The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Has F1 reached peak popularity?

Episode Date: October 1, 2023

The LB boys discuss the report by Buzz Radar that indicates a decline in F1's social media figures, and consider whether they agree that F1 is in trouble, if this decline is due to Red Bull/Verstappen dominance, and F1's refutations of report's claim. They also cover Alonso's criticism of the current qualifying format, Norris' VSC frustrations, and Jessica Hawkins' F1 test with Aston Martin, before finishing with a game of F1: 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 BUY our Merch 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. A non-race weekend, a non-race Sunday, but we're back with another episode. How's live? Sam, how you doing? I'm all right. I went to a wedding last night. I got home at midnight.

I don't, I'm not going to say anything bad because they might listen. I doubt they will, but you never know. Let's just say the food was served in an interesting manner. When Sam got to my house, I said how was the wedding? He went, biggest waste of my time. That's such an impression of me as well. So good. Okay, so now that's out there.

Sam, you might as well say the other bit. Right. So you know when you go to a wedding and they go, what do you want to eat before you go? And you kind of have to say, oh, you know, I would like this thing. Or I'm a meat eater. so these are my dietary requirements, whatever I might be, I'm vegetarian, you know.

And we turned up, and I was like, I can't remember what I said that I wanted, because it turns out I didn't say what I wanted, because no one did. And they brought out six different tiny meals in little bowls, smaller than a cereal bowl, right? So one of the portions was sausage and mash. I got half a sausage, like a spoonful of mash, like a bowl.

And that was my dinner. That was my, I'm not trying to be like, oh, where's my dinner? Because I've turned up to your wedding. You got six each. Well, actually, funny enough, some people already got one because they forgot to serve them. But I was there with six bowls of different food.

Six, darling cheese. I like mac and cheese. Blandish cheese I've ever eaten in my life. Ravioli. I had an aubergine curry. I add sausage and mash, sort of. I had steak and chips. And I had a chicken seeds of salad.

Did you do a swear then? I don't think so. I don't think so. It said, Blandish bleep. Oh, blandest mac and cheese. Yeah. Okay.

I didn't feel a swear. I thought you said something. No. You caught me out there. I might, dang. No, no, no. Quite frequently. Kod can listen to that again.

Honestly, though, whoever thought, but, and no spoons to be seen, we're all eating out these bowls with a fork, right? So that,

eh, eh, gollies, it's coming out. I was fuming. And the, the vegetarian chicken Caesar salad,

right? Do you know what they got? Two croutons and a lettuce leaf. I thought that is a joke. That's a great name for a band, that. Two crut was on a lettuce leaf.

We're having it. That's our standby associations next step. Great name for a band. Anyway, so I'm quite tired, but what a story could tell? Right, well, that's about 15 minutes in, I think. Might as well go to the first break of this point. Right. What do we have?

We got back and forth, ladies and james, later on. The whole crowd goes crazy. Lando Norris frustrated with the VSC last weekend in Japan. So our thoughts on the VSC rules and regulations. Fernando Alonzo is called the current qualifying format obsolete. So we'll be discussing his thoughts there and whether a change is required. But let's start with some news that broke a few days ago, actually a report that was released a few days ago from Buzz Radar,

who had been looking at Formula One and asking the question of whether F1 was at its peak. And a few of the key highlights from this report. Social media mentions down 70% year on year. looking at January to May in both versions. New followers across major accounts down by 46%, and overall social media reached down by 64%. Now, F1 actually responded to this, saying that growth for our official channels are actually eight times higher than the 500,000 figure given by BuzzRadar. And active digital interactions have increased by 4% versus 2022. Sam, what were your thoughts on this report that was released and F1's response to it?

Who's Buzz Radar? Like his brother. Yeah. I knew that was coming. Different surnames, but yeah. Married, didn't they? Yeah, right, yeah. Progressive Buzz Radar.

Sorry, the first thing that's occurred to me when I saw this story, which, I'm glad you brought up the conflicting report from F1 from himself BuzzRada, is that it's very strange that, you know, they have got this conflicting number of social media growth, because social media growth itself is something you could quite physically track publicly, right? It's not like it's a hidden number. You can look at what it was 12 months ago, and you can see whether that number has gone up or down. So the fact that one company is saying, you know, your percentage rate of growth has decreased

by a huge margin in comparison to them going, well, we've still grown. Well, yeah, you have still grown, but that's what they're saying. The growth, of course, is still happening. But when you go from 2021 to 2022 rather than 2022 to 23, which remember, 2021 was one of the biggest years in Formula One's history with the peak of Drive to Survive happening, the world championship fight that we had, Mercedes versus Red Bull,

the new regulations were about to coming as well. There are a lot of key factors that all kind of came together. What's the word? I'm not sure where you're going for there. Where it all comes together? Combined? Accumulated.

Ah, right. It's too early. I'm hungover. 10 to 12. Accumulated. Mash together. Don't talk to me about mash so we're accumulated in quite obviously a large surge in Formula One,

gaining a lot of popularity, getting a lot of interest. You saw a lot of new fans coming to the sport. This podcast is a beneficiary of that change. We have seen huge growth in our listening numbers because of the growth of Formula One. I'm not mad about it, you know, so... Cheers drama. Cheers, drama. We love you.

But there's a very big difference between Formula One trying to come out and protect their numbers of saying, oh, our accounts have grown. Yeah, that's not what they're not saying. they're saying that the rate at your accounts have grown is so significantly smaller over the last 12 months that something clearly is not going right in the world of Formula One. There is clearly something that is not entertaining new fans coming into the sport. Now, what makes me a little bit nervous with Formula One becoming this almost global phenomenon sport,

it's almost reached the same level of popularity at the moment as it's getting to the point of football in the UK. It's getting closer to how much NASCAR gets followed, Indy car gets, I think it's probably maybe equal to, if not bigger than Indycargat. car now in America. Thank you, Ben, for the subliminal point there. You know, it's, you know, are we seeing Formula One become the primary motorsport everywhere worldwide, where it might start to challenge the likes of soccer in America, if not bigger again, you know, the NFL and the NBA. They're obviously ginormous confederate organizations that run sport in America. But is Formula One becoming, you know, the third place sport there in a giant market? What's worrying is if we don't

find a way to keep the formula exciting for new fangs, are we going to lose them? But then you have the awkward problem of you mix it up too much all the time. You're going to start losing the identity of f1, the dna of f1, the fangs that have been around like ourselves for what, 25 years watching Formula 1. Do we go stop changing the rules every six months to try and keep it interesting? There's no bloody consistency here. What's going on with the sport makes it harder to follow as well. So it's good to see that F1 is still growing. It's good to see that they're still getting further interactions. digital interaction percentage is actually more interesting to me than I think the following, because if people are skilled engaged and actively following the sport and trying to be part of it,

that's really solid. That's really important. I'd be worried if it was really dropping. But I don't want Formula One to re-inter this too much and go, oh no, we're starting to lose that traction that we gained. We're going to do it all again differently and mix it all up completely and change everything again, and we might lose what Formula One is. So I think it's very telling that, again, a dominant team in Formula One is not good for longevity of viewership in any sport. I'm sure that anyone would get bored of the same thing winning time and time and time again, and matter what that sport is. But at the same time, you can't, as we've always said, punish a team for being good at what they're trying to be good

at just because you don't enjoy the viewing figures that you're getting. So it's a tricky one for F1 and how they resolve this, what they're doing. But clearly, Red Bull dominance, I'm sure we saw the same thing with Mercedes dominance beforehand, causes a slump in viewing figures and online interaction and following of social accounts. So, tough predicament. to be in. Harry, what was your reaction to this report? Yeah, it's, um, from the, from the initial look at it, it doesn't look great, does it? Um, and F on Twitter are quick to jump on that with their cost cap and, etc.

