The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Will George Russell beat Lewis Hamilton AGAIN in 2023? | Teammate Wars

Episode Date: February 15, 2023

Yes, that's right - it's time for Teammate Wars! Sam, Ben and Harry voice their picks for who they think will win each inter-team battle in 2023. Who will be right? Probably not Harry. JOIN our Disco...rd: https://discord.gg/dQJdu2SbAm SUPPORT our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/latebraking TWEET us @LBraking BUY our merch: https://late-braking-f1-podcast.creator-spring.com/ SUBSCRIBE to our podcast! EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/lbf1 Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Black Friday is here at IKEA and the clock is taking on savings you won't want to miss. Join IKEA family for free today and unlock deals on everything from holiday must-haves to cozy at-home essentials, all the little and big things you need to make this season shine. But don't wait. Like leftovers at midnight, our Black Friday offers won't last. Shop now at IKEA.ca.ca.com slash Black Friday. IKEA. Bring home to life. It was just another holiday party until machine. Michelle arrived with a chocolate basque cheesecake.
Starting point is 00:00:34 Two rich cocoa's caramelized top, which Michelle claimed to have just whipped together. But the evidence told another story. An empty PC box, a receipt in her purse. All right, Susan, I bought the PC chocolate basque cheesecake. It was just $11. Can you stop true craming me? Can I have another slice?
Starting point is 00:00:53 Try the season's biggest hits from the PC Holiday Insiders Report. At Desjardin, we, We speak business. We speak equipment modernization. We're fluent in data digitization and expansion into foreign markets. And we can talk all day about streamlining manufacturing processes. Because at Desjardin business, we speak the same language you do. Business. So join the more than 400,000 Canadian entrepreneurs who already count on us and contact Desjardin today. We'd love to talk, business. Thank you for listening to the late breaking.
Starting point is 00:01:31 F1 podcast. Make sure to tune in for new episodes every Wednesday and Grand Prix Sunday. Hello and a very warm welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast presented by Harry Eid, Sam Sage and me, Ben Hocking. Not only is it a warm welcome to the late breaking F1 podcast. It is a warm welcome to the seventh annual teammate wars. Sam, you must be hyped. I'm so hyped. I'm ready back for another championship battle, you know. I feel they need to claim another title. And then, of course, the defending champion.
Starting point is 00:02:22 And there is a third entry into the roster. He's been here every year. But Harry, how are you feeling about it? Is this year your year? No, I don't really want to be here. I know I missed Sunday's episode, but I think I should have missed this one. Just here for vibes. It's interesting.
Starting point is 00:02:40 I was listening back to the... last year's teammate wars episode earlier and we kind of kicked off in the same way where it was hey it's teammate wars Harry you're happy to be here
Starting point is 00:02:52 and you just sort of went no don't want to do this every year so nothing's changed I don't want to do this why do we do this to laugh at you
Starting point is 00:03:00 can I laugh at you can I love you get paid enough but it would make no difference to the outcome at the end of the year if I didn't do these predictions or not
Starting point is 00:03:10 it would make a difference to the enjoyment in my life though. That's true. Oh well, at least I'm making a difference somewhere. So teammate wars, the three of us go up against one another. Very simple concept. All 10 teams, we decide which of the two drivers is going to score more points
Starting point is 00:03:29 over the course of this 2023 season. Harry, I think it's your year. It's time. It's going to happen. I'm team Harry. You said that last year and it didn't work. I'm afraid Sam. I can only give him hope
Starting point is 00:03:45 I can't give him hope I can't make him win Here's a test for you Sam actually before you're going on Teammate Wars Do you remember what jingle you sung for Teammate Wars last year Because I could completely forgotten about this Oh no
Starting point is 00:04:00 Have you won't cut it and uploading it I haven't remembered No you did a version of Moulan Do you remember What what the chorus to the famous
Starting point is 00:04:16 Disney song. I can't remember what lyrics he used but yeah, it was quite good actually yeah, it was impressive
Starting point is 00:04:23 glad to say folks before we started recording we were doing our own new version of teammate was the may or may not make his way
Starting point is 00:04:29 into this episode depending I forgot I forgot like how it's technically been recorded at the start of this
Starting point is 00:04:35 is so bad oh do do so you may have already heard it depending on whether I decided to drop this in
Starting point is 00:04:41 not. But, you know, if not, you might also hear it soon. Teammate wars. Teammate wars. Teammate wars. Teammate wars. Teammate was. Teammate was. Teammate was. And technically, there's four competitors again this year, because we have asked our Discord server as well in a poll for all 10. So the Discord might win. You didn't last year, so fingers crossed some more intelligent people have joined in the last 12 months. But, yeah, good luck.
Starting point is 00:05:23 It's hard, all right? Leave us a lot. You put the dis in Discord. Nice. Let's start. All right, we always go in championship order from the previous season. So from 2022, we'll start with Red Bull, because obviously they won the Constructive Championship last year.
Starting point is 00:05:40 Max Verstappen versus Sergio Perez, the third year in which this has been the battle at Red Bull. It's been a clean sweep, I think, on both occasions thus far, in terms of us going from Vastappan over Perez and being correct about it. Sam, you have the honours of kicking off teammate wars. Are you saying Vastappan or Perez? I mean, yeah, don't put the broom away any time soon, so I think that clean is going to carry on.
Starting point is 00:06:04 Max Vastappen is going to take the dub, as the kids might say, on this Red Bull battle, I think. very comprehensive, very comfortable, very, very calm, collected in Max Verstappen's corner over the last two seasons and I think it's very much going to be the same again. Sergio Perez is not there to rock the boat. He is there to tow the team line and to try and give them that Constructors' Championship and he managed to deliver on that half of things last season. And I very much think that if it gets close, Max Verstappen will very happily come out of his shell and go, this is about me now, not about you. So, for Staffen with that raw ability,
Starting point is 00:06:41 that raw speed that we've seen. He's a two-time world champion. You're the dance, everyone. I think that Sergio Perez has not got what he needs to meet Verstappen. Forstappen to win. Harry, do you agree? Yeah, absolutely. I don't know if you notice, folks, but Vestappen's quite good at F1.
Starting point is 00:06:59 It's a great observation that. It's like you're here. Well, you're welcome. Yeah, I don't know if there's much more needs to be said here. for Stappen would have to have some really bad luck, I think, this year for, no offence, Peres, but for Perez to beat him. So I'm sticking with Verstappen again, but don't let me down. I was very tempted to try and build some tension here that I might come out with a shocker and say Perez,
Starting point is 00:07:27 but I'm not going to because I don't think anyone would quite believe that. I also got Vastappen, so this was, I think the clean sweep that we all expected it would be. Harry put it best, Vastappen is pretty good at the F1. And that's not to say Perez isn't, but Vestappen is a bit better at the F1 than Perez is. Does that make sense?
Starting point is 00:07:49 Yeah, we saw from Vestappen as well, like the last two seasons, he's won the championship in completely different ways, which should encourage Vestappan fans. You know, he, it was a dog fight between himself and Hamilton in 2021. He came out on top. In 2022, he was able to dominate.
Starting point is 00:08:05 So two different ways in winning a championship is pretty encouraging. A follow-up question, and I've actually asked Sam this question the last two years. Oh, no. I know, right? Do you know what?
Starting point is 00:08:20 Your reaction when I said this last year was, oh no as well. Don't you dare say that our content is recycled. It is genuinely. So in 2021, I asked you the question, how close should Perez be to call it a good season for Perez and you said 50 points
Starting point is 00:08:40 and in 2021 the gap was 205.5. Last year I said based on that what do you think is a good year and you were like now I'm sticking to my guns. 50 points between for Stap and Perez would be a good year for Perez
Starting point is 00:08:57 it was 149 last year. It's not closer. He's chipping away in it? The question is in 2023 how many points away and I know it's a bit dependent on how good the Red Bull is, but how many points away does Perez need to be for him to go, yeah, I've done myself well this year.
Starting point is 00:09:16 Well, I mean, you've got to take some facts in consideration, right? He's 100% apart of that team now. He's fully adjusted to both the new regulations and how Red Bull build the car. He's a race winner. The guy is fully integrated, and he's got Daniel Ricardo literally breathing down his neck. So you can all want to impress if he walks to stay in this sport.
