The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Hamilton vs. Leclerc - who wins? | 2025 Teammate Wars

Episode Date: February 23, 2025

It's time to decide which of the teammates will come out on top this season! The LB boys give their predictions on each of the intra-team battles for 2025, with a few disagreements along the way. They finish with a game of Back and Forth... FOLLOW us on socials! You can find us on YouTube, Instagram, X (Twitter) and TikTok SUPPORT our Patreon for bonus episodes JOIN our Discord community JOIN our F1 Fantasy League 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. Welcome to the Late Breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Ead, Sam Sage, and me, Ben Hocking. Surely one of the greatest episodes of the year. We're in person for teammate wars where we will decide which of the two drivers in each team will score the most points. Unbelievably, this is the ninth year

that we have done this now, and myself and Sam are locked at for all. I can't believe that you haven't won a single round of this. Break the deadlock this year. Is it your year? No. Even the journey I've had into there, we consider turning around at one point.

I don't even like this episode. No. Every year the same joke, thanks for turning up. I'm an hour late. I can't believe you've never won this, though. eight times and we're on four all. Yes, and you've won the last two, Sam. I have.

You are on a roll. I'm willing to take some risks now, though. I caught back up. I'm willing to take some risks this season. Very interesting indeed. We do have some thoughts from the Discord as well. So put a few polls out there yesterday and some interesting results. So we'll see if they match up with what we have.

We're going to go in reverse championship order, just like we did for Pimp My F1, which means we start today with Salber. Now, of course, this. one was won by Joe Guan Yu last year that none of us got right. We all thought Valtru Bottas was going to win it. And ultimately, one performance by Joe Guan Yu was enough to decide it. We thought Tiger King was going to win it. Oh yeah, sorry, I thought Joe Exhaalbius. Carol Baskin. Jesus. No, I can't say it. So this year, though, completely new lineup. We've got Niko Holcomburg who's joined from Hass and we've got Gabriel Botoletto who has joined from F2 to live his dream.

steak. It's living the dream. So the question is of those two, who's going to score the most points? And we're going to start with the defending champ, Sam. I'm going old school. I'm giving my faith to the vet that is Nico Holkenberg. I think Borsela's got a lot of raw talent. I think he will come into his own very quickly.

But I do think that stake, regardless of it, maybe being closer to the rest of the field, is going to be slim pickings for points. And I think Hulk has probably got the experience on his side to get the car in the right place at the right time. when those opportunities come his way. So, yeah, for me, Hulk takes this one. Harry, I think it's the law that you have to pick Nika Holgerhkelberg. Yeah, yeah.

Unless he's against Daniel Ricardo. Yeah, apart from then. And I was right, because he lost. But other times, he's won. Yeah, Nika Hulkenberg. It's a fairly easy one. There's probably a few on this early, on the early stages here, where it's maybe a bit easier in terms of there's a driver against a rookie,

experience of a rookie. But Holkenberg's my choice for this one. Assume for L.P. will have three options which she's from. Oh, we ain't doing that. We're not doing that. Sorry, Jack. Yeah, we've got Holkimerberg versus Bortoletto.

Both of you're going, Nika Holkenberg. Give me Bortoletto, folks. Oh, okay. Yeah. Good, that's a freebie that I could go wild and later on that. That's going to be wrong. I'm going Bortoletto. Are you well?

Bortelette, no. The last time you said that was when George Russell beat Lewis Hamilton, and I was right then. I've got a feeling about this one, Harry. Last time I said, are you well? That's right. About 10 minutes ago before the episode started. Drivers that win F3 and F2 back to back typically do very well in F1.

Ask Charles LeClaude, George Russell and Oscar Piastri. I think Bortoletto might be the real deal. And look, this could be, and again, I'm willing to be riskier with this one because of what you said about Stakes-Alba and they might not be very good, in which case there might be the opportunity to, I don't know, sneak a two-nil-in or something like that this year. Bortoletto impressed me a lot in F3. His consistency in F3 was very impressive.

F2 last year, his consistency across the board was what ultimately won him the championship. But when he needed to be spectacular, he was. There was the Italian feature race where he came all the way from the back to win that Grand Prix. Fernando Alonzo thinks he's pretty good.

And that's got nothing to do with him being part of his management. Like, he'd just genuinely think... Most unbiased man going. This is why I wouldn't pick him, because any time Bortelaiso Lerlonsa, he's just going to let him go through. That's going to cost me, yeah. I don't know.

If Holkenberg in a new environment as well, I imagine he'll adapt quite well, but equally, there were a few moments last year when Oliver Beerman went to Hass and challenged Holkenberg straight away that made me go, I wonder if a new challenge... It's like a squeaky door there. No, I genuinely did have the expression of a squeaky door. Thinking?

Were you a jar? I was a jaure indeed Oh very good Isaac Adjah Oh man That's some gentle comedy dude Very gentle comedy

We're going to ease you into the episode folks We know that this is one of the lineups And we're asking the question predominantly about this season of course But we know this is one of the lineups That will be going into next year Unless anything

Unpredicted happens If Bortoletto doesn't As expected win this What do you think he needs to do to give himself the best chance to go into 2026 with a better chance to beat Holkenberg? He just needs to absorb everything. It's a real opportunity to learn. He has the added benefit that he's almost in a no risk scenario for himself because he's in the team that is expected to come last in the championship. Most people are expecting stake to be in around 10th

placed in the championship this year. And that does mean that he can take risks. He can probably try different strategies. He can drive in different aspects. And probably the results won't really be too different from race to race. So I think as long as he is growing in terms of his ability and learning race to race, much like what Piastri did in that first season at McLaren where they weren't right at the front and he was able to kind of make some mistakes, have some off races. And we all kind of went, the talent's there. You can see the pace, the talent is there.

He could very much do the same. Holgerberg, I think will also be quite happy to mentor him a little bit. I do think Holgerberg is the kind of guy that will go, I don't mind if you want to learn something or you want to ask questions or you want to have a chik chat about it. I do think they can pre-create that relationship. So whilst I don't think that Bortoletta will beat Holgerberg this year, I think there's a very strong chance that going into the new year, when they're both in that new machinery entirely with the new regulations,

he could have a very strong chance at being the number one driver at that team. How do you see the relationship fairing? Is it going to be Holkenberg taking on that mental role and this being a team that works very well together, or will Hulkemberg feel threatened by Bortoletto and it could go sideways? How do you see it going? unless Bortoletto absolutely thrashes him I don't think they're going to just not get on

for Hulginberg this is a project isn't it in terms of the Audi Audi coming in next year and he wants this team to succeed and working with Bortoletto if they're going to keep him for 26 as well is a you know it's a sensible thing to do for

for him because what's the point and the progress will not be made if they're too busy having you know interteam fighting also over like 18th place. What's the place? Yeah. They're not Merk from 10 years ago.

No. There's no point finding. So I don't think it's a, I don't think Holcomburg is, he's a sensible chap, his old Nico. He's been around the block a few times. He knows how the game works. So I don't see him, I see him, yeah, play their mentor, you know, helping build the team because they need a lot of, in a lot of building.

