The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Should the Qatar GP have gone ahead?

Episode Date: October 11, 2023

Sam, Ben & Harry break down some more of the fallout from the Qatar GP from the post-race reports of drivers suffering in the brutal conditions, to some drivers having expressed unhappiness with track limits following over 50 infringements. They also discuss Alpha Tauri's plan to take more parts from Red Bull heading into 2024, and just what might be next for Verstappen in his career following his 3rd championship win. They finish with a game of F1: Overrated/Underrated.. FOLLOW us on socials! You can find us on YouTube, Instagram, X (Twitter) and TikTok SUPPORT our Patreon for bonus episodes JOIN our Discord community JOIN our F1 Fantasy League BUY our Merch EMAIL us at [e-mail]   & SUBSCRIBE to our podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network. Thank you for listening to the Late Breaking F1 podcast. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday and every Sunday. Welcome to the Late Breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Ead, Sam Sage and me, Ben Hocking. No race coming up this weekend, but we've got plenty to run through today. How are you? How are you? How are you doing?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Talk in the morning. How are you doing? That's got caught me. Irish, isn't it? What's saying top of the morning? Yeah, well, I'm not doing the accent. I think we move away from that.

I've done a lot of bad accents in my time. I will not offend the Irish. The line stops of the Irish. Bloody lovely. Well, thank goodness for that. Anyway, let's get to the Formula One immediately. I'll be the quickest intro in the last six months of this show, which might be a good thing, because before we get going on today's episode, there are a few programming notes, let's call.

usually start with programming notes, but here we are on this episode. And I will say the same thing on Sunday, folks. If you didn't know, we're going to Austin next week. That sounds weird out loud. As we record this, well, as we record this, you two will already be there. Yeah. And I will be there a day tomorrow. We will actually be at Cota doing a behind the scenes too. Oh, yeah. True. The whole point of bringing up. Just to mention, the preview episode that you would obviously normally get on a Wednesday, it's being doubled up with the live show that we're doing, which is happening on Thursday. Therefore, if you're doing the maths correctly, you can probably tell it's not going to be

with you on the usual Wednesday. It will more than likely be with you on the Thursday. And that can be said for the weekend as well, obviously, with the Grand Prix review. Typically, we get it out as quickly as we possibly can after a race is finish. But just bear with us a little bit longer on this one, as it's likely we'll be dancing to Tiesto for a while. I'll be dancing to Tiesta all right. And if you tweet us, if you tweet us asking where the podcast is, you're an idiot.

I will video myself going, I'm dancing to Tiesto. That would be a reply. That's why I'm saying it now. And I'll say it on Sunday's episode as well. We'll still get so on. Any excuses? Someone will still do it. But we are going to be making a podcast.

And Ben, what else are we going to be doing on the race weekend? Well, if you, well, even if you are seeing us on the Thursday evening, there is another opportunity to see us earlier in the day. So, yes, same day, isn't it? Yes. Yes. We do all of our public appearances on one day. Williams has wandered us back. So we're seeing them again. Wee. Thanks, Williams. Yeah, we're off to their fan zone. So not the one in Piccadilly Circus. This one is in, don't go to that one. Somewhere in Austin. I don't know where it is. I've got it right here. They want us, not Logan Sargent. That's the message we're going with. It is at 800 Congress Avenue. Is there a road in the UK that has 800 places on it?

No. That's a long road. Yeah. Anyway, that's where. That's where it is. If you want any information on the fan zone, go and look at Williams' website because we're not Williams. Yeah, we're going to be there. We're going to be doing a bit of a chat. We are also going to be recording our Patreon episode. Yep. Second Patreon episode. So if you want to hear that as well, then you've got subscribe, you've got to pay for it, baby. That's behind a paywall. And there might be a special guest on it. Might be. But they're Also, may well not be. Just for clarity, we've not had that confirmed.

I'm just saying we might do, but also might not. It might just be Kierski. That'd be funny. Very special. And that ends programming notes. Thank you everyone for tuning. I feel like it needs his own jingle. Programming notes of the week.

Yeah, it needs it really. No, no. Okay. I feel like I've heard that one before. Okay. Right, what have we got coming up on today's episode after winning his third title, what next for Max Verstappen in Formula One. Alpha Tauri admit that they'll likely be using more Red Bull parts for their

24 car. Our thoughts on that and quite a bit of fallout from the Qatar Grand Prix. And we'll start with multiple drivers speaking out about the conditions at Qatar this past weekend. So we recovered this a little bit on the review episode. But as we record almost straight away, there were more and more details coming out in the hours following our recording. we now know that at least four drivers vomited in their helmets during the Grand Prix.

We know that Lovic Sargent, of course, retired from the race. Sorry, Ben. Alex Album was treated afterwards as well. A lot of, there's too many comments to go through from current drivers, former drivers, everyone weighing in on this. And the FIA have actually stepped in and said something about this now following the events. they said that they know we've concerned the extreme temperature and humidity during the Qatar Grand Prix and it had an impact on the well-being of the drivers. While being elite athletes, they should not be expected to compete under conditions that could jeopardise their health or safety.

Sam, I noticed that in response to their response, you mentioned that it was positive that they had at least admitted a mistake. So I guess in the first instance, do you think this was an error for this Grand Prix to go ahead at all? And what are you looking for in the future? I think it's actually quite a tricky circumstance to being because I think initially with how the Qatar Grand Prix was going to go ahead. Obviously, we've already been there, right? In 2021 we went and the weather conditions weren't exactly too dissimilar to what we had this year.

The heat was pretty much the same. But because of the Pirelli tire problem that we had, it meant that essentially the entire dynamic of the race, and this is obviously the race on Sunday, completely shifting it, completely changed. It went from being a managed race, a paste race, where we weren't pushing the tyres 100% at the time and then we got this Pirelli switch where

you were only allowed to have 18 laps maximum regardless of compound due to the curbing that was going on but because of that, the tyres don't go off so every driver is pushing to maximise every single lap because it's basically 57 qualifying laps in a row which is 57 Jeremy, that's insane.

That is a lot, isn't it? And that takes it out on you. You know, I'm sure we've all, you know, jogged on a treadmill and then you do that last bit of spring at the end, you go, I'm very tired. Then why have I saved this bit to the end? That's what I imagine it was liking a Formula One car at 50 degrees

with a long-so's hot bottom. With a helmet on. With a helmet on. And then some vomit in your race suit. Honestly, this is not something that I think the FIA could have planned for, but I do think that in future, for races that do have extreme climates, Singapore, Qatar,

some other Middle East and Grand Prix that we're having, heats can spike in the likes of South America, Texas as well. You know, these places can get, very hot on occasion, we should be having medical experts there who are maybe race experienced that are able to give a fair warning, review, expectancy of maybe what these drivers are going to go through under separate circumstances. So I think from the next race onwards, you know, in these conditions, now they know, now they're informed. And I'm really glad that they're going to start putting in some measures in place to make sure these drivers aren't going

through it. But I do think that this is an error. Not one that I think they could have 100% predicted, but I do think with the tyre problem, the track limits problem, now with the heat, it was wrong for this Grand Prix to have gone ahead. So one of those, in hindsight, probably shouldn't have happened, but you're not overly critical about the FIA because there's nothing really in place. They're not medical experts. I'm not a medical expert. The drivers aren't medical experts. You don't know what you're going to put yourself through until it's happened. In hindsight, it's 2020, right? We all have perfect vision in hindsight.

We all know what's meant to happen. But I hope that they maybe employ someone who is trained in both racing and medicine. We already have the medical car, obviously, but I would like a vocal opinion on extreme circumstances in Formula One to make sure that it's safe and it's possible and it's doable. What were your thoughts, Sarie?

Who, can I ask, who blue chunks? Who vond, apart from Rock on? Do we know? well, Logan did afterwards. Fair days. I think Stroll did afterwards. Oh, okay. And I thought it was Albon as well, but maybe it wasn't.

