The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Leclerc and Norris confirm MULTI-YEAR contracts - the right move?

Episode Date: January 28, 2024

Following the news that both Leclerc and Norris have re-signed at their respective teams with long-term deals, the LB boys discuss their choices and whether the drivers have made the right call. They also discuss the aims of Red Bull's sister team, now named Visa Cash App RB (or VCARB...), as well as Porsche's 'interest' in joining F1. They finish with a classic game of F1: Back and Forth... FOLLOW us on socials! You can find us on YouTube, Instagram, X (Twitter) and TikTok SUPPORT our Patreon for bonus episodes JOIN our Discord community JOIN our F1 Fantasy League BUY our Merch EMAIL us at [e-mail]   & SUBSCRIBE to our podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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IKEA, bring home to life. 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 well welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Eid, Sam Sage, and me, Ben Hocking. As you might know, we recorded our Wednesday episode early. We asked at the end of the episode for a quieter week. And the F1 God said, no. No chance whatsoever. It's given us a lot to talk about. there, Sam. It has given us a lot to talk about. They're very, very naughty boys. They're on the

naughty list. If you've seen our social media, late breaking F1, we have placed many year people on the naughty list now. They're taking the absolute mind call. Honestly, if you could release your information on a Saturday or on a Tuesday, most weeks, that will be ideal. Communicate with us if we are going to record early. It's a fair relationship. It's all we ask. Yeah. So not only do we have Madrid, which Sam and I just about caught and I managed, Kirsty managed to get into the episode. Yeah, well, dang, for everyone. Good team effort that.

Then McLaren and Ferrari and LaClaura and Norris decided to be a little naughty boy. It's like they went, oh, you beat the first level, boss. You didn't think there was going to be two and three, though. You got no health potions left, mate. Got you. You're on 1%. You ain't making it fruit.

Got no lives left. You're dead. Try it again. Game over. Yeah, that's us. We are street fighter and we're dead. Washed. Good. Well, thanks for coming. It's been a great podcast.

Yeah. I love this show. No, no, we actually have to talk about the news now. That's how this podcast works. You see. You can just introduce it. Yeah, outside of the contract stuff, Lecler and Norris that we're going to get to in a moment. We've also got Visa, Cash Chap, R.B., Toro, Minardi, Rosso, Tauri Alpha. Runs off the time. They officially announced their name as well. So we've got some comments to get to there. But let's start with. the news that both Charles Leclair and Lando Norris have signed contract extensions at Ferrari and McLaren, respectively. So a few quotes, firstly from from Charles Leclair, who said, I'm very pleased to know that I'll be wearing the scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come. Shudder.

To race for this team has been my dream since I was three years old. This team is my second family ever since I joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016. And we have achieved a lot together, fighting through thick and fin. over the past five years. And he also believes that the best is yet to come. And from Lando Norris's perspective, he said that I've grown up with McLaren and feel at home here and the team are like a family to me. The journey so far has been exciting.

We've had ups and downs, but last season showed our desire to get back to competing at the front of the grid. Let's start with chronological order. Let's start with Shao LaCla, as he at least, you know, recorded, at least mentioned it at a time where usually it would get into our Wednesday recording. So he's less on the naughty list than Lano Norris's. Sam, were you surprised that he has committed for so long? Obviously, it's quite vague several more years.

The phrase several more years when it comes to, you know, Charlotte-Clearn Ferrari is enough to give everyone nightmares, I think. Poor man, I think he's single-hangly trying to make sure that we sell more merchandise. Hashtag free LeClecler merch is still available at the store. If you're a Patreon subscriber, you get discreet. account, so make sure you use it. Very, very slick. Well done. I've improved, honestly. Last time it was atrocious.

I'm not shocked at the announcement. I am shocked at the timing of the announcement and just how long it appears that the contract is running for. I did think that it was very likely that Charlotte Clair would re-sign on with Ferrari. As much as we spoke about those other options, you know, the secondary Red Bull seat coming together at the end of 2024, does you look outside of it and maybe look at Lewis Hamilton replacement? What are the... options there. I do think the options for a top-level driver like Charlotte and Lando-Norris, of course, who will speak about in a minute, are very slim pickings. It is hard to embed

yourself in a team that can bring you regular success. And I think it all depends on what you define as success, because Charlotte-Cla has won five Grand Prix, I think, with Ferrari, since he joined there. He's had a highest finishing position in the table as second, but I think he's had a lower seventh or something like that as well, which is quite a range when you're in a Ferrari. So the success is not consistent and it is not evident. If he finished second every single year

he'd been at Ferrari, then you think, okay, one little step forward and we might be beating Red Bull, you might be winning those world championships. But that isn't the case. And Ferrari haven't won a title, of course, since 2007 with Kimmy Riking. So it's a lot of faith to put into a team

that have not had any real success for getting close to two decades now, which is unfathomable. We're nearly on their longest run without winning anything ever. Ben, you know that's a question related to that. Yeah. What's going to happen first?

Ferrari are going to win a championship or a driver's going to join the grid that was born after Ferrari won their last championship. We're getting there, aren't we? I mean, we're not that far off now. Pia Astrid is only about six years away from that, isn't he? Yeah, and I don't know. I mean, Olly Behrman might well come into conversation at some point regarding this, but he's 2005. So that's absolutely ranted. That is vile.

2005? Oh no. How dare you? I've got moles older than you on one. But no, it's no surprise to me that he's sticking around with Ferrari. I think what LeCler has done here is probably quite clever. And again, I'm kind of picking up on nuance and there's no concrete examples here. But I think he's signed so early in the year because the power is with Charles LeCler.

And I think he's used that power to negotiate a very face. Yes, it's several years, but I would not be shocked if he's gone, yeah, okay, I'll sign out before we've even driven the car, but only if you give me performance-related incentives. I can leave after certain performance things aren't met. I get to have this level of preference. I get this much money, of course, time year after year after year. I think it would allow him to do certain things in marketing and other projects that he has very much got interested in doing. I think he's held all the cards and he's gone, my choices here realistically are. Sign with Ferrari. in a very favourable deal for me for my career, or do I go out in a PR army and a marketing stake externally and I try to get myself into the secondary Red Bull seat where I then enter into a war with Max Verstappi and a team that that man has built around him, brick by brick from what looks like the age of a four-year-old.

And I just think that Charlotte-Claher prodig makes the most sensible decision in signing on with Ferrari again in a very favourable manner. So I'm not shocked. I hope it works. out for him, let's just hope that some degree of success actually comes his way because that poor boy deserves something. To your point about Charlotte-Cleur having the power in these negotiations, I think there's certainly truth to that because we've identified that it might well be their

strongest attribute at the moment. Ferrari is their driver line-up. They were consistent last year. They were very good last year, both of them. And of course, we know Chau-Laclair has signed on, nothing on Carlos Sines yet, but we are going to, in our second Patreon episode this month, talk a bit more on the Carlos Sines side of things, and see what the implications of LeCleur's deal is for him. Harry, what are your thoughts on Charles LeClaire signing this deal for several more years? Any surprise? I am not surprised, but I'm disappointed. Sorry, Charles. That's worse. Applied? It's, I know we've, we spoke.

talking about this before or the possibility of it. It just, um, have some faith in your, in yourself, shall, and we'll get on to Lando as well. But I just,

he's a hot property in F1. I know he's not won a lot lately, but which is not really, really his fault. Um, but yeah, another multi-year deal with it, like show me the, show me the evidence.

