The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Lando Norris vs George Russell - who's better? | Episode 61

Episode Date: July 22, 2020

There's no race this weekend, but there's still a podcast! This week we're asking who we would pick for our F1 team - Lando Norris or Goerge Russell?Make sure to SUBSCRIBE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network. Thank you for listening to the Late Breaking F1 podcast. Make sure to look out for new episodes every Thursday and Grand Prix Sundays. Hello and a very warm welcome to the late breaking Formula One podcast. My name's Ben Hocking, joining me this evening. Surprisingly, a Samuel Sage and Harry Ead for a change. I mean, you couldn't have seen that one coming. Guys, how are you doing this week, a week where F1 is not a thing?

Huh? You mean, we haven't got a week with racing in it. That's not a thing. That hasn't happened before. We definitely have it every week. So this is a real disappointment. It's like a cold, harsh reality of what the real world is like. What COVID lockdown was like, no F1 at the weekend. Not a fan. My family also get to see me, which I'm not sure who it's worse off for. I don't know about that. It's a close one. Yeah, I get what you mean.

We've got to Wednesday, recording on a Wednesday today. And how do we do this for like eight months? It baffles me. It doesn't seem possible. Again, great question. Anyway, after this week is over, we will be back, of course, with three more race weekends. Absolutely love it. But in the meantime, we're going to get down and talk about a few things.

We're going to be looking at Lando Norris and George Russell. Two drivers that came into F1 at the same time. We'll be discussing which one we would rather take for our team. we don't actually have a team. It's all hypothetical, although that is a great idea for the future. We're also going to be talking about some of the comments made by the likes of Mario Andretti,

which Lewis Hamilton has fought back on, comments about racism. We'll be looking into those in a little bit. And after Kevin Magnuson and Romang Grosjean were penalised from the Hungarian Grand Prix due to the formation lap, we'll be looking whether the rule should change regarding what can be and can't be said on that formation lap. and a game of F1 and higher and lower,

just to see which of you two morons can come out on top. But first, Lando Norris, George Russell. Like I said, they came into F1 at the same time. Lando Norris, a few more opportunities in that McLaren, but George Russell is fairly evident how much talent he's got as well. Sam, I'll kick off a view on this one. You had to take one. Which one would it be?

This is a really tough decision. I actually think this decision is harder than the video we did last season, which was between Max Mustafa and Charlotte LeCler, you know, who's going to be the better driver over history. I generally think these two could be two of the greatest CFWan drivers we've had, and I do think that they are so equally matched. It's ridiculous.

If you could ask me, maybe 18 races into last season, who I would have taken. I probably would have said George Russell. Lando was having a tough season. Reliability struck one too many times. Carlos Sykes was clearly the lead driver of the team. But it's amazing how three races can just turn an opinion like that, George Russell is dragging that Williams team kind of out of bed into the shower and getting ready for the rest of the day.

He is making something of that terrible, terrible car. And good on him. It's showcasing his skill. You know, he's theoretically beaten Kibitsa, despite that one point. Ridiculous. And he's currently, no, I know. But, you know, come on. And, oh, I'm not focused, everyone.

There we go. I know everyone. And, of course, he's absolutely destroying Nicholas Satifi. there's kind of no real competition there. It's very much a first and second driver at William. So George Russell showing real potential for the future. Lando in this new season, last lap Lando is sitting, what,

fourth in the Constructors Championship, I think, maybe third. The guy single-handedly is propping up McLaren in fourth place in the constructors. It's showing fantastic things. It comes to overtaking, when it comes to managing tires. He's extracting raw pace from MacArthur

realistically is still a midfield runner. Yes, it's a strong midfield runner, but I wouldn't say as good as the racing point. Still not as good as the Red Bull. Of course, the Mercedes is long gone. And I'd pretty certainly it's battling with the renaud itself. Of course, they have the same engine manufacturer.

