The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Which F1 team has the BEST driver lineup for 2026?

Episode Date: January 18, 2026

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Buy tickets at heart and stroke lottery.com. Lottery license RAF 1479608 must be 18 plus. Please play responsibly. Thank you for listening to the late-breaking F-1 podcast. Make sure to check out new. episodes every Wednesday and every Sunday. Welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Sam Sage, me, Ben Hocking, and the one and only Harry Ead.

Surprise. Hello, everyone. I am back. We're the three best friends saying anyone could have. Look at that. It's good to be back. It is good to be back. Hello, everyone.

It's kind of weird. I've done this for a month. I'd remember where I put my microphone, but I've dusted it off. Do we need to do a return to work form? Show around the office. Three people you need to meet. Okay, well, we've done that already. It's just the forum.

That's it. Yeah. Hello again. I feel as if we're going to make a foray into professional forms, return to work forms are probably a bit too advanced for us at the moment. Let's just get the basics sorted first, I'd say. but what basic forms do we need to do before that then i don't know i need to do some research man next episode come back to us we'll do um wonderful to have you back harry um and a great episode to

have you back for because we have quite a lot to chat about lewis hamilton has got a new race engineer for 2026 as you can see sam is pretty happy about that we'll get to that a little bit later on We're going to be ranking all 11 driver lineups from worse to best. So we'll see how our lists compare. But let's start with Red Bull and V-Cab becoming the first two teams to launch their 20-26 season. And even if you can't take too much from the cars themselves at this point, we do at least know what they will both look like in their launch event that took place.

Early hours of Friday morning here in the UK, they were at an event together in Detroit, Michigan. So Thursday evening, for those of you in the US, let's start with Red Bull because they have been known for very limited changes year on year. And especially when it comes to their livery, and whilst 2026, I wouldn't call a revolution, it's certainly the most difference that we've seen from a Red Bull car in quite a long time, most significantly, going with a gloss finish. Sam, you are our livery officiano. So I'll give you the first comment on this one. Do you like it? What do you make of it? For one, nine, ten years, Red Bull have gone, not the design guide, to come in,

Control C, Control V, every single season. And an iconic, iconic livery. That's a brand name of a verb one. Go ahead and start off well. An iconic livery maker. But it's like he went to do the same thing. and had the colour picker ready just to start doing it. And as he was just getting the desk set up,

he's picked up his tea, and he's nudged the mouse slightly on the blue, and it's gone from this deep matte blue up to bright blue, and suddenly the world's erupted in happiness. And I'm with them erupting in happiness because the deep blue, the gloss, the erupting happiness is a good one. What's wrong with that?

I love to erupted happiness. He does a love to erupt in happiness. happy particularly if you can share it with friends. I'm always especially over again. Hang on my object. Well, okay. I love the yellow and the red absolutely pop on it. The white that separates the kind of classic red-ball branding with the deep blue. It's very core color, the blue, red and yellow. It's absolutely gorgeous. And I think it's funny how making some minor tweaks to somehow create something really that feels brand new and it feels fresh and modern. I like the tiny little tiny little squares they've got over the livery, the little Red Bull motifs they've got across. It's really

lovely. I am a big fan of this. I don't know if it would be my livery of the year, but I'm really pleased that they've gone into this new year with Ford. It feels a bit four branded. It feels fresh, feels modern, feels new. And I really really like it. It's a good evolution of a design that worked well. But it feels new. And I think that's great from Red Bull. Really happy with it. And we'll be covering these launches, these livery reveals as we go throughout the processes. It's been a bit drawn out this year with some releasing as early as mid-January, some waiting until the early part of February. We will still have our PIMMy F1 episode where we will rate all the liveries from 1 to 10.

But we will give our indication. It will be here. It will be here. Don't you worry. Exhibit is excited. Harry, what do you make of this Red Bull livery? Red Bull are geniuses because, I mean, if you want any proof of their marketing department is at the top of their game.

10 years we've had that same livery. And as Sam mentioned, the designer has just nudged his mouth and the hex codes changed by a number or two. And everyone has lost their damn or erupted in happiness, as sounds eloquently. But yeah, genius. What a genius move because it's not changed that much.

It's just a different shade of blue. Even Sam, the hatred of blue is happy. I'm here for it. I like it and it was it was due a change you know we we've collectively I think been calling for it for a while so I'm glad they've updated it I love a gloss livery over a mat one any day so I'll take it whether that translates into the actual season I don't know but for now it looks

it looks glossy and shiny and I'm happy about it so yeah looks good I am pleased to see a change for for Red Bull as you said Sam it incorporates the the blue of Ford a bit better. They've got the same sort of thing going on with their team kit as well. I don't know. I like it less.

That's like a conversation. But it's changed and that's the important thing. And also the red, this is minor point, the Red Bull logo with its traditional white outline is back. Yes. It's better.

It's very nice. Very clean. Very clean. So one on Red Bull. Maybe we joked last year that the designer was going into the meeting and just slapping down the same design on the desk. Maybe this was a year it just didn't work. I mean, he's had 10 years in the Caribbean each year.

So he's actually... He's seen the blues of the Caribbean. He went, oh, I've got an idea of it. He slapped the same picture down with like an overlay on it. Let him cook. Just let him cook. He always cooks. The kitchen's never off.

I prefer it to the old design as well. I can't say I love it. And I think to your point, Harry, people are maybe going a little bit crazy with this just based on it being different. And maybe it's a bit overhyped as a result of that. But I still like it versus what we had. On the positive side of the ledger, I prefer that it's a gloss finish rather than a matte finish. Definitely better. It does look more striking.

Again, whether that under studio lights, it looks very good. Will it look as good when we are out and about in the F1 season? who knows, we'll have to wait and see on that one. But I do prefer this shade of blue that they've used. I really like the front of the car. The numbers have divided opinion a bit. I quite like them. I think...

Are the circle round them? Yeah. And I've seen some negative comments on that as well, but I'm a fan of what they've done. And believe it or not, I like the blue rims. Which, yeah, as the hater of the gold rims from the old Jaguar cars from the early 2000s. I think they work quite well on this car.

What I don't like about the livery, I don't like the back of the car as much because, and I know this is going to be a comment for pretty much every team, there is so much exposed carbon fiber again. And there are teams that integrate it a bit better than some others do. I don't think they've done a fantastic job with this one.

Yeah, if you look at particularly right at the back of the car, the blue kind of fades into the black. I just don't think they've done that particularly. well. And also, I know the blue is closer to the Ford blue. Maybe that's one of the reasons why they've done this. The Ford logo at the back kind of does just look a bit slapped on. I don't think it really integrates as well as I thought it might with the rest of the car. Overall, an improvement, but not one that will get a 10 out of 10 from me. And what about their sister team, V-Carb, which was kind of treated again as a

bit of an afterthought in all of this, which is a massive shame. Of course, launched at the same event. Fewer changes on this cast. So it did score highly in previous Pimp My F1 episodes that we've done. What do you make of it, Harry? It still looks good. Like you say, it was the afterthought of the entire event. But the V-CabRB, it looks good last year.

