The Late Braking F1 Podcast - 2024 F1 New Year's Resolutions

Episode Date: January 3, 2024

The boys are back for 2024 with their New Year's Resolutions for some key drivers, teams and personnel in F1. They also discuss McLaren's ambitions for 2024, the newly rebranded Stake F1 Team, and the exit of the FIA's Sporting Director, before finishing with a game of F1: Back and Forth.. FOLLOW us on socials! You can find us on YouTube, Instagram, X (Twitter) and TikTok SUPPORT our Patreon for bonus episodes JOIN our Discord community JOIN our F1 Fantasy League BUY our Merch EMAIL us at [e-mail]   & SUBSCRIBE to our podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network. Thank you for listening to the Late Breaking F1 Podcast. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday and every Sunday. And a very warm welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Eid, Sam Sage. And me, Ben Hocking. It's the first one of 2024. We've forgotten how to podcast probably. What do we do now, Sam?

Yay! I don't know, Augustine. That's all you can say now. had a coffee. Oh yeah, I gave Sam a coffee because we've been doing other things before this. It was fully caffeinated as well. Yeah, it's got all the caffeine. Why? He also put milking it. I'm lactose intolerant. Well, hang on. You asked for the coffee. You were even offered oat milk and you turned it down. That's what lactose intolerant people do. You are intolerant. I'm intolerable.

Yeah, we're back, baby. It's that 2024 energy. We go big. Big 2024 energy. Can't speak, mate. Anyway. Hang a week. We're going to be outrageous. It'll be contagious. And I've turned a new leaf. I have made 100% of the podcast we've done in 2020.

Let's not set any false promises that we can't keep here. So you're welcome, folks. You're welcome. They'll keep track of that percentage throughout the year. You're a dedicated listener out there. I want to see it. Yeah. How many podcasts is Harry miss this year?

Please give us an actual amount. I don't want an attendance record on my name. Well, I do because you're going to start getting paid docked. You get $20. days of holiday, that's it. Me and Ben have got 37 saved up for the last two years. We haven't used them. Nice.

We're going to cash them all in like November and December. We're just not going to show up at all. I'd like to say, we're doing this podcast a day early because Ben can't do one. That is so true. Ben can do one. It's fair point. Piped down, Ben. Benny boy.

Beny boy, speaking of things that we're going to do, what are you going to do on this show? That is a great question, Sam, and I'll answer it for you. F1 back and forth. First one of the year. Got to get that in there, don't we? There is a report that the FIA Sporting Director, Steve Nielsen, has resigned his position.

We'll give our thoughts on that a little bit later on. A little bit on Alfa, I was going to say Alfa Romeo. Salba steak, kick alpha amoeo. Stokekeke. On them later on. McLaren as well,

with a couple of key personnel joining in January. But let's start out because it is the new year. And we hope everyone around the world has had a good new year. We're going to give out some resolutions to drivers, teams, some other individuals you'll soon see. We've each picked a few names and we'll say, what do they need to focus on for 2023? So Sam, we'll start with you and we'll start with the seven-time champion of the world, Lewis Hamilton. What should be his new year's resolution for 2024? There's a lot that I think Lewis Hamilton could take on board, actually. You know,

he had a better year last year than he did the year before. No race wins in the bank, though, for two years in a row. But I think the one thing that he needs to really harness is he needs to become at one with the tyres on his car. Never going to happen, mate. It's not, is it? But it's a new resolution, Lewis, and they are made to be broken.

But if you could just not mown at your tyres for a bit, I think you might get quite far. No, I think it's going to maintain the same level of performance that he did last year and try and push on for another year. I think if he could beat George Russell with that same level, if the car is better than it was last year, a race swing might be on the car. So for Lewis Hamilton, your New Year's resolution is just being as good as you were.

It's hard when you're that good, isn't it, really? Yeah, it's a fair point. Is it then just a case of hoping Mercedes are better than? Yeah, also don't crash into your team, mate. Yes. Stop forgetting where cars are on the circuit. Lewis Hamilton get an eye test for your New Year's resolution. Treat Oscar Piastri better.

Yeah, man. When it comes to the Italian Grand Prix. Yeah, leave him alone. We go again. Harry, Charles Leclair, it's a new year, we go again,

Ferrari, I'm sure this one's this is going to be the year. This is going to be the year when the Ferrari turned this all around and they win their first championship for what is now 17 years.

What should Charlotte Clair's be, New Year's resolution be? Go on. I can't even, can't remember this, Sam. What can you? It's Andiamo de Nueve. Very, well, close.

Andiamo de Nouveauvo. Nouveauvo. We go. again. Charlotte Claire's resolution for this year is not to overdrive. Okay. Because I think there was a bit of that in 2023. Not a lot, but a couple of times more in qualifying it happened where he crashed,

trying to go for pole in a car that wasn't necessarily ready to be on pole. And I think it's going to be frustrated for him, as you say. he's he's had a frustrating few years at Ferrari and I'm worried that he'll get too frustrated and just overdrive and make things worse for himself so I wrote yeah don't overdrive the car also wrote down be better in damp conditions scrub

because that's fair right he's been terrible he was terrible in damp conditions last year full wet god dry god damp man doesn't understand that mortal mortal mortal

a mere mortal Mortal Leclair. Great, we've got our first nickname in, 24 quite early on. Mortal Leclair. Yeah, but no, the serious point to that is, yeah, I think, I just think, obviously it depends what sort of the car they have this year. And if Ferrari are good, then this may not even apply. But I think it's just, just keep calm, shall.

Keep calm, carry on. Fair enough. I'll pick out Lando Norris to start off. and I've gone with don't adjust your approach because I know there were a lot of instances in the second half of the season where he was quite frequently the second quickest driver out there but he also had some errors I think the Qatar sprint as well as Piastri did that day he fully deserved that win Lando Norris probably should have had that if he hadn't made the mistake himself Mexico is another one he had a great fight back through the field that day but even that P5 was probably two positions, maybe three lower than what he should have achieved. So there were errors that crept in towards the end of last season. But I don't think he should adjust his approach because right now with Vastappan and

Red Bull the way that they are, I think it's the only approach you can have in order to try and take race wins away from Vastappan and that team. Now, we don't know exactly where Red Bull and McLaren are going to be when we turn up in Bahrain testing in a couple months time. So there is that to say. but I think if we are in a similar position to what we ended last year, if Lando Norris keeps up this all-out approach, yes, he's going to make a couple of errors.

Yes, he's going to make some mistakes. But I think that's acceptable. And I think I would rather him be that way and threaten a race win here and there, rather than take 5% off his performance and then just settle for a lot of third places. I think I would rather him go for it. So I've gone with don't adjust your approach for Lando Norris. It's nice little package. is wrapped up delightfully.

Okay. We're talking about Lano Doris? You could do, but that's not for me to say. He's a nice little package. Oh, come on. How far in a week now into this? Four minutes? Eight minutes.

You've made an awful joke. To be fair, just coming out of the Christmas season, so, you know, you can get a graphic joke and presents. It's time of year. The early year fitness jokes. Sure. That's what the mood is, isn't it? Spring cleaning.