Um, that's not it. I've read that. That's, yeah. And, and saying that, you know, this is, this is, you know, everyone's dying because of us happened, it's winning one time. But the, the, the, the point is. here, yes, I don't doubt there's been an impact on the growth of F1 this year, but I don't think is as bad as people probably think it is. And also, Sam mentioned the massive growth it's had

from through Drive to Survive through 2021, basically. And at some point, that growth is going to slow down. You can't just keep growing exponentially forever. We have got Violet Beauregard. But great. And so it is, going to slow down. Yes, this might have increased the, or decrease the growth, um,

uh, slightly, but I think it, this is always going to happen. The odd about the social followers thing, like, it's just something you can see. The,

the thing that this report has shown is like, the reach of it and, and what was the other thing? Uh, I don't know, engagement. It wasn't engagement, but it was another thing that normally you can't see. And only F1 should be able to see that.

Mensions. That's true. Wherever I do a social media report for other job, that is not something that anyone else can track but myself. Yeah. So it's questionable where how much is that is true. But yeah, I wouldn't, it's not too worrying to me. I don't think.

I think this is probably inevitable, a slowing down of growth. And also, it should just be light measured by how much dimension on social media. Yes, it's a massive thing. And F1's social presence has grown massively. I saw something the other day. It was like an old tweet from,

2016 and it's just like 2016 to now ridiculous. Oh my gosh. It's so far away. We used to be nothing. I never realized how small we were. Everyone didn't used to like they were so slow to even get on that all the teams were on Twitter but they were nothing. It was archaic in comparison to other sports. So yeah, and this piece of my point, the growth was always going to slow down at some point. Maybe this hasn't helped it. But I don't think it's a it's a worrying sign for F1 And as you say, Sam, it doesn't matter if you're not necessarily growing at the same rate,

but if you're retaining the people you have already joined you. Our lovely listeners being those people, you know, we can see you're still here. Then that's more, I think that's arguably more important. If you're then losing the ones you've gained, that's a bigger issue. But if you're slowing down, they're still growing. They still still gained a lot of people. Yeah. So far.

So I don't think it's so. Everyone calmed down. The other thing as well, I guess, is master. that haven't been opened yet, right? Like, we've got the Zhoguan Yu factor. We're finally going back to China, hopefully, next season. China, I think, despite being there for a while, racing there, it's yet to be properly unlocked.

And if you think that America's a big market, both China and India are sat there waiting to be opened up. And I think they very much could be very easily by Formula One. And that's another several hundred million people that I think are in the viable age group to be actively enjoying Formula One. I saw a thing the other day that India are looking to get the GP back and...

She would. She'll come out of retirement. They did their Moto GP there recently, didn't they? And there was concerned they couldn't go there because of how many snakes were on the racetrack. I mean, we have lizards in Singapore. Snakes off this roo-thoo-hoo race track. Which is Samuel.

Jackson, my brother with a different surname. A lot of them this episode. I don't think you know how brothers work. Aren't we brothers? Good. Good stuff. I think this is probably just a classic case of comparing apples with oranges because you can't end up with two such dramatically different figures if you're looking

at the same thing. Like you say, social media following is a pretty easy one to get a grasp of. So if you've got Buzz Radar, Buzz Light Year's brother, indicating that there's been a 500K increase year on year. and you've got F1 indicating it's 4 million, you can't be looking at the same thing. In all likelihood, because BuzzRadar have said that it's new followers across major accounts. Well, we don't know exactly who or what they're calling a major account.

Are they including teams? Are they including FIA accounts? Are they including individual Grand Prix and their Twitter account? Who knows, right? they've just indicated its major accounts. And F1 have also said, our official channels. In all likelihood, F1 are looking at this. BuzzRadar are looking at some of that, but also this.

And they're just not looking at the same thing. Because otherwise, how on earth can you possibly have 3.6 million between two answers? That doesn't make any sense. I don't know if they've included all the teams, maybe, in their analysis. It's got to be something like that, right? difference is huge. But I mean, F1 in their response didn't exactly state what they were looking at. So it's unclear.

We just don't know what the two parties are looking at here. And look, I mean, BuzzRadar have also, and the report, by the way, is viewable. You can download the report. It's some of the headline figures have made its way to social media. But there's a lot there. It's a well-done report. So feel free to take a look at it. If you look at 2021, you've got a 600K-ish increase in followers.

2022 was 900K and 2023 was 500K as indicated by this report here. But in no instance, even in 2022, that number never went above 1 million. So if, again, if F1 are saying it's 4 million, probably not. if F1 were to give us the stats of what they had for 2022 and 2021 and they were similar-ish numbers to 4 million, fair enough. But I feel like in their response F1 probably would have stipulated if that number was higher in 23 than it was in 22 or 21.

If you're going to shout about it, you're going to shout about it, right? If you've got something to shout about it, you're going to shout about it. And they didn't. So it probably does indicate that buzz radar are probably on to something. something here. And look, I mean, F1, F1 are rattled by this. F1 a proper rattled by this. Because in their response as well, they say in the latter half of this season, F1's digital footprint ranked just behind La Liga's making a close second in followers' growth rate. What are you refuting? They aren't looking at the second half of this year. They're only looking

at January to May. So whilst that might be very true and well done, you're not really, you're not countering anything. Because they're not talking about that. Compared to the Liga, it's just one nation sport football. It's one sport in one nation. It's just a bit of a, it was a bit of a weird one.

It's like, yeah, but look, they can say all of that. But this, it's like, yeah, but they're not looking at that.

What are you countering here? Yeah, I think Buzz Radar's analysis overall looks pretty good. It's not just negative, by the way. If you go through the report in full, there are plenty of positive stories in there,

and they do repeatedly say how the percentage decrease 22 to 23 looks worse in isolation. If you look at 2016 to 2023, you'll notice a very steady increase year on year and then just a bit of a drop back down for 23. So it's not, you know, this isn't a campaign against F1. It's a very well done report. I'm just shocked at how rattled F1 are by this. I mean, we laugh about who BuzzRadar are. BuzzRadar have 2,000 fewer followers on Twitter than us. Right, they go social media.

