The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Could Alonso REALLY break the F1 championship record?!

Episode Date: April 19, 2023

Still no race weekend in sight, but don't worry - the LB boys have plenty to discuss including what is still possible for Alonso to achieve in F1. They also debate whether AlphaTauri should be sold and whether a Spring Break should be a permanent feature of the F1 calendar, and they give their hot takes in Pump the Brakes... SUPPORT our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/latebraking JOIN our Discord: https://discord.gg/dQJdu2SbAm JOIN our F1 Fantasy League: https://fantasy.formula1.com/en/leagues/join/C3CCEW8P704 TWEET us @LBraking BUY our merch: https://late-braking-f1-podcast.creator-spring.com/ EMAIL us at [e-mail] SUBSCRIBE to our podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network. Thank you for listening to the Late Breaking F1 Podcast. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday and every Sunday. Everyone welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Ead, Sam Sage, and me, Ben Hocking. Another seemingly, I don't know how, but it's not a race weekend again. We're getting there, folks, but it is another non-race weekend. but we're still here. We've got plenty to talk about on today's show.

Sam, you must be excited. You get to see me in about three days' time. Oh, God. I mean, this break. Who let him out of Cornwall? I know. The break's been long enough, and now it's going to be in heart

for the fact I've got to literally be in the same room as him. Yeah. Don't know how we're all going to fit around this table. This is the only room that we have in London. It's too close to get them. This costs you about £2,000 a day. This one desk? Yeah, yeah.

I'd live in here. The kitchen's right there. That's not, folks. I don't know. I'm making visual references again on the podcast. I'm sorry. We're kind of can see it now. Some of it does go on to YouTube,

which you can go and watch. Yeah, but this won't. The intros generally don't, do they? No, we cut those out. Oh, dear. Anything. Hey, do you remember that time we won a award? Oh, this isn't a award-working podcast.

Just going to keep mentioning that for a little while longer. how much can you can you go with that one until you bleed that dry it's in my Twitter buying out I'm still done make this way you're linked in next it is I'll put it in there as well lovely

I'm something good to talk about I mean I'm still I'm still flogging the please give us five stars thing so some of you very nice to dig should we read out some we're doing that now Ben what do you reckon you know I'm going to go and no

just because I'm not I'm not prepared for that whatsoever I've caught him off guard. Yeah, you have. Well, on, mate. Oh, dear. Anything else we've got to say in the intro? Oh,

Gaming Night for Patreon and technically non-Patron members, if the spaces all don't fill up, that'll be, if you're listening to this on Wednesday night, it's happening at 9 o'clock British summertime on Wednesday, the 19th of April. Yes, it is. There'll be an announcement in the Discord. Correctamundo.

Come and play games with us. I've got some funny scenarios for us all to play. Ooh. Yeah. Be good. So if you're not listening to this in like the first hour or two that it's gone out, that last point will be irrelevant. That's such a good point. You can, you could dream it. Yeah. Oh, dear.

Last point of order is we have our late breaking business meeting on the actual podcast. We have an editor. We have an editor in place who's not Harry Ead. So from now on, I would still advise, have you got something on the same? for that. Oh, that was horrible. You've turned the volume down

you. What is that? You're just hurting everyone. What are you doing? I don't know what I'm doing. Hang on. Please hold. Also,

there we go. Our title is technically producer. Yes. Procoser. And it's a lovely, lovely person, Kirsty.

So she's technically here, but she can't speak. She's not saying hello. No, because also the mic qualities are good enough. So, yeah.

We'll get around at some point. But, but, you know, everyone, be relieved. It's no longer me doing the editing.

Thank God. Yeah. Everyone breathes the side of relief on that one. Yes. And if you don't like anything editing-wise that is being done, still send your hate towards Harry,

please. No, it's still Harry's fault if anything goes wrong. That is not how this works anymore. Someone in the young... People can shout at me for... We can shout you for everything.

They can. I still do. Harry's fault. But for not putting the links in the bio. and... Well, someone, funny enough, on the last video we did, which actually Kersky-Eated,

they went, what a great montage of clips and the setup that was. We've never had that, or you two were doing it. We've never had a compliment. We haven't. They've had an editing compliment.

Immediately, she smashed it. That's good. I thought they put it there by error. But no, they actually meant it, yeah. There was one more point of all. I literally had to go and check the schedule. are because we won on an award. I don't know if you knew that, folks.

We would be doing the impersonation episode. Are we announcing now when we're doing it? I don't know when we're doing it. We haven't pre-discussed this. I think we're doing it next week. Why aren't we doing it? For the preview of Baku. Baku preview.

Okay, sure. I was going to say it makes sense when we're together. This should not be in the show. We're doing too much chitcher. Also, I want to say really quickly, thank you to everyone that applied for the producer role. Yes.

Because there were a lot of very talented candidates. So we didn't even get around to interviewing because Kirstie smashed it out the park. Sorry about that. But please keep listening. We still very much appreciate you. God, that went on forever. Carry on, Ben. Yeah, I think we've probably discussed everything there is to discuss about late breaking

in the course of the last five minutes. So you're welcome for being in on Matt. Coming up on today's episode, pump the brakes. Dave Benson Phillips is he going to get his 50p's worth today? We'll find out later on. We're going to play out some listeners messages. We're not going to play them out, actually. We've just been written in.

No, you should say that. And then you've got to do a voice. Oh, I'll do it like this, shall I? Oh, listen to the messages. Sam and Ben are going to read them out, I think. Yeah, we've got a couple. There's been quite a few seconds in, but we don't want to do the morning one go.

And some of them are really lovely. So we're going to read them out. Sweat that content. Yep, we need it. Oh, boy. That's how we do it. But we're going to start with Fernando Alonzo, because he was recently asked about his future in Formula One

and he had this to say. He said, when you race for many years, obviously you start breaking records, but I think the only thing that matters is to win and to break the record of championships. At the moment, that's probably unreachable

because seven of Michael and seven of Hamilton are out of the possibility, but that will be the aim ultimately. So Sam, realistically given Alonzo's age and that he's only on two, championships versus the seven of Hamilton and Schumacher, I think the question turns to really, what is there left for Alonzo to achieve in Formula One? What's realistic between now and

whenever the point is that he retires? Do you notice that Bengson first name terms with Michael? Everyone else got surnamed. I was just quoting Alonzo, man. Oh, yeah, sure. That's what we all say. What's left to achieve for Fernando alongside? Well, Meme King. You've already done. He's on his way quite firmly, isn't he? He's trolling everyone as it goes. Yeah, I mean, I absolutely love this competitive enthusiasm that Fernando Alonkso brings. He is the oldest man on the grid. He is setting records for, you know, August podium.

Well, it's not August poeons, but you know what I mean? He's going the right way. And he's still putting in performances that are top 5% on the grid, you'd say, you know. There's only a few drivers realistically that are regularly outperforming him, the likes of Vestappen, you know, being one of them. So it's no mean feat. what he's achieving. And I love that he's still looking at the sport in a,

I want to achieve more kind of way. Because I feel like when that dies, then what's really the point? We saw it a little bit with Kimmy Riking, I feel like, where it just became a bit of a hobby, bit of a paycheck that allowed him to keep doing things that he wanted to do, which, you know, I understand that Kimmy was once one of the fastest people in a race car,

whereas I feel like Fernando Alonkso still always wants to be one of the fastest people in a race car. and he cares so much about being the absolute best of the best. You can hear that. In every race that he's in, every single radio message we hear, it's either I'm frustrated because I'm not at the front or Carlos Sites has punting me round, or I'm so...

