The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Does Lance Stroll receive unfair criticism? | Episode 98

Episode Date: January 13, 2021

In this week's episode the boys discuss whether Lance Stroll receives unfair criticism because of his dad, talk through the calendar changes for 2021, and ask whether Red Bull have the ultimate driver line-up for this season...Make sure to SUBSCRIBE! 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 look out for new episodes every Thursday and Grand Prix Sundays. Hello and a very well welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast. The winter without F1 continues, but we are all in this together. We've got this. As it happens, the world of F1 isn't really slowing down much. We still got a lot to talk through.

I'm Ben Hocking. Thank you so much for joining us. Alongside me, it's Harry Ead and Sam Sage. I would ask whether the lack of F1 is turning you mad, guys, but I feel like that happened quite a long time ago. I am the most saying individual on this podcast. I have no idea what you're wrong about. Also, do you wonder sometimes if two one-kilogram bags of peas

have got exactly the same amount of peas in them? No. Harry, you can think about it. What? I tipped one bag into a bowl. and the other bag into a bowl, and it found out that one bag has six peas more than the other. Are you telling me, you counted out how many peas were in that bag? Yeah.

Sam, you've got, we need to do more podcasting because you've got too much time. More pea casting. Right, well, we'll move on from Sam counting peas. I can't, actually know I can believe it, but still. Coming up today, other than P chat, we've got F1 calendar changes. So Melbourne has been postponed until November. Imola is rejoining the circuit, the calendar again this year. So our reaction to those updates.

Do Red Bull now have the best lineup going after the acquisition of Sergio Perez? Our thoughts coming up on that one. And we'll also be playing F1, Who Am I? But first of all, Lawrence Stroll, in an exclusive interview with race fans, he's declared that no one would have questioned Lance's place in F1 if he wasn't his son. So Sam, do you think he has a point here? No, I don't think he has a point there at all. I think Lank Stroll is good enough to being Formula One.

Do I think that Lank Stroll would have had the immediate opportunities, the moving success to a much better team, and how early he joined the sport without going through all the junior formulas as he didn't do? No, I don't. I think he was definitely helped by who his dad was and the financial backing that he had, especially for a team like Williams. At the time when he joined, we're in an absolute, they're in the mud, They're in the absolute muck that team.

They needed the cash and Lance providing it. It just so happens that also he then joined the team that was also having financial troubles, as had a bankrupt owner previously in the past, and they had to be picked up and scooped out of it again in Russia's Larkstrow. He gets another drive. He's also got the most secure drive in all of Formula One at the moment. For him, Max Verstaff and Lewis Hamilton are the three that can do whatever they want, and they'll still have a drive next season.

I think Larkstrow is good enough for Formula One. I think he would have eventually got to Formula One, but I don't think he could have done it as quick as he did. I do not think he have walked into the teams that he has, and I think that maybe he might have found himself only having one or two seasons than being jostled around a little bit, or maybe even got sailing at all. I really don't think he'll have had the career that he would have done

had his dad not being Lawrence Strull. I mean, you've made the point there that Lewis Hamilton can get any contract that he wants, but we do have to remind people that he isn't racing for Mercedes in 2021. the contract's not signed and he is going to DTM, believe it. Down to Maracas. Harry, what are your views on this? Do you think that his place in F1 would be questioned less if he wasn't the son of an owner? I think it would be questioned less.

I mean, I agree with what Sam's saying there. You know, he's been fortunate because of who his dad is. and, you know, Williams needed money. They needed Stroll's money. Same for, you know, racing point, Aston Martin, Force India, etc. But I think, you know, Strohl absolutely dominated the F3 season he was in,

like, smashed it. He's a decent pen there. We've seen, we've definitely seen glimpses of it, especially last year, I think, you know, gave him a half decent car, and he did some great performances in it. He's not got as a consistency to be a, great driver.