They know social media. I hope we can rattle F1 the same as BuzzWider. Yeah. If you're a very good report, I'm sure. I just found it crazy that F1 were putting out an official response to this report by a company that has 2,000 fewer followers than us. And we don't have a lot of followers on Twitter. No.

1.5K. Yeah. I just found that quite funny. That is funny. Good job, Buzz Raider. Yeah. To infinity. And surveillance.

Sticking it to the man. Yeah. To note as well, this is actually only part one of three. They've got two other reports. Oh, God. I can't wait for the trilogy. So, yeah.

The best trilogy since Star Wars. No, twist three, one, two, and three, obviously. Well, that's not a trilogy, though. There's four of them. There's 83 Star Wars films. Yeah, but we don't count everything after the first three. Nerd. They do them in threes.

Don't you at threes. Three, three, three. Three. Good. Right, we're moving on. We're going to take a short break. We're going to be discussing Fernando Alonzo's comments on qualifying right after this. I can't wait for this.

It's called me fun. Okay, Fernando Alonzo has called the current qualifying format, obsolete. Great word, Fernando. Let's see if we agree. He was answering a question on traffic and the maximum lap time that has recently been implemented at Grand Prix. He said, whatever they do, we will find a way to exploit that rule. And he then goes on to call the current format obsolete and saying, you know, you wouldn't get any of this if we had one lap qualifying. And I know this isn't the only time that he's referenced wanting this in the past as well. Sam, do you think he's right? Do you think we need a

return to that format or do you think we're fine with what we've got? Oh, I don't think we need it. Fernando. Oh, no. I appreciate what he's saying in the sense of. Clearly there are some very minor problems with Formula One. And I think actually, in qualifying rather, and I think that the rules that the FIA are trying to implement with qualifying are fine if they just applied them consistently. And Formula One is all about finding the loophole and trying to outdo your competitors. That has always been the message of Formula One, whether it comes to technical development, you know, the way that the cost cap has been set up or whether it be the rules of actually being on the road. They've always tried to wiggle their way out of

following the rules letter by letter and gaining an advantage. And that's fine. That's sport, if anything. That's part of being competitive. I don't have a problem with that. But, you know, we've already documenting it on the podcast itself when we say, don't have this minimum lap time for, you know, Monsa and then put it in for Singapore, the other way around, sorry. And then say it's going to be a thing for Zanvort and then never speak about it again and then you watch drivers all back up and there's no problem it's again inconsistencies with the fia rule set so i think formula one should realize that the asset they've got in qualifying on a saturday is arguably the most consistently exciting part of the weekend week in week out that you might have a boring race you might have a

great race but the qualifying very often is still pretty darn good every single it's usually at least a seven out of ten the qualifying right for the weekend. Now what I see about Fernando's point of view is he's trying to say, well, okay, if we go to one shot qualifying, well, that mitigates a lot of the issues that come with these new rule sets that Formula One are trying to input. But that will just throw up a whole new set of, you know, cheeky ways that they could get around stuff and, you know, fuel loads or weight gain or, you know, timings of the weather and things like that.

So there's so many other issues that come with one shot qualifying. I don't think they really change the brilliance of how qualifying works. Now, what I think would work is if you were to take, you know, sprint races clearly aren't going anywhere or to our demise and frustration. What I would actually appreciate is having the sprint race on a, on the Saturday, final way, Saturday morning, and in the same session, but just before that, having a one-shot qualifying. If that's where you want to apply it, okay, I'll give it a go.

I'll be more interesting seeing the, what are they calling it, the shoot-at. Shoot-out. A shoot-out. The sprint shoot-out. I think it's like two of these, by the way, coming up in the next two weeks. Well, we're going to be at Texas for one. And there's one in Qatar.

For our live shows, you know. Are we doing a show? Are we doing a show? Yeah, it's global news. It's live. It's live. So basically, I think that, you know, the main qualifying section, you don't need to worry about it. You don't need to change it.

I think Fernando's being Fernando here and just, you know, he's got a gripe with something, so he thinks he has to change the entire system and moan about it. I think if you want to try out one-shot qualifying as much, I really don't think it's a viable format anymore. maybe give it go on the sprint. But qualifying again, and we said it time and time again, is the one part of the weekend you really don't need to mess with. There's nothing wrong.

It's good. It's really good. You know, really enjoy that bit. It's other areas that you need to sort out. So, Fernando, pipe down, son. Fernando. No. No.

A long, no. A long C. Yeah. To answer the question of Alon C or a long C or a long no. No for me. Got it. You also on the side of Alonno? Sadly, because head of the Fernando Alonso fan club before like I shouldn't.

No, I have to. Sorry, Fernando. Aloncée. Aloncée. Your position might be at risk. Well, if my clubs, I don't matter. Don't plus. Uprising.

It's going to be a coup. Yeah, to the sound point, I can see where this has come from, from Fernando with these you know, snip, snap, snip, going back and forth. I'll get to what Michael Scott's bloody removal of his...

Mencectomy. Yeah. Anyway, no, going backwards and forwards on the minimum time, like, just, you know, implement it or don't implement it.

And... You want consistency? I don't know. Who would want that? So I can see the frustration here, and he's saying, actually,

even if we do apply it, it doesn't make a difference. So, I get that, but also, there's nothing wrong with qualifying. Nothing. It's absolutely great. It's golden. Qualifying this year, I know we've had, lately we've had a few better races,

but qualifying this year, on a whole, bloody belted. I think it might be the best season of qualifying I can actually remember. It's ridiculous. Consistently good sessions. It might be the best qualifying we've ever had. Insane. And that's because it works. Format works.

Always been good. Always will be. Leave it alone. Just leave it alone. So, sorry Fernando. And I know if we didn't have this format of qualifying, I probably would say let's do a sprint, not a sprint shooter, Jesus.

Oh God. A single lap quality again, because yes, it can be unfair, but there's a bit of jeopardy in that. Like, I like the idea of a driver having to nail one lap on one lap only. This is your chance. Do it.

But I like what we have now. And I like it, if you watch it versus the single lap qualifying we used to have in the early noughties, which was fine. but you're only ever seeing one car on track. It's boring. I'm not going to lie, it's boring.

What is, it's not, I think it was better than what they had before that, which was just an hour of, anyway, my point is, still not as good as what we have now. So, no, Fernando. Fernando. A long no.

And in theory, if you wanted to implement this one shot qualifying, you could do so within the current format and just reduce the times down, right? You wouldn't necessarily need to go back to the way that it used to be done. You could just say, I don't know, five minutes per session

rather than the amount that we have at the moment and you could create in effect the same thing. Yeah, it hasn't got to be one track leaving the pit, do a lap next car leave, yeah, you could go. Any car could go out when they want, but you get one flying lap. Exactly, which I, you know, I wouldn't really be against.

