The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Who will win the Constructors Championship in 2020?

Episode Date: February 27, 2020

The guys are here for their 2020 Constructors Championship. Who will win it all? Who will be best of the rest? And who will walk away with the wooden spoon? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network. Thank you for listening to the Late Breaking F1 podcast. Make sure to look out for new episodes every Thursday and Grand Prix Sundays. Hello and a very warm welcome. This is the Lake Breaking Formula One podcast. We're just a few weeks away from the first race of the season in Melbourne, Australia. With four of the six days through testing now and it's time to get into prediction season. week we're going to be looking at our driver's predictions. This week we're going to be looking

at who we think's going to win the Constructors Championship and everyone that will follow on from that. And I've got Harri-Eid and Samuel Sage to help me along. Guys, how are you feeling about your predictions? Do you think this is your year? I mean, that intro makes it sound like we're not here sometimes. Yeah, occasionally. Anyway, I think it is my year. I'm the reigning champ. I'm King of the Ring right now. Honestly, no, I take a pun to this every year and hope that I get it right. There is no science behind my predictions. Please never say King of the Ring ever again.

Unbelievable. That is a ruling from now on. We're going to be doing it in this structure. So we're going to be looking at the teams we think will finish first, second and third. And we'll see how wrong we are on those when Harry puts Renault somewhere in that. We'll then be looking at. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Then we'll be looking at who we think will be best of the rest,

who we think will improve the most, who will fall back the most compared to 2019, and who will occupy last place. But we will start at the top, who we think will walk away with the championship. Harry, I'll kick off of you. Who do you think going to take it? So, as we said, it's constructive this championship

and I think the best overall team on the grid at the moment and with the overall package of team, drivers, car is still Mercedes. I think they're going to bag title number seven by the end of the year. I just think that overall package is just the best out there. And even with the threat of, I think the drivers might be a different story, but the threat of the threat of a snap and a Red Bull, I still don't think that those two will be enough to topple the overall Mercedes dominance that we've seen for the past

God, how long has been now? Six years, seven years? So, yeah, Mercedes again. Sorry, folks. It's a bit dull, but I don't want to be too stupid too early. I'm fairly sure you've gone for Ferrari in this in the last few years,

or maybe even Red Bull a few years ago. I don't remember you saying Mercedes for first place in the Constructors' Championship in any of the previous editions that we've done. What gives you the confidence in them this year in particular? because I'm wrong a lot of the time. I just think they've been so good for the past few years

and I've tried to put my faith in Ferrari or as you say even Red Bull, but they just can't, over the course of a year in this hybrid area of F1, that no team can match Mercedes for consistently being good. That is a fair statement. No denying that with the championships. They've racked up. Sam, are you agreeing with Harry and saying that Mercedes will win a seventh consecutive Constructors Championship? I so desperately don't want to agree with Harry and I so desperately want to put my faith into the Ferrari or the Red Bull team. Regularly I have done, I think last season. I did put my faith in Ferrari.

What a fool I was. I need to be more sanctity. when you come to these things. He needs to be more serious. And when Mercedes, who are cruising around in testing, right? I know we shouldn't ever judge anything on testing because people put out the sandbags, which we'll be donated to the north of England.

To stop the flooding. Anyway, Versailles cruising. I digress. And they bring out DAS, right? Which clearly stands for us or some speed. I mean, that innovation is absolutely ridiculous from Mercedes. I don't know how they keep finding new ways to come up with something new, something different, something that's going to create an extra tent, and actually going to be a tireware to benefit them across a lap or a race.

Mercedes must be sat there going, ha ha, ha, we've won it already, and Ferrari must be sat there going, what do we need to do? Gratio, Lagazzi, the title's already yours, cheers, done. Yeah, Mercedes, I've got the top spot. As Harry said, the team, the drivers, the combination of the car and their reliability. so fantastic. I can't see the beat for a whole season. So, yeah.