It's winter. Not for some people. move on this is town thanks Sam and we'll go to Sam there you go for Fernando Alonzo

I'm glad you got me Fernando I'm going to go with continue to never settle and also keep being a menace that man when he's got the bit between his teeth

when he knows there's a chance that he could go his way he will just keep plugging away he will just continuously be a painting everyone's backside to make sure that he gets

the absolute top he can get. Every time that that Ashton Martin was good last year, he pulled out a phenomenal performance. How many polio should he not have got if it was any other driver? The amount of times he scored points when Stroll was nowhere near. I know there's a golf and talent, but, you know, he could have easily have settled for something lower down just because he'd gone where the car wasn't there, but he didn't. He's so good at elevating that car. I don't want him to lose that yet. So, Fernando Alonso, do not settle back. Do not take your foot off the throttle. Keep pushing for the best that you can because if the car works, that could be the top spot.

If the car's there, it could be the top spot for him. I still think if it's the right moment, he has got what it takes to take that top spot. So do not settle. That's what I want for Fernando. Do not settle. Is that a resolution that's going to be easier to achieve the better the car is? Because if, let's say, Aston Martin start out this year and they are at a similar performance level to where they ended 2023,

and they are maybe the fifth fastest team, does that make it more difficult to achieve that because the car isn't there, it's easier to lose motivation? It's Fernando Alonkso. How many times have we seen Fernando Alonkso go? One year I'm all excited. Oh, it hasn't gone the way I want to get to the next year or so

and that motivation and that cohesion within the team has dramatically dropped over the course of 12 to 18 months. You know, Al-Ping, first year he was all happy. The second year is at LPing. It was not happy families anymore. Yeah, snappy. Nice one, Ben. Very good. You're on it this year. And that's what happens with Fernando. We thought with McLaren. First gear back into, you know, McLaren. Oh, very excited. Second year, GP2 engine. Hated, disgusting. Get out my life. Vile. That is what Fernando was like. I recall him saying exactly those words. So, get out me life. Get out me life. Brum, brung. You know, Fernando Alonkso, he needs, he needs the support from the team, both mentally, but also mechanically. He needs. to be able to be sure that the machinery he's got underneath him is able to deliver results.

And if the car can deliver results, Fernando Alonkso will absolutely be reliable enough to deliver your results. So yes, of course, it depends on if the machinery is good. But I think that will be the case for a lot of resolutions that we're providing for these drivers. A difficult one coming Harry Ead's way here, because, you know, what resolution can you possibly put out for the back-to-back world champion, Max Verstappen? But give it a go. Harry, what should the New Year's resolution be for him? Don't lose three races this year. Wow.

Win them all. What if you lose is five races? Well, then that's worse. Oh. Don't lose three. I mean, win them all. No. As you say, a difficult one for Stappen,

to give one to the Stappen because, yeah. Statistically, the best season in all time. Well, what else can you ask him to do? What I was thinking, and I guess this is in the hope, that 2024 is a closest season, please. But if it is for Vastappan, I would, we've seen it, we saw it a couple of times last year, but not many times.

But just remain, remain calm. If you're not in the lead, as you have been for the past 18 months, remain calm and don't become, I don't know, frustrated because I think we've seen that, whereas before when Vestappan obviously wasn't winning all the time, it was different.

But I think we've seen in the last year or so, the rarity, rare times when he wasn't in the liege and all the car wasn't working, he would get very frustrated. I'm thinking about now all the way to, I think it's Spain, 22. Was it 22?

I think so. Do you remember when he kept pressing DRS? He was the most annoyed man in human history. Hume? Absolutely fuming. It's that sort of thing. I think when it starts to not go his way, I think that would, my resolution would be just be calm.

Yeah. In those situations. I'm glad you got that one because I would have gone with Give everyone else a chance, please. I don't think that's in his best interest, but fair enough. Be the entertainer.

Take your foot off the throttle for half the race and see what happens. Just half throttle. Only 50% allow for Max Westappan. Yeah. Wins by 12 seconds. Probably. Oh dear.

I think that's an interesting one from you, Harry, on that because I guess it is a bit of a perspective thing where realistically, I say this now, it can't really get any better for Vestappen, apart from, as you say, when those last couple of races, it can only be the same or worse. And it might be a perspective thing

where if it is worse than what it was in 23, even if he has, like, a say, a 2022 season, versus what he's just had, that is a bit of a downgrade. And I don't know what his mental approach will be to that sort of a car that he has under him. I don't know. I'm going to go for another set of champions.

I'm going to go with Alpine. Cut the champs. Champions of our hearts. Chumps, my bad. Yeah, a 2024 constructors champions, I'm going to predict that now. Early bold prediction, Alpine. Okay.

And where's the punch line? Oh, there it is. Thank God. No. My New Year's resolution, other than hire some people and keep them, is rediscover the consistent. of 2022. Now, I appreciate getting back to 2022 levels isn't ultimately where they want to go,

but it would be a step in the right direction as to what they had in 2023. If you think about it, 22, when they had Alonzo and Ockon in their final season as a partnership, they had no podiums that year. Yet in 2023, they had two. Ockon had a podium at Monaco and Ghazley had a podium at the Netherlands. And both seasons had exactly the same number of races. In fact, 2026. had three more sprint races. So if you were to look at those two together, you'd say, well, 23 was the better season, you'd think, just based on that, right? But it was the consistency of 22, which they were just unable to replicate in 23.

Because Ocon and Alonzo, they scored points a lot of the time. They scored 31 times out of a possible 47 opportunities in 22. Compare that to 23. It was 26 out of 50. So that's percentage-wise, 66 down to 20. 52. Not good. Not good.

Not good. Not the stamina. That was great. The stat itself isn't very good. They retired a lot. They retired a lot this season, last season. There were 10 retirements between the two drivers. Only Williams had more than that with 11.

And you look at the team. So Red Bull had two. Mercedes had five. Ferrari had five. McCarrant had four. Astamard had six. These are the types of teams. they want to be competing against,

and yet they've got double the amount of retirements that they do. So just a reinstatement of some consistency would be a good start for the team, and then maybe 25 is then the year to push ahead a little bit more. I'm just trying to be realistic, Alpine, I'm sorry. Just settle expectations now. I really hope they turn off at Bahrain testing and they're smug again about something. No, they need to cry because clearly the opposite is what happens. So they always be sobbing, a fire in the garage.

I don't know. Ockong is there playing blackjack on the front of the pit wall and not paying attention to anything. It comes out, war mode, race one, wins. Oh God, I forgot about the war mode. The war mode. The war mode. Come on.

It's the new Lepland. Right, going back to Sam for a final one from you. Mohammed Ben Suleim. Right, Mohammed. Just get the table laid. We're going to put out a nice candlelit dinner because we need words here because you are our one true saviour

of the chance of bringing in an 11th Formula One team Sounds good of wine and dining I've got a wine dying out Have a nice time With Mohammed and Williamsonia Yeah that's a win Thank you Kevin Malone Oh boy

Nice Basically mate You are the one person how ridiculously controversial you are, outlandish that you are, you are the one person that is rooting in the public eye for more F1 teams on this grid. So keep pushing my son and get us more teams and more drivers. You need to keep annoying the F1 management system to make sure that we're always involved. We're always in the know.

The teams are being shown up that more teams is a good thing. It allows more investment. You're the one spokesperson. I never thought you would be, Mohammed. I never thought I'd be the one bigging you up for this, but you have been good at this. So do it, make it happen.

Make our dreams come true. It's a good pet talk. I'm on his side. I told you, I could come up wherever he wants. We'll have a nice little candlelit dinner. And when he walks out of that room, we'll have 11 teams.

God. So I'm worried where these sentences are going. Yeah. As long as MBS is listening and he's doing something about it, that's all the matters. Love you, MBS. Similar one for you.

you, Harry, but instead we'll extend it out to the FIA as a whole. Four. So it's a tough one. Just one. The one I'm going to go for is stop giving out five second penalties for literally anything. Nice. You've covered this before, Ben. But it ranges from murder to accidentally not spilling a drink on someone in the paddock.

