The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Who’s Got the Edge in F1's 2025 Title Fight?

Episode Date: October 29, 2025

The LB boys size up the Drivers’ Championship big three, discussing what should give them each hope and what could bring them down. Plus, thoughts on the FIA’s ‘democratic’ election, Herta’s F2 move, Lawson’s Mexico scare, and a round of Back and Forth... FOLLOW us on socials! You can find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUPPORT our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for bonus episodes JOIN our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ community JOIN our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠F1 Fantasy League⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ EMAIL us at [e-mail]   & SUBSCRIBE to our podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network. Thank you for listening to the Late Breaking F1 podcast. Make sure to check out new episodes every Wednesday and every Sunday. Welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Ead, Sam Sage, and me, Ben Hocking, here on a non-F-1 preview. Well, it's not a preview at all. It would be a preview if there was F1 this weekend. There is not F1 this weekend, therefore it is not a preview.

I hope that's cleared everything up, guys. Whoa. You can't turn up an episode and start slapping people with the facts like that, man. You've got to come in all chill. All easy. That's why Harry Eats here. It's a horizontal lead. Yeah, well, that's one.

My name now, I've just been told off by producer Kirsty for being too horizontal. Yeah, slapping fact. I don't think Ben's ever delivered a fact with a slap before. Here it is. Right on the phone. You just take it, Mr. Reed. Take it. Wow.

Okay. What we're talking about today, Ben? Please don't slap me. I won't be slapping you because we're going to be talking about the effort. a bit later on and there's plenty of slapping to go around there. We've got the news that Colton Herta will be racing in F2 next season. Our thoughts on that, a little bit of F1 back and forth for this Wednesday episode. But we are going to start with the title contenders because with four rounds to go,

things are really, really hoting up. This feels like a bit of a slow burn of a season, but we've got to these last few races and a number of different scenarios could play out with just those four races to go. So what we're going to do, hopefully F1 have provided us with three different title contenders, and there are three of us. So we're going to split up the workload a bit, and we're going to take one of these three drivers each. And we're going to say what we think should make them the most hopeful for the rest of this year, what is maybe the one reason why they should be encouraged versus the other two.

And then we'll also go to why they should be a little bit worried versus the other two. So the championship, as it stands, Landon Norris, 350. Seven points, Oscar Piastri, a whole one point back on 356, and then Vastappen is on 321, so that's 36 behind the lead of Norris. We'll go in championship order, so we'll start with that Manlando Norris, Sam, and you've got the honours. Why should he be hopeful? Why should he feel encouraged for these next four races? Well, Ben, you've already slapped us with some facts, and maybe I'm going to drop kick some stats your way, my friend. blind.

Blimey. Man's thing in the championship by one point. Dang it, no, it's the championship leader, which is a great way to go into the final four races. He's in the prime position. This is where you want to be, right? You don't want to be the hunter.

Realistically, you want to be the person who hasn't got to do or die to end up getting the points needed to try and overhaul this. Mac for Stappen is still 36 back. And I've seen a lot of conversations over the last couple of weeks since he's had this charge of, oh, what if this, or what if that?

And I know Max Verstaffa doesn't live in what if land, but for example, Spain is brought up regularly. Well, if it doesn't crash into George Russell and end up in 10th place, but finish using, potentially, you know, the fourth or whatever he was in before the crash, he'd be another 10, 12 points closer and therefore the gap might be closing a 20 points thing. It is 40, which is really interesting that, you know, the Formula 1 title can be so fickle, it could be deciding so easily. But Landon Morris hasn't got to worry about ifs or what's or maybe, even with the crash in Canada,

even with the DNF in Zandv, he's still one point clear of his teammate. And he's formed, the one thing he can cling on to right now, is the best of those two McLaren drivers. And whilst I do think that the staffing is on a role, that McLaren is still the best car of the lot. The Red Bulls come a long way. It's improved. The development path of that Red Bull has been really positive.

And I think it's made a wise move, what to jump straight into 2026 wholeheartedly. But McClare and I still think have the ultimate pace advantage. And the tracks coming forward do. suit to the McLaren. Brazil should be a pretty clear match between the McLaren and the Stapling. I think the McLaren will have a slight edge. I think Qatar is another one where McLaren can move forward and that's a great positive for him. Landon Norris' biggest hope here, his biggest cheer for himself is his form over his kingmate. Max is still in a very, very far-reaching

shot. I take in this title. His biggest competitor is Oscar Piastri, and that man has similarly lost what makes him Oscar Piastri at the moment. So Landon's biggest hope, keep being land, though, because right now he's driving like a champion in the run. A quick question on 2024 results and whether you think they matter in any way. Of course, from a point's perspective, they don't matter whatsoever. But if you look at the same four rounds last year, Lando Norris won Abu Dhabi. He beat Piastri at both Brazil and Vegas, even where McClaran didn't do too well at those two venues. The only race in which Piastri beat Norris in the last four was at Qatar. And we know with that race, Norris was on course for at least second.

and before he got a penalty for not slowing under yellows, I believe it was, which really hurt him and his race kind of derailed from there. But pace-wise, he looked to be the better of the two McLaren's there as well. Should that mean anything? I think there's a little more you can read into it. I don't think pace is actually as true as it sounds, just because on the stats board, he figured she'd front up your askery. In Brazil, Lanzangor always fell off the track multiple times.

And at that point, McLaren were trying to possibly crawl back some kind of driver's championship, even though it was a slim hope for Landon Norris at that point. And Piastri actually was in front of him multiple times throughout that very wet Grand Prix, where the staffing, of course, came from the back all the way to the front and won an epic style. And in Abu Dhabi, Oscar Piastri got caught up with Max for stepping on that opening and lap and getting up going to the back of the grim, meaning that Landon and Norris take a free run all the way to the end.

So whilst those victories stand out as good victories for Landon and Norris, I don't think it's clear that the pace advantage he's had over Piastrof his four and four races. It's the same as what he had at this time last year with the likes of Mexico, where he did just having outright pace advantage over Oscar Piastri. I do think he was the better driver. And we saw that corresponding from last year into this year. I don't think it's as clean cut. But with the form that he's got on the way the car is working right now, I think he's going to be a match shift got better than Piastri going forward in his last four Grand Prix. Let's stay hopeful, Harry, as we move on to Oscar Piastri. Why might he be optimistic going

into these last four races. I think the biggest thing that Piastri has to be optimistic about is the form that he was in for most of this year. Ignoring Azerbaijan onwards, I'd say. Oscar Piastri had a

shout for driver of the year, I think, up to that point. And the form that he was in from the start of the season, I know Australia didn't quite go his way, but it was tricking conditions there. But from then on in, Piastri has been sublime. And we've done a lot of complimenting him throughout the year, and quite rightly so, because he's pulled

out some stellar performances, you know, beating his teammate in key races where it's mattered and where we've criticised Lando for potentially, like, making mistakes or crumbling under pressure. Piaastri hasn't been, for the most part, in that position. So that should give him the most hope. We know, he knows, Mark Webber knows, McLaren know how good he can be. And he's just going to, on unlock that form again as we head into the final few races. I think as weird as it sounds, the performance of Norris in Mexico should be almost encouraging to him, because whereas it seemed like McLaren were hitting a bit of a rut

in terms of performance versus Red Bull, it's gone the other way in Mexico. Maybe that will be an anomaly, but it remains to be seen. But I think you should take some encouragement in the fact that the pace is in there, he's just not found it in the past couple. of races. So, yeah, that for me is his biggest, biggest sign of encouragement. He's had such a great year so far, ignoring maybe the passory races. That alone should should give him some hopes he has into the final four. A question that might not make a lot of sense on the surface.

