The Late Braking F1 Podcast - 2024 Qatar GP Review

Episode Date: December 1, 2024

Surprised this episode only has 2 bleeps to be honest... The LB boys review the action-packed Qatar GP and all the chaos that ensued at Lusail, from Verstappen's victory, debris disaster, penalty drama, and... POINTS FOR SAUBER! Get your friends or family the gift that they truly deserve... gift an LB Patreon membership HERE

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. Welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Ead, Sam Sage, and me, Ben Hocking. Reviewing today what the streets are calling the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, I think. I don't know, Sam. What was that? If the streets are calling it the Grand Prix, then, you know, I guess we should call it the Grand Prix as well. Because there was more violence on that racetrack that I've seen on the streets in many a day.

What a mess. So much to dig into. So many bizarre moments that I don't really understand. A few headaches. And one big old joke. So that's good stuff. Well done. Well done Formula One.

Good stuff. I hate the Qatar GP. You know what? You called it, didn't you at the start of the week? I called it. I hate it. You've never been more right. about some.

They're all right. Aside from all the antics that we'll get into very shortly, the track, for F1 purposes, it is garbage. It sucks. Rubbish. Yeah, last year gave me false hope with the tyres. This year was just poo-poo. Do you know what would be good for an F-1 track?

What's that, like? A heavy breaking zone. Overtaking opportunities. Sure. Sure. I don't know why we didn't think of that before. Let's get to the one with the ramp. Let's go.

let's do that you know there's really simple like yes no like diagrams yes it's just like did you overtake it turn one yes you made it happen no you're stuck like those are the two options like there's nothing else in between two one on nowhere yeah this could be an interesting episode folks if we get through the next 75 minutes or so without swearing i will be astonished but we're going to give it a go moment of the race coming up later on as always on these episodes we've got talk about the crazy first lap. Remember, that did happen today. At least people are telling me that happened today.

We had punches galore for Carlos Seines, for Lewis Hamilton. We'll get into that as well. But let's start out front where Max Verstappen, who qualified on poll but then didn't qualify on poll. We'll get to that a little bit later on as well, managed to go from second place in the end to claim victory. Lando Norris was his main challenger for much of the day until Lando Norris received the penalty for failing to slow under yellow flag conditions.

Start with Verstappen though, Sam. How impressed were you with that victory? Just ticks another box, didn't he? Just another box of greatness. Just a minute. He's going, oh, you're going to pop me back a place. No worries. I'll still be at the front by the time we get to the first lap, end of the first lap.

Yeah, he was flawless. He was absolutely flawless for the entire Grand Prix. Got the bit between his teeth. We had mad max at the start. And you heard it as he crossed the line. you know, Red Bull cannot hold back a calmer moment over the radio. They can't just enjoy a weird candidate. It's always got to be a dig, absolute dig in the shoulder.

They're your mate. They never let's anything go when it comes back around. A lot of phantom. Yeah. A lot of banter. Max Verstappen was one of the few, if not the only driver, that felt like he had an absolutely perfect run of it. Ideal weekend for him, you know, picks up that pole position.

We'll get onto the penalty, whether we agree with it or not, takes the lead back again. immediately rungs off into the distance with it in a car that, yes, okay, this track suits, but I still don't think it's particularly dominant. And realistically, I think someone like Lando Norris, before the penalty, which will get onto as well, probably should have been doing more to stay capacity because he also had a sublime start to get past George Russell. Bamboozle was old Georgie boy at the start.

I'm sure he'd describe it as a good bamboozling as well. Fair shout. Don't disagree with that whatsoever. Harry, we often comment on IndyCar races and how in the most chaotic of Grand Prix, you just kind of know that Scott Dixon's going to be winning at the end of the day. That feels like the equivalent of F1 and Max Verstappen.

Yeah, that's a very good point. This was very much a Scott Dixon win. And I mean that with the utmost compliments towards Max Verstappen. Yeah, as soon as I saw that it was a one-place penalty, which we'll get on to, I was like, there's no way he's not leading out of turn one. Like, the world can end and it will still be leading out on turn water.

He's leading or he's out. Earth is blown up in the background, but Max for Staffing is still off in space leading its way forward. I know we'll go out of penalties and that, but I'm just like, if you're going to give a penalty here for that man alone, it should at least be two places, not one. Anyway, yeah, look, he was, I did, when I saw the penalty last night,

I thought he's going to be extra fired up today. And he was saucy And you mentioned he crossed the lines That's probably the most pumped up Or excited he sounded about a win for a long time The weaving, the screaming Yeah I know that he went on a bender after he won the world title

He's still on it, mate He's still going That's part of it, day two of the bender Yeah, he enjoyed that one Yeah which was refreshing to see But I think he had to work for that one because we saw in the sprint and sprint quality, the rebel were nowhere,

and I think he's made the difference with where he, the poll position he got, the fastest time he got, and then the race performance today, because I still am not entirely sure that Red ball was the quickest car this weekend. So, yeah, very impressive from Max Verstappen. It's a tell-tale sign that,

not that he seemed like he was under pressure for this championship, but all pressure has gone now, and has he just, he's stepping up another game. is this what that's what's happening because oh boy everyone else be right please it did feel like one of those races where everyone else was preoccupied with making the afternoon as difficult as possibly they can for themselves and max vastappen is just there doing what vastappan does which is

dominate in a car which wasn't necessarily capable of dominating we saw that the gap between vastappan and norris was fairly constant when they were first and second which was most of this Grand Prix. And you never felt like Vastappan and that Red Bull had that clear-cut advantage, but he had enough and he managed it well enough. And it never really felt like it was in too much Shepardy. What he did on the first corner to get the lead in the first place was textbook Vastappen off the line.

Russell was marginally quicker than he was. But in that second phase of the start, he did a really good job. And you just kind of know Vestappen on the inside of that corner into term one, he ain't going to be second coming out of it. He's either going to be first or 20th, like no in between. But yeah, the way in which you managed to Grand Prix from there, where everyone else was picking up penalties, very classic end of season, end of school vibes from most of the grid.

Just happened. Like a good time. You know, it took advantage. He was like, all right, I'll have a win then. No problem whatsoever. And I'm not surprised that he was as animated as he was at the end of this race because unlike Brazil, where I think he knew based on the conditions with maybe 10 laps to go, I've got this in the bag very comfortably.

Here in Qatar, based on how the weekend was going for him, that sprint race was awful. But the turnaround between the sprint race and main qualifying, and, you know, credit goes to Sergio Perez weirdly on that as well, because what he did in the sprint really helped the Red Bulls turnaround on this weekend. but yeah, what he did was faultless on a day where you could fault pretty much everything else and we will. I love that we're crediting Sergio Perez

for being so bad that he had the opportunity to make someone else better. I was going to say, no, that one down, folks. That's the only bit of credit. I think Sergio Perez may get on this review. Yeah, enjoy that, Perez fans. Lando Norris got 10 seconds stop-go penalty. It's been a while since those words are being on this show.

Boom, we're going to drop one of those. Yes. They got a magic wheel up there. I think it's landing on 10 second stop go. Is that what they pulled that from out of their assholes? Because where's that come from? Honestly. I forgot it existed as a penalty.

Apparently it still does. 10 seconds stop and go. I just thought for the, in the first instance, I thought, that's a weird way of phrasing a 10 second penalty. It's like, nope, he is going to have to actually do this stop and go penalty within three lapse of being served that penalty. He failed to slow under yellow flags. We've got a replay of that.

He gets the penalty not that far from the end, which drops him initially all the way to the back of the field. He does eventually recover to finish 10th and with the fastest lap point as well. The penalty, Sam, as we mentioned, it's been a while since we've seen one of these. Was it fair? Yeah, this is where I'm a little bit...