I've not trying to single them out. I was just interested. I just didn't hear that. Well, did you hear that Stroll literally passed out going around? Yeah. And also I've seen a video of on board with LeCler during, like, the start of the race. And you know how drivers lean into corners? And at the towards the end of the race, it's the same on board shot.

And as he's going through the high speed, he's like leaning in, and then suddenly his head goes bang against the side. Like he's out for a split second. Yeah. That's not good. Incredibly, and I'm not going to get into games, but the fact that there are some very senior people in the world of Formula One, saying that this is what, you know, we should be expecting,

they're elite athletes and they should just get on with it, I think it's bang out of order. On that point, I, look, for the most part, I sort of subscribe to the idea that these are the pinnacle of racing driver. They're the, some of the fittest, if not the fittest, fleets in the world. And I want them to, I do, I do think they should be pushed. But this, it's too far.

Yeah. It's a bit over the line. When over 25% of the entire grid are saying, I literally almost crashed the car because I wasn't conscious. I like the, and I think with the, it's got less and less again, but when we had the sort of 2017 rules, when these cars became much more demanding because of the extra downforce, the drivers were, they were puffing after driving.

They had to bulk up, didn't they? And I think they, you know, they, they often still are lesser because we have a lot of management races now, but, like tire management races now, but yeah, for the most part, I sort of subscribe to that and agree,

but I don't, for this race in particular, I don't agree to that point. There is a line. Well, yeah, and I think we went over at, but I'm with you,

Sam, I think, I'm, do you know what, pleasantly surprised by the FIA and their, and their response here? More than I expected them to come out with, actually.

Like very, all right. Yeah, well done. straight away. So, and I hope they act on that and they change. We already know the next Jekatar is scheduled for four weeks later. I do wonder whether the situation would have been like this if we hadn't had those short stints and they were just sprinting everywhere.

I would say if it was that hot, they probably still would be. I mean, I don't, yeah, maybe it's not the same extent, but they're going to be struggling regardless. So. Sorry, I could be wrong on the dates here, but I believe we're first of December. Oh, so we're more, we're almost two weeks later, two months later, sorry. I'll be racing forever next season. 2021, it was last week of November. Obviously, we've now just done first week of October,

and then it will be first of December next year. So this year is very much the outlier. Okay, well then, well then if based on the basis of 2021, then hopefully when we get there in December next year, it should be a-okay again. And, yeah, I just hope they learn the lessons. but yeah, we can't, we can't have drivers. I think, I think the vomiting in your helmet,

that's obviously disgusting. And the same time, it's kind of, kind of hardcore, though, right? You are hardcore. Mark Weber, would be proud. Like, I know that sounds, obviously I don't want anyone to be put at risk, but it's pretty gnarly. Like, I've vonged in my helmet. They were like, did you not want to stop?

And he was like, I'd have to be dead to stop. Which I, it's so. Fair enough, Festervan. That is freaking cool. What a lying. At the same time. Please don't crash your car from passing out. Please.

Yeah, but that was what it's going to get to. I think the vomiting is one thing, gnarly, disgusting, whatever you want to call it. But also, sport is rough. Yeah. Oh, yeah, vomit my suit. Please don't vomit my son. The passing out, the potential for passing out mid-corner is, that's terrifying. It's horrifying.

Not ideal. Not ideal, because that feels like we have maybe narrowly avoid, not to be dramatic, but avoided disaster because it only took one of them to pass out for a bit longer than they allegedly were doing. Not allegedly, well, they're saying they were doing. And that's like an airplane crash happening. You hit that wall going down the start, finish rate, until you're marzing out, because you pass out. Well, I guess it's not even that. I think even, because they're saying they're passing out through the high G corners, but say you've got cars around you. Imagine if Stroll, who's submitted to passing out, passes out halfway down the start finish rate,

there's someone who's slowing down to go around that first corner, you career straight to the side of them. Yeah. That's, you know, we could be dealing with more than just injuries. So, yeah, I commend the FAA and coming out and saying they're going to sort this. I think next year we should be okay. And yeah, I don't agree that this is how drivers should be challenged. It's not fun. I do want to give a bit of a shout out to the FAA.

They immediately resolved what was the curbing issue, right? The Pirelli told them there was a problem. Okay, so that. And immediately resolved it. We're going to get on some more details of the track limits of the drivers' complaints and things like that later. but they resolved that. And they've immediately come out and spoken about

the heat issue, which is great. And then they were also bang on top of the track limits all weekend, immediately. Apart from when Landon Norris went over clearly at the end of the qualifying, but apart from that, they were bang on. Remember, we waited for ages.

That's true. It was like, it was a few minutes. Okay, I'll let him off for one because the rest of it was that good. Also, saying that, or it's more Ben Sillium, saying that he wants less races, more teams. I mean, that's clearly just a...

Shell. get him on the podcast because he's basically one of us. It's clearly having a dig at older Stefano Domenicali, the boxing match round four. Here we go, but big respect. There's a grade A mess up coming from the FIA.

It's brewing. That's too good to be true. There's something in the wind. It's going to happen at Cota and Ben's going to pop. It won't come on. That could happen. Just like a mess on his seat. Thank God Kerski's bringing the big poncho thing

so he could just explode in that or carry him home in the bag. She's bringing extra ponchos, so we'll be fine. Because it looks like it's raining. Texas, what? He'll do a full Eric Bouillet and his head will just blow up. It's a very niche reference. It's entirely possible. No, very niche reference.

I do need to apologise to everyone, first and foremost, because I forgot to mention earlier in the season that Lepland does actually include vomiting in your helmet in the war in a season. To my bad. Didn't make you aware of that. I'm sorry. I largely side with what you said, Sam, in terms of, in hindsight, yes, this probably shouldn't have gone ahead.

But the issue really was that there's nothing, or certainly up to this point, there's nothing in place really to prevent a race happening when it comes to heat and humidity. There's no, there's no conditions of if this condition isn't met, we don't go racing. They're very well accounted for when it comes to rain predominantly, but other extreme conditions. but generally speaking, heat and humidity aren't considered extreme in the same way, that there aren't regulations, there aren't rules, there aren't guidelines in the same way. And it's somewhat, I think, of a blessing in disguise that we've had a race that the drivers have been pushed to such a limit, but all 20 have come away relatively unscathed to the point where we can actually learn

some lessons from this without any serious injury coming to a driver. so it might not be fundamentally a good thing, but at least we've actually got to a point where these discussions can now happen because of the race that just occurred, which I think is a good thing. I agree with you both in that I know there have been plenty on both sides of the argument on this,

but I don't get any pleasure in pushing the drivers this far. The next thing I'm about to say is going to, I'll get some heat for this, I'm pretty sure, I'm going to say it anyway, because I really do believe this. I think the greatest show of bravery this weekend was what Logan Sargent did retiring that car. I genuinely believe that is the bravest act that happened this weekend to be able to, in the face of everything that Formula One is as an incredibly, I don't know what the right word is,

but you're under pressure to fight through this sort of thing. And to be brave enough to actually go against that and listen to your body and listen to your limits. I think takes a lot of bravery. So I want to commend him on that. I don't agree with, I appreciate Sam. You said you didn't want to call anyone out. I will say Will Bucksster. He's well-hearted, I completely disagree.

Completely disagree with the triathlet comparison because I don't know if you've noticed, but a triathlet isn't driving a 200-mile-in-hour car, which is quite dangerous. Yeah, that will kill you. Yeah. If you're pushing yourself in a sport like that, I'm not saying there's no risk involved, but there's no collateral risk. Like you're risking it to yourself, but you're not risking it to anyone else around you. If you are at risk of passing out at 200 miles an hour, you are risking yourself, 19 other drivers, countless team members from all 10 teams on the grid. The amount of damage you could do to everything around you is far too immense. And I completely agree. with you, Harry, but we want these drivers to be pushed. I'm the first to admit that I want Formula One to be a physical challenge. It absolutely should be. I think I was the first person when,

if you remember a few years ago, Shao LaClair went through 130R, one-handed, absolutely hated it. Absolutely, because it should be a challenge to get through such an epic corner like that, and it wasn't for him. So I'm the first to say that it should be a physical challenge, but there is a limit. And this went comfortably, I think, beyond that limit to the point where I don't think it benefits entertainment. And it definitely doesn't benefit the safety of the drivers. So as we've already mentioned, Qatar is due to be at a later point next year. Even so, it can get very hot at that time of year as well. So I still think things need to happen outside of that, whether it is a maximum cockpit temperature or whether it's a humidity and temperature

calculation that happens where if you exceed that amount and you can't fix it within a certain amount of time, you have to retire the car. I'm okay with that existing because these drivers roasting themselves in the car. We have to be safer than other sports, I'm afraid. We do need to be safer. You know, you've got situations like, I don't know. I'm sorry. You saw we're roasted and we talked about the jokes before the podcast. Making jokes. office and Michael's got saying boom roasting. It's making such a good point and it just got me. I'm sorry.