The overwhelming majority of the Discord agree with you both unsurprisingly. So Nika Holkenberg, one hundred. 166 votes. Bortoletto, it's me and seven others. Oh, Lord. The crazy eight. The crazy eight. That's what they call us, probably. Williams are up next. One of the more intriguing teammate battles, I think, on the grid. Alex Albin, of course, still there from last season, but he is now joined by Carlos Sines. A point that we've made a few times on the podcast, this feels like Alex Albin's toughest test

by a long way since he was teammates with Verstappen at Red Bull. Signs, this will be a bit of a downgrade, you would think, in terms of the car he's got at his disposal. Harry, who have you got winning? I have Carlos Sines winning this one. And you're right, it was a tough choice. I think the beginning of the year you could see Albon had the upper hand, but you get to maybe the halfway mark,

and Carlos Sines fully gets ingrained in that team. and I think he'll start to edge back in front. So I think it'll be a close run thing, but I'm going for going for signs. Just given, I think given what we know about signs and where his form has been as of the past couple of years,

particularly last year, and the unknowns really around Albon's performance, because his teammates have been Latifie, sergeant, and then call up into who gave him a bit of headache. And sizes have been Norris and LaCloire. Like, slightly different levels of talent there. So yeah, I'm going for sides on this one,

but I do think it'll be close. Sam, I actually have got a more important question before we're asking you. What do we think of Carbono? I vomit a little bit into my mouth every time you say it. I think Harry loves it. Oh, you just took me on the words. I didn't think you were going to say out aloud.

Just trying to hold down the sick. Quite lucky that I haven't had a proper breakfast, actually. You know, because this microphone wouldn't... Why do we have to have names to drivers that are going together? Apollo or Bearcon? I'm going to kill myself. Yeah, honestly, I'm going to kill myself. Why are we shipping drivers like this?

No, no, no. Just call them their names. They are just two adult men. Just talk about them normally. Bearcon. Bearcon. Let me just tell them a bear con. I haven't made that up, by the way, Hass are actually using that.

Have you seen Ocon's a T-shirt that's Ocontour? You mean... My man. Star Estabano, Ockle. The teammate crusher. It's got on Torn out. More important matters. Signs or Alman?

Smooth operator. Going Alex Alman. Carlos Sikes has famously adapted really well every single time he has moved team. When he moved to Rango, he was immediately competitive. When he then moved to McLaurang, he was very quickly a team leader and settled very, very strongly. And then when he went to Ferrari, he was an immediate competition for LeCler, very, very close. And of course, beat him one year whilst at Ferrari. I do think that he will, again, adjust very quickly to Williams. I much think the same as Harry, the Albonne at the start, probably the first

three or four races, might have that initial slight upper hand. I don't think it'll be too massive. But over the course of the season, Carlos Sainz is fantastically consistent. He is never the outmost quickest driver on the grid. He never destroys people with outright pay. as we see from like a Lecler or of a Stappen or a Hamilton. But he just pulls results out consistently. And I do think that in a car like Williams where it's going to be very, very close and those opportunities might spring up, he will be the driver, I think, that can put out the points for Williams.

So yeah, Carlos Sanks. Close by the end of the year? I think in terms of the out of points that that team's going to score, yes, it will be close. But I think the science will be the consistent front runner for the team. So we're saying 24 races, how many times do you think Science beats Albin? I'm going to say 14, 15 times. Yeah.

I went against the grain on the first pick. I'm not doing it here. I'm going Carlos Sines. You are the grain. You are the grain. No, there's a reference there, but we're not going down that path. No, we're not going down that path at all. You're right.

Yeah, I'm going to go with Carlos Sines as well. As mentioned in the intro to this one, I am really intrigued as to how this one goes just based on the new teammate dynamics for Alex Albin. Also, when Carlos Seins was at Ferrari, him and Charlerclair had very different ideas of what they'd like from a race car. So, you know, Charleclair typically likes a very oversteery car. It's a pointy end. Yeah. Carlos Seines likes understeering.

Alex Albin has a very similar driving style to Charlotte Claire. So I wouldn't be surprised if we get something of a set-up war between them. I know it didn't really... New show there. Yeah. Set up wars. Set up wars. TM.

I just think, yeah, with 2026 being very important for the team, both of these drivers are going to want to establish themselves as the number one driver heading into that year. And if they've got different ideas of what they ideally want from the car, I'm not saying they won't get along, but it could just be a case of both of them want to make sure the development goes in their way rather than the other way. I think them living together is going to help anything?

Oh my God. I mean, they're basically siblings at this point. They're living together. They live together at the moment. That's fake. What, do they? Science spoke about this in an interview. No, they live in bunk beds.

Famously. I think Alba rang and claimed the top bunk. Wow. Maybe I should change but pick then. He's a top bunk guy. He is, yeah. Science is too smooth. I'm a top bunk guy.

I get excited. I think probably. Bottom bunk. You're such a bottom bunk. It's just easier, isn't it? I love going up. That is us to, two, two, a T. I get excited by there's being a ladder. You're like, can't be bothered.

I know we've been looking for places to stay, a place maybe in America. Maybe for something. There's a few with bum beds, we're in. We both stay up forever and ever, and I got mine climbing a ladder. To me, I've discarded any options with bunk beds,

but you're saying I shouldn't do that. Maybe we should start calling you Ben bunk bed. I'm the only one that's not been in this discussion. Good stuff. Yeah, so three out of three for Carlos Sines. I think it was a fairly overwhelming winner in the Discord as well. So, oh, that's helpful. Yeah, just go and scroll down.

Why have you written this down there? You're so organized. Well, I want to do it live. I want to make sure everyone's live and counted. But 157 to 18. In what way? Carlos Sines. Oh, yeah.

Racing Bulls. Yuki Sonoda. Is he going to destroy? in his words, another teammate. We've had Daniel Ricardo, we've had Nick DeVries. Now we've got Isaac Hadjar coming in from F2, the runner-up in F2 last year. Sam, who's winning?

I think Yuki's got this. I think that Yuki is going to be, I mean, he's already furious every day of his life. And I do think that Red Bull rejecting him for another year is going to just cause him to essentially turn up as a ball of fire driving that Formula 1 car. And I think it will motivate him. He essentially needs to look for an exit

from this Red Bull family, whether that be the Aston Martin family with Honda coming in or an option elsewhere maybe the likes of a Kagalak or something like that. He needs to get out of that family

because realistically he's not being promoted to Red Bull unless an absolute disaster happens and there's a mass exodus of drivers and it's basically him and him alone. Even then, I'm not sure he gets that seat. So I think that Yuki will be out to impress. Hopefully he can do the middle part of the season well because he regularly gets the start

and he regularly gives the end brilliantly. The middle part he tends to kind of flip-flop about. But I do think that Hajar will be good competition, but I think it's going to take some time to he's in. I think he's going to have to adjust to the dynamics of the team. I also think again, because of where that racing

balls team is expected to be in the championship, I just think Yuki's got the ability to qualify that little bit higher and put himself in a point score in position regularly, whereas I think Hajar will take some adjustment. Every year I go against Yuki Sanoda and every year he laughs at me at the end of the year.

He calls me every year. Yeah, fake finds. Yeah, and he's like, you should have picked me at the beginning of the year, Ben. I'm a big fan of the show. I'm a hall of fame. He sounds just like that. He does, actually. Mm-hmm. So I have learned a lesson and I'm going to pick Yuki Sonoda this year. So if you let me down now, Yuki, I swear to God, I'm never going to pick you ever again. Hadjar reminds me Yuki Sonoda. Yeah, I get that. But like, year one Yuki Sonoda, and I'm going to back year five, year four or five Yuki Sunoda. And I'm going to back year five, year four or five Yuki Sonoda. Sonoda over year one, Yuki Sanoda. Yeah, yeah. I think Hadjar's pretty quick. He was, whereas Bautiletto, I think, was the more consistent of the two drivers in F2. Isaac Hadjar might have been outright, but faster, potentially. But Yuki Sanoda's got really good pace as well. What Hadjar was able to do runner-up in F2 after two...