I am bamboozled. George Russell can come in here and describe me as bamboo. because factually accurate. This 10 second stop-go penalty is actually not what I have the problem with. What I have the problem with is once again, the shifting of goalposts when declaring that someone has broken the rules. And I think this happened three times throughout this Grand Prix. We had three safety infringements occur,

and each penalty was completely different. Lewis Hamilton speeds under the pit lane. That's a safety infringement. And that means he gets a drive-thru, not a stop-go, a drive-thru. George Russell has a safety car infringement where he was speeding under safety car. That's just a five seconds. Landon Norris doesn't lift through double wave yellows. That's a 10 second stop go penalty.

The inconsistent and apparently incoherent understanding of the stewards to be able to apply any rules that make any actual sense to armchair viewers who are able to pick out the understanding of these rules just by watching a screen with none of the information in front of them that these stewards have is mind-being. boggling. The way that Landon-Oris has been smacked down with this penalty, it's so harsh. It's so harsh. I agree he broke the rules and he should be penalised for such a thing. You should not be flying through a double-wave yellow for, you know, at full speed when it's a safety issue.

We'll get on to the fact that maybe a safety car of VSE Shep been thrown for decades before that even happened and someone just picked up that wing anyway, the wing mirror that was there anyway. It's just the application of these penalties is again, bizarre, random, inconsistent. No understanding. We've got this new race director in. There's four stewards that have apparently agreed that this is correct. And they've gone ahead with it. And it is just, again, making a mockery of the sport because no one can follow along. No one knows what to expect? You even heard it in Landon Norris's voice. He was like, what for? Like, what have I done that is so ridiculous I'd be given a stop go? 10 seconds stop go. I think it is

the second most severe penalty you can actually be giving in Formula One. history that isn't a 30 seconds top go penalty, which we've not seen for decades. So essentially this or a disqualification, it's a joke. It is a joke. Make up your mind what the rules are. Stick to them for at least a season because it is baffling for anyone to watch along with. What do you think, Harry? Right.

I'll start with some positivity because I feel like we need to sprinkle a bit of that. I don't necessarily disagree with bringing back these sorts of penalties, okay? Yes. I've missed them. Quite frankly, the 10 second stop go, it was like an art form, and I've missed it. Like a horrible, horrible art form. But, no, but in all seriousness, I think a shot a Ronaldo statue.

Yes. Or you see Harry Kane's one, just as bad. There you go. It's the Harry Kane statue of penalties. No, I, I, I, I, I'm not mad at that. And I think it will discourage, if this is the thing going forward,

it will discourage drivers from being naughty boys. Because if a penalty is that severe for things like that, then there's no way they won't think twice about doing it. However, my main issue with this is we are two races from the end of an F-1 season, and we're deciding now that this is where we move this goalpost mid-way through. We're two races from the end. So we're going to start doing these sorts of penalties, severe penalties now when we've done a whole year. We've done years of nothing quite that severe.

And also, look, the yellow flags, it's a safety issue. So if you're going to be a blanker rule on speeding through a yellow flag zone or overtaking through a yellow flag zone, I'm okay with that. But there's an argument to suggest what would you give someone who was overtaking under yellow flags? Do you give them the same penalty? Because that seems more severe than someone just going fast. And I think this is where they're going to trip themselves. up. Once again, the FIA, stewards, race direction, just tripping yourself up by making things more

complicated than you need to. And like I say, I'm not against the rule because I think it's harsh and punishments will discourage drivers from doing these sorts of things again. But why would, now, you can wait two more races and start doing this. A 10 second penalty would have been way more in line with, and I'm still inconsistent, I guess, but way more in line with what we've seen for the rest of the season. slash the past few years of F1. But a 10 second stop go.

They had to blow the dust off the book, the rule book to find that one. It's been so long since we've whipped that one out. So yeah, just the inconsistency, moving the goalposts at this point of the season, I really disagree with the penalty itself. No, absolutely fine. I am a bit worried about how it came about

because we saw a replay on the TV many, many, many laps before it was actually, according to question. and then it didn't go up under investigation, I don't think, or was it noted? I can't remember. But that whole process seems a bit odd because it did seem like Rebel were lobbying the, we couldn't hear it, but it sounded like they were lobbying the FIA or the steward, sorry, all that issue.

So again, there's question marks over that, but excellent work. Or, I mean, that's not even, that's just the start of this, but goodness me. On that point that you just may, I'm sorry, Ben, jump in for you and make your full point, something that concerns me, which you've just, raised about how Red were the ones lobbying the steward was Max Verstappen was the one that called out the fact that the gap had changed between himself and Norris. There are clips throughout that start, finish rate with those double yellows of cars with DRS open, cars passing other cars, whether it be lapped or otherwise. The only car investigated was Norris after Verstappen called

it out. Are there multiple other cars at one point where they either haven't lifted or have been there with the IRS? And because they've just never checked and been caught out and gone, someone's made a complaint about it, we've not been paying attention to that because we're too bothering about a wing mirror in the middle of the road that we could have cleared up. It just makes me think, if they can't apply the rules consistently,

are they monitoring the people breaking the rules consistently? Well, they even aware that that was a problem until basically Max Verstappen went, East Beardium, by the way, makes you think. I've had a good thing about this, and I've concluded I hate every single aspect of it. Firstly, Lando Norris, you've been an F1 since 2019. Slow down where there are double yellows, man.

What are you doing? Like, he was in such a good opportunity to win this race, which I appreciate the championship might be over, but it's still nice to win races and you basically just ruined it for yourself. So I hate that. I then hate the fact that it took them so long to do it. If it had happened pretty much straight away,

as I think it could have done, this penalty handed out, I'm pretty sure he could have taken that stop-go penalty and still come out around 7-4-8th place, and then obviously we know what would have happened with the safety car, in which case this race is completely different for Lando Norris from that point onwards. I hate the fact that it's inconsistent. I hate the fact that we've decided. I also just hate double yellows generally and like how drivers treat them.

So, for example, Lando Norris here is deemed to be, dangerous as a result of not lifting. Are we saying that all the other drivers are safe when they lift for like half a second? Because all the other drivers, whenever they see a double yellow, will immediately go, I need to slow down just enough to not get a penalty here. Is it that much more dangerous than actually going flat out? I'm not saying that he shouldn't get a penalty as a result of that. I'm just saying that we probably need to look at double yellows a bit more generally to,

if the whole point is to be as safe as possible when those are out, I don't think any driver is really safe. And every driver is instead focusing on losing as little time as possible, which makes sense. But yeah, I don't understand where this has come from. And like you, Harry, I don't necessarily mind them applying bigger penalties. I think it's about time.

We've seen years of just five second blanket penalty for absolutely everything, which I've never really agreed with. I'm up for drivers being properly penalised when they do something wrong. I just don't really see this being what was essentially a 30 second penalty when you consider the fact that you have to go through the pits as well as take the 10 second stop go.

It doesn't quite line up for me, but, you know, British bias. Nice. Alive and well. You made the point about Norris, by the way, this is the story of McLaren and his season. fast but silly. Yeah.

Fast but so silly. What are you doing? What he has to do is lift off. A tiny bit. And even if he doesn't win that race and finish he's in second place, they basically put the championship to bed. You see Zach Brown was stressing.

The man was stressing. In his lie down, doesn't he? Poor boy rubbing his head, going, what have I got to do just to get this over the bloody lying? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Very, very strange.

I tell you what, we are going to struggle to get everything in today. Let's go on to Driver of the Day, shall we? The verdict is in. You're the driver of the days. You're the driver of the day. You're good at driving. Harry, your driver of the day.