But he is a solid peddler. And sometimes I think the criticism is unwarranted because, you know, take out the fact, how we got to F1 and just place him in F1 without his dad anywhere to be seen. And, you know, I don't think people would have questioned him, would be questioning him now because I think he's proven he deserves a seat. I think obviously Vettel being, Vettel replacing Perez at Racing Point or at Aston Martin this year has not helped that

because you know, you'd argue that the superior line up would have potentially been Vettel and Perez and I pretty agree with that and that definitely has to do with the fact that Lance's dad owns as a team but yeah, I think it's fair to say that there would be less criticism thrown out of him. I think that's just a fact. Not saying he would not have any criticism, I just think that is perhaps sometimes unfairly put

onto the onto Lantz. Yeah, I think actually some parallels can be drawn here with his old teammate from last season, Sergio Perez. And, you know, Perez received a lot of criticism in his first few years as a quote unquote pay driver. Now, of course, as we know, Sergio Perez is very talented and he was able to show what he can do. And, you know, over time those pay driver skeptics became less and less and they became quieter and quieter. Now, I don't think Lance Stroll has the same ability or the same potential as Sergio Perez, but I still think there is a bit of a similar trend there. Having said that, I think Lawrence Stroll is wrong in what he's saying here.

I think the criticism for Lans Stroll would be less if he wasn't the son of Lawrence. However, I don't think it would go away completely. Let's have a look at last season. He lost heavily to Sergio Perez in 2020, and he lost to Sergio Perez in 2019 as well. Yet Lance Stroll is the one that is kept, and Sergio Perez, yes, he's ended up in a red bull, but he lost his seat at Racing Point slash Aston Martin.

Does Lawrence Stroll seriously think that that doesn't get questioned if he's not his son? we'd still be looking at that and saying, well, Sergio Peres has scored more points over the last two years. He's got X amount of podiums. Lance is fine, but why has he got this seat? Everyone would still question it, just because whether he's his son or not, I don't think that comes into play at all. And some people can attach to family connection,

and it can be an explanation for people as to why he's got this seat. But I don't think the scrutiny goes away if that family connection goes, not by a long shot. Stroll is a solid driver. I've always said that's the case, but Formula One is about the elite and the great. And I don't think Lance Stroll is amongst those. So anyone who isn't in that great category, I think rightfully gets questioned about their worth in F1. And I think Stroll is good enough for F1, but I think it's only barely. I don't think it's massively in his favour. Bear in mind, he doesn't stack up well against Ocon because they've got common teammates in Sergio Perez. Sergio Perez was with O'Conn for two years, and he was with Stroll for two years. O'Con got very close to beating Perez on both occasions, and O'Conn out-qualified Perez across the two years as well, whereas Land-Strault got nowhere near on both fronts.

Lance Stroll's overall qualifying record is pretty abysmal. I wouldn't say he's had incredible teammates. He had a year against Sorokkin, he had a year against depleting, Lepe Massa, and his overall record is 21 wins to 57 losses. It doesn't make for good reading. Again, does that not get questioned if he's not the son of Laurence Stroll? I think it still gets questioned. It's still a very dubious record. And yes, you rightfully bring up that his F3 record shows that he is a good driver. At the same time, there is a, what have you done for me recently thing with Lance Strull in that junior

performances should get you to the dance, but you've then got to prove it when you're there. And I think at times he just doesn't have the consistency that he needs to almost be an automatic in F1 and have no one question his place there. I think overall he is good enough to be there, but I don't think it's unreasonable to question it from now and then because his record's not great.

Sam, I mean, we've touched on the sort of criticism that he gets. Do you think at least the criticism would be less if he was at another team or if he didn't have that connection to Lawrence? Do you think that it's just less at all? I feel like he wouldn't have the seat to be criticised for. I feel like he, as I've already said, he deserves to get into Formula One. He deserves that chance. He's hanging a couple of years now. And you've said the record isn't great.