Do you think that with these final four races and two of them being sprints, that benefits Piastri more than the other two? It sounds like a weird question because of the four sprint races we've had so far this year. Verstappen's won two of them. Norris has won one, and Piastri hasn't won any of them. But Oscar Piastri has scored more points at sprint weekends than either of his two opponents.

We've had three occasions this year, Miami, Spa and China, where he's finished second in the sprint and then gone on to win the race on the Sunday. So might that play into his favour? It may well do. For Piastrian, we said this about Vastepen when we were talking about the USGP preview,

sprints, whilst they offer more jeopardy, it offers more opportunity to score points. And I know Piastri is only within one, but I think it's the opportunity to gain back that advantage he once had. So obviously, Austin wasn't, it's the anomaly in that factor, in terms of what you were talking about there with good weekends for Piastri, spring weekends. But you're right, for the most part, he's done well.

And I think that just goes, that's just sort of story of his year. he's actually just been pretty good at most races. I know you've singled out sprint weekends, but I think he has, for the most part, I've been really, really competitive at all races, which is what's made this slump all the more shocking, I think. So, yeah, where there's opportunity, there's points for Piaastri.

So I think having a few spring races left is a good thing for him. Okay, I'll focus a little bit on Max Verstappen, because he's still there in this fight. And the reason why he should be hopeful is, and we're not taking sides with this, but Sam, your boy, Norris, Harry, your boy, Oscar Piastri. They haven't been here before. They haven't done it before. Max Verstappen has. And that is his calling card going into this final stretch of the season. There is a sizable experience advantage in the favor of Vastappan, even with that point deficit. I don't know if Norris will choke. I don't know if Piastapen will choke. I'm fairly confident Vastepen won't. he's in a position now of basically doing whatever the car he's got underneath him can deliver. And that's not a bad position to be. And if he's in the fight, so be it. If it's not, so be it. And he will be gutted if he can't win a championship. Of course he will. He's a racing driver. But he can console himself over the four that he's already got if it doesn't go his way.

And I think he can be aggressive in this spot. It's a bit of a change from last year where we were speaking a lot about Norris versus Vestappen and saying, how Vastappen could be a bit more aggressive versus Norris, because if they both crash and it's a DNF, Fostappen's okay with that. He isn't the one who needs the points. Norris is the one who needs the points to catch up to him. I think the situation is a little bit different this year because if Vestappen is putting himself

in aggressive positions versus, say, one of the McLarence, say, Norris, Norris can't afford that crash because as soon as those two come together, he might win the championship there and then. And the same goes the other way around as well. And I think Fustappen can maybe play that to his advantage in these few races if we see an actual on-track battle between the Red Bull and either of the McLarence. Let's, that's enough positivity.

Goodness me. Why should Norris be worried, be doubtful, Sam? Well, when you're at the top, when you're the king, everyone trying to steal your crown. And that comes with pressure. And one mistake with only four races to go. could see him tumble all the way back down. We've spoken about throughout this season,

how due to the crash in Canada, due to the DNF in Zambor, due to Oscar Piastro's brilliant form, he has been lacking in the points tally in comparison to his teammate, regularly sitting 15, 20, somewhat over 30 points behind his teammate, and he's finally reclaimed that top spot

since, what, round four or five of the championship now? So it's been a long old time since we've seen Landon Norris at the hang of the Drivers' Championship. And what you just brought up about Max Verstappen not having anything to lose is the total opposite for Landon Norris. He has everything to lose, going wheel to wheel with any driver, the smallest mistake, a bad qualifying, getting past a bat marker in tricky conditions. He will be so nervous, so touchy, tiptoeing through any problem that he could get through. And we saw this with a few cars in the sprint race, for example, when it came to Landon Austin, but actually having this down the middle strategy means that you're not risking it either

way. You're not going for it, guns blazing. And because you're not unlike someone like the Stappen, you're leaving yourself open to risky moves paying off against you because you can't see it. You can't go against it. He makes one incident. He gets hit by one incident. He runs wide at one place in the wrong area. As you've already mentioned, the championship could be won there and then by someone else. And so I do think that that will play on his mind. I do think mentally he's going to have to be so strong to counter at that and try and ride this form that he's got so far.

Because otherwise, one mindy mistake could absolutely cost him any chance at winning this championship. What I'm intrigued by is Lando Norris has had four races as the championship leader all at the beginning of this season. He won none of those four. So now he's the championship leader again. can he, when he's the one who's being hunted, can he be the one to keep up the momentum? Because we saw it with Piastri, when he held the championship lead, he kept winning.

We'll now see with Lando Norris what happens. Harry, back to Piastri. Why might he be a little doubtful? This may seem a bit of a cop-out for an answer, but it's his current form, which is probably the thing that would worry, they should worry him the most. whilst his for the most of the year his form has been excellent the past few races have been stinky pongy whatever uh whatever we're using to describe smelly uh that's been oscar piastri's recent form um whether it's the clumsiness of of baku and and and austin well i guess clumsiness of

bacu the lack of pace in mexico and the mixture of both in austin where he was clumsy and didn't have much pace. It's not been a good run and hence why, you know, we've talked about Verstappen cutting that advantage so quickly in four races. Norris has made up 34 points in a very quick space of time. It's been, for a driver that's been so good for most of the year, it's been a monumentally bad run of form for Piastri.

Whether some of that's his own fault or not, you know, I think most of the blame lies with him. But, yeah, it's going to worry him. And especially as, you know, I know he's got a couple of week break now before the next race. The next race being Brazil, which last year also quite stinky, spring race aside, a bit withy, wouldn't it? So that, again, we'll be playing on his mind.

And, yeah, one of the aspects of Formula One that I've always enjoyed is the psychological aspect between drivers who are fighting for a championship, the mind games. I mean, we talked about Fernando Alonzo all the time and those sorts of things. it's such a big factor and it just seems like maybe the pressure of this championship battle might have got to us

could Piastri somewhat which again as I said earlier it is made all the more unusual for a driver that has seemed so calm and collected for the most part of the year so that's got to be as big as worry it's got to be the one playing on his mind

which in itself is probably the worst thing for Piastri it's not even an external thing it's just how he's viewing his own own championship and the big loss of points he suffered over the past few races is it's going to hurt him going into Brazil. Just to put it into context how odd this slump has been for Piastri in the context of McLaren this year, he's gone four races without a podium as Piastri.

