The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Has Hamilton REALLY had tougher teammates than Verstappen?

Episode Date: September 6, 2023

The trio are together to discuss Hamilton's suggestion that Verstappen has not had the same greatness of teammates as himself, Hamilton and Russell's contract extensions, Haas' confirmed line up for 2024, and Stella's anger over McLaren's crash between drivers. They finish with a game of F1: Order Please.. 🌎Get Exclusive NordVPN deal here ↣ https://nordvpn.com/lbf1 It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money back guarantee! 👍 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. And a very warm welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Eid, Sam Sage and me, Ben Hocking. No race coming up this weekend, but of course another episode for you, a few days outside of the Italian Grand Prix. We're fully expecting last week, of course.

We had Lewis Hamilton contract news immediately after we recorded. Sam, what's going to be announced tomorrow? I reckon that we'll be doing a race on the moon in 2024. Bernie was around. That's great input, Harry. Good. Glad you're here. What? Because I laughed at what you said. Yeah, but add something. It's how we do these intros. You had something. You just said, we're going to have a race on the moon.

That's the worst point you've ever made. It's a fair to go point at all. I'm unwell. I'm like going to make stupid points. I reckon the Andretti new team news is going to come on Thursday. Oh, that's a good one that. You can add that to. Andretti are already on the list, don't they?

Add them again. FIA can go on there as well for just anyway. Pollitt Racing's coming through. Pollitt Racing. I really wanted to happen. I know it's not going to be. I really want it to happen. Right.

what's actually coming up on today's episode before we get the influx of breaking news out tomorrow. F1 order, please. We're going to be playing that a little bit later on. Andrea Stella, unhappy with the McLaren duo very nearly crashing at Monza. The Hass lineup will finally get an opportunity to talk about how that was confirmed for 2024.

We got there eventually with that news. But let's start with some spiciness. Because despite the fact that the Italian Grand Prix was very spicy, The comments around the Italian Grand Prix, maybe even spicier. Lewis Hamilton had some words to say on the lead up to the race. He was talking about Max Verstappen and his teammates. He had the following to say.

The narrative that goes through the media, you know, when I qualified half a second or six tenths of a second ahead of Valtrey, they didn't say the same thing as they say today when Max qualifies six temps ahead of Perez. It's blown up much, much more. and in my personal opinion, Valtrey and all of my teammates have been stronger than the teammates that Max has had. Thank you, Lewis Hamilton, for providing the spice. Do you agree with him, Sam?

Yeah, it's like someone's going, you fancy a curry, and he's only ordered a bloody Vindaloo, and everyone's gone, I don't need this spice today, but we did, we need the spice, and we got it. It's a real nose clearer. That's how spicy it is. It really frees up the sinuses. I could do it.

I could do with a Lewis Hamilton Vindaloo, actually. Yes, thank you very much. Honestly, Lewis. What's the need for this? Oh my, sorry. A Vinda Lewis. That's the best point you've made. That makes up for earlier.

Well, I quit. See you later. That's one all on the, good point, bad point. Honestly, what's the need? What's the need, Lewis? You have achieved so very much in your career. And literally, more than anyone else. So is there a need to really make these comments in the press

about tiny little tidbits that, oh, the press, big up Max Verstappo when he's half a second ahead. I mean, yeah, factually, he is half a second ahead and they're excited about it. You're a seven-time champion if you won over 100 Grand Prix. So who cares whether, you know, your teammates were better or not, just to put the argument to bed. His teammates were better than Max Verstappings. I do thoroughly actually agree with the statement.

But the statement doesn't need to be made. Apart from Hakey Koviling, I'm not sure Hakey Kovolining really stacks up against. What do you mean except for Hakekova Linen? I mean, you know, where you look at, okay, hold on, Nika Rosberg, yeah, multiple-time race winning, Valtrey Bottas. You know, not world champion, but multiple-time race-winner, yeah, yeah, yeah. Jenkson, Bussing, world champion, multiple-time race winner.

Fanon also multiple-time world champion and race winner. Hakey Kovilining, one race? I think you just listed everyone who has won a race in Formula One. I don't see any distinction between the names and Lelis. Right, yes, Barry. Just this for baby face. No one else that I understand why I call it babyface either. That'll go, I'm never going on.

I got off the reason. But yes, I think that as much as his point is, I think, somewhat valid, why do you need to make the argument? It just feels like you're kind of, once again, trying to run. each other up. Like you and a long so, old Lewis, you just love the beef.

You know, why don't you make some chili beef and cool down because you need to, Sunshine. It's too much. Simmer down. Simmer down.

That's a good, good expression. Do you think that, what did you make of the comments? Do you agree with them, Harry? And do you think that they were unnecessary as Sam has implied there?

Yeah, like real unnecessary, Lewis. I don't quite understand. I don't understand why. the actual point he's making when now I'm trying to

and I've been trying to think back to the times when Hamilton was out-qualifying Bottas I would say Bottas was closer to Hamilton than than Perez was especially in qualifying

you know a few times Bottas out-qualified him put it on POA etc so I don't fully understand the point Hamilton I think the point is that you've just made that Bottas is a better driver than Sergio Perez and that when he did out-qualify Bottas by six-tenths

well, yeah, that's entirely up for a different debate, but that's what he believes. He believes that Bottas is better than Perez and when he did out-qualified Bottas by half a second, there was no uproar about it. But that was my second point. Whether there was uproar or not, we, and I'm sure as a trio we did,

we questioned Boucher Pottas's position in that team for in the latter stages of his Mercedes career. I think we fairly, and as others did as well, we fairly questioned his position as the second driver in the Mercedes team and

probably called with George Russell slightly earlier than they gave him that drive. So I don't think I don't think that's a fair comment in that sense. I don't you know, the question marks over Sergio Perez. I think we had the same question or similar question marks, I should say, over a Valtry Botta.

So, yeah, I'm not convinced by the point he's making, this seems like a bit of recency bias in the way he's made it. But overall, why have he said this? I mean, I said this to you guys when Ben sent the old sketchy over. Thank God we have Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes and Max Stapton and Red Bull and F1 because we don't have nothing to talk about otherwise. They just keep it coming. And as you say, Helminton just seemed, you know, a bit like big runpicking.

like a grumpy old man about this, he just wants to cause a, cause a storm, the Bernie Echlston approach to a, to media. Never a good approach is it. No, that's unfair. But yeah, it just seems like,

I don't, it's just about unwarranted out of nowhere. So, yeah, I'm not sure I fully agree with the point. I can see, as you say, Sam, I can see why he's maybe saying that, but I'd,

I feel like we've maybe forgotten the conversations we were having about Bottas back in the day anyway. So don't agree with it. Don't know what you've said this, but cheers for the, cheers for the content, Vindaluma. What a great way to end the point.

I think the point that you made there, Harry, is actually what I want to touch on first, which is make of it what you will. And people will interpret this in different ways. But the Bottas Hamilton qualifying comparison to Perez and Vestappen, as in teammate versus teammate, is not a fair one.