Oh, don't, no. No, we're not, no. Hold on. I've just got the rod out. Oh, he's bitten, folks. We've got a big one. We've got a nibble here, folks. We've got a nibble.

Nibble more like a blooming feast. Anyway. I'm okay. So, yeah. So, and then when he does do well, you know, you hear about the movie deal at Bahrain, that reggae message, which we're all still quoting. But yes, bye-bye. Like, it's iconic, right? He cares so much.

And he does not let it, you know, he doesn't hide it away. He doesn't push it down deep inside him. He's so happy to come out and say these things because it means the world to him. And I think almost out of everyone on the grid, being fast, gag go fast. And being number one is more important to him. maybe at this moment than anyone else on that grid. I think if he were to win the world title again,

I actually think he might show more relation than someone winning it for the first time if they're digging it now. That's how much I think it makes. Yeah, he has to come up with a new dance as well. I'm sure he would. A three-time world champ. A three-time world champ.

Not seeing the Stappan do the two-time World Champ dance. Yeah, I'm a bit annoyed. Disappointing. It's right within Vastappan's wheelhouse as well. Yeah. You know, it's personality. That's real, real, real, really. He's a mover. He's a mover.

And a shaker. This podcast gets worse every week. Correct. Without fail. In terms of Alonso in championships and wins, Sam, do you think that Fernando Alonzo is in a position now in his career where it's just every win and every podium that comes about is an added bonus? Or do you think that he's still striving for that title?

Is that still something he needs from his career? I think that if you were to skiv Fernando, along so even a sniff. And I literally mean the faintest whiff of a potential race-winging car where every single race weekend he turned up to if he was on his A-game, he could, in theory, win a race. He would not let that slip. I think if you gave him a chance at a championship, that would be his sole focus, weaking, week out.

I don't think one race wing is enough for him. I'm sure on the surface he'd love it and I'm sure he celebrates it and be very happy boy. But I know he wants another title. He's been so close on so many occasions, literally mere points away multiple times. I think if you changed, what was it, like three or four results for his whole career, he'd be like a five or six time world champion. I think he's like four points away from being a four-time world champ or something ridiculous. Yeah, and I think it's a few more points away from being like a five or six-time world champion.

It's a little bit silly how successful he is being, but yet not successful enough. The bloke would take a championship any day of the week. And I think you give him a sniff, he'll be straight in there to take it. it feels like to an extent that's that's kind of already the approach that he has but in i i feel like he's resigned to the fact that the red bull is quite obviously a faster car than his at the moment so it feels as if alonzo's in the in a headspace of i need to do whatever i can to be anyone that isn't a red bull so i know that if red bull mess up i'm i'm there to take the win um it's it's almost like if i can beat everyone else i'm satisfied with that performance and whatever happens in front of you're

me were Perez and Vostappen, is out of my control to an extent. I'm not sure. Just be third forever. He will always be third. Even when a potential second was available in Australia, Hamilton can have that. I'll have third.

Doesn't need it. They're going to be second. Once you've thoughts on that quote, Harry, do you think that Alonzo still has a lot to give Formula One? Is there still championships in his future? What's realistic between now and the end of his career? I think the close. itself is one of the most Fernando Alonso things I've ever read in my entire life.

Correct. Probably out of reach, Fernando. Probably. But there's still a chance. In his mind? Yes, there is. I think probably actually means about 4%. I think 96% still in reach.

Yeah. Oh, man. I actually fully laughed out loud than I read that comment. I don't know. I did that. Very aggressive. With my hand. Loud.

Oh, I love that. Yeah, look, it's... it's going to be very tough for him to win another another championship, let alone another five. But yeah, with what Sam said, I think there's a few wins on the card for Alonzo. If this year, as you say, as long as he's in that position, always be in third.

And then when the Red Bulls mess up. Seeing it happen before. He'll be there. So I think that's his aim for this year. And if the development continues with the, Justin Martin and next year it's even better than maybe he can still a few wins. I think that's probably the most realistic

target for him now, a championship as much as I'd love to see it. I mean, I know we joke, Alonso will have to retire at some point. I'll retire before a long time. He will have to stop and he can't keep doing this.

You know, he hasn't really dropped off that much. Probably only his qualifying pace, I'd say, is the thing that's dropped off. Everything else. He's still the same. Do you think he still could win a title if like the Red Bull and the Aston were equal?

Do you think he still got the inning? Because you're the number one in the fan. I am. It just happens very good. He is. And I think Alonso would be another zinger from me. Alonzo would be

the most menacing menace. I think a different side of it would come out. Again, we see the old Fernando. It would be, I mean, we've seen glimpses of it as I say with the yes. Yes, bye-bye. But he would be just a menace. Maybe that could make the difference if there's an equal fight between him and a Vestappan and the Hamilton.

I don't know. I don't bring us into this. Good Lord. The world can't deal with that. Could you imagine? All three of them. I reckon none of them would finish that many races. They'd just run into each other all the time.

Sojo Piraes is mopping out with Joy Brussels. Yeah, Gassley wins. Actually, to be fair, I think Alonzo would be smarter. Hamilton and Stappen would take each other out. Alonzo wins. That's where I'm going. Russell, with his hands on his hips going, crikey at the end of interest.

So, yeah, I'd be great to see him in a championship fight. And I think, as I say, I think he'd be a right nuisance. Yeah, a few wins. I don't, it's hard to see because I think is Aston deals only two years long. I don't know how old he'd be by the end of that. But is he going to extend it again? Who knows? Yeah.

43 and a half, I think. 307. Yeah, that's, that's, that's, I is getting on slightly. So, who knows if it'll extend pass out and whether Aston are going to five year deal, five year deal. 57, 57. Whether Aston are going to be able to make such another leap, that they are now championship contenders when it comes to 2024. I keep seeing a Red Bull person out, they might.

They might do. They made a big one this year. Maybe they'll make Adrian Tui. I have a second version of being at that. Adrian Tewy. I like that a lot. Anyway. Goes on package holidays.

Pucket version. I thought you might be proud of that one. That's so niche. Good. It's very good. British. British niche reference. Nittish.

Nittish. Maybe you can coin that. Yeah. I don't think I finished the point. It was going on. A couple of wins probably. You know, off you go. Good.

Ah, good stuff. To Harry's point here, I absolutely love the fact that Fernando Alonso is not willing to commit to this quote more than probably. It's great. Put it in,

he's got two championships and we're talking about whether he could ever get to seven. Bear in mind, mind that if he was to get to seven, I think it would be 47 years old. He'd have to start winning them at the last right now. Come on a lot. So, let's do it.

Yes, that is presuming he wins this season and doesn't slip up for the next five years. And he's still not willing to commit to more than probably. I love it. If there was a spectrum of, let's say one end of the spectrum is George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and Mercedes, who are convinced that they will never get another podium again in their life. and the other end of the spectrum was Fernando Alonzo, who still thinks that there's maybe a small sliver of a chance he could win seven titles.

