The Late Braking F1 Podcast - ANOTHER street race?! Madrid GP in 2026 CONFIRMED

Episode Date: January 24, 2024

F1 have announced a new Madrid street circuit GP from 2026, and Sam & Harry share their thoughts! Later in the episode, the LB trio rank the 2024 driver pairings, as well as discussing James Allison's long-term contract extension at Mercedes, and Alan Permane's F1 return to Visa Cash App RB. They finish with a game of Real or No Real... Disclaimer: Episode recorded prior to announcement of AlphaTauri rebrand to Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team... 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

Black Friday is here at IKEA and the clock is taking on savings you won't want to miss. Join IKEA family for free today and unlock deals on everything from holiday must-haves to cozy at-home essentials, all the little and big things you need to make this season shine. But don't wait. Like leftovers at midnight, our Black Friday offers won't last. Shop now at IKEA.ca.ca.com slash Black Friday. IKEA, bring home to life. At Desjardin, we speak business. We speak equipment modernization.

We're fluent in data digitization and expansion into foreign markets. And we can talk all day about streamlining manufacturing processes. Because at Desjardin business, we speak the same language you do. Business. So join the more than 400,000 Canadian entrepreneurs who already count on us. And contact Desjardin today. We'd love to talk. Business.

It was just another holiday party until Michelle arrived with a chocolate basque cheesecake. Two rich cocoa's caramelized top, which Michelle claimed to have just whipped together. But the evidence told another story. An empty PC box, a receipt in her purse. All right, Susan, I bought the PC chocolate basque cheesecake. It was just $11. Can you stop true craming me? Can I have another slice? Try the season's biggest hits from the PC Holiday Insiders Report.

Thank you for listening to the Late Breaking F1 podcast. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday and every Sunday. And welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Ead, Sam Sage and me, Ben Hocking. Sam, it's been a while. How have you been? It's been a long week. I have mistakenly turned up in the same clothes that I wore for the Sundays recording that we did. Disaster.

It does happen sometimes, you know. At least we're not dressed the same for ones. Well done us. We've worn both exactly the same outfits that we wore on Sunday But how's your week been, Harry? Is it long, tough in the dark, cold, stormy weather?

Yeah, I mean, Monday, Tuesday's been real tough so far. What have you been up to? Tell me one detail about that. Yeah, let us know. What have you done? I got hit by a bus. You were hit by a bus?

Yeah. Should have seen the state of the bus, though. Yeah, come on. Oh, God. It's good stuff. It's good stuff all around, right? It's about calling you Regina George, but turns out you're the bloody Hulk.

I don't know if you can tell folks. We're recording on the same date that we did the Sunday episode on. Lazy us. Not sure you could tell. Good thing is, it's not going to get more chaotic from here because we're playing real or no real later on.

In slightly more serious news, Mercedes have signed James Allison to an extension, so we'll talk about that a little bit later on. Whoa there, Ben, hold your horses, sir. We've got some breaking news. right back with the main episode in a minute. Harry and Sam here buttoning. Hello. You're right? Hello. Good. Good. Formula One's been a very gnaughty boy and has decided to announce something in the midweek when we're recording our Wednesday episode at the start of the week. We're sick of them doing it, but they've done it anyway. Mate, Madrid's been announced as a new track on the calendar. I know. How dare they? How dare they do that when we recorded, as you've just heard it from that intro, everything on a Sunday this week. And I'd like to point out, still not my

my fault. It's Ben's fault. Still correct. Harry, you're very golden child. We're flying along. You're doing a brilliant job. So yes, Madrid's coming to Formula One and it's looking like it's going to be here a lot sooner than we think. Barcelona's contract runs out in 2026 with Domenicali announcing that this could be a new chapter in Spain for Formula One.

Of course, we've got Carlos Sainz Thriving at Ferrari and Fernando Alonso being Fernando Alonso, the absolute gigacad that he is. Just some key facts that I definitely. definitely didn't find out. Producer Kersey definitely did about the Spanish Grand Prix because she's an angel, is that we've had Madrid last hosting the Grand Prix in 1981, which is a long long time ago. Barcelona has been on the calendar since 1991. Of course, we've done testing there for so many years as well.

The reason why Formula 1 wants to transition to this Madrid-based circuit, and there are rumours that we might be running at both tracks, which is interesting, because as much as Spain's always had drivers and interest, it's never been the biggest F-1 nation. The new track is very much centrally accessible with 90% of the audience being able to attend by public transport, and it puts it in line with the Formula One's 2026 environmental regulation. So it's ticking a lot of boxes from a business point of view. But Harry, have you seen the layout and you see what it looks like, what are your initial thoughts on Madrid?

Well, it says that it's going to, again, referring to the notes that neither of us made him, producer Kirsty did. It says it's going to run until 2035. So Alonzo will still be there. He will be. Everyone else will have retired. It will just be a long time. He will be about 53 by then.

But he'll still be there. Imagine he'll be in a microwave cooking for 10 years. That's how they preserve him. Yeah, look, the layout. Now, not to steal urinalogy, Sam, but you said it looked like a gas pump, which is a very American term for you. I appreciate that.

Or a petrol pump. It, yeah. Looks like there's a lot of corners there. 20, 20 to be exact. It's quite a few corners for a street circuit. Yeah, it's hard to say, but it doesn't... Overall, this doesn't fill me with excitement. I can't lie.

And that's ironic because Barcelona, the track never really filled me with that much excitement. And this doesn't either. So, yeah, it doesn't look at the most exciting track in the world. I'll reserve full judgment until we actually end up racing there. but just the idea of another street. We've got quite a few street tracks now in F1. There's too many. There's too many.

And I just feels like there are other great racing tracks around the world that we're not going to. So I'm not blown away by this. But again, like I say, I don't want to judge a book by its cover. It may turn out to be an absolute belt of a race track. But on the face of it, there's quite a few corners. Yeah, I mean, I know we've been. make a sweeping judgment about street circuits and some street circuits do thrive much better than others in Formula One, for example, Baku and Singapore, both rated very, very highly by the general

Formula One audience. And Monaco, of course, has been a fan for some since its inception in the calendar, Harry, you're a big fan. And whether you love it or when a lump it, it's got a lot of heritage and a lot of, you know, fame and history around it. So it kind of earns its place there. But of course, street circuits have also fallen flat on their face. You look at Miami, which is considering a street circuit. It's not exactly thriving at the moment. So they can be hit and miss. Australia is another one that is counting as a street circuit, Albert Park.

And that with recent years hasn't exactly been an absolute belter. So we're hoping that Madrid falls in the Singapore Baku category. As Harry said, I don't want to make a sweeping statement before we get there. But it's hard to expect excitement when, quite honestly, being harsh Barcelona here, it wasn't great for a while. And it feels like it's coming to its own. very recently. It feels like the last couple of years, we've seen the resurgence of Barcelona,

the new regulations, the removal of that chican. The racing has been very strong around Barcelona. And this quote that Domenicali has come out and said that they might run both. I just don't understand how that's going to happen. Harry, what do you think? You think there's really room on the calendar for two Spanish Grand Prix?

I think they're just trying to keep people happy on that one. Well, I don't know why they do that. Why don't we've got a couple of Italian ones with Imala and Mons at the moment. but yeah, why would you, if this is going to be the Spanish Grand Prix, as they've already called it, what's Barcelona going to be? And would Barcelona want to be what?

The Barcelona Grand Prix? Catalonian Grand Prix, maybe. Well, maybe. I think that's just talk. I don't feel like that's actually going to happen. And again, we've got a pretty packed out calendar already. I don't think there's room to go to Spain twice. Sorry, Spain.

Sorry, Spain. we love you. I got a holiday there twice if I can afford it. Yeah, well, exactly. So, yeah, I don't think it's going to happen. I mean, whilst he's not here, we must mention the fact that Ben Hawkins is going to lose his favourite turn one of the calendar. He's going to be absolutely devastating. He's going to mourning, like Queen Victoria when Prince Albert died,

she wore black for the rest of her life. I imagine that's all Ben will ever wear. Yeah, yeah. He will not come out and see the public. Speak to your people, Ben. No, no until they return. Turned Barcelona. Now, something that is obviously quite common in Formula One is that we tend to go to locations where drivers are thriving. And we joke about Fernando Alonkso being here from eternity and being an OAP driving a Formula One car. But realistically, he isn't going to be on the grid forever.

And Carlos Sikes has never been the most popular of drivers. He's always done well. But in Spain, he's never reached the heights of Fernando Alonso. And he's also not the latter stages of his career, that is harsh to say. He has got some time under his bell. But after Carlos Sites, there are no immediate Spanish youngsters approaching the grid. Are they over-haging their bets a little bit

on what Spain can deliver in the next 10 to 15 years? I mean, yeah, potentially, look, Alonso is unlikely to still be there when he's 53. I still wouldn't bet against it, but it's unlikely. We wish. We want. Yeah, you're right.