He's had some stellar performances. Don't get me wrong. know, Turkey, the qualifying was amazing, the race not so great, cut the podiums that he's had, you know, that first one in Williams around Baku was incredible, don't get me wrong, he's had some good moments. But I don't think he's shown enough that with the level of talent coming through the younger fields these days, that he would have been able to stick around. I don't think he would have held off a lot of the prime time talent that are coming through

the junior ranks. And so that means I don't think that he would really have had a seat to debate about. I think maybe if Lawrence Stroudding own the team, as you said, Perez and Vetter will have been kept. And then I don't think Lance gets a driving or else because he won't have that theoretical financial backing to be a pay driver somewhere. It's not because he's bad. He's not a bad driver at all. He's just not good enough, I think, to be a strong contender in a very talented F1 field that we have at the moment. If he was in the field 10 years ago, Charles Zerre would be all right.

I think he'd have a seat. but with the field that we have now, it's so, so strong. I think without his dad there keeping him that seat, it looks a little more challenging for him. With Landstrol, Harry, do you think that it is a question of consistency about whether he can have long-term success in Formula One? Because we've seen Baku, he got the podium, he got the pole position, as you've just referenced there at Turkey, Sam,

and he had two podiums last season, had a great qualifying at Monza a few years ago. he's clearly got a lot of highlights in his relatively short career, but do you think it is that week-to-week consistency that somewhat lets him down? Yeah, I mean, absolutely. I think that is the main, you know, the main drinking his armour is the consistency. He, like you say, he has these stellar weekends,

and I think he had, you know, arguably his best year in 2020, but there were still, there were still bad days. I mean, you know, even look at, I know they put it down to damage, but even look at Turkey, where, you know, he absolutely flew in Kuali. I know there was just something about the track cart combination, but he still beat his teammates a pole.

And, you know, he didn't put off the win when, you know, perhaps arguably he could. I know Hamilton was on an absolute stormer that day, but, you know, I think Strull could have won that race. So, yeah, he just needs to, you know, keep stringing these results together. I think 2020 was... an encouraging year, encouraging year for him. And, you know, perhaps weren't some way to fight off some of the critics.

But, yeah, I think if he wants to get rid of all of them, then he needs to build up that consistency. Because I think he has shown now that he is, you know, potentially quick enough to be an F1. He's just got to do it more often. Well, do you reckon, Sam, are the areas in which Stroll needs to improve to have long-term success? because even if he has a seat for a number of years because of his position, he's still going to want success whilst he's there. So what are the areas you think he needs to improve on most? Well, the one area he doesn't need to improve on the most is he is the Lap One King.

That man is able to maneuver through a field like a hot knife through gentle warm butter. You know, that man really does glide. But he only does it most of the time because he starts so far back. And his qualifying has not been the peak of his career. I mean, he's like a couple of great performances. But then again, most drivers have. You know, when you have a hundred cracks at something, the chances are two or three times out of that 100. You can do pretty well.

You hope so anyway. And he has done, as you've referenced already, Monsa, Turkey as well. Like, there are a few where he's really exceeded. But a lot of the time, he qualifies behind his team and has to make up for it in the early stages of the race. Usually around teams that have a slower card than him. Another thing he can really work on, I believe, is his kind of wheeled wheel racing, getting moves done and sorted cleanly and moving through a field as quick as possible.

There have been times where he's been really caught up behind traffic, cars that are maybe not as good as the car he's in. And I feel like he misses out on a lot of obvious and key points across a championship, which across the whole championship add up to quite a few, but could stand him in great stead if he was able just to navigate the mistakes earlier on. It's not one glaring issue, but he has gone a lot of areas where he could just pick it up a bit, and then I feel like he'd be a strong member of the grid currently.

Yeah, I think there were a lot of highlights for him in 2020. We've spoken about Turkey already, but some of the other races as well. I think he had a cracking race at Magello until he had that unfortunate puncture that saw him retire. I think he was well on course for, I think, for fourth place in that Grand Prix. So there's 12 points gone. And he really impressed me that weekend. But another one as well, Hungary, he did a really good job there as well. So he has had his good performances, not only in 2020, but across his career.

It is for me that consistency. He does need to get better at qualifying. I think you could argue that 2020 was his best year, which kind of tells you that there's a problem because he was still comfortably outperformed by Perez on Saturdays, but I think he was outperformed less than what he has been in other years. So it's definitely a position in which he needs to improve on. I think it's tire where overall could do with a sloth. improvement as well. I think he's getting better at it, but still not perfect.