I'm giving it to Michael Jomacher. Do you want to know something? Yeah. I was going to say the exact same. Oh, no. Pull my head was up. very good yeah joke on you

that is still a tractor I don't care if it started working a bit better it's a better working tractor but generally that car's a tractor and he he was excellent today I mean Bottas was good as well but he was better than botas and was sort of on his own

towards the end of there and I just thought he was very very impressive which is unusual for the story of his season a few other contenders Gasly again in another tractor the reason I haven't given it to him

is because he decided not to break for turn one that safety car restart I think that was more impressive the way he throwing the needle off the track screaming his absolute head off and obviously this happened as well as a strong contender but he probably will never get it again

so show quite you Sam? Yeah, I was going to go for Fernando Jolonso, actually, was who I was going for. Who, ironically, he finished one place behind. Yeah, unreal from Joe. Five seconds clear of Magnuson,

drawing absolute tractor. And I think the thing that makes it even more impressive is that he had front row seats to Lanskroll, binging off Alex Albuhran at the start of the race, and he's going, excuse me, coming through. He spent most of the afternoon just avoiding wreckage. Literally, excuse me, sorry, don't mind me.

That was the right strategy. in his race. It's the rights in every race. I also love it. He's like that bloody Astor Martin, man. Like, what is it doing?

Also, he's in the last four Grand Prix, he scored double the points at Sergio. Perez has scored. So, you know, it's really, really good for Joe Guangyu.

Oh, no, no, no, no. Oh, yes. Two for Perez, four for show. Boy. Yeah, my summary of this race, is basically Vostappen was really good

so was Ghazli so was Alonso so was Joe and everyone else was rubbish I think those are the four contenders for driver of the day

I am going to give it to Joe Guan Yu as well because eighth place in that salver I can't remember if I said it on yesterday

or Friday's review how funny and also not funny it would be if show Guan Yu scores points and Valtri Bottas doesn't

and of course that's the one thing I've actually got right this year So well done, Joe Guang you. That was an excellent performance. What about picking one driver for this? Worst driver of the day.

Ben, bin, bin, bin, been, worst driver of the day. Ben, bin, been, worst driver of the day. You suck at driving. Can we just say the 19 others and go away? Sure. Is it enough to talk about? Segment done. Move on.

That's a good idea. But we need to name and shame on this podcast. So, Sam, who was worse driver other day? I'm not going to give other contenders because we'll be it for too long. I'm just going to go straight in with Nico Holkenberg. Starts 18th, wipe two cars out on the first corner, doesn't really get it together, crashes entirely on his own halfway through the Grand Prix. Absolute state of a race for Nico Holkenberg.

Magneton scores points. You are in the boonies off on your own son. This is, I'll allow it because he's been so good for the rest of the season. but what a stinker. Someone changed that man's nappy because it smells bad. Honestly, it's made a right state of that one.

Shocker from Holkenberg. Not sure what's the bigger shocker. The fact that it's bad smelling or he has one to begin with. Look, there was a real fight to the bottom in this thing, and fair play to Liam Lawson and to Lewis Hamilton

because they really gave it a good go. They have just about been outclassed by Nika Holkenberg today. I agree with it. of you, Sam, but you're very unlucky or lucky to miss out, depending on how you're viewing it. I'm not convinced they were trying. I think they were trying

to get worse driver at the day. How much it was trying so hard to decide it to end early? And then carried on. We're talking about that after the break. Hang on. I want to retire. No. Okay, retire. No. What is that conversation?

Pachal and child. Bono's like, for God's say, just go. Go to Ferrari now. I won't do it. driving to Antonelli's house get in the car for a set of keys out right Harry

what have you got yeah I mean contenders on my list Lance stroll Sergei Perez I'd even chat Landon Norris on there Liam Lawson

Lewis Hamilton but I am going to go for Nika Holkenberg mainly for all the reasons you've already mentioned Sam he spun twice on his own effectively that's not good day bad day

bad day and everyone else had terrible days, but that's a bad day. Yeah. Oh, yeah, God. A badder day. Yeah, let's call that there. Well, let's just end the podcast there, actually.

No, that's just the first part, ladies and gents. We are well on track for this two-hour review, so we're going to see you after this short break. Just want me dinner. I was so hungry. Come back, everyone. One of the biggest talking points, because it's difficult to narrow it down, was the fact that there was a non-VSC, a non-safety car, when Alex Alburn's car continued to break down somehow more

than it was already broken, is wing mirror flying off into the middle of the start, finish straight, a few laps go by, no attempt to move it, no attempt to move it, Baltrey Bottas goes, I'm not doing much, I'll move it, shatters into a million pieces, at which point Carlos Sines and Lewis Hamilton,

both get punctures. FIA then decide, you know what, let's throw a safety cut. Lantam. What are your views on this? It becomes laughable. We're all laughing. It's, oh, God, I love that that Williams is just pieced together by so much hot garbage and cellar tape. It's just falling apart going down the road at this point.

Williams engineers are like, get me to the end of this year. They're just pointing each other. Which one start that on? It wasn't me. I don't know. We run out of Pritz-ex box. It's not even a real wing mirror. a carball with some painting it

and it's making it look like a wing mirror. I love that formula, I'll get on to the trepidations of the penalty car. I love that boss has to just gone, nah, screw it, you ain't moving it, I'll move it myself. And his race isn't destroyed. No, no, he's fine.

He just carries on like, yeah, woohoo, see you later. Hamilton and Sikes, the same moment, both get penalties, uh, punctures, sorry. Now, we've seen this before, and this happened, I think, with every safety car that we saw in this Grand Prix, What's the delay for? What are you all watching?

Have you got something else on the other telly that you're like, oh crap, there's a yellow flag being framed by a Stuart somewhere. We should probably get a safety car out or at least the VSC out. What's the delay? What are you hoping is going to happen? That the wing mirror is just going to get up

and walk off itself? It will grow legs, maybe. I don't know what the solution is, but you are in control of it. So you need to do something. It's a hazard. As we saw, it's ruined two races Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton's race was not great before that.

You know, very quickly came undone. But the man was on for pretty solid points. He was going to pick up an eighth place or whatever at that point. Carlos Sikes was willing for a top four or five. Amazingly, he's still ending up getting a top four or five. I don't really know how that occurred, but he did. No, no. How has he managed that?

Suddenly he was there again. I don't understand. So I'll play to you, Carlos, the magic man, Sikes, from reappearing in the top five. It's just the safety. again, it's incompetence, it's the delay, it's not being safety first. I don't know what you're waiting for. Do you want to stop the entertainment? There wasn't any at that point. We were bored. It was a dull Grand Prix. Do you want to make sure it's fair? We saw this with the red flag being thrown with

Max Verstappen in Brazil, right? Why is there a delay to this? Oh, it might hinder or compliment some people's races. It doesn't matter. Safety is paramount. Safety is first. That's part of the game. You might benefit it from someone else's downfall or you might lose out because of someone else. Throw the damn safety car, clear up the mess, getting on with the bloody Grand Prix. It's once again, all about the race stewarding and the penalties and the safety cars being applied. And it's not about the racing. It's becoming embarrassing.

It's a farce. Why did they not throw that safety car, at least the VSC out within half a lap? Within, I mean, it should be less, but within half a lap. The fact it went on for five or six laps before Bossassan ran it over. it's a joke. It's an absolute joke. Harry. Yeah.