I honestly could tell you up to this very point, who I take. I think whoever you get gets a big tick in the box. I'm going to go Lando Norris. And I think that's because his junior career speaks volumes, because

Despite he didn't win the F2 championship, George Russell did, Landon Morris's junior career has been extravagantly fantastic, beyond recognition how good his junior career was. And he's now really starting to apply his trade in Formula One. He's beating Carlos Sites' hands down. I think despite the fact that he got a little bit unlucky with how Pitsops rang in Hungary, he was still incredibly quick. He showed that off in qualifying as well.

I'm sure he will come back stronger in Silverstone, Part 1 and Part 2. I'm excited what both them could do. I think they're going on both end. I think of the saying it's been. next four to five years. And they could be duching out for world championships if Mercedes are still in the sport. For me, just though, absolutely just for like half of a percent, Lando Morris. I mean, Russell versus Norris in a car that's capable of winning races or even titles, I mean, that is something I'm subscribed for. Can't wait. And just to say as well,

I can't wait for 2035 when George Russell has just won his eighth world championship and the Doubt has come back and say, I don't think he's the greatest of all time. Remember, he did lose 1-0 to Robert Kubits. Can't wait for that to happen. Anyway, Harry, what's your thoughts on this one? Who would you take? Like you said, if I hadn't chosen, I'd have both of them in the same team, because I think that would be an absolutely mighty lineup.

Yeah, it's tricky one to compare, isn't it? Because, like we said, Russell has been in the car that doesn't, it's not necessarily been worthy of his talents. And he is, you know, this year, the car is sort of semi-competitive now in terms of the back-of-the-grid competitive, but it's still kind of there. And George is now wrestling it through qualifying. And I have no doubt had he been in McLaren with Lando for the past year and a half, that he would have excelled, like, just as Lando has.

I think for me, at the moment, I might just take Lando, but again, I feel like I'm being unfair because we've just seen more of Lando racing because he's had the ability of the cars given him the ability to race other cars, whereas the Williams hasn't really

given George that ability. You know, the one time he's really had it was in Austria a couple of weekends ago and he did fall off the track. But to be fair to him, he's never really had that chance in their phone car yet. So yeah, I'll give it to Lando, but honestly

both of them are such promising talent We're very spoiled for choice here for those, you know, for us watching because it's not often you get two exceptional drivers come up at the same time. They've come through the junior formula at the same time. They've both come into Formula One at the same time. And they're both great and they're both future world champs in my opinion. So I'm going to go with Norris for now, but I think they're so close. And I think Russell could also end up. being the better driver one day,

you just needs a better car. But for now, Lando, last lap Lando for me. Yeah, I echo both of your points on Lando Norris and Georgia Russell. You would not complain if you had to take one or the other and you didn't have the choice. They are both quality drivers and they're going to be an F1 for a long, long time. And I think that they both have the potential to win championships, plural. They are really great drivers and their junior record speaks volumes.

and I'll get on to that in a bit. Just to say as well, your point about both drivers coming up at the same time and we're very lucky in that respect to be able to witness it, I think I've mentioned this quite a few times before. I think in the 21st century, we've had three great influxes of Formula One talent.

You've got the kind of 2002, 2003 era when Reichenen and Alonzo and Massa, Weber, they all came through. I think the next influx came in sort of 2006, 2007, Vettel, Rosberg, Kubitsa, Hamilton. And I think the next great influx of talent has been recently, because you've got these two drivers, you've also got Shaola Claire. In terms of age, you can also include Max Verstappen.

So I really think that you've got a great young core of drivers here who could very well dominate the sport for the next 15 years. I mean, it is so close. It is so close. And just looking at their junior records, you allude to Lano Norris's great junior record, Sam. And, you know, just looking at what he was able to achieve, he won the MSA Formula Championship first time of asking 2015.