Carry on. So childish. Yeah, to be I don't have too much more to say, it's just a case of, you know, we can't risk F1 in the same way that other sports can be risked because there's too much going on outside of just the individual driver to risk. We have to hold them back a little bit, I think. What you're saying here, Ben, is the late-breaking podcast calls out wheel boxing. That's the title.

That's us. I mean, I appreciate he's not the only one, but that's the one that is probably, and you know, he tweeted it out. He's in, it's in the public domain. It's okay.

You started it. Yeah, you started it. We're finishing it. Put into bed. Go to bed, will. He's not the only one. I just completely disagree with it.

I just don't get it. No, I think you're completely right. I think you very eloquently make a fantastic point. Esteban, you threw up in your helmet. Boom. I tested. Oh, cool, man. I was part of the plan.

mate, come on. Found out long so. You've got a hot bum, boom, rosky. That's not even a roast. Oh, it's a compliment. Delightful. Let's move on. Let's move on indeed.

Sorry, FIA. We're not sticking to 18-minute segments anymore. We've gone over that point. That joke has sailed, I'm afraid. But we'll be back with more guitar fallout right after this. I will tell you what, whilst I remember, should we cover off F1 Fantasy? Yeah, boy.

Do you feel the pressure, Ben? Pressure building. To be fair, I should probably have actually looked at it this week. Because I... I'm not sure if Vestappen is my two-time's driver, if it's still Carlos Sines. I hope I've changed it. Well, Buckery Biscuit B is signing up all the points for you.

So... I think it's probably time I take Fernando Lanzo at my team. I don't. He was one of the top scorer this week. Well, this week. Yeah, I still got for the... Was it? Literally fourth on points. How?

Because he's the goat. The hot bottom. Hot bottom. Get him 50 points. Sorry, Ben. Right. How are we all doing? Top scorer for this week and Beef cannot believe it because it's her in real life pal,

Una, with the team is called Zuma. 543 points. Smash it. Oh, John. No change in the overall leader. Red Bull gives you wins. Is still holding on to P. I continue to drop.

I am the Aston Martin of F1 Fantasy. I'm now 95th overall. Oh, gosh, you're in the top 10. He continues to be the McLaren of F1 Fantasy because he's now in the top 200, 171. And good Lord Almighty, Harry's in the top 300. Woohoo!

Whoo! And you're now, crucially, 85 positions ahead of beef. You might be safe for the championship here. Thank God. We're coming for him. We're coming for you, Ben. We're going to take a tag team, you.

That's right. I'm actually going to make some changes before Austin. I still need to use some of the chips, and I don't fully understand what they do. I have to change my team for six weeks. That's impressive. Thank you. I'm just glad Joe got me a point. Cheers, Joe.

Right. Let's move on to track limits. 51 deleted laps at the Qatar Grand Prix. In the words of Sam Sage, that's too many. although it's only second this year. Austria had 83. So a lot of corner cutting took place.

Four drivers received multiple penalties and some were not happy about it. Stroll said it's a joke that they're giving us penalties for this. They don't understand what Formula One is these days. And Sergio Perez did admit that other drivers did a better job than he did at this, but was also fairly negative.

about the penalties that were handed out. What did you make of it, Sam? I wrong it at the two drivers that are possibly having the worst forming Formula One at the moment. Winking like little babies at the moment, isn't they? Oh, Jesus.

Why'd you freaking X in? Like, what are you complaining about? Was that a caffeinated tea you got? That was fully caffeinated. I had a coffee in my way. Oh my God. And I had a meagim cold brew at lunch. So I am.

Triple-calf, Sam. Woo! He's popping. He is popping away. My point here is, we've said it so many times. All sports are defined by boundaries of the field that you must play.

For example, if you do your 100 metres spring in the Olympics, if you step outside of your lane, you're disqualified, you're out of here. You can swimming, go outside your lane, you're gone. If the ball goes out of playing football... How would you do that in swimming?

What? How would you do that in swimming? Just go under the little thing. But why? I don't not say why. Just say if you do it. Okay, sorry. God.

If you do a cyclone swimming dance on the side of the pool and don't ever get in the water, you're banned. You know, wrong sport. You're doing gymnastics. Poor coaching. Yeah. If you play football, the ball goes out of play. You're off the pitch and the ball's out.

And in Formula One, if you drive outside of the white lines with all four ties, your lap doesn't count. Now, I big up Pierre Gazley because he came out and said, I wasn't very good at sticking inside the track limits. Correct, Pierre. You such, mate. You suck. You sucked. You sucked.

You're so real for that. It was a real pick-up, yeah? He's so true to himself. He was true to himself, and he was pants. And at least he came out and said, it cost the team, it cost me points, and I wasn't very good. And I really respect that he just came out and said that.

But these two, who were also rubbish, coming out and going, it's not Formula One, you know what Formula One mean? What do you mean? We've always had truck limits in Formula One. We've always had to find my exact, reaction. What do you mean? What does it mean? It doesn't make sense in the words of Kevin Magnuson. Kevin Magnuson. Like in future, if I'm driving around Silverstone and I go,

Kurt Borgbeau, so straight over because track limits don't exist anymore, so I just won't bother. The formula is nowadays. Yeah, it is. It's just if you get from the start finish line to the start finish line, regardless of the method in the fastest route possible, you are the winner. You are number one. Honestly, it makes me laugh at these drivers moan about this stuff. The only thing I will forgive them on is that some of the main mistakes on the corners that were brought in, because to retrain your muscle memory of what you go through those corners at what 150 miles an hour, you've got to suddenly, in a 10 minute session, alter how you go through that corner to maximize it, you're going to make a couple of mistakes. That bit, okay, sure. It's like, you know,

for 100 minutes of a football match, you're shooting at the same goalposts, and then someone literally picks it up and moves it three inches to the left, you're missing all of a sudden. I get it. You've got to retrain your mind just a little bit. But don't moan and say things like, Do you even know what Formula One is? Lance Strull, do you even know what a points finish is? Because you ain't act on for donkeys, mate. You are gnaff, gnaff, and when you get good, you can moan. Get good, scrub.

Only used word, naff. I love it. Yeah, naff's good. Well, Naff's bad, I guess. Correct, that is the definition of gnaff. Anyway. Rubbish. Harry, I'm assuming you're all four penalties and actually more penalties.

All the pens, please. Penalties. Yeah, this is rubbish argument. I know you said about the, we only had 10 minute familiarisation session. Great session. But also, they need to grow up. Correct.

Get over it. Grow up. The words of the in between us. Grow up. Grow up. I'll, I'll, scurrying up session. They'll come out really old.

Like, thank you for me, button. Oh dear. That's just terrible banter. Really is. I was going to, sorry, Ben, before you said that terrible thing, I was going to give you a compliment because you did this on your Twitter,

but pointed out all the track limits violations and that Max Verstappen, he's quite good at everything because he didn't get any during the race on Sunday. Tell you us, he didn't. Carlos Sanks. You know at Samilton. Yeah.

We did get you off the track. Oh, technically. I guess, yes. You got one. I don't think he got a corner coat. No. There's a few more white flag for that one. No.

But my point is, he can do it. So just get better. Get better. Stop moaning. He won the race without one. Exactly. And that's, I guess, the worst bit.