It's just complete opposite ends of that spectrum. And it's a compliment. It's not an insult. I admire that man's self-confidence. I wish I had a tenth of it. I don't, but I wish I did. Because he just believes in himself beyond any expectation. It really is great.

Realistically, is seven achievable. Nah, I don't think so. But I tell you what, if you asked Fernando Alonzo right now, Fernando, you think you get to five? He doesn't answer straight away. I think he takes a second. I think he at least pauses before giving his answer. Because again, if you were to ask him that, I don't think he thinks that's out of reach. I really don't. That's just the five's almost definitely. Well, exactly. So I think the question that needs to be asked is can he win one more? Can he get to. three. And realistically, I don't think that this season is going to work out for him unless Red Bull fall off a cliff at some point. And to be honest, that might not even be a metaphor. They might literally have to fall off a cliff in order for this to work out for Fernando Alonzo. But if it's going to happen, it would have to be next year, I think, even if he extends it further on than the next year, he is, I think, human. I think he will eventually slow down. I think as much

as people probably don't want to hear it. I think he already has to an extent slowed down a bit. You reference qualifying pace quite rightly. It's not what it once was. And it's only going one direction. So I think it needs to happen next season. And honestly, I think it would need to be a dominant Aston Martin car. Because if you're asking me in a dog fight between him and Max Verstappen, if they had pretty equal cars, I'm taking Max Verstappen in that equation. And quite honestly, if the question was Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonzo. Again, I'm probably going for Lewis Hamilton. Leclair against Alonzo, you know, that might be a close one.

But I feel like he needs a dominant car next season to get it done. But you never know. We'll see what happens with Red Bull and whether they are impacted by the Croscat penalty towards the end of this year and going into next year. Red Bull, can you just let him have one? Yeah, go on. Just, oops, we fell off the track again. No, a title, thank you.

Oh, okay. The car broke down. Alonso's going to win it again. Oh, gutted. Just won. I think that were good. I'm really well with Max just happen as well. I'm sure he'd let that happen.

I'll tell you what, Max, if you do it, I'll come on another documentary. That's kind of you. Yeah. Well, I'll give my time up for everyone. Good Lord. Yeah, well, I think we've reached the correct solution on that. Alonzo is going to win a third title, and Red Bull are going to make it happen. Don't say you don't get accurate information here on the latest.

breaking F1 podcast. We'll take a short break. More informative things after this break, I'm sure. All right, I think myself and Harry are probably going to take a 10 minute break or so here because the next topic is about Alpha Tauri. And if you've been listening to any of the last two or three episodes, you know that Sam, I would say has a bone to pick with Alpha Tauri. He's got like a skeleton of bones to pick with Alpha Tauri.

Should Alpha Tauri be sold? So this was something that came up. a couple of weeks ago now, asking the question, there was speculation, would they, would they choose to sell the team? Or would they choose to maybe bring the team to the UK? Obviously, we know Milton Keynes is the home destination for Red Bull, but Alphatari operates outside of Italy. So there were some questions that were being asked about the future of the team. Red Bull were quick to dismiss it as speculation and say that it's not on the cards. But Sam, do you think that it should be on the cards?

Would this be in Red Bull's best interests and F1's best interests? I mean, I feel like I have spoken on the issue quite a lot, unprovoked, probably unnecessarily. But it is now an actual topic on the podcast, so I'll go into some detail. Tora Rosso before it, and Alpha Towering now, have had some great successes. You know, they have nurtured some brilliant young talents through Formula One. And I went through those recently. You know, you only have to look at Max Verstappen, who's someone who came through that program, to show you how good he is. Carlos Seitz is at Ferrari now,

and the likes of Sebastian Vettel, who is a four-time world champion, also came up through that programme. So they have had some successes. But they haven't had a lot recently. They haven't provided as much as you think to the grand scheme of Formula One. And a lot of their junior drivers, which they pride themselves on, haven't really gone on to achieve too much in the world of Formula One.

A lot of them have had to go elsewhere to ensure that their careers are going to continue. You look at someone like Sebastian Buemi, for example, who of course is down quite well in Formula E, dig some endurance racing as well. Jean-Eieric Verne, again, another one who's doing well in Formula E, but, you know, didn't really get the proper chance, maybe in Formula One. Bordeaux, a good racer, solid racer, did really well in... What?

I like that you call him Sebastian Bordeaux. That's his name. Isn't it Bordeaux? No. Doing really well in Indic... Well, I did well in Indycar. But again, none of them really went on to achieve real great. And I do think that the resources that they put into that team, they don't make sense to me because

they put a lot of effort in, you know, being ruthless and throwing drivers out and hurting careers. And we saw it with Ghazli, who's managed to get back on his feet, and Albon's just starting to reestablish themselves. But then they let the car, the Alfa Tauri car, slip all the way down to the back of the greed. And it's not, you know, on and off, not being good for a long time. You know, you throw your mind back all the way to when Toroso had the likes of Antonio Leutsi. Scott Speed and Christian Cleaning it, you know, iconic days.

But it was never incredible. Not bad, never incredible. But now you're looking at its current guys. It's at the back of the grid, trundling around. And I don't understand why they wouldn't invest as a partnership between the two teams. Why they wouldn't invest more time in better in that car to allow the drivers that are essentially training, you know, in quotation marks, that car. They're trying to better their skills to become better Red Bull drivers, have them up the field, fighting in the midfield or the upper midfield, and actually give them a taste of what it's

like to score points regularly, have wheel to wheel battles, you know, fight closely for a whole season with the team, get that competitive edge and not a team that's going to trundle around at the back and you might pick up a few places if there's some DNFs. So from an internal point of view at Red Bull, I don't really see the game. They may as well barst for a deal with another team to put a driver in there, maybe for part of the Red Bull engine deal or something like that which forwarding going to bring in, we know that McLaren is taking an interest in that. But in terms of a spectator and business point of view externally, for a spectator's point of view, boring.

It is boring. I know that's a bit ruthless, but it is dull. It doesn't bring a lot of interest to the grid. We don't set the world on fire with Alpha Tauri going around. And the drivers that are at that team regularly don't provide a lot unless it's poor Yuki having a one-off good race where he skicks himself maybe an 11th or P-10. or we see one of them crash. And that's as most as we get out of it,

which is NAF. So that's not great. And then in terms of the actual Formula One Enterprise itself, they're hogging a spot on a very limited grid. You know, 10 people get to go to space. One of those is filled with, I don't know, a bush. Well, the bush hasn't got any oxygen or any water to live with. So what's the point in it being there?

A bush. It's not contributing anything. It's not a fruitful bush. It's not growing anything. it's just a fern. Now, that's great. I'm trying to work out if it's the best or worst analogy you've ever done.

It's one or the other. Ferns are lovely to look at and that Alphotari regularly like nice to look at. Not this year. No, to be fair. And ferns can die. It's like a fern on fire.

Well, hey, you sell it. Honestly, waste of space. Sell that team, that space, that grigspot, which has such high value to a possible competitive outlet. The main one, of course, being Andretti. But there are other, you know, prosperous options in the area.