In the Vastappan and Perez, what Vostappan has done to Sergio Perez in qualifying completely and utterly goes beyond what Bottas and Hamilton was. Now, Hamilton did occasionally out-qualified Bottas by the margin that he's talking about, five-tenths, six-tenths. But it was rarer than you think it was.

To Harry's point, there were plenty of occasions where Valdry Bottas out-qualified Lewis Hamilton. Valtry Bottas outqualified Hamilton 31 times across the 100 races that they did together, which, okay, that means Hamilton has more, but Bottas put up a good fight in qualifying more often than not. Perez, it feels like not a miracle, but it's a real surprise whenever Perez out-qualifies Vastappen. It feels like a twice or three times in a season sort of event. With Bottas, there would be occasions where he would out-qualify Hamilton, three out of six races or something like that, which, you know, is pretty impressive.

So like I say, people will read into it however they like. Some people will say, well, you think therefore Max Verstappen is the best of all time, or Hamilton is overrated, or Bottas is underrated, or Perez is overrated. Read into it however you want. I just don't think that the comparison between the two is a fair one. And yeah, I think that's part of the reason. the media didn't make as much of a deal about five-tempts or six-tems to Lewis Hamilton, because he didn't do it as often.

And to be honest on this, a lot of it is not necessarily Vastappen out qualifying Perez by five or six temps. A lot of it is Vastappan making it to Q3, where Perez doesn't. Whereas Valtrey Bottas in Mercedes was a lock in Q3 every single time he went out in that Mercedes, right? So I appreciate we're talking here that Bottas's strength was definitely qualifying and Perez's strength is definitely not qualifying. And again, I'm not saying that one driver's overrated, one driver's underrated, not saying that. I just think that the comparison, yeah, I don't know if it's there.

I will say, I think Hamilton's gone a step too far with his quote in that I agree with him, but because of the Covalinan point that you've already raised, it's a step too far. Even if you take Covalinan out of it, to say that Bottas's head and shoulders above Ricardo, signs, Perez, even if you want to throw Albin and Gassley in there, because yes,

they didn't stack up very well to Vestappen when they were in the team, but actually their success post-red Bull has made Vestappen look even better, right? If they'd gone elsewhere, like Albant Williams, and they'd failed there in the same sort of way they did at Red Bull, you'd probably look at it and say, well, what did Vestappen actually achieve by beating these drivers? The fact that they have succeeded outside the Red Bull program makes Vestaffin look even better. So yeah, I think Hamilton's definitely got a point. If you were to put together a list of the top three drivers who were teammates to either Vastappen or Hamilton, the top three would all be made up of Hamilton drivers in the that it would probably be Button, Rosberg and Alonzo, the order of which can be debated. But I think those would be the top three if you were to put all of...

Sam disagrees. I don't think it can be debating. I think the York is quite clear of what order you got those in. Oh, okay, fine. Okay, you can be clear on whatever order you want. But the point is, those are the top three. And I don't think the likes of Ricardo or Perez again in the top three. So I think he's on to something.

Hamilton has had the better of the teammates. Certainly, you know, Jensen Button beat Lewis Haltner. I'm going to walk out of this bloody show. It's the most pointless statistic in all the Formula One. He doesn't even know what stats coming. How does he know what stats come? He's going to double bluffing out. He's going to double bluffing out and then I'm going to still be annoyed.

I was just going to say Jensen Button was very good. I was going to leave it at that. I'm going to put any particular stat behind it. Anyway, yeah. So I think he is, he's right. He's just going to step too far and gone into a bit of hyperbole, I think. There's a reason why Hamilton left out Covaling his own quote. To be fair, if he actually leaves out Nico Rosberg as well. It's not until he's actually prompted. Well, he mentions Button and Alonzo and Valtrey Bottas first, at which point the interviewer goes, Rosberg, and he gets, yeah, yeah, yeah, Nico.

Yeah, yeah. So, oh, well done, yeah. Oh, I forgot about him. The other one-time champ that I fought against for a bit. Yeah, fair. I mean, the Covala Lange one is just quite funny, isn't it, really? Just the golf indifference. Even between Bottas and Covalingan, really, there is a big differencing ability.

But an interesting argument. I hate, you're not wrong, but Covalhlein gets a bad rap. He was a right. He's not a bad driver. He's just a pure mid-table driver that I think somehow found himself into a very good seat. I don't know. If you were to put like Covalhiner alongside

Nick Heidefeld teammates, he'd be right in the mix, wouldn't he? But it's just when you compare it against all of Lewis Hamilton's teammates that it's like, oh, yeah. Isn't he on that weird statistics thing, like the eighth best driver of all time, though? Oh, or some stupid thing

that came out with a couple years ago. Yeah, that was pandemic. That was COVID times, wasn't it? That was AWS's top 10 qualifiers of all time. But I remember this because, well, Covalinan did so well because Yarno Trulli outqualified nearly every really good teammate he had in his career. The only driver he didn't outqualified from my memory was Heikee Kovalinan in their last year in some awful Lotus or whatever it was in 2011 or 2010, 2011. But that reflected really well on Covalinem because he's outqualified

the guy who outqualified Alonzo. But yes, you're right. well remembered. Max Verstappen bit back. He said this was jealousy. Do you think it was jealousy, son? I don't think it's, I think jealousy is the wrong word, because again, I don't know what Lewis Hamilton really needs to be jealous of. And if you haven't noticed, folks, I'm not Lewis Hamilton. So I don't understand his in-depth thoughts and, you know, understanding of how he, he lives and works and processes things. But I'd be very surprised if this is not just jealousy, rather not jealousy, but more feeling a little bit like, hey, I achieved a lot. And then this guy, I wondering his mind, came along and robbed me of the last thing I was going to properly

achieving Formula One. And now you're all kind of pandering over him like he's God's gift. Where's, where's my credit? You know, I do wonder if it's a little bit like, yeah, Max can have his time, but I want to have, in all fairness, my time, you know, too. But I just think he's kind of forgetting that he caught a lot of years, not just the years he was winning world titles, a lot of years of praise of being lifted up by the media, commentary teams. You know, his following is huge, both from fans of the sport and high-ranking celebrities and other sports people. He is adored and, you know, cared for both statistically and emotionally and historically by so

many, but I'm really surprised that he felt the need to even dig into this as a comment at all. So jealousy feels like an odd reason for this, but it does also feel like it's a little bit unprovoked. Maybe he's just a bit irks at the Mercedes is a bit rubbish, and this is how he's kind of lashed out with it. What do you reckon, Harry, do you think it's jealousy? I reckon that we need to stop because I'm not on the right microphone. Oh, God. We're not getting rid of this, by the way, folks, you're hearing this. You muppet. there we go Harry Ead

who's definitely on the right Mike do you agree that this might be jealousy sorry about that folks

I don't think it's jealousy I just I'm kind of with Sam it's maybe Hamilton is you know

not had success over the past two years not his own of his own making but but like I said

before it just feels a bit a bit unwarranted. What was, an apologies, was he prompted on this question or do you just come out

with it himself? It was part of a, part of an interview. Yeah. I didn't see what the lead-up exactly was to it. So it might not have been completely unprovoked.