So, yeah, it'd be interesting to see. I mean, 2021 with Vettel, it's going to be fascinating to see if he can stack up against him. Because if he can beat Vettel, that is a massive statement. And that will be with him for the rest of his career. It would be a massive plus point for him. But yeah, we'll have to see how he gets on. He is the established face at that team. Let's move on to lineups for 2021. So, I mean, at the time of recording, we don't have a full grid because Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, that saga continues on. Is he going to go to DTM?

Is he not going to go to DTM? We still don't know the answer to these important questions. But for now, let's assume that Hamilton is going to be at Mercedes for 2021. Harry, do you think that Red Bull with Vastapn and Perez now have the best lineup in F1? No, sorry, sorry, Red Bull. It is a bloody solid lineup. I don't think it's the best. I'd argue Lecler Signs is probably one of the best.

It's a tricky one. You know, if Red Bull ended up winning the championship of this year, then I can't I? And we'll say, well, it was the best lineup this year because they won. Yeah, we don't know how Paris is going to go. We know he's such a solid driver, and he deserves this opportunity to be in a top team. But we've seen before he's been in the top team,

and it's not gone well. And it's a new environment that he hasn't got the time, he doesn't have time to build up the relationships he had at racing point. So, yeah, so who knows how he's going to go? I think he will go well. But, yeah, it's a really trick-on to predict. I don't think it is the strongest lineup. I personally think that the Claire signs one is.

That's where the money is. I don't think the car's going to be there, but I think the line-ups the best for me. But, yeah, anyway, they'll probably win the championship now because I'm wrong about everything. Yeah, I mean, they're going to be delighted back in Milton Keynes that you've made this prediction. They're guaranteed to win the championship now.

Sam, do you think that Perez and Vastappen formed the best lineup on the grid now? You know what? this is a mega line-up. This is one of those lineups that when you're playing your F-1 2020 career mode and you're starting a new seizing and it's like, breaking news, Sir Hugh Perez goes to Red Bull to join Max for staffing, you think

well, isn't that spicy? Because it is damn hot. Got rid of the sound effect. God damn it. Hot and Spaces Perez at Red Bull. Honestly, it's a remarkable line-up. It is fantastic. Do I think it's the best on the grid? Well, I don't know. I don't know.

No, we've got some really, really great pairings coming through this year. And I think if you are going to tell me previous results gauge the best partnership, then yeah, I guess so. The Staffing and Perez as a team have had some stellar results across their careers. That makes sense. But Daniel Ricardo goes to McLaren, and we know that Daniel Ricardo is an absolute boost. I mean, that man was on par with Max and Staffen while they're at Red Bull. I think you're all silly if you didn't see it, because the man is a lot.

and he's now pairing up with Landon Norris. Now, Landon Norris is not the season one rookie that he was. Landon Norris has developed. He's grown. He's improved as a driver. He's pretty grown physically as well. He was only 12 when he started racing. And the guy is really matured to become a very, very strong Formula One driver.

I think we'll carry on getting better this season. So I think that is a really, really big challenge for that Red Bull lineup. And the other, the third and final line up, I think is absolutely spectacular, whether they get the car wrong or is a different story, is Charlotte Claire and Carlos Sikes. Charlotte Clare has been phenomenal for the last three years. Absolutely brilliant behind that steering wheel. I backed him from Day One and that Ferrari.

He's proven me right. The guy he's going together. Carlos Sikes, since he left Rengo, it's like we've got a whole new driver. The guy is just getting better and better and better. Even when he's drowning in his helmet going around Melbourne because his water bottle brakes, the guy is still pulling out phenomenal performances.

He does so well against like that. Landon Norris, who is so highly rated to be like a future world champion. Science is no slouch. He's going to bring it to LeClaire this coming season. I don't know if the Staffing and Perez are the best partnership on the grid this year. Because we've got an abundance of awesome partnerships going forward. So I generally can't answer that question. But yeah, they're up there.