Number one to say is, I'm so sorry, it's boring, everyone, that I need to try and win. I would firstly like to apologize to all Germans who are listening right now

after the attempt at an accent from Sam. Horrendous. And I can confirm that DAS does not stand for Das Awesome Speed. Really? Okay.

Now we get those two disclaimers out of the way. Maybe all Germans shouldn't be too disappointed because all three of us are going for Mercedes to win the championship. I've said Mercedes last few years and they haven't let me down yet. So my theory is they're not going to let me down this year. We'll see how bulletproof that theory is come the end of the year. I think they're just to cut above everyone else. Very simply put, I think they are just better in pretty much every single department.

and they don't really have any kind of weakness. If you think of their lineup, they've got the perfect combination of a superstar driver who would stack up well against pretty much anyone in the history of Formula One. And alongside him, you've got another competent driver who complements him very well.

They don't have any disagreements. There isn't any angst within the team at all. He plays ball when he needs to. And he can be very quick on his day as well. Both of them are incredibly consistent. You don't see them make many errors at all. The power unit, it's not quite as dominant as it once was in terms of raw pace, but it's still competitive in that respect.

And its reliability is still ridiculously good. They very rarely mess up strategies. They get many more strategies right than they do wrong. They're just the overall package. And Toto Wolf is a fantastic leader. I don't see an obvious weakness here. And it just put so much pressure on their main rivals, such as Red Bull and Ferrari, but they can barely make a mistake all year in order to compete with the team.

And they just proved as well with this dual axis steering that they are at the pinnacle of the innovation that's within the sport. Okay, it's not going to be allowed in 2021, but they'll get a year out of it. It's the difference between Ferrari and Mercedes. Ferrari had a look at it, decided it wasn't worth it. Mercedes looked at it, found a way for it to work, and it's why they've been so good year in, year out. They're able to stay on top of their rivals and really just batter them until there's nothing left of them. So Mercedes very clearly first for me, I would love to see a three-team fight at the top, so I do hope I'm wrong on this, but Mercedes, it's a clean sweep.

I just want to talk about the way you said Toto Wolf in that conversation. You say it like you have been to prep school for your entire life. Really? How did I say it? You were like, to-do wolf? Te-to. To-to? Well. We do not discriminate against posh people here, Sam.

I discriminate against everyone, apparently. True. I think Sam's philosophy is if he discriminates against literally everyone, no one is discriminated against. Equal rights for everyone, meaning to be putting down. Why not there's that? So we've got Mercedes in first, but we now go to second place. Harry, who do you think is going to be runner-up? I've already spoken about them.

It's going to be Red Bull. I think we saw last year that they were really the probably the most consistent challenger to Mercedes throughout the year. and I think already if we're going to go by the falseness there is testing but if we're going to go by testing they look like

they've taken another step with their car already they look like they're going to be quick out of the box so yeah it's going to be Red Bull this is going to be up there challenging the mugs yeah Red Bull P2 for me so not going with Ferrari

for P2 as they were last season and have been for the last couple of years Sam, do you think Red Bull are going to finish second as well, or you go for Ferrari? I think the deciding factor in this argument, due to the cars, I think, are going to be so, so close. It's actually Alexander Albon. I think the Stappel will deliver. I think the Clare will deliver. I think realistically Vettel's got a pretty solid chance among a great season.