Not show me the money. Show me the evidence. Show me the success. Like what, what are they promising you? and based on what to make you sign for so long. I understand, I understand resigning with him.

But for multi-year, I think, I think he's got more in his locker that he can say, no, look, I'm really good. You've not been good. I want a one-year extension. And until you show me,

until you show me the good stuff. And I just, yeah, have to just have a little more faith yourself, Charles. It, because you're right, and it's questionable whether it would be the right decision, but that Red Bullseek could well be available next year. And yes, it is walking into Max Verstappen's team into the Lions Den somewhat if you did become that other driver.

But it's Charlotte Clare versus Max Verstappen. I mean, good Lord, that'd be tasty. Oh, it's like a mini-Sengar Frost, honestly. I think it would be amazing. But it's different to like Alex Albon being in the team or Pierre Gazley. No offense to either of those drivers, but just different. LeCleur's different gravy. He's the extra special one that you get at Christmas when you've got the in-laws coming around,

and you want to make a good impression. It's Christmas Day gravy. Lecler gravy. Yeah, it's worth it. You know, it's three pound for a tub. And actually, usually you only pay one pound. Charles Bisto, probably were. So I think it would be a different story if he wasn't that Rebel Simps.

I just keep your options open because people will say you played that and Ferrari then stupidly, called you bluff and we're like, fine, we're going to sign someone else, which they wouldn't do. He's Charles Leclair. I think other people will come running for him. So yeah, it's just disappointing. He doesn't

feel like he has other options and needs to sign for Ferrari and fair. And look, maybe it does work out. I want it to work out for Ferrari and him, but like I say, there's just no evidence that it has so far. Well, I'll tell you what Ferrari are doing wrong. It's not signing signing Shaul. That is, to say that three times. Shining through, Leclair. Shining

Shars Shashire. When you're drunk. it's the fact that Ferrari can only win world titles when there is a Brazilian driver in the second seat at Ferrari so they need to bring Felipe Drugovicicicicic to partner him sorry Carlos Science, we'll get onto this in Patreon he will immediately win a title What happened between like logic? 09 and 12th

He got the one Right fine Mattar and Kimmy sort of that Massa's job was done Hey I dig it Good Good right I don't see any flaw in that theory at all We might as well just stop talking at this point

just going back to that point, Harry, on why he might have gone ahead and done this and not waited a bit. Do you think there was any element of both him and Carlos Sines are in the same position? Obviously, contract was expiring at the end of this season. Do you think that there was an element of I want to get in there ahead of Carlos Sines

to make this team more about myself if Sines drags his heels? What do you think? Is there a reason out there that makes sense? I mean, maybe, but I would find it surprising if LeClair found signs to be that much of a threat. And I'm not, again, that's no disrespect to Carlos Sines.

But Leclair is still, he's still Ferrari Golden Boy. I'm not saying he's like favoured in any way and it's different to like Vastappen, etc. But, you know, he got brought up through the ranks of Ferrari, went to Salbao, Alfa Romeo, kick team, Salba, whatever. And then got brought into Friday. He's been in that family the whole time. So I feel like, yeah, they would have signed him anyway before. would want to get him sorted out before signs.

I disagree. Why? I think out of everyone, Charles LeCleur does not underestimate Carlos Sines. I'm not saying, I'm not saying, I don't mean it to underestimate, but a threat to him. I think externally,

LeCleur appears the Golden Boy, and I think, you know, there is that some degree in management. And with Frangy Vassie has that fantastic relationship as well with Charlotte LeClau, of course. They were at Salba together, and he was a big part of his junior career as well. They do have that long-term relationship.

But if you count up the points between, I hate that I'm doing this, between Leclera's science over the past three seasons that they've been teammates. And one of them has only faltered by a few points to not be a winner over a certain amount of time. It's not a relevant statistic Mr Ben Hocking who is looking at me smuggily over the camera.

Great start. They are very evenly matched. And I do think that if science got in there first and was able to waggle a favourable deal, it might make things just a little bit difficult for Lecler should a championship car arise in the future. a rise championship car. Like when Darth Vader,

when Anakin becomes Darth Vader. So who's Darth Vader? LeCler? Yeah. Or the championship car? The championship car. And Freddie Vass is out of his palpidine. Yes.

Okay. And LeCler is Anaking while he's trying to climb up the side of the hot wall and Obi-1 is standing over him. I have the high ground, LeCler. Who's Obi-1 in this scenario? Sikes. He doesn't realize what he's done. So Carlos Sines cut off Charlotte-Cle's legs.

Yes. And then LeCleur became the championship working car. This is another stunning analogy. Cheers, Sam. I'm just wondering who Jar Jarjub thinks is. I can't know what I'm sorry. Sure. The people's hero.

I think a lot of this. It depends how many, again, several seasons is a bit vague, but, and it depends how long that is exactly. But I think one of the most damning, not statistics, but will be statistics, is that if, you know, 24 and 25 go roughly as expected in terms of number of races in a season, and obviously Shao LeClau doesn't have any injury or time off or anything like that, is very likely that within the first few races of the 2026 season,

Shao LeClaire will become the second most experienced Ferrari driver of all time. And if he reaches that spot, and it's almost a comparison between the top two, one of them being Charles LeClair, who Sam has already rightfully said, has five race wins to his name, and the other one being Michael Schumacher, who has quite a, who has more champion.

That is a damning comparison. And you're right, there's nothing against Charles LeClair personally. It's on the team who haven't been able to deliver. And even if you don't just look at the Schumacher comparison, if you compare him against other drivers who have spent similar lengths of time at the team, pretty much everyone around him has either won a championship or competed for a championship or has like double-digit race wins. And Leclair is not far off being the odd one out in that he has had comparatively a serious lack of success.

And it's easy to forget that he's only got those five race wins. Bear in mind that his first race win came at the Belgian Grand Prix in 2019. And he won back to back to start his winning career because he won the Italian Grand Prix the week or the race after. He's only had three race wins since the middle of September of 2019. that's pretty depressing, if you shall look, Claire. You're right. They haven't been able to give him the car, give him the tools in order to succeed. And I'm not surprised either because I think the quote is an instant giveaway here

because he doesn't say it's his goal to be world champion at Ferrari. He doesn't say it's his intention. He doesn't even say it's his ambition. He says it's his dream. And that is that down to its core, that's what the situation is. is, it is his dream to win. There is nostalgia there. There is something from,

there is a childhood attachment, and rightfully so, because I think all three of us probably hold it to a certain extent. I think it's rather telling his choice of words in that situation. Just to give Ferrari some reprise from this onslaught that they're receiving from us

at the moment, I would argue they are going up against an unprecedented era of absolute domination, not just with Red Bull, but then Mercedes before. them. Be better than... I agree. I agree. Right. It is on them to do it. But once you get that head start in a certain era, it is hard.