It's a yoke, as a Spaniard man once said. That's Fernando Alonso, by the way, just not a random Spanish man. Sorry, that's funny. Pedro, yeah, yeah. We've said this before. If we are sat at home watching this on the TV, as we all were,

and we can see, I was like a safety car actually or at least a VSC if we the three of us three idiots can see that's probably that needs a safety car to get there cleaned up looks like a hazard to me and the stewards don't make that call

with all the extra information they had and again I'll reference you guys went to race control in Austin all these circuits have a load a crap ton of screens that give them way more information they can see it see it all they see everything on circuit why are they delaying making

this call. I do not understand. And it will seem, it will seem trivial given the size of the piece. But then we saw what happens. It gets run over. Farty Botas is lucky to get away with it, no damage by the looks of it. We don't know whether he did. It might have caused some damage. And obviously then we have two punctures from it. They, besides the fact, they've ruined signs and Hamilton's race. I know signs did recover relatively well. And Hamilton was having a bad day anyway. But aside some of the fact that they it ruined their races, we were lucky that they both their punches were slowed like delamination like this went down slowly. You're playing with fire here because that could have been an immediate your tire explodes puncture and then we're

looking at a whole different situation where a car is being pitched into a into a wall because it has a it has a puncture. Now these things happen in F1, Debris gets on track. But when you can see the freaking piece of debris, you can eliminate that as a risk, not make it a bigger risk by waiting for someone to run it over and then go, actually that's quite bad, isn't it?

Yeah, yeah, we better, we better do something now. It is, it's baffling to me that this is where stewarding has got to. Race direction has got to. I know we are with a new race director,

so there's only a couple races in. It's not great reading so far for him. him and it's no better than where we were. It is absolutely no better. You only get fired if he say something he doesn't like, not if you do a bad job. Yeah, well, I can't even talk about him because he's got so many.

He, focus on your own freaking house that's on fire, mate, and stop going after F-1 drivers for using bad words. I have an announcement. Go on, I have a breaking news here on the late breaking F-HFLIN I'm coming for you,

I'm doing it. I'm doing it. your job. It's up for it all very soon. Ben Hocking versus Ben Sillyem. It's happening. He's going to rebrand himself as Mr. Ben Silly man. And to be honest, you'll do a better job anyway. It's like the Count Bin face of F1 politics. And you get like a giant F1 logo. Today I'd add enough. I'm going for your job. Let's do it as a trio. Let's, we're race stewards, race director, heck of the FIA. We're doing this. Yeah, look, the whole thing is laughable and baffling to me. I'm worried we're going to get

a point where something bad's going to happen because of this. Because we are, I don't want to sound like we're over-exaggerating or I'm over-exaggerating or being hyperbolic, but we're playing with fire with these sorts of slow calls in F-1. Like letting drivers finish, I know that was a different race director, there was only two races ago, but letting drivers finish a flying lap in the rain when there's a car literally in the barrier.

Sure, that's not a recipe for a disaster. Or letting Lance stroll on a JCB, digger sit on the edge of the gravel trap whilst cars are going around. Sure, that's not a recipe for disaster. That's just this car, mate. Don't go out of doing. Sorry.

I'm likely they were sponsor, weren't they? Yeah. Like, it's, I just, I worry that we're, something drastic needs to change because I worry we're going to end up with something serious happening. And I don't want that to happen, obviously. You know when you just don't really know

where to start with something. Yeah. Yeah. This. Literally this. Just go with what, just let it all out. Okay. Rui Marquez, let's start with you.

I'm not sure if you're out of your probation period, but I would probably look at other jobs because this ain't it, pal. You're not very good at this. I appreciate he had like all the series to look after this weekend because they literally have no one else employed. It's like the FIA are challenging Alpine

to see who can finish the season with fewer employees. On that, Esteban Okon, bye-bye, mate, that's enough for you, apparently. Yeah, you're going to get the drive next week. Bye. You know what? At this point, it's actually a prize not to drive that Alpe. So, I don't know.

Rui Marquez, on a day where Ben Suleum has said one of the most stupid things of all time has managed to outdo Ben Sulean for stupidness. Like, how have you done that? That's so impressive. There were yellow flags flown as a result of this incident. Tick. Good job. Like that.

It's a good start. So here's the thing. You can upgrade it from there if you think it's worth it. But the only way you can downgrade it is if something happens, it was still there. Nothing changed. If you think it was dangerous enough to throw a yellow flag to begin with, surely that has to be followed up by something,

because again, nothing changed. It was still there. And look, the Qatar circuit, we've already trashed about one minute into this episode, there aren't a lot of overtaking opportunities. And as a result of that, if you've got debris off a racing line, you might be safe,

apart from this was the one corner where you could go offline to make an overtake. It was very clearly in a dangerous position, Valtrey Bottas decided to confirm that when he, reads notes, went over it. The man was being lapped as well. He wasn't even trying to overtake any. He's trying to do the safe thing and get out of the way.

It was so obvious. Weirdly, I would be less annoyed if they didn't throw a yellow flag because at that point, you've completely missed that it's dangerous. Here, they have established there is danger with this and done nothing about it.

Yeah. Come on. It's just like, there's some danger here, but that's up to you to watch out now. Look, everyone, the house is on fire. Now, we're not going to call the fire brigade. Pointing up to it. around, the house is on fire, okay? It will burn down because we aren't going to do anything

about this, but the house is on fire. That's what's happened to it. We're recording directly after the Grand Prix, so we don't know what some of the media quotes are yet, but I really hope one of the drivers has been asked about this and says something along the lines of, don't know, that's not our business apparently. Oh, burn, burn, burn, burn, bloody moron. I can't believe that's also been confirmed after I've been the podcast that Ocock is actually going to going to be replaced by doing as well. Like out of all the things that we... Confirmed by LP?

No, it's referred by Sky Sports F1. It is now on their official account. He is out. I've seen... My source here is my dad, he's still watching the Sky Sports coverage. It's apparently... The best source.

Apparently, it means Ocon can test the Hass in Abidabee, which is like, so? Signs is testing the Williams in Abidabee. Yeah. Yeah. I love the three of us are like, what's your point? What is it? What does it mean?

It's all right. I mean, it's not like the fighting for any championship positions or anything. Against that very freaking team. It's not like the other driver is driving is absolute heart out to try and keep them in sixth place. Alpine have looked at the FIA and gone, you are taking too much spotlight in terms of stupidity. We are going to try and out, do you? We're not going to get on that. answer that today. Don't worry though. It will definitely be a midweek topic. Lewis Hamilton.

Oh, Christ. He didn't have a good day, did he? He at one point was asking how much slower he was versus the front runners to which his response was, is the car broke? Spoiler, that's on one of my moment of the race list. It is on my list as well. And then later, as already detailed by Harry. And you might think, Harry was being a bit simplistic about the way it went down. No, it literally went down

exactly as he said. He wanted to retire the car. He was then told he could retire the car, so he didn't retire the car. Overtakes three other cars. Ends up finishing in 12th. Sam, that was maybe not one to remember. I'm really,

I'm struggling with this Lewis Hamilton. As someone who grew up, idolizing Lewis and being a fan of Lewis and seeing him go on to achieve so much and building this legacy. This is a really difficult watch. And he is, as we've said before, a really emotional person,

where his heartless sleeve, takes things very to heart. And I think his morale is not just on the floor. I think it's in the grave. I think he's dug it six feet down. I think he's really struggling. And because of this 24 race waitlist, he's put himself on to get to the promised land of Ferrari,

I think he's hoping that it's going to be something much better. I don't know if it's going to be much better. I don't know if it is the car. Look what Russell's doing, right? Look what Russell is doing. If he gets into that Ferrari and he hates it, he is in for a world of pain. This is being an odd reaction to someone who came off of a second place

after overtaking eight other cars to get there and being the fastest man on the racetrack and being sublime, absolutely sublime. And then in Qatar, not only are you annoyed that you're, a 1.2 seconds slower than everyone else and you think that the car might be broken when actually, oh man, you just slow. You then, I don't know, have a hissy fit

that you can't retire the car and then they tell you can, you can't retire. I don't know what's going on with him. But it's morale for the floor. He's got no pace. I don't think he cares. I don't think he wants to be here. The only reason he's coming back for Abu Dhabi

is because it's his last race with Mercedes. If it wasn't, if he was retiring, there's a part of me that thinks he just going, nah, sod it, don't care. I genuinely think it just might be bad for sponsorship and kind of his appeal if he just doesn't, if he can't be bothered to turn up for a Grand Prix. It stinks

of sore loser if he just doesn't turn up. And I don't think he wants to be viewed as that. So, awful Grand Prix, stuck behind Sergio Perez of all people for the majority of the Grand Prix, speeds in the pit lane, has to do a drive-through. And then as a moment, his car doesn't work because after he's got a puncture and then wants to go home. And I get it. He jumped the start as well, remember.