There's only currently Carlos Sines left to fill that gap. I guess it's encouraging, despite this, they've signed a race track up, even if it's not Barcelona. And they're saying a race track up until 2035, because there's obviously a belief that Spain has a place or is a place where Formula One lives, even if there's no Spanish drivers. So, yeah, and by the time we get there, maybe there will be one who's come up the ranks, but there's not any that spring to mind immediately.

I mean, I haven't got an encyclopedia of young drivers in my mind, but yes, Spain is a driving. Yeah. Well, yes. So, yeah, interesting. I mean, like you say, Carl's signs, he's still going to be around

for a few more years. So, yeah, but I guess it's an encouraging, encouraging sign that they are going to commit to Spain for so long. But it's, you know, it's been on the calendar

when, as you say, since 1990. No, well, sorry, that's Barcelona. Spain as a, as a race track, as a Grand Prix, has been on the calendar

for don't see it going away anytime soon. Yeah, the official term donkeys, that's how all the correct outlets pronounce it, I'm sure. That is something I'm going to ask you about, though, was the fact that it's technically being signed up to, you know, a 10-year deal.

How are you feeling about having such a bloated calendar, but tracks also getting, because Las Vegas is the same, right? It's got a ridiculously long contract offer. If these tracks flop and we're stuck with them for over a decade, potentially, this is surely, you know, a little bit, we should be trying before we buy a little bit. Yeah, and this is the thing that I do that probably stinks the most about this one. And I guess you say

Las Vegas as well. It's just being led to by money. I know they can say all these things about it's the most successful race track, which it might well be, which is ironically very formulae of them. But it just feels like they're following the money here and places race tracks.

Great racetracks that have been on the calendar, have the heritage for such a long time struggle to get like two year deals and things like that. Like spa, for example. What do that get extended to? Not that long. A couple of years.

Yeah, year or something. So, yeah, they're just following the money rather than, and I hope this doesn't continue because you're right. Last Vegas, I think we got away with it in year one. Year two remains to be seen. But if we sign up with these tracks for so long and they're crap, then we are literally stuck with them for 10 years. So it's just a slight worry.

And like I say, I just hope this doesn't become a running, a running theme where we end up signing up for donkeys years again. It's quite a, it's quite a Bernie Echleston tactic. Cash in the pocket, right? For a long time. That's money in the bank save for a while. He did that with Donington.

And then we obviously never went to Donington. Oh, bless. Put Dogginson on the calendar. You have a great sign. I promise you. Simply sausages. The tourists will absolutely love it. I think something that I do really like about this Madrid track is the accessibility

to the circuit. We've been to a few race tracks, you know, personally. We, of course, went to Austin as a team, Cota, that is. And I do think that getting to the track and getting out of the track back to your hotel or the city can be a real pain in the back side. You look at Silverstone, right? And it is essentially, it's not near a single major city in the UK. And you have to either camp or you do have to drive for a while and stay in a small village. And that can be difficult with small roads.

And it's not just the UK that experiences that. So I love. And it's the same as Zandvort, right? I love the puppet transport cycling links that you can get to these circuits that allow you to get in and out on foot, on buses, on trains. That is a really positive aspect of this that maybe these classic tracks with the heritage that we would talk about that we love, need to improve their infrastructure to create that direct appeal

and access to the general public. Maybe that's something that they need to think about. Have you got any thoughts on that, Harry? Yeah, like I said, it's quite a formulary approach. and when Formula E first started, it was kind of revolutionary where they only went to street circuits and they still mainly do

because it was more, I mean, ignore the fact they couldn't really do the whole race, but it was more because they wanted to, you know, get fans involved straight away, which for a new sport was quite important. So it's using that template, I guess, which worked quite successfully for F1. So yeah, I hope that is the case

and people do flock and can come to this Grand Prix easily. But they're saying 110,000, they think they can fit in initially, which will not fit in, but, you know, they will be able to watch from around Madrid. So it's a healthy number of people that hopefully will come watch. Yeah, up to 140 by the first five years. And if anyone from Formula One or any tourism-based companies are listening, we'd like to invite the late-breaking team to spectate in Madrid,

we will have that conversation quite happily. I feel bad. I feel bad that we've interrupted Ben so abruptly and we should probably send it back to him now to tell you what's happening in the rest of the show. Yeah, yeah, I think we should. And also ignore what he's about to say about to start with because we started before him, so suck it, Ben.

Yeah, Ben, suck it. Anyway, back to you, Ben, suck it. But we're going to start with an episode that we do pretty much every year. And looking back, I think we used the same episode in terms of mid-January last year for this, which is ranking the 10 lineups. Now, of course, the 10 lineups didn't change from the end of the season,

but there are some changes versus what they were at the beginning of last year when we last looked at this. And, of course, a lot has changed in the last year in terms of performance. So interested to see what our lists look like. We're going to go from 10 down to 6 in this first segment of the podcast. We'll then look at 5 through 1 in the second segment. So we're going to start with Sam. Run us through 10 through 6 and why you've positioned them where they are.

10 through 6 is. It's taken place. Okay. I don't know. I've said Haas. Kain Mag is always been a good driver, but I do feel like he started to decline. And last year was a real sign of the times where he was struggling. He was not on his A game.

You got absolutely dunked on by Holkenberg. And speaking of Holkenberg, as much as I'm saying, I do rate him. I think he's strong. I don't think he's anything better than just a quality midfield driver. Those two together, I think, is just,

there's no growth there anymore. There's no ability to develop. It's not like one of them is two or three years into their career. I think they are at the peak of what they could do, which is not the peak of either of their careers either. I think they've really started their descent.

So for me, Hars in 10th. Ninth place, I've picked Team Salber. And I'm sticking with that name this time round. Sure. because that is just

so long as easy to remember and you're making up a new one this week maybe but Salba for this time okay um Salba as how he likes to call them um Valtrey Bottas of course on one side of the garage who has had very strong moments

in his Formula One career but I do think is putting himself out to pasture a little bit I do think he's kind of on the Kimmy Riking and wave and that is kind of riding previous success to ensure that he carries on getting a drive we love him his personality is sensational

but what he's doing on the track is nothing in comparison to what he used to going to do on the track. Shoguan Yu is, as much as he's only a couple of years into his F1 career, I do think he is just possibly already at the very peak of his powers. I don't see him going much further than just being a strong midfield driver, and I think he's achieving that already. He's relatively matching Bottas at times.

I thought he would have kicked on a little bit more in terms of against Bottas in the season we've just had, the 23 season. He didn't really do that. So for me, Salba are in ninth. Eighth is Williams and this is definitely a team that is torn in two sides. I think Alexander Albon on his own would probably put himself into the top five in terms of the team driver line-up partnerships. But I think Logan Sargent sits pretty much at the bottom of this entire group.

So they sit themselves very much in eight to place. I don't think I think they're better overall as a partnership than Salbrun Haas. But I don't think because of Logan Sargent, they can realistically challenge any of them. 7th Alpha Tauri. Yuki Sonoga has improved year on year, and Daniel Ricardo is a bit bizarre to say, but he's a bit of an unknown quantity at the moment. We've only seen him in a few races

come to the back end of the grid, the season, sorry. We don't know if he's going to be able to deliver a full season of top quality racing. It's definitely possible, and they could move up there. But I do think that Daniel isn't what he was in kind of that 2017-2018 season.

And I think Yuki-Seno is probably as good as he's going to get, which is, again, strong, but I don't think any higher than this. And in sixth place, I've gone for Ashton Martin. Again, this is the two sides of the garage. Fernando Alonso, if there were two Fernando Alonso's, they'd be top two or three across. The world would implode.

Right, but it'll be a better place for it. Two Fernando Alonzo. Imagine the microwave gifts we could have. But Lank's troll, as we discussed on Sunday's episode many days ago now, is he's, you know, he's bottom three, bottom four of the grid. Well, Fernando Alonso is probably top four, top five in the grid. So, yeah, they balance themselves out. And I do think that they are sitting comfortably

around that sixth place mark as a driver line up. Okay. So to confirm you've got Hass in 10th, alpha Romeo, state, kick, whatever you want to call them in 9th, Williams 8, Alpha Tauri, whatever you want to call them in 7th. And then Aston Martin in 6th place.

We'll discuss where we've got differences once we've all revealed our list. So, Harry, 10 through 6 from your side? You have to rank these. I can't decide. The B's in the 10 teams. Not six, seven, eight, nine or ten. Yeah, they're using the ten team.

And they go some order. McLaren. Okay. In number ten, coming in at ten, tenth. Yeah, that's good. Williams. Wow. Wow.

Oh, God. I'm not well. Williams are last for me. And not, again, this is, I guess, similar to the Astor Martin argument. Alex Albon, I rate a lot. Logan Sargent, I don't rate a lot currently. So it evens out slightly. less than has to me.