I mean, again, they have the same tools and the same funding. They go as everyone else to get it down. But it is hard to top all that. At the same time, as you said, you could just be better at the start. I just, they, they, because they kind of sacrifice 21 a bit. Not like casted, but a bit. And it sort of start to pay off. But the fumble there is just... frustrating. When I read the stat that LeCler only had five wings,

and I already got three in that 22 season when Ferrari looked like they could have a competitive car. I was actually shocked at how few he managed to even win, because it looked like for half the season, there was a championship fight going on. I should have once been. Man's had 22 poles. 22 poles, five wings,

and two of those wings were with an entirely legal engine that we don't discuss on the show. Ugh. Okay. Yeah, it's almost like he had those, He had that, like I said, back-to-back win in the middle of 2019. And then he had two out of three race wins to start the 2022 season. So actually outside of those two very, like, tiny pockets of good form that Ferrari had,

he only had one win. But that's, I don't know, it's pretty damning. Before we go to our first break, just a quick word on Lando Norris, because whilst LeCleur's deal was up at the end of 24, Lando Norris's wasn't up until the end of 25. So is there even more surprise on this? one Sam? I think this is a family move for Landon Norris. I think he has

struggled with his mental health and I am so proud of Landon Norris for how brave he's being in fighting that publicly. He's come out and he's worked with mind as a charity of course and he's said multiple times that he struggles with anxiety and he is I think found a very safe place that is ambitious and productive and there is absolutely nothing wrong with saying I feel good here. Let's make it work and go one step beyond together.

I really do think he feels like part of the McLaren family, like what they're building the team around. And he, in an interview said that, you know, it's very hard to go up against the greats and wing instantaneously when you've got no preparation around you and a team is built around one of these world champions.

That was the question asking why he didn't move to Red Bull instead of staying at McLaren. And he came out and said, I want to build something here. I want this to be my family. I want this to be what I build up as the team to be successful. And it's a big part of me that amy as that. So if he believed in the vision,

if he has been solved the dream by marketing man, Zach Brown, and he feels comfortable at McLaren, I have no issue with him signing on here. Again, it's not like it's a bad team to be a part of. It's not like there is an opportunity there. It's not like they're floating around at eighth place constantly in the championship. They have got success in their blood. They can go on to achieve something big.

So I do think that this logically makes sense. I think the only logical move he had outside of this again was that red ball seat, which would have been tricky to manage. So, yeah, fair play to him for getting it. signed. I don't disagree. And I think hopefully we see him and Lecler getting an opportunity to take home to proper glory because the fact that he hasn't got a race wing at all yet, let alone Lecler's only five, it starts to add up, doesn't it? He's very close to taking the record for most, was it, most race starts without a victory

or something like that, which is insane. Initial reaction from you, Harry, on that one? I mean, marketing man, as you say, is that Brown is back out of the game. He knows what he's doing. That man can talk your ear off and I'm buying my own ear back. Well, there's vapour trails in the sky. It's not planes. It's marketing. It's how many jobs he's doing out there. God, he's just flying about.

It's like the father of Christmas of marketing. Thank you, marketing man. Keith's there with their freshly bought products. Saving kittens from trees. Yeah. They're making you buy them back and saying thanks for it. He saves a kitten and then he whips out like a carb machine. Feats a cash out.

Yeah, so, you know, fair play to selling the dream here because I think Zat Brown's not at the end. I'm similar to Lecler. on this in terms of, show me the evidence. I know the second half of last year was good. Don't get me wrong. And boy, are they confident for this year? But... It is half a season, though, isn't it?

It's not a lot. It's not a lot. You're basing it on half a season. And he says that in the comments I've seen, you know, we've shown last year that we can, you know, with the intent to fight back at the top, I'm like, yeah, but start the year, 17 to D and F.

Weng, thank you. when you start at the top? Because you are right that he had two years left on this deal. They weren't getting rid of him. They were never kicking him out of the door, were they? What? Someone get Covalining on the phone. Norris might not stay.

So that's exactly. That's the point. He's not going anywhere. So I love why he signed. And the message that I said earlier, I do believe his wholeheartedly the point. But he could have also delivered that message in summer next year. Just keep your options open.

Again, I mean, summer of this year. right, if it starts well, if he's maybe got a wing in the bag. Yeah. Brilliant. Sign on. Yeah. That's my point. Like, the evidence is, and there's not, show me the evidence.

It's going to be my new catchphrase. I really, new game mode. Show me the evidence. But, yeah, I just think it's true because, you know, he's almost been, at the end of this year, he'll have own, that's five seasons he'll have done. And, yeah? Lewis Hamilton did six seasons. Yes.

Lano and I don't have a championship, yeah? No. And then, Lewis, on. He wasn't the end of this season, six seasons. Oh yeah, no, you're right. Yeah. Very true. Hamilton won a racing every single season and competing in McLaren.

Lando not won one. No. So, Piastri's won a sprint race. And they couldn't keep Lewis Hamilton around. And that's kind of my point. I'm like, just Lando, mate. Oh, believe in yourself. And again, I understand.

You don't want that sort of those contract negotiations going on midseason, etc. But like, just have a little more faith in you. Be more George Michael. Yes. You gotta have faith. Great. Words for us all to take forward into this first break, I think. More Norris and LeCler chat right after this.

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See your local Nissan dealer or Nissan.com. Conditions apply. Okay, welcome back. A little bit more on Lando Norris. Sam, you've brought up that comment that Norris had in a Sky Sports interview where he said that if you want to go against the best driver in the world, it's maybe not the best thing to do, referring to Bastapen and that second seat. This one's really divided people in terms of their response.

some very critical of the way that Norris handled that sort of question, some very understanding, some in the middle. You've already given a little bit away in terms of what you think about this, but it's an interesting response. Massively interesting response. And of course, he's going to come at it with a bias point of view. He's the subject being spoken about, and it was a situation where he has to defend his actions, right?

Everyone thinks, oh, we're the fans of Landon Norris. We want him to go and win a title. The best way for him to win a title is to join Red Bull. And in a linear situation, that is, He's a super simple resolution to a problem, right? But there's so many issues that arise with that concept and you look at the drivers that Max Verstappen has gone up against and thrashed.

And they are no rookies, they're no slouches. They're not bad at what they do. And he's right that that team has been constructed, as I said earlier, brick by brick, around Max Verstappen. The car, the way it's developed. You heard the message when, even in Brazil, when Perez wanted to get past him, and he says, you don't ask me to do that.

I've told you and I won't tell you again. level of authority that he has at that team is Michael Schumacher-esque of, you know, the early Ferrari times when he was able to just be like, don't be silly, you've been going to me here, I'm in charge. Move, Rubens. I'm the daddy. Daddy Schumacher. Yeah.