They're definitely up there. They can definitely take the fight to Mercedes. Gun to your head, Sam. Best line up. Ferrari. I changed my mind. I think the best line up will be Mercedes. when Paul de Rester replaces Lewis Hamilton

when he's gone to DTM. That's a fair point, actually. That is a fair point. Can't wait for that to happen. Hamilton. Hamilton versus Albin in DTM. Albin's going to win a race, and then he's going to get taken out of Hamilton.

Because Hamilton is so down to Maraccan. Anyway, this is very typical of late breaking because I completely agree that Red Bull do not have the best lineup. I completely disagree with who beats them. I think that Mercedes lineup is the best line up. on the grid still. Hold rest of them.

Yeah, I, yeah, I think for me, Ferrari are not in the discussion of having the best line up on the grid. For me, it's either Mercedes or Red Bull. I think Ferrari might well come in third in that. They're more McLaren probably for me. But I just don't think that Carlos Sines is proven to me yet that he's worthy of that elite status. And as much as I love God, Leclair, I don't think he's quite on the, you know,

the level of Vastappan and Hamilton yet. So for me, it comes down to those two. It comes down to Mercedes and Red Bull, and I'm going to give the advantage to Mercedes. I look at Lewis Hamilton and Max Vastappen as the leaders of their respective teams, and I would still marginally give the advantage to Lewis Hamilton, albeit only marginal. And then when comparing the other two, so sort of the Division 2 of those two teams,

you've got Perez and Bottas, and I would say they are pretty much bang on the same. I don't think there's anything in it. Now, I would say that Sergio Perez, in his entire career, had his best season in 2020. Valfrey Bottas, for me, in his four years at Mercedes, had his worst year in 2020. So they are coming off the opposite ends of the scale. Perez coming off his best year, Bottas coming off his worst year. And as a result of that, I think the consensus is that Perez is significantly better than Bottas. I really don't think there's anything in it.

I think they are as good as each other. and the only thing is, Bottas has that consistency. Bottas has that year-on-year relationship, that partnership with Lewis Hamilton. He's been in the Mercedes for a while now. Sergio Perez, as much as I really rate him and I think he's going to do, you know, I think he's going to do a good job. But that is still an assumption. It is still an assumption based off nothing that we've seen yet from Perez in a good car.

He's never been in a car as good as the one he's going to walk into. And we have to remember as well that Lewis Hamilton, and does make Valdri Bottas look significantly worse than what he is. So for me, they've elevated themselves to the second best lineup on the grid, but I'm still just about going to put them behind the Mercedes. Ooh, that was a spicy tape. Let us know on Twitter or on YouTube he fancied just randomly commenting on a video. Who's got the best lineup?

Just drop it randomly. Don't give any context. Yeah, please. Just go back to like a really random 2019, 2018 video that we did. actually don't because the quality is even worse back then. It's hard to believe, but we've actually improved somewhat. It is hard to believe, isn't it? Actually, yeah, it's far too hard to believe.

It's not true. Should we move on to our next topic, which is moving on to the news regarding the calendar? So F1 went into this season with a fairly ambitious 23 races on the calendar. Already there are some issues. So the Australian Grand Prix, a staple is starting the season. season. That has been moved to November. The Chinese Grand Prix has also been postponed, although no date has been agreed as to when that will be rescheduled to. And Imola, after making a surprise return in 2020, is also going to be on the calendar in 2021. That comes in as round two

to fill that void. We've also got the TBC that is still TBC. Sam, what are your thoughts on those changes? Firstly, let's talk about Australia, is that is the usual staple of the start of the season. I am gutted that they put it after Brazil. Brazil is now the fourth last race of the season. And that to me is the biggest crime that Formula One I've ever committed. How dare you relegate that brilliant Grand Prix that far back? It's still the season finale to me. We still have too many Grand Prix. 23 races in one season is it's a little bit silly. It is a little bit silly. And the worst part is they've not even grouped them properly. They've not even put them in a specific order that means that the teams can easily go from one to another. We still go,