Lando Norris hasn't had back-to-back races without a podium this year. So it is something that we haven't seen from either of them to this point. It'd be interesting to see what happens when we get to Brazil. to round things off, Max Verstappen, why might he be doubtful? Outside of the obvious answer, which is he's quite a few points back of the other two and he kind of needs both of them to slip up, not just one of them, I've gone for what happened in Mexico. Now, it wasn't a disastrous race for Stappan by any means.

He got back to the podium. He secured 15 pretty solid points. And Piastri was two positions further back than he was. But seeing what Lando Norris did and how dominant he was at that race kind of has to make him worried. Red Bull brought an upgrade as well for the Mexican GP, and either it didn't work or it didn't work specifically at that track. And they've got to be hoping that it works as soon as they get to Brazil,

and he's back to the same form that he had, sort of between, you know, Monser, Baku, Kota. He needs that form again. Really, he needs that stretch again. Because even if McLaren, as good as they were at Mexico at two of the last four races, that's probably it. Even one might be too many. So he needs errors, I think, from both of the drivers in front, but he also needs Red Bull to be on the pace

that they previously showed before the last Grand Prix. Very quick final question, Sam, before we go to our second topic, if we've got our classic pie chart, we're going to do GCSEMath here, we've got our classic pie chart, 100% to give out, and you've got your three contenders, how is it being divvied up right now? I actually think it's weirdly quite even.

I'm such a cop-out. This is such a Harry-Yee moment. We're going 33 across the board. I don't think it's exactly 33 across the board. And this is going to, sorry, Landon Norris fans, this is going to sound really harsh for you, but I think Lando is still actually the smallest percentage of winning, despite being the championship leader.

I'm going to say it's probably about 25% Lando, 35% Piazre, and the rest is going to Max for Stapping, I think. Somewhere in the middle, yeah. Yeah. Harry, any objection to that? Mine is the same except I'm swapping over Piastri and Norris in that scenario. But I think, yeah, I had about the same.

And with Stappen with the biggest. Yeah, I've got it as Norris 40, Piastri 35 for Stappan 25 at the moment. Probably the most saying and realistic option, actually, Ben. Shock. If you're interested, the bookmakers obviously have a... their implied odds. They have Lando Norris as about a 55% favourite to win it. Piastri on about 28 and then Vastappan on about 19.

Interesting. They are confident that Norris will get it done. They are counting out Vastappan at their peril, I think. Hey, he was 50 to 1. Very wise words. Very wise words indeed. Let's take a short break on this episode. On the other side, it's time for a chat about the FIA.

It's been a while, Ben. It's been a while. It's been a while. Welcome back, everyone, to the second part of today's episode. And here we go. FIA president-candidate, Tim Mayer, has withdrawn his bid to replace Mohammed Ben-Suliam in charge of the governing body of motorsport. Mayor claimed the election has been decided in favour of Ben-Sulliam due to the limited number of eligible vice presidents approved by the FIA World Motorsport Council. A statement issued by Mayor reads,

Under the FIA statutes governing the structure of the election, each prospective candidate must submit a presidential list to include one vice president for sport from every global region. Those vice presidents must be drawn from names nominated for positions on the World Motorsport Council, a list that is already 27% smaller than at the last election. If there is only one representative from a particular region, and that person has already declared support for the incumbent, then any presidential candidate is left without a chance of staff. for election. Only one candidate from South America was nominated, already aligned with the incumbent, and that was enough to prevent Mayor from moving forward. In the case of Africa, only two candidates were nominated, both against supporters of the present president. An FIA spokesperson did respond to mayor's criticism stating, the FIA presidential election is a structured and democratic process to ensure fairness and integrity at every stage. Harry, is the process as fair as the FIA says it is?

no it no it listed out quite clearly by Tim Mayor there in his statement how can it be a fair election

if you have to do this you have to have these nominees to go to you know to support you oh but there's only one for a certain amount of regions so that's that's tough luck mate

that is not a democratic election. That's just a phony election we have now. It's, it's, do you know what? I'm not even surprised. I'm not even like that angry or man. I'm just like, sure, because of course this was going to happen. It's the hope that kills you, as they say. The hope of not having Muhammad Ben-Suliam was too much, too much to bear. And we've been disappointed. So not matter to Tim Mayer about this, he gave it a good go, but his hands are tied. If we've lost a certain amount of representatives that means we can't have these elections,

we're just going to be in this Mohammed bin Suleim dictatorship forever until he leaves, dies, I don't know. Until Luke Skywalker rebels and finally strikes him down. Nice. In this scenario, so we're saying Ben Suleim as Darth Vader, who is Luke Skywalker in this scenario? Oh, good question. He hasn't been born yet.

Is it Dave Richards? No, he's George Rinks. Oh, yeah, sorry. The Salber admin. Got it. Yeah, we're just, we're operating under false pretenses here if we're still trying to pretend that this is now a fair, and free

a fair and free election to decide who becomes the FIA president. And it's a worrying, it's a worrying sign. And it goes alongside other worrying signs that we've seen, you know, I mentioned Judge Arbanks or two riches as he's known.

But him and their multiple UK and their refusal to sign these that weird NDA that Mohammed bin Sydney was trying to get them to sign early this year or last year. It's just, it's a worrying sign and the direction of the FIA, it worries me. And F1 should be worried about it.

I know there's been a sort of longstanding now battle between the two governing, the two bodies, F1 and the FIA. But again, I don't see, I don't see where this goes. And this doesn't obviously just affect Formula One. It affects the vast majority of international motorsport. But it's not good. That's my conclusion. You know what?

It's a top-tier conclusion. Sam, it will be tough to follow, but do you agree that it is, quote, not good? Or do you have a different opinion? It's a slam dunk, my solid choice of words there. You've crushed him. Pugly defence of your massive hands,

like Robert Marshall's hangs. Not as big as Rob Marshall's answer. Oh, Lord. Absolute shovels. Because got pluming car boots for hands. If one candidate has to drop out of a presidential race claiming that the system has blocked competition and the governing body's response is kind of like

nah, it doesn't just trust us bro. Grow up. Touch grass, Tim. Suck it, Tim. That's not democracy. That's theatre. That's just performative. You know, we don't have, you can't call this an election.

We know what can stand for an election. It's more a coronation. This is an autocracy. It's a monarchy. We haven't got any way of competing against this. If your system doesn't allow for you understand, should one tiny piece fall in the wrong direction. I think the worst part about what's going on here is a lot of the fans,

especially newer fans, I don't think it realise how important this election is and how much it genuinely affects so much of the sport that we watch, the rules that get put in place. They are the ying to the F1's yang. You know, they are the admin to the entertainment. They are very important in how Formula One is formulated. And when you have Ben Suleim at the top of this weird tower of cards,

house of cars going on. Wow. Then it's maybe not a system that we want to be operating. And I would love it if F1 set up some kind of external investigation completely. outside to work out a system that's going to work better for the normal person that cares about this sport because it's affecting a lot of people a lot of jobs. So I think Mayer's right to call this out. I respect it. I think it needs it. And I think that being silly, I'm going to have to do it for another, was it three, four years before anyone even slightly challenges him?