I've done that. Five second penalty. Yeah, just, and this obviously is probably a wider comment on the penalty system itself, but just have a variety of penalties for different crimes. Everyone likes a variety. Exactly. You don't always go and buy Twix every time, do you? Twix is great, but you don't have it every single time. My friend Sam's got a great point.

Yes, you don't always want Twix. Sometimes, Kid the Wago. Sometimes a Mars. Conclusion, you don't always want a Twix. No, but seriously. Give out some different penalties this year. Correct. Because sometimes a five-second penalty,

i.e. Sergio Perez, murdering Alex Albon or Kevin Manningson, isn't always fair. Yeah. That point. Yeah. Do you remember, speaking of five-second penalties given to people,

and we deserved it at this point? Do you remember when we got invited into the Ascomarting hospitality suite, and they said, take what you want from the fridge, and we literally took about 18 drinks between the four of us, and rang off down the paddock with them. We?

Yes, we. Is that the... Royal We. All four of us are on this call. It was your bag that was full of them. I may have been the mule, but you were definitely the traffickers of the drinks. To be clear, we weren't drink trafficking.

Oh, that's what I felt like that day. Good. Sam, the donkey. Seamless segue. Alex Albans next. He carries that team on his shoulders. Yeah, perfect. That works.

My New Year's resolution for Alex Albin, stay on the track, mate. Alex Albin's really good at nearly everything, apart from staying on the track. That's why it's so fast. Yeah, it is, yeah. We don't know how much the FIA are going to police track limits again in 2024. Maybe they'll do what they did at Qatar and Austria in 23.

Maybe they relax it. I don't know. But if they are in any way strict, Alex Albin, apart from maybe Pierre Gazley, might be the biggest offender in terms of in terms of track limits out there. And it hasn't really cost him yet. But if Williams keep going in the direction they want to go in,

it might get to the point where those penalties start to rack up and do become problematic for him and the team. Yeah. So I'm going to go with Alex Albin and stay on the track. That's a good set of New Year's resolutions there. I think they'll all be listened to. And followed through. Yes.

Bonus one. Bonus one here. What should the late breaking New Year's resolution be? Well, do you want to give one to Harry particularly? Why? Why me? Yeah. Ah, just, you know, attendance record probably.

100% this year. Look at you. Always is smashing it. I'm proud of you. You're welcome. Let's get more than five-fold predictions right as a person. and one person get more than we got, what, six? Five in a year.

Yeah, actually, at five last year. You got four, didn't you? Yeah. Come on, four. And that was a miracle last year. That's fair. That was a miracle. Yeah, okay.

Let's make a better podcast. That's a great idea. Let's make it realistic. Come on. Let's say, before we go to our first break, we only take sort of two weeks off, like, consistently throughout the whole year. We pre-record a few things, do a few best of episodes between Christmas and New Year.

To the point where this is pretty much the only like two weeks or so that we don't record. So glad we're recording again. Oh, I missed it. I immediately missed it. I hope you all enjoy your festive hires. Oh, and your festive lowers. I heard Rio Long O'Reel was back. Oh, well, at some point in this year, I'm sure it will be.

Yeah, but it was in our special episode for Christmas. Oh, yeah, it was the first one. I listened to it earlier. It's terrible. It's not terrible. It's so good. People love Sebastian. That was even in that bit.

Oh, gosh. Yeah, it's been a long tree. He's calling who. Hall of fame of the banker. He'll be back. Hall of fame, yeah, very much so. Indeed. We'll take our first break of 2024.

First sandwiches out for 2024. What you're having? After this, we'll be discussing McLaren. Tell me your fillings. That's a great new catchphrase. I didn't mean you two either. I meant the listeners. Tell me your fillings.

Double fingergongs. Tell me your feelings. Ham of muscular. See me your fillings now. Cheese and tomato. That should be a new feature every time. Tell me your feelings. We've got a little submission.

A sandwich submission. Sandwich of the week. Sam sandwich. Sam sandwich. Tell me your feelings. Sandwich. Sandwich. We're sandwiches. That's it.

Oh, God, it's just, you know that news resolution about being a better podcast. It just got worse. Okay, welcome back, everyone. Moving on to McLaren. So with the new year, comes a few new faces with McLaren in their technical department. So after periods of gardening leave, Rob Marshall, who spent about 17 years in a senior role at Red Bull and David Sanchez, who was chief engineer of vehicle concept at Ferrari, have started working for McLaren or W. start working for them this month. Now, we covered both of those moves when they happened or when they were announced in 23.

But of course, now we actually get to see the pair of them in action. So, Sam, do you think that they can be a key factor in the push for second place in the championship this year? 100%. These names across the F1 Paddock are highly respected. They are incredibly intelligent people. How ironic, I missed up the word. Incredible. That is so mean.

What a idiot. They are incredibly intelligent, and they have a huge track record of success, you know, both at Red Bull and at Ferrari, and as much as Ferrari haven't been exactly, you know, singing the high notes of first in the championship, it's pretty good at what he does. So they've done exactly what happened to Mercedes to a couple of other teams and started poaching key personnel.

Now, it's come at exactly the right time, because what is really promising for McLaurin is the changes they made last year and took into effect. Clearly had a huge boost to their performance already. It was already a successful change. They created those three core pillars within the team. Skeller's done a really good job at managing these three key areas

and not overseeing every single one himself. And now you're bringing these two key personnel who are also very successful in their own right. To me, this is a really, really exciting change from McLaren. It shows ambition. It shows drive to change something. It shows that they're going after, competitors and key personnel within those competitors to make positive changes, to change

their know-how, to improve the car long term. It is something that made Red Bull so successful at the start of this era. You remember how Mercedes had all this key person now and Red Bull went along and poached a load of them. And all of a sudden, you saw Red Bull jump from being the second best car consistently to now winning everything that they're doing. This is what feels like the shift from McLaren. And I said this about some of the other teams. I think we said it about Ascom Martin, you can't just copy the design. You have to continue to essentially steal the foundations, which are the people that come up with these ideas to have long-term success, increase your longevity of success. And McLaren are doing exactly that. They had a great base.

It was very, very positive from kind of Austria all the way through to the end of the year. And what are they doing with that base? They're now building on it with concrete, solid options that they know have been successful previously. So this is exciting. I feel very positive. I think this is what McLaren needed to do. Zach Brown has done a great job at creating a culture, which is ambitious, forward thinking, and seems to be making sensible, but solid ideas moving forward.

I think we could see a really positive McLaren team over the next two, three seasons. It's so crazy the transition in the narrative when it comes to McLaren as well, because it wasn't that long ago, realistically, we were saying about Zach Brown, this needs to work. Otherwise, I don't know, is there

any future for him in this position. Now we're talking about them as potentially the team with the most upside in that midfield or that leading sort of upper midfield as it is right now. It's fascinating. And it just shows how quick that turnaround has been. Harry, these two acquisitions that they've now got in place from this month onwards, how much of an impact do you think they'll have on this season? In terms of this season, I do not doubt their credentials whatsoever.

In terms of this season, I don't know if I just don't think they're. going to be there enough, have been there for enough time to make much of a difference. And again, that's not a slight on them. I think it's just the way it goes in F1. You look at, you mentioned Astor Martin, Dan Fallows, for example, he was there in 2022, but the fruits of his labour didn't appear until 2023. So I think you might see the same again. And obviously, they've been on gardening leave and that doesn't stop them thinking, but until you actually get into the factory and start doing the work. you may not see it.