He won Euro Cup Formula Renault, Formula Renault, NEC, Toyota Racing Series, all in the same year, all of the first time of asking. European Championship in Formula 3, he won that first time of asking. Second place in Formula 2 is only attempt at the series. It's really brilliant. And again, I welcome people to correct me if they can find something. nothing else, but I do not know of another driver that has had more race wins prior to entering Formula One than Lando Norris. So really an exceptional junior career for him. But George Russell,

you know, there aren't many people who can hold a candle to Lando Norris's junior record. George Russell is one of them because he won, he was championship winning all the way through as well. British Formula 4 champion, first time of asking, GP3 champion, first time of asking, Formula 2 champion against Lando Norris, first time of asking. So they both have stellar junior careers. And you can argue that you need to look towards the junior career just because of the lack of competitiveness George Russell has encountered in his Formula 1 career so far. Quite frankly, it isn't fair to compare George Russell in that Williams to Lando Norris in that McLaren,

even if that Williams is slightly better in 2020. It's still not good enough to make much of a comparison. and whilst Lando Norris can be compared against his teammate, and I think he did a reasonable job in 2019 against science. George Russell could only be compared to Robert Kubits' the last season. And this season, he might well only be able to be compared against Nicholas Latifi, potentially the alphas and the hash drivers as well. But that remains to be seen.

I think they both have reasons why you'd go for them rather than the other. With George Russell's, it's fairly straightforward. They were both in Formula 2 at the same. time and George Russell won and he won by about 70 points, which is a fairly impressive margin. So that's definitely the reason you'd go for George Russell. With Lando Norris, you have to consider he does have more Formula One experience. Of course, they've had the same number of races, but I'm talking experience here. George Russell is essentially driving a Formula 2 car, or at least he was in 2019 against everyone else in Formula 1. Lando Norris was getting stuck in

in midfield battles. So in terms of experience and also in terms of youth as well, Lando Norris is a couple of years younger than George Russell. So, you know, if you think back to the Formula 2 point there, George Russell won it as a 20-year-old. Lando Norris was 18 at the time. And I know two years isn't all that much. If you would say, I don't know, a 34-year-old won a championship against the 32-year-old, you wouldn't say, oh, that's because of experience.

But that 20 to 18 range for someone like that, that can count for a lot. So, you know, I think he has that reason going for him. Don't think you're going to go wrong whichever way you go here. Just because, and the deciding factor for me is the F2 season. So I'm going to go with George Russell. But, you know, Lando, that's fair. I can't argue against you choosing Lando Norris, I ever. Moving on to some comments that have been made by some senior figures in motorsports.

Of course, the Black Lives Matter move. movement has been very prominent in the first part of this season. It's fair to say that the Hungarian version wasn't quite as smooth as it was in Austria. It seemed very rush just before the National Anthem. And off the back of that, there have been a few comments made by Mario Andretti, who has said that Lewis Hamilton is currently creating a problem that doesn't exist, and the whole point of this is pretentious. and some other comments from the likes of Sir Jackie Stewart saying there is no resistance for change.

If someone is clever and good at what they do, they will be accepted in Formula One. Sam just takes away on this one. What do you make of these comments, considering the effort that Lewis Hamilton is putting in right now? Firstly, let's talk about what happens in Hungary, because how rushing, embarrassing do you want something to be? F1 have claimed multiple times that they stand with Lewis Hamilton, with people of a might, from a minority background, people who have suffered racial bias, and they are going to commit to change. They're going to commit to making this better.

I've hopefully said we will do what it takes to make it better. And drivers are late. Half the drivers are kneeling. Half the drivers aren't kneeling. Gee of them actually still running through when the national anthem is going on. It's an absolute farce. It's a ridiculous show. And I think about six drivers managing ill for all about eight seconds

before the national anthem actually started playing. So that was embarrassing. Terry Run, from a multi-billion-pound corporation, you expect a little better than that. So I'm hoping they do it justice a bit more when they come to Silverstone. In terms of the comics made from the likes of Jackie Stewart, Jean-Toggs made comments,

Andretti, obviously, as you just said, made comments there. The fact that you're saying there is not an issue is hilarious. It's like saying that women have just an easy ride into Formula One as men do. It's like saying that men definitely get as much sponsorship as opportunities as women do. Well, we all know that's a little rubbish.