He got the start as well. Yeah, God. Obviously, the list is so long, I'm forgetting things. Yeah, this is a shocker. Another one to add to the list for Lewis Hamilton. This might be his worst season ever in Formula One at this point. And he's had two wins. He's had two wins.

That's Lewis Hamilton, baby. Yeah. What did you make of Lewis Hamilton's race, Harry? Oh, he's had better. Good shout. Just a couple. Just a couple, whether. my my look hamilton in Vegas in the race was sublime as you already mentioned sam my one of my concerns for him

next year is qualifying because the george rossel is is no slouch he's an excellent qualifying actually i think underrated this year has been george rossel in qualifying um but at the moment he's taking he's taking hamilton to the cleaners on on a saturday afternoon i know he's school missed the saturday but quite literally he is and i worry for hamilton next year because I'm just going to check my notes. His teammate is Charles LeClaire, who's also very good on a Saturday. And this is ironic because it's Lewis Hamilton's got the most poll positions of all time, but currently his Saturday pace is terrible.

His race pace has been generally better, apart from today when it was terrible. Or not good. And there's, I don't know why this weekend, he said it last weekend a bit after his qualifying because he didn't do, he sort of bullsed up his Q3 efforts. but the speed in the car was there, so it was slightly different. Although the speed in the car was this weekend, I guess, because Russell was on the front row. But his comments this weekend after qualifying, he's just like,

I've only got to do two more. Like, doesn't want to be there. And then his attitude during that, and I know he's, he is, you know, he's ready for a change. But I think this is a David Corthy, I quote, but he said, you don't lose the speed, you lose the need. And I do worry that Lewis Hamilton is just losing the need. need to do this anymore.

I'm not saying he won't be about with Ferrari next year. There's no doubt. He's a big old contract, but I just, that he's at such a low ebb. And I know, as you said, Sam, he wears his heart in his sleeve. His emotions are always clear. But this is such a low ebb for, for Hamilton to end a season on that to pick himself back up during the winter, get into a new team, etc.

And maybe that will be what exactly what he needs. but it's just not a good place to, not a good launch pad to start this from going into 2025. And if you're Fred Vassert, I'm not saying you worried, but you're looking at Hamilton today and go, my driver also got a puncture and made it back into the top six. Syke, Carlos. Would you like to stay?

Carlos, you can come back now. Yeah, I don't know. It's difficult with Hamilton because, See, he does, he does, as we, as you say, he's an emotional character, but it's just his morale right now is horrendous. And it's a little bit worrying, I think, for where his form will be come the beginning of 25. If the Ferrari's really good at the beginning of next year, there's no doubt, I think Howlton to be there. But it's just not, he's not in a good, not a good place right now.

What's that line he came out with? Dan, I guess I'm just slow now. Well, yeah, like, we're talking about his, his, but that's where he's got, like, the self-belief. Fernando Alonzo would never go, damn, I'm slow now

if he'd had a bad few Saturdays. He could be 95 in an retirement at home and he wouldn't say that. Exactly. This car two years is a straight line now.

He's still trying to pass people into turn one. But like that's the Lonzo. I don't think that car was actually that bad in a straight line. I think he fell off, he didn't get his tyres

warmed up at the restart. He fell off the road a couple times and lost places. But that's the Lonzo to, exactly. He's in him. No, not my fault. So, yeah, that's the worrying thing.

When you're just coming out and I'm just slow on a Saturday now. Well, great. Forever's delighted to hear that next year. I don't know. It's a tough one. Yeah, I don't have too much to add about the race itself because it was just pretty much all bad. The pace was not very good. Jumping the start, getting a penalty, having the drive-through.

Nothing went well. So I won't linger on that too much more. I do want to say about his attitude. The fact that he didn't end up retiring the car is obviously a good thing. But the fact that he nearly did and was openly talking about just retiring the car for no reason other than, I can't really be bothered with how bad this car is right now, at least in comparison to what he's used to. Because remember, there are drivers on that grid that would very much like that Mercedes. Probably over half the grid would choose to have that Mercedes over the car that they have right now.

and I don't massively appreciate his words and his attitude towards the end of that Grand Prix because an F1 team is so much more than just the driver and I think you need to remember that as a driver when you consider, for example, Williams, they have had to repair so many cars this year to the point where they're just using whatever they can find in the dustbin to put a car together. I'm pretty convinced that no one who's having to do that week after week is turning around and going, I'm just going to give up here. Nah, I can't be bothered now.

But they will be doing everything they can to service their drivers, and the drivers have an obligation to do the same for their team. And look, he didn't end up doing it. But even talking about it, it doesn't sit particularly well with me. I hope that he comes back in Abu Dhabi and delivers a great final race for Mercedes, because based on his career at Mercedes, he deserves it, the fans of Mercedes deserve it,

to really give him this one final swan song, a real celebration of Lewis Hamilton to occur at this last race with the team. But if his heart's not in it, and if he says, I don't want to do this race, I don't think they should fight him on it. I think they should get Antonelli in the car if he wants it.

No, they can't do that because I've definitely got a special livery planned. It's even funny with Anthonynelly driving around with his one name. He's driving it. If Lewis Hamilton turns around and says, you know what, I don't think I want to do it. If I'm Mercedes, I don't fight him. Oh, yeah, and I see that point. But think of the marketing, Ben.

Think of the marketing. Ideal situation he does race, obviously. I'm just saying if Lewis Hamilton doesn't come around to the idea. Gone into hiding over the next week. I'm not going out. He's fled the country. Let's take our second break at this point. On the other side, we're going all the way back.

first lap. We're only on the second break. Back, everyone. I appreciate this is a race review, but we do need to touch on one thing very quickly from qualifying. Myself and Sam did put together a qualifying review yesterday, but one bit of the news that wasn't announced at that time was the fact that Max Verstappen would get, and I think I'm reading this right, a one place grid penalty for blocking George

Russell on, oh wait, no, it wasn't his fast lap, it was his outlap. it's not a penalty we've ever seen before, Sam. It's because it's not breaking the rules. I'm assuming that is where you are on this. You know, when you rack your brain so much, you think I can't rack it anymore. I've got a migraine, got a headache now. My little brain's bouncing around against the four walls of my skull,

and it can't be rattled anymore. This stupid, stupid decision that has once again been made. Yeah, don't want to point this. out to you, lads, but you can't penalise something that isn't against the rules. They're just two cars going around the racetrack. Have you heard the onboard radio of Russell for the lap? Yes. Right.

So it quite clearly goes, okay, George, in front of you've got Max and Fernando, alongside Max in front of you. Alongso is past Max. Alongso is now Gat Max. Max's going to front of you. You'll come out to Vastappen. Whoa, dangerous there from Vastappen. He's there the whole time.

You're both on outlaps. you're both warming the car up. You're both doing the same thing and you knew he was there the whole time. It's like crossing the road. There's a car coming. Crossing the road. There's a car still coming, by the way.