Maybe towards the end of the season we might do, but then obviously with cost cap, we see developments don't always, we don't tend to see lots of development right up to the end of a season nowadays. So yeah, I'm as skeptical on that front, but I've got no doubt that for 2025 onwards. I know we're only day two into 2024 here,

but next year onwards, they'll be there to make a difference. So, yeah, as you say, it's the upward trajectory for McLaren continues with these two. And I mean, fair play to the, I guess the board of McLaren for keeping their faith in Zach Brown.

Because as you say, but maybe for a bit, you could say it was a shaky ground for, for Zach, especially, you know, a few, there was a few bits of turnover with personnel.

But yeah, as you say, it's looking quite positive for them. So not in the, not in the immediate term, but I think definitely they'll have an impact. Lots of belittle what McLaren are doing here.

But you know, like when, you play like a management game, like F1 manager, you look at a team, you go, well, what can I do in the game? Or I need to get my drivers sorted. Well, they've done that. They've got that foundation sorted. And you go, oh, what's my facilities look like? Oh, they're ranked sixth out of the 10 teams. So let's upgrade, though, so they did their wind tunnel recently, didn't they? They've got a brand new wind tunnel. Okay, that's great. That's now the second best facility. Now what need to change? The personnel. Stellas doing a great job at organising that personnel and bringing them

in. And I think they're elevating their personnel from being the fourth, fifth best personnel on the grid to matching the likes of Red Bull of Mercedes and pushing forward for having, I'm not saying a dominant era, but possibly a dominant era of challenging at the top again and not being a fourth or fifth best team every season. It could be a serious contender for regular seconds, fighting for firsts now over the next five seasons if this continues to go to plan on the trajectory that they're currently finding themselves, I think. I think this is the thing like when we talk about Alpine, it doesn't,

the change takes so long now, like in Formula One, to get a team up the grid. And even then, it's not like a continuous upward trend. I think even for McLaren, who had positive years in 20 and then 21,

but then 22 went downhill, start 23, wasn't great. 17th in the DNF. Sounds favorite stat. The right point, that sounds. I know. But it's the, they have to, the people that own these teams

have to have the trust in what is being put in place, which I don't think that ownership of Alpine, Renner, whatever, have ever given anyone enough time in that team to do anything about it? So I think McLaren is showing that's what you need to do. You just got to keep the faith. I reckon you set out a 100 race plan. That's a great idea.

I don't think anyone's done that before. Is anyone getting pregnant along the way? Well, that's, you know, maybe nine legs this month, but I'm not sure. We've done it. When race 100 is actually going to be. We'll celebrate it. If you were to see that out. Doing an LP party.

We're a part of the party. Hoppers. At the maternity ward. Without, here we are talking about McLaren and it's just turning into another dunking. Alpine. I was also going to bring up Alpine

because it is an interesting comparison point because in theory last year they were in a very similar position where you could say both of them could make strides if they made the correct moves. And it's almost as if McLaren have ticked off everything on that list and Alpine have misread every item on that list and done the opposite. Because yes, getting these key personnel in place was something they needed to do.

Getting the driver line up sorted for the long-term future is what they need to do. They've absolutely done that. Yeah, they are ticking off all of the areas in which they need to proceed you. Very rightly bring up the wing tunnel as well. So, yeah, I'm excited to see particularly the overall future for, for Montgomery's. McLaren based on these two hires i tend to agree with you harry that it's probably going to be more 25 and onwards that their true benefit will be seen but i think they they could make some incremental gains in 24 by having them both in the building so yeah i think getting them in at this

point is is going to be an overall positive i think andrea stella has overall as a boss preached caution i would say after what happened in 22 sorry 23 with it being a very encouraging year overall, but just making sure that expectations aren't too out of line getting into 2024. But I think the response that he's given here is about right, because he could have easily said, these two are going to be the catalyst to the next generation and it's going to be a massive success and people might expect things out the gate. And if that doesn't happen, that's going to be disappointment.

He could have gone the other way and said, there's no way they're going to impact this season at all. But he's gone with this, I think, quite sensible middle ground of saying, we'll get a good boost. out of both of them, which is, I think is probably going to be fair. They'll get a boost. I don't think they're going to get the same level of dramatic turnaround that they had in the middle of 2023. I don't think that's possible. But certainly if they can just get better and better and better throughout the course of the year, that puts them in a really, really encouraging position, which only leaves the question, I think, at this point, to go back to what you said, Sam,

of getting everything in place, is the power unit. You know, what is, what does the future of that look like, is the current model sustainable for a championship push? Do you have any initial thoughts on that, Sam? I still think that customer teams, other than Red Bull, who we know are a very different breed, because they have been a single customer for a while, and then obviously they took on the ownership of their own power unit. And again, they're now working with Ford for the future. I think McClara need to go down the same route. I think they need to steer away from being a straight-up customer team currently of Mercedes. Obviously, if you're new to Formula One, they buy the rankings from the Sades. And I think they need to try and find themselves a sole supplier. Ascom Martin,

they've already taken that move forward with the move to take on Honda, right? And that's, that's, makes sense to me, like sense to gain total autonomy by controlling a very, very key part of your car, the thing that makes it go broom, broom, up the track quickly, the engine, right? And if you've got control over it and you're not relying on a direct competitor to give you something that's competitive, then I think if I'm Mercedes, I would never give you the absolute best product I had. I will never give you the perfect thing that I've got in my car. It would always be mildly adjusted. It always be slightly down tuned. You might be paying good money, but I'm not going to let you beat me in the championship with an engine that's as good as mine is. So go out there and find

yourself as a plier long term that's willing to give you an engine that you can work on, you can invest in, you can tune up. McClaren have the investment now. They have the cash. There's a lot of sponsorship going on there as well, I do not think it would be difficult for them to find a sole supplier just for them. I think, Ben, you're very right to call out the engine being a key weakness of McLaren. Not because the Mercedes engine is bad, but because they don't have total autonomy and control over that key area of their Formula One car. I think it's a very crucial part to be able to control and decide and direct themselves. So, yeah, go out there, find something that they can control and they can earn, and it's theirs.

What are your thoughts on the power unit situation, Harry? Because you've got Aston Martin, I know they're going to Honda, obviously, but at least with the Mercedes power unit last year. You've got Aston Martin and you've got McLaren, one starts of the year very well, one ended the year very well, but Mercedes still beat them both. What happens if McLaren do start to actually get ahead of Mercedes in the championship? Does that relationship stay intact if that's the case?

I think it was stay intact, although, having said that, you know, Toto was, oh God, remember the apology letter? I know I bring the sub all the time. You love it. We're almost the one year anniversary. Australia, baby. But I think if they get continually beaten by a customer, then yeah, they're going to be annoyed. They were annoyed after the first few races last year when they were being beaten by Austin Martin.

So, yeah, maybe it would break down. It wouldn't be the first time it's been that way around because when Mercedes re-entered, they weren't winning and McLaren were beating them then as customers. Yeah. But yeah, it's interesting because it feels like the teams like Aston Martin, Red Bull, who, you know, have got Ford and then Honda, they are covering their backs because they don't want to repeat of 2014 when 2026 rolls around and to get absolutely shafted by the engine regs,

which, in fairness, they're not anywhere near as drastically different as they were, the change that is. from 13 to 14. But you've got those teams doing that. And then you've got McLaren who I feel like trying to believing in the formula, believe in the formula. We are the formula. This is the formula.