But yeah, I don't know. It does just seem like he's, yeah, like Sam said, it's trying to, trying to say, you know, I'm still here, guys.

I'm still there. I'm still the seven time more champ. Don't all lose yourselves over this other geyser. But yeah, I don't think necessarily it's outright jealousy. But like I said, I just think it's an odd. Odd comment for Lewis Hamilton to make. It's not the sort of comment you see him.

It's a Fernando Alonzo sort of comment to make. And it seems odd for Hamilton to come out with it himself on his own. You expect that sort of thing from Alonzo. He just realized he's going to be an F1 until the same age as Fernando Alonzo. and he's like, he's like, I might morph into him now,

yeah. Once you sign a contract that goes after 40, you may as well, you got to start acting like Fernando Alonso. So wait until he starts hearing more, ha, bye bye, just in steving a jacksynx over the radio now for the next four years.

Man. So angry at his tires. So angry at his own tires. Yeah, so I think it's just almost out of character, I'd say for Hamilton. normally fairly gracious and complimentary of his fellow drivers, not necessarily a hit at the moment, but outside of the car when he's having interviews. So, odd one, I don't know if it, don't think it's born out of jealousy. I don't really get

the feeling that Hamilton's a jealous, jealous person, but certainly a strange one. Yeah, I, I'm going to somewhat disagree and say, I think this is jealousy and I don't think think it's a bad thing. I think he is 100% jealous of the success that Max Vastappen has been having over the last few years, where Vestappen is breaking records. He's taking race wins almost every single race. I mean, he's just broken the record for a number of consecutive race victories. He's mopping up titles. He's going to win a third one this year. I absolutely think Lewis Hamilton is jealous of the success that Max Vastapen is having. And I do not think in any way that's a bad thing. I would be really worried if he wasn't jealous. I would be worried if any driver was sitting in their car,

not as good as the Red Bull, looking at Vastappen's success. And if they're not jealous, they shouldn't be an F1. Everyone should be striving to have the success that Max Verstappen is having at the moment. Lewis Hamilton is one of the few drivers on the grid who has experienced something incredibly similar, if not just as good, if not better than what Max Vastappen is doing at the moment. I think he's jealous that he's not there at the He hasn't got the car that's capable of pushing Vastappen like he used to. And again, I think it's jealousy, and I don't think it's a bad thing at all. I think it's a good thing. Well, there you go, folks.

That's not what you think, because Ben is a big green raging machine right now, fueled on envy. Eat him a sweet corn, mate. I'm a green giant. Love that. With that, we're going to take our first break. I'm on some chat on the other side. Made it on to the bloody podcast.

Is that even still going? No. Shortly it's still going. Green giants. I'm going to Google it. No, green giant sweet corn. Definitely still got, can't. They can't have discontinued green giant.

Is it living being? Nah, still go. Don't you worry, guys. You can buy her now for a pound. We sing his tuning in glory. Gosh. Two recordings. There's massive delays.

We're talking about the green giant. Kirstie's fuming right now. This is a write-off. Quick work from our friends at NorgVPN. Are you tired of missing out on live sport events because they aren't televised available in your country? Or maybe you're looking to save some extra cash while staying secure in these uncertain times.

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with Norr's 30-day money-back guarantee. It's basically a free trial. Okay, welcome back. We had some chat about Lewis Amman. on that side of the break. We're going to have some more chat about Lewis Hamilton this side of the break because, as discussed last week, Lewis Hamilton and Georgia Russell have signed contracts until the end of 2025.

Now, myself and Sam were able to somewhat jump on the breaking news and give our initial thoughts to this, but we haven't heard what Harry Ead thinks. And everyone wants to know what Harry Ead thinks about absolutely anything. So what was your reaction to the news, Harry? I didn't really care that much, to be honest. Right, okay. Good, Greg, go ahead.

It's like a guest at this point. You're welcome. I was, do you know what? Well, I know you guys were fuming about it because you hadn't anticipated a George Russell signing at the same time. But it was quite a crafty move of Mercedes to sign the pair of them,

sign the pair of them up at the same time, rule them both out, hands off our guys. So firstly, Hamilton one. Do you know what? The Hamilton one, I was surprised it wasn't longer. I haven't listened to what you guys have said, by the way. So apologies for that. But again, we had this the other day. You don't listen to yourself either. So I don't know what you're worried about. You surprised it wasn't longer. I'm surprised it was. I'm not saying like five years, but I thought maybe they might have said multi, multi year deal, but it's explicitly a two year deal, which makes me think

this is it. Hamilton's doing two more years. He wants to get that eighth and then he's gone because I just don't see I get that he's getting a bit older but you'd sign Lewis Hamilton up for a bit longer

or I think he'd want to sign up for a bit longer if he was planning to stay on longer so surprise of that one but still for Mercedes for Hamilton it's a good it's a good move. For Russell, I expected.

I didn't think there was any other any other outcome to that. I don't think he was in any doubt, to be honest about whether he was going to stay. And for Mercedes themselves, yes, obviously great that they've secured this lineup. I could be the best lineup on the grid for another two more years. But it's also, it's bought them two more years of time

to sort themselves out for when Hamilton does go. And if that is in two years time, which I feel like maybe that's what's going to happen. They've bought themselves two more years to, a bring up a young driver or be signed Lando Norris which I think is probably what they're going to go for but yeah we'll see so good outcomes for everyone involved is my overall conclusion on that one and overall great for F1

because Formula 1 with Lewis Hamilton and it is a better more profitable place regarding the length of Hamilton's contract specifically looking at Lewis Hamilton do you suspect that he might be even if, you know, maybe he is going to call it quits at the end of 25. Do you think he is biding his time to see how 26 is shaping up with new power unit regulations? Do you think he's just maybe, I don't know, not committing himself too early on that?

I mean, quite possibly because, you know, he's seen what this latest round of regulations is meant for him and Mercedes. And it's not been overall massively positive, we could say. So, yeah, maybe he doesn't want to commit himself to multiple. years with another regulation change that might not work for him. I think it's sensible. Like I said, I probably was expecting more, but it's sensible for him to keep his options open. The thing is, though, he's not, he's not going anywhere else, is he?

If he gets to 2026 and, you know, the car's still not being good, I don't see him going, going, oh, I'll go to Ferrari now, then, because it's just not the right type. He's not Fernando Alonzo. He doesn't just move teams because he loves F1. So, I don't know, keeping his options open is a good thing and sensible. I just don't really know. It's either it works a Mercedes or I think that's the end of his career. Not by force, but I just don't see where else he would go.