It looks good this year. There's not been a radical change away from what they... what they've done. I like the predominantly white design they had. And I like it again this year. Certainly better than they, I think it looks better than the, was it,

24 design they had. So I'm glad they've, there's been some, you know, continuity because they've changed the difference a little bit over the past couple years, transitioning from, you know,

alpha chariot, RB, etc. So yeah, I'm still happy with that. It didn't need to, didn't need to change a lot for me to, for me to still like it.

So, I'm glad they've, I'm glad they stuck, stuck with this one because it was a good looking car. And no doubt they'll do 23 different special deliveries anyway, so it doesn't matter. Very true. We'll only see this one like twice on the track. What do you make of it, Sam? Do you agree that they were better served sticking with roughly what they had last year? My biggest gripe with this one is much what you brought out for the Red Bull, which is that there is a lot of exposed carbon fibre on the back of this car. And because the car is white, it shows up even more than.

it does on the Red Bull. It's far more noticeable at the back of the car. They've created some interesting lines down the side of the car. It kind of looks like waves that kind of crest the visa, the big branding in the middle of the side pod. And I'm not certain if I like it or not yet, I kind of need to see it out

on track. But what I do love about the side profile of this car is, now this for you motorsports fans, it might be a bit of a niche reference, but it is screaming. There's a livery in the WRC. 2003-4 would have a lovely rally cars, white livery. He's got the same white rims as well as this Alpha Tauri does. I also think it looks a bit like the early Alphotauri livery, which is no bad thing, in my

opinion. It's still a pretty car. I think it's very hard to do a white Formula One car really well. And we haven't had good white F1 cars since the early 2000s, in my opinion. I don't think the heart has ever taken that mantle unlike some other people think it has. But I think this is still cool. I still think this is sexy. It's got enough colour on it that I think it pops still with the blue, with the Red Bull logo colours coming through. I do think that the cash-up green is not a good pop on the car and it just kind of feels like another colour that just kind of, it doesn't complement the rest of what's going on

on the car there, that neon green. But otherwise, I still think it's a really nice livery. I am undeciding if I prefer it to last years or not yet. The cash-up green is giving mission win now. Green isn't they on the front? It's not as bad because that is literally one of the worst time. Because nothing is. of all time, but I see the expiration.

Yeah, I think it's a slight downgrade on last year's one. Not massively so, because again, it's the same base design that I enjoyed last year. So in theory, I'm going to like this one as well. The white does still pop really well, and I like how that's done. And again, the wheel rims. I like the white wheel rims, the way that it's integrated with the rest of the car. What I don't like is what you've mentioned, Sam, the carbon fiber. they found a way last year to integrate it far better than what they've done this year.

It just, it looks busier, it looks more cluttered than it did last year. I don't mind it as much towards the rear of the car, but particularly under like the Hugo logo that they've got, it just looks a bit messy, a bit all over the place. And also the numbers. I know I said I like the Red Bull ones. I think they look really weird. I don't like them at all.

okay the ones at the front because I feel like they've done two completely different things with the numbers at the rear and the front of the car but the ones at the front I just thought the font that they used was really odd

yeah they've had an argument about which font and what kind of use and they've split it down the middle and gone both yeah same comment as well about the Ford sponsorship

I just was kind of hoping the Ford would be a bit more integrated even if it's just the logo at the rear it kind of just looks like it needs to be on the car, therefore, there you go. I mean, given Honda a few years ago had the entirety of the rear wing on the front

ball, yeah. Maybe it could have been a bit more prominent, but maybe they're just easing their way in. Maybe so. And we're just easing ourselves into this livery reveal season. We'll see how those two teams stack up with the rest of the grid as we see those liverys throughout the next month or so. But outside of just release of the deliveries, we've got some talk. particularly from team principal Lauren Meckys.

He said the first season with the team's own engine comes with a few headaches, a few sleepless nights, but that's what fuels us. Going into the first year, going to the first race soon, and thinking to be straight away at the level of these established competitors would be naive. Bear with us in the first few months. These initial difficulties will be a good reminder

of how much we went through to eventually get on top. Sam, do you think that Lauren Meckes is just managed expectations here or should there be some actual concern that he's he's out here at the launch event saying first couple of months, I don't know. I'm surprised that he's come out being so negative when we've not had any proper on track running, no side-by-side testing with teams. And they won't really be fully aware of what other teams' benchmarks are at this point during the season. It's not like they've got direct readings from the likes of Honda with Aston Martin and Mercedes, of course. So saying that he's, you know, I don't know where we're sitting. It does feel

a little bit like they are managing expectations and the relationship with Ford is something that's going to take a bigger time and probably a bit more different to what they're used to with Honda. But I think they're serving up excuses when the menu doesn't call for it. I don't feel like they really have a place to have these excuses.

They are a multi-time drivers and constructors winning championship team. They are with Ford, who are a power housing automotive expertise. I don't think they get the excuses at the likes of Adela. Adelag? Good.

I'm on a good one today. Cadillac and Adidas. Yes. Well, it's actually Kagalaki and Audi. Ah, okay. Yeah. Adilak. It's going well.

I don't think they get the excuses to the likes of Audi, but especially Kaganak, are forwarding when it's kind of integrating a new engine into their car. They've been Red Bull power trains for a few years now, and they're actually like, this is the first time they've ever delved into an engine themselves. The involvement of Ford is more than what they have with Honda of the last couple of years, and they seemingly made that work brilliantly. and they had a really well-performed engine, Honda only there to help assemble the engine

and put it in the car. They weren't doing anything else to it. So I'm surprised that they seem so skeptical about their ability and their prowess with developing a power unit at this point because it kind of feels like they're acting like it's their debut year when it isn't. They've had about four years doing this.

So, yeah, I kind of think they're making up excuses when they don't really have reason to do so. Firstly, I think it's hilarious that you've got Lauren Mecky's out here being quite conservative with his messaging and then you have Bill Ford, who's the executive chairman, Senate of Henry Ford out here saying, together we're going to be unstoppable.

It's slightly a mixed mess. I understand that in theory both of them could be right in that they might struggle straight away and in time they might be unstoppable, but it is just funny to hear both of those things at the same launch event. I'm taking it with a pinch of salt. There is likely some truth in this,

just based on how conservative, the likes of Matea Bonotto for Audi have been, Cadillac obviously is a bit different again. But these teams that are either developing a new engine or something of a new engine are being slightly pessimistic going into the season. It is still a V6 hybrid, regardless of all the other changes that are happening. So the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes who have been established at this for well over a decade, in theory, they might well have an advantage early on. But I'm not completely sold on it because we discussed Sam the compression ratio trick that they might have got and Mercedes as well. It seems like that's essentially been confirmed by this launch event too.