And boy, was he good at that. Moving on quickly. Anyway, and I think Norris is very fairing his viewpoint to say, if you want to be successful, that's why I'm kind of caveatting here, his point, if you want to be successful, you have to build your own legacy. You can't just step in, click your fingers and hope that, oh, we had a good cast, or I'll win everything. Because it's not that simple, especially over 24 races. And you look at just how consistently brilliant Max Mustafa Stappen was in that Red Ball. Phenomenal. One of the best things we've ever seen, the most personally successful season

we've ever witnessed in history. You don't just sign the next season for that team and go, yeah, I'll be it. It's not that simple. It doesn't work like that. And I think he's chosen to believe the dream that analytical man and marketing man have worked together to create the perfect world and he's going to become in his eyes a world champion at McLaren I think what he wants to see is what happened with Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes right they had three or four years where they entered the sport they were mid-table had a couple of good moments work their way up Hamilton joins they're another season of development bam winning everything and I think that's what he is hoping for at McLaren where he then is the team leader

and he is his. Everything is his. I think that's what he's going for. So I also think that those people being very critical online are very choosy with the parts of history that they're talking about when they're comparing it to kind of,

you don't just step into a car and beat the champions because a lot of people compared it to Lewis Hamilton going up against Fernando Alonso in McLaren again when they first arrived at, in the sport, kind of saying, well, Lewis Hamilton didn't have to build anything around him to become a world champion. And he fought for it in his first year

and won it in his second. You think it's a very contextually different situation. You know, the same again with how, you know, Michael Schumacher only first arrived at Ferrari. Contextual it's very, very different again. It's just, there's a lot of history that plays its part into these things. And Lando isn't stupid. You'll have a lot of good people around him.

I think this logically does make sense. As much as I'd love to see, the same with the Clare and Max at Red Bull. I'd love to see Norris and Max at Red Bull. It'd be a phenomenal pairing. We have an amazing season. but for his career and his long-term success, he probably feels this is the more safe and secure option. Yeah, I guess with Max Vastappen and being his partner at the team,

you're right, obviously the team is so understandably centered around him, to the point where even if you compare Vostappan versus other greats like Hamilton and Schumacher, let's take, let's say Rubens Barakello as an example, I would argue that apart from maybe his last season at Stuart, Rubens Barakello did not look better than when he was teammates with Michael Schumacher. Similarly with like Valtrey Bottas, I don't think the 2017 season very specifically. I don't think Bottas looked any better than when he was up against Lewis Hamilton in that season.

But I would argue with all of Vestappan's recent teammates, Ghazley, Albon and Perez, all of them have looked better either before or after they were teammates with Vostappen. because whilst they were, Vastappen has done such a number on them. So I can understand his caution about wanting to be his teammate. I think the overall quote has been blown out of proportion a little bit here because I tend to look at it as a case of Nolando Norris saying that he couldn't win if he went down that path.

It's more, I think I've got a better chance to win this route rather than that route. You know, like you say, he is building something at McLaren and he has the advantage of being comfortable there and having spent, you know, he's probably not far off 10 years there, if you think about his time as a junior driver, right? So he's been very well embedded within the team. You know, he gets on well with Oscoopiastri, gets him well with the car.

So I can understand why, with the way McLaren are going in the right direction, that he might think that's his better route to success than going up against Max Verstappen. He'd have seen his own teammate, Daniel Ricardo, from a couple of years ago, he can see what can happen. Even a great driver, it does. always click when you go into a new environment. So I think this is just Norris playing it smartly.

I don't agree with him signing on this early on, but I can understand the logic behind what he's saying here. Did you have any thoughts, Harry? I was, I was with you to be honest, Ben. Yeah, isn't it mad that it's just a hypothetical question in an interview. They've asked at one person and the world has impotent. And the most biased personally in that situation as well. So you're obviously going to get a very one-sizing argument.

Yeah, like off the cuff, he's like, I just don't think that would be a good idea. And everyone's going, you're a idiot. You suck. I hate you. Yeah, I don't... F-1 hooks. God.

I don't think it's like a belief thing that Landoahs doesn't think he could beat Max Vastappen. Every F-1 driver thinks that they could beat every F-1 driver in the same machine. And you're asking this person, I'm not blaming the interview, it was Craig Slater, right? I'm not bringing the interview. Yeah, it's a good interview. But you're asking someone who's just signed a new contract with the team that's not Red Bull. And you go, why would you not sign for Red Bull?

It's obviously going to defend his own decision. So yeah, because it shows the belief he has in his decision. So shut up everyone. It'll be well weird if Craig Slater went. So he didn't sign for Red Bull. How come? You're like, you've reminded me. I shut that.

Oh, crap. Oh, I forgot. Oh, no. Oh, that was the other bit of post. I threw that post in the big. I thought I read it all. Paris's contract is up in 2028. So no, no, no, it was this season.

Oh, no. I can't read my age as handwriting sometimes because he comes being hocking. So the eights are like fours and the force are like eights. And it's hard to decipher. Ah, I can't have had that drive. Obviously he won't say that. I'd imagine if he did.

I'd be like, oh, wow. You're an idiot. You are an idiot. A special kind of moron. Belong very well on this podcast at that point, I'd like. Anyway, last, last thing. I want to touch on regarding contracts, we're going to jump back to Charles LeCler here because there are reports that, at least in the Clare's deal, no idea about Norris's deal, but in

LeCleur's deal, it seems like there is a bit of flexibility in the number of those several more years, and perhaps the deal is a bit less rigid than the one he's got right now. Do you think at least that part of the contract, that is a good move for Charles Leclercler, Sam? 100%. It needs to be a structured deal. It needs to be based on performance deliverables that Ferrari are working on. Lecler needs to have had something in his contract that says, you know, by the start of the 2026 season, we'll have achieved X, Y, and Z,

it might be a number of wings, it might be a number of points, it might be the distance to first or something like that. And then at 2026, I would not be shocked if there is a, like a make or break clause, an extension or a, you know, a yes, we'll sign on technically for the next two years again after that to 2028.

And I think that's how he's structured it. That is a very logical, sensible, business type approach to structuring your contract. those who just sign on for several more years, pump the brakes. I think all contract lengths should be entirely public knowledge. I'm just putting it out there. I do think that he will probably have a deal that's maybe worth six or seven years in total. And I think it'll be kind of like a two by two by two if they hit certain metrics.

Noah's Ark style. The Noah's Art contract. Yes. Charlotte-Clo went in two by two. Hurrah. Hurrah. Hey, biblical reference. Good stuff, everyone.

We hit everyone. Godler. a biblical reference. Makes sense because of course it does. I think in theory this is a good move because let's just assume several years means 27, let's just say that as an example, which is perfectly viable based on what he's saying here.

He'd have been in the sport for like a decade at that point. And even Charles LeClearn must know that his time in F1 is not infinite. I know he's still a young man, but by the time this contract ends, there is every chance that he'd have had more years in F1 than he will have remaining. So, you know, every year needs to work towards something. Like I say, in theory, I think this is a good idea.