I think, from Spain to Canada to Baku. It doesn't make sense. I don't get it. So if they're going to start jigging Grand Prix around, I'll at least make them fit geographically to, you know, meet this carbon neutral objective that we're trying to extort. To try and be a little bit better on the environment, we're already getting a lot of criticism as a sport because we're not doing what we can. And that's proving it again. Imola coming back on the other hand is the best news about a calendar all bloody year. I am so pumped to get back to Imola. It was fantastic last time. Now, it was such great close racing, proof that Ben's theory of you don't need a single overtaking a race to have an exciting race was proven. There was something overtaking. But the point

stands that, you know, more isn't always more. Less can be more. And less was exciting. It was a great race. I'm hoping we see the same kind of thing again, this time around, really pumped. If China goes off the calendar, I'll be, due to COVID, of course, not just because it's not going on the calendar. I'll be gutted. China is very regularly a great Grand Prix, apart from if it's the 1,000th Grand Prix, and then it's the worst Grand Prix we've seen for

some time. But China is regularly, absolutely brilliant, so I hope they find a spot for it, and maybe get rid of something else. I was going to say Spain, but they've just signed a new deal, so I'm really, actually Spain without the S. And that's what I've got to say on that. Well, thank you so much for sharing your views, Harry, what are your views on what the calendar looks like now?

It still is pretty good to me, if we're being honest. I mean, yeah, Spain without the airs for Spain. But I think that was kind of, I didn't really get that news. I knew why they announced it, but I thought we were going to Spain anyway. But yeah, whatever. I think there's going to be further changes to this calendar anyway. But at the moment, it's still that's pretty good. you know, I'm happy for

relatively happy for Eamela to be back. You know, I'm potentially may have preferred if they put the NERBOR ring back in there. And then, because obviously I think Portemarle is going to be the TBC event. Yeah, Brazil being further away from the end of the season, if you're

going to move it, move it to the start like it used to be, not just in this like no man zone in the middle. And also, if we're going to have Australia at the end of the year, let's, you know, let's go the whole way and let's take it back to Adelaide because it's 1995 and we're in a happier time and it's not 2021. Sam was just born. He was a wee lad and we're going to Adelaide.

So, yeah, if we get as many races as on the current calendar, you know, going by the current circumstances and I will not complain one bit, you know, F-1 proved it's doable. They got 17 races in last year. this year, you know, theoretically they can get the 23 that they're planning to. So, yeah, we'll have to see what happens. I definitely think we should go back to 95 and go to Adelaide. And just to see Little Sam, I mean, that's what we all want to see. I mean, Eddie Irvine and David Coulter got to see Little Sam.

It almost sounds rough. I was setting myself up for an Eddie Irvine joke as well. Folks, I've been around Formula One since a lot of you weren't even here. You know, I was always in the paddock, me. I've got Schumacher's old hat over here. Harry's very jealous. Oh, quality. Absolutely quality.

Right. Getting serious now because... No, no, don't do that. No, no. This is a serious point. This is going to be a 30-second run here. Oh, my God. There are so many brilliant circuits around the world.

You know, the Nureberg ring. Hockenheim, brilliant. Silverstone, love it. Red Bullring, Watkins Glen, brilliant circuits, Laguna Seika, Canada, Mexico is a quality one. Interlagos, love that, Spa, Monza, Bahrain, Suzuki, Porta Mao, as we saw last year, Istanbul. They are all quality circuits. And the best you can come up with F1 for the last three races of a season is Melbourne, Saudi Arabia and Yasmarina. Get out of here. Come on, man. Sorry, Hegfang users. There are.

I mean, I probably only listed about half of the brilliant circuits we have around the globe. There are so many to choose from. And yet F1 have managed to put together those three as the last races now. Have a day off. Oh, how has it come to this? I mean, at least you're set on the fence, Ben. I mean, is it an inspiring? three races?

