The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Predicting the 2027 F1 Driver Lineups!

Episode Date: April 5, 2026

The LB boys are predicting the entire 2027 F1 grid! Who stays, who makes a move, and which new talents make their debut? Plus, which current drivers could be out of the sport for good? Tune in to hear our predictions. Get involved in F1 Fantasy this season! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Late Braking league⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and see if you can beat us... LEAGUE CODE: C6Y6R4ZUY02 Want more Late Braking? Support the show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get:Ad-free listeningFull-length bonus episodesPower Rankings after every raceHistorical race reviews& more exclusive extras!Don't forget! You can also gift a Late Braking Patreon subscription—perfect for loved ones or your own wish list. Choose anything from 1 month up to a full year of top-notch F1 content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/latebrakingf1/gift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Late Braking:You can find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Come hang out with us and thousands of fellow F1 fans in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ server and get involved in lively everyday & race weekend chats!Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠F1 Fantasy League⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and see if you can beat us!Get in touch any time at [e-mail]  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thank you for listening to the Late Breaking F1 podcast. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday and every Sunday. Very warm welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Ead, Sam Sage, and me, Ben Hocking, in this agonising one-month break in between races. But that agony has subsided at least for a day. Because I get to see both of your faces. Gosh, isn't that delightful? It's so sweet to us, Harry.

Yeah, you usually see off-camera. The funny thing is, I was. told by the nice podcast person to not look to my left to talk to Harry. Salam's no. She never have given that instruction. As an autistic man, I have to follow the rules immediately. Sam, we've just fallen out for today. Sam's not looking at me.

You're not here. You know Dwight when he shuns, Andy? Unshunt. Yeah, podcast stuff. Formula One. Yeah, podcast stuff. What's that being the one of podcasting today? We're not talking about Formula One.

Got enough time to fill. Well, we've decided. with this one month gap that we've got an opportunity to talk through, a few different things whilst there's no racing to chat through. And one of them is the 2027 driver lineup, our predictions for what the grid is going to look like next year. Good time to do it because there aren't actually that many contracts confirmed yet for 2027. There are some, and we know that even with contracts in place sometimes,

shenanigans in the transfer window can go a bit crazy. so we're going to go through all 11 teams, see where we're similar, see where we're different. If you are listening along at home and you've got a piece of paper nearby, maybe jot down the teams, jot down the drivers, see who you're closest to in terms of your predictions compared to the three of us. We're going to go in championship order as they are right now, which means we start with the championship leaders, that being Mercedes. Very good starts to 2026. And I'm sure there are a number of drivers that would like to be in that. Mercedes seat for next year. Kimmy Antonelli has a contract up until the end of 2026.

George Russell, unsure. There are some people who seem to think he has a contract until the end of this year, some who indicate he might have an option for next year as well. Harry, just the two names to start with, and then we'll get into discussion once we've revealed all three of our two drivers. Hella boring, but Russell and Antonelli.

Boo Werns. Boone's. I'm not boo-warns. So, Kimmy Antingelli and Max Verstappen. Okay. Less be-werns. Less be-werns. More oo-werns.

Yes. I'm going with Kimmy Antonelli and George Russell. So I'm with... Boo-earned. Yeah, I just boo-warned. Simpson's heavy episode already. It is. Might as well start with the biggest talking point from that reveal is that Max Verstappen is going to Mercedes.

Yeah, I think there are two options with Max Verstappen at the moment. I think he's either... done with the sport. And you can understand why it's just not what he's enjoying doing. It's what his start of racing. And the other option is that I think he goes to a championship opportunity. And in his endurance racing, his GT3 racing, he's currently racing on Mercedes. I think there's got a relationship there already.

We heard about the poaching rumours, of course, from last season where Toto Wolf wanted Max in the car. And we spoke about this in length about how he'll probably give it a year in the new regulations before understanding where Red Bulls sit, where Mercedes sit after last year. we saw that Mercedes were well off the pace, Rebel were regularly contenders, if not winning championships. And Max is a winner. You know, he's done his time in the midfield. He did his time in the likes of Toro Rosso and moved up through the ranks.

We want to see Max at the front. And if Mercedes have got that head start in this new regulations, it makes sense that you put the four-time champ in with this team that wins so many championships. And unfortunately for George Russell, I do think whilst he is absolutely brilliant behind the wheel of a car, he's already been proven to be matched by Kimi Antingelli. And so because the talent is there from Kimmy, they don't need to worry about this second seat.

They can now go out and get someone else who's going to spend the money on them and go, right, if we can go pick up someone who's a real championship contender and win us everything, Kimmy's really beating him. Free race is in. He's already beating George Russell. So they're close enough that. I think that they can work out if they want to take that risk. And I think they will.

What do you think the timeline looks like from Toto Wolf's perspective? We know that that interest has already been there in the last couple of years. Is he already looking at that situation now and trying to open those discussions from Verstappen's side? Is he already looking at Mercedes as the option? Is it happening now or is it going to happen later in the year? I actually think that Toto bringing is to strike while the iron is hot. If Red Bull get better, then I think the interest from Max and Max Verstappen's camp will wane slightly. because if the gap shrinks drastically,

why would they go through the entire process of, you know, rehoming, so to speak, moving to a new team, adjusting, new culture, new personnel. Max has been with Red Bull, his entire driving career, it's going to be a big move for him. So you need to make sure that he doesn't settle into this team again and become more comfortable in the new era. And I think the saying is if they want him,

they've got to get it down pretty much before this compression ratio changes in June, July, strike while the eye on is hot, get it done before the summer break. And we know from Vestappen's perspective that he's, to put it mildly, not very happy with the current regulations. Going into next year, would it be a case of him trying to see if I'm at the front and I am winning races again, potentially fighting for a championship? If I'm still not enjoying it at that point, is that then his cue to go?

It's a logical choice, isn't it, to sit there and think, if I hate it and it's worse, that's fair enough, understandable. If you still hate it against best and you are winning Grand Prix, then maybe the sport just isn't for you. Now there's already been plenty of rumours coming around about, you know, the changes in energy, the reduction in battery usage, more emphasis on, you know, the combustion engine rather than the battery. So we're probably set to see some rule changes pretty immediately anyway,

and that might adjust his viewpoint moving forward. But it does make sense to see if you hate something when you are the absolute best at it. Now you're going with George Russell staying at the team. The one and only Damon Hill quite recently had some comments about. A fan of the podcast. Big fan of the podcast is Damon Hill. And he had some comments about George Russell and feeling temporary within him feeling temporary within Mercedes. But you've decided that he is going to stay for another year.

He is going to stay. And I think it's more to more to do with Maxis Stapp and not wanting to be an F1 anymore. Not to spoil my later one with Red Bull. But I don't think a winning car is going to be. going to persuade Vastappen to come over. I think he just hates the current reason. He just hate racing. But I think he just does not like.

I even think if he was right now winning, I still think he'd have negative things to say about this because he's been saying it before we've got into this year. So, and if Tocin wolf can't get Max Vastappen, I think he will very happily stick with George Russell and Kimi Antonetti because that's a good, that's a good line up. It's not a bag, second option, is it? Now that Antonelli has proved himself only in year two,

no matter which way around they are in terms of who's the fastest, they're still pretty close, and that's a good solid pairing. So why would he do it? Why would he chase Vestappen? Why would he chase Verstappen if Fostappen hates it here so much? Yeah. I just don't think he,

I think he'll give it a go again, but I think he won't get very far and we'll quickly just settle for, well, he settle for what he's got now. I just, I think Russell is a, he's a top class driver, so why would you not be unhappy with that? To be fair on that point, it's a lot of money and a lot of commitment if the guy's going to turn around in a year and go, I don't want to do this anymore. Imagine he gets Max Verstappen and he's like, I still hate it, bye-bye. Thanks for 12 months.