You know, Porsche were looking to coming as well. And I would absolutely love to see both Porsche and Audi take to the Formula One grid, alongside Andretti and their current rivals that we've got on the grid already. It doesn't make sense to have Alpha Tauri there when the sport is at such a high value and spaces are going for such a high price. You hear how much teams are asking for now as part of the emission fee. Someone like Alpha Tari just doesn't provide, and they also don't bring a lot in terms of marketing for the rest of Formula One.

they're a very fancy and posh clothing brand. That's what they are. The whole car is a billboard for a clothing brand. Doesn't even bring in that much cash. So realistically, I don't understand the business choices. I don't understand why Formula One are so happy to have them in there. And I also don't understand why Red Bull, if they are keeping them in there, aren't investing more of their time and effort into building that car up.

So the drivers actually get a proper valuable learning experience. I think all signs point to sell and they're making a bad choice currently by keeping. So I think regardless of which way they go with the decision, so obviously you're advocating here the Red Bull move away from the team, but even if they stick by the team, it does, and we've already kind of discussed this in the past, there are some serious questions about how they're running the team, not only in terms of where the team lies in the championship, but also who the drivers are, because it just feels completely counterproductive as to what they need it to be.

A lot of questions have been asked of Red Bull in the past in terms of their rather ruthless nature of how they treat their drivers. But in a lot of respects, it has, whether you want to admit it or not, it has worked. You know, getting Max Verstappen into the Red Bull far earlier than potentially other teams would have done the same thing. That worked out pretty well for them. They were cut throat when it came to Albert and with Pierre Gazley. and in both instances, did it seem harsh, sure,

but if it got them to Perez, which they think is the better solution, then again, it's probably worked. So it feels like Red Bull and by proxy Alfred Sauri have always been a pretty ruthless organization with their drivers, but now they're in a position

where they've got a driver in his third year of a deal, which as Yuki Sonoda, hasn't produced that many great performances. And Nick DeVries, who, it's a very non-Alpha-towery move to bring in someone at his age who is outside of the Red Bull product. So it feels like, yes, as you say Sam, they could go for sell, but even if they go for Keep, they should be doing it far better and far different to work with what they want to achieve.

I think personally, in theory, the cost cap coming in should have been great for Red Bull and Alpha Tauri. and to an extent for the Red Bull side of things, it has been great. We know that prior to the cost cap coming in, Red Bull spent a lot more than what the cost cap is at the moment, but still quite a bit less than Mercedes and Ferrari. So Mercedes and Ferrari had to cut back a bit more as a result of the cost cap. As a result of that, or at least partly a result of that, Red Bull had been very good in this cost cap era.

Now, the hope was that that would kind of be a benefit to Alpha Tauri as well, in that cheaper to be an entrance to an F1, good and also a more even flatter distribution of payment in terms of prize money. Again, which should be good and make Al-Fa-Tarri a bit more of a profitable venture, not just a training camp for drivers that are going to eventually be in Red Bull. But as you say, Sam, they've slipped so far back in the championship that it hasn't really worked for them to this point, where other teams have just overtaken Al-Fa-Tauri, both on and off-track.

And Al-Fatari is not as viable as it could have been. in. And I think Red Bull had two options. Number one is to sell or number two is to really commit to the team. I feel like they're going with the second option in terms of, I know Red Bull are going to give more parts to Alpha Tauri next year, which I'll discuss the sporting element of that in a moment, but in terms of Red Bull's very selfish needs, like that makes sense to do that, right, to bring them back up to the midfield in the championship. So I think sell or keep both viable options. I understand why they've kept the team and I couldn't see them keeping the team for a couple more years.

It is bad for F1. I completely agree with that though because my aspiration of what Formula 1 should be might be different from others. My aspiration for F1 is we have 10 or 11 or 12 constructors who are independent from one another and in any given season could theoretically compete for a championship. Like if they get their poop together and they get their poop together and they get everything going in the right direction, get the drivers right, get the team right,

get the strategy right. Any one team could win the title in any season. We're not there yet. And whilst Alfa Tauri is on the grid, we're never going to get there because Alfa Tauri, as we know, cannot win a championship whilst Red Bull are in the series. They are there as a feeder team,

which is great for Red Bull, but at least in terms of my interpretation of what F1 should be, it doesn't work. Yes, you get the positive that they are a, you know, they could get back into a strong midfield team. Great.

They're never going to be more than that, though, which feels disappointing for me in terms of what F1 should be. Once you've thought, Sarie, sell, keep, turn it into an ice cream company. Do that. Give us Menardi back. Yep. Fine with that. Oh, Michelle.

And take a long so back. Alonzo goes back. Yeah. He sees out his career. Yeah. See, nice. In kind of a serious point, though, and to your point there, Ben, I'd rather would have Menardi back and as you see you I know

manardi never were in a position to challenge but at least their aim was always to try and win and not just be a midfield team I know they were always at the back but um that's unfair they weren't always at the back but towards the end they were it's the principle though right exactly their aim was always to win they weren't racing to win so uh yeah I I agree I I don't know what the point of Valf Tari slash Tora so is anymore. I think you've already touched on that

Sam about the younger drivers, but where they are with that young driver program, as you say, Yucasinoda was promoted too early and hasn't done much in the past two years. Yes, I know year three might still be better, but he's not looking like the next bright,

shining light of Red Bulls for Red Bulls for Red Bull championships. Liam Lawson isn't there yet, so they've got Nick DeFries in the car. And as you say, that's such a rogue move, what it's like when they brought danny kaffia back and that wasn't that long ago so i kind of lost as to what they're i kind of accepted it more when they at least were bringing in that young that young

talent like vestape and like ricardo um and i'm being ruthless with it but they got to a position now where they can't even be that ruthless anymore so yeah i would i would i i would like them to sell. Give it to someone else. Give it to a Honda or a Porsche, whoever, even an independent team in Andretti. But yeah, do do something.

That doesn't mean, do something. Do something. Because of the moment, it's not doing a lot. No. I think the sign is already there that it's failed though, isn't it? Like Bing already brought up, they brought Perezhen. Well, they've had to bring Perezhen because they haven't used any training

capabilities to bring someone up. Well, yeah. or give the time. So they had to go outside of their own program to bring someone who's even remotely good enough to compete at the top. And then in the training program, they haven't publicly gone, we're changing the way we view alpha towery.

We're going to elevate someone maybe slightly earlier. We know that, but give them actual time to develop. They haven't bothered. They've just gone, uh, Nick DeVries. You need a seat.

Come on in. Doesn't make sense. It's a waste of time, waste of effort, and money. And you know what? Maybe a bit unfair on Nick to freeze because he's now sat in a car

that's useless trying to prove himself and he won't. He won't go any further than this and that's maybe a bit unfair on him as well. They could have given it to someone like Ayahuasa or Lawson or Howger and gone to the public. We know they are not ready

but we want to put them in Formula One to build them up. He's such an unalvatari move to do, to put the freezing there because it makes no sense. It's not stopped them in the past, does it? No. They've always, well, Senoda. Yeah.

It was too early, wasn't he putting in another year? The issue as well for Red Bullies. Max Verstappen is the exception. He is the odd one hour. He is the shining light that you'll never get again in the next 10, 15 years. You will not find a driver that enters their first race at what, 17 years old in your senior team

and wins, it will not happen ever again. So stop looking at that to always be the expectation and start giving your drivers internally in your program some time and some coaching and some ability. You might get more success out of it, but they're not. And Nick to freeze is, unfortunately, for Nick, the worst choice I think they could have made.