Sam, about a week on from the news or so, Do you have any other reflections after our initial reaction to it? The first was actually how savvy they were to get George Russell still done at exactly the same time. I didn't see that coming. As much as it was obvious that George Russell was going to be sticking around at the Sages, I really didn't think it was ever a debate that he would go elsewhere. I was very much surprised that they went down the route of getting them both done and dusking at the same time because Russell ain't moving over.

I don't think anyone's really going after Russell. I'd be shocked. I think he's so brand loyal to Mercedes, much like Lewis Hamilton, that I think it would take an absolute, another planetary force to come along the force, one of those doing to another side. I think Russell's a lifer is there for good.

With the two-year extension to, obviously, the start of 2026 with any regulations, I think, especially on Lewis Hamilton's side, this might also be a very sly little play from Mercedes who just keep up the evaluation of Lewis. you are in some people's minds, the goat, but are you still performing as the goat? You know, are you still right there with George Russell or better every single Grand Prix? Over a whole season, we're still getting equal results, or has it got to another 18 months

time and we're halfway through the 2025 season? And actually George Russell's, I know, won two races out of five and he scored 130 points. So Lewis Hamilton hasn't been on the podium yet, and he's only down with 60 points. It feels very unlikely, but it also feels very, very sensible and clever to just keep your options open. And yeah, I think Harry, you're exactly right with the other point you made, that Lewis Hamilton, he ain't going away, so they're joining other team, especially for a whole new set of regulations, because if you're doing that then, you're willing it for the long haul. You're not just going for a year because you fancy it. You're going it for a project. It's the start of a new part of Formula One, a new step for Formula One to take.

So you don't just go there for a one-off wing. I also wonder if Lewis Hamilton gets to the two years and goes, it hasn't improved, it's too risky to go any further. I'm having a good run. I'm going to call it here. I'm in my 40s at this point. We're calling it a day. So that's how it feels.

It feels like it isn't all just driver-led. I wonder if Mercedes have quite happily gone along with the old. Yeah, two years. We'll just stick with two years for now, just to see how that goes. Because as much as it's the best driver line up in Formula One right now, will it be in two years' time? We don't know.

Yeah, I agree with pretty much all of your points, to be honest, in that I think it was smart on everyone's behalf, really. If we're looking at Lewis Hamilton specifically to start with, if he is still on seven titles at the end of 2025, then he's got a decision to make. And he can evaluate that at the time. He doesn't need to make a decision now as to how promising 2026 is looking like.

No one knows what the power unit regulations are exactly going to be in 26. It's still hot topic throughout this year. So if Mercedes are looking good going into 26, I think he might stick around for another year. If they're not, he might just call it quits at that point. He's got the flexibility is the point here. And yeah, I can just see this. I can see this benefiting both parties. I agree that this could well be Lewis Hamilton's last contract.

Certainly he will be 40 years old by the time this one's over. I definitely think, and this could be wrong, because I said this last time and it ended up being wrong. I definitely think this is his last multi-year contract. I think if he does sign up for 2026, it will be a one-year basis. Because I think at that point, again, he probably isn't going to want to commit massively into a new era, sort of new era, I guess you can call it with those power unit regs. I don't think he's going to want to commit more than a year. But yeah, I'm glad that he's sticking around. I think it's good for Mercedes. It's good for Hamilton. It's good for the sport. I think everyone should be.

happy about this. Even if, even if you're not a Lewis Hamilton fan, as many aren't, I think he's good for the sport. So I'm glad to see him stick around and excited to see if he can get back in the mix. Certainly, just to focus actually on Fernando Alonzo, I know he joke about Fernando Alonzo being in his 40s and then morphing into the same person. He's probably got a bit of assurance there in that he's not going to be any older at the end of this contract than Fernando Alonzo is right now. So if Alonzo can perform at the level he's performing at well into his 40s now, I think that will give Hamilton the confidence that he can do the same and replicate that. He doesn't necessarily need to be a trailblazer like no one's ever done what he's going to do here.

He can follow the same sort of path as what Alonzo's done over the last few years, which I think should be reassuring to some extent. George Russell, I agree there as well. Just makes sense. It gives him two and a half years to cement him. at the top of Mercedes. That will be his intention. He'll want to be on the top of that tree definitively by the end of 2025. Whether he gets it done or not is another question. I don't think there's any, I don't think there was any interest in the, like right now from another team who is

as good as Mercedes. So it made sense for him to stick around. And I agree with you, Sam, I think he does have a sense of loyalty towards the team. I think that loyalty will extend only so far. Like if it keeps going year after year and no championships come about, maybe he looks elsewhere. I think at least with Lewis Hamilton, he's kind of been successful all the way through his career in that he has been loyal, but Mercedes have given him a reason to be loyal at pretty much every step.

Russell hasn't had that yet. It's not like the car's awful. He's been fighting for podiums. He's picked up a win. But there might come a point where if he's not winning titles, he might look elsewhere. So I still think he predominantly would like to stay at Mercedes longer term than 25. But again, this just gives him the flexibility to see where he's at and where the team's at

the end of this era of sorts. Okay. We'll take our next short break. Actually, no, no, we won't. I'm going to do F1 Fantasy. I've remembered. Well, remembered. Oh, I didn't want to remember.

I didn't do very well. I did. Remember. What's going on? Yes. first of all, the people who are doing better than us, which is a lot of people, it's all Bonn-Rong, is still leading the way in first place, but we have become aware that he is in a league that has banned Red Bull completely.

So I don't know how long he's going to be able to hold on to first spot with that in place. Red Bull are pretty good, as far as I understand. Breaking. So Big Shaq is imputed. Big Shaq's coming. He's in P2. He's always there. Always watching.

If we're looking at Monza specifically, who the top scorers were, we had two teams that shared the top spot on 333 points. That was Red Bull Catering and Time to Cool Gene. Good games. Yeah. And just an update on how we've done. Like I said, I didn't have a very good week whatsoever. Yuki Sonoda didn't make the start.

And Oscar Piastri got punted out by Lewis Hamilton. so I was never going to be doing very well, I'm afraid. I'm now 58th. Sam has gone up to 281st into the top 300. Top 300, baby. That's the aim. 300. 300.

Speaking of people who are in the top 300, Harry's not one of those. He's 362nd. That's an improvement, I think you're missing out there. He's an improvement. You're moving up. Suck it, Ben. And speaking of more improvement,

beef is up. Sorry, she's made a gain by two places to 413. Oh, beef. Well done, beef. Back end beef. So, even though beef made a gain, the whole Harry versus beef rivalry has gone in the direction of Harry this time out.

Yes. It would have gone further because I too had Oscar Piastri in my team. I too have Oscar Piacari in my team. If you think we're at all negative towards Lewis Hamilton over the course of the next few weeks, he's given us plenty of reason to, announcing a contract after we've recorded

and punting out a driver in all of our fantasy teams. We're on Singapore. If you'd like to get involved, the link is in the description for that one. Now we will actually go for a break. We'll be discussing Hass on the other side. Oh, good. Okay, fully appreciating that this news

isn't really brand new off the press. This was a few weeks ago, but we just haven't been able to get around talking about this yet. And that is that Hasse have confirmed their 2024 lineup, and it looks remarkably similar to what their 2023 lineup is like. Yeah. Kevin Magnuson's back for a third year in his second stint. I'm not sure how many years it is total now, like six or something. And Nika Holkenberg gets the second year as well.