Women don't get any as much of the attention. They don't get as much sponsorship. they don't get as much help from an early age. And it's the same with people of a minority background. People who are people of colour, like Lewis Hamilton, someone who has had to come from literally nothing. That man came from nothing. He came from Stevenage in the UK in a council house

and is now, theoretically, in many capacities, the most successful Formula One driver of all time. All he's got left now is race swings in a world championship and he will be in every capacity. People of colour can achieve as much, if not a lot of the time more than pretentious old man white people who think they can run everything just by saying oh there's not an issue i've never experienced an issue of course you haven't you've had everything handed to you on a plate and a lot of these people who are speaking up now saying there's no issue and if you're clever enough you can walk into the sport are downright wrong because there are fantastic women that want to work in motorsport there are fantastic people of colour that are working motorsport and they literally can't get into the industry and it's ridiculous and formula one's missing out on endless, endless talent because it refuses to open its eyes and help those people who come from a disadvantaged background. And thank God that Lewis Hamilton is doing something

to stand up for it, because I don't think anyone would otherwise. There's a single other person on that grid who will have spoken up and said something, and he has made a change already. It needs to be more. F1 need to back him, and the supporters of F1 need to back him further. But thank God he said something as it is, because it's been shockingly bad. So yeah, let's hope that next weekend in Silverstone we see a bit of a reprise of that going on and Hamilton can really extend that voice. I'm glad he's calling out previous world champions and race wing is saying that it's disappointing, it's not good enough and he's not shying away from it. This will be his legacy. Along of those titles, this will be the change that he makes and I'm bloody proud

to see it happen. So late breaking, we're with him as always and let's hope we can see more of it. Harry, what did you make of what happened in Hungary and also the comments that have referenced there? Formula One, which is a sport which prides itself on split-second decisions and, you know, the fastest, being the fastest sport on the world. And it's managed to organise itself through one of the worst, perhaps the worst global pandemics to go racing again. But it was completely shambolic on Sunday. know why why was there not more time left

by the organisers to you know for all the drivers to get to they move the national anthem thing to the pit lane anyway which I don't get what that was for so obviously drivers were confused about getting there on time getting there early to do it you know to

take the knee etc so yeah I don't know what's going on there that was just rubbish for F1 and just makes me look at like amateurs yeah and for what seemed like such a positive of start, you know, to this campaign from 4-1 in Austria. It just has rather fallen off the radar a bit, as Hamilton said.

And, you know, even at the second race, they showed about 20 seconds of it on the TV before they went away to some skydivers, which again, that was bad enough. And then this was even worse. They gave them about eight seconds to kneel down, and then they started playing the national anthem. So, yeah, like Sam says, I hope they sort it out for Silverston. And as for the comments, I struggle to understand what the issue is with,

why people have the issue with it, with, you know, Hamilton in particular, but any sportsperson or 401 one driver, you know, speaking up for what they believe in. Like, they're still human beings, after all. It doesn't matter if they are a Formula One driver. They're still a human and they still have opinions. And they have the opportunity to, you know, to present it.

to a global audience that not a lot of other people do. So making comments like that saying there's not a problem, this is too much, blah, blah, blah, blah. It's just, it baffles me, don't get it. We should all be united in this. So, yeah, I don't understand it. And I hope that's, it won't be, but I hope it's the last sort of comments we see,

especially even people that are, you know, well regarded within the F1 and motorsport community. So, yeah, it's a shame, because I thought we were heading in the right direction for a bit, but it seems to have gone backwards again slightly. Yeah, Hungary was an absolute shambles, I'm sorry to say, and it was rushed, to use your word, yeah, it was absolutely rushed, and you've put it well, and Ted Kravitz put this very well, too,

on his notebook for a sport that is so comfortable at making these decisions, you know, split-second decisions late in the day, the fact that they couldn't organize this is really poor. And the image that is coming across from some drivers standing, some kneeling, you know, a real mixture isn't great to begin with. You know, you see some football games where 22 out of 22 players take the knee at the same time, a few seconds before the match. It's organized, it's efficient, and it sends out the right message.