So that should help them out a great deal, but we'll see how it goes when the season starts. How are your thoughts on this? I think get used to hearing that phrase from 10 other team principles before we go racing this year, because I think they're all going to say similar things, even if they are, you know, in Mercedes, for example, so to Wolf is the... the king of temporary expectations, even when they don't need to be. Yeah, I take this with a pinch of salt.

I think, as you said, Sam, it's not like they are brand new to this. Red Bull power trains has been a thing for a little while now. Obviously, the integration of 40s new. But, yeah, they've got this compression ratio trick, we believe, has the Mercedes. And they're no fools at Red Bull. The extension that they've done of the Milton Keynes

facility from what it used to be is massive. I don't think they're here to mess about. So, yeah, I think we're just going to hear this a lot from literally any team principal up and down the grid just so that they're not called out for it when they're bad, which they still will be anyway. But, yeah, I suspect there's going to be a running theme. So I'm not convinced they are still Red Bull. They are still multiple constructors champions for a reason.

Yeah, I feel like if it doesn't. go well, those words of Mr. Ford are going to ring out throughout the entire year. But we'll see how that goes. Next launch is tomorrow as we're recording this as Hasse debuted their car for 2026. Oh, good. I can't wait to sleep through that one. Oh, goodness. Just Toyota plaster it in red.

That is all I'm asking for. Please. Yeah, we had notable differences in opinion about the Hass livery last year. So we'll see if that's the case. You guys are colorblind and I have taste. That's how it works. if you were summary folks. Democracy here, Sam,

and it's a two-one vote. My vote in Clive's count. Democracy manifest. Get your hands off, mate. Let's take our first break with that. On the other side, we're going to be ranking the driver lineups for 2026.

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after a short break. So 11th place, kick this one off, Sam. What have you got? I've got racing balls, the RB. I think that comes as no real surprise. I think that'll be quite low down on most people's lists. And I've kind of had to do a lot of comparing first driver to first driver, a lot of these kind of back end teams and then second driving, a second driver. And I picked the lights of loss, obviously, is the league driver for now. and it's his racecraft. He's out right speeding. He's not too shabby at all.

You know, we're qualifying. He's sometimes there, sometimes not, sometimes just missing the mark. But it's when it comes to wheel to wheel racing, he's so often a liability and it so often causes him any chance, cost him any chance of going to moving forward or getting in points where there might be any, that he ends up sinking like a stone because he's had contact or his damage to front wing or something like that.

I need to see that gone from his game. I need to see him be more consistent. So for now, I've had to drop him quite low as a lead driver. Liverpool for example as a second driver I just don't know what he's got in a Formula One car He looks very talented

He was very solid in his junior career He didn't blow me away in his F2 but was really really up there I just can't really put him up against the second driver and I haven't seen him put out an F1 race year So for now I've got them at the back Harry 11 for you Yeah same

RB It's Liam Lawson's pace and racecraft is questionable and sometimes unknown. He is up and down on pace and then sometimes his racecraft is a bit dodgy, I think. Having said that back in the last year, I think things started to get a little bit better for him.

But to be honest, I think these were always going to be 11th just based on Limbladge. He is the unknown in this team. And yes, he's been an F2, but exactly as you said, Sam, we've just not really seen what he can do an F on car yet.

He may be amazing, in which case 11th on this list is harsh, but right now, as we don't know, it's going to have to be 11th. Yeah, I figured this one would be unanimous. I also have the V-Cab team in 11th. There's a lot of inexperienced drivers, drivers going into second seasons

with new teams, returning drivers, obviously both Cadillac guys returning to the sport, but Limelard's the only true unknown, the only one we really don't have a clue about. I think he could adjust to F1 relatively quickly just because in his junior career, he has done that. Even with him being just 18 years old, he did compete quite quickly in Italian F4 and then in F3 and in F2 as well. He won his first race in F3, he won his fourth race in F2. So it didn't take him long to get up to speed in these championships.

But much like Antonelli, he has been fast-tracked through the junior formula. I think it might be a year too early. We'll see. His consistency was somewhat lacking in F2 last year. And Lawson, as you say, was pretty solid in the second half of last year, but it's still very comfortably the bottom half of drivers on this grid. So this was quite an easier level of place for me. Sam, who have you got in 10th? For 10th, I've continued this thing where I've had to weigh up, kind of obviously both sides of the grid, they're creating average in my mind of where I think they might see it. And I've got Alpine here, Gassali doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

Colopinto, again, hang, I really, odd interesting season, I guess you could call it for Alpine last year. Didn't get the full year, of course, after doing what I was outed after Sixth Grand Prix. And it felt like he took a little while and found his feet and then he lost his feet again. And look, not ideal. Not ideal. What are you driving F1 car? Need feet?

Quite helpful in that situation. Yeah. And I just think that the pace dropped off when maybe it should carry out improving. When the car did finally seem to have something about it, Gassie went with it. He was able to really start converting. in that and we saw him regularly fighting, if not in the points, right next to them on many occasion. And the moment that Collopinto looked like he might have caught Gassley, it felt like it just unraveled all over again, knowing here as many incidents as what we saw with the William

Stint that he had, but still nothing that really excited me. So I need to see him kick on this year for this ranking to improve. And unfortunately, I do think Gassie's doing a big of heavy lifting, whereas Colopinto is pretty bringing the side down. Harry, have you got Alpine intent for bringing another team into the mix? No, boring. I've got Alpine intent as well. Yeah, a little tale of two sides with this team. Gassley, I think, has been superb

and was superb last year, even if the car wouldn't allow him to show it. Colapinto was, yeah, his form was not great when he got given that seat. It did start to improve a bit as the year went on, but not massively. The caveats here are, the LP was terrible last year.

So honestly, who knows where they really were? And as you said, Sam, Croppian didn't get the full year with the car. I didn't get to do the testing at the start. So again, this is something, this is a driver ranking. They could move its way up the grid if they get a better car,

but also with the benefit of having a full season with the team this time. So, but for now, I've got them in 10th. Boring LP. We've got Alpine in 10th, really. of us. It does feel harsh because that 2025 Alpine just gave them nothing to work with. And I don't think we've seen the best of both of them in a little while. We have to remember that like Colopinto was a match for Alex Albin, Alex Albin who just beat Carlos Sines across a full season in F1.

If he's given a better car, maybe he can show what he can do again. He arrived on the scene. He burst on the scene like Michael Richards. That's huge. The first couple of races of 2024, like he really showed out. And we've just struggled to see that. But some of that is going to be based on the car. Gassley's been great for years. He's pretty much beaten all of his teammates apart from that dry office.