He's, not only was he, it wasn't like he did that and was slow. He was the quickest one there. Yeah, you're right. If all 19 drivers got 23 and last play's got none, I'd go fair enough. But there's no argument here. Could you be any good, better good? I can't speak now. I'm too worked.

I'm wound up by him. The only bit of, from Stroll, I guess, I saw an interview with Stroll after the race, which goes back to our previous topic, which is about he's saying that he was struck, because he was mildly passing out. Understandable. He was using the curbs,

like the actual feeling of the curbs to judge track limits because he couldn't really see properly. But on that bit they repainted, it was just painted and he's saying he was like, couldn't feel it. Now, I know that's not the greatest argument of the world,

but I'll, in light of what's happened in the race, I'll give him a bit of sympathy. Like cat size on the motorway? Yes. I don't drive regularly on the cat size because so we're all clear.

But where you go over the lane to like go from the middle lane and the fast thing, whatever, you suddenly feel the bubon. You feel. I had to clarify there. It sounds like a moth going to be wrong.

Can people think that I'm just driving down the middle of the line. I'm not. Good. But yes, despite that, just get better because this is a terrible argument. And track limits are a thing. And, you know, it does get a little bit annoying. And I think there are better, better solutions than just deleting laptop,

like better track solutions than just gravel. Precisely. But if we have to go to these tracks where there's no gravel, et cetera, then fine. But there could be gravel at Doha. It could be. It's in the desert. It's in Qatar, which is part of Qatar. but it's not the right place.

It's the sale. But still, gravel will apply. Sure. Anyway. Ask Ron Dengis, he's got to get his front drive. No. Goodness. I'd still believe that now.

Yeah, honestly, that's fair. Yeah. No real. So, if you told me, like, you've done it in the last two weeks, I'd be like, yeah, alright. Might have done. Believe that.

He shipped it in from Japan from the previous Grand Prix. In conclusion, grow up. It's a great point you've made. One of your better ones. Thank you, Harry. Yeah. I just don't understand. Just about this?

Stay in track limits. Just going to throw that out of there. I don't understand why this controversy comes around as often as it does. It is really straightforward. The fact that Sam, you gave like four different, four or five different sporting examples, I wrote down three myself, and there's no crossover between the three I put and the five you put.

And there's probably another 50 you could include. That's how many sports there are where the same. thing happens and there's no controversy because it's just the rules. Like, why is it confusing? Like you say, Max Verstappen did not have any violations across the 57 laps. Yuki Sonoda had won. Charlotte Claire had one. Kevin Magnuson was confused all race.

He had one. Probably the wrong way. Esteban Ockons, Elspan's helmet was 90% vomit. He had one. He's got a straw out the top to breathe. It's like a fish tank and vomit. Oh, God. He was all right.

But yeah, and to give two drivers some credit here, because I went back and had a look at this properly, Liam Lawson and Valtrey Bottas. So Liam Lawson had three, just to confirm, actually, you need four violations for you to get a penalty. So on the fourth one, that's when you would get your five-second time penalty. Liam Lawson had three track deletions. he had lap 9,

lap 10, and lap 11. Wasn't a great three laps for Liam 4th. Three consecutive laps, infringements at all three. So basically, from lap 11 onwards,

he had then another 46 laps to do in this Grand Prix. One more violation, he gets a penalty. What did he do? He went 46 laps, did not commit another one, didn't get a penalty.

A man, violate. Good. It's the same story with Valdri Bottas as well. Lap 9, he had his first one, lap 10 he had his second one, lap 13 he had his third one. He has to go 44 laps without committing one more.

That's exactly what he does. So it's very difficult to have sympathy for the drivers like Gassley and Alburn and Perez and all the others who got penalties because those two drivers showed you that even if you get quite a few early on, you can go the rest of the way without getting another one if you really watch out for it. So yeah, if they want to turn around and say the rules should be different, fine, but they weren't the rules that weekend. You can turn around and say, yes, this isn't what Formula One should be,

or rather than five second time penalties, it should be three seconds. It doesn't matter. You can have your own interpretation of what the rule should be, but ultimately, that wasn't the rule of the weekend. So you don't follow, you don't tend to follow the rules as you would like them to be. You follow the rules as they are at the very moment. The only thing I would look to do, sorry, one last thing, the only thing I would look to do, actually, rather than, because it was a case of the fourth one, you got a time penalty,

but then you just got a time penalty on every single one after that. I would actually take one thing from Codemasters and implement the same system that they've got where it actually just reverts back to zero. So you just get a penalty for every three or four that you do rather than as soon as you hit that four threshold. It's just every time you do it, you get a penalty. but, you know, that wasn't the rule. So don't have much of sympathy. Didn't the rule used to be, one, two, three, black and white flag, four, penalty, five, ten second penalty, six, warning, seven warning, eight, black and white flag, five, it used to be stupid like that.

And that was less than a year ago. I remember I was having a hold of, maybe Austria last year. Anyway, they don't know their own rules again. And I have a bonus pick with the FIA, despite they're being so good in the first segment. Well done. Ben Silliam has said that both Qatar and Austria need to sort out their track limits, or they could be risked to be taking off the calendar. I think Ben Silliam doesn't have a leg to stand on that one.

It's not up to him. I think. Nice. Drives because stay with the track limits. There'll be a simple way, wouldn't it? I'd tell you what, if you enjoy being angry about track limits, I would encourage anyone listening or watching to go and look at, or YouTube, It doesn't have three Austrian GP

and just go and have a look at like Qualifying Latscar mate Or NASCAR but this is it in F1 And it's a turn one there disgusting Don't even try to do the outside of turn one Nah Nah Maybe last roll goes

Yeah Yeah Lance Charles goes back in my day Did they have track limits To speak of two out of three When he was born Back in my day When I wasn't alive

They had track limits I mean it was alive Is the guy in the womb I don't know what that means. Well done to the FIA for doing it better than they did in Austria. Because Austria, it was just a case of like Esteban Ockon and a few others at the end of the race. We're like, oh yeah, by the way, you have a 30 second time penalty. Whereas here they kept up with it.

Yeah, fair. I did bring that up in my qualifying review. I did state that I think they have an absolute nightmare on their hands. And I thought they kept up with it really well. They did, to be fair. They did. But this is no one but the driver's problem. Stay within the track limits.

You do it in Monaco. God, who there? And what happens if you don't? Crash. Crash. Boy dang Harry. Well done. You're welcome.

George Russell over it. Put on the back. At the medal for me. Well, dang, Harry. I'll say on the medal for me. You're from Harry. Random last point. Can F1 just introduce some graphics for this as well?

Just like, so you can keep up with it. If there's going to be that many traveling, there's just no, it's easy enough. put up a graphic that shows how many, how much, how many seconds the driver has to be added on at the next game stop at the end of the race. Real nitpicky point, uh,

too can, and I appreciate there's probably some real technical reason why this doesn't happen, but the commentary team. Yes. Have like separate data screens. We do. Sorry, it's covering the light there. Separate data screens that give them the information about the track limit penalties

and other things on track slightly before. or like five seconds, maybe 30 seconds before we see it on the TV screen. Yep. Because by then, by that point, it's that graphic's redundant because I already know. Yeah. Like, just do it the same time. Yep. Also, I forgot what point I think I'm like.

Congrats. You spoke for so long. That's the friggin first. It's not. Shut up, Harry. You talking is like spar at half pace. Button your yap, Harry. Sounds forgotten what he wants to say.

Yeah, she left me. How is like SPAR if it's 2021? Yeah, it just went on. Where to cut you off? No action. No refund either. Not from this podcast. Not in money anyway.

Oh dear. So in conclusion from all three of us, get good son. Grow up. Grow up, get good son. And we'll see you at the next race. Good stuff. Sandwich is time. We'll be back after this.

Toshky. Thank God. Moving on to Althetari. So, what? You what? Sorry, Ben, saw that again. What did you say? Sam said, thank God he's getting cut.

And I went, they don't know. Until I don't listen back to the show. I say things all the time thinking it's getting cut out. Oh, I can say what I won. The awful things I've said. Nothing marked off on my own show. Oh, dear. Sorry, Ben.