Despite his couple of silly mistakes under pressure, there's no doubt that Sebastian Vetter is an absolutely fantastic driver. You know that across the season, he will deliver the goods. I think it comes down to Albon. If Albaugh can step up and not match Max for Stafford, He does not need to beat or level Max Mustafa. But if he finishes between one and two places away from Max, every single race, like a wingman should, like a second driver should,

then I put my money on Red Bull having that second spot. So I'd have a bit of faith in, Mr Albon. I've got a lot of time for him. I think he's a really solid driver. I think he's going to step up this year. So I think for me, Rebel PIP Ferrari for P2. Oh, God, I hate saying this. You're absolutely right, Sam,

in that Alexander Albin is the decider in this, because like you say, we can have a fair amount of confidence that LeCler, Vettel and Vestappen will all be at least good, and two of the three, or maybe all three will be great. They are dependable drivers

based on the experience that we've seen. Albin has half a season at Red Bull in which he was okay. He wasn't brilliant, not that we expected him to be after being thrown in the car. Now he's got a proper preseason. We get to see, you know,

Is he going to take that extra step on from where Gazley was? Can he be that reliable number two driver for Verstappen? Because if he can be that reliable number two driver, Red Bull will finish second. If he can't, Red Bull will be third. And yeah, so that makes him the deciding factor here. Yeah, Red Bull have had a solid testing. Again, don't want to read too much into it, but they have been solid nonetheless. I think that perhaps the shortcomings of Ferrari will also be a deciding factor in

this as well as Alexander Albin. I'll speak more about that when I go to my third place prediction, but I am actually going for Red Bull to finish second as well. I think it will be really close. I think Albon just about does enough. If you think back to 2019, Vestappen, if you had two Vestappans in the car, Red Bull are beating Ferrari last season.

It was only the support from Albon and Gasly before that wasn't quite enough to overthrow the Scuderia into second. So if Albin, now he's got. a bit of time to prepare. He isn't instead of being whisked away from Nissan in Formula E. He's actually got a proper preseason. I think he'll prepare well

and I think he will. He'll do enough. I don't think he'll beat Verstappen. Don't think you'll match for Stappen, but he'll do enough. As if we've all agreed on two points. Sickening. Sorry, folks. We're becoming boring. Just wait till best of the rest. I'm sure Harry will throw Williams in there

or something. Oh, we can't throw them in best of the rest when Harry's going to put Williams third. Ah, that's the twist. Yeah, that is going to be the twist. Theoretically, this should, you know, it should be fairly obvious as to who's going to be third. But you never know, Harry, who have you got third? Well, last year, I said Renaud, which was bold, and in the end it was ridiculous. So this year, I'm going to be more sensible.

and I'm going to say racing point. Hold on. That wasn't a joke, right? I'm being serious. It's going to be racing point. It's going to be racing point. Everyone's going to be absolutely shocked because that is literally last year's Mercedes.

I don't care whether they were given it or they literally copied it for this last year's Mercedes. And it looks handy. And I think they're going to be in third. Ferrari don't look too strong. Maybe better than the glory. running into each other. But yeah, racing point.

You heard it here first, folks. P3. Hold on. I know we're not doing drivers yet, but are you telling me that Goat Strull is at least equal to Perez for a whole season? No, Perez going to carry the team.

Right, okay. Stroh's still 18th, Perez winging 10 out of 21 races. I'm not saying they're going to win races. Just saying they're going to be consistent. You've heard it here first, folks. Harry thinks that Perez will wing all of the races. No, no, that's ridiculous, Sam.

Wow. Of course, racing point have been very impressive in testing so far. But putting them third is another step entirely. So fair play on your bold prediction, Harry. Sam, who are you going for third? Are you going with the team that we might expect? I am usually the more bold of the three of us, but I'm going to really ring it in.

Harry's covered down early. Obviously, the prancing horses. the Ferraris, the Bois and Raid, are going to be doing the job. I don't actually think the move field will be too far off. I think development would have allowed them to finally start catching up a little bit over this entire hybrid year where it's being Formula 1

and Formula 1.5, but I do think that Ferrari have all it takes. They've got it in the locker. You know, they don't have to build a good car. The power unit is still rapidly cooking a straight line. The Clue is an absolute star. This was a four-time world champion. You can rely on him comfortable as a season, as I've already said. Ferrari will definitely be third.