I would say with Alonzo's comments, first and foremost, I will give him this, because my number one rule that I probably say about five different rules is that if you wouldn't, say the opposite, it's not worth listening to someone. And in Fernando Alonzo's instance, he has made Q3 every single time this year. This format has benefited him. So for him to come out and go against it means he's probably telling the truth and he does actually think deep down that it's not the best way to go. You know, if he was qualifying 20th every week and he turns around

and says, I think we should change the qualifying format, you might say, is that just to benefit you But you can't say that in this instance. So fair play, I think he is actually saying something that he truly believes in, which is very Fernando Alonzo of him. But if you look at Formula E as an example, because they've somewhat tackled these issues by introducing new qualifying formats. And I'm not saying we should do the same thing. But, you know, Formula E in the old format of qualifying, split the field into two,

and it's been split into four, I think before. and now obviously we have a bit of a dual format for the top eight in qualifying. So Formula E have tried various different qualifying sessions, qualifying formats in order to reduce this traffic issue that Fernando Alonzo is talking about. And F1 has never really had an answer in their own right to do the same. And I think ultimately, the question is this. Like, are we happy enough that the current, very entertaining format, we'll have a slight increase in danger

because we have had a few near misses where there have been cars piling up at the end of Q3. Are we okay with that and the potential for increased spoiled laps but we keep this entertaining format? And I think all three of our answer is, yeah, we'll take the compromise, right?

Yeah. It's, they should, Formula One should, do their best to police the traffic and to make sure it's as less of an issue as possible, absolutely. But if we have to occasionally have an odd spoiled lap for the sake of keeping this very exciting session with us, yeah, fine. Not a problem, we'll take that.

I appreciate Fernando Alonzo's point of view. But I think the return to the old one-shot qualifying does raise the question of, is it fair? Is it as entertaining as this? and I think I agree with you both to say no in both instances. Sam, you already bring up the potential for weather differences. And it's slightly ironic in that one of my favorite Grand Prix of all time is the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix.

And the only reason that exists is because we had mixed conditions in qualifying. But ultimately, I think overall it's you want a format that is fair and exciting. and for the most part, we have that right now. Good. That's a good discussion. Sorry for an late. Before we finish it off, anything that could be done just staying with the current format,

anything that should or could be done regarding traffic and making sure that we are getting as fair a session as possible, Sam. I do think that maybe a minimum speed limit should be applied. I don't have a time between the two, what is it called, the safety car lines? I just go through corners faster than you normally were. Obviously, it would be variable for track to track. It would be kind of, you know, 80 miles an hour everywhere we go.

So you're trying to fly through Monaco at some of the Lowe's hairpin at 80 miles an hour. You might die. But I do think that track to track, you have to be sensible and go, for example, Monsa, right? There's no need to be doing 15 miles an hour going around Parabolica to lie yourself up. You don't need to go that slowly to give yourself a better time. A speed, like a speed delta rather than a time delta might work. better because time deltas, they can fly around and then stop right at the end. Yeah.

As long as you don't, there is a consistency with speed, yeah. Those average speed cameras you get on the motorway. Yeah, exactly. Where you could do 80 miles an hour for 20 minutes and then you're 60 for the next 20 minutes. That makes no sense to do it that way, but you could. I think it meant on the road do 80 miles an hour. Yeah, I do. Yeah, I know, but they don't have any average speed checks.

They're at 80 miles an hour. No, I go, but over an average time period. I see what you mean. Go, you're a div. Popo's outside Sam's having his car signed away Anyway so I think

Yeah maybe maybe a speed check Rather than a time check Would be more efficient Because like we said The issue is usually with the last two corners Of a track really You never really see it around turn four Where you've got seven cars

All trailing around to 20 miles an hour And someone trying to get through Oh good long it's got a breezeie in here Did you hear that everyone I hope you can't hear the breeze I saw it Sam's hair just went It got very breathing.

You've got the window open, folks. And I do think that a minimum speed check like that would be much more safer than a time chip because as you brought up, Harry, it can easily be abused. You can easily go through turns, I don't know, one through seven, that race pace and then go, right, I've got 34 seconds to play within one corner.

I'm going to sit here at two miles an hour and give myself all the time in the world. Whereas if you gave yourself across the lap, you need to be averaging 64 miles an hour, then that way. 64. Try to make it polite. Then, you know, you can, I think, police that a little bit more. And also it makes it generally safer because your minimum speeds aren't going to drop too much.

Just sort of images now of their phone tracks around the world with those big yellow. Yellow cameras. Yeah, the cameras everywhere. And some speed size on the side, 50. Average speed check. Average speed check, 50. It's a man in his pants outside. He's not wrong.

So I'm kicking off. It's actually me. trying to find this. Pants, man. My parents used to call me boy in Panks because I used to a walk around just in my boxes. And then you became Man in Panks.

Man in Panks, which is my dad. What a great Sunday off week this is. Yeah, we're really hitting the important points today. Anything else to add, Harry? The only thing I would say as well, and maybe, as I said, maybe minimum speed is better than Delta time.

but whatever you use, if a driver breaks that, penalty. Oh, penalty. Next up time deleted, immediately. Anything, because it's happened a couple of times now. Nothing's happened. Oh, you're fastest that time.

Oh, I like it. No, I don't. What about a stern selling off? What about one verbal warning? And if you get 12 of those, you'll get a written warning. Yeah. Eight more of those, you'll get a citation.

Yeah, for those, get a black and white flag. Three of them, you might get your lap time deleted. That's across five seasons. I make my first effects in 2013. It's now 263. Yeah. I've just had a lap time deleted. 200 penalty points gets your licence revokes.

Correct. Just more of a deterrent, because we've had these minimums, Delta times at a couple of races, and some people have been investigated for it, and then nothing's happened. and I just feel like they need to be if sometimes there's mitigating circumstances but also just punish them

why are they afraid to punish drivers to do the wrong thing? It will stop them doing it if you keep punishing them enforce the freaking rules man get that on a t-shirt enforce the freaking rules oh man yeah I don't have too much more to be honest

you both right it's just penalise something when something isn't as it should be It's not that difficult. I'm intrigued by the idea of using speed rather than a sector delta, because you're right, you do have instances where you can just bomb it around the first half of the final sector, and then you can park it up waiting for the right spot in the final sector. So, yeah, I think that might be an answer because it does get rid of it.