Just see where there's a car coming. Still crossing the road, though. There's a car. I've been hit by a car. I can't believe I'd be hit by it. Someone told you four times you're getting hit by a car and you got hit by a car

and it's the car's fault that you got hit. Really? This is another joke. Just stick it off. Go and do a stand-up show at this point. because you're so many jokes in your locker, stewards. This is another banger from you.

Sensational work, honestly. And the one, the justification. I thought, oh, it's going to be because Max Verstappen was underneath his lap time delta. He was going too slow on his lap. So therefore, he actually infringed Russell, who was trying to stay within his delta. To me, that's logical. No, no mention of that, because there's nothing to do with it. No logic behind it at all.

We had to find something that wasn't severe as a three place, but also wasn't as bad as what Perez or Sonoda did. So we've gone with a one place, have an absolute day off, have a year off. Take it off. Don't do it anymore. Your crap at this, a joke. Do you think, Harry, that actually, based on the added motivation for Max Verstappen, this wasn't actually a penalty, and it was, in fact, a reward?

Yeah, maybe. I don't know. I've posted this on the website formerly known as Twitter. The Stewart said, in... In mitigation of penalty, it was obvious that the driver of car 63 had clear visibility of car 1 and that neither car was on a push lap. So you give a penalty. Make that. Guess the outcome based on that statement.

Make that make any sense. I read that and I reread it and then I just laughed out loud and I was like, this, this, what are you saying? What are you doing? I cannot The actual one-place penalty is not the first time we've seen it I've seen this reference I think race fans pointed this out

There was one Nika Hoggamer got one in that 2016 It's happened before Okay I actually don't have a massive issue With that as a penalty In general But what are we penalising

I don't understand Why are they doing this It makes me so mad Especially it's not even like They're trying to cover up being morons. They are just being outright morons. And I'm like, yeah, there was actually no issue here.

So one place penalty. It's genuinely impressive that this might be like the 17th most stupid thing the FIA did this weekend. I know. This happened before all of today as well. This could have been a big talking point on this podcast. But then they did The Race. Yeah.

Just a footnote of a weekend of filth. Yeah. I, this is, yeah. That is what got me because you can't give a penalty with that reasoning because that's not reasoning. There's a reason to not give a penalty. No one broke the rules.

It should. And yeah, maybe he would say he was driving a little, it was a bit too slow. Russell came up a bit quicker. At most, I'd say that's a slap on the rest. It's further to happen. Don't do that again. That's a bit naughty, but a bit cheeky.

But apart from that, no penalty. I mean, he was also trying to get the gap to a long-so to start his lap. You're all trying to gap each other because it's the start of Qualify. What are you doing? It's quite a normal behaviour. I was so confused to the point where I was like researching and investigating it because I thought I'd just got this completely wrong.

I thought like the onboard that everyone was seeing that was shown on the broadcast that was doing the rounds after. I thought I was looking at the wrong thing because it's so obviously not a penalty. I am bewildered by this. If it was the last corner before the flying lap, all right, I can buy it. But it wasn't. They were still multiple corners before they got to the point where they,

how many cars were speeding up to go and then not stopping where George Russell started to go? That didn't happen. No one was starting their flying lap, two thirds of the way through the previous lap. everyone was waiting until the last corner because, I don't know, if you've seen F1, that's what always happens.

I was baffled. I'm still baffled by this. I tweeted out that I was confused by this yesterday and I slept on it and I think it's even more ridiculous one day after thinking about it. He did nothing wrong. No penalty necessary. Anyway, it didn't end up mattering

because he ended up taking the lead anyway. Aladdin Norris also got through into P2 at the start. It was quite an eventful first lap. We had multiple collisions, one of which resulted in a penalty, one of which did not. Let's start with the one that didn't. Esteban Ockon and Franco Colopinto's races did not last very long whatsoever. Esteban Ockon has actually got the biggest penalty of anyone from this Grand Prix, despite only doing one corner.

Sacked. He sacked. Alpi don't know what to do, so he's out of turn one. Sack him. He's out of the car. Keep him out of the car. Yeah, but we've already sacked him, actually, Olly. Sack him again.

Olly Oaks loves the soap. It's all the drama. And Nika Holkenberg was involved in that collision as well. Ultimately, no penalty handed out. Sam, did you agree with that? I love that Nika Holgerberg is the only man to have driven off from this collision. It is, come on, it's priceless. See you later, only to crash out on his own later on.

What an assassin he is. Two for the price of one. Oh, and myself later on. Yeah, no, how is this not a penalty? Man underscars off into two cars. destroys them immediately on turn one. Williams having a wonderful time. Another car to fix.

Check. Cheers. It will just be a, you know, the Red Bull Soapbox races. It will just be a Williams colored box. I imagine that they're going to run for the Aber Dhabi Grand Prix

because they've got no bits left. They've got no parts left. Sure. A penalty. I think it should be a 10 second penalty. You've wiped two cars out. Climsy. I don't care for this.

No penalties given on the first lap rule set that seems to go around. The first. That's a corner, apparently. Whatever. The first lap, first corner is exactly the same as, as important as any other lap for any other corner. If you tell me that lap 37, corner four,

has no difference to lap one, corner one. What are we doing? It doesn't make any sense. So to me, slam down penalty. Holgerberg in the wrong rule of super people's races. He's the only person to blame. Penalty for that one, Harry, or the steward's actually right about something? No, they're never right.

They're morons. Good. Car A, makes a mistake. goes too fast into turn one, starts to understeer and slide wide. Car B is hit by Car A and Car B also hits Car C, which then gets a penalty, none of them.

Ockon. Yeah, five second. Ockon, track on over it. I, how is that not a penalty? Hulkabberg, Holkberg has been excellent this year, but today was not a good day for him. That's a, that's a slam dunk penalty

when you make a mistake and you take out two drivers. Oh, no, there's no penalty. Maybe they looked at a thing when he's had a puncture. but it didn't matter because it was a safety car. He was back where he started on literally the same tire again. Morons.

You know what? My anger is on me at this point because as soon as I saw this incident and then the result that came from it, I should have known what the rest of this race was going to be. I should have just known. This was a penalty that wasn't a penalty. Nikolkholkberg, well done. I don't know how you managed to survive with that

and it's a good job you took about. Oh, never mind. Next one, a little bit later on the lap. Stroll and Albon, with Joe having a great view of both of them. Stroll's the one that gets the penalty, which Aston Martin cleverly decide to serve before retire in the car. Was that a right call, Sam? This one I genuinely think is closer.

Stroll is not having a good time, but I do think this is far closer to a yes or no than the Holgerberg one, which for me was a total slam dunk. And the Sky Comicry team discussed this. They said that there was space around the outside, Albon. He could have continued to move across. And he's entitled to the room. He's already in. If we're following the current rule set, Stroll is on the inside of the corner, right, as it stands. That's the rules, apparently. That's how it works. That's how it works,

apparently in Formula One. So, technically, I don't actually think he's digging anything wrong. But yes, I think Strohl was at fault for this. He understood into Albon, of course, the the collision and got a penalty for it, rightly so. But I actually think if they followed their own rule set having been applied consistently, he shouldn't have got a penalty for that. Applying rules consistently? It's a big of thing concept, I know.

How did you? I know. If the sport wasn't run by actual idiots, I'm sure this might occur. I don't know. I think they were both a bit silly. Like, first of that. Yeah, well, not really, really.

No, not really. I don't know. I feel like Stroll could have left more room. Albin could have left more room and the result is they crashed. I don't know who was sillier, really. Maybe Stroll, but I don't know. It was just first lap.