Starting point is 00:09:32 It's his final year, of course, with the team. You can either sign that new deal and prepare. some people think that this will be it is his game over. So I'm going to go out on my limb here and shock you to say that I think Sergio Breris should be about 50 points away from that stuff and come the end of the year.
Starting point is 00:09:48 Yes. I can't wait to ask you next year. Not recycled. Oh, that was the build-up to that was intense because I was why you weren't going to say 50 points. What margin are you looking at, Harry? that will be acceptable for Perez.
Starting point is 00:10:09 Did you ask me this last year as well or not? No, I didn't ask you this. All right, fine. I'd say somewhere between 51 and 49 points is good. We're a joke. We have a joke of a show. Yeah, I mean, it's got it. The 149 or 250 mark is not where it needs to be.
Starting point is 00:10:36 And yes, last year was better. And as I said, he's chipping away at that margin, but it's got to be closer for Paris. Because as Sam mentioned, he's got Danny Ricardo lurking over his shoulder. We should lurk over my shoulder. Full disclosure, folks, I actually lied. I did ask this question to Harry last year, hoping that he would say exactly the same number again.
Starting point is 00:11:00 You actually said 100 last year. So I was trying to not sway the jury on that. I actually think that's the number he should aim for. Like if you can get it under three figures. And, you know, if he makes the same progress that he made from 2021 to 2022, from 2022 to 2023, if he does that again, it should be around the 100 point mark. So I think it is an achievable target. What he needs to avoid is that mid-season slump that he had.
Starting point is 00:11:28 Because he came out the gates pretty well. And I don't think he was too bad at the end of the year, either was Perez. But that middle stretch where Vestappen was just winning from literally anywhere on the grid and Perez and indeed anyone else couldn't do anything about it. If you can avoid that sort of slump, he might be able to get under the 100 point barrier, but we'll have to wait and see. It's all about consistency. The Discord are very much in the favour of Vestappen here.
Starting point is 00:11:55 Only I think four brave souls at the point of recording have gone for Perez. So he wins. Well done to you for. Remember that, folks. Good luck to you. We don't know who you are. Ferrari. Here we go again. Charler-Ler versus Carlos Sines. So their third year, there's teammates, and it's currently won all in their teammate battles. Charle-Lacl-Clew won it last year,
Starting point is 00:12:22 and he won it fairly comfortably by 62 points, although it does have to be said that Carlos Sines had double the retirements that LeClair did, and Sines, of course, won in 2021. So based on that, Sam, what are you going for? Look, I love Carlos Sines, and we have, you know, everyone who, doesn't get game to him, the smooth operator. And, you know, he's a smooth, charming, wonderful man, but you might be the smooth operator, but you're going up against a literal god among men.
Starting point is 00:12:50 God Leclerc, got a clare. I was trying to put together chocolate, Eclare, and gardening it hasn't worked very well. My point being here, that that man, Chequels le Greccles, is so good, he's so good, that I think that the win that Carla Seitz picked up against Charles Leclair was a total fluke. Lecler has such a traumatic year in the car. He had retirements. He had issues. He had
Starting point is 00:13:18 strategy problems. He was nerved off quite regularly by other people on the track. And it was still so, you know, down to the wire, close between the two of them, that when LeCler did get a good year and Sykes got a slightly hampered year, you saw the mistakes come out for Sykes, though. You know, some of those retirements weren't reliability issues. They were, they were Sykes putting it in the boonies, you know? And I just think that LeCleur is going to start stretching those legs now. I think it's going to start gallivanting away a little bit. And I think that's what you should expect through Charles LeClaire.
Starting point is 00:13:48 The praise he gets from literally everyone, you know, with the combination of his age and talent, I think Charles O'Claire has what it takes to be a multiple-time world champion. And maybe this year is the year that he needs to really demonstrate that and put his foot down and go for gold. And I don't think Carlos has got that final little bit. So for me, it's Charles over Carlos. what are you saying on this one harry um i'm agreeing uh with sam here it's it's i think even if signs hadn't had the the troubles he had early on in in 2020 i don't think he would have beaten leclair it would have been closer undoubtedly but um i just look i just think leclair has that
Starting point is 00:14:35 raw pace advantage over signs. And there may well be, like we saw in 2021, there may well be factors involved that stop, stop, you know, that stop LeCleur beating signs. But I think overall over the course of the season, generally I think the Claire's got the advantage. So sticking with Chockels the Crocles, don't let me down, son.
Starting point is 00:14:59 Ferrari don't let me down either. You probably will, but please. Please. Ferrari, let anyone down? Absolute nonsense. Interestingly, what you said there, Harry, about the early struggles and being interested about
Starting point is 00:15:15 what that would have done. I had a very similar interest, so I went away and had a look at this, points-wise, how it all played out. So the first five races of the season, if you take those out and you just leave the remaining 17, Charles Leclair still wins last year,
Starting point is 00:15:32 but he only wins by 13 points. It was actually very close across those 17 races. But of course, Lecler had that brilliant start, two wins in the first three races. So I think this is winnable from Carlos Sines. And actually, I think this one's going to be closer than what people think it will be. I think this one is going to be very close.
Starting point is 00:15:53 I am still going to side with Charles LeClaire because largely to Sam's points, I think he does just have that minor edge on Carlos Sines. and I think Carlos Sines is almost the top of the second tier of F1 drivers in my opinion. But Charleclair is in that elite group. And I think that just about gets them over the line. But as I said, I think this one will be closer than what most think it will be. So two clean sweeps to start.
Starting point is 00:16:24 I mean, just to discuss Ferrari for a little bit longer with Carlos Sines, we know that he's beating him once. Sam, what has to happen for him to do it again, even though you're predicting Charles LeClair to win it, what would need to take place for Carlos Seitz? Is it a fluke year? Is it that he needs to improve on something that he isn't as good at at the moment? What needs to happen?
Starting point is 00:16:46 Carlos Seitz's consistency is something that he had brilliantly locked down when he was driving with McLaren. He outgrove Lando Norris. I know Lando was very early in his time in the sport there. But, you know, Lando was going to slouch in his first couple of seasons when it came to Formula One, but it was Carlos Science's ability to secure results week in, week out, a subpar car, you know, multiple times that meant that he was regularly a challenger
Starting point is 00:17:12 for strong points finishers, he was regularly one of the best of the rest. And that is what attracted the eye of Ferrari, despite having a relatively, you know, tepid time at Renault and his Toro-Rosso days were like, they were just good. You know, he's managed to attract her top team from that ability. So I think Carlos Science needs to re-engage that ability. to be so consistent in a team. And if Ferrari do produce a potential race-winning, title-winning car, knowing that you can finish first, second, first, second, first second,
Starting point is 00:17:43 is far more vital to anything else. And that is what's going on at him to overcome Charlotte Clare. No silly moves, not over-the-top daring strategies. Be there, week in, week out. If you're not first, your second place, you maybe get a fastest slap and you're solidifying those points. That is how you overcome someone like Charlotte-Cla, who on their day is unstoppable, I feel.
Starting point is 00:18:01 So consistency is key. Same question for you, Harry. Do you see a version of this season where signs can get that win and how does he achieve it? I mean, like you said, I obviously just threw it out there, but Ben did the research on what the gap would have been.
Starting point is 00:18:18 How do you not have those mistakes? I think it's close. And that's what we saw in 2021 that signs beat LeClaire because there are mistakes, but also bad luck that came LeClaire's way. So it is, as Sam mentioned, the consistency that I think signs needs to...
Starting point is 00:18:35 He's got the quality pace. I think his race pace, it's almost a Valtry Bottas effect in that sense, but his race pace sometimes suffers. We saw that at Silverstone. I know he still won the race, but during the race, LeClau was quicker.
Starting point is 00:18:51 So it's that consistency of a race distance where I think he perhaps suffers. So, yeah, I think he just... Because it doesn't seem like he needs to do a lot, keep it out the barrier and the gravel. Good tip for any F1 drivers out there if anyone was listening. Put that in the book?