Came right down to the wire as well, right? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And it got quite unlucky in Abadi, but in two seasons in Formula 2, Hadjar, his best... was runner up in that second year. Sunoda was third after one year in F2. So just what we've got to compare between them to this point, that puts Sonoda on top. He's got the experience factor. So yeah, I'm going to go Yuki Sonoda.

I'm going to add a bonus bold prediction in here as well. Oh, good Lord. A BBP. A BBP. Ben, bang, bang, bug, bug, bug, bang, bang, bag, bug, bang, bag, bag, bag. I can't say it. Ben, bone beds. Ben, bug, beg, bold prediction.

All right. BVP is that this won't be the teammate battle at the end of the year. Oh. This isn't the teammate battle you're looking for. That's exactly what will happen as well. Okay. No reliance on the prediction. What do you think's happening?

I think Sonoda, when he is beating Isaac Adja, will be replaced in the summer break. By? By. By Arvid Limbluda. Oh, you bloody love Arvid Limbludad. Why you marry him? That'd be a bit weird.

I don't know. know him. Anyway. Yeah. He's got the super licence points now after he won Formula Regional, Oceania, last month, and he turns 18 a couple of days into the summer break. I think they... That's horrific.

When do people stop turning 18? Because surely there's got to be a cutter from the population at this point. I don't know how age works. We can nearly have old people. Yeah, well, I need to be young forever. So that needs to stop. I'm 30 in a month. If that...

you can't cull 17-year-olds. Damn. What's the point in this new government? I checked as well. Because I had the same idea. What's the point of this new government? Sorry, they don't do anything for us. Right.

Kirstama. You can serve a kit. That's two very roundabout ways to get to Yuki Sonoda as a vote. Harry. Yeah, I'm going Yuki poos. Sorry. I almost didn't. This is almost my wildcard one,

but I, because part of me thinks maybe he'll, he'll either be angry Yuki and will just, you know, breathe fire for the entire year, or his head's going to drop and he just, yeah,

Hajal will get a couple of good races under his belt and beat Yuki and then I just think his head all dropped. But like you said, I'm probably going off the basis of the year you had last year. So, um, yeah, I'm going to go for Sonoda.

But I do think it will be quite a close thought one. But in the end, I think Sonoda will win out. Probably just because of the advantage you'll have at the start of the year versus the end. I think by the end, they could be very close if he's still there. Well, yeah, we'll see on that one. So three agreements from Sam and Harry to kick us off and just one difference in terms of Salba.

We're going to be back with the next set. We're going to kick off with Hass right after the break. What did the discourse say about this? I've got Discord here. Oh, 160 for Sonoda. 17 for Hatcher. Sorry, Hager. Close one.

By a whisker. Welcome back, everyone. Let's go to Hasse now. Ocon versus Berman. Again, much like Salber, this is two brand new drivers into the team. Of course, Bearman, his first full season in the sport, but did race a couple of times for Hasse and Ferrari last season. O'Con moving over from Alpine because, you know, he didn't deserve to stay there.

No, apparently not. Um, Harry, kick us off on this one. I've gone for Estabana Ocon. It worked well for us last year, didn't it? Yeah, nice. This one, I find tricky. I think Ockon will have a point to prove in 2025 with Hasse. He killed Bouserad Valpine inexplicably.

I mean, don't cry with your teammate at Monaco. No, I know, but it's not enough to be sacked. Yeah, Gazzley, stop running. But I think Berman's going to be good. I think there may be some, we'll get him to the discord in a minute, there may be some people that, and maybe you two think this, but think that he's going to be better than he is. I think he's going to be very good.

I just think based on what we've seen, obviously Saudi Arabia, very impressive, was impressive, but he was in a Ferrari, which was quite good. The other races he did last year were less. impressive. I mean, Brazil was hard because it was literally, you must drive and it's wet. But I just think he'll just have a few. And there's no criticism against him. I think you just have a few things to learn as all the rookies will this year. And I think that will just edge out for Ocom. But I do think it would be quite a close one. I'm interested to see this one.

The Discord do you think this one is very close with a slight majority going for Oliver Berman. But I think it might be the closest vote. In fact, the wall pulled over your eyes. absolutely war-palled over your eyes Ocon's got this it's in the bag I think Brazil gave it away when the tough gets going O'Con

is the man The going gets Ocon When the tough gets going Ocon Ocon tour Yeah I think realistically He's so consistent

He's been up against a lot of big teammates So I say a lot of big teammates I mean your likes of your Riccada You're a longsos. Even Gasly is now one of those guys who is so dependable up and down the F1 grid. That I think across a whole season in a team like Haas, which don't really know where they stand and they're trying new things, and the Ocon will come out on top here.

Bermann is a fantastic talent. He will grow into something spectacular. He will be a driver that's going to be around for a long, long time. I have no doubt about it. The only thing I wish Berman would change is his weird pseudo-Italian accent that he puts on sometimes while speaking, because he's the world's poshest man. and he's like,

Oh, I'm from Kingsling. And I don't really understand the personality. And because of that, I've chosen Okon. Right. Sound reasoning. It's us three against the Discord or Miss, because I've also gone for Esteban Okon. And for similar reasons of...

Italian accents. For similar reasons that you said before that, don't let 2024 fool you. Like, O'Con can still drive. And I still think Ghazley was the better of the two drivers at Alpine last year, but there was certainly an element of Ocon was better when the car was poo, and Gazzley was better when the car was actually all right.

Yeah, it was... Not some of smelly. Marginly less poo. But, yeah, Gassley, some of the performances he put in at the end of the season were brilliant, but of course by that point, Ocon, I think, was being deprioritized, and he was on his way out. I think Ockon bounces back. this is the guy that beat Fernando Alonzo a couple of years ago,

so I wouldn't underestimate him. Beerman's going to be an interesting one because his F2 season last year was pretty poor, but Pramer were pretty poor as well. Oh, shit. Oh, I'm not nervous, but I'll be shaky. But equally, he did very well on his junior career before that, so I don't know which way that's going to go.

I think this could be competitive. I've just about sided with Ocon though Let's move on to his X team Estabana O'Con's X team Alpine Should just wrap this one up? Yeah, it's gonna be real quick It's for Gassman

I'll grow up Ben If you'll put a colop into in there You can't have to leave the podcast Now we've got to council here I'm like good good What's the board they say There were only three people that said Doing well done to those three people

No I I lie four people and 173 for Gatsley Good, it's a very close fought battle Do you want to take on a Pinser? No. No. Yeah, I think,

Glasgow, Glasgow had a great year last year, as we've already mentioned, and even if doing it's better than what we think he is. Somehow we already, people think he's terrible.

But if he's better than expectations, even if he is, I still think Gassley meets him. So, apart from the Red Bull season, has Gassley had bad seasoning F1. Well,

just unfortunately, somewhat related to that, Pierre Gazley has a perfect teammate wars record against drivers not named Max for Stappen. And to be fair, if you remove Max Verstappen,

a god of Formula One driving from the equation, almost a bit unfair, it's pretty good, pretty darn good. Yeah, he's all right. Yeah, he's all right, in he. And it looks mean with that new haircut.