So they're not changing whatsoever. Hasse, known as impostors to Sam. Do you still think they're imposters with this decision? The most dull impostors to have ever existing. Usually people who, you know, are fraudulent or, you know, are imposters tend to have some form of excitement around their lives because they go out and they use it to create money or drama or interest, you know, or intrigue.

Impersonating Fred down the street. Yeah, yeah. Who do you impersonate? Jingin that works at the local spa, you know, who cares other than Jingin herself? Very close to, Gene, I've just realized. But this is so circling us, who I will now be for the rest of the episode. Honestly, this is so boring. And weirdly, though, I actually don't really disagree with it,

because while the car is this shockingly bad, what's the point in having drivers that can bump you up the field or you can work with for years and years and years to develop? If your car is this bad anyway, it kind of makes sense you have drivers that are experiencing, in working with lots of different F1 teams and drivers. Although I say this point, it's never got any better. And Kevin Magnuson, Roma Grosjean and Al Holgerberg,

as a trio of old man drivers, been there for ages. It's never got any better. It's not any good, is it? It's still rubbish. So the car still sucks. The line-up is still incredibly mediocre. And somehow, there's still a team on the grid when there are others begging to be on board.

So don't care about the lineup. Don't care. I don't care. Don't care. Do you think you'd have done the same thing, Sam? I know you're saying that, and I completely agree that the car isn't actually good enough for really anyone, realistically, to take advantage of it.

But would you have looked to you for, would you have actually stuck with what they've done here? I probably would have kept, if I, if it was totally my team, I would have been a better car for a start. But I would have definitely have kept one of the oldies and brought in one of the youngies. I think, you know, there are people like Taylor Porsche,

who are probably looking at the likes, obviously they're part of the Alpha Mayo Young Driver Program and they're probably looking at, is the seat coming my way? Don't know, I would have jumped in there first. I'd have gone, look, we'll give you a two-year deal. It gets you into Formula One at this point. And we've seen recently, with Oscar Piastri moving to McLaren

being stolen away from Alpine, that it is worth going out on a limb and taking a risk on a youngster when they've got previous. I don't think Tonya Porcher is the same level as Oscar Piatry. but he ain't bad. I think he's probably better than Logan Sargent. And Logan Sargent, as rookies go, not good, but also not the worst. So what harm is it?

Kevin Magnuson could barely get the car out of Q3, Q1. I wish he would get into Q3. And Ike Hoggerberg, when he does get into Q3, it's still 18th place by the 12th lap. So it doesn't really matter who's in the car. You may as well get something that's valuable that provides maybe, I don't know, some marketing expense or something that allows some money to come into that team so you can spend it wisely.

I don't know, but I would probably not have kept Magnuson and Holkerberg, and I guess I think Holgerberg has probably impressed me more than Magsson has a lot of points difference. Really doesn't say too much. So you probably would have kept Holkenberg of the two. Hulkeby and TOP. Sure. Top. Okay.

Harry, what did you make of the news that both of the drivers who are racing for them this year would be sticking around? Yeah, I mean, it's a classic Hask movie this, isn't it? not surprising, but also not surprising, because Sam's already mentioned, the drivers, I guess, aren't their real issue right now. The car is their issue. So I understand the logic in that sense. But if I'm, if it were me, and I'd fired Sam,

then, then I'd have got rid of Magnuson. In all honesty, has he been good for the last year now? or is he just living off his bar-riding comeback in 2020. Got a poll of Brazil. Apart from the poll of Brazil. Ah, yeah, you might have a point. I, yeah, look, I, you know, KMAG has been box office

and we love him for it and he's, he brings... The problem is he hasn't been, though. No, he hasn't been boring office. He's at 3 o'clock on a Sunday when everyone's in school and nothing's on the cinema is what he is. Well, that's a weirdly specific analogy, but he's not been box office because he's, and it's his own fault, but he's been at the back. So if he has, we don't really see it. But back office.

Back office, yeah. It's been a spare room. He, yeah, honestly, I don't think he's been great for at least the last 12 months. If in all honesty, I don't know what he's done. And yeah, I'd go for someone, you know, a Porsche or a different driver. I'd 100% keep Holkenberg. He's probably been my surprise of the season. I don't quite understand how he qualifies so high every time.

Obviously, the race, it all falls apart. But I don't really think that's his fault. I think the car's just terrible in race conditions. So I'd keep Holkenberg for a bit of consistency. I would have got rid of KMAG, I think. but Haas do this they get rid of the driver that we say that they should get rid of

like a year later than they should do so it wouldn't surprise me if we get to do this time next year and they've signed someone else instead of KMAG but you know that's classic ass so disappointed but not surprised Gunther is my feedback there yeah I wouldn't be surprised

if next year They fire both Holkenberg and Magnuson, get two rookie drivers in. One of them brings a dodgy sponsorship because they're short on cash. And then one of them ends up having to go because of that dodgy sponsorship. And then they fire the other one a year later. And they bring back Magnuson and Grojean again. And it's just this ongoing cycle that never ends. I think that's how it's going to play out.

I understand the logic of what they're doing here in keeping both for their drivers. Even if you don't agree with it, I understand what the logic. is in that their car, as Sam has rightly pointed out, is just not very good. And they do have to scrap around for points on the off chance that they are somewhere in and around the top 10. And essentially, I think that's what their logic is with their driver lineup is like, occasionally we will have a car that is somewhat capable of a 10th, 9th place, 10th place finish. We need to make sure our driver pairing is good enough to. to not muck it up, which is what they've gone for, really, with Magneson and Holcomberg.

They are two reliable, experienced drivers in F1, who, if given the opportunity, are probably not going to throw it away, which sounds like a backhanded compliment, and in some respects it might be, but they know that it's not a rookie driver who is yet to realize their potential and might mess up, mess up a good situation. Now, you're right, obviously, the race pace of the car this year's been a problem. I think ultimately they could have gone for youth. I agree with you that Nika Hulkenberg's qualifying efforts this year have been really good. And almost I'm annoyed that Hass's tireware problems have existed because I would have been really interested to see how many points Hulkenberg would have at this point in the year. He has been qualifying regularly

7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th. What could he have done if that tireware issue didn't exist? At which point we might be talking about the Holkenberg-Magneson differential as being much larger than it is right now. So I understand their logic here. I would have been excited to see someone like Porsche, Olli Baerman potentially with the Ferrari hookup, someone like that come into F1 and deliver something of a Chau-Laclair 2018 season. So obviously we know Chau-Laclair very quickly got to Ferrari in 2019. But he did a really good job for Alfa Romeo Salba in 2018. He was only there for one year, but he delivered that team a lot of points.