Starting point is 00:19:08 Yeah, put that in the book. That's a good one. But also then also the consistency in speed, but I think in particular, over a race distance, because I think in qualifying, science is a match for LeClaire. So it'd be interesting to see if he can
Starting point is 00:19:22 see if those mistakes have all been ironed out and he can roll that into 2023. Before, Ben, before you jump here with your points, which I know again, I'll be very interested. intellectual and well put together. I think the other thing that one of those drivers needs to do, which will help them assert themselves further, and we might see this very differently in the Friggy Vass era of Ferrari,
Starting point is 00:19:40 is dominate your pit wall, dominate your strategy side of things right over the radio. I think both Ferrari drivers have fallen victim of being a little bit too complacent, a little bit too easy to push over when it comes to strategy calls, what's going on with the timings of things. You know, we saw it with, when science was fighting Perez in France, And the bloody engineers were going, oh, you know, box, box, box.
Starting point is 00:20:06 And then Carlos Sons like, shut up. I'm literally wheel to will to will with our rivals right now going down the pit straight. Like not now. That's what I think one of them, if they put their foot down and declare that more and take charge, I think that could be the difference in giving them the upper hand over a race case. Yeah, that was sort of the point that I was going to make is that I think signs is better at that than the cler is. So in a weird way, in just the context of the teammate was, what signs needs is basically Freddie Vass to not come in and fix everything.
Starting point is 00:20:37 Because if everything is operating as it should from a strategic point of view, then the drivers should, in a competent team, not have to do that much in terms of deciding their own strategy, in which case that should benefit LeClaire, who I think has actually suffered a fair deal from not having the same, I don't know, the same ability. to fight back at Ferrari in the way that Science has, remember Silverstone,
Starting point is 00:21:02 if Sines doesn't stand up for himself in the Silverstone, he doesn't claim that victory. You know, he stop inventing. That's where that famous, that radio quote came from. So, yeah, like I said, I can see Sines taking a win here, but unfortunately, I think LeClaire's got the edge. The Discord agree on this as well,
Starting point is 00:21:22 they've got LeClaire fairly comfortably, still quite a few going for Carlos Sines, but a fair majority going for LeCla. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be back with Mercedes and Alpine, the next two teams. We're after this. Have a baby bell. Good shout.
Starting point is 00:21:41 Love a baby bell. I don't like them. Oh, underrated, mate. I'm like to have some tolerant. Overrated, unerited. Sam can't eat them, he'll need the loo. Overrated, underrated. Toilets, overrating or underrated.
Starting point is 00:22:02 Underrated, who is there for you? They really are. Get you and your crew to the big shows with GoTransit. Go connects to all the main concert venues like TD Coliseum in Hamilton and Scotia Bank Arena in Toronto. And Go makes it affordable with special e-ticket fares. A one-day weekend pass offers unlimited travel across the network on any weekend day or holiday for just $10. And a weekday group pass offers the same weekday travel flexibility from $30 for two people. and up to $60 for five.
Starting point is 00:22:38 Buy yours at go-transit.com slash tickets. Okay, we've got the next two teams up for teammate wars, which will be Mercedes and Alpine. But before we get there, just a quick shout that Patreon, we're getting very close to 100 subscribers on Patreon, and it would mean the world to us if we can get over that line before the season starts. And not to give away too many details just yet,
Starting point is 00:23:07 but they are around the corner. There will be some changes for the better that we'll be coming to Patreon, very soon indeed, relating to the perks and the benefits that you get. So there are a couple of different tiers. Some of those tears might well be changing. I'll leave it at that for now, but changes are happening for the better. And if we can get to 100 subscribers, you'd keep Harry happy.
Starting point is 00:23:31 And that's all we're here for, really. There will be no tears. So I just realized that I did a visual joke then. I meant the tears that come out. Do you know what, no mind. Let's move on. visual jokes on this podcast that Harry goes. Engless.
Starting point is 00:23:47 Mercedes, we need to make the decision between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Now I could just play the clips from last year as I listened back to them earlier. So funny. So funny. You just, you take the, you know what out of me
Starting point is 00:24:04 and it's really, really happy. No one's laughing. Shut up, Ben. George Russell or Lewis Hamilton. Of course, George Russell took a pretty narrow victory last year after making me nervous for the second half of the year. But is he going to win? Is he going to win for a second year in a row?
Starting point is 00:24:23 What do you think so? For me, as much as I commend you and I applaud you for your boldness, if we had the boldomered to steal, you would be on the full Bruce Willis for that one. And there was a little part of me that thinks that realistically the trend should continue, right? George Russell is blossoming into a glorious young man who is rather good at the F1, especially in a Mercedes car. But it is Lewis Hamilton. And after seeing that that Mercedes has gone back to black, back in black, as ACDC might say, you know, Lewis Hamilton, for some reason, seems to thrive when he's, when he's mad and
Starting point is 00:25:01 you won't like him when he's angry. And I think that, you know, I think Lewis is going to come at them. I think now they understand the car more and the performances that we saw from the two drivers at the end of the season, you know, from the summer breakthrough to the end of the year. I think if Lewis carried that on into this year, George Russell is going to have to take the back seat.
Starting point is 00:25:20 So I'm going to double down, double on nothing, and I'm going to say that the seven-time world champion over 100 victories to their name Lewis Hamilton is going to be the winner this time around. Harry, Hamilton or Russell?
Starting point is 00:25:37 It's my time to be nervous. boy. I'm going George Russell. Wow, it's expensive. It's spicy. I know I mocked Ben last year,
Starting point is 00:25:55 and a lot of me really didn't want him to be right. And I think it'll be super tight again between those two. He just made me believe that he can do it. He had some dodgy races. If he cuts that out, it would be even easier for it. him. Don't run into people, George. Another top tip from Harry on F1.
Starting point is 00:26:16 I got one in the book. That books will be massive. Yeah, I just, I just, the boys got talent. And like I said, I don't doubt that Lewis Hamilton will also be on his game for 2020. And, you know, I expect less experimental setup issues that he had last year when the car wasn't working. They've fixed what was wrong with the car last year. So hopefully it rolls into this year as a competitive car right from the off. But yeah, I'm just going to, I believe in, in Crikey Man.
Starting point is 00:26:53 I'm going to a lot of a key. Crickey man. Like a weird supervillain. Crikey, man. So we have our first disagreement in teammate wars of 2023. So I went for George Russell last year to a lot of mockery, but he just about came through, despite really dominating the first half of the season,
Starting point is 00:27:17 Lewis Hamilton came on strong, the second half of the year. I think it was about 40 points that separated the two drivers in the end. And I was really, to use a Harry Ead quote, on the fence about this. That's a lifestyle. Well, yeah, not a quote. It's more of a lifestyle.
Starting point is 00:27:33 It's a way to live, my friend. I was really torn on this. because firstly, George Russell, I was tempted to, you know, ride to lie sort of, I stuck by him last year when no one else did and he proved me right. Should I really go away from him based on that? And also, you know, he should be getting even better in that Mercedes. It's only his second year at the team, bear in mind. He's coming into his prime. Lewis Hamilton is theoretically at some point going to leave his. But also Lewis Hamilton was very good. good in the second half of last year. And if the car is in a good spot, then theoretically, those experimental setups aren't necessary anymore. And really, you think the midpoint of last year, Hamilton are five straight podiums. As soon as that car started to get better, he also got better. And I was on the fence about this. Fortunately, I had a brainwave. Oh, the buildup is so intense. I know which way I should go on this.
Starting point is 00:28:35 There was one key factor that has swayed me one way or the other. Harry's gone for Russell. So we're going for Lewis Hamilton. Oh, God. This is Harry's here. Harry's going to do it. So if Russell wins, the path is there for you, Harry, because the Discord has also gone for Hamilton.
Starting point is 00:28:58 So if Russell wins, you're on your own and you can laugh at everyone. unlikely so sorry George sorry mate do you have to say about that crikey cry right next one is the absolute
Starting point is 00:29:14 closest one we've had in terms of the polls in Discord this one's really close Ocon and Gassley at Alpine Sam who you got The same person Yes that's why I've only got one thing to say about the Alping battle and that is
Starting point is 00:29:33 put your bloody Soski's on the bar It's all about big Pete Gazelle coming on for LPN. Sorry, Esteban. I mean, Eskjok, the world's longest contract. The world's longest man. He isn't. He drives around a Formula One car, and you can see you have three quarters of his body above the car.