Who are ninth? Who were ninth? All right, sure. Because they are just, I know KMAC declined a bit in the last year I had a bad year. But it's, it's normally you'd say it's just a fairly standard solid line-up. Yeah. So, yeah, they're a ninth, Williams and 10th. And then in eighth I've gone for Alphiari.

Again, more, mainly because it's quite an unknown quantity in terms of Daniel Ricardo. I know we saw a bit of him at the end of last year. But it's just hard to know where he is. And obviously then there's Yuki Sanoda who is, you know, getting better, but isn't, you know, lighting the world on fire, as you said. It's an arsonist. Not an arsonist. Good.

So, yeah, I've got them in eighth. And then in seventh, I've got Astor Martin. Wow. That's further back than I thought. Yeah. Fernando Oloxo fan club. It's falling apart. Again, if it was, there were two of them.

The ball would impact. Obviously, number one. but for the reasons you mentioned, it's slightly further down for me. And then, um, sixth. I've missed a team.

Oh, no. There's only nine. He's on his list. Who have I missed? I don't know, mate. I don't know what the rest of you.

Alpha Romeo. Salba. In seventh, Alpha Romeo. Really? Then six, that's too sorry. We try and really ask you taken seriously.

I thought I'd done so well and put an order in everything. I think. Oh, crap. I was going to pull you up on Salma being a higher. Yeah. They're not.

That's why I was also so surprised. Oh, God damn it. Anyway, sorry, yes. Seventh will be out for a male of Salba team kick, whatever we're calling them now. Tim kick you out of the show. Yeah, fair enough. And then sixth place, Aston Martin, for the reasons.

Disgust. Good. Thanks. Sorry, just get rid of me. Give us your complete 10 to 6, please. We'll do. I'm glad to see we've got differences as well here. So in Temp, I've got neither of the teams that you said.

So we've got Hassan Williams submitted in Temp so far. I've gone for steak. I just don't like whatever. Steak. Tebow. Yeah, I think Valtry Bottas is solid enough, but he has taken a step back from where he was in his Mercedes days. I don't think that can be denied.

and you know, people forget, like, how good Bottas was in the end of his Williams days and early Mercedes days. Take like 2017 as an example. He lost 363 points to 305 against Lewis Hamilton. That's pretty respectable. I'm sure there are a lot of drivers, like, I mean, Sergio Perez versus Vastappan as an example, who would absolutely take that. But I think he has dropped off from that level. And Joe Guan Yu, similar to what you said, Sam, I feel.

like there was promise at the end of 2022 and he just didn't kick on in 2023. Fully appreciate the card wasn't working for him and it didn't give him much opportunity to shine. But having said that, there are still opportunities

Holcomburg in qualifying, Alex Albert in races for those bad teams to show something. And I don't think show Guan Yu really did. And as I've already explained, I probably would have moved on from show Guan Yu at the end of last year. but they've given them another year.

It's a highly consistent duo. It's just they don't make many errors, those two drivers combined, but there's just not a lot of wow factor. Because just can be mediocre though, aren't they? Yeah. Like they don't, there's not too much in the way of damages

and crashing their cars, but equally not a lot that makes you go, well done. That was really something. It's just, yeah, as you say, a bit mediocre. Ninth place, I've got Williams, similar reasoning in the as good, as Alex Albin is and indeed was last season.

This is more based on Logan Sargent for me being the worst driver in F1 at the moment. And from Alex Albin's perspective as well, we're not just looking at last year. I'd like to see another year from him just at that same standard. So I think I put him sixth in my driver rankings for last year, but I just want to see another year of consistent greatness from him to fully elevate his position. in sort of my opinion. So I've got Williams' ninth. Eighth.

I've got Alpha Tauri or whatever they're going to be called. I don't really know what we're going to get from. You've already said, Daniel Ricardo is a bit of an unknown quantity. Sonoda might keep improving. I'd still say even with Sonoda's improvements, he's one of the weaker drivers in F1. So it's a bit of a question, Mark. I think you could probably put,

when we come to the end of the season, they might have been the worst driver pairing on the grid. They might also have been like sixth. and I wouldn't be surprised at either outcome. So I've kind of put them in the middle at eighth. I've got Hass seventh. I've got them a bit higher than you two have. Just a bit.

I just think overall, it's a fairly solid lineup. Nika Holkenberg was far better on his return to F1 than I thought he was going to be. And in reality, I think if if Hasse were okay at tireware, I think he would have ended up with a similar season to Alex Halban. I just think he gave himself every chance to get points in qualifying, and there was nothing he could do with that car when it got to the race.

And Kevin Magnerson, as disappointing as he was in 2023, I'm going to say overall, I think he's better than what he showed last year, in which case, I think if you gave those two drivers a solid car, they'd deliver solid results. And sixth on my list is not, Astor Martin. I've got Alpine in sixth, although it is exactly the same debate as I had last year, which was if you're ranking the four drivers, Fernando Alonzo's first, Lance stroll's last,

and Gasley and Ockon are about the same in second and third. You can probably interchange whichever one you think is slightly better. And it's exactly the same position as it was last year, except Alonzo performed better than I thought

he was capable of last year. So which is why I've got Alpine in sixth. I will say this about Alpine. They probably have the most dependable line up on the grid in the you kind of know exactly what you're going to get from them. I think we, based on what they did in 2023, it was about what we thought we were going to see from them. You would be surprised if they were anything more than like 5% or less than 5% versus your

expectations. Like with Al-Towry, Ricardo could be great, could also be awful. You know, we might see Sergio Perez recover for Red Bull, so he might elevate himself. There's a lot of question marks about a lot of other teams. With Alpine, it's just very, you know what you're going to get with them, which is a plus and I guess a minus at the same time. So I've got them sick. They're a, they're a brigger butter team, aren't they really, in terms of that driver line up?

Well, they're French, so they're a baguette and borsan line up. You know, often tasty, but never really blows your mind away. It's always consistent, you know. I think you are underselling borsan. Who doesn't like brug and butter? That's my point, all right? It's just, but you know, if you go out for a fancy dinner

and you're thinking, oh, I'll have a, I'll have a, I'll have a stabbing from the top of the menu, please, and that's going to cost me of a fortune. Okay, Ben loves Borsang. There you go. That's the point made. I can't do any more than this. The podcast is over.

Everyone loves Borsan, way more than I ever thought they would. How can you not like Borsan? I'm lactose intolerant. Oh, well, that's a fair point. What swayed you on, I guess, question for both of you. What swayed you on Aster Martin being in sick

rather than Alpine or another team? So, spoiler alert, for me, Alpian, I had that exact debate, Ben. And I'm going to assume that Ascom Martin are probably fifth on your list and Alpina. I'm taking over the Alonso fanboy club and I'm actually first with Ashton. Oh, sure. Great. Brilliant. You brought up that argument of, you know, Fernando first, Lankstrow last and those two in the middle. But I do think that Larkstrel is quite far back and the gap between Ghazia and Ocon, whilst not small to Alonso is much smaller in the gap back to Lance Str. And also, I know there were some reliability problems and whatnot,

but Ocon did go up against Fernando Aloncso in the same machinery and did very, very well. And so I just think overall was a pairing. When you look at how Gazile has performed over the last couple of years as well, you know, that 2020 season had in the Alpha Tauri car, how quickly he settled into this Alpine car to live at a podium, was very consistent throughout the season. I just think as an overall unit,

the baguette and Borsan combination out does the crazy microwave. Which one's weird? Okay, I'm going to let you work it out during the break. Who's a baguette and who's a ball, son? There's only one way can find out, folks. Fine. Yeah, it's the...

It's the... If you're putting them in, like, where they are and... Yeah. Not on pace, but I'm like, where you'd rank them, the Ghazdi-Ock-comp pairing are closer to Alonzo than they are to stroll.

It strolls at like 10%. And Alonso is 100%. Gazzing Ockon are like at 80% in my mind. Yeah, something like that. from your perspective, Harry were putting Williams 10th because that's another one

we all disagree with slightly. I think you had them 8th, right? Sam and I had them 9th and Harry had them 10th. What would you need to see from say Alex Almond to elevate that ranking? Presumably he's not the reason

they're 10th, but what would he need to show to almost single-handedly push that team? Counter-racked sergeant. Don't bin it sometimes, Alex, mate. That's a good point, Matt.

Hey, I can't argue. Honestly, I think if they're the couple of moments last year, if he hadn't binned it, then maybe there would have been... Australia springs to mind. Australia's a big one. So, yeah, look, I think he had a great year last year. There were a couple, maybe just a couple of mistakes that crept in that have harmed it.

So yeah, that's why he's ended up in 10th. It's interesting because that's almost the opposite reason why I've got Williams above Salber and Haast is because I would rather have a driver that over the course of 20 races bings it five times, but then excels the car. for the other 15, rather than it's just consistently met for the 20 grandkids, which I think is the likes of what Botas and Joe does.