Gazel. Buzzcut Rose. Cup Rose. We should be the bus cut, Rose. Should we do it? Should we do it? No. Hey dog, bus cut?

She's shaking her head. I'm shocking that one. Two questions on this one, because obviously we are all going for Gasly and it doesn't sound like we had to think too hard about it. Question number one, is it one-sided? Question number two, is it this battle at the end of the year? Yes, it is this one-sided. I think Gasly is probably one of the most underrated drivers on the Formula One grid right now.

I think Doing as much as I respect his career and he's a very talented young man. I don't think he's of the quality of what is a stupendously high quality grid right now. We are seeing maybe a golden era of quality in terms of drivers up and down the grid. No pay drivers. Everyone is either a champion or basically a runger up. They all earn their place. And I do think that doing is lacking, that just cutting edge. No, I don't think this will be the battle at the end of the year.

What do you think on the second question? Do I think there'll be the battle at the end of the year? Yeah, no, probably not. What did Alpine just sign as a sponsor? What did this? Oh, E and I. South American Bank, wasn't it? Oh, that one.

Giant enormous South American Bank. Unrelated entirely. No one else cares at all, no links. I just, it's Alpine, isn't it? So probably they'll probably just be a bicycle coming the end of the year. Are we doing a Colopinto knowing Alpine? Yeah.

Gasly, go away. Yeah. Yeah, I think this will be one-sided as well. I'm very happy to be wrong, but I think it will be one-sided. Gassley has been phenomenal in the last couple of years. Like the way in which he beat the rookie Yuki Sonoda in 2021, what he's done against Esteban Ok on the last two years, both very impressive. In terms of doing like, his F2 results aren't bad.

Like, he got there. He got third after two and a half seasons in F2. but you always need to be just a little bit skeptical of good results after that amount of time in F2. We've had it before with Nicholas Latifi, you know, did a very good job like three years into his F2 career. And I'm not saying do and will be Nicholas Latifie, but there's a difference between a driver who can be top three in the championship year one and top three in the championship after having had experience in that series. So I do have a slight bias towards anyone who is in F2 for longer than two years. I do immediately start to go, have you either not come runner up or third? I don't know if this is it for you.

Yeah. Occasionally, you know, in a second year. You might get a late blooms, but like, I know what you mean. So I'm going with Gassley and as already mentioned, the Discord very much in favour of Pierre Ghazley here as well. We go into the top half of last year's championship, starting with Astor Martin. Should we save everyone else some time? Don't stroll around?

Yeah. Big lancy boy. Should we do it? Stroll? I'm going to go back on my joke there. I am going to just just side with Fernando Alonso's neck. Oh, there's reasoning behind that place. It's very thick.

I wish I had it. I reckon eight seas. And I'd like to hug it. You wouldn't be able to go out of right there. Exactly. Like a great oak in San Francisco. Fernando Alonzo, nickname the Great... Fernando Alonso.

Oh, right. Do you have any F1 reason? Not aside of the obvious. Tuto workshop, bloody brilliant, great guy. Absolutely love him. He's a great guy. There's someone who listens to us

that hates how much we praise him but he's bloody great. Larkstrol is miserable and doesn't want to be there. Is that enough? Sorry, I wasn't going to say this. I think it was autosport. They did a video at F-175

and they were asking everyone what their favourite livery is. And you get some really interesting answers. and Landstrol is the last person that they interview and his answer is just I think the Aston Green's pretty good Oh my God Hold on, what's that he's towing?

Oh, is it the family line? No, but it's just so dull. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, at least Fernando was like, when he's on stage, he's like, oh, you've all seen the best one now. That was a bit of personality, right? A bit of Vavavavavu.

You know what, he could do the new masquerabber. Vavapha, go, so on, so on. Now, Sierra is on his way out. Get Fandah in. Oh dear. Is it any closer than last year? No. Is it...

No. Is it... Does it go the other way? No. Yeah, I think he's going to get that floor white with him. I think Alonso is going to lock in. I was the only thing I was going to say is if the car isn't good, Fernando will lose interest this year.

And that could make it closer. Because then when Alonzo doesn't care, he just spins out for fun. I don't think... I don't think Nui is going to be completely... hands off for this year. No, no, no, I don't think. I think that's why it's not going to be a total dud car. I think it will be a better car.

I'm just, that, that's the only scenario where I see it being a closer battle between them, because even at the start of last year where, I mean, the car wasn't, still wasn't great. Alonzo was dragging it, but there's only so much Alonzo can drag a car before he gets bored, I think. Yeah. I think of it, if it's worse than that. Ty Stroh's car to Alonso's neck, and he will drag it around the track like a, like a tow car. I'm not sure about the engine regs.

I don't know if they allow for that. I think Alonso's neck is stronger. That's the problem. Yeah. A V10. It's got a V10 neck. I've got a 150 C.C over it. Our good friend Mike Crack,

obviously, ex-team principal, Aston Martin, always used to say that he couldn't see the difference between Alonzo and Landstrol. Oh, it's a good joke. Is he blind? So, 3610 to Alonzo in races. 38.

in qualifying and in points since they've been teammates, 276 to Alonzo, 98 to Strohl. It's worth a hundred points. Yeah, I don't think it's that similar. So I am going to unsurprisingly go for Fernando Alonzo here. As you say, Harry, the only chance Landstrol, I think, has to keep this close as if the Astor Martin is just not a good car this year. And Alonzo is looking forward to 2026.

But even then, Landstrol finished the year really poorly. He didn't start the year. either, but he scored points. Last time he scored points was hungry. I think you assume because Alonso might lose interest, he'll get worse with the car. But that that means that Lankstrel at some point still has to perform well. So, yeah, it's basing it on the fact that... You know what I mean? Larncdraud doesn't stay as an equal. Lartre also gets worse.

Now he is better. He becomes the goat. He becomes the game. He'll have been a halfs from a few years ago. He'd win the championship. No, sorry. There's just no hope. Close one in Discord, though. Was it?

Real close. Just like that point's different. So Sean might crack just that one too. Yeah, yeah, it was a whisker. 175 to 3. See? Told you. Oh, by the way.

Can't see the difference from the two. When Harry says three, he means two. Oh, because there's always one. The poll itself votes for both officers. So whoever you two are. Is it a joke? So I know. It's banter, isn't it?

Can we... I'm sorry, 177 to 2. Or 176, I guess, because... The poll again as we just established. To whoever you two are out there. Can you see it? Yeah, yeah, hold down on the option. Ben teaching me on to use Discord.

We have Flaming Squids. Leo Noel. Good job. Or Noel. Why I said no-o. New Wales. Father Christmas. Well done. Your vote for lunch strollers got your shout-out on this podcast.

So we'll see if you're right. Mad people. Last one before we go to our next break is Mercedes. Oh no. Not me. Little Kimmy. No, it's not Hamilton anymore. Oh, no, no, no. We've got George Russell versus Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Of course, Russell, now with the team for four years, but this will be his first time racing for Mercedes-Hamilton where Lewis Hamilton is not his teammate. He comes off last year with the win, of course, against Lewis Hamilton. His teammate now, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, is the F2 driver last year, very much accelerating. through the junior ranks to get to this point.

Sam, who you're going for? Georgie Russ, mate. Georgie Russ every day. I think he flips that young man upside down and uses that hair like a mop. You look like the mop and the butt. I think he's looked at him. We're going, you come here, boy.