The problem I have with it and what Ferrari are probably quite aware of as well is that Ferrari are very good at just being good enough to keep people like LeClaire on the line in that they very rarely have, they very rarely have outright bad seasons. they do, they don't usually have back-to-back bad seasons. So you can always sort of claim direction of travel-wise that, yeah, we're going in the right direction. I know they've had a few bad seasons recently, like 2020 is the one that stands out massively. They finished six for that year. And 2014 was another poor one. But actually, that's the, you know, 2016, sorry, 2020, they finished six. You have to go back to like 1981 for the last time they finished outside of the top four.

apart from 2020. So they do a very good job of at least being third, third, third, second, fourth, third. They're not winning anything. But for someone like LeCler, it's almost like, yeah, we're really close. And you're just always really close. So again, I think in theory, it makes sense. But I think Ferrari will never be bad enough for LeClaire to pull the trigger on it. It's like Ferrari driving down the road of history and on the back of their car on a bit of string, they put like a 20 pound note. Its drivers are running along behind it. Like, oh, I'm really, I'm really close.

And then they keep kind of slightly breaking. Oh, yeah, and then they accelerate off again. That is literally, that is literally how they keep their drivers on a string. And that car is going just fast enough for that 20 pound note to stay out of reach. Yeah. But not fast enough to go and catch the Red Bull that's like, you know, three years in front of them. Dragging eight trophies down the road in front of them. Exactly.

What do you think about the way, the reports about this deal being perhaps a bit less, less rigid, Harry? I hope they are. That's true because it's only sensible. Yeah, I agree with what you've both said. It's got to be a sense. If his agent is doing anything right, I don't know whether signing for Farari for so long is, it, hopefully, they've put this in place. Freddy Bass.

Yeah. Gotcha. Takes off a mask. It's Freddie Bass. It's me. And we've got away for it too if it wasn't for you rotten podcasts. Yeah, so hopefully that, for LeCler's sake, because, yeah, if it gets trapped in a, in a crap car for another three years or whatever, it's just he's got to have a way out. Because I feel like this is, well, I don't know.

maybe not. But I feel like this is like, there's got to be the make or break contract for him. Because if it goes well, great news. Amazing. I've signed a good contract. If it goes badly,

like this is, he's got to go somewhere else. Yeah. But if everyone else signs on, he's going to end up being stuck. That's his lookout, but at least there might be an option he can get out. Yeah, true.

Because if he's stuck there for however many years, then it's just disaster. It would be a, what was that? Wobling the camera. I knocked the entire time. Sorry, everyone. It would just be a crime against, like, F1 talent if he doesn't pick up more wins,

a championship, etc. Like, what a waste of a talent in F1. I think we're entering a bit of an era where, you know how, and we did this recently, right, we looked back at our five most underrated, five most over 80s, drivers that could have being, sugar being. I do think we are on the brink of seeing a real risk of drivers that were almost. Daniel Ricardo falls into that box. I think, you know, Landon Norris and Charlotte Clark could both comfortably fall.

Is that George Russell in theory could fall into that box if it never happens? We are at a real risk of this golden age being entirely dominated by Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. One of those drivers, excluding Ricardo's a bit older. If you look at the other, those other three drivers, you have to think at least one of them, if not two of them, are probably going to win their careers with disappointment that they didn't achieve. more. There's just so much talent plus Max Verstappen on top of that that it's almost impossible to see all of them in their careers like, yeah, we got everything out of this, this F1 life that we hoped and think we could have got out of it. You know, like, I've got another analogy,

we're overflowing today. It's like Max Verstappen's put all their talent in the Bing, but the Bing's don't overflow, you know, you get on the Bing and you have to jump to stamp it all down to make sure all goes in. That's Max Verstappen. Keep your talent in the Bing. I don't think I've ever jumped on a bin before. You haven't lived. No. I have many great sons. Just take that one up, put no one in.

No, but like stuffing it down. You clearly got done. Oh, honestly, you've missed out. It's a whale over time. Not doing life right. I'm in the bin. Well, so good thing we've got a break coming up. So myself and Harry can experience the thrill that is bin jumping.

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If you're interested, we've just been discussing hot cross buns for like two minutes. But on something far worse than hot cross buns, I'm afraid to say, because Alfa Tauri has officially become Visa Cash App RB for the 2020. Now, we've got some interesting quotes about the actual team and their sort of expectations for this season and in the future that we'll get to in a little bit, but we would be remiss for not starting at least with the name itself. We knew something like this was coming, but it is now official. Sam, what do you make of this team name and the possibility that they might go by V-Carb? Other than actually reching over the microphone into everyone's

I don't have words to describe how atrocious. I thought, steak bake, we're taking the crown on this. Can I just say, boss balls racing, we never knew how good we had it. The prospect of that now, I'm like, I'll take it. Racing balls. No one is happier than steak. No one is happier than steak right now.

They're having a feast over there. Yeah. It's not a name either. It's just a series of sponsorships. There's no name there. At least, you know, you look at some of the team names. You've got Ashton Martin, cognizant, something, something race, Aramco, race it. At least Ashton.

Martin's in it, right? R.B., which I'm going to assume, equates to Red Bull, but they're not allowed to have Red Bull in their name. They're not confirmed what it means? Just R.B. Just R. B. Really bad. Yeah, really bad. Rambunctious. Bottoms. That's all I call them. Fings are cash out, rambunctious bottoms. That's worse. No, it's not. I like the rambunctious bottoms. I think that sounds like a great band name. If you'd like to join my country band, that's our name. Um, this is a troncule. This is a

It is astonishingly bad. It's amazing that this many people, and you look at Red Bull's marketing, not just in Formula One, across their entire franchise, is phenomenal. I'd argue it is the best marketing team in the world. And good God, they do everything brilliantly.

Every video I watch this Red Bull relating is fantastic. Every product they make sells out. And then they come up with Visa Cash App R.B. Like, I saw a funny gif, where Daniel Ricardo was driving down the road and a little cash machine popped out of his steering when we had to scan it to get another set of tyres. Brilliant.

Micro-transactions in a live Formula One race. Oh my God. It's so bad. It's just the fact that it's all sponsorships really annoy me. They better come out with the absolute most banging livery of all time because then I'll forgive them.

No. And only then. What do we call them? What's the name? What's Crofty going to say? What's Crofty going to say? Manardi, yeah, I think, I think, Torre Lowe's The amount of puns that Crofty

gonna come up with. Visa. Oh, no. Crap app. One of them. I hope they got their visa to come into the country. Oh, goodness.

Should we just ride them all down and send them across? Yeah, okay, sure. Get him out the way now. Crofty, all in one race, please. In testing. Yeah. Where I don't watch. Yeah.

Here's a question for you both. Would Dietrich Matters have allowed this. I hope not. He's rolling right now, aren't he? I've seen some people say, I don't know if it would have been allowed to stand with him still around.

No, obviously it wouldn't. Look at the games they've had in the past. And I saw someone have a moan going, Mardi went bankrupt, so shut up, at least we've got 10 teams on the grid. I was like, is that your actual reasoning for this being acceptable?

To your previous point, they had other names in the past. It's all about the brand, with Red Bull, and they were Toro Rosso, which, if you didn't know, just means Red Bull. In Italian. I respect it, though. Then it's Alfa Tauri, which, yes, isn't Red Bull, but it's a sub-brand of Red Bull. It's a clothing brand that they own.