Starting point is 00:29:55 He's that long. Honestly, I rate Esteban, and I really do think he's one of the utmost underrate drives on the grid, actually. And he's so consistent. He beat Fernando Longston, or pure. skill alone. There was nothing else involved in it last year, of course. And I just think that's as good as it's going to get, Fresco, man. Whereas I think, Big P, P, Gazzle, the Gazman.
Starting point is 00:30:18 I just think we saw the glimmers of what he did at Alpha Tauri in a environment that nurtured him, that cared for him, that gave him the tools that he needed to succeed. And I think, you know, he's a young, stylish French gentleman, and he's coming into a young, stylish French team. And I just think that realistically Man's getting a style points. Yeah. I just think that they're going to make a sweet, sweet, sweet cannon bear together and it's all going to be
Starting point is 00:30:45 cheesy, baby. I just think it's going to work. Pete Gazell is coming out on top. All right. Pierre Gazley gets one vote from Sam. Harry, who are you giving your vote to? And go the other way. Go and ask
Starting point is 00:31:00 that men are gone. Yes. I've decided correctly. but on that basis your first three are wrong or your first two are wrong yeah because Estab and Ocon would will murder him before he'll let Peter Gasly beat him
Starting point is 00:31:19 that's how he does it we've seen it before have we Perez has still got PTSD actual murder yeah Amato's still mad about it yeah no I think these two are going to be
Starting point is 00:31:34 actually really close and I don't doubt that Gazley will have a better year than last year, but I think O'Con gets undersold sometimes. Look, he's not, he's not like, you know, he's not a George Russell or Charlotte Clare level of talent, but I do think he gets slightly undersold. He is a bit of a street fighter, isn't he? Do you not think?
Starting point is 00:32:01 I haven't seen him in Tekken. Well, he's a really good character. You know, I just think he's undersolved slightly. So I'm going to go on, but I do not doubt. I was quite torn by this one. Leslie Bruget strikes again. I don't doubt that these two are going to be very close. They're just going to end, do you know what?
Starting point is 00:32:23 I just think they were going to end up on the same pieces of tarmac a lot this year. I just get that feeling that they're just going to be like near each other all the time. They're really annoyed with each other. Boat Hammond Bear Lovin's here. Bonus prediction. neither of them survive the year. Yeah. They're both replaced by Silverstone.
Starting point is 00:32:44 I'm very nervous. I'm with Harry on this one. I've got Esteban Okon, too. Oh no. Oh no. Yeah, I think this is the most intriguing battle for me. You've got Ocon who's, is he year four at the team now? How's that happened?
Starting point is 00:33:00 He's still got four left or 44 left, of course. He's the one-longest man. And he's up against a motivated Pete Gail. who's outside of the Red Bull program for the first time in his F1 career. So it's really intriguing how this one will go. But to Harry's points, I think Esteban-Ockon is undersold. And I think he is really scrappily consistent. He's just, he's a survivor.
Starting point is 00:33:25 He is, and I mean that as a compliment. He's the modern-day Nico Holkenberg, which feels weird given Holkenberg still there. But he is somehow. And I mean that, do I mean that as a compliment or an insult? well, yes, I'll leave it at that. It's somewhere in the middle because he is exactly what a midfield team requires. He did beat Fernando Alonzo by 11 points last year and to one of Sam's favorite stats of all time, he beat Fernando Alonzo over the course of two years, which is pretty impressive. I know he hates that so much. I'm saving.
Starting point is 00:34:00 He scored in 16 of the 22 Grand Prix last year and he finished 11th in two of the six. that he didn't score points in. So again, speaking to his consistency. And it's very rare that I go all the way back to GP3 with my stats when it comes to the teammate awards. But I will make an exception here. He won the GP3 title. He won the first race of that season.
Starting point is 00:34:21 I think it was 18 race season. He won the first race and he didn't win a race again for the rest of that year. Yet he still won the title. How did he do it? He managed to get second place nine times in a row. If that's not consistency, I don't know what. what is. Scott man.
Starting point is 00:34:38 I'm going with Ockon. But the Discord is on your side, Sam. Come on. At the time of recording,
Starting point is 00:34:46 only two votes in it. This has been really close in the Discord poll, but they have just about
Starting point is 00:34:52 gone for Gazley as well. It's me and Am Age is the other votes. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:34:59 Putting that one over the edge. Let's go on to McLaren. Let's go to our fifth team to out the first half.
Starting point is 00:35:07 Lando Norris versus Oscar Piastri. So Lando Norris getting a new teammate at McLaren, his third teammate at McLaren. Oscar Piastri, after winning F3 and F2 a couple of years ago, is now making his Formula One debut. And there was no controversy whatsoever about him making this debut. He wasn't sought after by another team at all.
Starting point is 00:35:26 There was no drama. What do you reckon, Sam? Does Piastri pull off the shock? Cheers, Oscar. I'm still crying. As much as I, you know, Oscar Piastri is dubbed to be one of those generational talents. You look at Oscar Piastri and how he's been big-dubts and spoken about, and the results he's proven his junior career,
Starting point is 00:35:49 you would put him in the same line as Charles Leiclair, Landon Norris, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton. He is, in theory, on that trajectory. But does that mean that coming in his first season, he's going to be able to absolutely trounce someone as good as Landon Norris? well, the last time, and actually being a little bit complimentary to Lando, because I was going to say the last example that we saw of maybe a debut driver coming in to beat a senior, very well-established and successful teammate,
Starting point is 00:36:17 was going to be Lewis Hamilton up against Fulando alongside. We know how that went over their first two seasons together. Is it going to be a repeat of that? I can't quite see it happening. I think that Oscar's going to give Lando a good run for his money. I think he's going to settle into that team really nicely. I think his personality is going to gel really well with that McClap. quarantine. And if Lando leaves McClellan in the next couple of years, I do think that they're
Starting point is 00:36:39 going to be settled on a driver that they can look to in the future. But I do think that Landon Morris is going to take this. He's just getting stronger every single year. He really is the absolute best of the rest. So for me, it's Big Norris. Big Norris. Big Norris. I prefer Big Zons. I think that works better. Harry, just to be clear, you can't pick Daniel Ricardo on this one. I know you want to. Oh, every year. Every year, but not this year. Norris or Piastri.
Starting point is 00:37:13 If this was next year, I think I'd find this much more tricky, but I'm going to go with Norris too. As much as a generational talent that Piastri is, you know, looking like it could be still year one for him. And I just think, you know, it's going up against a very talented driver in Landau Norris. So I'll go with Norris for now. I don't think he, I've said this before about Piastri,
Starting point is 00:37:42 I don't think if he's beaten by Landon Norris, I don't think it's a bad year for Oscar Piastri. So I think Norris will take it, but that doesn't mean that Piastri could be disgraced if he doesn't beat his teammate there. But I'm very interested to see how this lineup plays out. If Piastri does start beating him well that will be a shock
Starting point is 00:38:06 I'll be shook shooketh so yeah but I'm going to go for Norris now which probably means I'm you know it's not going to happen Piachi's going to smash him I am intrigued by how this will go because Landon Norris
Starting point is 00:38:22 no offence to Daniel Ricardo hasn't really been challenged the last couple of years and in fact Landon Norris made a comment about it when speaking about the new partnership with Piastri to essentially say, yeah, I'm going to have someone, hopefully, who will push me a bit more. I think he was trying to be respectful about it, but also, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. But what if not being used to being challenged? Suddenly a few races in Piastri is right there.
Starting point is 00:38:48 And you're right about his pedigree in terms of the junior formulae. He's performed very well. He won three straight championships in three years on his road to Formula One. Obviously, of that year out in between. But Lando Norris, having that extra experience, I don't think outside of Max Verstapp and anyone was better than Lano Norris last year, and I can't go against him. So it will be a clean sweep for Norris to take this win.
Starting point is 00:39:15 But, you know, I think Piastri's got the potential to give him a few headaches throughout the year. I just don't think it'll be quite frequent enough to take the win. How's it go, I give him those headaches? Just loud music in his trailer next door, or keeping him up all night playing video games. How can you see him in the head? Just smacking him.