Fantastic. Well, I was writing down some notes earlier and I was trying to come up with the right word to describe this. And I went from atrocious, Staggering, ridiculous, disgusting, sad. All of them are perfectly acceptable. Can have one swear. Just one. I promise one swear. This is bullshit.

Like, there's no other word for it. Solid, solid choice. It's absolutely that word. I can't say it again. I've only got it one time. But it's absolutely atrocious. According to the FIA, because of the statutes that they have changed quite a lot

recently, and this is their defense, they're publicly available on the FIA website. That doesn't make it fair. Just because you've published it doesn't mean it's any good. I mean, we're experts of that. We publish this podcast every week. It really doesn't mean it's good. You know, folks, you listen to this. I mean, is that your line of defense? They kind of had two lines of defense on this. Number one, they're publicly available and they haven't changed. Well, okay, sure. anyone can read it, doesn't mean it's any good. And also it's like, the argument that it was the same as it was last election when the incumbent was also elected probably isn't the argument that you think it is. Well, it wasn't broken then because it's got the result that we also want this time.

Fantastic. That doesn't sound like a dictatorship at all. As Tim Mayer states, you need a World Motorsport Council representative from every region. And if there is, is only one representative from a region, and they support you, you cannot be opposed. I wish there was a word beginning with D that describes that, and it's not democracy, but I think it's close. I'll think on it. I don't know what it is. You could have blanket support across all other regions, and because of that one sticking point, it's not like you can't even be elected, you can't stand to be elected. You can't even offer your name up. For anyone I'm wondering, by the way, South America is the biggest thing that people are focusing on

because there is only one representative from South America. Who is? Who is it, Ben? Fabiana Ecclestone. That is a funny surname. I've heard that surname before. Oh, wait, it's Bernie Ecclestone's wife. Ah, and she's... There's nothing told you about that, mate. No, nothing at all. And she... And she just so happens to be one of the six people on this planet that thinks Spence Suleyam is doing a good job and therefore supports him. So you're doomed. He also mentions Africa, by the way, and how there's only a couple of representatives from Africa,

despite the fact that there are, Africa, be a big place. You can have that one on the house. 47 countries, 22 clubs, you feel like you could get more than two representatives. But as Tim Mayer says, and this, I would say it's fantastic. It's almost so bad. It's fantastic. But Rodrigo Rocha is one of the two. He was permitted to run because of an e-sports event that was quietly added to the international sporting calendar

last month by, of course, an e-vote, an event that those scheduled for two weekends ago, so the best of our knowledge appears never to have taken place. It's not even listed on his own club's calendar or social media pages, which in fact is a situation that mirrors what happened the last time he was on the ballot an event that was supposed to take place was never run. Sometimes if something looks and smells dodgy, it might just be dodgy. I don't know.

Controversy. Yeah. Big a sauce in it. It's not just a little bit suss. Yeah, but just if you go to the next level of little bit suss, like a lot suss. I think that's where we're at with this. You know, it's Bernie Eccleson's birthday to go as we record this. and do you know who he's celebrating it with? Unfortunately not the devil. Well, well, maybe. Who did he celebrates it with?

It was Christian Hall there. Oh. Society's best in one room. It's a great, great gang of pounds in that little area of the world. I was going to go back to, in all seriousness, but I've got no idea where we go from there. outside of the obvious, Harry, is it, even if we don't want Pencilium to win, is it just concerning that he can't have anyone run

against him for the sake of new ideas, new ideas to work with F1? And obviously, it's not just F1 as well. There's a lot of motorsports that sit under the FIA's umbrella. Is there a concern that we are just, we're going to be stifling progress because of the way these protocols are set up? Yeah, it is. And I, you know, we obviously, we're not, I don't know if it's obvious,

but we're not actually Ben Sillian's biggest fans. However, if this was anybody else, you know, anybody else who was the incumbent FIA president, and we were having the same discussion, we'd still, we'd still be as annoyed as, as, as disgusted by the process, because it does, it's, it's not, it's not fair. It's not, it's not a fair election.

And you're right. I think we could end up in a place where things just don't move forward anymore. New ideas aren't brought in because it's just the ideas of one person and surrounded by the people that are either too scared to stand up to him or like him, which is six, apparently, couldn't depend. So, yeah, it's not, it's not a good, it's not a good, it's not a good, it's not a good thing to go forward with a governing body of, as I said, international mode sport that aren't willing to have new ideas, new people come in to,

to take over. I just thought, don't like new people, new ideas. Gene Haas. He can be the next one. Pulls off the mask. It's actually. This whole time. Yeah.

It's been me, Jean Haas hasn't got any friends. So those six people, they wouldn't go in. Hey, have you ever seen Gene Huss and Mohamed Ben Silliam in the same room together? I don't know how many people I've seen Ben Sillian with anyway. I saw them in one room together, and it was a single bedroom at Butlin's Bogner Regis. How much was it? You know what? Too much.

Was Sivim O'Hern there? He was there as well. It was a wild night. The worst trio in the world. The three heads of the hydra. I might move this thing on before it gets too far off the rails. F1 Fantasy, we've got a bit of time to talk about that, haven't we? Let's, there's not too long to go now.

So time is running out to make moves in the leaderboard. Looking good this week, though, winners for the Mexican GP. There were two names, F1, FM. 941, very catchy indeed, and Tornado Cat, well done to both of you, 319 points apiece. Top three in the championship, we've got a close championship battle in actual F1. We've got a very close championship battle in F1 Fantasy 2 because much like Real F1, there was a change in the lead. UH 1999, 4,527 points, 5 points ahead of second place 44th gear. and a new contender in third place, albeit 90 points back,

Reikkon's Yacht, Monaco, 2006. Great name. Great name. Where is Warling Doohjar gone? Where's the comeback? P-4. I need you back, Warring Door-Hagar. Well, who knows?

There's still a bit of time. But how are the four of us doing? I had an all right week. Climb 12 positions up to 29th overall. But we don't want to hear about that. We want to hear about the person that's gone on. up, 161 positions. I think maybe it was last time I asked the question, could producer Kirstie consider the top 500 by the end of the year? Kirstie said, no, I'm going to do it at the very next

race, 493rd. Very well done indeed. I've climbed positions. Kirstie's climb positions. Harry? Not climb positions. Down 15. 42 spots to 1,192nd. And getting a little bit closer to you. Again. I'm back. Is Mr. Sam Sage,

climbing 30 spots to get up to 1,296. So 104 spots behind Mr. Reid. You like your chances, Sam? Honestly, mate, I haven't got any bloody chances at all. The fact that Kursie's climbing over and nearly 100 places, and she's 500 spots. side of me. And us peasant, point peasants back here, can't do anything right. I'm still only moving about 30 places. He's a travesty. So, no, I'm depressed. I hate it. I can't wait

for the good season. Got any chips left to use? Yeah. Final fix and the triple DRS. I think that's what Kirstie used to climb those positions. So clearly effective. Harry's got, I've learned how to use my team chip, I think. I think have two left as well. You know, a final and no negative potentially. That's a good one, mate. You should I use that a couple of races ago? Should I use that an often, man? Really?