I'm off, bye. And that's got to be a risk that maybe wasn't there in the previous era of F1. And that's one of the reasons why I've gone with George Russell to stay at Mercedes as well and Vastappen not to make the move over. Because whilst, I think a year ago, I would have said, if Vestappen is interested, Toto Wolf makes it happen by any means. But now it feels like they do have a good thing going with the two drivers, some very positive comments from Toto Wolf recently about the driver lineup and the difference in experience, difference in age, but both still very quick.

And also, and I'm sure Vestappen would be able to make a difference if he were to be in a race-winning car. at least at the moment, the ability of the driver does feel to be somewhat diminished versus maybe last year. A driver can still make an impact, don't get me wrong, but it's not the same. It doesn't feel the same right now. So I think, I think Toadst Wolfe might stick with what he's got. Couldn't get past the big Pierre Gasly, could he? I mean, what more do you want in a driver? Big PG.

So we're saying Pierre Gasly to Mercedes. PG tips. Let it, Bruce. That's the famous saying. It's the evolution of let him cook. Let him brew. We should mention Antonelli as well before we move on. There's not as much to say here because we've all said that he'll stay with the team.

His contract is technically up at the end of this year, but I don't think there's any doubt right now that he'll be there again. What would be the gain in getting rid of him? Why commit to this risk of having this young succumbing or replace the Lewis Hamilton when you're then going to possibly get rid of him at the first time of asking? No, he's proving himself immediately. We saw actually the perfect kind of embedding into Formula One last year when they were in a car that wasn't going to go anywhere,

wasn't going to win too many races. And so he turns around, he develops over the year, he starts to match Russell towards the end of the year. New Era comes along. First three races come by and he's beating him. So perfect stuff. I don't know why you want to get rid of him. If he's this good at 19 years old,

they've already spent this much time and effort in his development. It would feel kind of backwards to get rid of him when he's just getting into his peak, right? Yeah, Mercedes don't do that. Toshaw doesn't do that. Look at Botas, Russell himself, Ockon to a lesser extent. But they spend a lot of time developing these drivers,

investing these drivers. Why would they already get rid of them, especially, as he said, Antonelli is now delivering. So, yeah, it would be madness to get rid of them. What about Ferrari? Charlie. Charles LeCler has the longest contract in F1 at the moment until the end of 2029.

Eternity. Lewis Hamilton, though, his contract is believed to be up at the end of this year. He signed on a multi-year deal, so maybe it's not. But I think it's more than likely his deal is up at the end of this year. Line-up is going to be... Charlotte, Claire and Olly Beerman. Harry. The same.

I'm going, Shaul-A-Claire and Lewis Hamilton. So you think Bearman makes the move up from Hassam? Yeah, I think this might end up being more a Lewis Hamilton decision rather than a Ferrari decision. Really? I do. I think... Replace me, please. Please let me go.

He's walked himself into prison and deciding he doesn't want to be here anymore. Seth Mayfrey! I think he was really overjoyed at the start of this year where he had suddenly beaten Charles Claire at some point and had done better in qualifying. I am slightly apprehensive for Lewis that the moment McLaren come back to form, if Red Bull adjust and come back to form, we could see a shift back to what we saw last season where it was Charlotte Clare regularly fighting for third, fourth, maybe fifth at worst. But Hamilton is at the back of this queue, maybe fighting with Hajjar for seventh and eighth place. And I think his mood will very quickly deteriorate when he's had the chance to build a car that he feels comfortable in. he feels like he's got an opportunity to wing something

and something that is all snatched away because again, he is further behind. And Lewis Hamilton is questionably the greatest person with ever seeing in a Formula One car. But I just think it's okay to accept that someone has moved away from the peak of their powers and it's okay to walk away. And it doesn't suit you anymore.

And I do think that he's at that point now where maybe it's time to move on. If the season goes the direction, I think it might. It might not. It might go the opposite direction. He might absolutely thrive and prosper the further into this year we get. And he might absolutely love it. And I could be so wrong.

I've gone out on a limb here to say that it'll be Beerman, not Hamilton. But I do think that this season will start to go a little bit downhill for him. And Beerman feels like the natural success. He's already impressed so much. I think if you're going to have a young driver such as Beerman with so much talent, it would be silly to, if you lose Hamilton to go out and spend a lot of money replacing Hamilton with someone else across the grid realistically and not pick up. the guy that you've essentially given Formula One experience during this

house team. I think Lecler is comfortably going to lead that team. There's no problem there. He's got the experience. Bermann's your up and coming talent. Give him a couple of years to bedding. I think that's a really great team. And you've gone with the same, Harry. Yeah, I think same reason. I don't think Hamilton's going to have another 20, 25. And I think he could still have a fairly decent year. But I think fairly decent isn't what he's after here. And if, yeah, like I say, if he's started to be beaten by Lecoe Claire regularly and if McLaren Reble get involved. I just think he might.

We said this. He's been quite complimentary of the regs at the start of the season when he's been fighting for a podium. If that goes away, I think his enjoyment goes away of this. And at the moment, the only people personally seem to have like massive battles with is his teammate. Which, yeah, seems to be going all right for the most. But I just wonder if he's yellow.

He said he starts to get mired in, you know, traffic further back potentially. We saw it in Japan. How many times can he be told before he decides to walk that to go quicker, he needs to activate less throttle through a corner? But that's so wrong with F1. Was it like 15% less throttle, Lewis, and you'll go quicker? So how is that work for me? How do I go faster by doing less?

Yeah, it's frustrating. So yeah, I don't think it's going to be terrible yet. I just think he might get to the end of this and go, you know what? It hasn't worked for me. It hasn't quite worked out. I've had a better year. let's walk away soon.

Yeah, it'll be a Hamilton regimen and a bareman to step up. I'm going with Hamilton doing another year. Maybe not more than another year, but I think he might do one more at Ferrari. At the moment at least, and this could change, as you've both said, I don't get the impression that he wants to go. I think he's still pretty motivated. And whilst Japan was more worrying,

I think overall it looks more comprehensive. competitive in the early goings between him and Charlerclair. And of course, Ferrari, at least right now, more competitive. I'm sure he would like more opportunities for wins rather than just... There's rumours they're bringing a whole new car to Miami. So that will be 12th and 13th, I'm sure. Oh, guaranteed. That's about where they were in Miami last year.

But yeah, and I don't think with Hamilton, there's going to be any motivation for him to go anywhere else or motivation for anyone else to pick him up, at least not outside of... maybe the midfield. I don't think Hamilton's going to go. Try for Haas. Try for Alpine. It's not going to happen. Hamilton Alpine, man.

That'd be funny. I actually think the bigger question is whether Ferrari will want to keep him or not with Behrman and what he's showing at Haas. If Hamilton's form does deviate back to what we saw in 2025, at that point, maybe Ferrari are the ones who look to make that change. But it's tough to ditch Lewis Hamilton. That is not just the driving, it's the marketing value. It's being able to say Lewis Hamilton is on your team.