Let's move on to Alpha Tauri. So the 2024 car is reportedly, going to be more similar to Red Bull than this year's car has been. So it looks like they're going to be taking 23 Red Bull parts to make that 2024 Alpha Tauri. Although Alpha Tauri in response to this, they just walk back and say, it's not going to be a Red Bull clone, we promise. That's paraphrasing.

But that's essentially what they said. Sam, we've spoken at length really about whether this should be allowed within the rules of Formula One. but at least from Alphatari and Red Bull's perspective and what they can do, do you think this is wise for them to follow what has been so successful this year? I'm just going to, it's not going to answer Ben's question,

but I'm going to put this on the record. And I don't think we've ever done this for, but I'm going to quote the Grinch, where I say that I loat this entirely. I despise this rule. It might be the first. It's the first. Jim Carries the Grinch.

What a performance. I think it makes total sense, right? You may as well exploit the rules to the absolute maximum that you can to give yourself the best advantage because this Alfa Tauri car is potentially the worst one they've created since it was

the original Tora Roso with the purple ball on the side of it. Do you remember that? In like 07. Yeah, I mean, O six, 07 Toroososos were pretty naff. They were terrible. Thanks a lot of the sea.

It's got speed. It's got speed, cheat. But this one is absolutely... Get an eye racing, son. Get a little dig in there. It's absolutely shocking this car. which is amazing considering that they must share, you've already think they must share a lot of data.

What's the point of being a family team if you're not going to share as much greater as possible? Fair enough, you're going to make your own part and let your engineers develop a lot. But wow is one part of the team won the title with seven races to go. And the other part of the team can't score more than five points over 16 Grand Prix.

That is abysmally different between the two of them. So yes, mug red bull blind, steal all their parts up to the legal limit because then you might be half decent, more advertising, more money, your drivers get more experience because they are actually fighting other drivers and Liam Lawson hasn't got to come in

and school the old show. The only person that scored points sinks before the summer break. It's not going well. This is clearly a way to fix it, despite us hating the rule. Such a bad kite broke Daniel Ricardo's hand. That is the car's fault entirely.

That might not be on the car. This is the car's fault. It's the rules fault. Track limits. That's it. It's Oscar Piastri's fault. Back to Wing-Opeg. I don't have a grudge against Oscar Piastri, of course.

Not that he cost me a bold prediction this weekend. I love him even more than I did. I really love him. We've got a bromance going on. A three-way bromance. I guess it no, we exist. He's a fan of the podcast. He doesn't know it yet, but he's a fun.

Big friend. What are your thoughts on the original topic, which wasn't Pi-A- Street, Harry? Yeah, I'm with some in terms of that I don't particularly like this idea, but from Alphataris's point of view, yeah, it makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? Because they, I'm trying to think the last sort of decent car they had, 2020, Gassley had a really decent year. 21, Gassley was fourth place in Qatar, so it must be all right.

201 was alright as well, but 2020 was like a pretty solid, I mean, it was a race. That surprises me, because you don't remember that year even exists. Well, maybe then he didn't have a decent car. I just don't know. They've just gone downhill ever since 2020, ever. Yeah, every year. It's just like slowly. A little bit worse.

Yeah, 21 was good, but not as good as 2020. Do you know what? It's ever since Danny Kviette left. He's not clinging the holes anymore. That's a conclusion right there. Bring you out back. So, yeah, that's probably the last time I've had a decent car. And then before that,

I went, I don't know, when Vettel won, 2008. And they, that's when they were... It's a fluke. Oh, wait, I was better than the Red Bull. Yeah, yeah, but the Red Bull wasn't good. No, I know, but they were copying the Red Bull designs then. Anyway, my point is, it's never consistently been a great, great card to or so. They've had ups, ups and downs in their performance over the years.

So this makes sense for them, if they're, you know, within the rules, obviously. but why would they not do this? And for Red Bull as a brand, as you pointed out, one that's dominated the championship and the other one can barely score, you know, multiple points. Can't get into double figures. Double figures, yeah. They need to sort it out.

And obviously there were the rumours about them being bought out. Bossball's racing. What's it? Boss balls racing. I've also seen Adidas now as well, apparently. That would be cool. Adidas racing. Genulay, Pollock.

Yeah. This is his way in. Get your fishing rods out, lads. We've got a big one. We've got a big one But yeah For Red Bull they can't have another year And obviously Red Bull Racing's had a great year

But for an entire brand You know they share the same motorhome It don't look good Currently they're a fashion company right Alfred Tower is a fashion company Yeah Do you want to look like the biggest losers in a sport I mean but it worked for Ben and Tom

I thought you said it worked for Benetton It worked for me Benetton I'm no longer in business do they, can you still get clothes from Benetton? The United Colors of Benetton. Yeah. They're not in business. Are they done?

All right. Sorry, Flav. Rip? I mean, mate, the gap, are they? They're H&M. They're not top man. Oh, wait. That's a, you gave one example.

It was the worst one you could think of. They're not Zara. Yeah, fine. That's better. Well done. Anyway, sensible thing for Alphartari to do. Not good for your brand rep. because it's becoming a bit embarrassing for Red Bull as a whole, to be honest.

Yeah, I was always confused when Alpha Tauri went further away from the sort of Red Bull way of working because within the rules of the sport, I don't know why they don't just attach themselves as closely as possible, whether you agree with it or like me very much disagree with it. It's within the rule. So I was always surprised when they moved away from that. And I don't think Alphatow, actually, to be more accurate, I don't think Red Bull are necessarily concerned about where Alpha Tauri finish.

I don't think the championship position matters all that much. Now, it certainly matters to the folks at Alpha Tauri. Certainly the engineers, all the mechanics, they will care as much as anyone else on the grid, even though it's not a truly independent team. They will care as much as anyone else. But Red Bull themselves as an organization, they're more concerned about, Alfa Tauri being that sort of conveyor belt sort of factory element rather than anything else, rather than pure results. So it makes sense for them to go as close to Red Bull as possible.

So if you are put in a position where either voluntarily or involuntarily, so say they want to promote a driver from Alpha Tauri or they're forced to, if there's an injury to a Red Bull driver, surely they're going to be more acclimatized to what the Red Bull is, the closer those two designs are together. So bringing them together does make a lot of sense. The 2023 Red Bull has been, I would say, pretty good overall. So I don't think there's a bad blueprint. On balance, I'd say, yeah, pretty good.

Yeah, just stripes in. All right. And look, Alpha Tauri is where the, where the Red Bull organization can do. It's experimenting, quite honestly. It's, you know, they used Alfa Tauri or Tora Rosa as it was back then to be their guinea pigs for the whole Honda. the arrangement, which technically speaking, they're still with now, really.

But they used Toro Rosso for the first year of that to see how it was going to go. And then when it was discovered, ah, this isn't as bad as it was when they were with McLaren. Let's put it in the senior team. That's how Alfatari and Torooso has typically worked. So I think the closer those two organizations work together, the better it will be for the senior team. So this doesn't surprise me at all. I hate this relationship in Formula One. Ten teams on the grid and one of them is a baby team of another team.

But they're not the only ones that do it, right? Hars by as many parts legal as they are allowed to off Ferrari. Salba used to buy a lot of parts also from Ferrari. Williams have taken a lot of parts from Mercedes in the past. I really don't like it. I know it's a way of cost saving, but we have a cost cap. I think you should have to develop your own parts. It's been going on for so long.

Yeah, I know, but it doesn't mean it has to go on forever. 2007 Super Gurry was a 2006 Honda. Yep. 2003 Salber, I think was a O2 for a lot or something like that. Yeah, but Super Guri were banter. Like that, they have that in there. That's true. The best thing about the Super Gurry one was because the 06 Honda was a great car.

They gave it to Super Gurry for 07. Honda made a crap 07 car and Super Gry absolutely rinsed them. That's true. Get rinks sung. But another food analogy for you, but Donald's been around over 50. years and they never had a vegan burger. Boom.