I don't think that's true. Ironically, I've... It could have been me. Ironically, I think the last success story of Toro Rosso was Carlos Sines and he didn't even make it to Red Bull. I think that's the ironic thing. Like, no one since Carlos Sines has gone through the Toro Rosso program and improved like every year and got to the position where they are, I think pretty much it was accepted.

like he's ready for that seat now and there wasn't room for him anyway. And they had to, the next couple of guys, Gassley and Albon, might have eventually been ready but they were both rushed through. So I don't think they got it right with any three of them eventually. Oh dear. Sell now, fire sale.

Fire sale. Buy it while it's hot. Okay. Two for a penny. Buy a or a sell. Three for a pound. Well, Sam's car boot sale is going to launched in this short break.

We've got some list of messages on the other side. We're debuting a new segment on the podcast. Do we have a jingle for it? No, we don't. New segment of a week. No, you can't sally that. That's still to come. All right, we've still got the best segment of all to come.

List the messages. You're really interesting people, people who listen to us, far more interesting than the three of us, probably combined. So we thought, you've probably got some stories to tell that we don't. Let's hand the floor over to you. So have you got any that took your eye?

Yeah, we had some lovely messages come in. And I wanted to do this so you could tell us your interesting moments around race weekends. And if you'd like to, if you like what you hear and you think, I've got a silly or funny or lovely story that relates to or embarrassing or not good, you know, that could be all of those things that relates to a Formula One race weekend or experience with a drive or anything like that. you think, I want to tell that story. Either write to us on our Instagram, like Breaking F1 podcast, or come into the Discord. We've got a channel there.

You can see me in one that jumped out of me was from Vig and Spike, a long-term member of the Discord. And I think this is really lovely, really wholesome. So this is the first listeners message. I'm just going to read it out. You know, let's know what you think after

when you listen to this. So he's never been to an F1 race or even an FIA event. We just don't get a lot of those on our Canadian prairies and don't have the money to travel at the moment. But at the end of July, last year, we had a kid, literally born during the Hungarian Grand Prix. Congratulations, by the way.

Now, he was really colicky for the first six months. Basically imagine you have care for a tiny human that cries in pain nearly all the time and you can't do anything but hold him. We're trying everything and didn't know what to do. Except at the end of August, I got up early to watch the Belgian Grand Prix and he was being his usual colic himself so I took him downstairs with me and so my wife could get some sleep. But once the lights went out and the racing started, he suddenly stopped crying and was glued to watching and listening to the cars on track. Eulis could say, we've watched nearly every race together and a lot of the back catalogue

and even converted my wife a bit. Not as fancy as meeting a F1 driver story, but who knows, maybe we can one day. I honestly think, as someone who also bonding over F1 with my dad and my mum and I used to sit and watch it, that is so lovely that you found a lovely thing to sit and do together, and I thought that was such a nice message to start off with. Wholesome.

Yeah, really wholesome. Holesome. Thanks for making it whole. Also, that kid, is an F1 fan through and through, because that Belgian Grand Prix was awful. So I've been fair play. Yeah, I read this and I had exactly the same sentiment as you.

The one thing that sort of sprung to mind as soon as I read this was like, for every 100 people on Twitter arguing about Abu Dhabi 2021 or Lewis Hamilton versus crashed up and all of those like really awful Twitter arguments. For all the 100 people doing that, exactly. It's just completely nullified by a lovely story like that. That one story just supersedes all of that nonsense. It's great. Yeah, shove it up your butt, F1, Twitter.

But you, Vic. Good dad. Hang, I'm glad you have that bond with your kid. That's lovely. I'd like to read one out. It's actually quite a good story, but really, the name is even better. this one is from Shaggy Skunk. Oh God.

Thanks, Skunk. Oh man. Okay. I was lucky enough to have been at the Monaco F1 race in 1989. Our seats were across from the swimming pool complex, and we were taken by a small boat shuttle to get there, but as luck would have it, we were dropped off at the wrong spot. We were dropped off near the pit lane entrance side,

so we got to walk through the pits. we were a few feet away from Ayrton Senna. I was stunned to speak. I remember Derek Warwick asking if we wanted an autograph, but I kind of ignored him. Sorry. Warwick, Warwick, think. As I was so stunned by Senna's presence,

in the end, I didn't even get a picture of Senna, even though I had my camera in hand missed opportunity. I feel like, I appreciate it wasn't, as you say, missed opportunity. The fact that you were so overwhelmed by the emotion of being there to the point where you forgot to do that just proves what an epic moment that is, if that makes sense. I think so, I think this is going to sound so lame, but as a society, we are very much glued to capturing the moment on a technical device of some kind and not just embracing it

all in the now. I know, live in the now. It is my number one pet peeve. Yeah. Honestly, number one. I'm strong to think of anything more that's more than a pet pee. I thought I would be his number one pet pee.

I was going to say, Sam. Yeah. I... No, I just hate you. I really enjoy the idea of like, shaggy skunk. Just stood there in awe of Edson and then behind it.

Derek's like, Derek. Do you want to autograph? Do you an autograph? Hello. Would you like a walker off? Warren, man. Who are you? Give it a rest, Warrick.

Derek. Go away. Lovely couple of stories there. Yeah. I really appreciate those that have written in. And as we've already mentioned, we will get to some more as well. Spreading evening out the content

like it says spreadable butter. Lovely. It's like lirpac. I can't believe it's not butter. It's sprayed. I can believe it's not content. Tweet us as well or email us. Yeah.

You can email us podcast at latebreaking.com. UK. If you have a similar, not similar, if you have a story. Yeah, we would love to hear them. Funny, silly, embarrassing. The one I keep going to, and I'm hoping someone will come back with this, is that you get stuck in a Port-a-Loo at a Grand Prix. Funny. Is that why you just set this whole thing up? The whole thing. I want to hear someone say, was that X-Gourn-Pree, went to the toilet, something happened to the door, missed the whole race, had to sit in the loo. Or you're not stuck in the toilet, but you go to the, toilet and there's an F1 driver in there.

Also, get stuck with the driver and they miss the ground print. Why are you obsessed with being stuck in the loop? Asking for an autograph. Anyway, that was listeners' messages. Just made that up. I can't wait for next time we do this where Amul Age comes in

with something where he was picked up by Eddie Irvine. Maybe I should write one in. Oh, no. Oh, I've got some stories. No, no, that was from Amul Age. Oh, yes. Amul Sassi age.

Or Samuel Tage is then called you yesterday. Oh, Samuel Tage. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry about that. Sorry, mate. Let's move on. We'll move on to Alpine, who have managed to make the docket this week.

Altmar Saffnau was talking about this break that we've had between the third and fourth races of the season. Of course, it wasn't anticipated when the calendar was created, but as a result of the Chinese Grand Prix not featuring this year. We've had this month break, completely unexpected. He said that this break, although not planned in a calendar that has 23 races and a lot of back-to-backs and triple headers, it's nice to have a three-week break now, a three-week break in August, and a break at Christmas. Maybe it should be by design in the future. I know the season just started, but it's not about just the start of the season, because a lot of people have worked hard over the winter preparing the car for testing. Then the races,

and now to have a bit of a break just helps you in what's coming up. What do you reckon on this one, Harry? I know this wasn't by design, but should it be? Well, for us watching, I mean, I'm really trying hard not to cough again. Just get out. La la la la.