He's named Max Verstapp and that's the guy. So it's not too shabby from his side either. I think maybe we're underrating this lineup. And by the end of the year, it could be seen. as a little bit better than 10th, but for now, we have an agreement. Ninth place, Sam, break the deadlock. Hopefully. I've called with Aston Martin, and again, this is a split in the garage. Fernando Alonso, the old hand, the thick neck. He does a lot of the heavy lifting onset neck.

I imagine it's like the arc. I'm sure I could carry the entire Aston Martin theme along it. Someone get on that, please. I want to see Alonzo's death as an arc. in the ocean. He is a menace. He's incredible. He delivers things we wouldn't expect from a man of his age. And yet it's like the lion

taming the shrew and the shrew is on the other side of the garage. And Lance Stroll is essentially trying to hide behind the big lion's paw. It's just, what are you achieving? You know, it's so little, it's so small that all this works

going into with this new car. I'm sure a longso will quite literally do anything. He will sacrifice bloods, sweat and tears this year, if there is a chance at race wings, a title, you know, if it is there, even more point one percent and also will find the 0.1%. I don't believe that in Montstrel. And so when one's like the garage is so high, but the other is so low, unfortunately, the medium of this, the average, is that it comes down to quite an unfortunate middle ground. And I think they do sit behind quite a few teams, because overall, they won't be able to beat them. Much like

what we saw with Red Bull last year, with Stap and Stodagh. It's very similar, but unfortunately, they ain't got a red ball under him either. So that's why they're so far down. Harry, have you got Aston Martin as low as ninth? Thank God. No. We have a disagreement. I've gone for Audi in ninth.

Obviously, Holkenberg and Portoletto. Look, I think it's a solid lineup. We obviously have the vast experience of Nika Holkenberg. Portoletto is very new to the sport. I'm basing this off, sorry. mainly last year, because he bought Toletto only one year. But Holkenberg, when he was really good at sort of the start, and then obviously got that podium and then disappeared for half a year,

and then came back again. Bortoletto, who in that meantime did quite well, but then also started to drop off. They had quite up and down, I know the steak salo wasn't brilliant for most of the time, but they had quite up and down years, both of them. so I'll be intrigued to see whether that changes at all but for now that's why I've got them down it's a solid enough line up

and I think it could go on to do really good things I just the shakiness of the the shakiness of the form last year is what's persuaded me to put them in ninth I'm with Sam I've got Aston Martin in knife which pains me because how can a team that has Fernando Alonzo in it be ninth in a ranking, but yeah, I've got them in ninth. You know, and this isn't going to help

the Deastomartan hype at all going into 2026. If you're looking at favorites for the driver's championship in terms of bookmaker's odds, Mustappen is currently the favorite, George Russell is second, Lando Norris third, Oscar Piastri fourth. Lanzo's then the fifth favorite to win the championship in 2026, which even if you don't believe that it's, all going to come together for Astor Martin. There's a reason why he's that high because he is that talented, even at his age. I still think he might have been the best midfield driver of last year. Sure, he's not 2012, but I can't really see a difference between 2025 Alonzo and say 2021 Alonzo. And I think he's really dropped off at all in the last four or five years.

Lance Stroll is obviously competing for worse driver on the grid, which is why this ranking drops down all the way to P9. I think last year I only had Colopinto behind him of all the drivers that are coming back to the sport. So yeah, that's why I've got them all the way down in P9. Harry, eighth place.

What you just said, Aston Martin. I can't really add too much more. It is the perfect imbalance between those two drivers and whilst Fernando Lanzuk will drag and is trying to drag that driver ranking is far.

up the grid as he can, there's only so much that one man and an Andy Neck can do. So, yeah, I don't have much more to add, but that's why I've got them, got them there. Sam, you're going to offer up a different name here? I've got those mother flipping savages at us in that eighth place. It's just a call back to a live now for Tee for if you go go and you're going to you, folks. Go and look it up on Spotify. It's a bang it. Yeah, I've got Harting at eight.

And I actually found this big field section really quite tricky because there's a lot of teams that I think really solid, really solid of both sides of the grades where you think you're giving them a car that is genuinely competitive. And why genuinely competitive, I mean for regularly score points at this point where I think they're going to be sitting. And Okong is now a very solid, reliable pair of hands. I think if he has a car that he's comfortable in, he will regularly pull out performances that you go, that's Okom. I go saying, I just score points. You know, like he got that wing a few years ago in the hybrid era, of course. He went toe to toe with Gassley, who he praised so highly. He didn't beat him, but he was right there the entire season.

He had some issues with the car, so you can understand why it was difficult. He also does things like crash straight into his team in Monaco, which is not great. But nonetheless, he's a really good driver. I think he paired out with who a lot of people thought was the rookie of the season, not me, but a lot of people. That is Ollie Bearman, who had a fantastic end of a year. It was really solid for a lot of parts of the early year as well. He's the Ferrari young driver, up-and-coming driver, you know, for a reason.

He's touting as being a real future talent. I think this could be the year that we see Ben and really solidify himself as a real proper Formula One talent and kind of not just a rookie that's establishing himself, but as a, wow, this guy really is up there. And he's a talent for the long term. So, Hars have got a good thing on their hands. If Toyota can actually put a car together with Hars that performs, could be a spicy little team, you know? I think I'm going to get a shout to out for this one. P8 for me is Cadillac, which feels low.

And in fairness, if both of these guys are on it, if we get the best version of both drivers, this could be four places too low. If we get the worst version of both of these drivers, it's not great. Perez, excited to see him out of the Red Bull program. We've seen what he can do at Force India Racing Point. I would love it if we get back to that.

Bottas, a bit of a longer gap since, We've seen him in a competitive car, but he's a 10-time race winner for a reason. And unlike most lineups, we have seen both of these drivers in cars that are capable of winning championships and winning races quite regularly. The reason why I haven't gone higher than this, they have 16 wins between them. Their teammates had 103 against them. They had the chance in these great cars and would nowhere near good enough versus, to admittedly, Hamilton and Vestappen, not bad at the F1, not bad, but they weren't on that level.

So I've got the mate, as you say, Sam, midfield section here was very tricky. It feels low, and I'm sure many people will agree with that, but I've got the mate. P7, Harry. Has, a really good, solid lineup. Estabanochon had a slightly up and down year, but more up than down, I'd say. and Olli Behrman, as Sam's already mentioned, I thought he was rookie of the year last year, and I think he has not reached his ceiling

or potential in that sense. So I think Hasse has a really good lineup here. I think if Ocon can be, I don't think he was quite as on it as we've seen him before, you know, at Alpine, which is a bit of a shame because I think that car probably was better than the Alpins he was driving. But if Hasse can put it together,

Hass and Toyota can put it together, as Gannon and Olly Behrman continues to improve. I think they've got a really good, a really good. I'd say the best lineup they've had, potentially, at least since the early days of corrosion and Magnuson, but at least these two don't try and kill each other every race. True. Yeah, 7-5 got Audi.