We're now Visa. You've just gone. Visa Cash App. What's happened to the shops that they add? I can't, obviously, it's an awful name. I can't deal with people who are defending it by saying, well, yeah, but there are lots of teams who have sponsorships in your name. You mentioned Aston Martin, Mercedes, AMG, Petronus, all of that.

EWT, LPN. It's a stupid argument. I won't mention the main one, but it rhymes with Bill Wachston. And this isn't the same because, yes, you call them, they're fully called Aston-Martin and A-Ramco-Cogsson, but they're just called Aston Martin. This is just sponsorship. Red Bull is called Red Bull Oracle Racing.

You just call them Red Bull. Yeah. That's a dumb argument. And I hate it. Which would be fine if R.B. stood for something. It doesn't. Really bad. Here come the rambunctious bottoms.

Oh, I've crossed the line. Oh, I hate it. A rambunctious fashion. I hate it. I don't like over-policing by F1 and the FIA, but I really think they should have quashed this. I don't think they should let this stand, because there is a reputation element to these teams and F-1 sport.

and to see the likes of McLaren and Mercedes and Ferrari and Williams go up against Visa Cash App RB. Like, it's just come on. You've got to have a team name. You've got to have an actual name. You can put 23 sponsors after the name, but you have to have an actual name. Well, see, that's why I think this might have come to be because you've got, like you say, you've got the likes of Cognizant on Astor Martin's official team name and you've got BWT for Alpin. you've got loads of others as well.

But you could get a situation, and maybe you already do have a situation where title sponsors feel somewhat short-changed because when people say the team's name, they don't include those sponsors. So I think what they've done here is essentially make the name so stupid that actually there is a good chance that people will say out loud some combination of these words.

Even if it ends up being V-carb, right? that apparently that's being referred to internally. Maris. I feel like that is a better situation for these title sponsors than someone like Cognizant who doesn't get a mention on any broadcast. So I feel like that's the reasoning for it.

It's stupid, but... V. Carp. It's like you've actually taken the school register, James, Harry, Mary, Helen, Coca-Cola Cabri's. You know, like, sell your child's name off to Brandon. That's what they're doing.

That is what they're doing. I am so annoyed at them. I hope they recreate the cart slash indie car livery of Martin Blundell and he had that visa down the side because at least that slapped. Who's Martin Blondell? You know the guy. Mix of Martin Condal and Marlon. Finally, Martin Prondon and Markle are born.

They are the same person. So who cares? They are one. Sam Blunders, what they should call me? Moving away from the name of the team, there were a few comments on this announcement and actually regarding the team's future and what they're looking to achieve. So Red Bull Technologies chief marketing officer Oliver Hughes said the new identity is not simply a name change. It's the start of a thrilling new journey designed to take the team to new levels of competitiveness.

And Peter Bayer, who is the CEO of the team, said we are entering a new era of racing, staying true to our roots as a hot house for Talham. but now with an even greater focus on competing for the biggest prizes in F1. Sam, do you think this is just marketing spiel? Or is there actual truth that there is more of an intention to win at this team than was the case previously? It could definitely be marketing spiel. And again, we saw it with when, you know, State Bake F1 team joined the sport that you have to be positive. You have to big up your opportunities. You have to find an angle that, you know, you're going to walk into a new sport or a new brand and go,

yeah, eighth place looks tasty. We'll leave it at that. Cheers, we're going to sign mediocre drivers and hope that we don't achieve anything. You're not going to come out and say that. So there is definitely a bit of marketing spiel in this. If they are actually seriously going to try and become a championship contender,

if we're going to see both Red Bull and Mangardi fighting up front for titles, I have a serious problem at that point with the relationship between these two teams because there is all sorts of room for rambunctious behaviour. You know, closed doors being spoken behind. That's the way you said. That's how that saying goes.

Hey. Keep his close out there to speak behind it. Yeah, well, you're got on, I think. I love talking behind closed doors. But my point is here. There is so much room for background negotiations. for, you know, not everything is down a bit of paper in the paddock. So many things can be done in separate communication channels, you know, just word of mouth,

it can't be tracked. This feels really uncomfortably close to rigging the system to me at this point. If we're going to have Red Bull 1-2 and Alpha Tauri, Toro Rosso 3-4, and they go, oh, actually, the Alpha Tauri is a better car, but we still want Red Bull to win it because it's Max Verstappen, and he's our golden child. Are we just going to see the parting of the seas every race? You know what I mean?

It just feels like we really saw it with how ghastly got out the way of Max Mastapen, remember in Qatar and things like that when that car was already half decent. This just doesn't feel good to me. It just feels like there's too many crossings of wants and desires of the same thing. And I'm not a fan. If you're going to be in the sport, you should be a beat team, properly beating. You should be part of this development. I disagree with them being into sport anyway.

But I don't like the idea if you. both being at the top. What did you make of those comments, Harry? I've less of an issue than this versus them just being a B team because, and again, I want it all to be legal. I'm not saying I just want a Red Bull, a, you know, Red Bull 2.0.

But at least they're doing something. Like they're there for something. As a B team, like a feeder team, what did Alfa Tauri? I just don't think that will ever be the case. No, I know, but at least if they're there, is the ambition. I'm not saying it'll come to fruition, but if there's the ambition to actually be properly competitive and not just, not just like the aim is to be in the midfield

all the time, as it has been for, forever, basically. I'm okay with that, but like Sam's already mentioned, there's, if they suddenly are championship contenders, they're not, oh, that's not good. Something will be awry, something will be wrong. Yeah. Yeah. I think on the surface, it's like, is there a mixed message here? Because the team itself is trying to lay out almost independent plans of being better than they have been. But at the same time, the only way they achieve that is by being closer to Red Bull, which seems to be the direction they're taking. I am on the same wavelength as you on this, Sam, because whilst I think in the short term, it might be, you know, we get another.

team in the mix, which is ultimately what we want, but it's almost the wrong way of achieving it, because if that then becomes the blueprint, while on earth wouldn't other teams just follow suit, right? And you have like a couple of great teams and other teams just following in their footsteps and almost limiting themselves to being, sure, they'll be closer, but limiting themselves to third place in the championship or, you know, one win per season or whatever that might be. You know, the whole point in the cost cap was that we were supposed to get a new era of F1 where 10 teams or more than 10 teams could compete on a level playing field and we go racing. And we see which of these independent teams can come out on top.

And I just think that it's a dangerous game because if they are closer to Red Bull and they are competitive quite early on, people might very naturally go, hey, this is great. We've got two more cars in the mix. let's go down this path even more, which I don't want to see in the future of F1. I would rather we get to that point, but with purely independent teams, rather than B teams, as you put it.

Good. So, yeah, want on V-Cab. God. Can we call on pasta? I'm okay with that. Coscarb. Yeah, I'm okay with that. Rice.

Team pasta. Yeah? What about Tiger Bread? Yeah, I love Tiger Bread. Team Tiger Bread. We'll just call them a different. carb each week. No, new listeners have no idea what's going on.