Starting point is 00:39:33 Just smack him in the back of the helmet. That's wrong. Oh, don't do that. Oh, no. Come on. Don't touch his helmet. At the halfway, I was just to say, Lano Norris took the win on that.
Starting point is 00:39:50 To swiftly move that on. They're very comfortable in the Discord poll for Lano Norris. So that rounds out the first half. We'll take a quick break in a second, just to say, we haven't got the same predictions. That is confirmed now. Because of Sam plucking for Gassley and Harry plucking for Russell and me doing neither, we all have different predictions.
Starting point is 00:40:13 Good stuff. We're always worried that we'll end up with the same ones every year. We've somehow managed to avoid it. So we back with Alfa Romeo right after the break. Did you have your baby belt? Is that for me or the audience? I'm talking to you. I can see you.
Starting point is 00:40:32 I'm asking them. I actually can't see you. It's been stuck on the same frame of you, Sam, for like the last 15 minutes. Yeah. I also haven't seen Harry for about 10 minutes either, so that's good. You've got your tongue out.
Starting point is 00:40:45 It's great. What you don't know is I actually am perfectly still with my tongue out while talking. I'm not frozen in the slightest. If you can see me out and have to try to like do the same face that you've got on. Oh, that's a really attractive face. Wow.
Starting point is 00:41:03 It's great. Oh, Harry's back. Harry's come back. There is. Hello. It's me. The Harry. It's a me.
Starting point is 00:41:11 Howdy, oh. Oh, man. Ontario. The weight is over. The gold standard of online casinos has arrived. Golden Nugget online casino is live. Bringing Vegas-style excitement and a world-class gaming experience right to your fingertips. Whether you're a season play,
Starting point is 00:41:35 or just starting. Signing up is fast and simple. And in just a few clicks, you can have access to our exclusive library of the best slots and top tier table games. Make the most of your downtime with unbeatable promotions and jackpots that can turn any mundane moment into a golden opportunity at Golden Nugget Online Casino. Take a spin on the slots, challenge yourself at the tables, or join a live dealer game to feel the thrill of real-time action, all from the comfort of your own devices. Why settle for less when you can go for the gold? at Golden Nugget Online Casino. Gambling problem call Connects Ontario, 1866-531-2-600-0-19 and over.
Starting point is 00:42:14 Physically present in Ontario. Eligibility restrictions apply. See Golden Nuggett Casino.com for details. Please play responsibly. It's the Nissan Black Friday event where you can... Wait, wait. Isn't it like a month long now? Nissan Blackfri-Mond.
Starting point is 00:42:29 Does that work? It's the Nissan Blackfri-Munk event. On remaining 2025 Rogan Centra, Get 0% financing. Plus, get $1,000 Nissan bonus on kicks models. This Black Friday, you've got a whole month to catch all the exclusive offers waiting for you. See your local Nissan dealer or nissan.ca for details. Conditions apply.
Starting point is 00:42:50 So Alfa Romeo, this was very one-sided last year between Valtri Botas and Joe Guan Yu, with Valtry Bottas taking a 49 points to six victory. Sam, do you see that changing if you got old Bossies? The boat? Or have you got Joe Guan Yu? Oh, that's why he's the boat. No, sorry. I think Valtry still has it in him. He's so zen now. He's so calm. You know, I think his whole life has just entered a form of feng shui
Starting point is 00:43:26 that none of us can comprehend. He's just got absolutely everything going for him. He just cycles around Australia. He releases his own jing and his own coffee. He sits in the sauna. And he just relaxes. And I love that. He does it all with a mullet.
Starting point is 00:43:40 And he looks so good doing it. So, sorry, Joe. I think you are brilliant. I actually think you really outdid yourself last season, and I was really surprised at how well you performed, but I just don't think it's enough to overcome the boat himself, Vouchy Bottas. More bodies, please.
Starting point is 00:44:00 More bodies, please. Are you going with that philosophy as well, Harry? I'm just intrigued by how Sam said the word Sona. That's how they say it in Finland. So you say Salba. Salba. I am going for Botteis as well. Look, I think we agree that the show going on you didn't disgrace myself last year in the slightest.
Starting point is 00:44:25 But, you know, Bata still beat him and he forgot to turn up after Miami from Miami on one. So given that, I'd say if Botte turns up for an entire year this time, then he's probably going to beat him still. You know, it's not a, for Joe Guan Yu, it's not necessarily a bad thing to be beaten by Valtteri Bottas. It's not a disgrace. So I'm not saying he wants to be beaten by him. But, but, you know, Bottas is a, is a race winner, multiple race winner, proven talent. So it's not necessarily a bad thing. But yeah, I think Bottas takes this one quite easily again this year.
Starting point is 00:45:10 and that's three in the Bottas column. There is three. There is three. Oh, baby a triple. 49 points to six last year. I don't think it was fair on Joe Guan Yu because particularly in the mid-season, Joe Guan Yu was on the pace of Valtry Bottas.
Starting point is 00:45:31 The problem was the alpha-o-maeer was pretty good at the beginning of the year when Valdry Bottas was pretty good. And then when the Alphra-Maya wasn't very good, that's kind of when Joe Guan Yu became good. So I think he got that the wrong way around. So I think that he's got a good chance of being far closer in 2023. And, you know, I thought it was going to be a drubbing. And whilst the points might say that it was,
Starting point is 00:45:54 I don't think in reality how it played out, it was anywhere close to that. So he had a respectable first year. He should improve on that for the second year. But overall, I think Bottas is the better talent. So I've got Bottas for taking the win. And that is shared with the Discord as well. a fairly comfortable win there for him.
Starting point is 00:46:13 Aston Morton, new line-up. Lance Stroll's still there, but he's been joined by Fernando Alonzo. So he's making his way down the World Championship ladder. He's gone from a four-time champ to a two-time champ as his team, mate. Is that going to be the key to success, Sam? Is it going to be Lance Stroll's year? Well, considering it'll go off against one-time champ,
Starting point is 00:46:36 jenks and busing next time, I'm sure, then, you know, if he can start beating any of them, that'd be great. You know, Lance Gordle is quite a low-key veteran of the sport now. You know, he's not new anymore. He's not even close to being new. This is what, he's sixth season in Formula One? Might be seven. Might be seven.
Starting point is 00:47:00 You know. 2018, three start. Maybe 2016. 17, I thought. 2017, no, 2017. Oh, yeah, yeah. So this is what, seven? or whatever how maths works.
Starting point is 00:47:10 Anyway, my point is he's being here a little while now and he's been beaten by quite a few people along, you know, on the bounce, apart from Sorokkin. And Fernando Alonkso is the goat. He's the gold. You know, you don't really get a lot better than Fernando Alonkso, especially at the ripe old age of, what, 41? He looks as handsome as ever.
Starting point is 00:47:35 And he's still so very good at the effort. He's looking younger than I am. Hate it. And I am 14 years younger than he is. So that upsets me greatly. That's not true, is it? Is it not? It's like about maths.
Starting point is 00:47:50 No, I was making a funny joke about you being a huge. Oh, but me being a million years old. Yeah, I forgot that joke was still going. Anyway, Fernando, regardless of being, you know, the new kid on the block around the Ascom Martin team, he's so witty, so savvy, he just has the ability to understand so many situations going around him. And I think, we obviously won't. see it. But I think the ability that Fernando has to turn a team on its head and make it about him and bring the right people around him is very much a key to his success. And despite
Starting point is 00:48:18 Lank's being, you know, the son of essentially the owner of the team, I don't think that that's going to help him in this scenario. So I'm going to go for Fernando Alonso to take the dub. Have you got Alonzo as well, Harry? I do. Before I start, I just need to address the fact that Sam did call Fernando Alonzo Lord Farquod last week in the last podcast. I wasn't here to defend it. I stand by it.