So Holkenberg joined Salber as a reliable, quick midfield driver. He's still got that reputation intact. he had a very good 2025. Gabriel Borseletto showed promise in year one. A bit less on the execution versus Nika Holkenberg. And I think you could say if we're looking at just the rookie drivers, Hajar did a better job than Boroteletto did in qualifying.

Behrman probably did a better job than Bortoletto in races. But you could still quite easily tell why he won a Formula 2 championship just two short years ago. I think this is a pretty, I think Audi can be happy with their lineup going into this year. got them seventh. Sam, seven for you? I'm joining you, Ben. Audi. For me, Holkenberg is still so safe, so solid, so solid crew. The fact that he picked up that podium in Silverstone was pretty remarkable. Great to see, yeah, he got to have half a season off, but he deserved it after picking

up that podium. He still came back and picked up some pretty solid performances picking up points at the end of the year as well. So the guy goes, I can convert when needed. Bortoletto, I feel like he's maybe out of all the rickestowns. that we had last year, who are now kind of in there, what is it, their sophomore year, their second year here. It feels like he's maybe the greatest unknown in terms of what he can do if the car is truly there. The others all have moments where the car really worked for them. Hadjar, the Arby did have moments where it was able to perform solidly in the points. Antigna. Of course. Yeah, right? Antigone and of course, the Mercedes were at some real peak moments.

And even Bam, the Haas, sometimes just clicked and he was able to regularly fight inside the points. It felt like the Salban never really had those moments where truly was able to. to be fighting inside the latter stages of the top 10. He won an F2 title for a reason. He's got a lot of talent. I do think he's got a lot to give and maybe we haven't seen that. And Audi, hopefully, will unearth that.

So for me, I've got them higher up based on the fact that they were in, I still think other than Alping, the worst car of the season last year. There's a lot to come from that team if it works. I'll finish off the bottom half of my list. Sixth place, I've got HASP. So the highest of the three of us, but still in the bottom half, for the championship here. Yeah, not too much to add versus what both of you have already said.

Knock on's 2025, I don't think it was quite as bad as some have made it out to be. I think it was fairly solid. Even if we're looking at transitions away, established drivers transitioning to a new team. I've just mentioned Holkenberg. Holkenberg did a better job of it than Ockon did, albeit not by a huge amount. Behrman impressed me quite a lot as a rookie. He scored 33 points in the last 10 races, which is more than anyone in the midfield, apart from Carlos Sines.

You know, again, sixth to eighth was pretty close here. But Berman's rookie season just about gave him the edge for me. Harry, P6. I went for kind of lack. With you, Ben, it depends what version we get. And this is why I've plumped them basically right in the middle of the grid here. There is a possibility we get the versions of Perez and Bottas that were, you know, at the end of their first 10 year in F1.

But I would like to, and I'm hopeful to believe that this, I mean, we don't know what Cadillac will be, but theoretically they are in prime midfield territory here, and this is where these two drivers excel. They love the midfair. And this is not, I'm not a criticism. I'm not trying to put these two down. But they were superb when they were in the midfield.

Perez and the four senior racing point days, Botas in the Williams days that's where they excelled. So I'm going to believe that they will refind their form, both of them, and will get the best versions of themselves with this new team. So I've got

Cadillac and Six. Round out the segment, Sam. P6 for you. Kagalack and six, yep. I think that with 16 race wings, numerous pole positions, especially for Botas, and I think that's where he'll thrive in his midfield if Kagalak are part of that group, is he'll be how elevate himself.

And so it seems that Bottas' weakness was being cut for it with his overtakes. But if he's already qualified himself past, the other people he's got overtake, the car that's genuinely able to, then he will hopefully drive off and sit on the back of the big theory, the cars that are comfortably inside the top ten. Perez, on the other hand, has been well known for kind of getting his elbows out,

and getting his way through the McPhil, more regularly than not when it comes to the likes of racing point, force India. We saw his battles with Ocon, for example, that screamed out so famously his own teammate, where they almost come together so regularly. What is going to intrigue me is their journeys to being in the same team. It's almost felt like they've gone each side of the grid. One is very kind of Ferrari powered into kind of this Red Bull group.

I know that obviously forced into a little bit of Mercedes, but it felt for the most part that Perez was the opposite of what Bottas did with Williams and then Mercedes. And the way the teams have built cars, their handling structure has been built, is very opposite, very, very different. So I do wonder if they've grown a couple. seem to very different cars. And if one of them will greatly struggle,

while the other one is thriving because of the way that the car is built. So it'll be interesting to see how that affects them. But that's why I've got them right down the middle. Well, that's 11 to 6 sorted. And it does mean that our top five comprise of the same five driver lineups. But what order will those five be in?

We'll find out after this short break. We've sorted through what we believe to be the bottom half of the grid in terms of driver lineups. We've now got the top five to run through Sam. who is fifth on your list? I think this might be the same for all of us, but I've gone for Williams. They almost defined themselves at this point last season

when they finished what, single digit points away from each other, they split the season in half where one had the better first half, one had the better second half. The car started to go with them as it got to that point, which was great to see.

I think Sites and Albin, they've kind of found their match. There's every chance that they will go with each other the whole way through the season. they'll be right next to each other, but I don't think either of them are able to be the same level as the top driver from each of the teams that I've got in front of them in that order.

So that's why I've got them fifth. They're just so solid. They're so good at what they do. But I don't think either is going to absolutely break the mold when it comes to a driver lineup. Harry? Yeah, same. Will Williams and fifth. Like you said, it was a mixed bag for both of them last year.

album was superb at the start, signs was superb in the second half. I think if they can put it together for a full season, then this is, on paper, this is a great lineup. I just think the slight inconsistency we saw between the two during the year is what has led me to put them here. If they both had the great form all year,

I think they'd be way higher up this list. But for now, I've put them in fifth, but I have hoped that it'll be better. Sam, your prediction was correct. We all have Williams in P5. And to your point, Harry, that you just made that, if they were consistent, both drivers were consistent all the way throughout 2025,

I think this is 4-4-3rd on this list. But as it happened, Album was great in the first half of the season. Did show what he could do multiple times with top five finishes, but struggled towards the end of the year. Carlos sides took a bit more time to adjust, but multiple podiums in your first season at Williams is very impressive. And as you say, Sam, neither are. A plus drivers.

Carlos Seines wasn't quite on the pace of Charlotte Clare. Alex Albin definitely wasn't on the pace of Max Verstappen when they were teammates. It's a very solid lineup, which would put them fifth on this list. So you've got the same top four. But again, the question is which order? Harry, who have you got in fourth? In fourth, I've got Red Bull. This top four, I feel like this has been the hardest ones to choose.