We don't know what's going on. They're called V-carb. So true. That's what we aim for to make sure that our new listeners have no idea what we're talking about. The worst point is I love carbs. Yeah, not this one. This one's making me hate myself. Not anymore.

Let's move on to a team that I'm sure, Sam, you've got much more love for, which is Porsche. Oh, I do love a Porsche. Somewhat, because they're not actually a team, but you know what I mean. we know that they somewhat pursued a deal with Red Bull for 2026, never quite came through and then sort of pulled out of negotiations for that era of F1 altogether. But recently, it has been identified as an interesting racing series for us, that being Porsche, saying that. So, Sam, do you think that this is keeping the doors open? Do you think that, you know, 2030 might be the next potential looking for the team?

What do you think? I found this really confusing as a statement because they went through this whole process as you just mentioned being of, you know, we're coming with this relationship with Red Bull, there were talks about them buying out a team potentially of being their own team and that went on for quite a while.

That was a saga for a couple of years and we thought, oh, we got Porsche in F1 that's going to be really, really cool. And then they, like you said, they kind of squandered all of that and said, we don't, we're not interested anymore. 12 months later, Formula One is a very interesting series for us.

And it's going on like, what's your aim? What's your goal here? Take me to dinner. Stop floating. Right? Exactly. You know. Come on. I've got a conspiracy theory with this. Oh, gosh. Okay. Conspiracy theory might be pushing it a bit farther. But I feel like they want to stay involved in these chats to almost be on the pulse with these sorts of things. And I don't know, get involved in these sorts of discussions and talks and get all the, I don't know, in the industry secrets.

but then just not commit. So they almost like get the benefit of being involved in the chats without actually having to put any money forward to do something about it. I mean, I don't think that's a conspiracy theory. I think that's quite clever marketing, quite frankly. You put yourself, Porsche align themselves with Mercedes and Audi in terms of the amount of German manufacturers being spoken about. And you've got to remember that Porsche and the VW family

have so many brands that it's entirely beneficial for them to be involved in the absolute pinnacle of this conversation. that was another conversation, wasn't it, in terms of how do they enter the sport? Would it be under the Porsche logo? Would it be under Lamborghini, which is shared under the VW logo? Would it be under VW? As is Audi. Right.

And that was another issue that they didn't want to necessarily go up against a direct relation in their manufacturing group, which I think, again, makes sense. We have an issue with Red Bull and V-Carb. Would we have an issue with Audi and Porsche? Because in theory, they would have direct links in their engineering prowess. So I would love to see Porsche from a personal level enter Formula One. I've always been a huge Porsche fan. I would love a Porsche.

Porsche if you're listening. That is... Mr. Portia. If Mr. Porsche is listening, I would love one. Thank you. It's ambitious. I'll give you that. That's an ambitious shout.

You've got to shoot your shot. Because otherwise, you're never going to hit the target. Kevin Porsche's listening. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Whatever their name is, I will love them for life. Yeah, enter the sport. Do it. As Harry said, stop flirting with me.

Buy me dinner and whisk me away for a lovely time because the offer's there, Porsche. Mine. Have a good time. I don't know why I expected that segment to go any different than asking a question about Porsche and ending with Sam's plea to get one, which, again, shoot a shot.

Please. Harry, your thoughts? Well, I kind of giving them away. Just stop flaking. get on with it now. If you are, if you are interested, and I think your theory is,

is not incorrect. I think that could be, well be the case. But stop it. Because other people have committed Audi, Andretti, obviously not let in.

He's desperately trying to commit. And Portia just keeps saying that, oh, well, we're interested still. Just so you're stopping you. Literally got all the money in the world. Come on. So,

yeah, I'm starting to like not take these seriously as we used to, to be honest. Because if they really wanted to, I think they would have made a bid for it now. So, surprise me, Porsche. Question to the table. Hello, sir. I wouldn't talk to the table, mate.

That is vying energy. That is terrible. That is so vying. Make sure you talk behind it. If Porsche do come into the sport and we have Porsche, Audi Mercedes, surely a German Grand Prix has got to come back up. You hope so. Come on.

The only other big giant now is BMW. They've been there before, so, yeah, go on. Hockenheim, come back. Or Nürberg ring, either. Both. They're going to make a card to them, lovely Germans. So. She had to pick one of those two.

Which one? Hockenheim. That's tough, though. I like the Nuremberg ring, too. Old layout. Old layout at Nubber ring. Old layout. Oh, God.

What's the green hell? I love new Hockenheim. I will take them all. Sure. Every lap you have to open the gate to the old out. I'm going blind. Sex being blinded today. Thank you. I have been blessed.

What you need is a late-breaking blind. Just have a normal blind. All right, Samsung closing the blind. Okay, good. Sam's leaving. Okay. To be honest, I don't think I had much more to say on this because I agree with what you said, Harry.

I mean, they are committed. I've got the sunglasses so cool they are committed to other motorsport series they have investment in Formula E and WEC and IMSA

so they are floating about in the motorsport atmosphere bunch of floaters aren't they very high performance and gorgeous looking floats

which I will gladly flashed up and that's my cue to end this segment I actually didn't have much more to say you know, with Audi, if that works out, then that might be the push.

It's the optimist of me talking, but maybe that gives them the push that they need to be like, oh yeah, they're in a, you know, they're in the same group as us. It's worked for them. Why don't we give it a go? That is the optimist of me talking.

Yeah. Get in the sport, Porsche. Just walk through the door. Get in the sport. It's a great segment from us again. Don't worry. We have really got a great. segment coming up after this. It's back and forth.

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Desjardin today. We'd love to talk, business. Okay, everyone, welcome back. It's time for F1 back and forth. F1. Back and forth, it's F1. Back and forth, it goes backwards, then goes forth, it's F1, back and forth, it's F1, back and forth. It's F1.

Back and forth. F1. I hope everyone seems to Lonerheim. Okay, F1 back and forth. Harry goes up against Sam in this game of wits.

There are 16 correct answers. It's often not a lot of wits. Try and advertise that way at least. One wit. Game of twits. Oh, yeah. We've got... We've got 16 correct answers to a question.

Harry and Sam will take it in terms giving correct answers until one of them can't think of an answer or gives an incorrect answer and today I'm feeling somewhat generous because I'm going to give you one strike each so...

Oh, it's a hard one then. Great. No. No, you'll rattle through some of these, I think. Maybe some of the ones towards the bottom of this might be more difficult, but we'll see. I want you to name the 16 drivers who have started at least 50 races for Ferrari.

Okay. Wow. How have they done that much? That's insane. And also, I've been somewhat kind of this list because the number I've picked with 50, there aren't any in the 40s. So there's no real near misses of like they've done 49 or 48. You have to go back down to like 37. So can't wait to my shoes 37 is the first one. That'd be really funny if that was the case. So there are 16 drivers on this list, 50 races or more for Ferrari. kick us off. Shell Leclair. Damn it.