One of their biggest sellers. Things could change. What on earth? I didn't. Okay. Try something new. And it might just work. Formula one.

Right. Good. Yes. I'm glad we all agree. Moving on. Max Verstappen has won a world championship if you haven't noticed.

Well, actually I say that. I'm, it did happen in a spring race. He is still a two-time world champion. It doesn't count. Sorry, Max. No champion for 2023. Disclified. Yeah, so he won his third championship, of course, at the weekend.

Sam, what are your thoughts on what Vastappan's future holds within Formula One? Do you see him, you know, continuing year after year, building on this legacy, getting up to the likes of Schumacher and Hamilton in terms of championships won? Do you think his career might go down a different path? What are you thinking? I think we've heard a lot of. these mutterings and rumors and comments that, you know, oh, I'm bored, I've done it now.

I've only ever wanted one. I think that's an absolute legal rubbish, by the way. I think any Formula One driver that goes, oh, I only want it one. What's it bothering about? Shut up. Give the other two back. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hand them off to second place. That's the clerk getting one. And whoever gets one this year, could be Hamilton, could be Perez, who knows. But give them back, if you don't want it, I think that's a little rubbish. I don't think you get into a sport like Formula One

just to win it once. And on top of that, yes, I think you'll stick around and I think he'll win a few more quite comfortably. he's got time on his side he's still so young as a Formula One driver that Absolutely not fair Not fair at all

Not fair at all He can win another what Four more titles And how old is he now 26? No Is he even He's younger than that

He's about 25 Right so he can win four more titles He can match Lewis Hamilton He still be under 30 And at that point If he wanted to He could probably go and wing The World Endurance Championship

Because he basically owns a team in that point already, any car would take him. You could probably go out and do something like IndyCar if he really wanted to. He's done so much in eye racing and sim racing that he thoroughly enjoys that sense. I would not be shocked if he went out and built an empire digitally, because he can do. The man is on a path of world destruction when it comes to motor racing. And, I mean, all respect to him, but he has so much time on his side that I think he will be here for at least another three or four years, at least until the 2026 regs change.

And he goes, do I like what I'm seeing? Yes. No, I reckon it'll be yes. I reckon he'll be here for at least another five to ten years. And I think he will absolutely dominate. He is that good. He is Schumacher level. He is Hamilton level.

He will go down as, you know, when we talk about what drivers you put in your top five greatest of all time, he is very much bordering on top six, top seven, greatest drivers to Grey's Formula One history at this point. There's nothing to say he can't go to the top. And I think there is a little part of him that enjoys the records, that enjoys the titles and every wing. And you heard when, you know, oh, Max, you've only got to score three points in the sprint race to win your championship. He came out and said, don't care, I want to win.

I do think he just has such a drive, a passion for winning. But I don't think you'll let that go. I think he'll feel like he's missing something if he was to walk away. Although I do think, unlike what Hamilton is doing now, I think if Red Bull were to go through a massive patch of being poo, then he would go, cool, I've got six titles. I'm going to go do something else at that point. that's what I think the difference between him and Hamwitton might be. I... Yeah, I could see that.

I don't know, because he stuck with Red Bull for a little while whilst they were being relatively poo. But they never got World Championship and dropped back, right? Yeah, that's fair. You never earned it at that point. We haven't earned it, but, you know what I mean? You never reached the highest points. Go ahead.

Sorry, Max. I don't mean, man. Were you for us, Harry? Yeah, I... Honestly, I... I must say I could see him going... multiple ways. I agree that I don't think he just wanted,

well, he obviously didn't just want one. He's got three. He would have left. He would have left. He did then Nico Rosberg. But, you know, he could have a car that was half as good, maybe not half as good,

three quarters as good as this year's car. And I still think he would have won this year's championship. And Rebel only have to keep making semi-decent cars. for him because even if they're not at the level they were this year and they're in a championship fight, I think Max

West up in this 2023 version is a better driver than he was in 2021. I know he's not really had much of a challenge. I agree. But I think he would be. I think he'd be a better driver in a championship battle. So even if the car's not dominant, I think he could just keep going on winning.

Sorry, everyone. No, you're right. But it might not happen. I think I'll go put Sergio Press down here. if you put two Sergio Perez equivalent drivers in that Red Ball and say of Max Verstappan, they ain't first in the championship anymore. We don't have a hell of a championship fight. It would be incredible,

but the Red Ball is not as dominant as everyone likes to say it. It's Max Verstappan driving the Red Ball that makes it so dominant. Yeah. So, yeah, he could well keep going and win multiple championships. I think he might stick around even if the car went a bit bad. He wouldn't do it forever. I know Hampton's done two seasons, but even that,

and now we've sort of questioned whether he would want to carry on. I know he is carrying on. But, you know, the great, the great science is going to stick around in a bad car. So the thing is, we always thought Vettel was like Mr. Red Bull, but actually when you look back, it made sense for him to go to Ferrari in terms of where he wanted his career to go. Vastappen, he's not going to, I, he's just never going anywhere.

Mr. Red Bull. Like, Hasse. Yeah, he's after Hasse. This is next step, obviously. The obvious step. Gene Haas and Max Verstappen take over the world. But he's so embedded in that team. It's been his family since he was a child. Yeah, and even him and he said publicly, like, if GP leaves, I'm done. I'm not done anymore.

Oh, really? I've heard of say that before. I was a while ago. I haven't heard this out of interest. Do you know if he means from his position on the pit wall or just like the organization as a whole? I think it's as his engineer. I think they have like a mutual. Some drivers do have such a close connection with their racing.

Like Hamilton and Bono being a prime example, right? They've been around together for so long that I think if Bono left, Hamilton will be a bit like, oh, what am I doing? What am I doing? I think, we hear them with an old married couple on the radio. They love it, though. Of course, they do. They get, I think they really get on.

I know they get sassy with each other, and it's great team radio, but there's a genuine, genuine, strong, close relationship there. So, yeah, to... GP is as competitive as for Stackland, I think. Oh, he was the one screaming at the end of 21, wasn't he? He goes over the line. Everyone thought it was Albon. It was Albon.

It was a lot of people thought it was Albon. was just contemplating, Sam, your comment on where Vastappan ranks, like, all time. And it's, it's great. It's that weird question of, it doesn't matter what your answer is. You're going to annoy, like, 95% of people. Your answer could be anything, and you would annoy 95% of people with your answer. Yarno Trulli. Just the very cute. The goat.

Number one. Unless, if you're counting one lap, one shot qualifying, I am. Yonotrilli is a goat. Not a co. I'm taking Trulli. Trulli and Coval. wherever you want. I'll take it truly.

You never get past me at Monaco. I'll be one and two every time. No chance. I am fascinated to see like the next time Vastappen is in a position where he's not winning because we know that he said, and I know Sam, your opinion is here that he doesn't believe what he's saying in that he wanted one title. But we haven't seen him not winning since he won that first title. Really, it's been ever since that point, if Ferrari were pretty,

good for half a season, but he was still winning races in that half season as well. He's just had two consecutive years of really nothing else other than first places. It will be really intriguing to see the first time, whether it's a year's time or five years time, whatever it might be, the next time he's not winning frequently and he's in the position that he was once in, you know, maybe fighting for podiums at best, what his reaction to that is, where his career goes at that point, because I could be wrong on this. I tend to think that, let's take Lewis Hamilton as an example. Lewis Hamilton for me, his like number one primary goal is to win in Formula One, obviously.

But I feel like his secondary, like, what's my backup if I can't achieve that? His backup is getting podiums in F1, which is what he's doing now. I think that's his second best option. Whereas for Vastappan, I don't think that's the case. My instinct here is Vastappan, his primary goal is exactly the same, winning in Formula One. But if I had to guess what his secondary goal would be, it would be winning somewhere else. I think he'd rather do that than be a regular podium getter at this point in his career for Red Bull. To be clear, I agree with it.