Now, obviously, we know the talents of Max just happen. He is the best in F1 at the moment. I just, it's a fact. And Isaac Hajar, Isaac Hajar, he has shown last year how good he is. And I think it is a really, for Red Bull, it's a really good lineup. What has led me to put them forth is just the curse of that second seat because I just don't know what will happen. We saw what happened with Sonoda last year.

I'd say Hadjar's probably in a better spot than Sonoda was when he got given the seat after two races in 25. But it's just the unknown of that. And again, in a similar way to Aston Martin, as much as Max O'Suffin couldn't drag that team ranking, driver ranking up the grid single-handedly. There is only one of them. And, yeah, as talented as Hajar is and as good as he was last year, we just don't know yet. So that's why I've gone fourth. Sam, have you got fourth? I have gone for Mercedes in fourth place.

I found this top four really tricky. And on my notes, there's a lot of kind of crossing out and moving. It is this whole comparing the top driver and the second driver again. And while Russell, I think, is vying for that maybe second place in the overall best driver on the grid right now position, it comes down to the second driver. I think Antingeli underdelivered last year in his rookie season. And there are reasons behind that.

I'm not saying that that's just entirely on him. But I do think he underdelivered. And then I have to kind of pit that against maybe what is going into the new year. Now, I think that Antingelli probably has more opportunity to thrive in the new year. And the likes of Hajjah are in the second seat. I can find it tougher because the machinery they have maybe isn't built to suit them. But in terms of their pure ability last year, Hagell was better than Antingale last year.

a car that was worse. I thought he had a better season. And so I haven't seen anything from the new year to say that's different. So for me, currently, it's so, so close. I've got like minor individual percent between each of these teams, but the same is just full to fourth. I also have Mercedes and fourth. I think when it comes to George Russell, as you say,

I think he might be competing for second best driver in this sport, which is, you know, just on paper in terms of his record in F1 so far, wouldn't make a lot of sense because he, only has five race wins, which is mad, by the way, because we have a grid now going into 2026, where there are eight drivers that have more wins than George Russell, which at five race wins seems insane, but that's the way it is. But I don't think he could have got theoretically too many more than that.

So I think he's been brilliant at the last couple of years, and Antonelli does just hold this one back a little bit. if he continues his development from the end of 2025 and he keeps going, if we were to redo this after a few months of the 26 season, they might be third or second or who knows, maybe even first. But for now, I've got them fourth as well. Sam, who have you got in P3? In P3, I am joining Harry's analysis.

I've gone for Red Bull. This is where I kind of compared the likes of the first and the second. Max Verstappling, if we had two Max Verstappings for me, this would be easy. Absolutely easy, but we don't. And I had the same predicament on the second seat that I think Harry went through of, you don't know what you're getting with this second seat. But therefore, I realized I was judging the second seat at the car and not the driver itself. And I do think that Hajar is phenomenal as a rookie. I put him as my rookie of the season. I think that if he had a car absolutely suited his capabilities, he would easily be able to put

that car regular inside the top four or five in qualifying and fight there. I think he's got that raw ability. But we don't know. And it's crept into my mind. mind just a little bit. So because of what the other two teams I haven't made sure you have got on both sides of the garage and what Red Bull have got on both sides of their garage, they've just slipped to third for me. So with Forstaping in the team, it feels a little harsh, but that's how a team works, unfortunately, and it's not just for Stappan versus everyone else. It's for Stapen-Hagin. So third for me. Harry, who's third? I've got Mercedes in third. For me, George Russell, like you said,

he's up there competing for the best an F1. I like to say that, I know that Vostappen is or I think Vastappen is, but Russell isn't far off, particularly over the past year or so, past couple of years. He's obviously just a bit below Vestappan, but I think Antonelli's potential and ceiling

is just that little bit higher than Hajals. And so that's why what's led me to third, but I mean, you know, we, We're splitting onions here. There we go. It's good to get that one in. Yeah, it's good to be back.

I think these two teams are pretty evenly matched as an overall driver ranking. So I'm not mad at you two, putting these two the other way around. I'll have the first introduction of Ferrari. I've got them in third place. Nacler is still excellent. Pains me, but he is still excellent in that tractor of a car. getting podiums where it probably shouldn't get podiums last year, getting that pole position at Hungary.

I mentioned with Mercedes that George Russell might be the second best driver in the sport. It's him versus Lecler. Those two are really the runners up to Vastappen, in my opinion. 2025 didn't really sway me when it came to Leclair. I still thought he was incredibly impressive. The reason I've got them P3 and not higher is Lewis Hamilton, because we just don't know what we're going to get from Lewis Hamilton in 2026. Like we've got one group of drivers like LeCleur, Russell, Vastappen,

who I'm pretty confident, like what we're going to get from them. And then we've got this uncertain group of Hajar, Antonelli, both of them rookies, Hajar going into a new team. I'm not sure about how they're going to fare. Hamilton's in that group. I do not know how he's going to cope with the new regulations versus his obvious struggles that he had in 2025. We could easily go into this year, and he is going to, he'll be worse than Hajar and

Antonelli. He was worse than Hajar last year. It might happen again. We don't know that. Equally, if we get two races into the season and Hamilton is as good as he was in, even 2023, let alone like 2020 or 2021, this is the best lineup on the grid, like no doubt about it. We just don't know until we get there.

But I have to go on the recent form, which. isn't much when it comes to Lewis Hamilton. So I've got them third. Top two. Are we going to have a unanimous number one? We will see. Sam, who's two? I have gone for Ferrari in second place.

Now, I do think you go on legacy a little bit. I think it's very easy to only look at relevant form. And you brought some stats about other drivers. Like Russell's only got five wings, for example. You know, LeClau's paying over the last few years at Ferrari. I do think it is relevant to talk about legacy. and Lewis Hamilton had, for his term of quality, a diet last year, which is hilarious because he still finished one place behind his teammate

and was still inside the top, what, six or seven in the championship again, messing 100 points behind his fully established and maybe second best driver on the grid in Charles LeCler. It was not a good year for Lewis Hamilton mentally, both also on performance on track, didn't pick up a podium, still won the sprint race, you know, it out drove LeCleur handedly. He's not where he used to be. This downfall from Lewis Hamilton's peak is more like an avalanche

than a steady walk down the side of a hill, which maybe is what Fernando Alonso is going through. But that avalanche is still about 2,000 meters above so many other drivers further down the hill. And even if Hamilton pulls out, it's like a six out of ten for Lewis Hamilton, that's still so much better than so. I still like nine out of ten from most drivers.

So I do think if the car even suits him 80% of the way, If a Clare's world champion and Hamilton's fighting for third or fourth in the championship, I still think that Ferrari could be teetering on best line up on the grid. That's how good I think he is. LeCler right now is with George Russell on potentially being the second best driver on the grid. His qualifying ability is second to none, I think. You only have to look at his pole ratio in comparison to anything else that he's got. The lack of wings from that screams how bad the car is over race pace.