And I think Magnuson and Holgerberg, although I do think that the car is, as Ben, you alluded to, it's far more negatively impacting what Holkenberg probably could have achieved last year. I do think that Albon overall was still more impressive than what Holgerberg was. That bottom three for me is very much interchangeable

and I wasn't completely shocked at where you put your... Actually, Ben, Haas being so far up was probably I was more surprised you about rather than who was at the back of your area. Yeah, I guess with those four teams, it was, come on, man. He laughed first. Dude, I did laugh first.

Come on. Sorry. Children. I work with children. Yeah, Hass. I put, yeah, I put them seven. It's an unfortunate team name as well. We're talking about as well.

For God's sake. Yeah, I wasn't sure about the bottom four because they are very, very close. I just think that, you know, Nikolklenberg made Q3. I think the same number of times as Alex Albin, maybe one or two more times.

And I think if they gave him a car that just didn't go backwards, they probably, I think Holcombberg could have scored a similar amount of points. And yeah, I'm giving Kevin Magnerson a slight pass as well.

I don't think he had a very good season. If you listen to Sunday's episode, I'll put him in the most under pressure drivers for this year. I just think given his stinting F1 as a whole, that actually he's capable of more than what he showed. I think it's almost just a slightly better version of what steak have, which is Joe and Boss has fairly solid. I think Holkenberg and Magnuson are fairly solid.

Just both of them, Holkenberg in particular, kind of outranks them, I'd say. I wish they called the team fried chicken. It's tastier and it's funnier. Sure. That's what I'm going to call them out for this episode. I hate to break the news to you, but it's actually steak,

spell A-K-E at the end. I'm aware. Oh, no. I'm not an actual moron. You could have fried chikner. Fried chikin. Fried would be spelled F-R-I-D-E. Move on.

Sure. We're going to take our first break at this point. We're going to be back with other rankings on the other side. We're going to be looking at who's fifth through to first on our list. Okay, so there's not much suspense about who's fifth on all of our list because we've inadvertently revealed all three of them, but might as well go through the reasoning a little bit, Sam, so take us through who you've got in fifth and also four, three, two and one. Yeah, as previously mentioned, Alpine of fifth, and I'm not going to go into too much detail,

but that is the debate between Ascan Marcing Alpine on their rankings between the drivers. Fourth place, I've got McLaren. Zach Brown was very adamant that he believes they have the best driver pairing in Formula One at the moment, which marketing man is really going for at the start of this season. Carl's brilliant, teams brilliant, the drivers are the best we've ever had. I'm brilliant. I am fantastic at what I do. He's selling everything today.

It's a fire sale in McLaren. Oh my God, there's a fire sale of the fire brigade's turned up. Oh. I can speak things into existence. then don't say things about fire. Wow, what a moment. Anyway, I think McLaren, and I think this top four,

very much like the bottom four, are really interchangeable. I do think you can make a fair argument for any of them. What settles McLaren in fourth above the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull that we're going to see moving forward

is Oscar Piastri just still needs to work that level of experience into his game, and I do think he's not hitting the heights of Landon Norris yet, which is no diss to Piastri. I do not expect him to be where Landon Norris is at the moment. It's going to take a couple of seasons to elevate himself to that level.

I do think he'll get there. Also, Landon Norris, in particular, built up a little bit of a reputation last season of bottling it in big moments. And that stuck with me, because if you're going to have a team league and someone to carry your team forward, if they've got a championship winging car this season,

and I don't think it would be dominant, let's just say it's capable of winging races, but the driver has to be the difference. Landon Norris historically has had a few moments now where he's made the wrong calls, his bottle getting performance, and he's ruined his own chance at success. Mexico qualifying out in Q1.

When we were in Qatar, for example, it rang off the track on the final corner, probably could have picked up a pole position, ended up starting, I think it was seventh, something like that. And then you go as far back as the Russian Grand Prix where the rain came down and Lewis Hamilton got the victory, he could have had his first win there and he was too stubborn, shouting over the might that he knew what he was doing, and it all came crumbling down. I just need to see him be consistently good at the very top.

So that's why they're just behind the next three teams I'm going to list. Third place, I have got Ferrari. I think Charlecler is probably the best driver in qualifying right now. I don't think anyone could match him with her unequal machinery. I just think race performance. he seems to overdrive the car at the moment and I do think it's cost him some points and the team some points.

We've seen some silly incidents. Let's go back to 2022. France, the French Grand Prix where he just put it into the wall seemingly all on his own in Paul Ricard. And then on the other side, Carlos Sainz seems to have this glimmers of brilliance, Singapore being one of them,

where he absolutely pulls it out the bag. The Monza, the Italian Grand Prix. He was sensational again there as well. He does have. have these moments, but over the course of the season consistently, he seems to let things slip. And I thought he had the championship in the bag against Lecler last year, up until the last race where Lecler ends up jumping him in the points tally and beats him again, making it two one overall in their relationship. So his consistency was good. I don't think it's on that next level

of the likes of Lecler in total, for Stauffin, Hamilton, also. Second place, I've got Reg Bull. this is a classic case of either side of the garage changing things for me. I think if you had most other drivers from these top four teams in the other seat of that Red Bull, then they will be the best driver pairing. But I do think the Stappen is doing a little bit of the heavy lifting here. Whilst he is undoubtedly the best driver on the grid right now, you know, he is hanging shoulders above anyone else. I do think that Perez, as much as he is a good driver, I like Perez. I do think that probably at least 10 drivers to 12 drivers on the grid could do the

exact same job that he was doing last year. And I don't think there'd be any difference in the finishing positions of the championship or what Red Ball do. So for me, he brings them off the top spot. I do think the top spot goes to him as saying he's only just, I think that whilst Russell didn't have a brilliant year, he's still very consistent. The guy's still growing into his position. And he consistently, especially that first year against Hamilton pulled out,

podium after polium after pogging. Lewis Hamilton, he gets the same respect that Max Verstappen does in the set that they are. above everyone else. I mean, I saw a little graph the other day that was still like starting reaction times and Hamilton at 39 is still only 0.1 off of the fastest reaction times

that Lecler and Norris share. No one else is above him. Still the fastest person off the grid. Wasn't Alonzo up there too? I think Alonzo was fifth. Yeah. He'll hate that. When you're still got it, you got it.

But for me, I do think... He will hate that. He will hate that. I think just as a team, as a complete package, they are able to deliver. qualifying they're always in the top 10% race finishes and race performances, they're always in the top 10%. They may not be the best to absolutely everything at the moment, but I do think they

are the closest to the best consistently as a pairing. And that's why, that's what we're judging today, if you didn't know, the pairings. That's why they're number one for me at the moment. All right. So Alpine at 5, McLaren at 4, Ferrari 3, and then Red Bull 2, Mercedes 1 from Sam. Harry, what have you got? Um, Alpine. Well done. Yeah, as already discussed, we're going through that too much. But yeah, very dependable, dependable pairing in that card. Apart for if they take each other out in Australia.

Apart for then. Most of the time, dependable. Then in, let me check my notes. Then fourth, I've got McLaren. I think I'm following you so far. Currently, we're exactly the same. Look, very strong line up at Macca. I just need to, an Oscar Piastri I was very impressed with last year.

I just think you need to see him like push on again this year. And I think then that line up will start going up my list. But yeah, that's not a, that's not a dig at Piastri. He's only done one year and he was very impressive. But, you know, there are bits he can improve on for sure. So yeah, there and fourth. In third, I've gone for Red Bull. That's interesting.

What are your reasons? I look, no doubt that master stuff isn't very good. And Sergio Perez is a, he's a really, really good driver. Yeah. I know he's had some rough, rough races in the past year or so, but he's still a top quality driver.

I just think it doesn't, even when you do the leveling out of that, obviously real top tier driver and then Sergei Perez, I just don't think it levels out ahead of the other two. Interesting. Okay. So yeah, but I mean,

I found these three, maybe the hardest-ish, I think. I think my top, the top four were the hardest part of this entire thing. for me. Sir rebel, third, Ferrari and second, again, for all the reasons you mentioned, it's

that's a decent line-up. Oh, yeah. There's a decent lineup they got there. Make the car better. Yeah, make the car better. Yeah, look, we LeClaire is a known quantity in terms of what he can do in an F1 car.

And I think last year he did a lot of overdriving to get car, that car on pole, etc. Carlos Seines, the consistency isn't quite as there as much as it is with Leclair,

but when he is on it, he is on it, like Singapore being a prime example of that. Yep. He was on fire that weekend. And actually he had, he had kind of a string of those races.

Three in a row, yeah, where he was just, just, and ahead of Leclair. So, yeah, he, those two is a great pairing.

Now, do something with it, Ferrari, for the love of God. And then, sorry, man, number one Mercedes the last one on the list.