we're already at a disadvantage here that some drivers do not want to take the need. And you can't force them to, but it's not a great image at the same time. And one of the key messages that has come out from the get-go has been this can't be, I don't want to use a fad, but this can't go away. The message needs to be reinforced and reinforced again, and it needs to be persistent. And it's not a good look that they gave it the appropriate time and the appropriate attention in that first race,

and then it was reduced dramatically in the second race. And now it comes to the third race, and it just looks like something that they've realized, oh, we have to do this. Hang on, we'll put 30 seconds in there. That'll do. It's not a good look, and hopefully they do organize it for Silverstone, because this can't go away.

For the comments made, I mean, of those three that we've mentioned, Andretti, Stuart and John Tott. Of those three, the only one I absolutely, quote, disagree with is Andretti. And I'll get on to what I mean with disagree in a second. Because whilst I would say that the comments made by Stuart and by Tot are definitely ignorant, I'd suggest that Andretti's are the only ones that are disrespectful. You know, creating a problem that doesn't exist. What a thing to say.

I mean, it's an easy sentence to say, I'd like to hear him debate it with someone who has dealt with the problem and deals with the problem on a daily basis and for then him to turn around and say that it doesn't exist. You know, instinct tells me he wouldn't fare very well in that. And using the word pretentious, it's plain disrespectful. And my opinion of Mario Andretti has dropped a lot after those comments. I was really disgusted at what he had to say. regarding the other two, Stuart's comments and Jean-Tott's comments. I mean, Stuart's saying that there is no resistance for change. If someone is clever and good at what they do, they will be accepted in Formula One.

Jean-Tott sort of focusing on Lives Matter. He didn't strictly say All Lives Matter, but he kind of tried to stress that it's more than just black people, which the problem is here. And I'm sure everyone has heard somebody say, all lives matter. over the last few months and maybe some people have disowned family members as a result of it. But it's, the problem is you can't, if you attack these comments like we are doing now and calling them out rightfully as ignorant, the natural response of those people who say these

sorts of things are, am I wrong? Because strictly they're not wrong. And it's, it's that getting that incorrect and ignorant. You know, it's, you're not wrong by saying that all lives matter. Of course they do. But you're missing the bloody point completely. And what Stewart is saying as well, it's like, yes, I have no doubt that every single one of the teams on the grid would say, if they were given the opportunity of, you know, a white driver and a black driver and that they're both calling, I don't think that there would be a problem. I really don't. But that that's not the point. The point is they aren't getting these opportunities in the first place to prove themselves. you're accepted into Formula One if you prove you're good enough.

Yes, you are right in saying that. The problem is there aren't enough minorities getting the opportunities in the first place. The problem starts way further down than Formula One. That's where it needs to be attacked. And you can't convince me that out of the 775 drivers we've had in Formula One, that Lewis Hamilton is the only black driver who has been good enough to get there. This is a problem that runs much watcher than Formula One. This is a systemic issue and something that needs, it's a societal issue,

something that needs to be sorted out outside of the sport as well as inside it. And yeah, look at Lewis Hamilton. He's one of the best of all time. And he had to struggle like hell to make it. Like he made it because he is one of the best of all time. Think of the amount of good drivers or very good drivers that wouldn't have made it. It's literally because of Hamilton's immense talent that he just about got there. Yeah, I, as you probably tell, I'm fairly, fairly passionate about this.

I was really taken about by these comments and particularly Andretti's. I just, there's no time for it. The work that Lewis Hamilton is doing is brilliant. And yeah, keep going. Keep going in the face of all this ignorance. Good stuff. I'm glad we all agree on that one because I was ready. on the callout button.