It has been for years now. And that's the issue. That is the issue with the clerk, because we can't see him consistently in a really solid bit of machinery, it's hard to know just purely how great he actually is. So it kind of pangs me, but I, again, Dilly Dally with them and the team I haven't mentioned of who was first, they ended up in second. Harry, who is number two on your list? Is it Ferrari as well? It is Ferrari as well. I just want to ask you, Dilly Dally. Daly is that a UK term? It's got a copy. I'm actually American said Dilly Dally. really dilly-daily.

No, I can't do that. No. No. Yeah, I've gone for Ferrari as well. Like you said, Ben, if we get 2025 Lewis Hamilton, this lineup is below Rebel and Mercedes.

But I'm doing this on the assumption that things will be better in 2020. And I know that the words assume and Ferrari being put together are dangerous things, but I'm going to believe the things will be better for Hamilton this year. And like you said, even if it's a slightly better, you get a 23 version of it as Hamilton,

it's, you know, that's the best on the grid. So I think, yeah, whilst the form has not been great last year and, you know, for a large part, 2024, he's still the, he's still the most successful F-1 driver of all time. and I'm going to let some of that influence here. But yeah, like I say, it could easily swing the other way. And I think, you know, if we get to a point where this year where it's as bad as last year, then if this lineup falls down. Lookler, I mean, lookler is Lecler.

He's just in pain, doing great things all the time. And I don't think I need to add much more. Number two, I've got Red Bull. Vestappen is such a clear number one driver. for me at the moment that if he was, I think this team is still in the mix for number one overall. The reason I can't go that far is because we just don't know what Hajar's going to do in that second Red Bull seat that has been cursed for multiple years.

I've got no clue if Hajar's going to be better than Sonoda, but worse than Perez, better than both of them. If he's better than what Perez was in the Red Bull, maybe this is the number one team overall, but it's a tough environment to walk into. So, yeah, I've got. got them in second place. He achieved his goal of a podium in his first year, Isaac Kachar. He mentioned as part of the launch event last week that he wants to get his first win this year.

So read into that what you will. That's his goal for 2026. But I've got them second overall. You think McClure will go down as one of the greatest drivers who never did if this is how. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. Good. Okay. Yeah. I hate it. Yeah. I hate it here. It means that we have a unanimous number one is the defending constructors champions. Harry McClaren first. Bachelor of odds like, oh no, wait, hang on, I've got it's wrong. High tech.

Yeah, look, McLaren, we know how good that line up is. We've got Lano Norris, reigning world champion, Oscar Piastri, narrowly missing out on being a world champion and having only just completed three seasons in F1, I think, as an overall lineup, whilst there are higher peaks, I think, on the grid and the likes of, you know, the club, the Stap and Russell, I'd say,

as a pairing, this is still, I think I'd probably say the same last year, it's still the best on the grid overall. And it's a reason why they also brought home the Constructors Championship where the likes of Red Bullfrey. example, couldn't. So, yeah, this wasn't an easy one. I said top four is hard. I think first was always going to be easy. Yeah, I had McLaren first quite comfortably on this one. They're the only team with two top five drivers. Norris is the defending world champion. Piastri has got

better and better over three years in F1. It really is that simple for me. Sam? Yeah, this is literally the case of, on average, they are like the second highest peaks as a pairing. As a pairing, Landau got the job done in the end and managed to become world champion Oscar Priyash, he looked like it was going to be his world championship for so much of the season. They are across the season,

I think, the second best pairing. But because of that individual ability coming together, it makes the overall best package. I think if you were to put them all an equal machinery, neither of them would outright win a season, but that's all what this game is. This game is what they could do together as a team.

And because of that, they just get to that, top spot. There you have it. That's our driver rankings from 11th to first. Let us know whether you agree with our rankings. Obviously, some differences that we've had, particularly between second, third and fourth, also some in the midfield as well. So who's got the most accurate list? Let us know. Let's take our final break on this episode. On the other side, we have got the matter of Ferraris, Lewis Hamilton's race engineer for 2026, Ricardo Adami. Adami. he is no more.

He's not dead. He's not. It's okay. It's not a new job. Back everyone to the final part of today's episode. Lewis Hamilton will have a new race engineer for his second season at Ferrari. The team has confirmed. Ricardo Adami, who served as race engineer for the seven times world champion throughout 2025, has moved to a new role within the team.

In a statement, Ferrari said the appointment of the new race engineer for car number 44 will be announced in due course. This is funny, because we mentioned as part of the New Year's resolutions that we gave out a couple of weeks ago, whether Ferrari needed to think about this as a potential change. I'm going to say they were listening to the episode. They are fans of the LB podcast,

and they were, that's not a bad show. Why? I don't get into the wise, mate. I just know it. I mean, this had to change, shitting it. It's had to change. When you bringing an investment like Lewis Hamilton into your team. Whether you knew he was going to perform outright as he did, whether you

think he was below expectations, you need to give this person every opportunity to succeed, you investing every part of that game. You wouldn't buy the best football player and then ask them to run around in football boots for a three sizes too small. It would be uncomfortable. You'd be like, well, get the boots that fit. Why would you give the boots that fit to play the game? Well, whilst you'll give them a radio engineer that can translate, they are such a an important part of what the F1 driver does. It's not just what we hear, despite being hilarious, what we do hear over the radio. It's not just what is broadcast.

It's every single lap is communication. And not just that. It's what Hamilton translates back to Ferrari. It's a darny's job to understand it, absorb it, and then translate that through to the rest of the team. And there is a slight language barrier there, of course, as well, with Ferrari being predominantly Italian spoken, of course. And Hamilton, I think he's doing a good job of trying to learn Italian as much as you can.

it takes a bit of time. I do think there was regularly miscommunication, misunderstanding, and that partially, I think, is because of a language barrier there, which is surprising because every other F-on driver speaks English through the radio as well. And that's come from the likes of science, Seang McClure, who have both dealt with a dummy before at some point or another. And yet it just feels like they were never on the same wavelength. So I think to get Lewis Hamilton in a space where he is comfortable,

he needs to speak to someone where he is put in a comfortable situation. and Bono did that brilliantly for so many years. He learnt what worked with Lewis. We kind of dug deeper into Lewis's psyche a little bit and kind of went and what can I talk to Lewis Hamilton like this? I need to get this side of Lewis Hamilton going today. I think finding that for whoever it is that's new coming into that spots can be really tricky, but I'm not sure it could be worse.

I think they would go some way if it was worse, we will see. Was this inevitable, Harry? I think so, yeah. it was clear that these two weren't getting on very early doors last year the relationship was not in a good place Yeah or Te-breaker was Miami, isn't it?