As soon as one person does it, it doesn't really matter what the intentions of all the other drives. drivers are behind you, they might have the intention to get on with it. But as soon as the first driver does it, everyone else has to form that queue. So it only takes one driver to be out of line for this to become a bit of an issue. But I do think this is an issue because I hope I'm wrong on this. I think at some point there is going to be, we see laps ruined all the time as a result of trying to weave through traffic in the final sector. I do think at some point there is going to be a crash in the final sector with a slow moving car. All it takes is like one lockup from Belgium this year was one of the prime examples where I don't even remember who it was

trying to get through the final sector. All it takes is one lockup going into the bus stop chicane and you've got a crash and I hope, you know, I hope I'm wrong and that doesn't happen, but I just feel we're running the risk of something like that happening without punishing it properly. Somewhere like Las Vegas terrifies me for that because how long that back straight is and obviously you want to get as much speed going into there as possible, you're right. If we don't, it's going to be dark and the tides will be cold and the track will be cold, you really...

It's going to be noughts degrees. Nort to zero, freezing. That's Celsius, everyone. I think nought in Celsius and Fahrenheit is the same. No, it's not. Is it not? No, it's like 30 or something. What, naught in Celsius?

How do you get to nought? It doesn't make sense. How does that work? I brought it up so many times it doesn't make any sense. I hate it. It makes no sense. It's got logical. What are you measuring?

But then, so does that, What? The temperature of water is a logical thing to measure. What are you measuring with Fahrenheit? Ben, do you know? I do not know. Even years ago, he's a genius. Do you know what? You flavagascar.

I'm shooketh. With that, we're going to be... Sorry, America. We're going to be discussing the VSC on the other side. This is where we go to Texas and they say it's going to be... I'm going to go, it's 30 and they go, it's not freezing here, so. I've turned up like a coat. But it's not.

It's not. So they go, no, it's 112. And I'm like, what was that mean? I checked the temperature before 11. Okay, Lando Norris wasn't very happy, at least at one point in the Japanese Grand Prix. Overall, got a podium. Pretty good of him. But he wasn't happy with the virtual safety car that appeared.

So when it came out, he was five seconds behind Max Verstappen, who was leading the Grand Prix. Landon Norris was then stuck behind a slowish Sergio Perez who was returning to the pits wasn't sure whether he was able to overtake him or not and as a result lost a further five seconds by the time that virtual safety car ended. Sam, do you think the virtual safety car rules need looking at or is this situation just one of those things?

I'm going to come out to say it, I'm not a fan of the virtual safety car generally. I think there are a lot of problems with the virtual safety car. This being one of them. Go on, mate, you don't always say something. Just at that point, what we have now with the Delta, you have to abide to, to get to, before the safety car comes out, just have that now. Right?

It feels logical. Whereas they've got the, what, match a time delta? Well, yeah, but it's just like when a safety car comes out, you still have to do that delta before you, like, all catch up, right? So that's the same thing. I think for me with VSEs, it's so, there's so many dependencies on whether you gain or you lose, and it shouldn't be that. It should be a static formation where you're all going around the track at exactly the same

time right and then a perfect scenario you would be five seconds in front of the car behind you when you the vc starts so when it ends the gap would still be five seconds and that's rarely ever the case and we hear so often about drivers oh they benefited from the vSC or because of where they are on the track they're coming out of a very slow corner it's gone green so they can who fit down a straight and they gain two or three seconds because the car behind them was halfway through a really really fast-paced corner they've had to get up to speed with and it's awkward and you'll see the gap go from, I don't know, 1.5 seconds before the VSC, to suddenly being three seconds after the VSC.

And that, that's wrong. That essentially defies the point of the system that the safety car, the virtual safety car, is not maintaining an equal speed and time balance between all drivers. So I also understand Landon Norris's gripe with what happened. I don't think it would have changed the result. I don't think he could have gone to beat Max Verstappen.

So he also said that as well. But in another scenario, that definitely could be the case. if a teammate who is, and usually in this case, I imagine it would be a teammate, is going very slowly due to damage or whatnot. Communication is poor between the race director, race stewards and the team saying, yes, Landon Norris can pass Sergio Perez or Sergio Perez, you are coming back to the pit, you've declared you're coming back to the pit due to retiring, you get to stay to one side of the track and let cars through, and all drivers can get a message

of if you come up to Sergio Perez, you can pass him. It's hard to maintain, it's hard to manage, It costs people time. It may have cost us a good race, or it could cost us a good race in future, if this comes up, and it's artificially changing the result of a Grand Prix. For me, I actually would just do away with the VSC, and I would have more safety cars.

Safety cars are exciting. They bring the pack together, they make it a little bit more, you know, bit of jeopardy in a Grand Prix. And I just think that VSCs more regularly than not break up a Grand Prix. They cause some problems, and we might get the odd driver

that benefited pitting under a VSC, or everyone, it's long enough that everyone gets to come in a pit under a VSC and actually no one really benefited in the first place. So I just think there are too many issues with the Delta, with who benefits and who doesn't, and you may as well just have safety cars. They always worked in the past. Why can't we have them now?

I like them. I like a good bunching up off the grid. I would say the VSC is an okay concept that isn't quite perfect right now. I would keep the VSC. I think I prefer using a VSC where you don't need a full safety car, where it is just going to be one lap or fewer where the clear-up isn't necessary. Certainly, I think a safety car is required for anything beyond that, but I would keep the VSC, for instances like that.

I just think at the moment, so Sergio Perez or anyone who's in the position that Perez was in, needs to make it much clearer that they are not able to keep up with the Delta. and as you say, Sam, they just need to get off the racing line so that they can be overtaken. And then at that point, it's far clearer for Landon Norris or anyone in his position that he can go through. Because the whole point in the virtual safety car is to neutralise the race. So if you are having a lead doubled, as was the case with Max Verstappen at Japan, that's not neutralizing the race. That is literally the opposite of that. So, yeah, I think in that instance, what I would have is, at the moment, you need to

stay under a delta with VSC. I'd just have it where you need to be over it as well, if that makes sense. So if you can't, in Sergio Perez's instance, stick to that between the minimum and maximum time, you need to either get out of the way and stay off the racing line for the entirety of that VSC to be very clear that you are coming into the pits. Or if you stay on the racing line and you're unable to meet that delta, you get a penalty. So I think that's one thing I would do. There's quite a few things I would do with the VS.

So you say about pitting, Sam, I would say the pit lane is closed for when the VSC is out. Again, I think if you're neutralizing the Grand Prix, letting someone benefit from a quicker pit stop isn't exactly neutralizing the race. So I'd absolutely do that. Yeah, I think just overall it needs a little bit of improvement. We've had it what? seven years now. Yeah.