I mean, again, like I said, I think the big film will take a step closer to the big boys at the top. And I think the top fight is still going to be close. I'm hoping for a much closer championship. We need it because the rest of it's looking quite dull otherwise until we get to 2021. But for me, Ferrari are third. So I think just to go back to preseason testing last year when we saw Mercedes were very clearly sandbagging. But the question remained until Australia exactly what was going on with the team. Were they perhaps slow or were they just?

sandbagging. The answer was very emphatically that they were sandbagging when it turned out that they won Australia by an absolute mile. And I think that's now leading to questions whether Ferrari are doing the same. But I really don't think they are. I think they have potentially a massive problem on their hands. I don't want to say they do have a massive problem because I don't like reading that much into testing. But just based on the time so far, they do appear to behind the other two teams. And I don't think they're sandbagging. Just based on the expressions of the guys on the pit wall, what they're saying, what Bonotto is saying, what Vettel is saying, it doesn't appear, it's just a bit of a gut feeling. I just don't think there is a sandbagging element to this.

I think they are not generally slow, but I think they aren't getting the maximum pace out of their car at the moment. And I think it will wait to see for the first few races, whether that is either resolved between now and then or whether it is a case of sandbagging, but I don't think it is. Like you said, the lineup of Leclair and Vettel, I think, is going to save them for many embarrassment of fourth place or lower. And of course, we can't forget that the gap between the top three teams and everyone else has been substantial over the last few years. So it would take a significant fallback from Ferrari or a significant crawling up the grid from someone else for this to change.

But yeah, I think they might be a little quicker than what they look, but yeah, there could be a massive problem on their hands. What we generally see is that Ferrari are pretty good at the beginning of the season compared to Red Bull who are, say, better at the end of the season. Ferrari are very good at going away over winter and developing a car.

Red Bull are very good in-season development. They're very good at working with what they've got. It's two completely different strategies, two completely different advantages. So if Ferrari aren't very good at the beginning of the season, I would be worried for them. I've got them third. Just another topical and current point.

Don't make many of these. Coronavirus, COVID-19, of course, has created some serious issues for Formula long already. China currently off the grid, postponed hopefully to come back in later. The Ferrari garage, the main place where they build the Ferrari F-1 cars and have their home for what not,

is shut. They can't go there. quarantined, and obviously, if that carries on, there could be a knock-on effect for the start of the season, especially if it carries on to Melbourne. If they have a real issue backing back in Italy, then there may be some technical problems that they aren't able to advance fast enough. And that could give Mercedes Redboard, maybe some other teams, a bit of a leg-up to begin with, that I may have to play catch-up later on in the season. Indeed, indeed. So, we've got those three sorted out. We're now going to go for Best of the Rest. Now, I mean,

the title of best of the rest implies that we know who the top three are going to be, but Harry's completely blown that out of the water. So, Harry, have you got Ferrari as your quote, best of the rest team? Or is it someone else? No, it is Ferrari. They're going to come best of the rest behind racing point, of course. Yeah, like Ben-Sairs, could be a real struggle for them this year. I just don't believe it.

I just don't believe it. Yeah, best of the rest for Fez. not going to be a great year. I mean, it begs the question, why? I mean, you had Ferrari really confidently in 2019. They were nearly... I've lost the faith, Ben. I've lost the faith.

I mean, you have lost the faith. Why have you lost the faith? Because they don't win it. They keep letting me down every year. They're not letting you down as much as fourth place in the standings. They are. I mean... Stop saying no to my points, Ben.

They are. No. What? No. It's just saying the worst no. He's just saying no. You said to stop saying no, so obviously I'm just going to keep saying no.

Move on, boys, you pair of old ladies. You're an idiot. This is undeniable. Yeah, so you've got best of the rest of Ferrari. Sam, who have you got as best of the rest? So I think this is a really, really difficult call this time around. And I think it's between two teams.