Yeah, look. Lewis Hamilton, he's still quite good. Because we're British, in it? Yeah, British bias. Yeah, Hamilton, Russell, again, Russell didn't have his greatest season in F1

or perhaps his worst season in F1 last year. But that is a formidable pairing. And I think if we get into a, if we get to a point where they're involved in a championship fight, that's going to be, they're going to be a lethal weapon. I think the thing that blows me away about Russell

is remember when he fielding for Lewis Hamilton because he had COVID. This was before he was a Mercedes driver and he was immediately a race winner. Like I obviously didn't go and win that Grand Prix because he had everything go wrong with the car that could possibly go wrong with the car in one Grand Prix. Didn't fit in the car to start with. His shoes

didn't fit. He had to wear Lewis Hamilton's shoes. My shoes. Oh, my shoes. Bono! Have you seen them next to each other, folks? They are not the same eye. No. And their feet are not the same size. And I just think that he's, I think both Lewis and George, if you just give him the car,

something will emerge. Yeah, I think a lot of what happened last year with Russell, there was some bad luck. There was his own luck. But again, just kind of, he was always trying to do something different to try and make a result happen. Whereas, if the car's good, you don't need to do that. And I think that's where maybe Hamilton was better last year in terms of he just picked up the points. Head down. Yeah.

That's what Lewis Hamilton does. Lewis Hamilton has always. just been the guy that turns up and finishes well. Yeah. So that's why I think, even despite the bad year for George, I still think that is still the best pairing on the grid. Big bang. Okay. So I've got Aston Martin in fifth place, as we kind of already know. I've just about put them ahead of Alpine, who was sixth. The main reason being that Fernando Alonzo, and I've admitted I was, I was wrong on this. He was better last season than what I thought he was still capable of.

Don't get me wrong. I still thought going into last season, Fernando Alonso had a lot left to give. I just didn't think he still had the potential to be a top two or three driver in the sport. And I think that's what he was last year. So I think the greatness of Alonzo just about prevailed in that fight for me. But of course, can't go any higher than fifth because the team is somewhat dragged down by by Landstrol.

you know, Alonzo beat Stroll 193 in qualifying last year, which is very comprehensive in terms of a win for Alonzo. And also, I mean, last season in terms of points was Stroll's best season ever. But if you look at where Aster Martin were in 22 versus 23, of course he switched teammates of Wals Vettel and then Alonzo, he got four times as many points in 23 as he did in 22. but Alonzo got about five or six times as many points as Vettel got in 22. So whereas the car was obviously far better in 23,

Alonzo improved on where Vettel was at a better rate than when where Stroll improved on himself. So I've got them fifth. Fourth place, I've got McLaren. So we all agree on the positioning of them. I think the only thing I would slightly disagree on is, I know Sam, you say that the top four. were very interchangeable for you.

For me, McLaren quite comfortably slotted in fourth and then the top three were a bit closer. I think McLaren do have a case to say they have the biggest potential lineup, but of course that's not what we're ranking here. And I think there's an important distinction between impressiveness and performance. McLaren were one of the most impressive lineups last year.

But if we're looking in terms of pure performance, Piaastri in particular still has a little ways to go yet. It was an incredibly impressive. first season from him. But in terms of pure performance, we have to remember, and I've mentioned this before, his gap back to Lando Norris, or Lando Norris's gap back to Oscar Piastri, wasn't that dissimilar to the gap between Stroll and Alonzo. It was pretty similar in terms of pure points. So there's still a ways for Piastri to go yet, but that is a lineup that will serve them well for years to come if they stick around. Third place, I've got Ferrari, so I've got same position as you on

that one, Sam. I will say this, though. I think the Ferrari lineup was the best lineup of 2023. I think overall, I still think Russell and Perez struggled more than what they can deliver. But if we're looking at the most consistent lineup in 23, I think Ferrari had it. I don't think another team had two drivers in the top six or seven. Ferrari did. I don't think anyone else did.

I don't disagree with that. Yeah. So I think in terms of what you've said is very valid, in fairness to Carlos Sines, who I don't disagree with the points you've mentioned there, given he has essentially matched Charles L'Claire in terms of points in two out of the three seasons, to have his worst year be like 60 points behind Lecler, that's pretty good. In three years, that's your worst year. You've got a good lineup, if that's the case, I would say.

There's still work for him to do Carlos Sines to stay with LeCler, when the car is better because we saw that at the end of 23 as well as soon as the car was in a better spot, Lecler took advantage of it more than signs did. So that's what's holding me back from second or first on them. But again, these top three were very close. The sake of variety, I've got Mercedes in second and also because I've actually put them there as well. George Russell had a poor 2023. I think we've all acknowledged that. But yes, all of your points are valid. and just because I've got them second, it doesn't mean I disagree with them in any way.

Give them the car. They could very easily deliver both championships. And either driver could deliver that driver's championship as well. That's how good that team is. They generally work pretty well together. And yeah, we'll see if the new design gives them something to work with because who knows, they could very easily be number one as well. I've put Red Bull first.

Two key reasons as to why, number one, Vastafel is just so good. I do think he separated from the rest of the pack last year. I know how good that Red Bull is and how much that helps. But if it was that good, Perez would have scored 100 more points than what he did. And that's the second part as well in that Sergio Perez, I think, is capable of more than what he delivered last year. When we did our driver rankings, none of us put him inside the top 10.

But I think if he's performing at his best, he probably is a top seven driver on the grid. if he's performing at what he can do. We've seen it in previous teams, in previous seasons. I think part of it is Vestappen makes Perez look way worse than what he is. And I'm guilty of falling into that trap as well. Don't get me wrong. I just think if Perez can go back to what he was a couple of years ago, I still think he does have that in his locker.

I really couldn't choose between the top two, and I kind of just boiled it down to, okay, you've got to pick one to lead your team to a championship and I just had the confidence that Vastappan could do it and drive his side and Perez could do enough and construct aside. Yeah, totally fair. What was interesting is the gap between your red bullpicks

you third, being first? Is that because you rate Perez so horribly? No, I didn't mean that you're a hater. Yeah, Perez's hater. You were a right hater. Oh, stop it. I... Yeah, I didn't mean that really as any disrespect to Perez.

I just, like I said, I just feel like the other two other two lineups in Ferrari and Mercedes, even though I put Vastappen top of the part of all of them, they just level out at a higher place than the Red Bull. But like you've said in my top three, I think we're very interchangeable, I found them quite difficult to place. Yeah, I mean, I'm obviously more your side than I am Ben's.

I put Mercedes above Red Bull, and I think that Ben's case on Max Rastappen is very true. I don't think that Perez can really do much better. and what he did last season. I actually think that Perez's peak was probably his final season with racing point, and we won't see him back at that level again. Not to say he's still not very good. I think he could elevate himself in terms of consistency again.

I think he probably got knocked off a little bit mentally, where he struggled with that, you know, demolition derby that was the Miami Grand Prix. But I don't think he could deliver much more, as I do think George Russell, if he bounces back to his, best, which I think is very simple for him. Lewis Hamwitt could finish second in the championship if he didn't get that bad cut of runs. And George Russell could easily have been fourth or third if it went his way.

So that's where the difference made for me on that top spot. I think what, because I struggle with the top of this list. But if you look at the top three teams for me, all of them, if they are given the car, they will, they will get the job done. Yeah. That's kind of what. And that's what separated them slightly from McClough. for me is that I would still have doubts.

If McLaren had the fastest car across this season and Red Bull had 90% of that car, I think Red Bull might still win it. Or Mercedes and Ferrari I put them in the same category. Whereas I don't think it would be the same way the other way around. But again, we are talking really minor differences here. Yeah, my top three were probably separated. If you had to put on like a percent scale,

probably nothing more than 5% between those three teams of where I judge them. I don't know. I feel like I struggled with this list more than I did last year. It's definitely closer. Yeah, it's definitely closer. And I think that the team's getting closer and the cars being far more consistent and more competitive, allowed to have a clearer picture of who actually is able to elevate the car above their competition because the cars are running in a similar fashion. It would be very, very hard to, I don't know, put Alex Album in your top 10 a couple of years ago

if the Williams was still driving around two seconds behind everyone because two seconds, one second, if you're still running around the 19th place, it's hard to say if he's genuinely better than others. But because the grid is so much more compact now, I do think it means, oh, that driver did one thing and it kind of elevated the team a little bit. It's hard to discern those differences. Absolutely it is.

We'll take our second break of this episode on the other side. We're going to be talking about James Allison and Mercedes. Ontario, the wait is over. The gold standard of online casinos has arrived. Golden Nugget Online Casino is live, bringing Vegas-style excitement and a world-class gaming experience right to your fingertips. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting, signing up is fast and simple. And in just a few clicks, you can have access to our exclusive library of the best slots and top-tier table games. Make the most of your downtime with unbeatable promotions and jackpots that can turn any mundane moment into a golden opportunity at Golden Nugget Online Casino.