Yeah. Apart from we all forgot until we got to the track on Saturday. Well done, all four of us. We'll keep you updated as to how we're doing how the league's doing in this final stretch of the season. Let's take our second break on this episode. On the other side, we're chatting Colton Herta.

I think I'm just mathematically out of winning this now. To your action. You were like the Claire. I'm like the clerk. It just sips away from me there. Yeah. Welcome back to the third part of today's episode. And we now go to the news.

A little bit late, but we are late breaking, of course, that high tech have confirmed that Colton Herter will be racing for the team in 2026. That, of course, being Formula 2. Herter joins the grid after seven full seasons in IndyCar, where he achieved 19 podium finishes, which included nine victories, as well as 16 pole positions. Colton Hurtes said,

I'm incredibly excited to be joining high tech for the 2026 F2 season. This is a big shift in my career and I'm ready for the challenge. I've loved my time in IndyCar and I'm proud of everything I achieved, but the opportunity to race in F2 to compete on the Formula 1 calendar

against some of the best young drivers in the world was one I couldn't pass up. I've always worked to keep the door to F1 open and this move is part of that ultimate ambition. I know it won't be easy, turning the car, the tyres, the tracks, but I'm approaching this with determination, focus and a lot of motivation. My goal is to compete at the front, continue developing as a driver and put myself in the best possible position for a future in F1. Sam, your reaction to the news, do you think this is a wise

move for both himself and for Cadillac? Firstly, I absolutely love the news. I love that we're in a reality where Colton Herta is coming over to the Formula Pyramid and is going to be racing and potentially racing in Formula One because when it comes to talent, this guy has got bags of it. Slightly terrifying, putting it in the wall occasionally, talent, but bags of it. This mood is either the absolute smartest gamble of his life and it could make his career and he could be America's F1 hero. Or this is going to be the most brutal reality check that Colting Hurtner and Kagalak have ever come across when they put this guy into F2.

The timing is what's really worrying here. He's older than half of the F1 grid already. And now he's going to have to prove himself against teenagers going around European circuits that they've all been on since they've been karting. And he hasn't been on for 10 years, 8 to 10 years now. It's a long time. The tyres are incredibly different. The way these cars work are so different to Indy.

You've seen by the likes of a longso going over to Indy car. I know the car matters a bit. But it's not simple. You don't just turn up at IndyCar and wing, and the same goes the other way around. You can't just turn back up from IndyCar in the formula and wing. It's not that simple. Success for Colting Herter is not just about picking up some podiums or some good points. He basically has to win this F2 championship, or I think the dream is getting rethought by Kagalak.

I think the direction, unless he's in a title fight right to the very end or wings it overall, it could be journey over that quickly if it doesn't go to plan. And that's the problem with F2. You could be in the game because of your car and how something unfold, or you could be struggling to get inside the top 10 scoring points. And we saw that with prodigy Kimi Antigali. We saw that with bearmen. You know, the guys that won the title weren't even expected to be that close.

And yet they were Hajjar and Waterletto. So I want this fairy tale to come true. I want Holter to make this moving as mid-20s. I want him to win F2. I want to get that jump into F1 within maybe the first two years that he gets to come over here and I would love to see him

deliver on this script that we're building in terms of kind of the American dream. I'm just very skeptical that it does go to plan because he's got a lot to prove and it's a big, big risk. So fingers crossed,

he goes on to win it. He has got the talent. It's just whether he can adapt fast enough to make it come true, I think. Harry, what do you make of the call? I think it's a good call all around. I don't think there's a lot for Colton Herta or Canada like to lose here. Say all of this goes terribly wrong.

There's not a world I can see where Colton Herta is not welcome back to Indica if he really wants to. So in that sense, I don't think he's losing anything. And it makes a lot of sense for him to go and, you know, go and learn or relearn tracks on the European calendar of the, well, not just European,

sorry, but the F1 calendar once he's never been to. F2 cars are, I always suppose in mind,

F2 cars are quicker than indie cars, which always makes, it's just odd, but they are. And as part of that, he'll learn, you know,

value in the lodge about Pirelli ties. Now I don't know, they're not exactly the same as F1, but they're a lot closer than the firestones are. So,

yeah, I think all around this is a good, This is a good move. It gives Cadillac a real accurate way to analyze Colton Hurtt without having to put him in their F1 car. Wouldn't be surprised if he ends up doing a practice session or two because he should be able to do that right, yeah.

But both Bottas and Perez will need to give up two each. Yeah, well, there you go. So they get to do that as well as watch him doing Formula 2 for a season. as Sam said, I'm really excited to see this. It's going to be so good. I'm not sure Formula 2 is going to know what's going to hit it. But yeah, I'm excited to see how it gets on.

He is a relative old man versus everyone else. Although, in my head, he's like, he looks like a 36-year-old man, but he's not that old. So he's only 25. Yeah, he's like Lano Norris's age, yeah. Yeah. So obviously he's old. in terms of Formula 2.

But still, yeah, I think it's quite, like you said, it's so good, we're in a world where a driver such as Colton Herter has come over from a series like IndyCar and it's now going to get a racing F2.

It's kind of, it's a weird prospect, but I'm absolutely here for it. So I think good move around. I don't think there's a lot to lose for any party involved, and I am excited. He looks like he should work in PC World.

Yeah, you take the racing over us on. you would not be like, I is a racing driver. No, you'd be like, can you help me with this toaster, please? I don't know how it's meant to work. Taster. Well, I'll see you once a month. Once a month, toast, here we go. Unless it's Easter, then I have a lot of hot crossbones.

I said, I don't count as toast, though. That's fine, then still once a month. Different product, for sure. It's funny, when I look at Colton Herta, I do think he looks like a racing driver, but the only reason I think he looks like a racing driver is because he looks like he's a spitting image of his dad who looks like he should work at PC World.

So actually, you're right. Yeah, he isn't, yeah, he's not, he's not that old. He's not quite in his mid-30s yet. I'm very, needless to say, I'm very excited about this. I think it's a marginally risky move for Hurtt, but I like the ambition and to echo what you said, Harry, if it goes horribly wrong, there is an IndyCar team that will snap him up pretty quickly.