And if there is a rookie driver who they are confident that they could do something a bit similar, then maybe they should have gone down that route. But I think either they've looked at the F2 drivers and gone, I don't think there's a driver out there that can do what LeClaire did five years ago. or they've looked at Magnuson's qualifying issues and they think it's solvable. Whether it is something that keeps cropping up, whether it's just actually a lack of pace, I feel like Hass must be somewhat confident that they and him can turn that around. Otherwise, why keep him around?

So Magnuson's qualifying average position is 16th place. Holgerberg's is 11th place, just as a different thing. how the two are performing. It's, yeah, I mean, the average position is one thing, and it illustrates the point very well. But often a lot of the time, Holkenberg is getting into Q3, but finishing in the lower positions of Q3,

which is completely understandable. It's the, for me, it's been the amount of times Holkenberg's made Q3 and Magnuson's been out in Q1 or where Holkenberg's made it to Q2 and Magnuson's out in Q1. It's very rare. I haven't done the stats on this, but it'd be interesting to know how many times both drivers have been knocked out in the same session in qualifying this year.

It doesn't feel like it's been many. I could look out right now, Ben, but I'm probably not going to. It might take a bit of digging, which I might well do, because I'm sad. Right. Moving on. Andrea Stella, he won't very happy. Fuming. He was fuming after the Italian Grand Prix.

Landon Norris and Oscar Piastri had a bit of a difficult day at Monza compared to some recent races. Lando Norris did score some points, but not as many as he's been accustomed to getting over the summer. And Oscar Piastri, of course, who's also delivered a good number of points so far this year. And again, over the summer, no points whatsoever. Probably would have scored one or two, but Lewis Hamilton's sort of that. So the question is, Andrea Stella, really angry as a result of their near-crash, slash crash. They kind of bumped tires. Didn't result in any damage to either of them, but could have been much worse. Is he justified in that anger, Sam? Off topic. It's twice,

Ben. They got knocked out in Q1. Anyway, sorry. Is he justified of being that angry? You know what, Andrea Stella? You're not justified at all. I think you have properly overreacted here. I think you properly lost your top because did you see what was going on at the very front of the Grand Prix around Longsard. Did you see Ferrari? And whilst watching Ferrari, did you happen to hear what Big Frilly Vass said, saying that he wanted to give the Tofosi a show? He wanted to give them a good time.

He wasn't worried. He wanted to have fun with it. Spectacular. Brilliant team management. That's what I wanted to hear from a team principal. And you're screaming your bloody nut off because your two teammates bumped tires and got away with it, Scott three. It happens all the time.

Look at, go back to Zhang Fort where Hamilton's closing down on George Russell, George Russell absolutely poos himself going through the long right-hander and nearly wipes the both out. Good fun to watch. No one complains. You literally knock tyres. It happens a lot. I really do think, whilst I understand the general message he's trying to send off,

points report and we're both drivers to finish, and it's silly to take each other out, this all feel like very obvious thoughts to have behind this argument that he's making. Obviously, both drivers are aware that. that don't take out your team, mate. Come on. That's rule number one. We want to score points with both cars. Pretty obvious. And it costs the team a lot of money if we damage each other. Duh. So I just feel like you've really overreacted to be this level of angry. If all it was, was a passing coming in one of his interviews of,

oh, yeah, maybe a little bit nervous to see the band tires. But we got away with it and the boys know that that's not how we should be driving around each other. Cool. No problem. You said what you need to say. I just think he's really gone over the top with this and you know what? I don't enjoy it as a leadership style. Would you agree he's gone too far with this, Harry? Do you see why he would be

just finding me this angry or do you think he's just overreacted? I disagree with Sam, shockingly. I nip this in the bud, Nip this in the bud, Andrea. You're bang on, son. Sam reference what Ferrari are doing. no one should reference what Ferrari are doing as an example.

It's a fair point. It's a fair point. Yeah. And I look, from a fan point of view, as we said after the review, that was amazing. And I loved watching it. Well, you'll see on our social media, we mean some purring ourselves watching it. But it was exciting to watch. But as a point you made, Ben, I think we all made.

If they had crashed into each other two Ferraris, we've like screamed for freddie vass's head because why would you why would you not have called that off so I I get what you're saying Sam I think you know it was the merest of touches but five kilometers an hour faster from piastrian norse has spun around or you know a whale's not tough so I just think

correct like make make this clear now because I think this is this is going to become a regular thing as Piastri gets into the groove more in F1 and I think those two are going to be on the same bit of racetrack increasingly often and I think get this out the way now

whilst they're not there that often because just sensible I think it's just worth doing so I do see your point Sam I think maybe the way maybe the way it was conveyed is not is not the

best, but I'm with him, I think, you know, unacceptable. You can't crash to your teammate. I know it wasn't a crash crash, but it was still contact

and they, you know, if they want to win, McLaren, they've got to have their drivers on, on the same page. So, I'm with him,

but I don't think it's going to happen very often in terms of them crashing. Anyway, the good news is, Sam must be right on this, because I agree with Harry, which means I'm definitely wrong. Yeah, I think, I did think he was justified in this.

And I won't spend too long on this because actually it's for the same reasons Harry's mentioned there in that it was just, I think, I think it reads initially as a massive overreaction because nothing happened in terms of DNFs or any time penalties or any damage. But because this was the first instance of this happening, it is an opportunity to. to sort of lay the groundwork, always be like, right, this is, the first time this has happened, I'm being direct about it from the off,

this isn't how we do it here at this team, this isn't acceptable. And it's just, it is very clear. And if you hadn't used the phrase, it was the same phrase, I was going to use, nipping it in the bud, like from the off.

And everyone just knows where you're at. And whilst, yes, obviously it didn't result in any damage, I think it's more about the principle than it is about the result here. Certainly, I'm going to have a mind blank here and I can't remember who was involved in the crash in Zambort. There was a really low-speed incident

where there was a tyre puncture. Who was it? Completely gone. Was it Russell? Yeah, Norris and Russell. It seemed like nothing, but it eventually ended in something quite severe. And I think we've seen similar incidents

where you don't, you look at the incident, you think, there's nothing to it. and actually the lightest bit of contact can result in something like a puncture. So I think even though it was just a tap, it could have gone quite a bit worse. And I think, yeah, it's just an opportunity to say, look, this isn't how we do it. This is the way we do things here, not racing against each other for eight or whatever it was at that time. I think if, yeah, I understand your point, Sam, in that it just reflects.

as a massive overreaction to something that didn't actually cost either of them any time or any position. I just think it's more of a for the next time this happens, they're clearer about what they can and can't do. Whether it will actually work or not, that's a completely different question because we've seen, we've seen see principles be quite severe about this in the past and it just go out of the years, go out, go in one ear and out the other for drivers. I'm thinking back to force India more than anything. But yeah, it'd be interesting to see. I just don't understand why it needs to be so public. You could have being nice and calm to the cameras, to the microphone.