So overall, I'm going boring and I'm staying with the two drivers that are there at the moment. Got two exactly the same at the moment. Yeah, is your entire list just this year? Yeah, yeah, yeah, no change. It might be because we're moving on to McLaren next. It's quite easy, though, this one. Norris and Piastri. You know what?

This is the first time that I'm not deviating. It'll be Norris and Piastri. Yes, Norris and Piastri. I'd be shocked if this changed. It's a great line up. They're both young enough. They got years to go. They clearly work well enough together that they can get it through.

They went through a championship decider, and they've been able to come back and saw it out. And Piaastri seems happy, and that was the question. They'll be fine. Yeah, it'll be right. They'll be right. Yeah, I think that if you're Zach Brown, you're not getting rid of that lineup.

For who, for who would you do that for? For whoops. Yeah, that's it. Pierre Gassley. Apart from Pierre Gassley. Well, obviously, if it becomes available. It deserves the world. Yeah.

So, and yeah, for the two drivers, realistically what, unless it's jumping into a Mercedes, why are you leaving that car? So it works for everyone involved. I, by the way, I don't think this, but I'm going to ask the question anyway. We've spoken a lot about Vastappan's love or lack of love for the regulations and whether he'd go as a result of that. And maybe Fernando Alonzo, we've spoken about him and his situation and he's ending towards the end of his career. Landau Norris has very quietly been one of the biggest, like, he has not been a supporter of these regs. He was for like one day in Bahrain and then decided he wasn't anymore.

Yeah, I don't know what he was doing on that day, but yeah, he loved it. People aren't talking about his future in F1. Landon Norris feels like a man that still has much more to achieve. I agree, yeah. You know, Verstappen's a multi-time world champion. Landos just come off the back of his first. Alonso has been around since the dawn of mankind. I think Easter holiday is about Fernando

Alonso being resurrected. The resurrection of Fernando. I think so, yeah. He comes out the cave and gets straight into a model Formula One car. It's offensive to say. He's gone, so who cares? And then, you know, Lewis Hamilton again, the most successful drive we've ever seen.

Makes sense from to step away. I think Landers got a lot more to do. Sure, he's not in the position he was in maybe last year or even the year before right now, but, you know, Japan indicates. there's still something there in that McLaren. It could well get better throughout the year. He's been fairly motivated even in the early part of this year

where he's having this did not start in China, for example. He seems to think that McLaren has the potential to win races later in this year. And regardless of whether he's wrong or right about that, that shows that he's still got a lot of faith within that McLaren team. So I'm pretty confident on that. And then I guess with Piastri, it seems likely he'll be staying as well. I think all of the bad feelings from last year have subsided enough

that it's probably not going to be in question. No, I don't think so. And they obviously have sat him down over the winter and, well, I say that exact Browns probably sat him down over the winter and they've hashed it out. And obviously he will be hoping, well, they're not in a championship fight at the moment. But if it came to again, they'd obviously be hoping things went differently. So I don't think it's any.

Like I said, there'd be no, there's no good enough reason for him to go anywhere unless it was for an weird open spot of Mercedes potentially. But even so we get into 2027, you know, McLaren could well be in the fight properly by then. So why would you leave a team that's proven they can win championships now? He is my outside bet for the Ferrari slash Red Bullseed though. Okay. He is like my second or third down the list if they don't go for that young junior obvious switch. Not for him, please. Oscar.

Oscar and LeClau just cry together. Yeah, the options for Piastri are Ferrari or the team that cursed Mark Weber. Yeah, yeah, it's a good trajectory either way, I think. Well, that's three teams done and dusted. We've got eight more after this. Welcome back, everyone. Currently fourth place in the championship is HASS. Obviously, line up at the moment of Olli Behrman and Esteban Ockon.

Now, we already know that with both of your Hasse predictions, it's not going to be exactly the same because you've got Oli Berman going to Ferrari. But what have you got exactly, Sam? So I have to check my notes to make sure I was still correct on this. For Haas, next season, I've got Yuki Sonoda in the seat and Raphael Kamara. Oh, a double switch. Double switcheroo. Has loved to do that.

They love to do that. It's in their DNA. It's a good point. They build up a good foundation. You know what. Scrap it. Tear it out. Okay, so Sonoda and camera.

Harry. Esteban Ocom and Yuki Sanoda. Okay. And I've gone with Oli Behrman and Rafael Kamara. Okay, we've got three separate lineups here. Interesting. I guess maybe we'll start, Sam, you're going with Sonoda to move into the team and camera as well, and Ocon to leave.

Now, we won't spoil what you've got for O'Con. Just going to leave them off the grid, aren't you? To be continued. It's worth of God if he's an LP. Briatore will have forgotten. Where's getting a new driver? He's on the market. Ocon's great.

Get him in. Gassie's like, why's he back? What's he doing? Yeah. About a double change. Yeah, I mean, Sonoda improved himself, I think, over the last few years. He had some ups and downs and got some difficulties, of course, in Red Bull, understandably. But he's a really solid driving.

I think he's matured and he's not as risky as he once was when it came to crashing the car, for example. I think the Toyota connection, whilst he, um, is obviously famously partnered with Honda throughout his junior career, there is that Japanese connection. And they are, those manufacturers are very proud to represent drivers from their market, from the Japanese market. And I think that's wonderful.

And I do think that if Yuki moves away from the Red Bull family, which of course is no longer associated with Honda anymore, if he doesn't go to Ashton Martin, Toyota feels like a really natural connection for him to get picked up by. And I think he's got enough experience on his hands to be a bit of a team leader there. he'll have the chance to develop further. And also, I think there is that natural synergy between what I think will become a wider partnership.

I think Toyota and GR racing will cement themselves further in this Haas partnership. So that's why I've gone to know that. And in terms of Cameron, so I've got him as well, obviously. The thing that gives me hesitancy on my selection is I've obviously got Behrman as well. So it would be almost two Ferrari options, which I'm not sure Hass would absolutely love. but I can if they're going to have Beerman for a couple of years

they can't take both of them at the same time so I feel like they've got at least one of those two options longer term than just next year camera F3 champion last year Formula regional champion the year before very much in contention

for the Formula 2 championship we think this year he's got almost the same the same trajectory as Borselletto and Fauneroli before in that he won F4 three with Trident, moves up to F2 with Invictor. Both of them sort of followed that to a T and it looks like camera could well do the same thing.

I think the last person to win Formula Regional, F3 and F2, just called something slightly different at that point, Formula Regional, but it was Oscar Piastri. So it shows it's a great trajectory to be on. I don't think that Hartz will want two Ferrari Academy drivers in their team. Hence why I think Behrman moves on, but they want to replace him. and it's been proven to be a great proving ground for them. You know, Bear Mill has developed really nicely. It feels like Kamatsu in cooks, isn't it?

He's in the kitchen. And he's a little sous chef, a little Ferrari branding sous chef. So they'll get him in there. And I think that it will allow him to have at least two or three years because in theory, both Bearman and LeClau will be at Ferrari, in my prediction this is, for at least two, three years together. So that gives him time to really develop before they work out what they want to do with him. And alongside Siganoi, you've got your slightly more experienced,

older pair of hands. It feels weird saying Sanooga is the older more experienced driver because he's just a little baby. Why is the old, why his old campaigner? Why the old campaigner?

He's like Yoda. You can't call Yuki Sanoida Yoda. Yuki Sanoda. Yuki San Yoda. Yeah, yeah. Sioda. He's 800 years old as well.