No. Please correct me if I'm wrong. It can only be, and I don't want to give them my ideas here, but it can only be worse if they plunk Russia in there as well. Oh, come on. You know that's going to happen now. Sorry, yeah, I've jinx that. Maybe we'll just turn off after Brazil and

just boycott the rest of the season. Whoever wings Brazil is the winger of the championship. They've done it. I like that. The LB Championship. But in terms of Imola, I'm okay with Imola being back on the calendar. I think I said at the time, I would like for them to have waited until the new regulations came in for a slightly better race at Imola.

But at the same time, I still think it can be entertaining. There's nothing wrong with last year's race at all. The TBC, I'm holding out for that one, either being the Nureberg Ring or Porta Mao. Rumors suggest Porta Mall is more likely at this stage. They should get back to Kuala Lumpur at some point, please. So if you can make that happen F1, please do. That geographically makes sense. Oh yeah. Imola to Japan. No, but they shouldn't have Imala as the second race.

That doesn't make sense. Put it in the Europe bit. Yeah, but that is, basically, it is the Europe bit, isn't it? Yeah, but it should be. It should have been, Australia, China, then Kuala Lumpur, and then you fly to Bahrain. And you go to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, right? And then Baku, and then you go to Europe. You do all of Europe.

Brilliant, nice one. and then you fly to Canada, you do Canada, you do America, you do Mexico, and then you finish off in Brazil. Sam, do you not remember that Baku is in Europe? Oh, of course it is. It's the European TEP. Sorry, that's where my whole plan. Just like the Nuremberg ring is in Luxembourg.

Oh, yeah. The late 90s taught us. Yeah, I'm excited to see what the TBC is an exciting one. I really hope it is either Portemau or the Nuremberg. ring but maybe they should just do what formulae did you know when they went to berlin and did 27 races there maybe we should just go around abidabi 40 times and call that a season well tbc does actually stand for 2b catalonia so there you go that's what it will be oh double header does not stand for terribly terribly bad circuit oh well done harry that was a funny all

thank you okay Let's move on. Let's move on. That's enough calendar chat for one week. We'll move on to... Come back next week for more calendar chat. I'm sure everyone's delighted. It's going to be a regular staple from here on out.

Let's move on to F1. Who am I? F1! It's not one of the better intro. That is undoubtedly one of the weakest theme tunes I think we have on this podcast. Maybe we need to revisit that at some point. Anyway, F1, Who Am I? It is Harry versus Sam.

Got six drivers, three clues as to who they are. All you have to do is tell me which, who are they? Which driver am I talking about? You said that really well. I know. That was brilliantly perfect. F1, who am I? I say things.

You say who they are. I say things. You say who they are. Things. Who they are? Things. Who they are? And that's the segment.

Thank you very much for listening. Oh. So that's basically what's going on. And we encourage you to play along at home as well. Can you get more than these two can get combined? Yes. Probably. Sam, you're going to go first on this one.

Rock on. I've said so. Pick a number between 1 and 6. I'll have 5, please. Oh, number 5. Okay, there we go. I won GP2 in 2009 by 25 points. And that's in the old scoring as well.

so that's more impressive than a now 25 points. My first points in F1 came at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix and I have scored points on 95 occasions in Formula 1. So 1 GP2 in 2009 that means that they obviously came up to F1 in 2010. He was around that time.

F1! F1! Oh! Nika Holkenberg. Nika Holkenberg is the correct answer. Yes. 95 point scoring races, none of which a podium. Less.

Cry every time. But Sam's not crying. He's got it right. Woohoo. Pick a number, Harry. That isn't five and it's between one and six. Four. All right, number four.

I won my first of five Grand Prix in 1976. I won both. Between 1978 and 1983, I was the best placed Brit in the championship standings. And I raced for Brabham and McLaren amongst a few other teams. Is it John Watson? It is John Watson. What he? So well done.

That's one all after one round. You each get three. So Sam, one, two, three or six. go for three. All right, three. My one and only season in F1 was in 2013. I test drove for Salba in 2014, and I was born in the Netherlands. Oh, that last one really gives it away. What's the first one? What was the first thing, Ben? My one and only season in F1 was in 2013. Geo Van, the Govander. It is Bantagard himself. I love that.