If you want to have a word and each driver's ear privately, you could do that privately. I guess, think publicly this was over the top. I agree with that. I think it would have served him better to do this more privately. I'm trying to think what the benefit of going quite publicly severe was, and I'm not sure if there's anything shareholder-wise

that it would have been beneficial for him to do. I don't know, but you're certainly right into what's the benefit of being massively severe in public. If you're trying to send a message to the drivers, is going public actually helping him at all that?

I don't know. All right. We are going to take our final break of this podcast. On the other side, we will be playing F1 order, please. Okay, here we go. F1, order please. B's. There we go.

Okay. Or we're ordering drivers by the size of their knees. This game is full of facts. Just you wait and see. This is Formula One. Order, order, please. Full disclosure on this one. I have to go back.

Because I wrote this a few weeks ago. I don't recall any of the questions I've actually done for this one. So it's going to be a surprise to me as much as it is for. the other guys. Right. F1 order, please. So I'm going to give them four answers in a category, very simply.

They have to order them. It could be tallest to shortest, could be soonest to not so soonest, whatever that word actually is in English. I haven't done a very good example here. But essentially you have to order four things. And if you get it right, brilliant. You get a point. If you don't get it right, you have to pass it over to the other person in the

game, they get the option. Do they want to try and steal? And there is risk involved in this. If they steal and get it right, they get a point. But if they steal and also get it wrong in a different way, they lose a point, which means minus points are not only a possibility, but indeed a probability. Good. Very quick point before we actually start on F1 order, please. the theme song for order please whether it's a can of Coca-Cola or a lump of cheese how is that relevant ordering anything? Because you might be like all

at different types of Coca-Cola or different lumps of cheese. I mean the line after that makes it you know, drive us by the size of their knees is a bit niche but makes sense you could do that. The first line doesn't really make sense. I have to come up with a rhyme for knees and the only thing I could think of was cheese, okay? Friends of T's.

Heights of trees. There's so many options. Hey, we're not getting that onto trees. Right. That's niche. Yeah, that is niche. I think we've covered that on a bit of a break in, but never mind. Right.

We're actually getting on with the game now. Numbers one through six are the options. Harry, kick us off. What number would you like? Number six, please. Number six. Okay, from best to worst, where these drivers finished

in their final season in F1. Great. So you've got, Mark Weber, Jackie Stewart, Mika Hakenen, and Nikki Louder. Oh my God.

The moment I heard Jackie Stewart, my face just went, gna, gone. From best to worse. So for best, I will go for Jackie Stewart

then I'll go for Nicky Lauder then I'll go for Mika Hacken and Markweber as worst Nope good which means

Sam has the opportunity to try and steal this if he wants to would you like to give it a go there is nothing I've ever wanted to steal less than this question I am shocked Right. Probably a wise one to leave this one alone. You started very well at least in that Jackie Stewart was the first because he won the championship in his final year in 1973. But then you had to go to Mark Weber, who finished third in 2013. He was second. Then it was Mika Hakenen, who was fifth in 2001, which was his final year. Well, until he comes back, of course. And then Nikki Lauder was 10th in 19. 1885 the year after he won his third world championship.

Oh my sweet. I assumed Louder would have been like up there in 85. Good Lord. Look, honestly, have a look at Nikki Louders' 1985 season. It is just like, just Wikipedia, right?

It is a C of RET. Like he just retires from like 90% of the races that year. There's howl. Nice. Well, it's nil-nil. Harry didn't get it right and Sam didn't try and steal it which I can't blame him for whatsoever.

Any number between one and five please Sam? Number two please Ben. Four drivers. Tallest to shortest, please. Good. He's got Lando Norris, Charles LeClaire, Pierre Gassley and Sergio Perez.

Oh, for Christ. It could not be more of a guess if it tried, could it? You think, I want to notice anyone. Sam hoping for Estabana Okon and you keep some Noda in there. I was waiting for Sotil, maybe. Sotil and Sondola to come up. Seven foot four. I'm going to go, do tallest shortest thing.

I'm going to say, Lecler, Perez, Gazzley, Norris. Much like the first question. That is not right. Harry, would you like to try and steal this one? No, absolutely not, no. I've got to say, it's a good effort from Sam there. That is not far off at all. You got the first and the last one, right?

It's just the middle two. You're the other way around. So LeClau's the tourist. Then it's Ghazley, then Perez. And then Lando Norris is the shortest of those four, as you correctly identified. But we remain at nil-0 as we go back to Harry. Number one, please.

four drivers from earliest to most recent when they had their first win in Formula One. One Pablo Montoya, Fernando Alonzo, Kimmy Reichenen, Giancallo Physiakala. Okay. They are like all of the same time. You're a Gitt. Yep.

If it helps you, none of them won their first. race at the same time as any of the others. Would you be the same time? None of them won their first... None of them won their first race at the same race. Great. Thanks, Ben. No worries.

First up, I'll go for Mr. Chunky. He was the earliest. then it was uh kemi Reichenen then physicaler than alonzo I mean this isn't very good for audio listeners whatsoever

but I'm teasing whether I'm going to play the order button here order! Oh thank God there it is that was the longest delay in my life I was trying to build the tension but I don't have the banker music like real or no real. Yeah, well done.

Pablo Montoya won his first race at the Italian Grand Prix in 2001. Then came Kimmy Reichenen in 2003. Well, the other three were all in 2003, as Harry identified, they were very close to one. I know. Reichenen was Malaysia 03. Fisichella

was then Brazil 03, which I think was maybe a race or two races after that. And then Alonzo was later in that season, so that was hungry 03. But he's managed to get it. Good job. Sam, where do you want to go next? Number four, please, Ben.

Number four. Okay, so we've got four drivers here who have been a substitute driver and I want you to say from best to worst how they performed in their substitute race. Okay, you've got Nick DeVries at Monza last year. Liam Lawson, and I'm talking about Zanvort, rather than the last time out at Monza.

Paul de Rester, who filled in for Felipe Masa at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2017. I didn't write that time. And who's this, oh, Van Dorn. There we go. Van Dorn.

I can see my handwriting is often, folks. Stoffel Van Dorn, 2016 Barron. Grand Prix, he filled him. So from best to worst, how they performed in those races? Best, DeVries, then Lawson, then Van Dorn and then DeRester? I'm afraid not, which means Harry does have the opportunity. I see it's stealable time, this is.

What do you say then? DeFries. I said DeVries, then I said Lawson, then I said Van D'Orne, then I said Derrester. I don't know if that is easy because I don't know I think I know what the second one is I don't know about the last two now I'm playing safe and not stealing it playing safe and staying at 1-0

Sam yeah you've done exactly the same thing as the first question in that you've got the first one right and the fourth one right is just the middle two that needed to be the other round Nick DeVries was ninth place at the Italian Grand Prix last year then it was Stoffel van Dorn who picked up one solitary point at the barangor

for 10th place. Then it was Liam Lawson at Zamvort, who was 13th, and then Paul de Rester, retired from the Hungarian robbery. Yeah, yeah, I just, I couldn't remember where Van Deng finished out to anyone that was throwing me. Yeah, three or five, Harry. Five, please. Correct. Okay, here are four corners at Silverstone. I want you to, from fastest to slowest, the average cornering speed of these corners. Oh my God. So you've got Stowe, Luffield, Beckett's, and Vale.