Something like that. 2014, 2015 it got brought in. Seven, eight years. Yeah. So, yeah, we've had plenty of time with it. The other thing I would probably introduce, actually, is at the moment we get this disadvantage where, depending on where the VSC ends,

you get an advantage or a disadvantage, regardless of whether you're overtaking a slow car or not. This is something, again, to bring up Formula E, they do slightly better than F1. some sort of countdown back to when we get to green flag conditions. Like, you don't have to, because I think FE, they're pretty good with the race director, you know, publicly saying, publicly and to the driver saying the same message. But just have it, you know, where you see the VSC ending graphic come up on the F1 graphics,

just have VSC ending in 10, 9, 8. So similar to how they do it for like Q1 starting. just have that sort of same graphic so the drivers and everyone watching around the world knows that okay the VSE is ending it's not ending straight away therefore if I know it's going to happen in a disadvantage

in a disadvantage position I could work on that to make sure I don't lose out by as much I'd look to implement that too Harry your thoughts on the VSC and what you might want to do I was going to bring up formulary so many mentions

I know We are now late breaking Fee podcast. Like breaking E. Regenerative braking. That's not just me that can't say worse. That's a tough one. That's a tough one. Work on that one, Ben.

My Mingy has that. Good. I was going to say, you know when you go go-karting? I do. We've been. We've been. And someone crashes and they have a control, or me, they have a control where they can just turn all the engines down

and you can't go past to a certain speed. Exactly what I was thinking. I don't mean quite something that basic, but something like that. And Formula Edo that, like I say, the countdown, it's going to be a virtual safety car in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, boom, and everyone's start. And then you've got chance to slow down to that speed. And then you can't go above it. There's some sort of switch. Yeah.

So, I mean, same as, or very similar to the pit lane speed limits, but just. Maybe it is the pit lane speed limit. You have to put your pit lane speed limit on. And then everyone gets a message on their steering wheel that says, pit lane speed limit is removed. yeah and i like your idea but and you count so i think there's that you're right we've had this for a long time now and actually it's not slick it's not the slickest of systems so far and we can improve it so i think there's things they can do um to make it more more fair i i miss out i mean i just prefer a safety car but i get your point that if it's just you know say it's just a bit of debris

they need to clear up a full safety car's quite a lot and you lose more racing laps out of it so maybe we shouldn't have that. So yeah, I think there's definitely some things they can do to... I think from a point of view, on this podcast, we regularly try and talk about what is good for the drivers and good for Formula One, but I think sometimes it's okay to talk about what is just good from a person who wants to enjoy Formula One.

And I do think a safety car just provides more entertainment. And I think it's safe, right? Marshalls get more time to clean things up. And I think most people... And please, you know, come to my mentions. Come and have a conversation with me, if you really disagree with me, but would think that, you know,

a safety car is a lot of fun and it produces more fun. If someone's 20 seconds out the road, it goes, right, we get a chance, something can happen here. But I really am surprised at the level of genius on this podcast. It's somewhat frightening.

Huge. Speaking of genius, what, me? If in Fahrenheit, if North is... What is that in Celsius? I told you, it's like 32 or something. No, but naught in Fahrenheit.

Was it? Oh, it's like minus something, yeah. Sorry. It's been troubling me. I'm going to Google. What is 0 Fahrenheit In Celsius?

I think it can carry on. Like a 17. Makes no sense? I'll get it. Carry on. I feel like Celsius makes a lot of sense based on the, as you say,

temperature of water. I imagine Americans would turn around and say the same thing of well, zero, zero. Why is that not zero? This is so funny, right? This is how you, apparently the simple way of converting. start with the temperature of Fahrenheit, e.g. 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

I've seen this. So I've tracked 32 from this figure, e.g. 68. And then divide that also by 1.8. Yeah, I'll just do that in my brain. Cheers. I'm a normal person. I'm not an actual calculator. Good job. We have Google now. Apparently, 100 degrees Fahrenheit is 37.7 Celsius. You listen to the late breaking weather podcast. What are you measuring?

We've got so many angry Americans. I think only three kinds. country's used Fahrenheit. Going to be chased out of the country. I'm so sorry. We haven't got there yet. Exactly. Oh, hang on. Moving on quickly.

Jessica Hawkins has recently completed a test for Astor Martin. So she completed 26 laps in their 2021 car at the Hungara Ring. It's the first run for a woman since Tatiana Calderon

five years ago, 2018, with Salba. Sam, what are you of thoughts on this happening? I mean, I'm a big fan. Absolutely massive fan. Thank you. Cheers, Sam.

Cheers. I'm a big fan of this happening. I'm glad that she's got a bloody test. I think it's brilliant that these young women who are trying to come through the system are getting their chance. I think we've also, as for, as Formula One fans predominantly, being very limited by our exposure to young women drivers. Right. Jamie Chagwick's pretty much been the only other person that we've heard of.

any time recently over the last couple of years she was on the show, friend of the podcast, is Jamie Jabwick. We can say that now. We can say that. A couple of times. Regular guests.

Two times. That's more than most people. Her and Karin Chandott. Just Karin Chandop, Pips that. Between them, three. Three. But, you know, this is something that should be happening more. It allows exposure for these drivers.

It allows for experience we gave for these drivers. And you never know, you might end up having a test and going, actually, there's something here that we didn't either realize because we didn't give them the chance or one of our drivers hasn't been performing or even if it is simply as you're becoming our number one test driver. It's a good step up. It's an opportunity. It's a it opens a door. And so many of these young drivers get chances. Formula one teams have so many opportunities and abilities to hand outright. I know that you can't do running in the current year's car whenever you're fancy like it for obvious reasons. You're breaking rules. But there's nothing to say that, you know, drivers of all. walks of life can't start doing drives around tracks that aren't being used or test tracks in previous years cars. It happens quite regularly. You'll see a random celebrity do a lap in a car or you'll see a Moto GP driver or a rider. Sorry, we'll get a drive in a Ferrari, for example, for a couple of laps. Because they want to give it a go. I remember Valentino Rossi got a couple of lapsing the Mercedes,

right? And they did a changeover with Hamilton, didn't he? Good Lord. They show that on Sky. every 30 seconds. But they did that, right? And that was legal, it was fine. And he got to drive it. So why can't young women drivers who are desperately looking for a leg up in this opportunity

to show themselves and prove that they've got it, why can't these F1 teams who are apparently so much of a backing to, you know, the young program Formula One Academy? Why can't they do this? If they're so supportive of these young drivers,

chuck them into the 2021 car or the 2020 car and give them a few laps and these, and use the data and whatnot. So I think it's fantastic. She got the opportunity. I want to see way more of it. Apparently Ashton Martin were incredibly happy with the work she did

and they were genuinely thought, she smashed this. This is really, really positive. And she's doing a great job herself. She's doing a great job herself really well. She's done a lot of work, I think, with Jimmy Broadbent. They did a Prague, a championship season together the first time he did that in their own car.

And then he moved on to race with Gordy Mutch, who is a great e-sports driver. but she's really trying to get herself out there as an experienced racing driver. We need more brilliant young women races to get these opportunities. Because I know there's going a lot of people going, well, why?

Why just the women? Men already get the abundance of opportunities to do these tests, right? You can go back and look historically. It's not like they're sat there twiddling in their fingers. They get to drive these cars. So I think it's great.

I think it was good to see and I thought what was awful were the responses on social media by a lot of people which was outright disgusting and sexist and misogynist. and the amount of people saying things like, oh, can you drive the car to the kitchen next?