Starting point is 00:48:43 Despicable behaviour. Anyway, I too, I'm also going for Fernando Alonso because he's quite good at F1. Similar argument to the Vestap and Perez one, I think, here. Yeah, he's,
Starting point is 00:48:56 he's still, you know, that some raw speed might have slipped away slightly, but he's, he's still got it, does Fernando Alonzo. Even if the quality speed isn't there,
Starting point is 00:49:07 I think his race, will shine through this year. So I'm going to go for Alonzo. I think it's a fairly simple choice. To the point about his low-key experience that Sam put it, to my knowledge, there's only five drivers alongside himself that have done every season since 2017. So you've got Hamilton, Bottas, Vastappen Perez,
Starting point is 00:49:36 and signs. As far as I'm aware, there's no one else that's done, I guess Ghazley sort of, but he joined towards the end of 2017. So if you're doing full years. Ockon? Oh no, Ockon's dear. Well, yeah.
Starting point is 00:49:51 Guys like Ockon and Holcomberg and Magnuson have had breaks. So I think there's only six drivers that have done every season since then. So I think it's a good point that he is more experienced than perhaps you think he is. Unfortunately, he's not as good as Fernando
Starting point is 00:50:06 Alonzo, and that might let him down in this one. Yeah, we saw it with the Vettel situation where Vettel was better against Stroll in year two than he was in year one. And I wouldn't be surprised if we get the same thing again with Fernando Alonzo, where it's maybe closer than we think it's going to be this year. And then if Alonzo stays for another year, he builds a bit of a gap, possibly. But either way, I think Alonzo is going to have this. I can't say too much more
Starting point is 00:50:40 without being mean to stroll, so I'm not going to. That's not like you at all, Ben. I can't... I can't really think of anything to say outside of Alonzo's better than stroll. He just is. It's factually true, though, isn't it?
Starting point is 00:50:56 Yeah, but, you know, a two-time war champion is better than you, like... Yeah. It might be obvious one, but anyway. But I don't know, me. Maybe Fernando Alonzo has something to be worried about. After all, Strull does have the potential to be a world champion. Yeah, you know, from the man himself, I would be worried.
Starting point is 00:51:18 If Alonzo is saying something, it must be true. We'll get the Discord say on that one. That was a very comprehensive one for Fernando Alonzo. I'm trying to work out if it was actually the most comprehensive of the lot. And I think the answer is, yes, it was. three people going for lunch, you're brave. Very brave indeed.
Starting point is 00:51:47 So we've just got three more teams left. We're going to go to Hasnex, which is Kevin Magnuson versus Nico Holcomburg. Now, a few years ago, would anyone have had this as a prediction that these two would be teammates? They weren't best of friends a couple of years ago, but Kevin Magnuson back for another year with Hass,
Starting point is 00:52:06 joined by Nika Holkenberg, who will be taking over from his compatriot Mick Schumacher's seat. What do you think, Sam? Do you think that Magnuson's going to win here or the returning Hulk? I mean, yeah, the last time that we saw these two, you know, even remotely come together in any form of Formula One news or drama,
Starting point is 00:52:25 one individual was being told to place a certain other body part in somebody else's mouth. So, you know, it wasn't really the best moment. No, it was not elbow, nor was it knee. So, you know, my point here is that I think they struggled with a relationship, but according to both sides, they have squashed some beef, and they are okay. They get along with each other. And you know what?
Starting point is 00:52:51 We had this conversation about Ocon and Gassley, about this being the closest one. I actually think that, weirdly, in my mind, this one is even closer, Holkerberg and Magnuson. And I think that if the Haas continues the trend that we've seen it go on, which is starts a year quite strong, they don't bring any upgrades at all, they fall to kind of the bottom three teams, and then they do a little upgrade after summer and that's it. I think Magnuson gets this one because I think he's obviously going to hit the track running a lot more comfortable than Hulk is. He's obviously had some time away from an actual everyday race, consistency, you know,
Starting point is 00:53:28 being a driver in a team. But if the Haas is a continual threat to points every single race of the season, which I don't think it will be, then I think in theory Holgerberg might have a strong chance because consistency has always been what Hulk has done well, whereas Magnuson, not so much. But I'm going to skip my neck on the line, I'm going to say that Haast will continue their trend,
Starting point is 00:53:48 and I'm going to go that Magnuson is going to beat Holgerberg on their first year together as a team. What do you think, Magnuson or Holkenberg, Harry? Another tricky one this one, because in the same vein as Othona-Gasley, these two are kind of the same in my view. But I'm going to go Holkenberg, which I feel as a rogue choice here. But last year, and this may be applicable to Manxen's career, a lot of highs, when it's not a lot, a few highs,
Starting point is 00:54:22 and then quite a few lows in terms of performance. A few peaks along the way, a few Charles peaks along there. I love that. Bahrain being one of them. But then after that, it, you know, it dropped off and then they scored a few more points and it drops off again. And I feel like maybe Mr. scrappy consistency, as you called O'Con earlier,
Starting point is 00:54:48 Nico Holkenberg, that may just work in his favour. I don't know. Again, I was quite undecided here, but I'm going to go Holkenberg. I think you might have. He might not have as headline a grabbing season as Magnuson will, but I think it's going to work out better for him in terms of the point.
Starting point is 00:55:11 So Hokenberg. This is an interesting one in terms of Discord, because Discord have very, very convincingly gone for Kevin Magnuson here. To put it in some context, in terms of the poll, it's closer, the Lecleran-Signs one is closer than this one is. It's a really dominant win for Magnuson in the Discord. I am completely the same, like, way of thinking as Sam on this, which scares me, but I think exactly the same as him.
Starting point is 00:55:50 Yes. In the, it's going to be dependent on where hats is. I think the better has, the more of a chance Holcombirk has, because they are, I think, radically different in their approach in that, yeah, I think Magnuson probably will have more highs and will have more lows and Holkenberg will be somewhere in the middle. But if that car is only the ninth best car on the grid or the eighth best car on the grid, that consistency is going to get him 13th place every weekend. Whereas Magnuson's lows might get him a few DNFs and 19th places, but ultimately that's still zero points. whereas the highs might be a seventh place finish, which could be the difference.
Starting point is 00:56:29 So I think it's probably dependent on how good Hasse is this year. And have I seen anything from Hasse that makes me completely trust them? No, so I'm going to go for Magnuson here. I could see this going either way. I think from an overall team harmony perspective, I know there are some concerns that these two won't get on, but quite frankly, what, Holkenberg is in his mid-30s, Magnuson's just turned 30.
Starting point is 00:56:56 These guys are older and more mature now. I don't think it's going to be an issue. I think they're going to have worked everything out. And I'm still, yeah, maybe I'm wrong. I think they'll be fine in terms of a unit this year. But if I had to pick one to win, I'm going to go with Magnuson. Can't wait to clip that bit at the end of the year when they've run each other off the road 15 times. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:57:17 Yeah. Yeah, I don't know why I'm saying. I'm putting my face in Kevin Magnerson and Nico Holgerberg. that should tell you everything I need to know. In terms of Nika Holkenberg, Sam, are you at all worried that he's not going to be able to get back up to speed? I know he did a few COVID replacements. He did a couple of replacement races for Vettel at the beginning of last season,
Starting point is 00:57:39 but nothing consistently in the car for a few years. Is there any concerns for you there? I like Eka Hulkenberg a lot, and I've been a big fan of his throughout his career, and I've always quite publicly supporting him and being an advocate of his ability and what he could do for a team. But I was really quite surprised
Starting point is 00:57:56 when it ended up being Hulk that got the harsh seat. He's not a race winner. He's not a podium sitter. He's never really been prolific in scoring at the very, very top, whereas teammates have been able to do that throughout their career together in the same car.
Starting point is 00:58:12 And whilst on his day, he could be very, very strong. And we've already all mentioned his consistency. There are other options that I thought might bring him more sponsorship, might bring him more longevity, team might allow them to build a team around that person. Hulk isn't known for bringing massive amount of money with him either. So I am a little worried that, you know, the lack of
Starting point is 00:58:32 finances behind him, combined with his time out of the sport, meaning that if it goes badly, it could really go badly and this could end Hulk's crew on a really, really, really sound note, which I don't want. I really don't want this to be the note for him. But I am worried for him because I think if Hars don't have the right car that suit him, he could be left in the dusk a little bit, which would be a real shame. So I'm hoping we see the positive side of Holgerberg throughout his career. But yeah, there is definitely a part of me that is a little bit scared that it goes very badly wrong for Miko. Okay, we've got two more to do after this short break. We've got Alphartari and Williams right on the corner.