I'm sure, I'm sure. I'm going to move on now to something that came out from the Hungarian Grand Prix. So Kevin Magnuson and Roman Grojean, the two hash drivers, went for something of an alternate strategy. They came in after the formation lap to go for slick tires. It was a strategy that worked out very well, particularly the Kevin Magnuson. He finished P9 on track. Both cars got penalties after the race.

Magnuson just about held on to P10. They were found to be in breach of Article 27.1 of the sporting regulations, which essentially says that on the formation lap, no communication can happen between teams and drivers that relates to performance or strategy. It's pretty much only safety exceptions that apply there. And on that same point, actually, Danny Kavilla, of course, he did ask to go into the pits at the end of the formation lap. His team didn't respond, and as a result, they weren't penalised.

Sam, do you believe that this is a rule that needs to change? It's tough, isn't it? Because Formula One, we'd like to think after the discussion we just had. Rewards ingenuity, it rogues fast thinking, it rewards split decision-making moments. You know, we've seen the amount of times when someone's called in at the last moment and it's a great change or, you know, people go out on a qualifying lap on the right tire. They literally short with Charles LeClaire in Brazil last year. You know, he went out on that soft tire and he's,

set one of the qualifying laps of his career at that point, just because he was on the right tire, and he chose you in that tire. So it's really difficult to make that pinpoint decision there. And I could be swayed both ways, if I'm totally honest. I love that Haasst make a snapshot decision. They've bought both cars in, yes, they had to start all the way at the back of the grid. I don't think that's a problem. Why is it matter if they've got to come out of the pit lane after the pack's gone? They've lost their grid position. They've lost any chance of gaining places on the first corner like everyone else. So I kind of don't really have an issue with it, especially if multiple cars going to do it. You've just put

yourself in a bit of a traffic jam at the back of the pit lane. It might benefit you as it dig for Haas later on down the road. But for me, I think I enjoy the idea of having the ability for teams and drivers to make those quick, risky decisions and possibly be rewarding for it. And it works out for them. They got their first point, singular, of the season. They might not get a single other chance for that. And Haas have done it because of a clever bit of thinking there. So I'm for it. I am all right with having the idea of teams going, now what, we need to change this. This isn't working. And that is why they get paid so much. That's the whole point of these people. Let them

have the communication. I mean, it brings me on to another thing of kind of like, should tire blankets be allowed in the pit during the race? You know, why you're qualifying. Should your tires be cold? With that, create more strategies. There's loads of these things that you could discuss that could change the whole face of a Grand Prix. But this one in particular, I 100% think you should be rewarded for fast thinking. and clever strategy, and that's what they did. So good on them for trying it.

The penalty was harsh, but not harsh enough to really stop them getting the reward that they deserved. Yeah, that's a point. Magnuson did at least stay on for one point rather than the two he got at the flag. Harry, what did you make of it? Do you think that this is a rule that needs to change? Yeah, stupid rule. What, like, who is winning out of this? I don't know, because, as Sam said, we love to see those, like,

in those sort of conditions, those last minute calls that, you know, can change the fortunes of a team like HASS, you know, that are struggling, and they get some points out of it. So, yeah, I obviously understand why I think they're trying to, you know, make the start procedure more on the driver's hands. And it doesn't seem to be making much of a difference at the start at the moment. So, yeah, it's a dumb rule. And as one I didn't even know about until this weekend.

And then there were sort of three instances of it. there's the two house drivers, Kofiat where they wouldn't answer him, which is ignoring poor Danny, Daniel. And then also, Hamilton, he said something on the way to the grid about his engine, felt like it was stalling. They couldn't say anything to him then.

I mean, fine, that, like, that's a bit more exciting. But for stuff like last minute strategy calls, let them do it. It's another dumb rule by the FIA there. So, yeah, get rid of it. Put it in the bin. Don't like it. Yeah, I mean,

I'm completely with you, Harry. I think it's a stupid rule, and I've got no idea why it exists. But, I mean, it's kind of ironic that we're speaking on the very same day, 13 years after it happened, that Marcus Winklehock at the European Grand Prix, at the Nureberg Ring, he did this. He went onto the wet tires, started from the pit lane as a result. And for about five glorious laps, we had a spiker leading a Grand Prix. Tell me you don't want that.