Let me teach you a thing all too. George Russ is a very, very, very. very good Formula One driver. And he proved that against the S, so demotivated and not really caring Lewis Hamilton at the end. But he's proven time and time again that the guy could pull out results. He thinks for himself. He's very independent and willing to take risks.

And I think he understands that Mercedes car, which is very tough because no one understands that Mercedes car. And Kimmy Antingelli, who is coming out of Mario car, as the character, of course, has to get into a Formula One car. And I do think it's going to be a real challenge. She crashed it on his first time out because the man doesn't understand what slow is. He doesn't know what a breaker looks like. Has one pedal on his car.

Must. Yes, that's the kettle. Yay! As he goes past the pit wall. I just think that it's going to be a trial by fire. I think he will be electric quick when he hooks it up. But I think we're going to see a lot of mistakes, a lot of going off. A few incidents from Kimmy Antingelli.

And George Russell has that consistency. He's got the dog in him, you know, George Russell. He's got the dog in him. And I just think he will just rack up those points. This won't be a great year for Merck. I think they won't really get too close to those top three cars. I just hope they get some understanding of where their car is good and where the car isn't good.

And come 2026, they can kick on. But for me, Georgie Russ has got this one in the bag. Harry, in 2022 at Mercedes, you voted for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell won. In 2023, you voted for George Russell and Lewis Hamilton one. and last year you voted for for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell won. So whatever you say now is not going to be right. Great track record.

Good stuff. I am going to go for George Russell. If he has another season like last year, then I don't think it's going to be, not that's a whitewash, but I think it's going to be pretty dominant from his side because he was pretty good, pretty, not pretty good, pretty sensational

last year, pretty fluent of the radar slightly, but, and you're right, I think Anthony Lee's going to be very quick, but I think we're going to see quite a few mistakes from him. It's going to give me real Colton Hurtter vibes this year, Antonelli. Quite possibly. Very quick, very,

very mistake ridden, but it's going to be fun to watch. But yeah, I think there might be times where he is quicker than, say, Russ in a quarterfying, but when he actually gets to a race scenario, Mr. alternate strategy, as George Russell should now be known. No, let's stop giving people weird nicknames. It can't be Mr. Saturday forever.

But I think in a race scenario, Russell is very good at thinking his way through a race in a way that Antonelli just won't be yet, which is perfectly fair because he's not done any F1 yet. So I'm going to go Russell. It's going to be an intriguing one to watch, but I just think if he's on the formula last year, then if the Merck is good, watch out. Georgie Russ. Here comes the Georgie man.

Yes, that's what they say. Who? Who's they? Georgie man. Georgey man. That's wherever a Russell can. They being Sam and Clives. No, we don't talk at the moment.

Oh, are you falling out? No, we're just from a hiatus. All right. I've been too much time together over Christmas. Is he still in the cupboard? Yeah. Yeah. But you're in the cupboard.

Yeah, it's really a good way. It's the weekly Sam now. It's on the weekly Sam. We just still actually called the Daily Sam. Oh, that's confusing. Yeah. I was wondering if one of us was going to spring a surprise with this one. And the answer is no.

No. I'm going George Russell as well. I thought there might be a chance that someone went Antonelli for a bit of a shock. Some banter. Yeah. But I am going George Russell. Too competitive. George Russell did beat Lewis Hamilton in two out of three seasons.

That's not bad. Yeah. That's pretty good. Lewis Hamilton, if you haven't noticed, there's won some championships in this sport. And in terms of pole position, like last year, George Russell's qualifying record against Hamilton was ridiculous. I don't even, I don't care that Hamilton was out the door, if he was demode.

Like, he beat him 176 in quality. That is seriously impressive. So whilst I think, like you both, I think Antonelli will give some, we'll give Russell some headaches. I think there will be a couple of laps where Russell just goes, how the hell did you do that some? but for the most part, his consistency, his race pace, I think Russell will get over the line. And yeah, I'm probably more interested here, not necessarily about the teammate wars battle,

but about Merck themselves. Like, if Russell is as good as he was last season, how far does that take Mercedes and Russell? Does that get him a couple of wins again? Does that only get him podiums? Does it get him better than that? I don't know yet, but yeah, I'm going Russell. and the Discord was in favour of George Russell as well.

154 to 23. Yeah, but some. There's a few there, a few there. Antonelli. But yeah, not quite as one-sided as the last couple we've discussed, but still fairly one-sided. We've still got three teammate wars battles to go through. We'll get to those after this.

Welcome back, everyone, to the final part of teammate wars. We've gone through seven teams. thus far. We've got three more to go. At the moment, there's no differences between you both. We'll see if any of these three... This will be the first one? Will it? Will it? Surely. I don't know. We've got Liam Lawson written all over you. Oh. So, I thought you meant you were going to go for Liam Watson. I would never make a bad decision in two, mate was. So I take it for Red Bull. You're going with Max Verstaffin. Yeah, I mean, come on.

It's probably the easiest choice up and down the grid, um, ringing world champion. The guy barely misses, I think he is as king as ever to win. So even though that Red Bull may not be as dominant as previous years, it's still got race winning potential. And I think Max will do what Max does. I think Liam will have a good season. I think he'll be at least on par with what Perez was able to achieve last year, which for their first season in the team,

who is barely done a full season in Formula One, that's not bad. But I can't see Liam Lawson challenging Max for Stappen. I think the more intriguing question is, like not who wins this because I've got Max Vastappen as well, no surprise, but how closely in Lawson gets? Like on a scale of Perez last year to maybe Perez in 2022 when he was a little bit closer, like where does Lawson fit in that?

I think Lawson is closer to the 2022 side of things. I think there's some podiums on the cards. I think he will be. Win? I don't think there'll be a wing because I simply don't think the Red Bull is going to be good enough this season. to be a regularly winging car. And if that car is there, Max will stop and will be there.

So I think Lawson will be competitive. I don't think he'll embarrass himself, but I just can't see him being particularly close to a title fight or regular race wings. And if he is that, when would Red Bull and Lawson lock up 2026? Well, Red Bulls seem to either do things incredibly too quickly or far too late. Just give it a good 15, 16 races of the season,

see how it's going, wait to the last five or six, and then go, yeah, we're happy with the progress. Well done. Let's put another year on the deal. And a year on the deal, right? Like it's a whole new set of regulations. The cars are completely different.

Let's not lock Lawson in for another three-year deal where you have no idea how he might perform next season. So three-quarters of the season, give it a year. Harry? Yeah, Max Verstappen. Yeah, I think. I think Lawson will do a good job. And there may be occasions where he gives Forstappen a headache.

I'm intrigued to see if he has any similar attitude towards Vestappen as he does for Fernando Alonzo or Sergio Perez as he did it last year. Stappen isn't old enough. He hates old people. He's Aegis. Yes.

He'll become on this show. Agis Lawson. But I do wonder if there will be a couple of occasions if they are. You know, Vestappen might have a very rare, slightly slower weekend. Lawson might be having a, a better weekend and they they come across each other on track and I just wonder how that's

going to go. But yeah, I think it's a, it's no shade on Lawson here, but it's a Vestappen win. Yeah, that is no shade whatsoever on Liam Lawson. So it's about Vestappen to win this one. I think if he was at a similar level to Perez last year, that's not enough because Perez wasn't like close to being close enough if that makes sense. Like he was. so far versus his own standards. Again, I referenced 2022, but even 2021 or 23, it was another step down entirely. So I think Lawson needs to produce more than that, whether he can or not remains to be seen. I'm skeptical. It depends how quickly he gets up to speed with the Red Bull, I think. If he can be from the off close to his potential, then that's going to give him a far

better chance at the end of the year having a respectable score versus Vestappen. If it takes him until the summer break to properly get adjusted, then it could be as one-sided as last year. But three Vastappans, and I'm assuming that's going to be four with the Discord as well. Yeah. How many Brave Souls going for Liam Lawson? Two. Is that include the poll?