Starting point is 00:59:10 Babba, bab, baby, bell. Every break, man. Here's a quick message from our friends at Norv, Norepn. Isn't it frustrating when you find a new TV show that you really want to see, only to then find out that it can't be watching your country. Why, yes, Sam. That's very frustrating indeed. Well, fortunately, you don't have to suffer any longer. With nor VPN, I'm able to change my virtual location. With one simple click of a button, I have access to streaming services from over 60 countries worldwide. That's not all, though. With money tight at the moment, we could all use new ways to save. Perhaps it's cheaper to sign up for subscription services via another country.
Starting point is 00:59:58 Or maybe you find that booking flights via another country works out better for you. When you think about it, NordVPN can actually pay for itself. All of that for the price of a coffee each month. It's a small price to pay for premium cyber security and increased access to entertaining content worldwide. You can grab your exclusive NordVPN deal by going to NordVPN.com forward slash LB. F1. By doing so, you'll get a huge discount off your NordVPN plan, including four months free. It's completely risk-free thanks to Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee. And as a bonus incentive, subscribers will get an additional gift as it's Nord's 11th birthday. That's NordvPN.com forward slash
Starting point is 01:00:44 LBF1 to take advantage now. Happy birthday, Nord. Happy birthday, Nod. Happy birthday, Nog VPN. Happy birthday, VPN. Happy birthday. Oh, God. Okay, ninth place team from last year was Alpha Tauri, and it's a new line up here, because whilst Yuki Sonoda is still with the team, he's now partnered by Nick DeVries. Interesting one. DeFries or Sonoda? Who have you got, Sam? Yeah, this was actually the last one that I made a decision on when I was sat there going
Starting point is 01:01:20 through them all in my head. And I, much as if we've done them in championship order, I do that in championship order, I do that in championship in my own little way. I had to skip over Alpha Tauri because I think it all depends on the Yuki-Singoda that we get. If we get Yuki-Sinoda, you know, coming of age, so to speak, you know, he finally steps into all that ability that we believe he has. Then in theory, Sengoda should wipe the floor with Nicta Brees. You know, the man is a month older than I am and it's only just getting his first permanent F-1 driving. In theory, you know, he should be getting the job done. And yet there is a part of me that goes, Nick DeVries came in.
Starting point is 01:01:58 I know the car was the perfect snow on that perfect track and it all worked out for him. But he did manage to get points in a Williams on his first go. He is an F2 champion, an F2 champion. He's just a level head. And Yuki isn't. And because of that, I'm actually going to say that Nick DeVries is going to win this battle. You know, when you were saying about Nick DeVries's age about his debut, I thought you were going to say that it might still happen for yourself just based
Starting point is 01:02:24 on, I don't want to say it myself. I thought I let something else say it. All right, I'll say it. I think you deserve the chance. It's an absolute robbery that you haven't been given the chance yet. It feels good to hear it. Thank you.
Starting point is 01:02:35 I'm hoping that maybe Franz Tosk is listening. I've never called you French Toast. That was the other guys. No, no, never done that. Harry, have you got DeVries as well or have you got Sonoda? He is a Hall of Famer, Yuki Sonoda, after all. True. This is very true.
Starting point is 01:02:49 And it didn't sway my decision. But I have gone for Yuki Sanoda. what we've got to base it on here is Yuki Sanoda, who's done two years in F1 but only turned up for four races. So true. Nick DeVries, who's done one race in F1. And turn up for one.
Starting point is 01:03:09 The odds are not great. I turned up for one. 100% records. So, I mean, the odds aren't great for either of them, but based on that, I've had to go for Yuki Sonoda here. I think, I mean, I think I said it's already, Snowda needs a good year, a consistent year,
Starting point is 01:03:29 needs a consistent year. Otherwise, I think his future looks under threat. But we don't know enough about Nick DeFries, I don't think, to back him. Yes, he had a great race in Monza, and that's, you know, that was impressive, but also the Williams doesn't like corners, perfect track to go Monza.
Starting point is 01:03:49 So that helped. but yeah, there's just not enough evidence, I don't think, to, well, for me at least, to back Nick DeFries. So I'm going to go Yuki Sanoda here. I mean, if, let's say there are 42 consecutive days at work or something like 42 days, and I only showed up for work four times. I probably wouldn't put together much in the way of good work that my boss would be happy with. As such, if we're saying you, Sondoda has basically done that over the last two years. I'm finding it difficult to go for him.
Starting point is 01:04:27 I'm not really on the Nick DeVries pipe train, and I won't go into all the details as to why, as I've done that a couple of times over the last few months. It's not really a crane being. It's more like a small rowboat that someone's pushed away from shore, you know, hasn't got a lot of momentum. No. You know those things you see in movies where it's two people on the seesaw-type train thing,
Starting point is 01:04:48 and they're like pushing it home. Oh, yeah. 1894 and we're trying to get to the next town, yes. That is basically me. But also I am going to be on there because Yuki Sonoda's broken down at the side of the road and it's still going quicker than he is. Just me at Ben. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:05:06 Oh, whoa. Yeah. Yuki Sonoda, just based on the two years that we've seen him in F1, I don't think outside of maybe Joe. there's a worse driver on the grid that we know about. We don't know what Sargent's going to be like. We don't know what Nick DeVries is going to be like, but at least in terms of established drivers that aren't new,
Starting point is 01:05:32 can you comfortably say he's better than any of them? Is he the biggest flop we've seen in like the last five years of Formula One? I mean, if certainly if Mazapin and Latifi weren't there, sure. But outside of those two, I don't know, maybe. Yeah, I'm going for DeVries here. I think he's like five years older than Sonoda. That should help him get adjusted to the car. I've said this before.
Starting point is 01:06:00 Nick DeVries is the most qualified driver to drive an F1 car that has only driven an F1 car once because I think he probably drove more cars last year than some drivers will do for their entire career. That might be an interesting one, actually. If you think, like, Lewis Hamilton has been at two teams. Nick DeVries has done like four times that in one year. He's experienced beyond belief.
Starting point is 01:06:27 I'll go with DeVries. The man gets around. Yeah. What's the Discord said? DeVries. Fairly close. Quite a few votes for Sonoda as well, but they've gone for DeVries. There's Harry.
Starting point is 01:06:39 I think I'm alone now. Just do you wait. Sonod doesn't turn up to six races this year, I believe in him. I hope he does. I honestly hope he does. So Sonoda, Holkenberg and Russell. Those three have a good year. Myself and Sam are in a lot of trouble.
Starting point is 01:06:55 Honestly, Ben, if you don't win, I'm happy. So Team Harry, I'm all for it. Yeah, the thing, ours are pretty close, Sam. So, yeah. As I always are. You and me tend to be decided by one different prediction. It's going to be Ockon versus Gassley. That's going to be the decided, at least between the two of us.
Starting point is 01:07:15 Last one, Williams. Alex Albon or Logan Corporal, sorry, Logan Sargent, who will be making his debut year in Williams. Sam, you got Sergeant or have you got Albon? Albon is like the dark horse of Formula One. The man just, I don't know how he's so good now, you know? Like, do you remember him in Red Bull? Where we were proper like, oh, this guy sucks.
Starting point is 01:07:45 Like, you see that Wilkinson's big? I'm popping in there. I wouldn't have said that about the bin. Do we think that having that's just happened as your teammate makes you look worse as an F1 driving? I mean, we've grown up, we've aged, right? Because the complete opposite is true for Daniel Ricardo. Oh, that's so true. My point being here, that I am continually shocked, stunned, and I can't think of another word that goes along with those.
Starting point is 01:08:15 anyway, about Albon's place. And I think that Larks, it's not called Lans, it's called Logan. I've got Larson, I've got Larson, on the mind. Logan Private, I think, is going to be out of the armed forces by the time that Album's done with him. I think this is going to be a complete clean sweep.
Starting point is 01:08:33 Album takes this one for me. Albin or Sergeant, Harry. I'll go back to my previous logic from Alpharet on this. I know nothing about Logan's Sergeant apart from that he's American. so is Alex Albon. You know nothing, Harry Ead.