It gets carried around on a backpack. And he speaks like him backwards. Driving the house they will. It's a great sonode of that. I haven't done a Yoda impression before. And I obviously got Berman staying at Hasse.

For me it was either he moves up to Ferrari or he stays at Hasse. If he does stay at Hasse, I think he just needs to be patient because there's not much point in him being impatient. Like George Russell and Williams is probably a good comparison here where he probably felt like he was in that seat for a year, maybe two years longer than he ideally would have wanted to be. but there was a much point getting impatient and looking for something else where it has worked out in the end for him. I think Behrman, if he weren't to get the promotion up for 2027, it should be the same sort of logic. And you've got Esteban Okon.

Yeah, I think they are, well, contrary to what Haas normally do, if Behrman is off the Ferrari, as I think he might be. They'll keep some continuity. So they'll keep O'Con for at least. another year to allow that and then yeah I mean the Sonoda

switch the Sonoda Switch Switch with a T S SOTS Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah Yeah second a Yoda voice though Yes No I'm not doing

But yeah that I think that's all down to All down to the Toyota Toyota connection I think they'll want to More and more that the influence of them is Is sort of spreading over that car So here for it as well by the way

Hell yeah So here for it And I think they I thought about this. They didn't do it at all when they were there as an F1 team. They never put a Japanese driver in, whereas Honda obviously did. So I think, yeah, they might want to take this chance to do it. Shall we move on to Alpine, who are currently back to where they deserve to be, fifth place in the championship?

Pierre Gasly is a contract until 2028. Franco Colopinto, believed to be until the end of this year. It's Flavia Brioatori, somewhat at the helm. Who knows what's going to happen here. Harry? I have got, in Alpine, Franco Colopinto and Paul Aaron. Oh. Oh, no.

Hope he comes back later. Is he coming back? He deserves the world. Okay, Colopinto and Paul Aaron. Yeah. Stinky line up. That is a whiffy. No disrespect to either of them.

kind of disrespect to either of them, though. Sam? I've got Pierre Gasly and Taylor. No, don't do this to me, man. It's not happening. Stop giving me home. Sorry, buggy. I've known who.

You'll see him. It would make sense as well. That's why it's not going to happen. I'm going with Pierre Gasley and Liam Lawson. Okay. Again, three separate options. here. A real set for off.

Wow. Colapinto and Paul Aaron. Yeah, I think they'll stick with Colopinto. He's shown a bit of improvement already this year. I think that'll carry on as long as Flavio doesn't keep shouting at him. And Pierre Gassie's departing from the team, and so they've replaced him with Paul Aaron, mainly because they don't really have much else. He'd better be going to some kind of super team that's being created.

How do I? Retirement back is. He'll win at that as well. Okay, Colopento and Paul Aaron for Harry. And then you've got Pierre Gassi staying there to start with that one. Yeah, I think realistically, he went through the bad. And it'll be really silly now to see that Alpinga may be starting to see the light in the end of the tunnel. Mercedes power units seems very good for them.

If the team is sold, as rumors are speculating around, you know, a Christian Horn, a supergroup or a Toto Wolf purchase as well. It looks like investment could be going the right way. We might see some rebranding. I don't know. But Gasly's worked his way through the difficulties. He's already proven this season that he's maybe the most underrated driver on the grid. And I do think it will be silly for him to not be leading whatever the next step is at Alpine because I don't think it will stay like this for too long.

And it would be silly to give that away to someone else after going through a really difficult time. I've got, yeah, I've got Gasly staying as well. It is a vast improvement on last year's situation, which fair enough, it would be difficult not to be. a vast improvement on 2025. But I think with Brio Torre and the situation there, he will desperately want Gassley to stay because there has been such, not insecurity, but just not a lot from the second seat

in recent times, obviously with Jack Dewin in the first instance and now Colopinto, it does currently feel like maybe Gassley versus Colopinto is the most one-sided on pure pace driver lineup on the grid right now. So Gassely, I don't think he's in a bad spot. Alpine could keep getting better with that Mercedes power unit. They'll settle into their new way of working with

obviously not producing their own engines anymore. And I think Gassley could be a good fallback for a top team if an opportunity arises. It's not a fullback, mate. Sorry, it's an incredibly unobtainable. So, you know, they're all fighting over him. You've paired Gassley with Teu Portia. which I'm assuming the Mercedes connection here is playing into this.

The Mercedes connection is playing into this, I think. I think Toto Wolf will want to make sure he gets a driver on the grid again. And they've got, again, the Mercedes engine plays a big part. So where it used to be the likes of Ocon, and before that it was Verline going back a long way. And then it was Russell, of course, with Williams. There's always been a young Mercedes attributed driver somewhere on the grid. And usually it's at a family team to use the word, you know, a customer team of Mercedes. I think Colopinto is.

choose my words carefully here otherwise I might have a whole nation come after me not delivering as expected for someone who came into the sport and was so fast but silly when he was with Williams and there's been complaints that maybe he's not getting the same car parts

as Gasly, Alpian have come out and had to announce a statement that actually is pretty much bang on exactly the same if it carries on this way I would expect there to be some changes especially with how we saw do and out colapinto in Lassie and I don't think it's that bad,

but I do think by the end of the season, they'll make a choice. Currently, I would err that they'll move away from him. Porcère seems like the obvious option. I wonder if there's a deal there to be done with the Engings, and he's an F2 champ. It makes sense for him to actually have a going for Formula One. It's so logical.

That's why it won't happen. It's why it won't happen, especially because I've said it. I've gone with Liam Lawson here. You have. This is interesting. It is interesting. I just think Paul Aaron's an option.

Maybe Porsche is an option. Gabrielle and Mini potentially could be an option as well. He's too small. Alex Dunn could be an option too. I just think, and I've maybe said this last year as well, but I actually think it might be reinforced by what's happening with Colopinto here. I don't think Breitori wants another rookie. I think he wants someone with at least a bit of F1 experience.

And Liam Lawson, whilst he hasn't set the world a light at Racing Bulls, he has been pretty solid and I think he's going to get better throughout the course of this year there are some concerns about his race craft but if he can tidy that up I think the pace is pretty much the pace is there or at least

it's getting there to the point where I think Alpine could be interested he'll need to get away from the Red Bull family I think we've never seen a double promotion chances are he's going to be stuck at that racing balls team makes sense to go and find him his feet elsewhere He and Gansley control Mousher as well.

They can. True. They can. He'd be like, you never met Marco. He's like, yes, I did. Oh, I met him.

Oh, I met him. It feels weird we're getting all the way down to Red Bull at P6 in the championship, but that's where they currently sit. Max Verstappen, of course, a lot of speculation

about what his future might hold, whether it will be at Red Bull, not in F1, or as Sam has already predicted, at Mercedes, Isaac Adjah in his first year at the team.

Harry, who's driving for Red Bull next year. I have got Isaac Hadjar and Pierre Gasley. Ha! He's back! He's not retired. He didn't go for long. Five minutes, maybe. Oh, gosh.

A lot of people will ask Pierre Gassi what he would do if he lost. Guess we'll go ever go. I'm sick of with the Hajar. Yeah, he's already proven that he is the best of the not-so-best in that second suit so far. It's a lot more to come from him. I've been really thrilled with what he's done. Alongside him, I have gone with George Russell.

Oof. Yeah. Man, three different options here because I've gone with Isaac Hadjar and Max for Stappen. Oh, boo worms. Boo words. Yeah. Hadjar, I think, is actually in a pretty good spot right now.