You are vile, and that is in the bin. Literally disgusting behavior, awful, awful behavior. And you need to take a look at yourself because people like this deserve an opportunity. They've worked bloody hard. And I'm glad she proved herself and I'm glad they were happy with it. So all of all, big, massive fan.

To round off that point where it started. Exactly. A 360, unlike you. 180 all the time. It's forever. never reaching the end. Massive congratulations to her because as she says in her

quote about this, plenty of blood, sweat and tears to get to this point. And you forget that, you know, how much effort goes into making it to that point, whoever you are. So she deserves a huge amount of respect

for being able to test the car. I agree with your point, Sam, in that for those desperately searching or asking for her times, stop it. Like, what's the point? It's a test in a 2021 car around, it's a test session in a 2021 car at a track that we don't go to in September. What do the times matter whatsoever?

There are people desperately trying to search for these and I don't really understand what, well, I understand why, but it's a stupid motivation to do so to try and prove. that she's not, she's not good enough for F1. You know, stop it. Obviously, she's not good enough for F1. Everyone knows that. But it's,

this was a great experience for her. And I'm absolutely for it. These timings, they don't matter in a test session. There's a reason that we don't give out championship points for the preseason test that we have at Bahrain or Barcelona, because they are a testing session.

That's all it is. Look, I, like I said, obviously, She's not making it to F1, given her age and performance in other series. It's obviously nowhere up to scratch. But what's more important about this is, you know, what it can do for her career outside of F1, which it definitely would have helped that.

And she's been involved with James Bond films, right? I think she was a stunt driver there. So that's great for her. And this will improve her image. And the question is, will it improve the chances of other young women who are coming through. Because like I said, I don't think it's going to improve her chances,

but if it can motivate other young women who are coming through the system, then that's great. Then this is an absolute win for Aston Martin to do this. I don't think it ever happened as a result of Calderon testing for Salba, but potentially this one will be different.

It's made more mainstream media than most stories do in Formula One, certainly non-race-related stories, most of which we've already discussed about, you know, Lando Norris and the VSC and Fernando Alonzo's qualifying comments, none of that will have made mainstream media in the way that this story has. So I'm just hoping that the message gets out there to enough young women who'd like to give carting a go or midway through carting

and need the extra motivation to keep going and know that actually one day this sort of opportunity can happen for you. So fair play to her. congratulations to her. It's taken a lot for her to get to this point and anyone who's hurling abuse just stop playing in something.

In the bin. Correct. Get a t-shirt of that on it as well I think. Get in the bin. Harry? Yeah, I agree with both your sentiments. And the only extra thing I'd add here is also like

fair play to Aston Martin because they've not just Jess Hawkins been an ambassador for that team since 2021. Yeah, quite a long, a little while. And I'm glad that she's not just been like a token ambassador.

Like she's actually now, you know, done some driving for them. So I'm glad, I'm glad that that's, you know, worked out for her like that and fair play for them. And also fair play for them to, like, promote it properly.

The video of her after, well, like, of her test afterwards, I was like, oh, it's great. It's touching stuff. Emotion. It's a great, well-made. Really good. Yeah.

So yeah. So fair play to them. And like say, Ben, I, this may not, it's probably not going to leave her to F1, but they are, and it's very baby steps, but, you know, it steps in the right direction. That's to Martin Lerick's competing F1 either. There's other racing categories that she might have a feature. Well, precisely. So, and my point is, to your point, Ben, it's, hopefully this is not just inspiration,

but actually it helps to promote this further. and other teams do the same with other female drivers. So, yeah, it's good stuff all around. All of you in the comments that have been nasty. Shut up, in the bin. Yeah, we've had them. Got them.

We've got them. I've got them for dinner. If you see people in the comments being like this, reply to them saying, in the bin. Yeah, just put the bin emoji. Yeah, yeah, don't even do the words. It's just the bin emoji. Start a revolution.

Yes, right. The bin revolution? Yes, cool. I like that. Right, we'll take our last break of this episode. We're going to be playing F1 back and forth right after this. What journey this episode has been. Oh, God.

It's been something. It has. I'm not the same as I was an hour ago. Here we go, everyone. F1, back and forth. F1. Back and forth, it's F1. Back and forth, it goes backwards.

Then goes forth. It's F1. F1, back and forth, F1. It might be the last time that's played before it's played live. It is indeed the last time. It'll be played before it's played live. F1, back and forth. Apologies to long-term listeners who've probably heard me say this

about 100 times over, but we've got to welcome in the new fans. Anyone not know what this game is yet, F1 back and forth. So Sam will go up against Harry. There is a category. 20 correct answers in this category. They'll keep going back and forth until one of them can't think of an answer or gives an incorrect one.

Today's category, I want you to name the top 20 points scorers from 2010 to 2019. So for that decade, the top 20 points scorers. In total. In total. Oh, God, the door has just slammed itself.

It's fuming. He doesn't want to do this game. He just can't bang it off of this back and forth. I'm blowing back and forth in the window, every. Great. Okay, we can do that. We can do that.

So, Sam, kick us off. Lewis Hamilton. Great. Lewis Hamilton. That's a good answer. That. Cheers. Three thousand one hundred and forty-four points in the decades.

That ranks first. Oh, yes. Harry. Sebastian Vettel. Nice one. Sebastian Vettel, 2,854 points. That ranks second. Good.

Oh, don't. Just the champs. Sam? Nico Rosberg. Nico Rosberg, 1,519 points is a correct answer. That ranks. Shut up. The gap between the top three is mental.

We're doing this in order. I love this. You are doing this in order. We're going to see how long that continues for. Back to you, Harry. Fernando Alonzo. Fernando Alonzo, 1,320 points. That ranks.

four. As if. Let's go stop now. It's going to stop now. Over to you, Sam. Kimmy Reikinen. Kimmy Reikinen,

1,279 points. That ranks Harry. Come on. Surprise. Oh, I feel the pressure now. I can't think of any more. It's more pressure than that you get them right.

I don't care if you get them right anymore. Okay. I'll go for Jensen Button. Jensen Button 898 points ranks 9. Oh, the streak is broken.

J.B. mate, what are you playing at? Sam wins. Woohoo. Daniel Ricardo. Daniel Ricardo would have been, it is a correct... I was going to say, it's a good lot.

It would have been in the right order if Harry had got someone else first. 1,028 points. He ranks 7th. Oh, okay. Back to you, Harry. It was 2019 we're going up to, so the end of 2019.

Vatari Bottas. That's the one you should have given on the first time round. 1,272 points. That ranks 6th. When did we start again? 2010? Yes. 2010, yeah.

Just had to make sure I was getting the right thing. Felipe Massa. Felipe Massa is a correct answer. 829 points. That ranks 11th. Harry. Max Verstappen? Yeah, it could be.