I don't think he'd go anywhere else in Formula One specifically. But I would not be shocked if he went elsewhere. I know he's ruled out a few categories that he doesn't want to race in. That doesn't mean that I'll always be true. I wouldn't be surprised in a few years time if Red Bull go through as Sam put it a poo patch. I wouldn't be surprised if we reach

a situation where he actually does move away and goes into another sport and wins there. Because I tend to think Lewis Hamilton is Formula One or nothing. I don't think just happens that way. I wouldn't be surprised if he did move on. I think Verstaffin's the kind of driver that would go

he just puts his entire self into whatever the task. is in front of him. So if he were to do endurance racing, I think that will become his life until he wings. I think people have said it before. He's very Kimmy Reikinen. Yeah, yeah.

He's got to have a bit more of an expression because he's far more successful. But I know, but you could, I mean, you could argue that maybe Rikon could have won three championships. But my point, more my point is he's just, he just likes racing. He loves driving cars. I actually weirdly think for Safan might be quite good at,

could have rally. Yeah, I think he probably... There isn't much he's not good at, to be fair, So, true, true. I don't know if you'd agree with this with Verstappen as well. I tend to think that he is as motivated to win like individual Grand Prix as he is a championship almost. It's almost like the championship is the adding up of all the race wins. But my instinct is he will be as motivated to win at Austin as he has been any other race this year to win.

Yeah. I just think he takes a very race at a time. I think Lewis Hamilton would happily come second. every single Grand Prix of a season but win the title overall and be ecstatic at that whereas I think Max Astappen couldn't give an absolute plum

about winning the title but he turns up every Sunday and goes I want to go fast I gotta go fast I'm going every time I'm going I'm not happy unless I wing

yeah and if you said to Max no wings this season but you get the title there's a part of me that thinks he'll go no don't like that I don't think you would he wouldn't do a Kecky Rosberg.

An impressive feat. It is. Right, let's go for our last break. We'll be playing F1 higher or lower after this. Kiki. Kiki Rosberg. Go, F1 higher or lower. All the best themes have that F1 at the end.

It's like putting a bow on top of a present. It's wrapped and it's nice. But you put that bow on. You go, that has made it. Cherry on top of the icing. Cake. the cake. Yeah.

Well, don't you mop that up. No, cherry on top of the icing. Never heard that expression in my life. Top of the cake. Cherry on the cake is. What if you've got icing on it? Who cares, mate? Cherry on the icing.

Fadantic, son of a gang. I don't even know where to go with that. Right. Hi, or lower. So, Harry and Sam will take it in terms. I've got six questions in front of me. They all have a numeric answer. They'll have a guess at it.

If they get it right, they get two points. Sometimes that happens. A lot of the time it doesn't. And then if they don't get it right, It's the other person's job to say higher or lower. If they're right, they get a point. If they're wrong, the original guesser gets the point. Numbers one through six.

Harry, kick us off. One, please. Great start. One. Don't ever do that again. Sorry, Niscus. Stop it. A pair of you.

I will bang you both. How many career points did Stoffel Van Dorn get in Formula One? Okay. Got a lot. 37. Good. Good guess. That's probably way less than that.

No. I imagine if that was right. I'd have left the game. I would have been, with that speed as well, that would have been impressive. No, that's not correct.

You want to go higher or lower than that guess? I don't know. I ain't got a lot of confidence and stuff with a waffle. As much as he's a lovely man, I'm going to go lower. Yeah,

I think that's a good shout. You probably should have gone lower than Harry. Ah. Oh dear. It was lower, yeah. 26 points. That's far off, to be fair. Okay.

That's way. You've been there for two years. guys a baller. Okay. And it was a terrible car. I was almost thinking single diggers. Yeah, okay. Sorry, Stoffel.

Anyway, I didn't realize you had game. Dig on your show about that. She'll hear about that. Right. Sam takes a one-nil lead. What number would you like, Sam? Six, please. Number six.

Baltry Bottas, have you heard of him? I love the boat. The Botties. He holds the record for most number of Q3 appearances in a row, how many times did he achieve it in a row? 102. That could be right. No.

Are you counting the years that he was in Mercedes? I'll go higher. 103. Oh, no? As if! How have he managed to get one out on that? Harry the burglar gets a point. You're George Russell.

Oh, gosh. 103. Because he never, he never, he was always in Q3 for Mercedes, right? Yeah, but not in Q3. Yeah, I mean, that's a feeling I was close. I assume that's, because I think that just about went into his Alfa Romeo run as well. I think he had like three or four maybe to start the year. And that's when, that's when the run ended.

But yeah. Got to Miami. If I lose, I'm happy with that guess. Yeah. Back to you, Harry. Number four, please. Number four. Solid number.

How many times in his career did David Cuthard finish in the top five in the championship standings? Every time. Mike Schumacher's biggest rival, obviously. He finished in the top five,

five times. No, he did not. Higher or lower? I think that was quite a good guess. So I'm going to say lower. Harry takes the point. You're underselling DC. He's so good.

Michael Schumacher's biggest rival. Only rival. Seven times. Oh, what a D-C. As many championships as Schumacher had. Kirstie said, Shumacher has seven championships. And David called that a seven top five.

Come on. He coached his rival. Every time. They're the same achievement, right? It's the Battle of the Kings. Oh, gosh. Right. Back to you, Sam.

Two, three or five. I've lost your composure after the body's guess. Two, please. Speaking of Michael Schumacher. Seven. If it doubt, seven. I'm going to give you a massive clue. You're going to want to go higher on this one.

Okay, thank you for that. How many podiums did he achieve in his career? Oh, Harry literally. Every championship season. Seven. Just got P4 in every other race. Don't call the other ones. Harry, you actually know this answer, I think.

I genuinely don't. 91. No. It's higher than that. Yeah, I figured. This is race wind, Sally, isn't it? Yes, it is his race wind, tally, you're right. Yeah, so like that.

Yeah. I've made a mistake. I've made a mistake. I've made a grave error. I've fallen. Hang on to get up. Well, I think, no suspense. Harry's got the point.

What would you have guessed, Harry? 200. That's too round. I don't know. That's far too round. 155. Okay. We're in the middle.

That shows that when he finished on the podium, he often won. That's quite, yeah. Yeah. 60 different. Yeah. He was alright, really, weren't he?

Yeah. Did it all right? Quite good. Back to you, Harry. Can you get this one wrong, please? What was... What have we got? Three or five.

Five, please. Correct. Lord. Number five. Okay. How many points did Lewis Hamilton score in his worst F1 season.

What year was that, please? I'm not telling you the year. 2006. Before. Same amount. He didn't score many points in 06, sure. 2024. He scored

83 points. 83? What year are you thinking? Not 83. Run me through you like it? I'm telling you. Like I know. 2006.

What do you think so? I'm going to go higher. Pretty right to be fair. Guys are done. Hello. 2009 was a bad season. Well, that's why I was, that's what I was thinking,

but he got a few wins. Got two wins? To be fair to you, I thought this number was going to be higher than this as well. 49. That's all he got. He's rubbish.

Washed. He's rubbish. Yeah. He's got a world title. 49. In 2009. Is it all points, though? Oh,

scoring as well, obviously. He got, that makes more sense. He won twice, right? It's only 10 points. Did he went twice? I thought he won. Singapore hungry.

Maybe one. I thought anyone wants. But that's 20 points there. But that McLaren was not very good. You didn't get much, you know. It was at best, the third best car. And that's, you know, regularly the fourth best car.

I don't know why I'm arguing. I've got the point, but that's, that's, I'm shook of. First half of the season, they really struggled. Yeah, Ferrari Red Bull and Braun were better. Brony Brom, Brom. Yeah. That's what we all called him, but they. Broughty Braun, Brom.

Ross, Broughty, Braun. To be clear, no one has ever called them brawny brawn. His initials were Rbbbbb. Jensen, baton, bottom, button. No, I gave back. To be, I'm just looking at the results now, by the way. You're right that he had two wins. Hungary in Singapore, but his win at Hungary followed like five straight no points.

Oh no? He, yeah. Five straight, no points. Five podiums, but that, yeah, they all came in the second half of the year. Do we get points for that position, Bono? No. No, you don't live it. He didn't even have Bono then.