Like, he is just taking advantage of the, I don't know, the, not. the not knowing what's going to happen with Vastappen's future. Yeah. He's out of an okay start anyway, but he might be able to take advantage of that. We spoke about this recently. His qualifying is one of his biggest attributes and the fact that so regularly this second seat struggled with qualifying. If he can continue the qualifying pace as the car does get better and it will get better,

it will progress. I think that will set him in good stead. If he is securing his seat as well, while there is speculation around Max Vastapen, they'll want to just lock that down and make sure they're not having to juggle two open seats. at the same time on the new era of Formula One. So I think actually a lot of cards have gone his way. It's the other seat. Of course, I said that the Staffan will go to him and saying he's,

I think it's a straight swap. I think it's a great pickup for Red Bull to get someone like Russell, very talented, very quick. You can build a team round him. There's a lot to do there. Harry? Had Jard stays for all the above reasons. And, yeah, Max Verstaffin's going to retire.

He's leaving. He's done. He's done. He's done. I actually don't think he retired. I think Pierre Gaston muscled him out. Yeah, he just forced him out of the team. Yeah, he went, I am better than you now.

He's becoming like Chuck Norris. Yeah, yeah. Mythical. You don't offer a seat to Gassley. Gassi takes the seat from you. Yeah, I think he goes off. He's not retiring from racing, but he doesn't want to do F1 anymore. I just think he really hates it.

Do you think he completely shuts off the possibility of coming back, Alonzo-esque? No. I don't think so. I think he might come back. If things changed. he'd come back, I think. But as we have seen with his GT3X points, he just likes to go racing.

And I'm not sure he's feeling like that's what he's doing at the moment with all the sort of management. You have to do it during an F-1 race. So I think he's out of here. And Red Bull, it's a very different team than it was in 2019. No one is there that used to be there in 2019. No Horner, no Marco. Jonathan Wheatley's gone.

Obviously Rob Marshall isn't there anymore. And don't they know it? And don't they know it? Huge gap missing. Well, literally. Yep. But I think they, yeah, with a, that's quite a big seat to fill. Literally.

Oh, do you know, Ron Marshalls. But, yeah, and who do they look to? Pierre Gasly is perhaps in the form of his life at the moment or has been for the past few years. Maybe it's time to welcome him back. And I think he would go because, like I said, no one is there that was there the first time. And I think they are, it's a different culture, or at least I think Lauren Meckies is trying to make it a different culture there. So, yeah. Do you work with Meckys when he, no, Meckys came in after Racing Bulls, which was thing Alfatari, where Gassi was.

I mean, Mecky's been everywhere, mate. She's probably worked with him at some point. Oh, that's true. Was it the FIA was Mecky's? Yeah. Do you think Gassie walks into the Red Bull factory? You know, like when you bring a cat home for the first time? when they open the door and they do that thing with their foot

where they're like, is this safe? Am I all right? Looking around the walls, like, is it okay? I might sit in the corner for a few days and make sure there's no threats going on for Helmut Marco to walk past and scare him. The other thing I was going to say as well, on Alpine and I'm not saying, you know,

Gassie's just going to leave for the sake of it. He'd go for an actual good seat. But if Christian, if that is a thing, Christian Horner gets involved in Alpine, I don't think he likes Pierre Gassley. that was a rumor at least from 2019. So what then happens? Run away.

Interesting, yes. I haven't considered that. Yeah, I've got Max Verstappen staying with Isaac Adjar. I think with Vastappen either. I think he gives next year ago in terms of any big regulation, not big, maybe sizable regulation change that will happen between now and next year. I think he wants to give them a go. and then he makes a call

as to whether he wants to stay long term or if it doesn't work, I could see him leaving like mid-season next year. I think he'll want to, I think he'll want to give that a go. And that's why I've kind of got him staying at Red Bull and not going to Mercedes at least straight away is that if he's not convinced that he's staying in the sport,

I don't know if he'll put effort into getting away from Red Bull. So my prediction is he tries it for the first few months of next season. If he likes it, he stays long term in the sport, maybe he goes to Mercedes. And then if he doesn't like it, Red Bull might have to scramble

as Vestappen bails out by Miami of next year. Nice. And what about the sister team of Red Bull racing balls? Obviously, Limblud hasn't come up yet for anyone. Lawson's only come up for me.

Sam? Limblog stays. Solov joins him. I've got the same. I've got Lindblard and Solov. I've got the same as this year, Limbludd and Lawson. Do you think, I mean, with Limblud, I guess, having a second year at Racing Balls, given his age, wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

And with Lawson, is it just a case of status quo isn't a bad thing for them right now? I think so. I think, well, with Limbludd, like I said, I think Red Bull are trying to avoid getting into the situation they found themselves in for multiple years now. Well, they've had to promote a rookie. So if in my scenario where Vastappen leaves, I don't think they're going to push Limbludes straight up after one year. I know they did it for Hajab,

but I think they're trying to get away from that. So they keep Limbluda there. And for Lawson, I think it's like Sonoda. It's one more year. Not to necessarily see if he is good enough to then go back to Red Bull. But I just think give him one more year and he might do a Sonoda or do a Gazley in that sense and go to him. another team.

So I think loss and ending I put somewhere like Alping could happen, but just not next year. And we've both got Nicolaus Solov making the jump up. Limblud and Solov actually teammates very briefly in F2 at the end of last year, albeit for I think it was maybe two rounds and four races. But Solove was already on the pace of Limblinblin. He was. And Solv obviously starting his F2 journey much later, joining, I think it was LaSalle when his first Grand Prix was.

But he was runner up in Formula 3 for 2025. So it's full first campaign formula to this season. I'm very exciting. I see how he goes. I think Lawson has probably had his time. Unfortunately, as much as I think he's been much better this season, and he has really cementing himself as someone who can race very quickly.

There's a lot of PR damage that comes along with this Red Bull reputation, and I think you've got to be able to jump ship in the right way. And Sykes did it. Gasly did it. I think the seats, despite having more on the grid, are starting to look a little difficult. So unfortunately, I don't think Lawson is going to be able to get on a life raft to go off somewhere else.

But I think Solove will be a good option for a good few years for them. Yeah, Solov, he took a little bit of a while to get going in F3, but he did come into F3 very young. But he showed a lot of potential in the last two years in particular, especially with the runner-up in F-3 last year. Good start to his F-2. It's very early on in the F-2 season, but he did win the feature race, Australia,

which, yeah, it's a pretty good start to his F2 career. And I could see him versus Limbler being a good test for both of them to see whether they have potential to move up to Red Bull. Good start for Limblud, obviously, at racing balls. I just think unlike Hadjar, who I'm not even sure moving up after one year was brilliant for him, but Hadjar did have a lot more experience in junior formerly versus Linblah. Linblatt is still very young, very inexperienced. I think two years minimum at racing balls is what he requires. So I can see that being quite a good line up for racing balls to get an idea on both of them.

The Bulgarian lion. The Bulgarian lion is the first what, Bulgarian F1 driver? I'm pretty certain he would be, yeah. Pretty certain. Big up Bulgaria. Sure. Big up Bulgaria is a good way to head to our next break. We've still got a few more teams to work out on the other side. We'll be doing it from Bulgaria. We will. Welcome back, everyone. We've got four more teams to run through. We're starting to figure out maybe what the options are, at least,

for the three of us, given who we've already picked for some of the teams. But we'll go to Audi because Holkenberg and Portoletto, neither of them have been predicted anywhere else thus far from the three of us. So are they staying with Holkenberg and Borseletto? They are. No change for me. Any change for you? No change.