Take a spin on the slots. Challenge yourself at the tables or join a live dealer game to feel the thrill of real-time action, all from the comfort of your own devices. Why settle for less when you can go for the gold at Golden Nugget Online Casino. Gambling problem call Connects Ontario 1866531-260. 19 and over, physically present in Ontario. Eligibility restrictions apply. See Golden Nuggett Casino.com for details.

Please play responsibly. Okay, so firstly, congratulations to Mercedes, who managed to be the first name on our 2024 list of announcing your news too late for a recording. So we've punished you by not putting you on the Sunday episode and we're putting you on the next Wednesday episode instead. That'll teach you, Mercedes. Yeah.

Suck it, but also if you'd like to partnership with anything, let us know because we really like that. We're also suck it. But also suck it. Both of those same is true. So hot off the news that Toto Wolf had signed an extension James Allison went, ah, well, mine won myself. So James Allison is sticking around as technical director.

Of course, James Allison has been with the team since 2017, previously of Ferrari and Renault. Initially, technical director, he moved to Chief Technical Officer for a couple of years as he and Mike Elliott switch jobs. They then switch back not too long ago. So he's back to technical director and he's going to be leading the team into the new era of F1 from 2026 onwards. So given the news we already know about Toto Wolf, Sam, and now this news as well, how encouraging is that for Mercedes? Do you think that it's kind of like when you're sat at a restaurant, you're kind of debating between a couple of items,

and you see your mate pick the one that you're going, and you're like, oh, yeah, God, I don't want to be envious. I'll have the same thing. I think that's what Toto, he's seen Toto pick the burger and chips, and he's gone, yeah, I had curry the other day, actually. I'll have burger and chips as well. I think that's what's happened. I think James Allison's gone.

Go on, mate. Is it more accurate to say that actually Toto Wolf has gone back for seconds and James Allison's gone, oh, okay, that must be acceptable then. I will too. Yeah, yeah, go up to the Toby Carverie a second time and get yourself and get your help and the roast potato. Yeah, 100%. Well, if Toto's going. This is good. Good. This, I think, is really interesting timing for this contract. I think Toto's contract to me makes sense because he is all encompassing of the team. It's not just about the technical side. or the aerodynamics and the way the car is built. He's very much a team leader.

He's the face of Mercedes outside of the drivers. He has a fantastic relationship with Hamilton and Russell. That makes sense to me. Alison, on the other hand, I'm quite surprised that they put pen to paper in January. They swapped that rollback, of course, with Mike Elliott last season. He's had no proper involvement, really,

in terms of actual hands on development of the car, like he did previously from 2017, for a couple of years now. And what concerns me is, I'm not saying that James Allison has to earn his way because he's done that, right? He's a very well-esteem and well-respected member of the Paddock. But if I was Mercedes, I would have possibly said, let's just see how the new car that you've developed works first and then we'll go into contract length. Because if it bombs again, if they have an absolute shambles, if the car does not work, and he's already come out and said, the difference in making a great car and a bad car is so small because of the way that the floor work.

because the underground aerodynamics can be so difficult with the downforce. That's already got alarm bells ringing to me. He's really trying to bring down the expectation. And on one side, fine. Another side, if you're that good, you make it work because a certain other team has made it work.

And I just, I'm surprised that the Mercedes leadership team there haven't gone. Deliver the car and we'll talk about your contract afterwards. I just, January for a technical expert like this is really surprising, especially when they've come off a season when they've launched an apology letter, they haven't picked up a single win. You know, they didn't get a driver into the top two

in the championship again. I just, you know, you deliver something first and then you get your contract. So whilst I think Alison is a fantastic member of the team, he's a very clever man, far smarter than I'll ever be. I do really think that, let me actually speak first

and then give him the renew contract. I was a bit surprised at the timing. Harry, were you surprised? Yeah, I agree with that point in that, you don't know how this is going to go with the new car and James Allison's new car. But he's got quite a good record. Yeah, he does. He's done all right before. I think it's, again, it's another, this is another sign to Lewis Hamilton.

Please stay. We're getting the band back together. We are. Or we're keeping the band together. Yeah, no one's leaving just yet. So I do, again, obviously James Allison wants a job, but I do think it's another play in that arena in terms of trying to keep Lewis to stay on, you know,

Toto's staying, he's committed, James Allison, you know, the one who helped make all those cars that were fast. Yeah, he's staying in. The ones you won the titles in, yeah, those ones. So yeah, it's encouraging for Mercedes, especially as they kind of lost or they didn't lose Allison. because he just, did he step back? It steps into a more managerial role

than a hands-on engineering role. Yeah, so they've, you know, he could have been like, I don't want to come back. Maybe. So from that point of view, it's good. It's encouraging for them. I'm sure Mercedes fans will be delighted because it's good, you know,

could be good for Merck. But yeah, it's encouraging for Mercedes long-term future success, I'd say, having now both of these on board. It's got work on the driver now. Did you have any thoughts on the timing of it in the same way that Sam did, or do you think it was just to get it done whilst both parties wanted to get done? Yeah, I think it was more that than anything else. But like I said, it is not risky because I do think he's a clever man.

But you're right, it could this year could also go, I don't think it will, this year could also go badly and they've locked themselves in. They've locked themselves in. But yeah, look, I don't think they're overcommitted here. but yeah I think they just you know they've been get the contract person Mercedes been going around with a pen, paper you want one you want one

how it works Davina McCull I'll give it you you want another one go on then pretty sure Devena McCall is not him I have not seen the same Maca call in Brackley

hey you don't know that I love Devinna moving on from the Devena McCall yeah this is pretty encouraging I read into it the same way that you did, Harry, that it's, yeah, it's not getting the band back together, it's keeping the band together. But it is that sort of longer term look, like we have the trust in our key members. Toto Wolf is sticking around. James Allison is sticking around.

We are as a team committed to F1 and success in the future in F1. So be a part of that, please, Lewis. And be a very important part of that, please, Lewis. There was certainly an element to it of that. So James Allison, you've both said, is quite a smart man. Yes, man's a genius. So more than likely he'll figure it out. Whether it's this season, next season, two years time. I'm not entirely sure. But I generally don't want to bet against James Allison that he will work out what's wrong with this car and turn it around. So yeah, in terms of the timing, I can understand your point as well, Sam. To me, it was just this shouts confidence in that there's not, his career is not riding on this concept, but equally, I feel like the timing of this just says, yeah, we're quietly confident that he's got this figured out.

So I think it's an encouraging thing for the team. Speaking of his career, which is, you know, again, far more esteemed than ours will probably ever be. But we speak about those designs that won those championships. He moved to Mercedes in 2017. After, they really had a philosophy in place that was winning them championships, right? They won 2014, 15 and 16 before he came in. And arguably, 2017 was probably already on the cards from someone else before he fully settled and took over any training or whatever it might be.

So that's four years of the eight that they won developed by someone else. And he was only in that role for two years. and yes they won, of course. But I think the philosophy was in place. And when he was at the other teams, Ferrari, for example, yeah, they came close in 17 and 18 after he left. I just, I'm confident in the guy, but I don't think it screams.

You've got a winner, like Adrian Newey. He'd have a break from Friday, right? Because did his wife die or something? Yeah, there was a... It was a small, right? It was only maybe two years, maybe not even two years, maybe one year. Yeah.

Because when he, I remember he enjoyed, he was like 2015. He was at Ferrari and they started to turn around a bit, didn't they? Yes. Yeah. And then he left mid-2016, I think. The other thing I'd say to that is the 14, 15, less so, maybe 16, but those cars were very much driven by the, that's a stupid thing to say, but driven by the engine,

as cars are. It's a fair point. No, but I think the, I think the actual. I think the cars that they that came later in like 18, 19, 20, 21, etc. That wasn't the engine anymore. That was the car. Yeah. 18, 19, 20 was probably his influence.

Yeah. So, yeah, I see your point though. I just think confidence, yes. I think it guarantees a winner. And in fairness to Alison, and you can argue the earlier back you go, the less influence he's going to have on winning here. But he, correct me if I'm wrong, he was involved in Alonzo's two championship wins.

He was involved, I think, all the way through Ferrari and Schumacher's championship wins. And Ferrari, I sorry, Schumacher and Benetton in the mid-90s, I think he was just around for that possibly as well. So he has had different eras where he has, in some form or another, contributed to winning. Again, you can argue, you know, when you go back to the mid-90s, was he integral enough at Benetton at the time that,

he was the reason they were winning. That's a very valid question. But yeah, he certainly had a distinguished career. Oh, yeah. I mean, again, as I've said, so much more than we'll ever see. He likes to win. Guy's a winner. He is indeed.