No, three including the poll. It's Osa Funn on Discord and Russell's number one fan, which is not a surprise. That makes sense. Yeah, fine. It's political. It's time. Here we go. It's time.

Oh, boy. Here we go. For Ferrari. Charlercler, of course, remaining with the team. He's been there since 2019. He's had Sebastian Vettel as a teammate. He's had Carlos Seines as a teammate. He now has Lewis Hamilton as a teammate moving over.

It's a roster of teammates. That is rough. It is indeed. I think a few years ago, on a, probably on a podcast, we would have mentioned something like, one day Hamilton versus LeCleur would be an epic teammate wars battle and yet here we are and it's actually happening it's happening

this is really interesting for a number of reasons Sam I want to start with you because two things I'm going to tell you two things they're both true number one you have never picked against Lewis Hamilton in teammate wars very true can you guess what the second one is no you've never picked against Charlotte Claire and I've been right every single time I've been right every single time now you have to someone's got to give

the movable object versus the soft thing. Sure. Yeah, Lewis Hamilton. Lewis Hamilton. There we go. Lecler will out-qualify him throughout the whole season

and I think the clur will start really, really well. And this is more of a hopium choice. It's more of a hopes of dreams. There's plenty of success for you to base your opinion on. Of course there is. Of course there is. But whilst Lecler is probably coming off the back of his

best season in Formula One. Lewis Hamilton is arguably coming off the back of his worst season in Formula One. And I'm hoping that Lewis's joy that we are seeing throughout this preseason, his love for being in Reg, Fred Bessert, taking him under his wing, the car seems to suit him. That's what he's said so far. I think it will take some time. And I do think on the Saturday, more often than not,

Charlotte Clerk will be by far the dominant force. But how often have we said that Hamilton is just so consistent once he gets things under his wing. And even when you look back at some of the highlights from last season, the pace that Lewis was still able to produce Abu Dhabi, the way he got round Russell on the last lap, the pace he had in Las Vegas, but the qualifying let him down. The wing at Silverstone, Belgium was also fantastic. He still has that ability to pull out that pace. So if he's comfortable, if the car works as he wants it to, and we've already mentioned McClure style, it's an overseery car, Hamilton's is the same. He likes a pointy end. He likes a car that he can wrestle through the

corner. And he's got like you jenks and buttons or your car. science that enjoy that smoother approach to drive and they like to chuck the car in and really feel it under them, it could really benefit him. So yes, there is some hope here and I am willing to accept that I may be going out on a limb, but I'm going for Lewis Hamilton. There were some performances last year that should give confidence for Hamilton here because really the ones I would have mentioned are the same ones you've mentioned where the car, either either the car has been there or he has been motivated for a particular reason. Of course, Abu Dhabi, his last ever race for Mercedes, pretty motivated there.

His pace was excellent. Belgium and Silverstone, you've already mentioned, like, the car was far better than it had been for the majority of the season, and he was able to deliver. So it is an interesting one, LeClaire versus Hamilton. Are you agreeing with Sam? If we were doing this, this time last year, I'd go easy Hamilton. It was beginning of 24, and they were teammates. I did my notes for this on the way down on the train

because I was on it for three days. Left on Thursday. And I changed this four times. No, no. I went back and forth. Everyone back and forth coming up. It's not. Is it not coming up?

We got back and forth later. Oh, we do. We've got a game. I didn't even realize. Come on, son. Bonus game. I've gone for Lecler. And I'm only basing this off.

all the great performances Hamilton had last year, yes, need to be considered. Leclair had great performances basically every race last year, barring maybe Canada, and that wasn't his fault, really. And Silverstone. Also nice fault. I think that is what is just tipped it for me because, yeah, I think in Korn off, maybe LeClaire will beat Hamilton in the same way Russell has done. And there will be instances this year.

short where Hamilton has the upper hand. I'm just, it could all change because we just don't know what the form is going to be like from Hamilton this year. But I think just basing it off the past year, the consistency that Charles LeClair now has that I think he perhaps missed or was missing in previous years goes against the inconsistency we saw from Hamilton in 24, where there were great performances,

but then there were some terrible ones as well. And that's the only reason I'm gone to Claire. But honestly, I didn't want to answer this one. I'm glad you have. Thank you. Bonus question. Ben's bonus, BBQ. Big, bang.

You changed your answer four times and you eventually ended up on Leclair. Was he your first answer? Yeah. Yeah. I went Hamilton. Right. Okay. So you went for your gap.

Oh, my God. Fair. It's tough this one. It is. Very tough. Tuffy. I have gone with Charles LeClerc.

It's the sensible option, I think. But it's ridiculous. The sensible. I'm against the seven-time chance. This is what F-1's all about these sorts of battles. I'm so intrigued to see it. I hope Ferrari,

give him a car to work, man. Please. I think that livery reeks a third place in the championship. I hope it goes faster than it looks. I just don't understand the livery at all, but then again, I don't really understand marketing. I think...

You won't get that, folks. That's a big. Yeah. I think this will be really close. I think the determining factor is qualifying. Because if you told me 24 races, every single race, Hamilton will start,

let's say Hamilton will start third every race, third, one race, fourth the next race, and then LeClaire will be the other way around. So they've got essentially an identical qualifying record. Who would I pick? Hamilton just. Because I think race pace, I don't think you'll be able to separate them this year,

is my prediction in terms of race pace. There'll be some races where Hamilton just about edges it. There'll be somewhere LeClaire just about edges it, and there'll be plenty where they're about the same. It's going to be qualifying that determines this. And I just think, based on what Russell did in qualifying to Hamilton last season and how good Charlerler is in qualifying, we might get a few Las Vegas results where Hamilton clearly has wonderful pace, but Russell was way up the road because

he'd qualified on pole. If we have some of those, I think Leclair might just have this one, but Charlotte LeCleur is qualifying, like, is qualifying records ridiculous? He might be the best qualifier on the grill right now. His record against teammates in qualifying, he's 100 and he's lost 48. That's pretty good. winning two-thirds of qualifying sessions against teammates. LeClau's only lost once in a teammate battle, and that was the Carlos signs by five and a half points. So very good drivers, both of them,

obvious thing to say, but I am just about giving this to Charle-Lacler. Discord wasn't as close as I thought. Yeah. 16 to LeClaire and 62 to Alford. I thought this was going to be 50-50. A lot of Red Bull fans in the Discord. Yeah, apparently so.

Yeah, I'm surprised about that. I, because we obviously found out. I'm not. I generally think that the general public will quite comfortably side with the Lecler, and I think I have gone out on the L'Alin. I thought it would be 6040, La Cler. That's ridiculous. Which is, yeah, hilarious at the most successful driver of all the time

is the bad option. Yeah. How many races into the season do you, will it take for you to be confident or not confident? Like, if, if Hamilton's on it from the off, are you going to be feeling? Oh yeah, I'll be picking it up every single recording. I will be like, I'm coming for that title again.