I want it. I want it. Exactly. And without, you know, if this rule was in place, I mean, you're going to get, you know, you'll get what Kaviyat did and not risk anything and stay and stay out. Imagine if Kviyat had come in and done that same strategy. I reckon he'd have been fighting for maybe P5, P6. You know, I mean, the Hasse isn't very good and it's still held on to points. Yeah, I don't understand it. We saw like, we saw a few years back when the FIA kind of experimented with leaving the drivers alone and, and leaving them to get on with it and not allowing teams to give them important information. And I'm sure you'll remember that was very quickly ditched because it was stupid. This is exactly the same thing. It's like why should the teams and the drivers

not communicate with one another that can create interesting strategic options? I just don't understand. I don't understand it whatsoever. Yeah, make it happen. It seems as if they change those rules, back when to let teams and drivers speak freely to one another again and they kind of forgot to do it on the formation lap.

Yeah, it would have been great to see Kviat come into the pits. It's a real shame that they got penalised. I understand that they had to penalise them because that's what the ruling says, but my problem is with the ruling rather than the decision itself. If you've got that rule in place, fair enough that you actually go ahead and enforce it, but I don't think it should exist anyway. So, yeah, get in the bin. I need a bin sound effect.

Oh, yeah. I was not one of the wind where it like rattles around the sides. Yeah, exactly. I haven't had any sound effects in a while, Harry, I don't think. What would you like? Oh, surprise me. Avocados.

Avocados from Mexico. Yes. I can't even remember the last time that made the podcast. There you go. You lucky folks listening, you've just heard another avocados. And, well, if you've got any jingles lined up at all, Harry, I guess now would be the time to use it, because we are going to move on to the very best game in the entire world.

It's F1 higher and lower. That's what even a theme song for this. It's so hard to sing along to. All right. All right, hold on. All right. It's F1 higher. It's F1 lower

It's F1 higher It's F1 lower It's F1 higher It's F1 higher It's F1 lower It's F1, yeah What's that absolute rubbish About not being able to sing along to it

Good God Beautiful Absolutely F1 higher and lower The concept of the game Is very simple We'll start with a certain number and then I will give an event after that

and Harry and Sam will take it in turns. They'll have one go each to say whether the next number is higher or lower than the first amount. So if I was to say how many race wins did Marcus Winklehock get in his career, it would be unfortunately zero. Lower! And then if I was to say higher or lower,

Michael Schumacher's race wins, it would be lower because he's on minus four. But you get the idea. So who wants to go first? Harry could go first. I'll go first. No pressure, Harry, but Sam seems to win every time. Yeah, true.

I'm a bit of a streak. I'm sure it's going to end. Well, we'll have to see. All right. You get the first one. So the number we'll start with is Fernando Alonzo's race number, which is 14. Correct, 14. So, higher...

or lower, the number of corners at Monaco. Oh, girl. Blimey. Higher. Higher is correct. 19 corners at Monaco. Very nice. Oh, by the way, I think I have increased the difficulty somewhat,

because you've been so good at everything recently, and I'm a bit sick and tired of it, to be honest. All right, from 19 corners at Monaco, Grand Prix victories by Jim Clark. Oh, blimey. Is that, is it me again? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, I thought it went in terms.

Oh, um, lower. It's not lower. It's higher. Second hurdle. 25. 25 victories by Jim Clark. Yeah, a lot of wins. Yeah, yeah.

All right, so we'll give you an overall tally of one. We'll let you do the rest of them anyway. of course. 25 Grand Prix wins by Clark. Danny Kaviat's age, higher or lower? Is it me again? Yeah, just, yeah. You can play for fun now.

Danny Kviat's age, higher or lower than 25? Oh, damn. Higher? Yeah, he's 26 years old. Oh, man, he is old. I'm only a year away. All right, Kaviat's 26. The number of U.S.