For us watching sucks, obviously, having this random break after just three races. But the idea, the concept of an extra break for the teams and stuff, yes, I just think we might have got a bit too early on this one. We've only done three and there's, I get what Ombar saying, but we've only done three and there's 20 to go. This might be a little too soon.

But I agree, we have the summer break, but let's maybe chuck another one in there if we're going to do this. The problem is we have a month, i. April with basically no races. We had Australia at the very start, Azerbaijan is right at the end. then we're going to May and there's three. Yeah. Choker.

There's only like four weeks in May. That's how months work. Well, no. Some we go for some bit longer. January goes on for like 10 weeks. Get on with it. Anyway. My basic point there is, yes, a good concept, good idea.

Let's make it a thing, but let's even it out a tiny bit. That's all I have to say on that. Thank you very much. that I'm right. I watched for us every day. Did you? So good.

Oh, Life's like a box of chocolates. That, by the way, your impression was one of the worst I've ever heard. That's coming from the man

that has done Toto Wolf before. I do it very well. Thank you very much. So you're hearing nothing else. Right. Alpi. I find that I disagree with up Marstaff now

on like 90% of things, but I might actually be on the same wavelength as in here. Yeah. Oh, by the way, if Lepland doesn't come through this year and Ocon doesn't win the driver's championship, I am blaming it on the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix,

just to get everyone ahead of the curve on that. Oh, God. In the unlikely event that he doesn't, I will be blaming that. Anyway, I feel like there are three concern groups here that there needs to be, I think there needs to be a reasonable debate, which apparently is something that you can't really have in this century. but to have a debate that includes the interest of fans, to include the interests of Formula One commercially,

and also the teams. And I feel like we need a calendar, not just in terms of this gap, but the whole calendar that works for all three parties. So I completely understand what Ottmar Safnauer is saying here. And I, as I say, I tend to agree with him. But we've also got to think about this in terms of Formula One, the sport. So as you say, Harry, we've only had a three Grand Prix this season.

And unfortunately, I don't think any of them can be described as anything better than OK. I don't think we've had a good race. Six out of tens. Yes. Yeah. I don't think anything's exceeded a six out of ten so far, which, you know, if we're bringing new fans into the sport as much as we can at the beginning of seasons, what have we had this year? We've had three OK races. and now a three-week break.

That's a lot of momentum lost. That's a lot of, I don't know, it feels like commercially that's not the best way to go about it. So I agree with what you said, Harry, actually, that it feels like it needs to be a slightly more even split where, you know, if we can get five races in or six races in before that break, I feel like that would work.

And then you do have the year split up a bit more and you've got those three breaks at almost four-month intervals. which seems to work. You know, for the teams, as what Mars Aftano, very rightly says, we might have only had three races, but what they've done so far this year extends a lot further than that. So their consideration needs to be taken into account here. The calendar's not getting any smaller.

So if the calendar is going to stay at this size or indeed get even bigger, we need to have a really responsible chat between all parties to look out for the teams in terms. terms of their physical health and their mental health, because at some point, and that point might have already been met, there's going to be concerns there. So I feel like he was right to raise this. And I hope we can actually, yeah, I hope we can actually find a solution. I don't think we're far off it with this accidental break, but I do think we probably need a couple more races earlier in the season before we get to that. What do you think, Sam? Basically, having a break this long,

after three races is like running the first two miles of a marathon and then going to bed and need you in like a 12-hour nap and then being like... I would need that. What? I would need that. Yeah, well, so would I. I'm very physically unfit.

But if you're a marathon runner, you wouldn't really want to stop after the two-mile mark. You might get halfway and go, I'll have a bit of a drink and a little energy bar or whatever. Breakfast bar if you're Harry. Brunch bar, yeah. Yeah, broken apart. But, you know, you don't tend to have your break.

what, 6% into something. You tend to try and push through that a little bit longer. And if you want a case study to work, you know, to show why something doesn't, like this doesn't work, you only have to look at other motorsport events. You look at something like IndyCar,

you look at something like World Endurance, you look something like Formula E, that have these larger gaps between Grand Prix, and let me tell you that newer followers to these sports who are not super up to date with everything that's happening, will struggle to be aware that these events are taking, place. They'll struggle to be aware that, you know, races are going ahead. They will forget about things that have happened. They'll lose interest. They'll go, oh, there was a race this weekend.

Well, I've made plans because I forgot that a race was happening. You know, it's been a month since the last one. So it's not on my radar anymore. And you know what? We had a solution to this. Have less races. I have just little gaps. Little gaps in between each one. You know, two week breaks regularly. We had a little while ago. That was nice, wasn't it? You know, two races a month for about six months, it was okay. Did you're right there. A little summer break in the middle. Everyone was fine.

Everyone was aware of what was going on. I don't mind having almost three mini summer breaks. But as you've both made the very clear point, having it after three races doesn't make sense. I think if you were to shorten the calendar to, I don't know, 21 races. In that case, you can have one to seven, have a three week break, have 14. No, sorry, eight to 14, right? Have a three week break. And then have 15 to 21, finish the season.

and that would work and I think that'll be fair. Also, if you get the calendar the right way around where you're actually geographically following how things go, you wouldn't have to traverse the entire world

every time you're going to a new race that would be logical, mate. Oh, God forbid. We're just going to forget that they actually promoted that. We're going to forget that completely because that's what F1 did. They really brought that up on social media

and then they went, actually, we don't want to do that. So we're just going to get like, yeah, everyone, go to sleep. No, no, no. Like I would after the second mile of a marathon. Anyway, Mark.

I actually, I mean, to a degree, I agree with you, but I do think that what you're saying and what F1 could do with this could be much, much better to what is currently applied. Before we move on, yes. Do you see that the FIA rejected Ferrari's right to review? Oh, thank goodness for that. Oh, my word. I mean, who would have thought that was a bad idea? No, I'm going to do it.

I'm going to do it. I'm mad about this. Right. Hang relaxed. I tried. I tried, folks. And I've been baited in. I'm willing to accept this.

Carlos Sines and his penalty have been rightfully dismissed by the FIA today. It's so angry. Their mitigating circumstances were, it was sunny. The sun was in my eyes. I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was overcast for all the other 19 drivers. It was only sunny for Carlos Sines. He had cold tires. Yeah, everyone else's were blistering, weren't they?

God. Do you know, they pulled out something that happened in 2014 as a basis for getting this thrown out. They pulled up an incident from when Lewis Hamilton was a one-time champion to say that this penalty shouldn't be applied. Are you mad? There is literally, I've never seen so much uproar about such a clear penalty. he hit him

I've been losing it all day the incident they as you mentioned for 2014 was Sergio Perez and Filippi Mattel the Canadian GP and the point was

so basically they didn't call Carlos Sinesston and the stewards in Australia they just gave him the penalty because Ben says it was a penalty slam dunk and their point was that in 2014, the Canadian GP, when Perez and Massa crash, they didn't call either Perez or I think it was Perez to the Stewards Room.

And then afterwards, 14D.A argued it because they said they didn't get the right point of view from Perez. And it got overturned, I think. But Perry- A different story, really, isn't it? Peres wasn't in the Stewards Room initially because he was in hospital. I mean, you should laugh. He's fine, obviously. They didn't call Carlos up because it was a penalty.

Yeah. Okay. Good stuff. The sun was in my eyes. You know what, though? I wouldn't have been shocked if the FIA said actually, fair point or take it away. And I'm actually proud of them for sticking with it.