Also looking at personnel, but for another team. And looking at Alfa Tauri, who I will call them Alphatari until we're told different, shall we? Tora Roso. I'm not against Menardi or Tora Rost. so either. So we already know that Frantzost, aka French Toast, is not going to be around for 2024 onwards, and Lauren McI's previously of Ferrari, has filled that role. But it also looks like Alan Perman, who had spent 34 years at, quote-unquote, Team Endstone, aka currently

Alpine, but previously Renault and Benetton. Yeah, it was that for 34 years, left the middle of last year. It looks like he might be picked up by Alfa Tauri as well. Well, what do you make some of this, I don't know, this push for new employees, new senior employees at that team? Yeah, a little bit of outside talent coming into a team that I think not just the drivers, but internal talent as well have been used to build up experience and understanding and have become a wider part of that Red Bull family. But Permanagh especially tells me that the Red Bull family were not happy with the direction

that Alfa Tari were going. And I think that's why we're seeing the wider communication of bring them closer into the overall Red Bull family, get them closer to the core design of the Red Bull car, share more information and make sure we're on the same wavelength for success. And I think what they've done there is they brought in a very experienced head

who probably wants to be a team leader, and they've done a great job. Why not ruffling Red Bull fellas by bringing Permanang into Red Bull? Because I think out of a lot of people, he could walk into that Red Bull team and command quite a senior position. But equally, they've gone,

what's the team that's in trouble, that the Alphateri was in trouble, it was not thriving. Equally, he could be a leader. He can steal some culture into that team that maybe is lacking a bit of internal direction. And I'm sure he's willing to play ball with Red Bull to ensure success. Maybe he's looking for a new challenge in his career.

He's had a lot of success previously and now wants to be a part of a wider family. This, I think, was a really clever move from the Red Bull family. And I think you can't blame, can't blame Perman. A new game would have to come out with shortly at some point. Blame Perman. Lane Permanagh.

For Alpine and Renault was downfall before that, I do think that you've heard from De Pat Friar that... You're going to have to reference that now. That is a new Discord name that we saw coming to the channel, and it's sensational from Pat Fry, who clearly thinks that the backing at Alpine across the board is not there, and I think that Permanes probably experienced very much the same thing. So if he's going to have the backing of the Red Bull family,

the leadership team, and he's going to be allowed to help develop these more experimental areas of the cars moving forward, I think it could go very well for them. I'm quite excited to see how he adjusts, although I think for me, if I was a senior member of the F1 Paddock and Alpha Tauri called me up and said, hey, do you want to be a heck of engineering or a heck of aerodynamics? There would be a little partner that thinks, what is it that I'm achieving? Apart from a nice paycheck, I get to work in Formula One, don't be wrong, it's good exciting.

You're never going to be a winner. Are you? That's not what happens at Alpha Tauri. So I think I'd find it hard to accept. But hey, I'm not Alan Permain. And if I was, I'd be much more successful. Yeah, I mean, Permanagh has managed to achieve something in F1 that's quite rare, which is the respect of the entire paddock. It was evident as soon as he left Al P in the middle of last season. Pretty much every team and senior figure up and down the paddock had something. positive to say about his expertise, his experience. And many people, including Christian Horner, which is quite relevant now, said, you know, he would be a good addition to pretty much any team up and down this grid. So, you know, if this has happened already, yeah, it's, it would be a wise move for Alfa Tauri, I think, particularly based on Franz Tost and the amount of experience that's going out of the door. You know, he's been so integral to that team for so. many years that replacing him with a figure who has equal amounts of experience or even more

experience in the case of Permanagh is a smart play. I mean, to give some content, this is a, this is a fun stat. Alan Permanon, when he debuted in F1, is it debuted in 1989, he was racing against, let's say, even though he wasn't on track, he was racing against the driver born in 1948. And his last year, he was racing against the driver born in 2002 in Liam Lawson. So you've got, it's quite mad, 54 years separating René Arnaud, born in 48, and Liam Lawson, born in 2002. And Permanesne has been in F1 for both of their careers, at least somewhat. Point being, man's got a lot of experience. He debuted before, he debuted in F1 before Jean-Alazie technically.

Wow. Crazy. That is crazy. He's seen it all. Put it that way. So, yeah, I think this is for any team as well, this is absolutely the right play for Alpha Tauri. He can give Alpha Tauri and consequently Red Bull so much that I think this is a no-brainer. What do you think, Harry?

Yeah, an absolute no-brainer. I don't, well, maybe they have been, but I don't know why there aren't other teams that have tried to snap him up, to be honest, because you're right, the amount of experience that that guy has is insane. Insane in the permain. In the permane. Insane in the brain. It's insane. Five different decades in a point.

80s, 90s, 20s. 80s, 20s. That's a lot of decades. That's a lot of decades. Yeah. And I think it's a very fair shout from, if it does happen, from Menardi. Do you love them? We do.

to get that experience on board. And you're right, because they're losing a big chunk of experience with French toast going out the door. So, yeah, savvy move, I think. And for, you know, Alan Permanne, he's, I know you said that would you want to go and do that? But, you know, man's been at Alpine

for the past few years, anything's better. That's so true. That's the perfect argument for it. He's like, but it could be worse. So, yeah, it'll be a change of scenery, but I think you can do some good. And, you know, Alphotauri are, I know they're coming under the, more under the Red Bull umbrella again, but with the aim of being, I saw something earlier, like an article earlier about that they're less focused on being the young driver team for Red Bull than they have been previously.

And obviously that shows with Don't Ricardo in the car. But, you know, perhaps the aim is to be an actual serious F1 team now. It'd be good, wouldn't it? Then go back to Menardi branding and we're all happy. Everyone's happy. If they can run that livery as well. Which one? The black one.

Yeah. Not mad at it. Let Mercedes go back to some other thing and let Menardi run all black. And Alonzo has to drive it. With these checkered, little checker helmet thing I used to have. Well, Alex, speaking of random liveries, do you remember the Renault or black livery they did in testing a couple of years ago? Yes, it lives in my dreams, Ben.

I'd completely forgotten about it until you mentioned that black liveries. I love that. Fun facts. I made my F1 career mode car. That's livery for a whole season. It's that nice. All I remember from that is everyone getting confused and thinking, why have they, this is the car, why is it all in black?

And then they were like, is it Tesla. I still think they should have run it. That yellow and black livery was good, though. Bring back yellow and black. Please. It's such a perfect colour combo. Okay, with that very random note,

We're going to give you a couple of minutes to prepare yourself for what's coming up after this break. It's real or no real. It's going to be real. Or no real. Ah! Don't run off my foot. Welcome back, everyone. At this time, I hand over to my esteemed colleague, Mr. Noel Sage.

Oh, that's so affectionate. Noel Sage. Is this set out correctly? No. Oh, good. Um, music notes. Yeah. Folks, Harry's...

Bank three. Get it, bank. All right. There you go. All right. You're good to go, son. No. Hang on.

I'm going on purpose. Hang on, I'm going on purpose. Hang on, I'm going on this. Just no. Ladies and gentlemen, back for 2024. It's real, I'm real.

Honestly, might be the best thing we've ever got. Because it's not ours. Oh, hold on. He's calling already. Hello, mate, you're right. Been a while. Hall of Fame now. Yeah, lucky you.

That's nicer then, wasn't it? The fangs. Message for Harry, is it? Oh, hold on. He said your little bit... I knew it. I bloody knew it. All right, mate.

It's feature of it. You might want to explain what's going on here. Folks, it's real on real. And it's where Ben and Harry team up together to decipher whether these little riddles the guy have composed are real Formula One, Tickbits, facts and stories. Or if my mind has simply crafted them to be cheeky, cheeky boys. There are six options that you've got here. You'll have to try and get them all right.

Of course, you usually do quite well. I feel like you've evolved well to learn what ridiculousness I have crafted. I like Ben's scooping names that he comes up with. have to learn. We've been friends with you for 10 years. Unfortunately for all of us. So we know. Okay. So, uh, as a duo, a two-sum. So many lyrics. We're coming for you. Some. Very good. Thank you. PJ.

Um, what number would you like to start off with in our new game? You go in. You choose, Ben. All right. Let's start with number six. Number six. This is a good one. Okay. When Jeksen Button was getting into karting to make his driving smoother, His father would make him race with a tea in a mug or a tray on the front of his cart. Every time that he did a lap without spilling the tea, he would get to dunk a biscuit in it. If he dig spill the tea, his dad would eat the biscuit in front of him.

I can't do this game anymore. I cannot do it. What do you mean? Oh, boy. Obviously no. Ben? Obviously no real. I almost, when it started, I was like, oh, this could be tricky, yeah.

I think you're dunking the biscuit way. Is that what's talking about for you? The edge. Oh, well, long. No, no real. Sometimes. You forgot the tension music. No, it's, you know, it's only the first one.