In the fact that, and I think I saw a comment from Zach Brown himself the other day about how he thinks Formula One is becoming closer and closer to Indy car in terms of performance gap. And I don't know, that feels like that's what McLaren are banking on. Yeah, counting on. that Formula One as a formula will become so close that it won't matter if you've got a Mercedes Ford, Honda, Ferrari, Renault engine regs

that, you know, you have the homologation and the disparity between each engine, there is only so far an engine can be better than another now. So yeah, maybe, maybe, well, I tend to agree with you, Sam, in terms of, it's not my mug, that you can't be a customer and win a championship anymore. used to be. Control your own deskingly. But I don't know, maybe there is something in that. Maybe F1 will head to that point that it won't matter too much if you've got a customer or your own engine. And as I mentioned, you could argue the point. We might already be there. We might be at the point where I don't think at any point in 2023, we looked at McLaren and

said the reason they're not winning is because of their power unit. I don't think any team, maybe Alpine being the only exception but again with Alpine I don't think they would have switched positions if their power unit was a little bit better or a little bit worse. They were just in the middle of nowhere, right? But I think if you look at the 10 teams

no one would say we'd have been higher up if we had a different engine. I don't think that anyone could accurately say that so we might already be there but it's an interesting debate nonetheless before we go to our second break I want to put a hypothetical to you Harry.

do you have to. Let's say I am a person. You are. I am. I really like F1. I really like F1. And as a result of my liking for F1, I've decided to pick up this podcast and it's called the late breaking F1 podcast. Interesting. And I really enjoy it. I've heard of it. What should I do about that? Ben, I'd never thought you'd ask, give it five stars. Oh, how do you do that? What you do is you open your, depending on your, depending on your, your platform. Depending on your platform. Open your podcast platform of choice. Multiple.

Give us five stars and then suck it up your butt. If you can write, stick it up your butt. Yeah. As we always say, folks, five star reviews help us a lot.

And every time we do one of these plugs and ask you to write something stupid, it works. So we're going to keep doing it. And it's the five stars that matter, not what you say. Literally the five stars that matter. The other day,

someone basically said, we weren't very good at being a podcast but gave us five stars and thank you for that and I think you're going to have a good time really had a real good time yeah I think the last push we did around milk massages and Mohammed Benzulium has been the best response we ever had

the fact that someone replicated the bears beats Battlescar Galactica with milk massage Mohammed Bencilium really made me laugh so yeah seriously it really helps us as we start 2024 we want to be last year

us our biggest ever year. Huge. So we keep setting ourselves a big target to be. So this is going to be even bigger. And one way to do that is by helping us with five-star reviews. As we say,

right where you want, the one for this time round is stick your podcast up your butt. But also you love it. Yeah, we're looking to go full-time on it. That helps us. Keep it up.

All right. We'll be back in a couple of minutes. We'll be taking this quick outbreak now. Okay, moving on from McLaren to someone who is X McLaren, and that being James Key, who is currently working for steak, Salber, someone.

Can we talk about this first? Do it, should we start with that? Yes. They're called steak F1. I hate it. That is a mistake. That's what it is. And someone pointed this out to me on Twitter,

and this is probably why I'm going to hate it so much. The amount of crofty puns that we're going to get this year. Around steaks. What I find comical is that because it is a gambling sponsor, it can't be said in most nations we're going to. The BBC cannot call it steak F1 team in any publication. It's called a kick.

Or salber. Yeah, awful name. Just call it salber. What is the point in this? Are we making a podcast-wide decision that we're going to call it Salba? Yes. I might call it a different name every week. Are you going to set yourself that bar, that challenge?

I'm not going to come into it. That's a lot of weeks. We'll see how we do. 52. 52 different games. We'll see how I go. Number one, what's the one for this week? Steak bike. Right.

I was going to go with Nick Hydefeld, Barmi, Army. Sorry, we're related. They used to drive for him. Yeah, I can go, but that is easy. By week 52, mate, you might want to use that. Well, don't rule it for me, mate. Keep that one. Man, he sits under a tree of font team.

Yeah. Awful. Right. So we all agree we hate the name. It's the worst name in Formula One history. Pollard racing for the win. Let's go on on the camera. We're so bright.

Thank you. Sorry to a YouTube watch. Angels. Away from the name itself, James Key believes that an immensely tight grid is a reason for optimism at the team. They were ninth place in 2023 with 16 points and they were just four points ahead of Hasse

who finished in last place. They weren't to be denied Hasse. Alpha Romeo gave it a good go, but Hasse managed to clinch it. I love that at the bog. So do you think Sam that the... What? Huss love it at the bottom. Oh, right.

Oh my God. Thanks, Sam. Goodness me. You can tell me we have a number this for a few weeks, folks. Good Lord. Can the team at least get back to where they were in 2020, Sam? I think this is incredibly optimistic. And I think this is pure PR speak for a whole new brand.

and, you know, there's a lot of backers. I saw that champagne papy, Drake's involved. I thought that was a mistake. Hey! I didn't even do that on purpose. Oh, good, good. Yeah, it's involved in some capacity.

I guess because it's a straight, no, kick is a streaming platform, so. And his, I had to look then. It's got something about steak in his bio, drink. Oh. Drake, steak. He's got steak in the business.

Drake steak Drake steak Come on Hotline stage Oh my hotline steak Um God steak Right

This is Entirely pure PR speak And I appreciate what you're saying It makes sense It's logical that Oh the Griggs title We can have some improvements So therefore we're going to fly up the field

But where are you improving This rapidly You've missed Half of the development cycle So unless Alpha Amaya during their period brought in a load of engineers that can work on the car that understood the car better than the previous engineers did, who weren't doing a very good job, let's be honest. Alpha Amaya were not exactly running away with success last season or the season before.

It has got some progressively worse, if anything. So unless Stakekick.com have decided to bring in a load of engineers from, I don't know, Red Bull or Mercedes or somewhere else, they've magiced them off with their streaming platform, then I don't see how they're going to get any progressively better. they haven't got any new engine or anything. And if anything, all their money in development cycle is surely going to still going to Audi. Because that's where the real big push is. This is a filler.

This is a sandwich filler. We're back. Show us your fillings. So... Tell us, isn't it? Tell us your fillings or sending pictures. So I don't understand how this is anything more than pure motivational PR speak

and not anything other than just we're open to give it a good go but there's no there's no substance to this message there's no actual foundation to the building that he's trying to erect it's just purely

it's just purely I was fine it was him I'm not saying it at you yeah it's a standard word you can erect a building mate anyway

curses left thank God she's on mute yeah and you K-Bogg anyway I just start to stand he's building it on sand and the sand is PR rubbish

and it's going to fall over very, very quickly so no, I do not think they're sending a springboard their way up, the league of board and fundamentals

was fighting with the likes of, I don't know, McLaren and Astiam Martin in third and fourth or something. It's just an absolute load of Pottle Dash. Nice.

That's lovely. Yeah, it's not great, is it? The team. Do you want to hear a really damning statistic because this is really damning. Alpha Romeo, and I will call them Alfa Romeo because they were

Alpha Romeo at this point, they had 39 points from the first six races of 2022. Since then, that is 38 races. They've had 32 points. They scored more in the first six of 2022 than they have in the last 38 since then. Damning. Stadman!

