank you everybody for watching and listening to this B1 podcast. I hope you enjoyed.

Let's know your 20th of first predictions as well. We'd love to see them in the comments. We will catch you next time, won't we, Tommy? We will reflect on this at the end of the year and just find out how terrible we are at predicting Formula One. So thank you everybody. And I see you very, oh, yeah, we will see. Sorry. Oh, I don't know.

I felt like I was like outtrow into Twitch or something. It's weird, but, you know. Bye. Bye. Make sure you follow us on all of our socials. We're Matt P1, Tommy on Twitter, TikTok, Twitch and Instagram. You can also sign up to our Patreon at the link in the episode notes for ad-free episodes, full video interviews and extra bonus episodes for as little as $5 a month.

Finally, make sure you're following us on Spotify. See you soon. P1 is a Stack production and part of the Acast's creator network.