We're playing a new game in 2024. Pick up! Hello, mate. Sorry, I was having a chat with these buffoons. Yeah. Well, what's your favourite biscuit? Hob-nob. It's nice.

Great choice. Yep, good. I had a galaxy chocolate digestive of the other. They got them in B&M. The question, yeah, the Jensen button one, number six. Yeah. Yeah, no real. No real, well done.

Shocker. Shocker. A real shocker. So it's just imagining John Button from the gentleman. I'm having your biscuits, son. Look at what you missed out on, son. Drive smoother, Jensen. Right, let me just put a little tick by this to show that you got it.

Don't delete it. That's not what I'm doing this time. Okay, boys, one to five. Please choose a. Number one, please, my lord. Okay. Sounds good to me. Valtry Bottas is in current talks to buy the FIA Grade 1 racetrack in Finland.

That is currently called the Kimi Ring. He is told, did you laugh at my pronunciation? Carry on. You've made me laugh. Sorry. He has told Finnish media he will rename the track, the Bottey Ring. Thanks for music for this one.

because the answer was tough. No attention music required. The Kim Ye ring. The Kim Ye ring. No, it's not real. I thought that part of it was real. Yeah, no, it probably is, but... I just think the second part is.

As if you said Botti Ring. Yeah. That's unbelievable. I think he would call it body ring. Yeah, you're right. And Kim Ye ring is real. Thank you, mate. Thank you for confirming.

Honestly, I'll get the podcast on with you guys because it'll be much better. I suppose I tell him now. Yeah, it's go real. The first bit is real. Honestly, the tension in this game, it's just palpable. Is it really? Yeah.

Well, you've got two, three, four and five left. Let's see how you deal on the other ones. Just all no real. Imagine that. What a great twist that would be. I've lied about all of them. Yeah. Number four?

Yeah. I mean, we've got to get through them all anyway. Well, probably, yeah. Unfortunately, yes, we do. Number four. Sanger was arrested driving on a British motorway. driving at 120 miles an hour. When pulled over, the police officer stated,

who do you think you are? Nigel Mansell? I think that is real, isn't it? Yeah, I think I've heard that before. I think so. I like that, though. Who do you think you are a doctor? Doctor.

Doctor who? Nigel Ansel. You do you mean you are? Maricio Gugel, man. Oh, thank you. Pachia. Oh, go on, no attention for this one. No, I mean, it might be Dr. Nigel the other line.

Nigel. Oh, God. All right. I think are you having tea with a banker? Oh, you're operating on him, of course. As a doctor, that makes total sense. Yes, yes.

You are one of the most brilliant investigations ever seen, correct. Can you tell me the answer? Yes, good. Okay, it was real. Very good, thank you. Give him the phone back now. Oh, done, Nigel, thanks.

Yeah, that was real. The police officer did not recognise Ayrton. I thought he was Nigel Manson. And it's like, oh, you travel, Formula One driver. Yes, I am. Because it was the Grand Prix weekend of the British Grand Prix. Oh, I love that. Yeah, so well done.

You're on 100% record so far. I'm shocked that you've managed to decipher these because I thought they were brilliant. You have got two, three and five left. Ben, what do you want to go for? Number five. Number five. Or I like this one.

In Mexico, a restaurant has named its meals after most of the F1 grid. Current items you can order are shawl hot dog Fernando Taco Yuki biscuits

and baristrole Yuki biscuits Uki biscuits get the tension music for this one because it sounds like a delectable

meal but at the same time could it be a crafty lie a taste I can believe that would you like yuki biscuits yeah

I like yuikiskits would you rather would you rather What are we going to say, real? I'd go real. I feel like they're not punny enough for Sam to make that up. I appreciate that. Thank you.

Biscuits. I'm not going to have something else. I quite like Uki Hobnops. I don't know. Yuki hobgobs, how's that better? Exactly. All right, we'll go real then. Prawn cocktail crisps.

Or, yuki prawn cocktail crisps. Just get on with it. It's real. Please hold. It's a busy line. I hate this. Sorry to laughing in the rear, Mr Banker. Harry's been very rude about you.

So he hates the whole thing. Is that where you're having lunch with Nigamanzu, is it? The Mexican restaurant. Have you ordered a shawl hot dog? I thought he's operating on him. Operating. At a Mexican restaurant. Right.

Yeah, it's real. It's real entirely. There's a whole menu of them. I left some out as well. I'm not going to go back through them because I can't remember them exactly but there are about 20 items on the menu all named after 1 F1 drives.

I am intrigued by Yuki Biscuits. I don't know what it is. Yeah. Do you think they just swab that out with different driver names when they leave the sport? Maybe, yeah. So before it was like

Danny Kaffirikiscuits or share biscuits if he gets to drive life season. Daniel Racavikado. Hey, nice. Okay, two left. Two or three. Which would you like?

Two. To it is. That's our favourite man for a real, I know real. Bernie Ecclesons, financial empire began after he took part in the Great Train robbery, he provided the car and getaway driver.

The original race winning trophies had much of the silver embedded in them that was stolen. Oh. I don't know. Yeah, I thought this was true as well. Some debate occurring. No, I, it's something that sounds vaguely familiar,

but yeah, we'll go with real. I think was real. Okay. I mean, might must get fed up at the restaurant at this many phone calls. Well, especially when there's a... Nigel Manson. You're not going to know, doing the operating.

I'll let you get back to your meals soon, Mr. Banker, I promise. Yeah, we're on the train robbery one. Some nice trophies in the early days, weren't there? Sorry, I was clinging my microphone. Yeah, no, it's just a baseless rumour. I'm afraid, folks, it was no real. Just a fun story that likes to be told. I could believe that, though.

I should put a cross by that one, really, not a tick. Because we got it wrong. You got it wrong. Oh, man, not going to get full house. That's a shame. Well, you could still get five out of six. And I think you will, because I think this one is the easiest one of the lot. So you've saved three.

Pick number three, my lord. Number three? Sure. I don't need any of the controls yet. I'm still going to read the question outside. Michael Schumacher got his first drive in the Jordan, because in 1991, Bertrand Gasho, assaulting a taxi driver

who was in prison for 18 months leaving the team without a driver. Sure was. To his fact. Real. Not even going to bother with the phone kill, folks.

I'll let him get back to his meal. His Shell hot dog. It was real. We're not going to speak to him again. I'm not done with him. I'm not done. Just going to let him finish off his meal. Entirely real.

Yeah, quite an eventful story. He thought he got away with it too. And if you're going to listen to another F-on podcast, which obviously you're not allowed to do, but it's Eddie Jordan, so it's allowed. Oh, that was fine. That's the exception. Eddie Jordan's fine.

They had Bertrand Gash. are on there. Sorry, 20, Harry. The phone ring. Guys had his kidneys out. Come on. Hello, mate.

Schumacher one. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's good, yeah. Assaulted. Ridiculous. Don't you get into a taxi and do the same thing? With EG.

Mr. Hall of Famer. I can't really understand him. He's got a mouth on a hot dog. It's very confusing to what he's saying. And he's being operating. Anyway.

He's had the general anesthetic. Look, I'm sure they'll let me do this again about six months of time. Never. But I'll switch you a bit. See you later, mate. Bye. Oh, God.

Honestly, I've said this before, but I am begging, begging the makers of Deal or no deal to sue us who don't have to do this ever again. Please. What do you mean? Don't worry, folks, real or no real. We'll be back for 2026.

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Fasing it out. I am a DJ, DJ. Did a DJ. Anyway, I'm glad you let me do that. Thank you for letting the kill out of the... Yeah, we've kept Sam happy for the next three months.

Three or four months, yeah. Yeah. Okay. This is what happened. happens when I don't have enough time to make a game. I'll make sure I always have enough time to make a game. To be fair, Ben asked us if one of us could do a game, and Sam replied immediately.

I was waiting. Please, can I do it? Please, please. The request for a game, siren. Everything in your flat, just like flashing. Real long aerial. Ben needs a game. I delivered.

Oh, I am exhausted. We're all exhausted. Sam, get us out of it, please. Folks, I hope you've enjoyed the best segment of all of podcasting. There isn't even an LB question of the week. Because that is, we haven't had that. That's so true. We'll be back, I promise.

We just, again, we definitely haven't recorded all of this on a Sunday, so you've missed it. I think with the output, the quality of the output from today, you can't tell that at all. I agree entirely. Sensational. Discours in the description, if you like to join the community and chat further. Follow us on social media, late breaking F1 everywhere,

including YouTube where you can have watched this with your. very eyes. Patreon is also available two extra episodes every single month, feel with breaking, and you get everything ad free and discounts on merch and other such wonderful things. I think that's all we've got to say today. Leave a five-star review. Harry be a very happy boy.

Please. Please. And in the meantime, I've been Samuel Sage. I've been Ben Hawking and I've been a body ring. I remember. Keep breaking late. Oh no. No. No. Surely not. He's been the banker. This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.