I feel like you play it a bit safer than this from both sides. Harry? Yeah, I agree. I think it was definitely a closer one. I think probably penalty in the end was fair enough because you'd say Stroll did understeer towards Albon rather than Albon closed him off. but like you say, play it.

Albon, mate. You literally get on the radio afterwards and say, I knew he was going to do that. Well, don't go side by side with him there then. If you worried about it, my guy, just, just listen to your own brain. Back off. I'll try and, I don't know. Anyway, I think the penalty was fair in the end.

But it's given what's happening of the rest of the lap and the results of that. Yeah. Can I just say Albon was also an absolute menace. Grand Prix. I mean, it's caused a lot of drama, Mick. He certainly did.

Big Kev, telling him to F off after overtaking him, was really something. Yeah. Yeah. It was. And that's a good thing

for this race. Um, where'd be your next? Big brain strap. Should we do that? Yes. Oh, hang on.

I'm so bamboozled. I'm absolutely, I'm so bamboozled. Big brain strap. Where on earth to be going with this? Sam? I'm going to give it to a proper one, a genuine proper one. And that is Fernando Alonkso, reboxing for medium tires.

I actually think genius move. The mediums were so far superior to the hard tire. And that is why Fernando is still one of the goats and why he's still up there as one of the best racing drivers in the world, because that was a perfect call. And look where he got him. Sever the place. That Astor Martin is an actual bendy bus

that goes around the London City Centre. He's driven that bendy bus with a boatload of passengers to sever the place. incredible stuff and that call was part of it. So well done, Fernando. Harry Ead. Mine's less, well, no, no, it's not serious. I'm giving it to the R.B. team who think it's Vegas week again

because they gambled everything on red and put soft tires on. That last safety car restart. I know Williams did it as well, but both of them, you went, let's do it for both of them. at least split your options, guys. Yeah, it was, it was a poor call.

It did not work. They weren't quick. That car, I mean, Sengoga had an epic start, and then it just kept going. Just kept going back. Imagine saying at the start of this Grand Prix, eight out of ten teams are going to score points in this Grand Prix. One of them is going to be salver.

None of them are going to be Sengoga or Lawson. They would be devastated. I don't even know where I'm going with this big brain strat. I think maybe just Lewis Hamilton and not putting him on something else other than hard tires. It felt like the opportunity to do something a bit different when because of the safety cars, like he was still somewhat in contention to get some points. And all the other front running cars, traditional front running cars,

didn't really have the opportunity to do something. bit different because they'd have lost track position. So maybe Mercedes, I don't know George Russell was very happy. I was going to put him on medium thighs. Yeah. He was fuming. Why I won these raging,

laughing tires then? I'm just going to expand it to Merck generally, actually, because they were lucky that their awful pit stop didn't cost them more. Yeah. Seven seconds, right? Yeah.

But it was way more than seven seconds because of where it got them. Like if he was clear of those couple of cars, which even if they're done like a three and a half, four second pit stop, they'd have been fine. At that point, he's stuck. And that would have been, that strategy would have been really exposed if the race didn't. If that was a boring Grand Prix, I think he was maximum P8 in that Grand Prix.

Yeah, that wasn't. Wasn't great. I'm completely lost. Harry, did you do yours? Yeah, yeah. I did the RBs for putting on soft. Yeah, yeah. You did.

You did your sample. Yeah, yeah. I thought I missed one of you out and I wasn't sure which one it was and it was not a review. Thanks lost the plot. Should we have a review of some bold predictions? Sure.

They've gone brilliantly well. What was your bold prediction, Sam? Paris to get a podium. Nope. I said that neither Mercedes would be in the top eight. And to be fair, they tried for you, mate. Lewis really gave a good go.

And in fact, the Mercedes team in general did. But George Russell just is quite good this season, annoyingly. So he was like, nah, I'm still going to be in the top five. Ben, mate, what was yours? I think we were quite close, right? We were yours. Hey, my bold prediction was that the same person would get both polls and both wins. And it wasn't part of the bowl prediction, but I thought it was going to be Vestappen.

They just start your weekend properly. Like, that would have been fine. They got there in the end, but they just didn't work. on Friday. Good. It's a great week for the late breaking boys once again.

I'm glad that did. I'm glad they didn't get the start of the weekend right because we'd be sat here arguing whether it counted if Fustappan got up hold or not. And I have said no. I already know like I said no.

I don't care what the morals are. It means to draw with me. So no. It's not too bad to be honest. Given Vastappan did win two of the four sessions. That's two points to add to my previous two points. I'm on four now.

I'm flying. He's a win. He's playing his own game. Sam, you're just annoyed because the fact that Ocon's not doing Abu Dhabi means that Alpine teammate wars is, there's nothing. Like, it's a result. Don't take it away from me. No, that's Alpine who's done it to you, man.

Not involved. Not enough. Imagine. Right. Let's take our final break on this episode. On the other side, moment of the race. Of the race. And I do say moment as a singular and not a plural because this could be about 50 different moments,

but we'll give it our best shot. Sam, what was your moment of the race? I know that the boys have got some funny ones, so I am going to go with the shock of the reintroduction of the 10 seconds stop-go penalty. I was on the screen when it happened. I must have been silent, and this is shocking for many, for about a minute at least,

where I was truly bamboozled. I've said that so many times in this podcast as well, about this decision. I never thought that would come out. Out of all the bold predictions that we could have predicted, Saver scoring points, I thought, was more likely than the reintroduction of the stop-go penalty. And we got both in the same Grand Prix.

So not a positive moment, but a really shocking one. Moment of the race from you, Harry. I don't know where to start. I've written a few. I won't read them all out because the list is extensive, folks. If you can see that, and you can't see that. One that really got me on the... This is very Sky Sports-specific.

On the grid, Simon lazily asking Rio Ferdinand about football and the man did not want to talk about football whatsoever. It's just like, nah, I'm not here. It's all about that. Go away, Simon. The graphic that said weekend attendance sold out. Oh, my God. That's got a number.

That's not a number. That doesn't work. So that was good. Alonzo's certified GP2 moment. Good to hear him back. Enjoyed that. Fuming. Yeah.

Leclair saying the way I drive a punch is likely. Or don't drive like that, then shall. Stop it. Is car broken. We've spoken about that. Speak louder, please. This is again, McLaurby.

Stupid. Why does he recite the same full line? Like, the joke's worn off. Yeah, he's trying to be funny. He's trying to be funny. Stop. Stop the fucking out. But it's already been mentioned

Kevin Manxon overtaking Alex Albon and saying fuck off I are great She's going to roll her eyes there Do you want to know with me about that? One hilarious lie, brilliant lying They make such a bug bear out of this swearing issue

You've then chosen to broadcast a clear swear word That's F1 isn't it? Not at the FIA. So they're probably doing it to wind them up. They're going to send. I know, he's having a right laugh. Yeah, play it, play it, play it, play it. Do it, do it, do it.

Anyway, sorry, I've got more than a less bar stop because we will be here for days. I had two moments of the race written down, and hopefully Harry has picked one of those two. So I won't give it to Kevin Magnuson to off because as funny as, that was really funny. He, for just a moment, turned into the most British person. I didn't see

because the camera wasn't zoomed in enough. I think he had a can of John Smith in his ad when he said that. I think he rolled down the window and stuck his fingers out there. Oh, F half. He had a cigarette in one. Cigarette in one. God smith in another.

F half. Wheeling his car with his elbows. Kids in the back, crying. Yeah, you drive me crazy kids. Shut it. And how he's called Steve. Steve Magnuson. So that was a contender,

but my other one that is kind of already been said throughout this episode was, and I actually have like a late-breaking anecdote to compare this to. So I can't remember if we've ever said this on like a Q&A episode, but a while ago, myself and Harry traveled to London

where Sam used to live. Oh God. You picked us up And there was a driver who was fairly erratic. Yeah, look at this story. And myself and Harry being helpfully who we are, said, you should beep at him, Sam. So Sam goes, beep-e-be-be-be-be-be-be-be-be.