Good start. He's currently done 102 races for the scuderia. That puts him tied for fifth all time. Sam. I'm going to go Michael Schumacher. And he leads that list

with, and I'm not going to do the Darts call here, but 180. That's a real missed opportunity. Well, I figured you might want to jump in and do it, Sam. No, no, no, no. I don't jump on those opportunities. I keep, serious, man.

wearing sunglasses on and he's a different person it looks like we're in two different places it really does Sam's in tenoration oh god, I'd love to me it's like a green screen, he's not really here I can put my hand through it it's so warm

oh dear anyway Schumacher 180 races that is first on the list Harry Carlos Sines Junio Carlos Sines he's done 65 races

for the team Um, 60. I'm going to go, Fernando Alonso. Fernando Alonzo also on the list. 96 races. That's the wrong way around. Kimmy Reikinen. Kimmy Reikinen, second on the list, 151 races.

Give me your like on. Keep going to go. Okay, carry on. Sebastian Vettel. Sebastian Vettel, 118 races. Um, fourth on the list. Rubens Barrakello. Rubens Barrakello.

Tied for fifth with Charlerclair. He's also had 102 race starts for the team. I'm going to go with Felipe Massa. Felipe Massa. He's third on the list, 139 races. Um, oh no. Yeah, starts counting. Eddie Irvine?

Eddie Irvine. He's done exactly the same number of races as Carlos signs, 65. What are I do? Nicky Lauder Nicky Lauder Yes, he is a correct answer 58 races

impressively 15 wins in 58 races Which is a pretty good conversion rate that Charles LeClair is probably crying about Oof, yeah, that doesn't read well at all for Charlotte Claire

right, there are five one, two, three, four, five, six, sorry, six names left on the list, Harry. Jean-Alese. John Lacey is a correct answer, 79 races for him. Oh, no, I've got a strike, you've got one, strike? Yep. Okay, I'll just get this around the way then.

Prost. Prost is not a correct answer. Good, thank God, that's one's on my mind, so. He did three seasons, right? Or two seasons? Three. Yeah, he's one of those in the 30s. 37.

He's not the 37 one, I know that. Gerhard Berger. Burger is on the list, so 96 races for him. I just got to put myself out here, I think. Clay Riggazzoni. Clay Regazzoni is a correct answer. 73 races for Regazzoni. Oh.

Ben, how many of these drivers are in the 50s? Or from the 50s? None. None. Oh, okay. Ah, God, I don't know. Yeah, now I'm stumped. McKaylea Alberto.

Miquelro is a correct answer. 80 races, he did. Wow. I didn't think it was that many at all. Yeah, he was that longer than you think he was. Interesting. All right, Miquely. Oh, I really annoyed you got that actually.

I didn't think that was right. I mean, you had a strike anyway, but I am struggling right now. How many are you left? Three. Two. Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no.

One of which is the last name on this list as well. Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no. Just saying, oh, no. Oh no. Oh no. We're trying to buy time.

Just keep saying words. Oh, no. I'm really looking around there. Because you're focused on saying that. Anything up there. I can see this sunlight. Michael Schumacher. You can't use him again.

Michael Schumacher. I really... Both of these names did race for Ferrari before Michael Schumacher. Oh, I was going to say. We've got all the ones after that. Um. Oh, no.

Honestly, I don't go. Honestly, I don't know. Vilnerve. It's a correct answer? Oh, yes. 66 races. Which means there's only one name left on this list. And I guess, Harry, technically, you've got two opportunities to get it, having not

done a strike. Do you not pass it back to me? Who has raced 55 times for Ferrari that you have. haven't mentioned. 55 times. Obviously, the relief I feel now. Oh, pressure's off. Can we have a decade?

I don't mind that. 60s and 70s. That's definitely helped you. I don't know. I don't know any drivers from the 60s and 70s. Don't pick one that started their own team. Brabham. Yeah, not in.

Not him. Bruce McLaren. Don't do him. I actually don't know. Look around the room. I keep wanting to say Jackie Hicks, but I don't think he even race for Ferrari. Jackie Hicks? He's going to play in the ball.

Yeah. It's the right answer. 55 races. So yeah. That's all of them. Well done. That was stressful. That really stressed me out.

Oh, no. Oh, no. I hated that. Oh, lovely God. The closest, the 37 races one was Mike Hawthorne, by the way. But not enough races. back in the 50s, were there? Oh, yeah.

What's happening then? So your lovely lozzo was runging down the road. Right, see. So I was waving. Got it. Got it. I think this is probably a good place to leave this episode. But let's celebrate everyone.

Birthday shout out. Yeah. Birthday shoutouts. Harry, you should be getting the spreadsheet up while I'm celebrating. I'm filling the air time. I'm just celebrating. We were remembered. Fill that air time, my son.

Well, folks, if you didn't know, top tier of Patreon subscribers get a birthday shout out on their birthday shout out on their birthday month. And you know what? So many of you have been floating on over to Patreon to support us. And it helps us massively. Go on then. We've got three. Three for Jan. Happy birthday, you January babies. I could have sworn there was more than that when I ended up the other day. But hey, I'm wrong. Oh, it's reconnecting. Why is that? Okay. Can you just refresh the page for me, mate? Just to make sure that is correct. Please hold callers. I knew it. I knew there was a fourth one. is difficult.

Yeah, well, folks, this is admin. I knew there were four. Okay, happy birthday to Mark Flynn,

January the 28th. That's today. Happy birthday, Mark. Happy birthday to today. Wow, you really hit the jackpot by falling on your day.

Happy birthday to Pommi. I know that's an Australian nickname. Tommy Jahn. In the Down Under, Jan, Jank, happy birthday to you. Brooke,

happy birthday for tomorrow. You'll hear this, hopefully, on the day it goes out unless you're having a fantastic Sunday and maybe you're not can listen to it. should be really, really rude.

And the one that really, you know, make sure that she got on here, this is Kirsten, or our best friend we've never met Kirsten, as she said, that she'd like to be called. For January the 25th, happy birthday to you.

I hope you'll have lovely birthdays, or I've had lovely birthdays, and thank you again for your support. You can get your own birthday shout out if you go and subscribe to Patreon. If you have a birthday. Got all of us too. Oh, yeah.

You've got to pay for that. I'm still three. That's why I've never got a goal, yeah. To be fair, that might be the most accurate thing you've ever said. Would you mind getting us out of here, Sam? Folks, thanks for listening.

Make sure you follow us on all social channels Late Breaking F1. You can join the Discord or the links in the scripty. This was recording in video format, and if you'd like to see me wearing sunglasses in a green screen and Harry in the cold and desolate UK, then you can. It'll be on YouTube, Late Breaking F1.

Go and checking out, please. We would love the support over there. We've already mentioned Patreon Absolute tongue but we just love you and a bloody lovely Sunday getting through this winter break together and we'll see you midweek

also Patreon episode will be coming out this week too this time next week we'd have seen a car I have seen a car as well I have seen a car as well just in general

there's one out there but the McLaren and F1 you know but this is an actual launch not just a smack in the face so true it's a real kick in the going out that McLaren

Okay, we'll have seen a house next time. That'll be good. Anyway, love you all. In the meantime, I've been Samuel Sage. I've been Ben Hocking. I've been Harry Ead. And remember, keep breaking late. Can't wait for a hot crossbund tomorrow.

Very job. A hot crossburn. This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.