Damn, man. That'd be damning. Yeah, nice. I don't really have any. issue with what James Key said here in that, like, he's correct. We have seen the overall grid in terms of pace shrink, I guess, that that gap isn't there like it was in previous years. So, yeah, I mean, with a new design, maybe they can make some strides. Who's to say? We have had surprises at the beginning of seasons. Alpha Romeo themselves were one at the beginning of 2022, but even, you know, Hass were good at the beginning of 2020. McClaren have dramatically transformed.

seen movement up and down the grid. So maybe he's right, maybe he's wrong. I do agree, Sam, with the reason why he's saying it. Timing-wise, it just makes sense to give a bit of optimism rather than come around and say, don't really know where we're going to be in 2024. Let's find out. What I do have an issue with is the lack of accountability from the team, and I don't even know what to call them, because I'm talking about last year and this year, with how they even got to this point. As we've mentioned, their car. was good for six races or about maybe two months. They were very well aware that this development cycle was going to be at minimum four years.

So if you've built a car that is good for just two months of that, that is a failure. And they're not coming out and saying that it was a failure. They've said that the current development has reached the end of its cycle. No, it reached the end of its cycle at Miami last year. or sorry now two years ago, not at the end of 2023 as they're trying to claim it was the case. And you knew how long the development cycle was going to be. So this wasn't a case of it just got to the end of the road, didn't it? No, the end of the road was a long time ago.

You just failed to spot it until and do anything about it until this point. So I just think there needs to be more, I don't know, accountability is probably the right word. I think there needs to be more accountability within the building to say, look, we went with this direction. clearly it hasn't worked. We're now pivoting and going in a completely different direction. And, you know, I think given the circumstances, it's the right thing to do. I just wished that they'd be a bit more open

about why they're having to do it. Yeah, you tell them, Ben. Harry, outside of the name, which you've already said you love, what do you think about this quote? Yeah, I don't, to be honest, I have much more to add than you said. It's the...

Just own up, guys. It's been a terrible car since Miami, 2022 onwards. Yeah, it baffles me because they are just now a filler team. They are. Waiting for Audi to come along. Tell us a Phillies. Someone sends in an Audi.

Sandwich with an Audi in it. Can I have the Audi? Yeah. Steak sandwich. There we go. Love that. In the same way that, not, yeah, kind of in the same way,

but how has have been, like, what's the ambition with Hass? It's, now I feel the same about, about steak, Sauba. Just like, what is there? Why are they there as an F1 team for the next two years? I read their,

I read their press release thing about changing the way that partnerships an F1, and I was like, I was almost sick. whatever, but cool. Yeah, make a better car first. And like you say, Ben, take the accountability for it. Admit the car's not been good for a long time and that you've made a mistake.

Yes, you need to pivot. But just, yeah, admit your mistake there, guys. I've got a real bonus to pick with them other than the name. They've stolen our colour scheme. Yes. Rude. I am fuming. Fuming.

I like a green car. as much as the next guy. But don't come along here acting like we didn't do it first. Yeah. At least let us be on the car. I eat state bakes if you let us on the car. Don't come along here and like we didn't steal it from Braun. Brody, brawl, braw.

Probably Braun. It's a different colour, green. Jason Braun is still my favourite quote. Yeah, a few men about that. But at least they're not around for forever. I hope it does look cool because the name is so hideous that hopefully the car will be so weirdly radical, it will look cool.

And also be better, please. Maybe they do a brawn. Maybe just green cars that are only here for a year or so are suddenly amazing. No, that's wrong. Catera and Maria and that wasn't, that was not good. Nope. Nope. They won the championship in the first year and they just stuck around.

That was the issue. Catererum. Yeah. Good old Tony Fernandez. Before we move on, just to say, if you're going to make an announcement on Twitter that you've got something to announce at 9 o'clock on New Year's Day. Make an announcement at 9 o'clock on New Year's Day. Don't just do on Instagram.

Can I introduce you to scheduled post? No, do you know why they did it? Why? They have not got Stake F1 team, the official at. Someone else owns it and they will try and get it as there is still at Alpha Mayor Racing and they didn't want to make an announcement on an old channel and confused people. That's why they did it on Instagram.

They are still. With that in mind. They're still loading. Get that sorted first. Still loading. How embarrassing is it that you could have. you get an ad on Twitter or whatever is X. So there's a stake F1.

Stake F1. It's owned by a RAND. Stale. We'll go off. It's owned by a random person. That's so funny. Dom, the Egan.

I really hope they get like thousands of pounds in terms of offers and they're just turning it down because they hate the name. Yeah. It's actually me. I've got the rights and I'm just not giving it to them. Mate, that could have found this podcast for years.

Please ask for some money. Oh, that is so good. Stake F1 team. is owned by someone else and they won't give it up to them. Stick F1 team as well. Yes. Oh dear. They've absolutely mucked it up.

Oh well. It boasts well. That is a new record though. For what? For time taken in a year for things to go wrong for an F1 team, nine hours. Yeah. Immediately wrong.

It says a lot that they couldn't get a social media account set up properly. How are you going to run a Formula One team? Yeah. Okay. Well, soon find out how they do this year. Let's move on to the FIA again. The BBC is reporting that Steve Nielsen, who has been the sporting director at the FIA since January of last year, apparently he's off. He's going to resign from his position. He was F1 sporting director for five years, but the BBC is now reporting that he's going to step down from the FIA due to

unhappiness about changes not being made where he feels unnecessary. in the race control operations. Sam? I mean, so if I am I right in believing that he is one of two that were brought into a place Michael Massey at the end of 21? So, well, at least last year it was a sole race director and his name is completely gone from my mind. But we had no idea, good.

I can't remember his name. Good, well done us. We're a F on podcast and we cannot remember that person. Oh, anyway. Yes, you do a job for five years for essentially the sister corporation, you know, Formula One and do a good job by all accounts. And then you get this job. And within 11 months, you go, that's enough for me.

It's not good, is it? It's really not good. And how many times have we, we've liberated them on this show alone, but how many times have we, others, social media posts, broadcasters, other podcasts that you definitely are not allowed to listen to? How many times? have we said that stewarding and penalty systems and the way that things are run and decisions are made don't make sense. It seems non-sensical. It takes a long time. Things aren't applied

consistently. There's holes missing all over the place. And I bet you this lovely chap that's decided I've had enough after 11 months has gone. I bet you he's probably the only person that's going to go there's some glaring things that we can fix here and it'll make it so much better. And they've always gone, come and bothered. I think so, mate. You're out here. Bye. I am. It just says how all over the shop, the FIA are at the moment. They've had so many problems over the years that the fact they're losing such a key member of staff in such short amount of time. And he is publicly cited the reason as you aren't changing the things that I've come in to recommend that you've paid me to come in and do is really rubbish. It would be like us getting another podcast host to come in and change the podcast up. And a year later going, they didn't let me do a single thing on the podcast. So I've just. just left, despite them paying me to do that. That is 100% something we would do. I know it is.

We have a fourth person on the actual show, not Kay Dog, bless her. But an actual, there'll be a fourth one of us, probably a mix of all of our names, Barry Sage or something, I bet we'd call them. And they would sit there quietly. It just get really annoyed at us and pull silly faces, but we can never let them do anything. And that's what this man has had to deal with in the FIA for a year.

So have a nice life, mate. Go and relax. I bet you've been stressed for too long. What are you for us, Harry? Yeah, it's not a great look for the FIA, is it? No. No. Yeah, you know, employee retention, just in general.