Do you remember when he was going to, he turned up to the 24, was it 2014, was it 2014, 2015? Yeah, yeah. Claiming that he had a drive. Yeah, that was very confusing. That was messy. All right, so that's two out of two for you. Then Harry, one, two or six, which one would you like?

I'll go for six, please. All right. I achieved two career podiums. in F1, although they were both in my first year. My last points finish came at the 2001 Austrian Grand Prix. And my last season was at Menardi in 2003 alongside Justin Wilson and Nicholas Kesa.

Oh, um, is it Yoss? Yoss for Stappen? It is the boss himself. Yoss the boss. Yeah. He's on fire that guy. He's not much for boss. is he? Why did he get that nickname?

Two podiums. Yeah. So you're both perfect through two rounds each. You did very well. Perfect. Thanks for that. Deciding questions. Sam, do you want number one or number two? I'll have number one. All right. I won a race by two laps in 1995. I debuted at the 1992 Spanish Grand Prix, and my last points in F1 were at the 1999 Belgian Grand Prix.

Last points for at the 1999 Belgian Grand Prix. Correct. Damon Hill. Damon Hill is correct. Come on. It's the deal, isn't it? Deal or no deal? I will.

would watch that show. Just comes out of the box as David McGill. Funny we were talking about the 1995 Australian Grand Prix because that's the one he won by two clear laps. And yeah, made his day... Two clear laps. That is crazy. Yeah, it's funny. It's only been

done twice in F1 history that time. Jackie Stewart did it once as well. I hope that wasn't the number two question. It isn't, unfortunately. All right, Harry, can you make it six out of six between the two of you? Probably not. You'll obviously get number two. So I am the only driver from my country in F1, not just.

I've always got on. I was disqualified for my first ever race in 2006, and I secured a podium in just my third race. What? his first race was in 2006. Yeah, so he was disqualified from his first race in 2006. He secured a podium in his third race, and he's the only representative from that country in F1 history.

When you know, when it clicks, it's quite obvious. Oh, God. Who was on the podium in, what would that have been? Australia, 06. Oh, my Lord. and they debuted in those six as well I think the first clue is the big giveaway as well I don't remember anyone getting disqualified from the 2006

no they're the only driver from their country oh that to me was the big giveaway I'm sorry just to clarify as well with the second one I was disqualified from my first race in 2006 like that's their first ever race that yeah what they got squalify from round one their rookie race. Yeah, they were disqualified from their first race,

which was in 2006. That doesn't mean it was the first round of the season. Not necessarily. But then, and he got a podium in his third race? Correct. What a G? Not quite Gio band-a-bottie. Bobby K.

Bobby K! Bobby K, that's the guy. Giga Kubitzer is correct. So... You two, brainy boys. Three out of three, you tie, obviously. So, well done. None wrong.

I'm quite impressed with you both. Thanks. Thank you. Those were a nice difficulty. You really didn't punish us there. Yeah, we'll have to do this again next week where I make them much tougher. No, I'm not going to. Have I entered my holiday form?

I'm not here next week. We don't do holidays at late breaking. They don't exist. Late breaking is your holiday. That's my life. Player's out, Harry. F1! F1! Every time they get more and more drawn out, they're brilliant.

Sorry, everyone. It really is an awful thing, but we're sticking with it. Anyway, that's going to do it for this week's podcast. We will, of course, be back next week with some more F1 chat. Sam, if you wouldn't mind getting us out of here. Folks, we're trying to have a good year. It's tough for everyone. help us support us, you know, drop a download on the on the podcast. Come and join us over on

YouTube, see some videos, subscribe, join with the conversations. Maybe have a chat that's over on Twitter at El Breaking. We always love a good debate over there. We've got questions to stuff going out. I've got some loads of great content coming your way for the year. We're really trying to dig it up and get bigger and better and go something a little crazy for you. So join us, please stick around. We really appreciate it. In the meantime, I've been sad to say. I've been Ben Hawking. And I've been Robert Kubitsa. And remember, keep breaking. Podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.