One of those has already been mentioned by Harry, who thinks it's going to be the top three. I think the racing point is going to be incredibly competitive. And now, when you literally walk into your design lab at the start of winter, you're allowed to design a team and you go, www, Mercedes Formula 1.com, Control C, racing point, control V. It's done.

I painted it pink. You're going to struggle to not have a good car. aren't you really? You've copied inch by inch the title winging car. So theoretically, it's going to be pretty saucy on a track. My other contradiction, difficulty, struggle here is that McLaren are looking good. They are looking fine. Scyx and Norris are strong. Over a season, I think they've got the better driver line up as well. I think McLaren have developed nicely. They had a great bounce back last time out. So I just think, I just think, literally by a nose car. that McLaren will be best for the rest with Racing Point just tucked in behind. I'm really not liking this. I'm really not like it because our thought patterns now, Sam, are pretty much exactly the same.

We are becoming one. Yeah, we really know. I agree with you entirely that it is between Racing Point and McLaren for fourth place. And like you, I have given it to McLaren based on their lineup and not having enough confidence in Goatstrol. McClara and are a team on the up. If you think back to just a few years ago in testing,

they were barely able to get out on some days. They're now in a position where they've got a solid driver lineup. Okay, they don't have the superstar that Fernando Alonzo was, but they have a healthy dynamic within the team. They are improving year-on-year, and they improve much better last year than I thought they would. I always thought with the organizational changes that they were making. They were definitely necessary.

However, I thought that they would really see the implications of that this year and next year. Rather than last year, the likes of Seidel and, I mean, even going back to Brown and Stella and James Key, just all these guys coming into the team. I thought that they would feel the effects of that this year and next year. And they've just fast-tracked their way up the grid. So I think that will continue. They have gone for an aggressive car this year. I've noticed that they've made a lot of changes, which fair play to them. They could have very easily just developed what made them a fourth place team last year

and then just went on to 2021, happy as you like. They've decided to go for something. I dare say a little bit radical this year with the changes to their 2019 car. It could backfire. I wouldn't be surprised if it does backfire and they finish sixth or seventh. However, I think I have enough trust in McLaren that they've got this right. and that they will finish in fourth place. Big love to the boys in papaya.

Most improved team. Harry, I guess this would obviously be racing point based on you've got them finishing third. But is there another team that you think will improve in that midfield? I mean, yes, raising point will be most improved. I would give it also to Renaud because... they've just got to have a better year. Not that last year was terrible,

but it certainly wasn't where they should have been on the back of 2018. But I think this year will be a much better year for them. So they'll be right up there with McLaren in the midfield. So slightly off topic, do you think Renault are under pressure this year to prove to Daniel Riccardo that he should stay for 2021? on. Careful.

Absolutely. I still believe I think Ricardo's just a reno for, it's like a placeholder, it's just there until a seat at Ferrari potentially becomes available or even Mercedes. But that being said, and he's even said so today, he said he's open to answering calls from other teams, but he's, you know, insisting he's committed to the Renault project. And in a way, you might think actually he should just stick at. it. So yeah, it's an important year for Renault if they want to keep Ricky Bobby because they spend a lot of money on getting Ricky Bobby. So yeah, they're going to want to prove to him that

they can produce a good car because he is not going to want to continue to just pick up scraps in the midfield. So big year for the Frenchese. I think it's going to be quite difficult for Renault because like you say, yeah, it is a big year for them in order to prove themselves to Ricardo. want him to stay for 2021. At the same time, they can't put too much emphasis on this year because they more than perhaps any other team on the grid are geared up for 2021. That's going to be the changing point,

or what they hope will be the changing point for them. It will be really interesting to see how much, how much they really go for it this year in order to keep Ricardo with, you know, next year in the back of their mind. Sam, who have you got for the most improved team? Then that times you guys say, Ricky Bobby and Frenchie,