And no change for me either. Boom ones. Holkenberg turns 39 in August. Spring chicken. I was going to ask though. He does still seem to be very on it. Yeah. Not like metal, eh?

He's still a good drive. He's still with us. He is, for some reason, always portrayed as like older, the Hamilton and the longso, but it gives the vibe of like the old man of the grid. So we've been 40 yet. He's still got loads of time. He's got at least a couple of years before it starts to be a question. And for the Marvel's going.

For the Marvels do actually go. I mean, he's still doing a great job. He still matching Bortoletto quite comfortably. He scores points where the opportunity is there. It doesn't really make mistakes. For a team like Audi, who are still building, and they've just lost their team principle, you need someone to stay the ship.

And I think Holgerbergh is a good option. And that's why he got brought into that role so early on. So when the transition is around when he happened, he was the right person for the job. I think he's done well. I was thinking about this earlier. It says a lot about Holkenberg's consistency and how he's still on top of his game, that if you look at, I know he's turning 39 in August, he'll turn 40 next year.

But like, you look at any driver who's gone past 40 and F1, really in the last 30 years or so, you've got Hamilton, you've got Alonzo, you've got Schumacher, Prost and Mansell went into their 40s. They're all world champions. And Holkenberg. And Holkenberg. But there aren't many instances where a driver of his age who hasn't won titles or even races in Holkenberg's instance still going. But I think that says more about like the job the Audi at least thinks he can do in the midfield. How old was Barrichella when he retired?

Good question. I feel like he must have been in his 40s. I think he must have been around 40. So maybe that's the last time we saw someone who was non-world champion. But even he was multiple-time race winner. He was. Yeah. Holmberg's had one podium.

Yeah, Holgerna just feels like he is inevitable. Yeah, yeah, a constant. Yeah, like he's had two attempts at getting back into our phone. So he had his first year got booted out after being at Williams, made it back into force India. There's basically been in every midfield team since then. Kind of feel sorry for him a little bit. Yeah, but obviously he got the lost the drive at Renault and then came back again.

But yeah, just, and he's still delivering. I think it's always been the case with Holkenberg, I think, where, I mean, some of it has been his own doing, but he's just never had the opportunity to show, apart from Brazil 2012, to show... And look what he showed there. Yeah. Failure. Well, okay. Whoa.

That's harsh. Am I wrong? Very, very arsh. No. I just don't think he's ever consistently had the opportunity to show what he can do. And I think that's still there and why he's left just so long because he's still, I think, at the top of his game, or at least near to it. but just has never had the success to go with it

and as you mentioned only one podium that came just last year 11th place is his forever Yeah Yes it is I just think with both of these drivers Neither of them signed up to this For one year of Audi

And I don't think Audi signed Iver of them for one year of Audi I just don't think timeline wise Moving on from either of them Or either of them wanting to move on makes any sense. No, I agree. I think Gabby's the one

they've got to be careful with. I think if he continues to progress as we expect him to, he has had a very good year and a bit in Formula One, really impressive. If they don't grow as a team, I do think there's a risk

that a bigger team could come skipping around and pick him up. Well, Bortoletto, if this sort of unfolds the way that both of you have predicted, he will be in a position where Behrman has gone to Ferrari,

Hadjar has gone to Red Bull, Antonelli is already winning races at Mercedes and he's going to be there having beaten them all in F2 at Audi that maybe hasn't reached its potential yet that will be a tough situation to contend with. Who knows? Do you think Bortholetta's okay with no longer being Fernando Alonzo's son? I think he's always Fernando Alonso's son.

Aren't we all? Fernando Alonso's son? I was there like... I was there like... I was his new son? Like, Jane was like, who on the grid's his new son? Fernando Alonzo. Fernando Alonzo, yes, Fernando Alonzo Jr.

Fernando the son and the Holy Spirit. Williams, should we move on to them? Alex Alvin and Carlos signs, obviously, at the team right now. Not the starts of these regulations that Williams or either of these two drivers would have been hoping for. Two drivers racing for them next year? The same again. Signs and Albon. The same again.

Sines an album. I'll provide a bit of a difference here. Albon and signs. Alex Alton. And Esteban Okon. Oh. Oh, what's happened? Carlos?

Carlos. He's racing with Pierre Ghazli away from F1. I understand. Leave Pierre alone. I think, well, Alex Albin, whilst he has had a lot of patience with Williams to get to this point and we'll probably need a little bit more, I just don't see there being another option for him on the grid.

No, he feels very much like he's wed to Williams a little bit now. And he was the first. I brought up these drivers. that manage to kind of get on a life raft to get away from the Red Bull family. Carlos Sites, of course, did it. Pierre Gassi did it. He's the other one in the fact that he, of course,

moved away as well from that Red Bull family. He's done well to sit with Williams when they have been really down and out. They currently are downing out, and he put a lot of faith in the fact that the car would be much more competitive than it is. In theory, they shed that weight on that car, which I saw was, what, 29 kilograms over or something like that,

which is crazy. They might be competitive. you might be able to score regular points. Podiums might be on the cards. It makes sense for him to stay. I've got Esteban Ockon joining Alex Albin at Williams. They're kind of like the same person. Yeah, kind of.

They're like, yeah, they're different versions of the same. It's like bold and italic of the same font. As much as I'd like to say otherwise, I do think Ockon is now in the position of a top team isn't going to go for him. And I think a midfiel. But he is a very reliable midfield driver. I think he's the next Nico Holkenberg. I was about to say, he is the evolution of Eko Holcomburg.

And that's why I think James Vowles would, and I won't reveal what's happening to Carlos Sines yet. He isn't dead or anything. Like, it's fine. Who thought that? Everyone that over is like, no, what's happened? Has it got a Williams drive, must be dead.

Must be dead. They are the two options, famous. The three of us are dead. I don't think as well When it comes to Rookie drivers in the Williams Driver Academy there's anyone ready to step up You do have Browning in Super Formula

who ironically this morning I don't know if you've seen I don't know which circuit They were racing at But there was torrential rain And he's crashed behind X Williams junior driver Zach O'Sullivan

Check out that clip It's terrifying I'll watch that once we finish the show. Yeah, basically, it's so rainy that he can't see that the safety car's been deployed. Oh. Like, the light can't see that the safety car light is there and it's just gone into the... They're all fine, but, like, he's gone into the back of his own.

What on the pre are they at? Atlantic Ocean, GP? Get a zing of that. Blimey-oldy-out. I'm sure the ocean's going to recover. Ocean's like, damn, Sam's got to happen. Damn, might have to evaporate. Do you think Carlos Sines, there's a bit of a risk that another bigger team might want to come calling for him again,

and he looks at this Williams project and says this isn't what it was all cracked up to be? I think there's too much competition. And I think unfortunately for Carlos Sites, he made the move, or he was forced to make the move, shall I say, at the wrong time. He now can't prove himself up against other top tier, big field teams. It's not like he's going up against Bortoletto and Gassley and those people are beating them regularly at the moment. The car's too slow. He can't be seeing in that same limelight. So I do think you'll have to have someone who's quite savvy with data and a bit of faith,

bit of trusting him to go, you know what? You didn't beat the Claire properly over the three years at Ferrari. You were all right at Renault. You're pretty good at McLaren. You're bringing every other team in Formula One. We'll give you a chance in our team. Who else does he go to as a top team now that he hasn't had a relationship with before? Yeah, he's running out with this point.