I think. So I don't think he has to worry too much about that. I think he's continuing his IMSA racing as well. I think that was confirmed today. So he's still got plenty of other avenues if Formula One doesn't come to fruition. Just to quickly address the whole super license system, because I know it can be a little bit confusing. But if you want to race an F1, you need 40 points on your super license. And that needs to be accumulated over a three-year time span. So at the moment, he has 32 points accumulated by what he did in 2022, 2022, 2023 and 24. That will become 35 points when his 2025 points go on the board. So if he wants to be in the mix for a seat in 2027, he will need, he will essentially

need something like an eighth place finish in F2. So it's not asking too much from him at that point. He's helped a lot by the fact that he was runner up in IndyCar last year, is worth 30 points. But to be honest, even if by the time those 30 points go off his tally, if he's not doing well enough in F2 to sort of replace them, he's not going to be in the fight for a sea anyway, is he? So I think from a super license perspective, he's safe. And if it was only about super license points, they would have done what Red Bull have done quite recently, which is send their drivers to Formula Regional Oceana in January and February to a Q&A.

emulate six, eight points there. This is more than just points. This is about, as Colton Hurter says, learning the tracks and learning the tyres, those are the two main things, because they will be far more difficult to get to grips with than you think they will be. As mentioned, they don't use Pirelli tyres in Indy car, and they are very unique. Even for those who come into, say, Formula 3 that use Porelli ties, if they've just come over from the European Formula regional, circuit, like they don't use Pirelli's as far as I'm aware. So they have to adapt. And Colton Hurt is going to have to do that at a far older age than most of these

other drivers will have had to have done. And of course, again, in terms of circuits, he was racing quite a lot in Britain just over 10 years ago, but it's only Silverstone that features on the F1 or F2 calendar. So it's not like he's going to have experience of most of the tracks that he's going to go to. people, sadly enough for Colton Hurtr, probably won't consider that if he is struggling a little bit earlier on in the season. They will just look at his age and say, yeah, you should be doing much better than that. You're racing against the guy who's seven years younger than you. And whilst he has got some experience advantage, it's not as absolute as you might think it will be.

I'm interested to see how it goes. I think he needs to be in a title fight. If he doesn't win it, I think he gets away with it. but if he's not in that title fight or, let's say, high tech have just screwed the approach and it's just not a good car, then maybe they look at it slightly differently. But I think he needs to be in that title fight for Cadillac to seriously consider his prospects for the future. This will shock people listening, but this podcast is actually a very gong biased show. And we like to play both sides here, both good and bad.

But Ben, I have a question to ask, if Hurtom makes it into Formula One, are you going to be a little fan, because you're a little fan at the moment. No. No. Nonsense. No. No, no Hurtt or Harking for everyone. How could I possibly be biased for Herta when I'm already so biased for?

Hang on, let me go. I got to check who it is this week. It's all 20 drivers, mate. It's Norris this week. Is it? Is it? Yeah. It gets really confusing because it was for Stap and two weeks ago.

You hated Norris last week? I did as well. I just, I don't know how the people can keep up with it, because I really struggle to keep up. up with who I'm biased for and against. Well, if you don't want a subscribe or not because of it. Not any of people to unsubscribe.

Ben, I have another question for you. I can't talk that one, but sure. What will undoubtedly be a stunning poll app around Monaco? Which corner is her to bidding it out on a wall by himself during the race? There will be heroics. There will be heroics in Sanderbord. Yeah, I thought so. Good reference.

I think the question is not whether he will crash there. The question is how many miles an hour will he be doing when he hits the barrier there? That's the real question. Needless to say, I think we are all pretty excited by that prospect next year of Colton Herta plus F2. Let's move on to something from this weekend in Mexico, which was Liam Lawson getting caught up in what I'd call a shocking moment during the the first couple of laps here. He pits under, he pits due to the front wing,

um, not working anymore. There's surely a better way to say that. But his front wing needed replacing. Um, and them, yeah, the marshals clearly thought that everyone had gone by.

Soon enough, as soon as, as Lawson approaches turn one, he sees two marshals running across the track. Um, the FIA has confirmed the incident is under investigation. Um, but if you've seen the onboard for this,

it is pretty. terrifying and very fortunate that no contact was made. Sam, this is something we briefly discussed as part of what we recorded at the weekend. What are you hoping comes from this investigation? Do you think anything positive will come out of this at least? This is an absolute disgrace. Genuinely was so shocked when I saw the replay of this. Because obviously, we didn't see it on the broadcast. No chance they were showing it on the broadcast. had to go to social media to see the onboard of this happening. And this is disgraceful.

The lack of communication, the lack of awareness from those who are instructing the marshals, we need to find out, I doubt it is, if the marshals have decided just to run over and grab the stuff because they think the tracks clear, look, that doesn't happen. These marshals all around the world are expertly trained. They do a fantastic job. They keep these racetracks clean. They keep them safe. They keep people aware.

They do all the flags. They are a brilliant service. a lot of them being volunteers around this world that we go racing in. And so I find it hard to think that they would be to blame for this. And therefore, I think the problem comes from higher up. And that is the communication to alert these marshals that the track is clear and they may go and clear it has let them down. So much budget, so much safety protocol, so much energy put into how we do things. And yet Liam Norson comes around the corner at speed.

And there's two guys sprinting across a racetrack in heavy overalls, in boiling hot heat, carrying bits of a car that they've had to pick up, they could have lost their lives. We could have seen two people lose their lives. And not only that, whilst that is bloody awful, Liam Lawson, if we're going to fight with his own, we'll have that all his conscience as well. And I imagine that is one of the most difficult things

that you can ever deal with. So the fact that we've seen this in a modern-day Formula One race is shocking. It is a disgrace. It needs to be investigating immediately. Someone does need to be held accountable, and there needs to be a reason as to how this has happened. It's not the first time we've seen people on the racetrack

in the last few years. We had the protests happening at Silverstone a couple of years ago. We had some track invasion happening at Brazil a couple of years ago as well where people will jump in the fence, security, we're trying to hold them back. Now, these are all different reasons how this happened, but they've got to clamp down on this. We can't be having people on a racetrack in the wrong occasion. The worst part is these guys are mentally on the racetrack.

But in fact, you've let them on at the wrong time and going to cost them their lives when they think they're safe is absolutely atrocious. So the investigation needs to take place, it's to be thorough, to be independent. And I hope that we see a structure put in place that means at least marshals who are fantastic what they do are kept as safe as possible, just like the drivers, just like the team passing out. And it's a good point you raised about, you know, Liam Lawson in this, in the, you know,

even with the near miss, his team radio straight afterwards is, I could have killed them. And he has to then go throughout, in the end, he didn't do much more of the race. But in theory, like, he could have done the rest of that race with that on his mind. And that's absolutely not okay. And as you also say, this isn't something that F1 decided to broadcast unsurprisingly as we were watching the race. And indeed, they didn't put it in there. They like to do this radio rewind on their YouTube channel directly after a Grand Prix. Didn't make its way onto there either, surprisingly.

Side note, I would absolutely consider watching that because despite the fact that he wasn't in this race for very long, Fernando Alonzi's T-Radio is gold. Oh, Fernando. The highlight absolutely was him. Genuine question, should I overtake Carlos sides through turn one and two, like off on the grass just to, you know, make it more interesting? And what do you even as an engineer go back to? Like, how do you respond to that? Yeah, that's the answer.