Grand Prix. Oh, damn. What? Throughout history? Throughout history. Wow. Had that been lower? It's higher. It's 41. Wow. That's a lot more than I thought.

Damn, son. All right, 41. Higher or lower? The age that Alan Prost was when he won his last world title. Oh, it's got to be lower. He wasn't older than 41. He was last. He was 38.

And lastly, higher or lower than 38, the number of Ferrari driver titles plus the number of Ferrari constructor's titles. Oh, come off it. I might only get one

as well at this rate. Let's go for lower. It is lower. They are 31 combined. So, I mean, anyone listening along who managed to get all of those, well done, give yourself a cookie. But a score of one for you, Harry. Oh, the F1 cookies are back out. Oh, yes, it's been a while.

They have been a while. Ben's been baking a lockdown. All right. You have a grand total of one to beat. Woo, okay. Okay. We're going to start with the number of corners at Spa. Can you guess how many that might be?

What if I get it wrong? It really doesn't matter. It's more of a throwaway thing if you want to have a guess. 20. It is exactly 20. Well done. Now, the number of times the Hungarian Grand Prix has been held in a row. In a row?

Oh, blimey, on a stick. I'm going higher. It is higher. 34 years and a low. Yes, I'm equal to Harry. 20. It's a good day of this. So to beat Harry, higher or lower than 34,

the number of F1 victories by one man well found. Oh, he's obviously incredibly successful. What was the number that I'd be trying to? a beat? 34. I'm going to say there had a lot less Grom-3s. I take a punt and go lower.

It is lower. Exactly. 10 lower. 24. It's a pure guess, folks. 24. Hi-roll lower. The age of Michael Schumacher when he won his first world title. Oh, blimey.

Okay, he came back to Formula One in 2010. He was 40. I'm going to say he was older when he won his first title. Only just. He was 25, but it is right. All right. 25, higher or lower. The number of corners at Marina Bay, Singapore. I suppose I haven't got the time to grab.

it out in my head. I'm going to say lower by one, I reckon it's 24. Yeah, you're not far off. It's 23, so it is still lower. Couple more, and you can do the whole shabang.

23, higher or lower, the number of drivers' championships won by McLaren Drivers. Oh, I'm going to say that is Lower. It is lower. It's 12. It's not it?

Yeah, it's only 12. Bloody hell. Yeah. Final one then. Higher or lower. The number of podiums that Roman Groson has. Why is the baguette? It's going to sink.

It's going to be a ever-suggy bottom. I'm going to go lower. Well done. You've done it. Ten. Yes! Yes, victory! Managed to do it. Nicely done.

Well, folks, love to go if you can beat old Sammy boy, let me go. Yeah, please let us know if you did manage to get all of those like Sam. And I guess there's no better victory celebration than singing yourself out. So please, Harry. Do your thing. To be fair to Harry frown. The question is from much, however. Thank you.

I think I got two right across the whole thing for Harry's thing, so he only got one wrong. But it's F1 higher, it's F1 the were, it's F1 higher, it's F1 higher, it's F1 higher, it's F1 yeah. It's F1 yeah. I swear every time I think they will get worse and somehow they get better. Don't know how you do it. It's true. They're horrible. doing it but hey-ho.

Anyway, I mean, a bit of normality will be restored next week, as much normality as we can get away with anyway, because we'll be back to previewing. Of course, the first of the two Grand Prix at Silverstone will be previewing that race this time next week and, of course,

reviewing the race on Sunday afternoon. But until then, Sam, can get us out of here. Well, folks, if you enjoyed the big of chaos and all over the places of this podcast, Do leave a review. It helps us to grow. Share the podcast, download it.

Join us at El Breaking on Twitter as well and get involved there. Make sure you give us a sub over there. It would be great to hear from you and get involved in the conversations. But we will be back as Benzeg for the preview of Silverstone. How exciting. Another triple heger. In the meantime, I've been Samuel Singh. I've been Ben Hawking.

I've been Manfred Winklehock. Keep breaking late. work.