He's on what, team six if he moves? Yeah. Cadillac, apart from McLaren, the only team on the grid that have two drivers that are contracted until at least the end of 2027, do they stick with Bottas and Perez? They do. They do. I know that there's the Colton Herta discussion that's ongoing. I feel like that's more of a 2028 option. Give that amount of time to settling, have a couple of years of F2, let them embed. And also let Cadillac develop. They need these two experienced drivers to essentially run test laps for. them and to get data and feedback properly, that's what these guys are for. That's what you brought them in for. Can you see any other team trying to prize away one of these drivers?

No, I don't think so. And I don't think they, either of them would leave that project anyway. And I know that it was a gateway back into F1 for both of them. But Cadillac had putting some serious money behind this, some serious

investment. Why would they leave unless Mercedes came knocking or read the book, like, they've been there, done that. So I don't, many T-shirts.

Yeah, I just don't know who, who would be worth leading that project for, to be honest. And I don't think anyone's going to come. No offense to either Perez or Bottas. I just don't think any of the top teams are going to come knocking for them. What I love is that Perez and Bottas are simultaneously the same person.

Yeah. And also the complete opposite person. Yeah. In the, their F-1 career is almost identical, you feel. But when you look at their, approach to Cadillac so far this year. You've got Perez who's like, this isn't the

Formula One I was used to. What's happened to this sport? And you've got Bartas like, we're going to change the Mercedes suit. They mean the same thing, but I've said it in completely different ways. I saw an interview with Perez post Japan, like in the media pattern. And he was saying about, you know, it was a bit more encouraging. He said about the upgrades of Miami. And he said, you know, for a bit we could, I could see that, you know, the Alpine and who else, the Haas or something. He's like, but then they just kept getting quicker and quicker as the race went on, and we need to work on that. I was like, yeah, yeah.

That's something you really need to work on. Good one, Sergio. Solid anglicistics. Of the two, Perez is the one I can see giving up on the project. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, I agree. I'm not saying he will, because obviously got predicted to still be there next year. But over the two, he's the one where I could see him going.

What am I doing this for? You're calling him flaky? Not even flaky, just like, I'm not enjoying this, like, why am I waiting? He'd be called Flakio anyway. Okay. Like Circia. Oh, I see. Yeah, come on, keep up.

The Zingers did they, man. Honestly, because call me KFC. Oh, because of the Zingerberg. Go throw my way out there. It's really great when you explain. My favourite comedy is explained. I think Bottas comes across as more grateful for the project than Perez does. Interesting.

Yeah. And we've said this before as well with these two drivers. Like, there might be. a situation in the next couple of years where there's only room for one of them. And that will probably be the point where Cadillac actually start to deliver something word like. And the next season, I think is probably when they match the rest of the midfield. Let's round out with, I can't believe what's saying.

Can you imagine saying this a year ago that we were going to do this on reverse, on championship order. And lastly, we get to Aston Martin. Of course, current lineup, new dad, Fernando. Alonzo and Gt3 driver Lance Stroll. Is Lance going off to do Gt3 is he leaving the team?

Who knows? If it goes well and poor Ricardy, maybe he will. He's like, I've got to be Max for stopping. Yeah, it's a hitman Roberto Mary, in it? Oh, the best line up. And Mary Boyer as well, but like,

she's just so rude. Not Mary. Yeah, I'll go for stroll and I'm going for Fernando Alonzo. Okay. The man just hates his life. I think he enjoys it at this point. I think if it went too well for him,

I don't know if he would go what to do with himself. What is success? What is one? Success. I only go 21. Success. Never heard of her. Yeah.

It's not how the show works. I'm going for exactly the same. I'm going with Landstrol and Carlos Sines. Oh, we love that. We need a younger Spanish man. We can only replace him with another Spanish man. Also, I'm trying to find teams that Carlos Sines hasn't raced for. before.

Yeah, this would be what, seven? I think Fernando Alonzo calls it a day at the end of this year. You might not have any nerves left to make the choice. Yeah, yeah. It's not actually on him. Yeah. I don't know. I can see it going either way, whether he stays for another year or not.

I think he does, because it's so crap now. Yeah. I think he's like, okay, okay. One more year. I'll do one more to see if it gets any better. It's one in the morning. You've just died on the last level. You're sat with your mate.

One more game. One more game. One more game. One more game. And then we must go to bed. We've got to be up early. One more game. But if it gets to 27 and the car's still garbage, I don't think he finishes here.

I don't know what he wants. They're so far away from the top. I think he just does it for the love of the game. I just... Man just loves racing a car. But he hates the game as well. He also hates the game. And he is the game.

I just don't know what he's going to get out of it. They're not going to win anything. They're not going to win anything anytime soon, I don't think. So, bleh, it's rubbish. Sucks. Yeah, that's kind of why I've got him going. I just don't know. He retires, or does he go and do something else?

Retires from F1. He's still doing something else. My man, he's going straight to Indyka. I don't know, yeah, I don't know what exactly and how full time it would be. Him being a new dad, I think factors into this as well. I think it's not Max Verstappen. No, but Vastappen isn't in his mid-40s. There might actually be some point that Alonzo scales it back at least.

Yeah, maybe. I'm not convinced either, but... Is he Cameras, agent, manager? I don't know, but that sounds like... Is he the him or Solov? He's the manager of? I don't think it'd be Solov. No. So I think it's Camera. Yeah, maybe it's camera.

Yeah, we'll see. If he's got a chance at a race win in next year, maybe with the progress that they make throughout the year, then I could see him staying. But if it ends the year, similar to how it started, I don't know. This is where he just promotes himself to two. team principal.

Yeah, look at me. I am the team principal now. Oh, that's the other thing about my Alonso prediction is that he will be, he will continue to be associated with Aston Martin. Yeah. After he's done driving for them. I think he will manage a lot of the grid to come. There's going to be about 10 drivers on the grid that are managed by Fernando Alonso.

He actually replaces Ben Sillium. With himself. Yep. Yeah. Could see that happening. Maybe he buys out Aston, like takes over from Lawrence Stroll. I don't think he has that money. I bet he's not far off.

It's a lot of money. We've all got lunchdoll staying, I'm bored of predicting. I'm just talking about it. Move on. Yeah, don't care. Yeah, cool. Unless he really loves GD3. He's just like, I'm...

Why haven't I been doing this in these years? It's way more fun. And there's air cold. But lunchdoll loves air cold. It's not fair, mate. I agree. I like air con. We love a modern commodity.

Yeah. It's like, I like, fresh running water. Yeah, I do. Yeah, but it makes a comment about it as well. Shower. Yeah, come on. Sam's such love to a shower. Yeah, you know, weird.

You've got me. Go on. That's the 22 drivers and how they're going to line up next year across the 11 teams. Those last four were exhilarating. We are going to review these at some point when, when 2027 is known and see how wrong and how wrong we were. Nothing will change. Yeah, nothing. It does actually feel like going into next year there is a real chance that either nothing

will change or a lot will change. Yeah. And there's nothing in the middle. I agree. And we will be here for it. We will. We're going to take a quick break. On the other side, we've got a game to play. Mysterious, no-name game. Just called it game on the schedule. Welcome back, everyone. You can see there's a small change to the studio because both Sam and Harry for this game that we're playing have got cutouts of Lando Norris, Charlotte, and George Russell for our newest game.