Sure, for that. Do it. Do you think the engineer's like, God, I miss Sebastian Vessel? This guy. I couldn't believe how much airtime Alonzo got on that Radio Rewind episode based on the fact that he didn't do two-thirds of the race. But yeah, comedy gold, I'd consider watching it. Going back to the incident itself, yeah, I agree with you, Sam. Marshall's being on track represents one of the most serious safety breaches in motorsport.

And it's fortunate that Liam Lawson had relatively good visibility of it. turn sort of that complex, turns one through three, that he could avoid it without being too close, still far too close, but being too close to hitting either one of them. It made me wonder, because it was just pure randomness that it was turn one and not another turn, imagine if this was the final corner, which is far more blind as you're going around that at a pretty high speed. Lawson would have had a lot less time to react to that incident. So I think F1 can count itself lucky that there hasn't been a worse result than what has actually happened here. It's either, and we are guessing at this point until the investigation comes out,

but I'm assuming a major breakdown in communication, because either the marshals have been told that they can go and collect it, or they haven't been told that they can't collect it, and in either instance, that should be there, these marshals do a fantastic job all around the globe, and I hope the result of this is some clear accountability, there's some transparency, we have full review of the communications, and if needed, some additional training or another look into the procedures, reinforcing those procedures, those protocols,

to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again, because that was pretty terrifying. How are your thoughts on the incident? Yeah, I can cover both of you. unacceptable and like you said ben we can't really know the reasons why until i guess the investigations taken place was it the marshals acting under their own accord i suspect not given there were two of them that went out there um uh or was it they just weren't told or they were told either way either way not acceptable and the the most annoying embarrassing part for me is um it's the fact that then right at the end of the race we had that ridiculous vSC which quite frankly i'm

99% sure was thrown because they got so spooked by what happened earlier on and the and, you know, race control were like, well, crap, we better throw a BSC because we'll cover our backs here by the fact that we, we messed up this, you know, a turn one earlier in the race. So there's got to be a middle ground here. We don't need, we don't need either of these things. But the, you know, the safety, safety should come first. And that wasn't, that wasn't the case here whatsoever. we've had a couple of these now.

It reminded me of, I think there's a couple years going back here where Esteban Okon, classic, wasn't doing any pit stops, didn't stop until the final lap. But they'd all started to gather for the podium ceremony. Again, that lower speeds-ish, but they're still going a fair lick in the pit lane. And that was even more people. So everyone's getting lucky with these.

They need to sort it out, or the race control on the FA. They need to sort this out, whatever breakdown and comms that we're having, because there's one day we're not going to get lucky, and we're going to be here talking about a tragedy, and that's not a movie one whatsoever. So sort it out. Agreed.

Right, we'll take our final break on this episode. On the other side, we're playing back and forth. Yay. Welcome back to the final part of today's episode, and it's time for a game of Back and Fourth. F1. Back. and forth it's F1.

Back and forth, it goes backwards. Then goes forth, it's F1. Back and forth, F1. F1, back and forth, Harry and Sam. We'll go back and forth on correct answers to a question until one of them can't think of a correct answer or gives an incorrect answer. So today I will give you each two strikes for this question.

And not quite as many correct answers, at 13 correct answers to this question. I want you to name the last 13 circuits or Grand Prix, I don't mind whichever one you want to go with, where the driver's championship has been clinched. So where has the driver's championship been won? The last 13 venues where it has been won. So two strikes.

Harry, you can go first. Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is a correct answer. 21, of course. 2021, does anyone remember that one? Dead year. What happened, mate? Vestappen won the championship there.

It was weird because there was no controversy. But also, Nico Rosberg, clinched the championship there in 2016, Hamilton in 2014, and Vettel in 2010. Sam. Austin, Texas. Austin, Texas is a correct answer. Lewis Hamilton has won the championship there twice in 2015 and 2019.

Harry? Qatar. Qatar is a correct answer, even though it wasn't the actual Grand Prix itself and it was actually the sprint race, wasn't it, in 2023, where the Stappen won the title. Sam. Brazil. Brazil.

Brazil is a correct answer. The last time the championship was won there was 2012 with Sebastian Vettel. Before that, five years in a row, 2005, six, seven, eight and nine were all won at Brazil. Where it deserves to be won. Yeah.

Harry, back to you. Big Bud, India. I wasn't sure if you're going to remember this one because 2013 Sebastian Vessel, it is a right answer. He was so dominant that year. I just knew it at some point around that time period, but it was Big Bud, India, which is the correct answer.

I weirdly saw, sorry, I really saw a tweet about that today or this week, and someone reposed it saying, oh, I forgot the F1 season used to finish in October. And then someone replied was like, no, no, no, he just wanted that early. Yeah. I was like, oh, yeah. Next answer, Sam. Oh, breaking. Can lose my podcast.

Why is it so hard to think of circuits that have come at the end of the blanking season? This is unnecessarily difficult. Bahrain. Bahrain is not a correct answer on this list. Harry, back to you. Suzuki. Suzuki is a correct answer.

Vestappen won the championship there in 2020. Before that, we had Vettel in 2011, Schumacher in 2003 and 2000, Hakenen in 99 and 98. Alphro in Damon Hill as well, he did it in 1990. Big up, Damon Hill. You can't talk about anyone. He started a podcast with John Yerber. Oh, yeah. Man.

Yeah. Boom. Have we unfollowed him on Instagram yet? No. Blot him. Got him. Some. Turkey.

Istanbul. Istanbul is a correct answer. That's where Lewis Hamilton won the title in 2020. Harry. Sparre is a correct answer. Yeah, Michael Schumacher wrapped up the championship there in 2004. Sam. Why got me so quick with it, man?

Sorry. Take time. You know, relax into it a little bit. Crickey. Shit out, man. I just chill out a little bit, man. You know, come on. You're one step short of calling him a triad, aren't you?

Yeah, it is. I did. Yeah. You speed run these on spork on outside. Speed running back and forth. What are you doing? Adelaide. It's not a correct answer.

I think if I, if this was extended to about five, 15 circuits, you would have been right, but we don't quite go back that far. Harry, back to you? Mangy core. That is a correct answer. Absolutely revolting that Schumacher won the championship at Magnicor in 2002.

In the summer. How dominant it was, yeah. But it is a correct answer. Sam. I don't know, China. No championships won at China. I can put that out by bloody misery. Which puts an end to the game.

Harry, you win this one. There were four answers left, if you want to stab at any of them. We've just been there, Mexico. Mexico. Lewis Hamilton won the title there in 17 and 18. Hungary? Hungary is a correct answer. 2001.

Michael Schumacher won the championship there. How far back did this go? What's the earliest, sorry? It's not 93. 1997. Oh, Areth, sadly. Hereth. There's one answer left.

Cool, you could do it. Reth is the earliest one, yes. I don't know, Jeff. Should me do your little song? Yeah, that would be. helpful. Thank you. I think you are overthinking this one. Oh, no.