I can't now get the ballad of Ricky Bobby Taladega Nights out of my head where Sasha Baron Cohen's like Ricky Bobby It's a great film If you haven't seen it Shake and bake Go and watch it

It's a banger All about NASCAR Anyway, best of the rest Is it best of the rest or most improved? I thought you most improved Sorry, I got sidetracked by Will Ferrell I think that most improved Is going to be

Are we saying Alfortori Have we decided? It is Tauri right okay the blue and white team that have got alpha in their name

let's be done with it I think Monardi who are once at the back of the grid with Fernando Alonso driving for them a long time ago

are actually going to be a pretty solid big field outfit now I reckon we'll regularly challenge for strong points they manage

somehow get podiums in the last season I think that's a bit of a fluke due to obvious scenarios that we can trace back but I do think

they will regularly appear in kind of that seventh, eighth, ninth position now. The Honda engine is looking much more potent, it's strong. Kivya is settled, which is nice. And Gazleaguers works wonders in that, I'm going to call it the other game in Magadi.

Honestly, I don't know what it is. The guy can't drive a Red Bull, but an alpha salary, he's rapido in. And it's, you know, really quick. Yeah. So I think they're going to be pretty good, actually. I think they're going to go from being a kind of an eighth or ninth team to maybe a fourth to fifth to sixth team

fighting in that part of the old gridderino. So yeah, and for Tari. I'm glad you had to explain what you meant by Rapido. Well, for those childish-minded people, it sounded like something else. For the first time tonight, I'm actually going to say something different to you, Sam, which 50.

Thank you, Ben. I'll put Racing Point in as my most improved team. I think they will finish fifth behind McLaren. I think when they were hit by the administration, people thought that they would be affected by that straight away, which was never going to be the case. And they were always going to feel the effects of administration in the following year, which could at least partly explain why they weren't so good in 2019. They're not going to be feeling that so much now. They've kind of come up the other side of it. And they've been really good in testing.

And I think this might be the fourth or fifth time we've said this tonight. You can't read too much into testing. You can't take it as gospel. you can look at it for overall trends and signs, not Carlos signs, signs from G. So, yeah, and they've been really, really good. And even if it doesn't turn out that they are quite as good as what they've appeared, I think they will be good enough that they are somewhere near the top of the midfield.

Like we've already said, it is basically a replica or a clone of the 2019 Mercedes. And there's no way that that's a bad thing. you know, I'm sure the 2019 Mercedes could come on the grid and beat every other team apart from maybe the top three. And I think it was a great idea from them. It's the last year of these regulations. They've got very little to lose. If it does backfire, which I don't think it will, it's not as if they lose a huge amount.

It's a new chapter for them in 2021, new car entirely. They don't lose too much. If it was the first year of regulations, then you think, okay, maybe there's a big of bit more of a risk to this, but I think they've got the risk reward absolutely fine. And yeah, we don't know ever Mercedes have handed this car to them or whether it is. They've just looked at it a lot and decided to put it in the copy machine. But yeah, it seems like a really good idea. I think, look, there are questions about Lance Stroll, which is why I don't have them in fourth place.

But yeah, racing point for most improved tea. we now go to, I don't really know what to call this one. I've said the fallback team, the team, the team which goes backwards, essentially. Harry, who have you got for this one? I know you've obviously got Ferrari. Do you have another team, maybe? I'm going to disagree with Sam says about Alva Tauri. I'm going to go with them because I think they had a really, really bloody solid year this year.

but I think this year I'm not saying they're going to fall back a drastic thing I just don't think they'll achieve the heady heights of 2019 they might just slip back slightly further with racing point and you know McLean and Renault improving

I think they just won't be able to keep up with those three teams in particular so yeah Alfortowry for me but not by a massive amount and Sam who's have you got for the fallback team? This is a tough one because I think Renaud are going to be still pretty much

midfield, hopefully, have a higher fight, so I don't think they're going to be in this scenario. And so for me, it can't be Williams, really, because where are they falling back to? Might go behind Manor and catering.