Norris, George Russell or Shao LeClair. Oh, that's got the game. That is catchy. Commenting a new name plays immediately. That's terrible. That's terrible. Someone's got to comment and just make them in a different order. And I will appreciate that.

You're doing literally what we're not supposed to do. I haven't talked yet. The game is this. There are eight questions. It's very simple. I'm going to read out the question and you have to hold up the driver you think is the answer. Okay. So first question.

Who was oldest when they took their first win? Ooh. When do we hold up? Now, hold them up. Oh, God, I've dropped Charles. We've already got a difference of opinion. I love that. Charles LeClau's on the floor.

So, Sam, you've gone with George Russell, and Harry, you've gone with Lando Norris. And with good reason, because this is very close between the two. The answer is not Charlerclair. He won his first race at the age of 21. Both Russell and Norris won their first race at the age of 24, but slightly older, was George Russell. He's won again. George wins. Okay, so Sam, you take a 1-0 lead into question number two.

Who has converted the most polls into wins? I'm going to put Charles back on the floor. Well, the most poles into wings is very different to the best ratio of poles. It's not the ratio. Just most poles into wins. I mean, okay, yeah. Okay, I'm ready to go.

You good? Yeah. Who you got? Go, Michelle. And you're just going to keep picking Norris until it's right, aren't you? Yes. Well, it's a good strategy. It is London.

That's right. Nice one. Norris has converted eight poles into wins. Lecler 5, George Russell was last on four. Which puts us at one. It's okay, Shell. You'll get a pole to a ratio. suit.

Stop stroking his face, man. What else am I going to do with it? As many people would say. Question number three. Who has the most points per race in their career? I'm going to send the question. If I enter one race and I win it, I have 25 points per race. So an average?

Okay, sorry. The word average was got used. Yes, this man. You've both gone with Charle-Claire on this occasion, and you are both. Correct. Well done. Well, on Charles. Lecler, 9.89 points per race.

But Norris, not that far back. 9.45, Russell, 7.07. We're both in the average of fifth place. Pretty much, yes. Question number four. Who has competed in the most races with the same teammate? Oh. That silence has been a sound like to be mass.

And I don't think I'm spoiling anything here by saying that you probably need to think of Lewis Hamilton for George Russell, you need to think of Oscar Piastri for Lando Norris, and you need to think of Carlos Seins for Charler-Laclouc. Ready. Ready. Okay, who have you got, Sam? Sam has got Norris, Harry's got LeCler. The correct answer is Charle-Cle-Clure with Carlos Sines,

89 Grand Prix together. Norris and Piastri, by the end of this year, we'll probably be in the lead, but right now is at 73. Russell with Hamilton's 68. Why can they get that number? Just the awkward number. Yeah, yeah. What?

Excuse me? Sam Siri decided to join in. I would pick Charles LeCler. You are a moron? Imagine just back chatting. Shut up, Siri. Okay, question number five. Who has the longest streak of consecutive race finishes?

I'm ready. Okay, ready. Go. Sorry, mate. I've just classic you there. Sorry. Charles Lecler for Sam. George Russell for Harry.

Backwards. Backwards George Russell. He looks weird that way around. The anti-Russle. Roche Castle. Yes. No. Well done.

George Russell is the correct answer. 37 races in a row, which is actually a current streak as well, that he's finished. Norris 22 and LeCler's 16. How is he not done more than 20 races in a row? Ferrari. It's Ferrari. Oh, God's sake. I'm rubbish at this.

I'm rubbish at all these games. Question number six. Who finished highest in their first race? Oh, Lord. Okay, I think I'm ready. I've got them all wrong anyway, so. Okay. Okay.

Who've you got? You've both gone with Lando Norris. Shut up. What is your problem? It's never, never done this. Four. So good. That was a great pick.

You're wrong. Really is back-chin-you. Siri, shut up. Shut up. If Siri was saying you are right, she was right because Lando Norris is correct. It's close, though. None of them scored points on their debut.

But Norris finished 12th. LeClaire finished 13th. And Russell finished 16th. Scrab. Rears little Williams. I don't care. Scrob. Question number seven.

Who is the only one to have been outqualified by a teammate over the course of a season? Who's the only one to lose the season long, collie head to head? You've both gone with Lando Norris. Again, different versions of Lando Norris. There we go. Stop, why are you doing this? It's not. No.

No. The correct answer is George Russell. He was out qualified by Hamilton in 2022. Gosh, interesting. Okay. Yeah. Gosh, darn. Thoughts going to be Kibitsa?

Well, I was thinking about that, yeah. But the other two, at least at this point in their careers, have not been outqualified by a teammate over the course of a full season. Wow, good job, guys. And lastly, question number eight, who has the most points at the Monaco Grand Prix? Oh, man. Oh, no, no, no, no.

Okay. Okay. So we've got a Charlerc from Sam, Alando Norris from Harry. Charles LeClerc-ty has a bit of a Monaco curse, but he is the correct answer here. Look, his mother was a hairdresser, and he's a cut above the rest,

and he comes to that track. Or more accurately, a point above the rest. 63 points for LeCler so far at the Monaco GP, Norris 62. Damn. So couldn't really be closer. I'm wrongly. George Russell's gummer.

Yeah, ironically. Harry, you take the win. Well done, mate. I'm so pleased for, of one, Landoah, George Russell, Charles, the inaugural, and maybe only round, I'm thinking. Maybe we should do new drivers

and give it a new game. Yeah, get producer Gersty off to Riemanns again. If you can make more lollipops, please. Yes, please. That's going to do it for this episode. I have a feeling, Sam, that in some way, shape or form, these three might show up during

beer with breaking that we're about to record now. I'm actually going to be all three of them during beer with break. You have to hold one in front of your face. The entire time. Shall we sign them and give them away? Sure. Would people like that? I don't think so.

No one wants that. Thanks for listening, folks. We're actually about to record Beer with Breaking, which is part of our Patreon. Now, if you want to join Patreon, the links in the description below, and it massively supports the show. Thank you to everyone that's picked it up so far this season. Thank you to people that gave it as a gift to someone else. And thank you to everyone who's been around for so long on Patreon. It really does make a difference.

Bill of Breaking is where we sit around. We have a few beers, and we answer some of your questions, and just chat a little rubbish. And it's maybe the most silly you'll ever see the three of us. Last time we showed almost the back catalogue of what we did before the podcast, our first ever videos on the internet as a trio, the most embarrassing hour of our entire lives quite potentially. But people loved it because of how embarrassing.

And it's on there now. So if you want to go and watch it, the back catalogue's there. You can go and watch all of it. Check it out. There's other benefits as well, including historic race reviews, extra episodes. Everything's in video. There's no adverts or anything on there as well.

And, of course, top tier gets a birthday shout-out from the Father Christmas of Birthday. So it's worth checking out, and we really do appreciate the support. Go into Discord, join that as well, chat to everyone who loves Formula One. Follow us on social media, late breaking F1. Subscribe on YouTube, Late Breaking F1 as well. And you can join our fantasy as well that's still open with so many of you join, which is wonderful. We're going to see you in the midweek for another non-race-related episode, unfortunately, but plenty more news to talk about. In the meantime, I've been Samuel Sage.

I've been Ben Hocking, and I've been Harry Eat. And remember, keep breaking late. Wait goodbye, Shell. Bye. I get his head. I haven't got so much. You know,