That's a really underrated moment over Team Radio, actually. Do I even get points for that position? Not used to this. What is the zero next to my one? That was so funny. Why has it got on the other side? What number do you want, Sam? What number do you want, Sam?

What number we got left? Pick number three, my lord. Oh, I think I'll go four. Birds flutter away. Zooms out of the earth. Really went for that one. Yeah. How old is Alan Prost?

You could get a double pointer out. I cannot get a double pointer here. I can't remember what year is born in. Pooh, bums. It's not an age. Oh, it's true. Come on. You can do it.

He's older than my dad. Sorry, I know this working. It helps no one but me. And your dad is how old? I'm not saying that out of the podcast, in case he's offended. Oh, yeah, because after the whole smack bottomed conversation.

He hasn't messaged me about that. He doesn't listen. He's not messaged me. I'm going with 69. Please be right. Please be right. Please be right. No.

Oh, no. Oh, lower, Harry. I thought he did that just so I could say. That would be so good. I'll go for lower, please. Yeah, it's lower. Now, here's the funny thing. I did know you were going to get 69,

which is why I picked a driver who's 68. Oh, God. Two questions. I've won off. I'm the goat of being wrong. Your immaturity would get the better of you. Do it. I don't have any maturity to start with.

I'm just him. Sixty-nine. It's worth it, to be honest, get out of the podcast. This related... I'll tell you what. Sorry. You'll do the same question next year. Yes.

This time next year. This is the day before his birthday. Yeah. I am really worried now because I did write this like two weeks ago. I'm worried that he's had a birthday since then. Just Googling Alan. Please, please, Alan. Alan.

Alan crossed. French racing driver. That is his name. It's still 68, unfortunately. We're all right. When was he born? February. February the 24th. Ironically, that is the day before my dad.

But not the same year. All roots lead back to Sam Stratz. He's the goat of my life. Oh, gosh. Okay. Well, Harry won that one. Yeah, resoundingly. It wasn't.

Sam got the first point. I'm still taking two questions one point away. I'm very happy with that. from a double two double pointers that leads us very nicely on to the next segment our final segment

on this show unfortunately for everyone listening it happens to be the greatest segment in all of Formula One podcasting it is the

LB question of the week The reverb on that as well we're really harmonised Oh, Loddy Lord. Can Tiesto do a remix of it, please, for Austin? Sure. Good. What will we ask this week? We asked the question of,

Nalvestappans won his third title, if we're including spring races. What's he going to do now? A lot of answers on this question. I think it's the second most we've ever had, pretty much. I'm going to have to read out the most likes on on Instagram because that's only fair, I think. MSC, good to see you, Michael.

Good to listen. Frank of the hot girls. Oh, Mick. True. Sit in the Alpha Tauri and get them seventh in the Constructors Championship. I mean, they need it. I have you so fun to watch. We'd swap them over half a season.

I would love that. Give you Kina Red Bull. Yeah, I would absolutely be well up for that. We do often go on about how they've got. They don't have two Red Bull drivers and two Alpha drivers. We've got four drivers in the state. Yeah. Swapping their new cowards.

Because they're all not contracted to the teams, are they? They're all contracted to the Red Bull family. Captain Knos on Instagram said, Be Alonzo's wall. Waterboy, which I liked. Do you remember the film, Waterboy, without I'm sounding it? I don't think I've watched that.

It's quite offensive. All right, well, I'm not going to then. No, I wasn't complimenting it. Just stay away. Stay very away. Oh, Craig said switch seats with GP and just drop sass bombs from the pit wall. That would be good.

Someone said to host the late breaking F1 podcast, which I think is, they'd do it better than us as well. to the to the ACL on Twitter did say sitting for Harry who can't be bothered that's fair I'd like to say it's never because I can't be bothered folks I love you all to the question of what should this happen do for the rest of the season

John Hay sorry Jonah Hay on Instagram said sausages with Sam oh yes maybe that should be my spin-off show and you know that you know that show sausages with Sam yeah you know the show what's the premise of the show We just eat sussis and talk about F1. I don't think that's got any legs.

There's a show on YouTube where they eat spicy chicken wings and talk about their movies they're in. That's a very good point. Sosages with Sam, we'll try a susskis from around the world. What's special about the sausages? I don't know. Different feelings. Brat first, you have like curry versed,

different hot dogs we could try. We could do places from around the world. So this year we're going to Austin, for example. Let's do American hot dogs for our sausage. E.H. Green says go play dogrums and clapped and pear. I'm so sick of class to appear. Coming up more in my life,

I ever thought it would. And Riley Dustin says pick past nips in Wales. I don't know, that joke is still going after a week. I never thought it would start, let alone go. You started it.

I know. Great point from Matt Hector. He said, Gammon. We are Gammond. We are cooking, Gaman.

Eating Gammond. When I was here for the Qatar Grand Prix. How do we not mention this. On Sunday, we had some gammon whilst watching the race. Harry comes back. He goes, I've just been for a roast mate. And he goes, I'm still hungry. I'm going to do a gammon. And he gave me some with some lovely caramelised onion dip and some fresh bread. It was very nice. It was delightful. Really got treated well. Diana here says GP should quiz him on random facts about the

country that they're racing at while he drives, which I think would be quite fun. Maybe we could get Ben to write them. Ben likes geography. he do like geography. Ben knows a lot about geography, don't you, Ben? I can name a few countries, but... We're not doing this now. Are you good at flags, Ben? Not as good, no.

No, not as good at flags. Ben was on countdown. I could do a fair amount. Do you know that? Honestly, how does that not come up more often? Ben was on countdown. I guess people in the US don't know what countdown is. It's all academic.

That's something Ben would say. It's a game show. Amazon game show. That's one of those things that I like to be able to offer like a U.S. specific, like, I don't know. Reference. But there's really nothing for countdown, is there? Do they not have countdown in America? I don't think so.

No. It's originally a French game. Is it? Count it down. Do you remember the start of this podcast? I will not offend the Irish. I won't offend the Irish. The French on the other hand.

Oh, God. Any more? I've got two sidecracked by Ben on countdown. Sorry. Yeah, that really saw a soft track. I like that Fat Matatat has gone the full other way. You just said when every single one of the races left. No mercy.

Rub it in. I love that. Really make it painful. Someone said like go for 500 points. I don't know where that is, but that's mad if that can actually be achieved. Alex. I mean, it can, can't it? C Welch.

I think so that on Twitter. Try to reach a friend of that would be stupid. He's not too far off it. He's only 67 points away. That's only three Grand Prix wings. That's pretty likely. Yeah. It's a bit scary that he can say

you can have half my points. I'll just get rid of them and he'll still win the title probably. Yep. In light of our conversation we were having before we started the podcast, Adam on Twitter, said, light of fire in a bin every weekend to test the team's emergency preparedness.

We're doing the case of a fire, folks. No one is to PowerPoint. That's my mistake. Oh Lord. Thank you for that.

What's really scary is if you add up Perez's podiums and wings for this season, he still has less than the wings that Vestappan has alone for this year.

10 in total for Perez, 14 wings just for Vastappan. So Perez has 10 podiums and Vestappen has 14 wins. Yeah, and Stav has 16 podiums because he's never gnapping on the podium. Was he on the podium in Singapore?

Yes. No, he wasn't. No, he wasn't. That's how lucky I think been on. He didn't fancy that one. This is why I'm not the statman. Sort of staff man, prank man. And after I come back from Texas, I will be the fact man.

Because I love eating a lot of food. Great. This podcast has big, thank God it's got a race weekend. We are done. get us out of here. Oh, it's my responsibility. Thanks for listening. Join the Discord,

links in the description. Come and see us at the fan zone in Williams Town in Austin, Texas. We will be there. We're doing our Patreon episode which you can listen to you if you give us some money, which we would love.

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We're very handsome. and you'll never want to look away. In the meantime, I think time. I've been Sam your stage. I've been Ben Hawking and I've been Russ Brony Brorn. Three bees. Pondy, body, bonny, bono.

Broony Brun. Fragne Brom. Bron. So not. Jason Brawl. Keep breaking late. Jason Brum. Oh, God.

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