It's pure guessing time. Which means Harry will get it right. Stowe, Loughfield, Beckett and Vail. I can't actually remember which one LaField is so that doesn't help but I will go for I will go for Beckett's is the fastest

then Veil then Stowe then Laffield Would you like to try and steal Sam I can't really wing so I have to really Otherwise it might be a drawer if I have somehow You can win. You draw, yeah.

I can't, because if I say no to this, I get the point next time, it's a draw. Either way, I can only draw. I have to steal this point. That's something you can win if you steal the point, get it right. Yeah, my point is I won't be like to get it right. I'll steal it anyway, for entertainment's sake. You've got this. I've got this.

I'm probably going to get more wrong, because I, my find is also gone blank, and I can't remember which Corga Laffield is. Where is Laffield? Okay, I'm going to say Stowe Beckett's Vale Loughfield. I thought you had it. The other two, the last two in the other way around. Yeah.

Which was Loughfield? It's the one after Brooklyn's. Oh, right. Yeah, it's not that quick. Yeah. So Stowe is. is the quickest there. Then it's Beckett's.

It's a bit of a cutoff here. So Stowe and Beckett's a pretty quick corners. There's not much between those two. And then Loughfield and Vale are pretty similar, but Luffield's slightly quicker. But that was, that was a pretty disgusting question. Say all a bit, Ben.

This has been a horrible quiz. What have I got left, please, Ben? I would pick number three, my lord. Very good. Very good. Okay, in that case, I'll have a free. There it is. Okay, just asterix on this question.

This does not include the Italian Grand Prix because I wrote this before the Italian Grand Prix. So don't include, when you're thinking about the answer, don't think about the Italian Grand Prix. Four teams. how many Q3 appearances they have had in 2023. So if you've got two drivers who've made it into Q3 at one race, that is two Q3 appearances.

So it's almost adding both drivers together. Okay. Maxill of 2A a race. Correct. Yeah. So we've got Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren,

and Ferrari. Most Ferrari Second Mercedes Third Reg Bull 4th McLaren This point obviously is fairly meaningless So I won't

I won't do too much in the way of tension But I will do a little bit In the way of clicking a button Order Yes I didn't get everything run today It's a good answer to that. It's very easy to fall into the trap of thinking, well, Red Bull are probably first.

But of course, Sergio Perez has missed Q3 a fair few times this year. So Ferrari 23 is somehow first. Then it's Mercedes with 20. Then it is Red Bull with 19. And then it's McLaren with 17. Yeah. God, that was a brutal quiz, Ben. Genually a brutal one.

Disgusting. Yeah. if you want to do them, be my guest. Otherwise, shut up. Yeah, okay. You got me. You got me. I don't know. That was a, that was a particularly brutal order, please. And I think I've had enough of brutal segments for one episode. But I think there might be time for what I can only describe as the greatest segment in all of Formula One podcasting, which is, of course, The LB question of the week. Week.

So bad. Right. Question of the week, this time out. Obviously, I've become the Alpine interim team principal. Didn't go very well at Monza, but trust me, Singapore is ours. The question of the week was, what should my first decision be as Alpine interim? and team principal.

Any ones that you like, guys? Yeah, got a couple. We go Instagram first. I enjoyed this one from Lance. He said, bring Eddie Jordan as a strategist and change the game back to Benetton Renno. You might actually have more success if you do that, guys. And then second one from Mio Blood of Tom Sage, my cousin,

look for LaPlain in the French dictionary, because quite frankly, it doesn't exist. And that is how it feels. at the moment. It's capitalised, so it's not going to appear in the dictionary, that's why. I really enjoyed Katie from Texas, a regular Discord member, Discord, said, get the Jurek sponsorship, so you didn't get any women pregnant, which does your reference to the Otmar's ridiculous quote.

But even better, the follow-up was a reply from Ben's lovely partner. who said, is there something I should know? I'll try and stop. Oh, gosh. I mean, Rob Poe 11 had just said, make the car work, which is a fair point. He's not right.

He's got a really good point there. He's got a really good point. A couple on Twitter that I'm going to go to. Oh, Ben, such a delay. folks that he's he's talking well he's talking. Ben. I was going to.

I was waiting for Sam. Go on. All right, Ben, just so you're well, you do start hearing this, I've begun talking. Dakota on Twitter said, make it pink, you coward, which I fully agree. And if you're going to go for a livery, do it. And then Philip Weber on Twitter, just goes,

so different P.U. Supplier, which is absolutely savage. I loved it. I can't believe Sam just said, Ben, when you started hearing this, I've started talking,

what does that even mean? I don't know. Ben's not incorrect. Oh, gosh. Any more for any more? You go. Ben, you go. For the love of God.

Please go, Ben. I thought they were all rubbish this week. No, I'm joking. I actually had the same one written out for Make It Pink You Coward from Dakota. Change Lear-Wing to Obagette to reduce the drag from Liam Baker, which I'd just like to see a baguette on the back of an F1 car, really. That'd be good fun. And Hianiko Rosberg to take selfies in front of every garage except Alpine.

which thinking about the Nico Rosberg curse might be a good idea. That was from Virgil, so I might go ahead with that. Nice. A great selection, I think. Yes, indeed. And Elby question of the week, as you can probably understand, is every week. So we'll be doing some more next time out. We'll have some other ridiculous question that doesn't really make any sense. And we'll read out some more answers from your lovely people.

We always do that on at least UK time. It's usually Monday, early evening. or so on Instagram and on Twitter so you can get involved on both of those channels. And I'm sure in Sam's new snappy outroes that he's debuting, he'll mention where you can find us, what you need to type in on your old, on your old computers to get there. That'll do it for this episode. Sam, if you wouldn't mind, getting us out of here. Folks, we are, of course, in Discord, which the link is in the description, joining out of 2,000 people talking all F1. We're also on social media, late breaking F1, anywhere you can find

us. And that includes the yubtubs, where you can subscribe to watch all video content. We've also got Patreon. If you want two extras every single month, which are ag-free, every episode is ag-free on Patreon. Get yourself down there. Links in the description. We also have beer with breaking. And top tier gets birthday shout-out. So if it's your birthday in September, head on over to the Patreon. You might get a little shout-out from us. We do them at the end of the month. Thank you for listening. You don't understand how painful this episode has been from a recording point of view and we all love you very much. We can be back

on Sunday of course for another non-race episode. In the meantime I've been Samuel Sage. I've been Ben Hocking and I've been Janine from the Spa. And remember, keep breaking late. Janine has. Make this end.

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