Max Verstappen, 945 points is a correct answer. Eighth on this list. Nice. It's pretty mental that he only did three of those years. Yeah. I know four of those years, sorry. Yeah, but some of them weren't in the best car. Well, even more mental.

Yeah. Mark Weber Mark Weber completes the top 10 8778 points How long we've got left bank? 9 more. Oh 9. You've got all of the top 11. I'm happy with that. I can get wrong now.

It's not obscure, but we're going slightly off the mainstream in terms of wingers and things. Oh man. Michael Schumacher. Michael Schumacher is a correct answer. As if. 197 points that ranks 17th

Wow that's cray cray cray That is cray cray Yeah Sam Carlos Sines Carlos Sines is a correct answer

267 points 16th place on the list back to you Harry Nico Ulkenberg. Nico Holkenberg, 503 points.

That's 13th place on the list. What a baller. Sam. Bloody Red Bull got a mix up all there. Sergio Perez. Just about to go for Sergio. Holmberg's teammate for a lot of the decade. 575 points.

That's 12th place. This is a good back and forth topic. I like this one, Ben. Yes, nice. I've to go. I have to go. I don't know if we'll get all five. What positions are they on the list?

The last ones. The last five. The bottom three and then 14th and 15th. Doesn't really help. Nope. I didn't think it would. Just, well, anyway. Um,

I don't know. Oh, I've got one. I think I've got one. I will go for, oh my God. I also swear if you say the one thing I have my head, I'm so annoyed. I'm panicking now.

Can't think of anyone. Roman Grojean. Oh, for God's sake. Sorry. 389 points, Romang Grosjean is 14th. I despise you. Sorry. Four names left.

The rivalry is real, folks. We do hate each other. Kevin Magnuson. Kevin Magnuson is a correct answer. 157 points in 19th place. Come on, K-Mag. Three names left. Back to you, Harry.

So we've got love. last, and what, 15th and 16th, 15th, 20th? 15th, 20th. 50th, okay. The numbers are pretty low at this point as well. What, Schumacher had, what, 120, you said? Schumacher had 197, but Sam's last answer of Magnuson, 157, which was good enough for 19th. 19th.

There's going to be a couple on the cutoff that I think it's going on what we're going to trip over it. There are a few very close ones. Yeah. Edd have you got to pick the right ones of when they joined the sport as well, I think. Or when they left the sport, potentially. Pastor Maldonado. No good. Not on the list.

He was about 26th, 27th, I think, on the list. I think close. Pierre Gasly? Gassley, even closer, but also a wrong answer. Gassley's 22nd on the list, 122 points. Albono? Nope, no Albano. And go Norris.

No Norris. Too late, yeah, for Norris. Lorus was too late, rather. Stroll? Great shout. Stroll is not a correct answer. Of course, it's not. I got the guy, get the bloody job done.

Come on, we could feel this out. I'm going to go to get Rob, but we can feel this out now. Surely? Nick Heidfeld? No. Did you think he was racing? Even I knew that. Todd to be fairs last year was 2011.

Kobayashi. Heki Kovali. He was close. Kobayashi was close. He was 23rd on the list. Babyface? Nope. Oh.

I don't think he scored any points in that time. Let me down. Timo Glock. No. Ignore that. Yeah, what? I'm not going to, stop. I try and I think of, like, teammates

in the early, in the 2010s now. Ben, are they more towards the early part or the latter part? Um, when they started. They both. One of them still racing. Oh. What? I think I think older.

Oh. It's not the cler. Yeah. Lecler? Yeah. 299 points. I did think, I did think, 2019 was very good for him.

Yeah, he did do well. I forgot. I thought it was going to be world champion. Yeah. But it's one year. Well, two years, I guess. Yeah. It's still, still a fair amount.

Now, um, yeah, did mouth shawl just now. Oh, I thought she gets yawned. That was 15th on the list. One of the other two names was around for quite a lot of the decade. Um, the second half of the decade, more than the first half. Well, no, the middle of the decade. 2013 old months. 2014.

2014 was his first season. Someone is screaming at their radio, right? 2014 was his first season. And he was... Heymi al-Gashwari. No. Eh, keep... Oh, it's on that route.

Oh, Jeff. No. Oh, Bordeaux. Kavia. Kvier. Kvita. Oh, not Bordeaux. I can't say.

Bordeaux. Sebastian Bordeaux. Yes, it's one of the 2010s. Yeah. 170 points. The other name, yeah, was, if I'm correct in saying, in the first year of this decade,

in the last year of this decade. Kubitsa. Bobby K. Bobby K. He had a great 2010. Did most of it in 2010. He's so good, I mean it. He was so good. I was wondering if any of you would say

Esteban Okon, who was 21st on the list, because he was one point behind Kubitsa in Twitsky. Esteban Okon, the most forgettable Formula One driver on the grid. I forget him all the time. I don't mean it personally, but I do just forget about him a lot. A couple of other names who were close. 24th on the list was Paul de Rester. And 25th on the list was Adrian Sutil.

Oh, the two tallest man in Formula One. Soutil. What's he doing these days? Anyway. I don't know. That was it. Also, we've got talked about it. But the world endurance line up of button cubitsa rivetal potentially.

It's going to be great fun. Spicy. Love that. It's a lot of experience there. It's a few years. It's a little bit. A little bit there. Oh, I just a little bit more.

Well, well on, Sam. Good win. Oh yeah, I won. Yeah. Woohoo. A good Sunday for me. I'm not here at week either. Yeah.

It's not actually me for once. I've got to go to another bloody wedding. Yes. I'm so pleased. It's not me. That's a nice segue to say that we will be back midweek. Qatar preview with myself and Harry trying to come up with ridiculous analogies in order to make up for Sam not being there.

But you'll be back for the weekend, right, Sam. Back for qualifying. Back for the race. And I will mock you indefinitely for your. your performances midweek. Thank you. That's all right. Yeah, so make sure you do stick around, folks.

We've got Qatar coming up. It is the second time that we've been to the stringed nation of Qatar. So tune. The what? The stringed. Because it sounds like guitar. So tuning. That's awfully.

And maybe you two could harmonize a great podcast. It's horrible. Join the Discord, look to the description. Patreon is also available. As we're coming to a new month, of course. October begins, you'll get two new Patreon Ep exclusively, Ag free, Kerski's falling asleep. Um, beer with

breaking is available as well. We're going to be doing that in Texas. Yeah! We'll do it on a part of a rodeo, I'm sure. Um, we'll get Harry on the mechanical ball on he's doing the show. Um, or a real ball. Anyway, thanks for listening. Social media is like breaking F1 podcast. Everywhere we go.

Uh, YouTube, you could get scrubby-ub with the yubtub. And we'll see you very, very soon. Thanks for subscribing. We love you. I've been Samuel Sage. I've been Ben Hocking. I'd have been Harry Ead. And remember, keep breaking late.

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