The Ferrari social media post, but we accept it like they've just lost a championship over this. Do you remember when... The Blastappen hit both Ferraris and they went, that is the events that have happened. We won't be discussing this further. It's like they've gone. Fine.

There's been no speculation about this. So we've got to talk about any further. No one on me into it. Oh, good. Sorry, folks. I have been waiting old podcast and babe Ben about that. Yeah. Like jaws, that was.

Yeah. I thought I thought I was going to be able to resist, but then it was brought up and... Okay, now we're actually going to move on. We're going to move on now. We'll be playing pump the brakes right after this. Pump the brakes. Here we go.

Blimey. The NSW at the end there. Live Laf Latifie after dark. Here we go. Pump the brakes. So this is where the three of us will give one opinion each. There might be a little bit controversial. And the other two have to decide whether, you know what, that's a good opinion.

You can have that. Or whether they should pump the brakes. Now, if both other people decide that they should pump the brakes, that's where Dave Benson Phillips, children's TV, gets involved and goes ahead with, I hope Harry's got this prepared, this noise. I haven't got it. It's so loud. Oh, he hasn't got it even on the board.

Oh, I haven't got it. And we're not even on the right recording software. That's the worst 30 seconds of this podcast ever. Dave Benson Phillips, or in this instance, Sam, we'll gunge the person if they have a little bit of you. And we tend to give Dave Benson Phillips 50p for every gunging that he does, but since it's Sam doing it this time, Dave Benson Phillips is going to have no money.

He's not on a date. Yep, sorry, Dave. Right. Oh, dear. Pump the brakes. Harry, as a reward for unbelievably preparing one, you can go first. Thanks. Okay.

I will preface this by saying this has nothing to do with the result of what happened. But my point on the brakes is the 2021 championship is the greatest season ever in Formula One. Can I guess, oh, I'm... Please don't kill me, everyone. I'm not annoyed, but mine definitely wasn't about to be about the 2021 Grand Prix season, wherever it's called. You're welcome. I don't think of another one. Do you want,

shall I elaborate or you just... No, if you like to give a little bit of explanation, sure. Yeah, go on. Look, I don't want to say Abu Dhabi aside. The actual decision that happened, you know,

we've talked about this before, I can feel people coming after me. But you, I don't think you could have had a better, more gripping storyline. I don't think there's probably only three bad races

I can name from 2021 if that and I think what's happening with in F1, 2022 and 2023 so far we're not having awful races but 2021 was banger after banger

that it's really it not helped it's not helped everything else afterwards I just don't think we've had or maybe we'll never have another season as good, as gripping. Politics, allegiances aside on this one, completely.

But I think that's my case. Hold on. So you just see something out the window there. Is that pitch forks and torches coming down the road? I'll go first. We just won Homer. That's you? Oh, no.

I'll go first. So I actually Politics included Completely agree with you Oh wow And I think because of the controversy At the end of the season From an entertainment point of view

And a historic point of view Will go down as the most entertaining Most discussed Most thought about season in Formula One For decades And I think maybe we get a season like that At most once a decade And I think 2020

2012 was maybe that one of the last decade before that. Obviously, we've had the Sanger Empress rivalry. The Incincts in Suzuki was probably up there with that controversy. And it was a great season. But yeah, I think you're probably right. I think it is the perfect season.

Perfect storm. I think it's the best thing to happen to F1 ever. I agree. I'm not saying that from my point of view, I think for F1's point in view, best things ever happened to it. But equally, the worst thing... Also the worst.

because now everything will not live up to that. True. Yeah, I think it's a fair, it's a fair opinion. I think I would probably agree with it as well. Certainly 2012 that Sam's already raised comes close. But yeah, I think probably 2021, even like three races before the end of that season, it was already probably a contender. Because you're right, nearly every single race that year was a banger.

I will say this, 2012 and 2021 both had great championship and great races. For me, 2020, races-wise, was just as good as those two. The only thing it didn't have was the championship battle. But in terms of the actual racing, I think 2020 was, I know Harry doesn't remember that year existed. But I think in terms of the racing, though, it's actually on a part of those two. 2020 was a really good season. It's just it was dang and dusting at the front.

Yeah. Yeah. that's good point actually oh man we don't get to do the noise my one that you stole was that 2021 was the perfect season perfect season okay because the only thing I think that rivals it from 2012

is that we have the seven different race winners at the start which I think was really cool and I really like that yeah my pump the brakes is on a similar trajectory to Harry but almost going like the opposite direction so I am going to pick a season

I am saying that the 2009 F1 season was the worst we've had this century. Are you having a laugh? What? The 2009? Yeah. Awful year. That one? Yeah.

The Jensen Button year. Terrible year. Braun year. Is he baiting me? I think so. Name a good race from 2009. Australia. That's quite a good race.

All right, yeah, that one was okay. Right, good, that's done. Wow. There's one good race, okay. I can't wait to do that one. I don't know. I'll go first. I see your point, Ben, because

buttoned run one, six of the first seven or something like that, wasn't it? And then it was kind of red ball just playing catch up. So in terms of like a competitive championship, it wasn't one of those ones that went down to the wire like a 20-21. it was because they didn't. The brawn that turned up in Australia was basically the same thing that's turned up in Abu Dhabi at the end of the year.

So they were, everyone else was playing catch up to it and they did nothing. So I agree in that sense. But is it really worse than a, than a 2002 when, I mean, not for me, obviously, but for like a Schumacher wrapping the title up by the French GP? I don't You got to give a verdict, mate

I'm going to say no I see you I see your point it's it's probably remembered more funnly than it should be potentially but I'm still

I don't know I think that's fair for me if you were to sit down a Hollywood writer and go don't watch Formula One but you know the concept

what is Formula One to you what would be the perfect story and they were to write new team comes together haven't got a massive budget. It's a first, you know,

we're going to crack off and see how we go with it. And then, that's a weird expression. Where that came from. Sometimes I start speaking, and I hope that I find the end of a sentence along the way.

Anyway, and then, you know, this new scene turns up and they just start winging. And then you get this, the bad guys, you know, Red Bull, catching up. And it comes,

it does come down to the war a bit at the end of it. Now, I know that it doesn't mean that if you were to break it down race by race individually. You're right, Ben. It was not the most thrilling of races to happen. But it will be one of those seasons. And it was at the time, one of those season that was spoken about constantly because of this, wait, braw are good and they're here out of nowhere. Every race,

it was, can broad do it again? Can broad do it again? And then they stopped being able to do it again. And then it was, can they hold on? And everyone wanted them to hold on. Everyone was like, this is a fairy tale. It's like, I know this is maybe a bit British, but when Lester won the Premier League, It was like, oh my God, Lester will win the Premier League, but can they hold on from these giants, these behemoths of sport coming towards them? So I agree with you, Ben, that it maybe is, maybe slightly overrated,

if we're playing overrated, underrated, I think you'd be correct. But we're not, we're playing pump the brakes, and it is not the worst season in the century. So I'm going to say pump the brakes. Ah, a war-winging, awful. I tell you a point of more

I love the story of Braun in 09 It's just I I was thinking about it the other day And just thinking like Were there any good races in 2009 Australia The thing is the only reason Australia was any good Was because Barrekello was a bowling ball

Everyone And then also Barrekello knew how to drive It would be another boring one too Better than QBITS I forgot how to drive on the last lap or something Yeah. Oh, that was, that was interesting.