It's not looking good for them. Yeah, it's a real worry. And I think it's a worry, but it's also not a surprise if you think about what the FIA are like. And I think it just points to the wider problems that there are with the FIA currently. institutionalised, probably it's the word, it's what it sounds like,

that they won't make changes to things when people are saying, that's rubbish, do that better. Change it. Change that one. You know what you brought me in to do? Can we do that? No, not doing it. No, don't know it.

Yeah, it's not a great look. Not ideal. Not ideal, correct. Oh, Neil's Wittich. Niels Wittich. Thanks, Kod. Thank you. That was the sporting director, right?

Yes. Nice. Not great. Well done. Conclusion. Well done. Yeah. I think we've said it before.

I just wonder, it feels like the FAA needs like, just needs to be started again. Why don't the three of us go in there? No, no. And we will laugh at them. Like Nelson from the Simpsies. It can not help at all. Yeah.

It just feels like it's just too, and I'm not going to say the word corrupt because I don't believe that. And I know some people do, but there's just too. Stuck in their ways, though, aren't they? Stuck in their ways. Yeah. Ancient in the way it's run. It just feels like it needs like gutting and starting again. Yeah.

I think that's fair. Yeah. I don't have too much to add on this. It is very worrying because we're not talking about someone who is a junior in his position. We're talking about a sporting director. there here. So in his field, you would have to consider this to be on paper a dream job, right? This is like you work your entire career to get to this sort of level. It's the pinnacle of that field. To leave that role after less than a year in it, that speaks volumes because surely you'd

want to give every opportunity for that to work before giving up on it. And he was there at F1 itself for five years. So, you know, there's a, there's a reason. he would have moved away with optimism. And it's very clear that it hasn't taken very long for that optimism to be utterly crushed. I mean, we know that the FIA vastly needs improvement and it needs modernization more than anything.

I completely agree with what you said, Harry, that I think at this point it might be, it's not that it's not salvageable, but in its current state it might not be salvageable. And it might just be easier to just, you know, knock it all down. Let's start again. That might be the easier and the better solution at this point.

But it is incredibly worrying because this just points to the FIA's issues, as we kind of already know, being integral and being structural more than anything that's more outside than that. And it's one thing, a company or an organization needing modernization and needing improvement. It's another thing for someone to try and make that happen internally and not being able to get anywhere with it. That is 100% more worrying than the first situation. So I don't have too much to add here. It is just a report at this point, but given it's been reported by the BBC, I'm inclined to agree.

I'm inclined to believe that it's true. I would be surprised if it wasn't, if the BBC is reporting this. But yeah, it's worrying more than anything. Let's take our final break of this podcast episode. And we'll go on to back and forth right after this. Okay, everyone, back and forth. It's not going anywhere for 2020.

24. First one, here we go. F1. Back and forth, it's F1. Back and forth, it goes backwards. Then goes forth, it's F1. Back and forth, F1. Oh, missed it. Really missed it. F1 back and forth for anyone who hasn't been listening to any previous episodes, if you haven't, go out and check a few other ones we did at the end of last year.

there's some funny listens there. We did the LB Awards. It was great. But if you haven't listened to a back and forth specifically before, Harry and Sam go up against each other, giving correct answers to a question. There are 21 correct answers to this one.

They'll keep going back and forth until one of them can't think of an answer or gives an incorrect one. And it's a new year, so I'm being generous because I'm actually going to give you three strikes and you're out on this one. Oh, it's hard.

It's hard. What's nine plus ten? 21. You're stupid. Now, no. You get two wrong answers each before the third one officially knocks you out. And I'm giving you it because there's a few here that... Hard.

It's not... Name the 19-50-n that season. There's going to be a lot of... There's going to be a lot of names rattling around in your head, basically. Oh, God. But it's ambitious if you think there's anything rattling around in our heads. My head is pointless, quite frankly. You know, the simple.

when you've got the monkey that's going. You go to the episode where Homer's brain leaves Homer and he's like, you can stay here, but I'm leaving, and the brain walks out, and then it just collapses. That's me. Well, he finds, he was looking for a peanut and he finds

like $10. No, I want him on a peanut. Wait, Homer, $10 can buy more peanut. Explain how. Exchange money for goods. I'm good. We're in endless citizens, Lou. 21 correct answers to this. So here's today's question.

Okay. you to name anyone who's been on the podium in second or third with Michael Schumacher when he took a win in any of his championship winning seasons. Right, you do the 90s stuff. What's, oh, I will do anything else. So any that Schumacher won in 94, 95, 2000 through 2004, any race that Schumacher won in those years, who joined him on the podium? I'll start with Mr. Harry Eat. This is awful. Um, his biggest rival, David Corthard.

Started off strong. Started off strong. And to be fair, he has the second most on this list. A biggest rival was on the podium. 17 times with Michael Schumacher in those years. 17 times when Schumacher was winning each one. That's depressing. 17 times when Schumacher won, yeah.

The biggest rival. How many wings did court? I get in his whole career. 13. Not 17. Don't cry for me, Barakello. And there's the only driver on this list that has more than him. 28 times Barakello finished second or third when Schumacher won a race in any of those years.

Harry. Mika Hakenen. That's a great shout. Mika Hakenen is a correct answer. Let's find him on the list. Six times. You'd have thought it may be a bit more, but of course we're not counting 98 or 99 in this, which might explain it. Harry

I just went Sam I'm back and back I'll take it I'm sitting two Harris Juan Pablo Montoya of course he's there 13 times

which puts him third on this list Harry I'm out of games For real this time Fernando Alonzo damn it Fernando Alonzo five times

is a correct dancer. Back to you, Sam. Damon Hill. Damon Hill, nine times they shared a podium. Back to you, Harry. His brother. Ralph Schumacher. I thought you'd make

Phil. Phil. Someone like that. I'm like, sorry. Not even, not even Damon Hill's brother. I was like, who are you thinking of? Yes, Michael Schumacher's brother makes a lot of sense. Schumacher is on the list eight times. Back to you, Sam. Oh, that's come back to me.

That's how the game works, isn't it? Yeah, it is, yeah. I'm going to get a strike out nice and early. Yeah, I forgot we got strikes here. Yeah, Kimmy Reichen. How was that a strike? I feel like I've missed a year, that's why. I just feel like I'd dig it again.

He's definitely on there. You're all good with Kimmy Ryken and seven times in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Back to you, Harry. Um, Jacques Villeneuve, obviously. Jacques Villeneuve is a correct answer, but it was only once.

Once. He didn't win the 99, whatever it was, we got disqualified. No, that's true. But he had a penny with BAR or something, didn't he? That'll be it. Yeah, it was in the,

one of the later years, but yeah, I can't remember the race off the top of my head, but yeah, just once. Back to you, Sam. Man who sits under a tree. That is strike number one. I'm assuming you mean Nick Hydefeld because of course that's the man.

I made someone else. No, Nick Hydefeld, no podium in any of those years. My go. Yes, that's how it works. The whole concept of the game is falling, falling down. It's been a long day.

Who else was averagely good at that time? I think it'll be relatively all right because I'm going to that the Ferrari took up most of the podiums between I know but I feel like

we've named all the other ones that would have been there at that time Jensen Button Jensen Button is a correct answer

thanks to 2004 seven times surprisingly and all of them came in that that year back to you Sam why is it back to me

already I hate this game I don't really it's my favourite one I need to add some more players back fourth and fourth Harry and Harry are carrying me again.

I was going to make out the Simpsons reference then, but I'm not going to. We're at the limit of the Simpsons today. We went over that limit a long time ago. I know that this is obvious, Ben, but can you again read out to me the early years? Yeah, the two early years were 94 and 95. Thank you.