Harry, do I guess last year. I don't remember where it was. Oh, no. How can you say, O-1, Hungary? Yeah, I go. You got back in last year. I paid more attention when I was five years old, okay? Leave me alone.

You called her wreath out of your backside, but you don't know last year. I know you can do this because it's kind of the only one left at like this end of the calendar now, really. Vegas? Vegas. Yeah, he won it in Vegas. I was asleep. I missed it. Oh, you were. I missed the race. It didn't happen in Harry's World.

Well, there we go. Slightly elongated way again in there, but we did get the 13 circuits where the driver's championship has last been clinched. Well, I would say that's the end of the episode, but I reckon we've got time for something else. I reckon we've got time for the greatest segment in all of podcasting. It is the LB Question of the Week. Speed run. I thought we're doing that.

Speed running question of the week, whatever's next. We decided to focus this question of the week on Williams and the copious penalties that Carlos Sines got for speeding in the pit lane, there's only one thing faster than a Williams in a pit lane. What is it? Susan Selling, saying Hong is leaking his browser history? Yep. The best one.

I knew that one was getting on. Shout out to the one that made me laugh the most, which was six point on Instagram, who just said, D's nuts. That got him! So stupid. this one is not if I'm relating at all, which is sometimes my favourite. This comes from Alex.

Toby Flandersick during the first annual Michael Scott Stam, McGraths, Mervynne, Margaret, Palmer, Mirror, Celebrity, Rabies, and Weirangus, Programme, found Run Raised for the Cure. You've got a full time as well. Great reference. Answer from Joey, Otmar's pregnancy, birth turnover ratio. That's got a one-hanger-old. DJ spin to win said

Harry is in my ability to forget which numbers are left in a game which is fair very fair yeah you are good at that as usual the one that made me laugh the most is the one that doesn't really make any sense which is from Isaiah an al dente noodle slivering down my throat

Blimey. This isn't one at all, but the phrase gestation period has never been put on an answer to our post this many times ever. Yep. D. Davis says a jettoe holiday, question mark. Well, no, nothing beats the one. Nothing beat for a Chitty holiday.

Do you load it on just for that answer? You're not. You absolute bha-s. I saw you look at this album for something. I was like, what has he got lined up? Oh, goodness sake. I've fallen into his trap. Oh, I was really hoping you'd go there.

Thank goodness. Did you have it lined up for you to say it just in case, though? Yeah, I was hoping I wouldn't have to get there, though. I was hoping it would be more organic than that. This one from Paul who said, The Marshal was running to avoid Lawson's car. Griffin said Leroy Jenkins in a salber. I don't understand.

Leroy Jenkins. Well, I guess when that move that he pulled in Brazil. Hips quick. Obie drunk and Obie says the attention span of in inverted commas, the youth, which is not very quick. That's pretty quick. Ben Turnbull, you don't know me very well at all, sir.

How fast I'm going to be? I will get the hiccups, and I will blow very quickly if I chug a beer at first. Flaming Porsche said, Crofti reminding us that Interlagos means between two lakes at the start of every broadcast in Brazil. I've got to do with that. I've got to do with that

I didn't know that before that comment so I do that I've got to do chow I know when you saw some people on Twitter

today talking about how they should just make interlagos an oval and they've drawn on the map I'm like get Croftian because he'll explain

why you can't do that there's some literal lakes there so you can't be that last one from me is from Graham which is you can't

he's P-45. Oh. Oh, that's true. That's not going on. No, you're not sharing that one. Oh, I'll say it. It just says me with the misses. So there you go.

That's a lovely. It's all right. Ben also got a sex to life one. I think it was Mike who he said, Ben's sex life. Sorry, Ben. You gave us this material last year. It couldn't go to waste.

I'm glad that's my lasting legacy. It was quite a lot. It was even one for you, Sam, as well. There were quite a few to go around. What have I done? No, just the same comment. Oh, good to go that the impression that we bestow of other people are that we're all very quick in a certain situation.

And I can't think of a better way to end. Are we done for us to do it? Yeah, slow ead over it. Mr. Takes his time. Don't worry, hanging. I'll get there. The best and worst Harry Ede impression of all time. I don't think Harry has ever said the line,

don't worry, honey. Do you pictures me? Is that, what's he called Brian on the old people's advert? Brian. That bloody old woman at the top of us, that got to spare him. Ryan. It's going, it's Graham.

Graham. Oh, Graham. That's it, Graham. He's there going, will you die, you stupid. old woman. Go on, babe, yes.

Yes. Graham! Shut up. I just don't know how we've got to, won't you... The worst point is going to just come back down the stairs

from the last trip. Grail. Oh, for God's sake. Oh, man. When you go and die already is wild. That's his wife, I think, is well. Oh. Great.

I'm so happy that Graham's made it to the podcast. Like your Hall of Fame, actually. I'm really glad Graham's here. But do you know I'm also glad is here? Who's that, mate? The Father Christmas of birthdays because... Oh! This is longer than the race review for Mexico, by the way.

I lost it. Oh, happy, happy birthday for the Skagit. We've got so many of you. People getting busy in January and February, all right? You've got a lot of October babies. A real scare for October, you lot. So well done. Let's get through him.

Ali, happy birthday for October 10th. October 16th. Happy birthday. Ryan, all of October. Happy birthday. There's quite a few of these. John Brandt. Are you related to Julian Brandt?

October 5th, happy birthday. Amara, October 13th, happy birthday. Lucas, October 5th, happy birthday. Alex Campbell, October 26. Zach B, October 3rd, Joe, October 1st, Marks, Lucas, two Lancers. Oh, is it two Lucases? Two Lusus.

Two Lusers. Who knows? October 26. Happy birthday. Todd Crastern, October 19th, Happy birthday. Greg M. October 21st. Steve Burrito.

Great surname. October 15th. Kirstie Sharp, October 27th. Cav, October 16th, zombie low, October 20, 9th, PNW, bum. We got the Pacific Northwest, by the way. October 26th, sorry, Phil, October 22nd. And finally, it's the Pittsburgh Defoece, October 26th. That is the most, sorry.

The Pittsburgh-Tafosi. I have done too many hub in both days that I have birthdayed out. So happy birthday, all of you. Thank for the support. Let's end this episode. immediately. Great idea. Do you want to do the outsh?

I'm looking, is it? Luna reverse. Thanks so much for listening. If you make it this far, why? Subscribe to Patreon where we're about to do our classic race review for the month as well. We're looking at 2012 European GP.

It's a belter. Go ahead and checking out if you have it. And then join us down there. Join the Discord. If you're going to be involved on the race days, we've got loads people chatting. I think nearly 4,000 people. Follow our social media,

late breaking F1. we will see you on Sunday for a whole new episode. You know what? You have a lovely little week you do. And we'll see you right there at the weekend. You deserve it after sitting through that talk, yeah. Thanks for listening. In the meantime, I'll be Samuel Sage.

I've been Ben Hocking. And I've been Grail. And remember, keep breaking late. God, what a car. Past is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.