As many times as you possibly can in the space of 10 seconds. And then silence for a few seconds. And I go, go on, one more. And that was the one that sent this person wild. Unfortunately, we'd just about survive to tell us tell. The reason I say this anecdote was Williams have been through so much with their cars breaking down. Crash after crash after crash. I think it was 16 was mentioned on the actual broadcast.

Colapinto crashes in the first corner. And Williams and mechanics are like, oh, if we have to do one more and then the mirror falls off. And that's the thing that sends them like, no, I'm done now. We have got any mirrors left. Sorry, you can't have another mirror. just torch the whole garage at this point. Get Maldegardo backing. Oh dear.

What have our Discord submitters managed to narrow their choices down to? Right, crikey, there's a lot here. I mean, there are a lot of you that submitted it, so thank you so much. We'll get through as many as possible. Hazer is first.

Right, boys, my moment with race for Qatar was Kevin Magnuson's dirty, filthy, naughty, naughty, overtake, two trailer park girls' style right the other side of Uki Snowder at turn one. Absolute filth. Cheers, boys. I'm surprised he did that without swearing as well.

That was a good move, actually. It goes underrated. Yeah. Yep. Next up, we have hybrid ship 982. Hey, guys. Hybrid ship back again. And I got to say, moment of the race, by far had to be when Albon's mirror fell off,

because that race was kind of becoming a little bit of a snooze fest. But ever since Bontas ran over Albon's mirror, oh boy, it has been great, great racing all the way until the checkered flag. Just the best. All right, take care, guys. Got Steve's kicked in the back. Child in the background. Great racing is a choice of words.

There was some action. I wouldn't say there was great racing. Anyway, Sour Pat, thank for that. Sour Patch kid is next. moment of the race gotta be Joe Gwynneau not for his driving though for that epic radio message

we saw Lance Stroll just drive right in Albon hilarious great pod keep it up boys yeah show how a couple of sassy moments you also told his engineer to F off as well

Alonzo did a 255 I don't care go really fast that stroll moment was very funny but I am keen to ensure that this race is not remembered from Joe's side because of that radio message. He can't have that much of a good Grand Prix

to be remembered for a sassy quote about Landström of that one. So true, and that is exactly what will happen, though. Yeah, plus guaranteed. Real Dad and James are back. It's Real Dad and James. We've been away for a while, but now we're back Moment of the Race Qatar.

What a race. Moe of the Race, probably Alex Album and Bottas planning a hit on Hamilton and Signs. I mean, great job. Should really be intermittent in the hitman for game. Just keep doing what you're doing, guys. My moment, yeah, poor Lando. Very controversial there. A bit of British bias. Did he lift off?

Was it double yellow? I don't know. But anyway, Max 1 and over and out. Thank you guys. Soppy moment here. We have been doing submissions for a long time. And I remember when James used to sound like an actual child. Well, that's how long they've been away. He's now a man. He now sounds like a year. young man and his voice is broken. Sam discovers growing up.

It's been that long, that's crazy. Yeah, yeah. Mocked for me, guys. We're not allowed that here. On uncommon hoodlum is next. I haven't got the slightest idea how I'm meant to pick just one moment. But if I have to go with one, I'm going to have to give it to Pierre Gazley.

Let's get the sausages out for our. boy, it pains me to see the Has team probably losing P6 in the Constructors Championship, those are my boys, but I got to give sausages where the sausages are due. I keep breaking late. Harry, can you just say that last part

of his name again, please? Stanley Tucci. The actual submitter. What, Huddlum. Ah, okay, you called it Huddleum. I didn't know if you could say. Oh, Huddlem. And come on Huddlum.

I can't read or speak. Thank you for that. Next is Kmart, if I can find them on the list. There you go, Kmart 10. You fellas, moment of the race, I got to get two in here. First, Sergio Perez being overtaken in the pit lane on the sprint by Franco Frapicino. And second, Jo Guernu dragging that freaking green dump truck to P8 and beating Perez. Joe Guan Yu, 2025 Red Bull C, calling it right now.

Sure. It's Magnuson's to lose. next up is Hindu What's up guys long time listener, first time poster

moment of the race of me was the one lap where Salber had double points but other than that Guangzhou had a terrific drive and well-deserved points

you know the meme where the weird cartoon character is reaching out to grab something and then like the song is behind him pulling away and Botas it's like

Botas P-Teng and then Lando's behind him like, no, no, B-11, back you come. By now. Bye-bye. You had it for one lap. Poor Valtery. Two laps later, he's beating it for like eight seconds.

Oh, dear. Next is George Nandolos. Hi, everyone. This is George Nandalos. That was a ridiculous race, but my moment of the race came at the beginning on Albans radio when he was talking about Stroll banging into him,

and he sounded so defeated. I knew he was going to do it. I could just tell. So why can you let him do it? Thank you for that, George Nandalos. Next we have Ben from Idaho. Ben from Idaho here. I was watching the live stream with Sam

and about halfway through the race, he said, I hope the second half of the race is exciting. Well, I think he got what do you wish for. My moment of the race is Lewis Hamilton. He wanted to retire. The team told him to keep going. And then the next lap, the team told him to retire.

And he was just like, nah, I'm going to finish this. Just brilliant. Did they obviously say don't retire because they have to serve the Penguinsian Abu Dhabi in some respect because he wouldn't have completing his drive-through? And that's why at that point they said, you can't retire the car. Maybe. But then why then when they say retire and he doesn't do it? Yeah, but it's still hilarious.

Yeah, that could well be my stopping. But anyway, ridiculous. Finally, we have Dan the Garbage Man. Hey, late breakers. Dan the Garbage Man here. Long time, first time. My moment of the race was when the FAA director, race director, took the existing rubric for handing out penalties,

poured petrol all over it, set of a light, threw it out on the tarmac, and jumped up and down it. metaphorically of course keep breaking light a great summary of what just happened I didn't know such a thing existed but I think you've done a very good job there

is that the last one we've got to the end of them I am exhausted yeah I yes it's a very good point well made Harry we're going to be back midweek, obviously, where we'll be having an Abu Dhabi preview,

but no doubt there will be some fallout from this Grand Prix weekend. Ocon Alps. Ocon's already falling out. We've got plenty more stuff. We've got power rankings. We do. We've got to go to our power rankings now.

So if you're a Patreon member, remember you'll get those on your Monday. If you'd like to hear our power rankings and how we rated all of the driver throughout that absolutely chaotic race day, then you need to go and spend it. subscribe. You get loads of other things as well. You get your beer with breaking, a classic Grand Prix Review. Everything is out free and you get two extra episodes every single month. And it's currently a survey going around for both Patreon subscribers and non-patrient subscribers. Links down below. Patreon

viewers, you can find it on your feet as well. Please fill it out. Please answer the questions. Please give us pointers because it allows us to know what you are enjoying, what you're not enjoying, and what we can alter change. You make the experience as good as possible for you. Discord is available. Get in there if you want to hear your submission for the Avery-W Grand Prix. of course, you can get that there. Late Breaking Fon, follow us everywhere. YouTube is late breaking afone as well. This has been video recorded

and you will see our faces on your television screens. Give it a like, give it a subscribe, we're doing really well. So thank you for the support there. That's everything. This is a big a nightmare. In the meantime, I've been Samuel Sage.

I've been Ben Hocking. And I've been Harry Ead. And remember, keep breaking late. This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.