Yeah, so that is early doors And like you said some The relationship between the driver and their race engineer is so important Look at GP and Max de Stappen Or Lewis Hamilton and Bono it can really make a difference to a driver's performance

or just even mentality whilst they're in a race which something. They have many duties as race engineer and not only do they have to, you know, as you said, absorb the information and the feedback. They've got to be there for like a psychological reason as well to, you know, get their driver or calm them down in certain situations. So it was clear this relationship.

it wasn't jelling. My only caveat I'd add and to temper, not to be Lauren Mechis about this, but to temper some expectations for you Lewis, Hamilton fans out there, I'm not sure this is going to be like a real deal breaker in terms of, yes, it will help. It will go some way to help.

But I would suggest the problems run deeper than just Ricky at Ferrari, sadly. Ricky! Ricky! Oh, my God. Eastenders reference there. But, yeah, I mean, I'm sure they'll find a suitable replacement, but the problems that Ferrari have run beyond a army in this sense.

So, yeah, it can't be worse, as you said, they did really, really well to make it worse. So this will be an improvement, I'm sure, and they'll find someone that hopefully Hamilton, and gets along with and can work with better. But I just would say I'm not sure this is the, this is what's going to turn everything around. Yeah, I would agree with that.

This did feel like the writing was on the wall, probably Australia last year. It's difficult because when you've got Lewis Hamilton, to use, let's use a pizza analogy, why not? Because if you were handed, let's say a pretty average pizza out of no way, you'd go, great. I love pizza. I will have that. Life's all right. But if you had the best pizza every week for like 10 years and then you were handed that same average pizza, you'd go, that's a bit of a disappointment that. That's kind of what Lewis Hamilton's been in throughout

2025, because he has had the best pizza in Pete Boddington for many, many years. and now he's had to deal with Ricky for Twitter. Pizza Pollington, yeah, exactly. Yeah, Peter Pollington was at the top of his game. Nice, tossing dough on the side and they track every single way. That's how good he is. He's doing all of the race engineering for Lewis Hamilton whilst making pizzas at the same time.

It's difficult to go from that to what we saw last year. And it was apparent very early on, I've mentioned that the T-break comment was as early as Miami. I don't think this was ever really going to work. I know we had a lot of fun with it last year. There were quite a lot of memes. It was uncomfortable at times, right? There were just times where it just did not work.

Clearly abrasive. I don't know how it's going to go for 2026 and who it's going to be. I just hope that Ferrari aren't going to make the same. They have to understand what went wrong. They have to hold their hands up internally and say, okay, this wasn't right, this wasn't right. Actually, don't do that because you'll be there all year. But summarize it into like three or four bullet points.

Work out what went wrong and then make sure whoever you're hiring. I almost don't think it matters too much who it is they hire. It's the processes. It's how they work together. It's establishing that. That I think is more important. to me. In separate news,

oh, Harry, gone. I was just going to say, completely irrelevant. I was just going to say with the Ricky thing, he's been a race engineer for that seat since like 2019 or 20,

because I saw a video the day of him asking Sebastian Betts. This is the Spanish GP. He's asking, do you think you could take his start to the end whilst Vettles been hooning around after the pit stop?

He's like, right, I asked you this before I start. And then man gives him homework. doesn't he? He's like, okay, here's your job. You have to tell me what pace I need to get to to make this work. My point being, I think it was relatively new for Seb at that point, and that was his last year of Ferrari,

and then it went to Carlo Signs, signs obviously didn't get him replaced, but just so that he's actually ever been good of this job. I'm not sure. Mang's just being faking it until he makes it a whole way through. He's been doing so well, five years. it actually applied for a pizza job and he's turned off

and he's gone this is what the kitchen look like great job I'm going around the world I want you a relevant separate point now please Sam oh okay so I've had to be asked a pizza as a lifelong legend of the podcast right of course how is it in a whole of favour at this point

I don't know I don't know I don't know I don't know but I've gone through a really tough time recently because over the last I don't know month or so they've changed the recipe on that pizza and it is not as good as it was. And obviously, it was like, you know, the flashback meme that you get,

that's what Ben talking about having a great pizza every week for nearly a decade was. And now, much like a darn me, I'm having an average pizza. And I'm just trying to lie to myself. It's all right. It's okay. Think of the good times. I can't. I can't.

So maybe, much like Lewis Hamilton, I need to go out and get myself another good pizza. Thank you. Thank you. I mean you waited over an hour for you to bring that terrible news. Well, I don't like to bring up irrelevant points of the show, so... Is it right? Yeah, that's the last thing I'd ever do, man. Last thing I'd ever do.

I'm a very on-topic guy. I hate to do it, but we're going to fill some gaps sometimes. I like the idea it pains you every time to do it. Like, oh. Drag us off topic. Anything else you want to mention on this one, Sam? I know Harry said that it might not have the impact on Lewis Hamilton that some are maybe hoping.

Would you agree with that? Totally agree. This is the cherry on top, realistically. The cake could be lovely, but you just want some nice icing to go along with it, and that's exactly what this is. It's got a whole oven back there. So why he's not going to his job. Edelmore for a bit of cake

Oh, race engineer, Rayne Moore! It's Toto's issue, he loves cake and he won't tell him to stop. Oh, God. Yeah, I think Harry's right, though, that the car has to come first. If the car's not good enough for Lewis,

he's not able to extract the most dagger with his driving style, he might have the worst race engineer that full long has ever seen, and it still won't change anything to do with the results properly. it will just put it knocking down a position or two. So, yeah, unfortunately, it needs to still be good from, actually from Ferrari, and they need to build a good car, which, you know, if you listen to John Elkin,

they will build a very, very good car. Those drivers better make use of it. That's all I'll say. John Elkin will be on your case otherwise. In order. Well, there you go. That's our episode done and dusted. Sam, if you wouldn't mind until Wednesday, getting us out of here.

Folks, if you could please drop your pizza recommendations in the comments, I could go out and try some new ones because for the first time in a long time, I'm a pizza man. She's a free agent. Free agent on the piece of game. Let me go. Let me go. You're off a Tesco. Send them in.

You're taking meetings with these various companies. I'm ready and willing to try new toppings, new variations. So, you know, let me know what you think. Join us again, Mick Week, for what I'm sure will be more incredible conversation around both Formula One topics. sense, maybe non-formula one topics. It won't be coming from me. Could be me, boss. We will be there and see another livery reveal as well,

so we'll chat through that, and we take another week closer to real F-on action. Join us in the chat in Discord, if you're going to have a bit more fun off-season chat, join Patreon, because we've got a classic historic review coming up very soon. We're doing, is it Brazil 09 then? Brazil 09.

A very good race, underrated Grand Prix. So we're watching that through, talk it through with you on the uh on patreon as well two extra episodes bill are breaking coming up as well it's a lot of fun to be had so check it out means a lot to us if you do uh we'll see you midweek in the meantime i'm be samuel zage i've been ben hocking and i'm harry eight and remember keep breaking late