Mansell? Afraid not. As if? Not Nigel. What, Dr. Nige? How many if we got left, Ben? Like 10? 11? 11, I think, yeah.

Blimey. If I gave a strike for this one, because I'm about to be out. Takumasato. The last name on this list and just once. But yes, Takumasato is a correct answer. I don't want it to come back to me. I'm afraid it has to. I don't want it to be me.

Don't make it be me again. Then I may I just put myself out for misery's sake. Eugenie. I'll save him that for a special answer, Ben. Don't spoil it. How have you got left in your mind? I'm not certain on them, but they're a couple. But they're from the 90s.

I put myself out. Yarno Trilly. They was another one. The honor truly is a correct answer. In 2004. It's not from the 90s, but yeah. That's a fair shout. back to you Harry

Jean-Alesi crazy it's not a crazy answer three times going back as you say to the mid-90s on that one Sam all right then

it's game overtime Fiskella absolutely not game over time I'm the stupid answer I need to flip my brain upside down the stupid ones I think in my brain

stupid is clearly right three times as well Three times. Yeah. Harry. Gerhard Berger, the beef. Gerhard Berger, yes, that's a correct answer. It's the most notable name left on the list as well,

because seven times they shared a podium in the mid-90s. Sam, back to you, we have six answers left. And they're all quite low in terms of how many they got? None of them are more than three. Oh, blimey O'Reilly Try I'll buy myself some time there

By just saying Blimey O'Reilly Oh, God Riley has blinds over a second there Right, blimey O'Reilly, blimey That hasn't worked Oh, how slimy

With my blimey, slimy Oh, timey Oh, timey Oh, Charlie trying to think of things to rhyme with blimey is taking a break of power. Eddie Irvine.

Eddie Irvine is a correct answer. Yes. Once again. Only once, but it is the correct answer. Yeah. Five answers left, Harry. Can you get any of them?

Blimey. You're not to sign this again. Um, oh. Are we allowed to know of the year? No, banned. I disagree with that fact. Okay, fine. Tell us why I go. Well, then I can disagree.

Yes. Keep going back. Like a false. Okay. Who else? Who else? Did Johnny Herbert get one? No. He got two.

He's plagiar off. Fiddle out of him. Yeah, Herbert twice. That's what he's books for. That can Sam drag another name out of nowhere. No chance. Go on. No chance.

Four names left on this list. Blimey. O'Reilly. It's got a driver called O'Reilly that I forgot, is that? No. Stephen O'Reilly. Oh, I really am at the end of my tether now. I'm not going to lie.

You're so annoyed. I'd just go for the Argentine himself. Hines Harold Frankson. I'll please be right. He's Harold Frensen is a correct answer. He's done it again. The German Artinian strikes again. How is he still going?

Again, three times they shared a podium, which means there are just three names left on this list, Harry. Oh. Are we at two strikes all? No, you're one. You're one, I think. Take a strike. No, don't because it goes back to me again.

I don't want that. What was Harry's strike? A Lacey A Lacey. Lacey was right. You said it wasn't? You said it wasn't? I said

Lazy wasn't a crazy answer. Oh yeah, no, he did. You did get a strike for something. Because we both thought you did. I honestly thought I got it for Lacey. Oh, well, because you haven't been. Oh, right. Take two.

Take two of these are coming in the morning. Oh, God, if I have got it, it's going to be carnage. Right. Who else could have got a podium? tension is unreal. I mean, it's not, because I literally can't think of another driver's naming existence right now.

Sam, we're hyping this up. The thing, but it could, it could be from anywhere, like from any of those. Yeah, it could be such a rogue driver. Try and go through, like, teams in my mind. It's just quite a lot of years to cover, isn't it? Yeah.

Oh my God. Anyone from the 90s? Well, yeah, maybe. I know, but I'm just trying to think of anyone from the mid-90s. that would be poor gas going. Oh, God.

How do you've already said? I've already said, I've said Eddie over. I've said that one, Mike. No. Can we have a year now? Yes. I feel like we need to get this. We need to both get there now.

I haven't written down the years on these three. But all, hang on. All three of them are either 94 or 95. Right. I'm out then, great. Poop. I'll stop thinking of ones in the early 2000s because that's not going to help me.

Either 94 or 95. I think one of them is 94 and then two of them are 95. They're going to be so rogue, aren't they? I'll go for I can't think of anyone from 94 or 95. I cannot think of a single other driver that isn't Emerson Fittipaldi.

He wasn't around. I know. That's the only name stuck in my head. I know it's got an answer. But it's stuck in my brain. was J.J. Lato? Because he drove Bentham for a bit. Was he on the podium? No. Damn. Which means Harry has a strike. Jay Leno, not an answer. And we can't say that's not the answer. Don't go with Jay Leno. Can you name any of them, Sam?

I'm really, I'm really, really struggling now. I'm not going to lie. Now I know it's 34 and 95. I'm really really, really struggling. I just can't think of anyone apart from Benner, who drove Belmonton-Williams or Ferrari. I'm also struggling with exactly the same thing. Or McLaren who've done them. Oh. Oh.

Go on. I'll let you have it. Go on. Martin Brundel. Is a correct answer. Nice. Well done. In his liegee.

Ah. Well, I'm art. So there are two names left on this list. And if I had to look up and down this list, I would say they are the two most of fewer names. Oh. In that case. One of them, I'd have got nowhere near.

The other, probably not either. Roland Ratsenberger. No. I just want to be out. At least in the right era, but no. I want to be out. I'm out. Thank God for that. It's over. Crikey.

O'Reilly. Any last stabs of names from you? No, I've got nothing left. All right, Ian Bill. The only two left on this list. Once each. Nicola Larini. Oh, I never want to have got that.

Nope. That was the, the other one. Yoss Verstappen. I don't care about him, so that's fine. Because him and J.J. Alato's shed 94, right? They didn't. Oh, God damn it.

I didn't know he knew Jay Leno. It might have got the podium in 95. I can't remember if Tomlard. Who is even 99? 95. It was one of those two years. But anyway, irrelevant. Regardless.

That was, that was, that was a good effort. That was a good, that was not an easy list. That was a good effort from you both. done on the strikes. I felt like it added to the tension. Did. Maybe we should keep the strikes. Let us know in the comments. Strikes or no strikes? Lucky strike. Sam, get us out of here. Oh, for the first time in 2024. Thank you for joining us this year. This is a start. So it's going to be a very big year. What's the big episodes coming up and many plans, which you will not find out about for a while.

But trust me, they are a coming. If you'd like to listen to Ag-free episodes, then you can do on Patreon. We've got other perks as well, such as new ones coming, which shan't be announced, but we are going to do a little rigamajig of the perks that appear on Patreon, which is fun.

There's other bits of episodes, like discount to merchandise and stuff like that. You can get your hands on and two extra episodes every single month, which is great. We've also got things like Discord join. It's in the linkies in the discrippy

down below. Over 2,000 and something people chatting all the time in there, bloody lovely. And then we've got things like social media, late breaking F1. Follow us everywhere. you can watch us on the YouTube. We are trying to hit 10,000 subscribers. I'm not going to give a date,

but you are trying very hard. What would you like to say on YouTube? If anything, if it's not just these podcasts, but it's anything new, anything different, let us know. I think that's everything. In the meantime, I've been Sam your Sage. I've been Ben Hocking. And I've been a sandwich filling. Very good. And remember, keep breaking late. Tamas your fillings. This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.