All right. Oh, that's my go now. Thought one. I have thought of one. You're going to love it. Oh, no. We should bring back Nyong Yam.

Yes. Honestly, not as bad as you think it is. I think with the new regulations, it'll be a good Grand Prix. Give it another go. Definitely not still there. But we can rebuild it. It was a building site anyway.

What I'm saying is to put that into categorical understandable ways of pump the brakes. The track isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be, and that I think with new regulations, it would produce good racing. We have got countless, amazing circuits on the precipice of F1, the Nuremberg ring. Hock and Hine.

We've got Kaya Lami. We've got brilliant circuits all around the world. Snetterton. Desperate to get on the F1 calendar. Alton Park. Sorry, Alton Towers. Thank you. And you're advocating that one of those coveted spots is taken by young bloody am.

I think that say it should be the first in line. I'm just saying that it wasn't as bad as you think it is and that with the new regulations, it would produce good racing. I'm not saying that it should be in Frang Herbert, or Hockingheim or something. I'm just saying that with the new regs, we have a good time there and it wasn't as bad as you remember it being. I feel like any circuit that's not on the calendar that was on the calendar,

that was on the calendar at that time would be a better race now thanks to the New Regs. I think Valencia might be a blast. Don't be silly, Ben. I mean, Valencia could be actually quite fun. It's literally a derelict hole. Nah. I just want to do the girls again,

so I'm quite happy if you both said it in. I don't, I don't... Nah. All right, mate. Ongo-ng-k-k-a-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-na. It's a nah from me. It's a nah from me. You know what I thought about it.

Nah. Probably not. You know what I've realized? We don't play come the brakes that often. There are going to be so many people that don't actually know what the sound we're referring to is. Oh. Think of the gungge, like, alarm sound effect from a game show.

That's even worse. Please stop. I've never got to make something you fart, nor into a mic in my life. Oh, my God. Well, that might be the worst thing we've ever done on the late-breaking F-1 podcast, but don't you worry,

because now we've got the best thing to ever happen to the late-breaking F-1 podcast, the best segment in all of F-1 podcasting. What is it, folks? LB Question of the Week. Do you want to go for one more? Week. Thank you.

The late-breaking question of the week, we decided that we'd go for a really super realistic one this time out and say that if we had a tour bus, which is definitely happening at some point, what would it be called? Any answers that you like? I mean, there's loads.

This might be the best one we've ever done. I never thought a bus would provide so much joy. The one that I talked about earlier that I was on Twitter from Marge and they said, That is the worst market pressure of all time. You can't do Forrest Gump and you can't do Marge.

That's a tough one. Stop. It's not you, stop. Jeez. Anyway, Marge on Twitter said, Bus Ted Kravitz. I don't understand. And then the other one,

which is even less relevant, Bersina Royale. That is so good. It's so good because it makes no sense. The senior Royale. It's a mild play on World. for Casino Royale the James Bond film

because of Askin Martin Oh yeah Sure Georgie Bus Busy Bus Bus T Brenda in homage to Sebs RB days

Also EC Wilkins On Instagram Just said Bus I'm got madagging That's a good idea Yep Um

Salts George said George Torbussel Good Laurie all aboard The Pollock Oh yes Pollock racing's back.

Tim Cap said Gasly Boy's Sossack Shuttle. Love that. I've got my favourite ones. My third favourite one was, there was a couple of people who said this,

including Raff, Yarno Bus, of course, playing on Yarno, truly being a train, but instead of being a bus. I really liked on Instagram.

I didn't actually write down who said this, but it got a lot of likes, which was Chustles Lebusles. That's the last one's a phone to go with fantasy. That was from, sorry, I can't pronounce the name, but it's a funny one, but it's actually

from Davis Junxton, that's your proper name, what your user name, but great choice. But my favourite answer this time out, and it was one of the best questions of the weeks done so far, was from Virgil, who said, Abuk, Bus. There's one of, yeah, yeah, oh, that's just a one on Twitter. Another one on Twitter, which is from Bradley is Jean-Pierre, Jebusy. Oh, yes. Come on. She bossy!

This is, this is the thing you've got busing it, but I also feel like it hasn't been sending it so long on the podcast that it deserves an honourable mention. Big bud. Sure. Big bus. Big bus. The gammon wagon, the gammon mobile.

Sausage wagon. Sausage wagon. Yeah. Did someone just put probably Henry? Yes, I did. We got one here. There'll be two buses. Sam and Harry would ride on L bus,

while Ben would take the only one driving the bus. Love that as a good rivalry Love us You're saying you're Sam Yeah Your lovely your lovely lady Rosie's commented Saying Cablamo Mobile That's a very niche reference

It's completely unrelated to nothing I said that to her when she wrote it She was very proud She showed it to me and I went Yeah that's good That's because our text chat as a three Is called Cablamo And has been

I can't remember it No I mean we We're not at the story Why she knows about Cablamo All right Because when I first first met her something how, oh, one of you guys texts me, I think asking how it was going and it came up on our text chat. She saw that it was called Cablamo. And she went, Cablamo. And I was like,

what? You know that? Like, I'm going to say it. But yeah, she was like, of course I do. And we bonding over the word cablamo. Ben, do you remember why it's called cablamo for a year? No, it was probably, it was probably Sam saying something like that. I mean, that's how most stories start with why is this happens. That's how late breaking starts. Sam said it. That's literally how late breaking started, wasn't it? We were playing the game and I screamed at full volume and was told off, I think, promptly by your parents, Harry, to be quiet. That sounds about right.

Late breaking, as I went down the outside of the hairpin at China. Wow. That's what came from. Good knowledge, guys. We done with that. Great answers. Yeah, good stuff. That was late breaking question of the week.

Go on then. Week. Sam? Yes, mate. Do you want to get us out? Oh, that's so good, and it? It's almost like a catchphrasing itself.

Got him. Got him. Yeah, anyway. What an episode that's been. Some real moments there. There's been some. Think about if you want to come back. Anyway, we are going to all be in the same place this week.

We're all going to be together on Friday. Friday. Yep, thank you. And we're going to be recording beer with breaking. And that is a Patreon exclusive. So if you want to see that where we get a little bit tipsy and we speak about things that aren't all just a fun related. A bit of life, bit of funnier, some old stories.

You want to get to know the three of us more. You're welcome to always suggest stuff and ask stuff. That is being created this week and we'll be out next week for Patreon subscribers. Hall of Fame tier only for the lovely top bunch that spend the hard-earned dollar. Exactly. Exactly. And then you can also join the middle tier. That's a neat joke that we can't go into.

So I'm just going to giggle past it. And then if you join the middle, it feels so naughty. If you join the middle tier, you get two extra shows a month. And now, like, free. This is no good. Join the discards. I think that was if you're on the, if you're on the middle, if you're on the middle tier of Patreon,

you get two exclusive episodes every month. The first of April's already up, but we do have another one coming this month too. Oh, join the Discord. There's lots of those people there. And then follow us on social media, please. I think that's everything. In the meantime, I think Samuel Sage.

I've been Ben Harking. And I've been Harry Krakoff. And remember, keep breaking a late. Exactly. Podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.