Right, yeah, possibly. Okay, might go behind 2019 and go back a year. I think it's got to be harsh. I think realistically, they looked like, what, the second to third worst team at absolute best last season. And I'm going to answer to two birds or ones. So sorry, Ben, we're going to kill your momentum.

I think Hars are going to come last this year. I think they are going to drop back to the point where Williams, across a whole season, will just beat them. So for me, with that line up of Grojan and Magnuson, which they should have changed, they should have got rid of one of them. They should got rid of Grojan. Magnuson can be fine if his harness properly, box office. Ah man.

Yeah, I just, I think they're getting a struggle with a bit of sponsorship. I think they're being a bit all over the place. They've had a bit of turmoil going on. I don't think either of those two drivers know how to develop a car properly. So for me, hars are falling back, and they're falling back so far that they're going to be the last team on the grid now. Sam, you, that has to be a joke. I absolutely hate any hars-related jokes with the game. You're a bit of a harshole.

and sensational yeah I know I feel bad I feel really bad anyway I don't agree with Sam way

we're back to normality I like this I actually think Hass will bounce back a little bit this year I don't think it will be enough to see them back in the battle for fourth place

like they were two years ago but I think they will at least improve by a position or two and I'm going to go with Harry and let's say Alfatari are the team that fall back

a bit this year they got a lot of their points through I don't want to say two lucky races because that's not right but two races where chaos ensued and to be fair to Gassley I think he fully deserved where he finished up in Brazil

I think Kaviat was a little bit more fortunate thanks to being in last place and he therefore had a pit stop opportunity where others didn't Yeah, I think in a normal season, they're not getting those two podiums, in which case they're losing a heck of a lot of points. If you think those two results alone are worth 33 points to the team. I'm not quite sure how much they finish up with,

but that must surely be close to about half the points that they had in the entire 2019. You know, like we've said, racing point looked like they might improve. I don't think McLaren are going to fall back. I think Renault will be about where they were, last year and I think Hass will improve a little bit. So if you've got all of these teams making improvements or at least predicting to make these improvements, there's got to be someone in there that's not going to stack up well. And I think that team is Alfa Tauri.

And I don't have a huge amount of confidence in their lineup. Gassley did perform well at the end of 2019. I still wouldn't safely put any money on him. And Danny Kaviat as well, again, he was solid in the first half of the year, wasn't great in the second half. You don't go into a season and think Ghazli Kaviyat, that's a surefire bet.

That's all I'm saying on that. So Alfa Tauri are the team that will fall back the most, I think. Now we go on to the final category, which is who we think will finish last. Sam, obviously, has already revealed who he thinks will finish last. He is going with Hasse.

Harry, who are you going for? It's going to be Williams. I don't think it's going to be anywhere near as bad as last year. and we've seen a runny, they've got the car out of the box, which is an achievement in itself. But I just don't think they might challenge the midfield on occasions or the lower end of the midfield,

but overall I think they'll still finish at the back, sadly. Yeah, I'm struggling to say anything different to that. I think Williams will also be in last place. I don't think it will be by as much as it was in 2019, which I guess isn't that much of a compliment, but just based on testing, it looks like they are up and around the back ends of the midfield, which is in improvement on where they were, at least. They have got the most inexperienced driver line up on the grid.

Of course, Latifie is the only rookie. That's definitely not going to help him. And there are still questions as to whether he will make it at this level. George Russell did a good job with what he had to work with last year. I think, you know, if Williams get a few lucky breaks, They will be battling the lower end of the points in a few races. I think George Russell, I think he could get to double figures if he has a good year. Maybe Williams themselves will get to double figures.

That might be the safer bet here. But yeah, I think they had a mountain to climb last year. And I think they've climbed part of it, but they've still got a long way to go. So I've got Williams 10th. This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.