If we've race four and LeCler still got an advantage. No, not race four yet. No, I think once we hit the European leg, then I'll know, I think. Fair. So is where Hamilton does beat him, but Bortoletto does Holkenberg. And we draw again.

Depending on what this last one is. You are underestimating that it is, is literal dream. dream to taste for steak. That man only eats steak. Steak for breakfast, steak for lunch, steak for dinner.

If he doesn't have it, he has eating on bake. Wrapped in pastry. I actually, I got a chicken bake from Greg's on the way, yeah. Sensational treat.

I've not had a Greg's for ages. I had chicken bake yesterday. You actually got into London at 10. You were just eating chicken bread. I had to get, I was hungry. That's the other one. I've been a train for three days.

Good news then, folks. We do have completely unique selections this year. We've done it. Which we didn't have last year, so progress. The last team A Wars battle is for the constructors champions of last year, McLaren. The third consecutive year, unbelievably the only team other than Aston Martin to keep the same lineup as last year. Lando Norris versus Oscar Piastri.

Norris has won both years, but in terms of percentage of points won, Piastri was a lot closer last year. Harry, Norris or Piastri. I've gone for Oscar Piastri. Have you really? I... This is another one that I was unsure. I didn't change it four times. But I know Norris is a superb driver

and he obviously came second in the championship last year. He challenged for Stappen. I just think if Piastri can have an entirety, entire year where he's good and not have a dodgy start, I think he was better. overall than Norris was and it was that start that let him down. So this is going to be super, super, super close.

But I've just given it to Piastri basically because he's only on, this will be year three. And given the form he's already shown, that can only get better. Given the speed, but also the consistency and really little, there aren't many errors.

There are a few dodgy races towards the back game, but they were more like qualifying errors. which led to poor aces, Brazil, springs to mind. But that is quite frightening given that this is only year three for him. And look, Norris, I think Norris stepped up another year last year and it should not be underestimated at all. I just think given the levels of experience and where Piastri was versus Norris towards the end of that year,

or even the last third of that year, I'm going to give it to Piastri. I feel like I'm going to regret this. But which buyers running rampant again I know Aussie buyers Gosh I've given it to

I've given it to Oscar Okay Sam Are you going piastri as well Or are you sticking with Norris You know how we're just talking about chicken bakes Yes There's nothing more than I for breakfast

Than I love than a pastry That is niche Yeah Oscar pastry I'm going for a piastri And pastry When cooked to perfection and that man cooks.

Qualifying let him down through a large portion of the season. Right at the start, right at the end, he really dropped off on qualifying. The likes of Spain spring to mind. Austria was another one. And I think he's got it in him to rectify that and to grow.

And I think we've already mentioned the difference between year one and year two was massive. I think that development will happen again into year three. I think Landon Norris is now trying to find those finer margins. his ability to step up and fight with the likes of the stab and up the front,

whereas I think Piastri's ceiling, we don't know where that is yet. I really think there could be a lot more to come from Oscar Piacery. So if he can lock down the start end of the season, Harry, as you mentioned, I think it could be a really, really close battle. And I just think Piastri has this calmness to him, just absorbs pressure. So if they are in a championship fight from... What pressure for?

Tyres. If they're in a championship fight from the start, I think that Piaastrii has. can just take a deep breath and just get on with it. Whereas we saw with Manda Norris, I know he was up with his Maxis happened, and that is ridiculous competition. But the mistakes came out.

The starts were poor. The qualifying at times didn't help him. He had moments where suddenly he was unable to go wheel to wheel and get overtakes done. But I do think that Piastri, now he's learnt and he's kind of got that article put together and he knows how to fight on all sides. I think across the whole season, he could just do it.

And also a bit annoyed because I thought I was going to be really bold and go for Oscar Piastri, you've jumped in. Sorry, mate. And we were both bold. We're losing our hair, so. Have you forgotten this is a British podcast?

No. Are we not allowed to pick? We've not picked a single Brit, have we? I have. Well, oh, John Dresson. Oh. I'm going to take it all back. There's so many of them on the grit now.

We've picked some Brits. Yes. And I'm picking one more, Lando Norris. I agree that Piastri, we might not have seen the best of him yet, given his development from year two to year one, I think that's also true about Lando Norris.

I still think there's more that Lando Norris has to give this sport. You're right about the starts and the wheel-to-wheel battling. Those are the two things Lando-Norris absolutely has to rectify. I think he can. I think he can rectify both of them. I'm more confident that he can rectify the starts because we've seen other drivers. Hamilton is a prime example.

We've seen other drivers do that. the wheel to wheel stuff I'm less sure about, but I think having had one or three quarters of a season battling wheel to wheel with Vestap, and I think he will get better at that. And ultimately, I still think pace-wise, Norris has the edge on Piastri, both in qualifying and in terms of race pace.

Qualifying you're right, I think Piastri can get better in that regard, but he'll have to get quite a lot better to get up to where Norris was last season. In terms of race pace, the one thing I want to see from Oscar Piastri, that I don't think we have yet is one of Norris's... So remember Norris what he did in Miami?

I know we had the safety car, but after the safety car period, he blasted off the distance. Zamvort, I know he had the terrible start, but after he took the Stappan, it wasn't close. Abu Dhabi wasn't close. He's had a number of... And even with a couple of errors at Singapore, right?

He was a long way clear of anyone else. Piastri, whenever he's won, and he deserves credit, it has generally been closer. So Baku, I know it was somewhat self-inflicted, but Landon Norris wasn't in the fight, and Piastri held on for that win. We had, I'm trying to remember the other one that he won that was close. Hungary?

Hungary, of course, yeah. And I think Piastri deserved to hold on to that win based on the team orders. But equally, Norris was right there with him. I wanted to see Piastri at some point just prove that out and outpace, he had enough to completely destroy Norris and everyone else. And because I didn't see that, I'm going to stick with Landon Norris. And the Discord, please, one of you? Very, sorry, so technically.

Fairly close. Was it? It was 95 to Norris and 86 to... That was very close. Pretty close as one. Wow. Okay. Okay.

So we've got, I think, the same picks for seven of the 10. teams and the differences are I've gone for Bortoleto, you two have both gone for Holkenberg, you two have gone for Piastri, so I'm on an island again with Lando Norris and then myself and Harry have gone for Charles LeClerc. Sam has gone

for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. We have got some more differences this year. We have. I was a little nervous it was going to go down to one team again. I'm really glad it hasn't. I mean, there wasn't a lot of change last year, was there? So that's a good thing. Yeah. Obviously, we've asked you in the Discord what you think and you've voted on the poll, so thank you

very much for that. But equally, if you haven't voted on those polls and want to let us know in the comments, in a review, wherever you like, just let us know if you agree with our opinions or if you've got a few differences. Maybe you're the one that thinks Lance Stroll's got it this year. Shall we take our final break? Why, I'll have? Yeah. No reason. Just remember something funny from another day. F1 back and forth on the other side. Welcome back, everyone. We're going to finish today with back and forth Dom-Dum-Dum-Dum-Dum-Dum-Dum-Dum-Dum-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-F-1

Back and forth F-1 Back and forth It goes backwards And then goes forth F1 F1 against each other to identify correct answers in a certain category.