Starting point is 01:08:49 You know nothing, Alex Albon. A great fact-file was quite a lot. Yeah, look, even if Sergeant had an amazing... It's like Piastri and Norris as well. You know, they're rookies in their first year in F1 going up against experienced F1 drivers. If they beat them, that's, you know, amazing. That's a shock.
Starting point is 01:09:11 But, you know, I think it's almost unfair to expect them to beat these experienced drivers. So I go in Albon. He was driving really well last year. Hopefully that Williams can go around corners. That would be nice to see. And we'll see more points, points scores from him. But yeah,
Starting point is 01:09:29 I think he's going to beat Sergeant quite comfortably. I would really love to see a Formula One driver top Trump set created by Harry. And I think he will just get to Sergeant and it will just be a picture of his face with like a big American flag and that'll be it. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:09:48 I'll play vibes. What's what have you got some? It's got Cheng vibes. I've got 20. I've got Valtry Bottas. Oh, damn. I'm king of the vibes. Give me Pete Gazelle.
Starting point is 01:10:00 Come on. Here we go. Live game of top trumps. If that's what you want to see, folks, let's know. No one on those things. We'll make the cards. I'll go Alex Albon as well.
Starting point is 01:10:12 The only concern here is that if Williams are bad, which seems like it could happen, this might be a nil-nil draw or like one result might just completely sway everything. We've seen it a couple of times. I'm looking at you, Robert Kubitser and George Russell from 2019, where Kubitsa won that, thanks to the German Grand Prix. How does that ever happen again?
Starting point is 01:10:34 Like, come on. But if Williams are bad again, it might happen again. So I am going Alex Albin. I did have it in my back pocket that if I needed to differentiate from someone, I might have gone sergeant just to make sure we didn't have any duplicates, but we're fine on that front, so I'll give with Alvin. Wow. I've got a year of teammate wars.
Starting point is 01:10:55 I've got a year of panicking yet to come. So to summarise, I think we've got one, two, three, four, five, six of the ten teams that we've got a matching prediction on, where we separate, Harry's got Sonoda for Alfa Tari, Harry's got Holkenberg for pass for Alpine Sam has got Gasly for Mercedes
Starting point is 01:11:23 Harry's got Russell I think that's where we separate it's just Harry really yeah I think you and the discourse Sam are exactly the same come on I never said anything bad about any of you in the discord it's you and us together me and you together there's a lot of you yeah we've only got time for one more thing
Starting point is 01:11:42 what could it possibly be some LB question of the week Week So out of it Not like any attention That was weak With an air I was just getting ready
Starting point is 01:11:57 For the question of the week And I went on our other Instagram post About about About this very episode And I just was reading The comment from Matthew Bonner Absolutely rinsing me And that's what distracted me guys
Starting point is 01:12:10 I'm not to be real It's your fault Matthew Yeah It just rins I mean it's fair It's got fair points I can't lie. Just about me being unprepared
Starting point is 01:12:19 that I shouldn't be listened to. And I get it. I mean, he's got wrong. So LB question of the week was, this time around, topical, if there was a late-breaking Super Bowl, who would play the halftime show?
Starting point is 01:12:36 Any answers that you liked? I mean, I got a shout to literally everyone that said me just singing the jingles on a loop. There was a lot of that. I'm just going to collect all that into one. Everyone that went down that route.
Starting point is 01:12:50 I see you. I love you. I appreciate you. And if it gets all the support, maybe I drop an album this year. Maybe it's my time. I mean, yourself and Liv Laf Latifie,
Starting point is 01:13:01 both are getting a lot of mentions. Honestly, if he wants to produce my album, he's the perfect companion for me. Someone said Mick Schumacher doing the donuts he was not allowed to do. That was just savage, man. So sad. Oh.
Starting point is 01:13:18 I like that Riley's just shouted, the party posse, if you know, you know. I don't know, I don't know, but... I'm glad you do. You know what? Riley, I'm going to have a great time, mate. And Beefers said that Dave Benson Phillips would actually host Pum the breaks,
Starting point is 01:13:35 which I don't think that's happened. We've tried that before. Didn't work, didn't know. He said, no. We asked if you wanted to give it a go, and he went, I'd like you having fun, but no. I don't think he said... No.
Starting point is 01:13:48 but I think he just said that. I'm trying to make him sound nice. I'm trying to make him sound nice. Shove off your weirdos, is what he said. Stop talking about it, your weird podcast. Okay, here we go.
Starting point is 01:13:58 Ben's top three. These are the ones I loved. In at three, Luke, a Ferrari pit stop reenactment with the Benny Hill music over the top. Nice.
Starting point is 01:14:10 I like that. Number two, Merked in real life, Susan Boyle. I love that. Why? But sure, it's very late break to have Susan Boyle there. Susan Boyle's having a launch party.
Starting point is 01:14:25 But my number one answer this week comes from Joe saying, Skyler, but would 10 minutes be long enough? That's a very niche podcast reference. I really like that. For anyone who's picked up the podcast since like December, when we get round to submissions from our Discord again, you'll be introduced to Skylar. And Skyler's five seconds of,
Starting point is 01:14:48 missions. That's a bit long to be there. Yeah, it's usually about three. Go on. Sorry, I was going to say the card jam once. You say it. All right. Card jam.
Starting point is 01:14:59 I suggested Greg Wallace, which would be sensational. Wow. It would just be that for a forming it's straight. Some people have really creating some brilliant, like, imagery, I think. And, you know, like, Reese here is saying, you know, big shack, put walk on the field carrying Harry's microwave from the microwave emerges a little Nuki-Sungoda and they do a moving
Starting point is 01:15:21 duet of Venga Bus, which, you know, fantastic. And then Tever has said here, the gammon would be alone on a stage with a single spotlight, singing a ballad about how much it loves Sam. You know, don't know why. Don't know why. But I love the imagination and the imagery.
Starting point is 01:15:37 Someone's just said, Matt has just said the three of you playing rock band. I would love to play rock band with you too, honestly. No podcast involved. It would be a great time. And as usual, Nathan Little, on Instagram I said, Gammon. Every post.
Starting point is 01:15:51 I love a commitment. Yeah. Well, thank you very much for the question of the week's submissions. As always, we'll put out another one next week, and I'm sure it'll be as random as ever. But you're all so funny. Thank you so much. Our next episode, depending on when you're listening,
Starting point is 01:16:12 is in a few days' time. We've got Pimp My F1 at the weekend, Sam. Woo! Yeha! Bit by F-1! I'm going to be raging on it. Oh, we're rating liveries. So we're back with a podcast episode very soon.
Starting point is 01:16:26 But if you wouldn't mind, in the meantime, Sam, getting us out of here. Folks, thank you. Let us know your teammate wars predictions. Who's swinging from each team? And why is it Nick DeVries? Of course, we'll share you as well.
Starting point is 01:16:40 He's going to need it. That's all be hashtag Team Harry this season. Like I said, over on Discord, get them in. Or you could get them in over on. our Twitter or Instagram, at all breaking on Twitter, not breaking up on podcast on Instagram,
Starting point is 01:16:50 or if you've actually seen some video photage of our lovely faces, we've also got some videos going up on YouTube. That's right, we're there, or on YouTube, Sharon. Yubby Tubbs. Yubtubs. The Yubtubs.
Starting point is 01:17:03 That's an old-school reference. Yeah, we've started paying up videos. A lot of it is just the segments of the podcast, but we're going to be making more content. And as Ben said, there is new Patreon stuff coming very, very soon. We're going to reveal all, probably in the next week or
Starting point is 01:17:16 So we're just finalising the last little bits and pieces. So if you are looking to support us, that is the absolute best way to do it. It means so much for us that you do that. It's often the price of a coffee or something, you know, a week or a month thing. It means the world. Also, get some hundred delicious merch that looks in the description. In the meantime, I've been Samuel Sage. I've been Ben Hocking.
Starting point is 01:17:35 I've been a baby bell. And remember, late, late, late, late, breaking. I was also going to do it. a humma, mama, five. But I thought that was very niche. Base. Podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.