Today, there are 20. You've got to keep going until you can't think of an answer or you give an incorrect answer. And I will give you a strike each. Ooh. Strike. One strike. We are, of course, for the first time in a few years, having the Australian Grand Prix is the first race of the season. I'd like you to tell me 20 years removed from this Grand Prix

the 20 drivers that started the 2005 Australian Grand Prix. That's niche. Have a day off. Okay. Back and forth if you're gas. Hey, 2005 Australian Grand Prix, great race. It's on the historic review next. He's going first.

Harry, you can go. Oh, great. Fernando Alonso. Great, brilliant. Fernando Alonzo is a correct answer. he finished on the podium. He finished third in his Renault. Sam.

Michael Schumacher. Michael Schumacher is a correct answer. He retired from the race in Scrabbarari. Jean Carlo Fisicekella. That's why it's a great race, mate. Fizz he won it. All right, spoilers. Yeah, sorry about that.

Spoilers for their 20-year-old race. We're going to watch that after this, yeah. Yeah, Physikela won the Grand Prix, of course, teammates are finale. of Alonzo that year. Rubens Barakello. Rubens Barrake. We're just doing teammates at this point. Teammate wars, so.

Makes sense. He was the other driver on the podium. He finished second for Ferrari. Harry. Jensen Button. Jensen Button doesn't win. Doesn't win. He was 11th in his BAR that wasn't a Williams, even though he wanted it to be. Oh, dear.

David Coulthard. Yeah, he really challenged. finished in fourth one. Beat Michael Schumacher. He did. And the first of a Red Bull race, P4. Yes, indeed.

Yeah, he finished fourth place. I'm only joking, D.C. He finished fourth place, yeah. Back to Harry. Nick Heidfeld. Of course. He wasn't sat under a tree, although he might have been

because he did retire from the race in his Williams. Took Schumey out. Yeah. Speaking of Shoemies, Ralph? Yes, he is there in his Toyota. in 12th. Mark Weber.

Mark Weber is correct. Of course, he was Australian, and still is Australian, actually. That immediately meant he couldn't win this race. Yeah, you're not allowed. That's the rule. But he did finish fifth, at least.

He was Heidfeld's teammate in the Williams. Sam. Yarno Trulli. Yano Trulli. Choo-Choo. He was in the other Toyota just outside of the points. Classic Trulley race, really.

He qualified on the front row. He's so good on qualifying He had no fuel Guy just has one lap of fuel I go pit after lap one Harry about to you Kimi Reichenen

Kimi Reichenen is a correct answer Was it Yeah I can't find There he is He finished 8th Felipe Massa

Felipe Masa is a correct answer in the Salber He finished in 10th Jacques Ville Oh, you're hoping that you didn't have to say this one. Yeah. Well, Massa's teammate in the Salba. You'll be glad to know at least Massa beat Vilnav.

Obviously. Obviously. I'm a rang out of options. Oh, give me under the net. Lewis Hamilton is not. Clean? Christian Clean, yes. Teammate to David Coulthard at Red Bull that year.

The OG R.B driver. Mm-hmm. Harry. Fearing your locker. This is your era. Noreen Carter-Kahen. Of course, Noreen-Carter Kian was there. You'd be mistaken for thinking he wasn't, though, in that Jordan

because he finished all the way down in 15th. I forgot they were even there at that point. Five names left, Sam. Now I'm starting a struggle. Now I'm starting a struggle. Can I have the positions they finished in the race? Sure. Yeah.

You've got one point scorer left Who finished 6th You've got one retirement left And then you've got 14th, 16th and 17th You know what, this hasn't helped me I did wonder why you asked I think I find me

No I know it's wrong But I need to get out my way I've got a strike So Juan Pablo No that's correct Oh is it Yep

He was still there at this point Well I was going to say I can remember Whether he started this season or not Because of the ten injury. He raced for yeah, he did.

I was trying to think of Kimi's teammate and I'm like because he sat out Bahrain and Imala I think had he already injured himself

before this point at Tengis I don't know he definitely yeah he sat out in a phone anyway

it doesn't matter I just come remember if it was then yeah he was the last point scorer so we have

four names left Harry Takumasato Takumasato in the second BAA was the driver who finished in 14th. So Sam, you've got three names left.

Do still have the strike, of course. I do. You have the two last finishes and a retirement. Oh. Um, um, I don't know, mate. What day's Australian GP 205 day? Sunday, Sunday. Uh, ha, ha, ha.

Hmm. Hmm. Oh, cool. Oh, really? Just noises. Oh, I don't know, Jeff. I don't know. Wow.

Anthony Davidson. So much. So Michael Scott Coden. I'm him. Anthony Davidson, not a correct answer. Definitely the right era for Davidson. but he wasn't there in this race. Harry, back to you.

He goes round it off, mate. Tiago Montero. Tiago Montero, team mate to Noreen, Carthaca, K and in the Jordan. Which means you've used a strike. You've used all the possible voices you can use. Yeah, calm a load. There are no sounds left. What positions are they?

Last and retired. Helps a lot. We can say, I don't mind saying the team. Yeah, what are teams? They are... It's Monardi, right? It's only one team. Oh, yeah, that hasn't helped me at all.

Both Menardi... Who race... But even I'm struggling with these ones, because I don't know. Oh, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Hey.

He's not there. I guess you're getting out of wrong, but look up a doer. Just get out of the way. Big ugly. It's going to be a shout out, you know? Yeah. You should have been there.

But he wasn't. Harry, the other two names? Patrick Frisacker. Oh, great. That's one of them. Robert doorknobs. Oh, no. Oh, damn.

Hang on again. Ash is strike, so you got one more. Oh, yeah, I deal one more. Yeah. Oh, no. You can't do it. Ooh. No, I can't remember.

I can't. No. I can't remember. You're in the right part of the world. Well, the of Dornboss. Europe. Um. No, I don't know.

Christian Albers. Oh, Albers. Very good effort, though. What are they doing? Tiago Montero, Christian Albers, Patrick Frieda. What did they do? They should. The back markers.

Montero is still celebrating his podium at the O-5. He's not a day's Grand Prix. He's still on the podium. Yeah, yeah, he has some left. Come on. It's fair. Yeah, I think you both do very well with that. Not an easy one at all.

There we have it. The Teammate Wars episode. is in the books. We've still got some other predictions related episodes to come in the next month or so. Still got drivers, championship predictions, constructors championship predictions and plenty more other general chit chat to come. But Sam,

if you wouldn't mind, getting us out of here. We're about three weeks away from the start of the Formula One season, which is incredibly exciting. So, well done, folks. Testing this week, no? It is. Yeah? Yeah, I think so. It's not going to be confused. End of this week, is it?

Testing. Oh, sorry, yes. I'm with you. I'm doing Monday to Sunday. I'm like, but it's Sunday. It's already end of the week. I'm with you, yes. Testing. Testing. Testing, Ben, the light bulbs were out for a second.

They did. He's done a lot, bless him. Thanks for Liskim. If you want more content that you've got to pay for, the Patreon's available. It massively helps the show. Everything is ad-free. You get full videos.

You also get birthday shout-outs. You get beer breaking, which we're about to record altogether. And you get historic reviews and power rankings, which will be back after the first. or pre. Link for the description for all that stuff. Disco is there as well. Follows on social media and late breaking F1 and subscribe to the YouTube channel to see lots of different highlights and great stuff and our faces if we don't want to pay for it, which is understandable. That's it.

See you big week. In the meantime. I'm in Samuel Sage. I've been Ben Hocking and I've been Harry Ead. And remember, keep breaking late. This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.