The Late Braking F1 Podcast - Will Norris beat Piastri AGAIN this season? | 2026 Teammate Wars

Episode Date: February 26, 2026

Will Piastri finally get one over on Norris? Will Hamilton find his form and outshine Leclerc? Find out who the LB boys think will reign supreme in each 2026 F1 intra-team battle, followed by a round of F1: Back and Forth... F1 Fantasy is now open for 2026! So create your team, join the Late Braking league and see if you can beat us... LEAGUE CODE: C6Y6R4ZUY02 Want more Late Braking? Support the show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get: Ad-free listening Full-length bonus episodes Power Rankings after every race Historical race reviews & more exclusive extras! Don't forget! You can also gift a Late Braking Patreon subscription—perfect for loved ones or your own wish list. Choose anything from 1 month up to a full year of top-notch F1 content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/latebrakingf1/gift⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Late Braking: You can find us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Come hang out with us and thousands of fellow F1 fans in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ server and get involved in lively everyday & race weekend chats! Join our ⁠F1 Fantasy League⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and see if you can beat us! Get in touch any time at [e-mail] 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 Wednesday, but not any ordinary Wednesday. It's time for teammate. You know, episodes like this don't come around very often. You don't get a day like this very often.

still, but buckle up, settling, get yourself a little drink because it's about to go off. Yeah, pretty crazy times. Harry Eude, excited, prepared, going off on a whim, what's the strategy this year? All those big winners out there need to hear the Harry Ead tips. I mean, if I had any, I'd give them all to myself. You should consider that. Goodbye. Teammate was, for anyone wondering, because we haven't actually described the concept yet,

Each and every year we go through all of the teams on the grid. For the first time ever in teammate wars history, 11 teams that we get to go through today. And we pick which driver we think is going to score the most points. And we tally them up at the end of the year and see who wins. A very special edition of teammate wars because unbelievably, this is the 10th year of teammate wars. A surprising winner last year because the Discord. managed to beat us. But me and Sam are out for revenge this year.

What's Harry doing, mate? Thanks for being here, Harry. Ten years of that joke? Ten years. I've not won a single thing. This is your year. I can feel it. Babe said that for 10 years.

Yeah, but I really mean it this year. You were 20 when we first did this. It's more jeopardy because there's another team that can derail this work. You were a teenager the first time you lost. I'm 30 this year. Oh, no. It's a decade of winging, mate.

Well, let's see how this year goes. Quite a few rematches, I think, from last year. But there's a lot of intrigue with new regulations, potentially suiting different driver styles. So there are quite a few opportunities to go against the grain, it feels like to me here. But we'll see how our predictions are the same and how they vary. We're going to go in reverse.

championship order from last year, which means we actually start with a team that didn't take part in the championship last year. That being the new team of Cadillac, a new team, but two drivers that are definitely not new to the sport with their seasons going all the way back to 2011 and 2013. Valtrey Bottas and Sergio Perez, long-time rivals in the sport, now on the same team. Sam kick us off. Who are you going for here in what might be a low-scoring contest? Yeah, well, this was what made it so tricky. You had to think throughout the history of these drivers, which one has maybe done a really good job at getting a bad car into a good position.

And Sergio Perez is famously, before he went to Red Bull, being sensational running the midfield, at scoring points where he normally wouldn't, where teammates have often struggled. And that's why I am going for Valdry Bossas, as my answer, in this one, because Botte is out and we have to support Mon-Mang. Is that the logic you're going with? after running through the logic of Sergio Perez, it's Botties out is the logic for Valdry Bottas. That is the sole reason.

Cool. I'm glad team Able wants to start this way. Harry, who are you going for? I'm going for Sergio Perez for all the logical reasons that Sam just listed out before we went for Valtry Bottas. Look, I actually, I agree. I think this is a really tough one to choose between because given, as we expect, that car is going to be a tough.

one to drive and be competitive this year. Both these drivers have good experience and success in getting cars into positions they shouldn't normally be in. So it's actually quite a tough one. I'm going with Perez based off the fact that I, despite, you know, how it was going at Red Bull, I think Bottas's decline was a little bit more versus Perez was before they both left the sport. So just going to go with that one.

I think both are going to be rejuvenated by being in this team. But on a day, on a random day where someone sneaks into the points, I can just see it being Sergio Perez. On a cold and wet night in Stoke. Exactly. The Stoke GP, you didn't know it's coming, but we've just broken the knees. 25th race. I'm not sure about the Stoke GP.

I don't think that's going to catch on. I'd rather go to it to go to Snettetton if that's all right. Fair enough. I am going for Sergio Perez as well. I think this is going to be a low scoring affair just based on what we've seen from Cadillac in the preseason. I don't think this is going to be 200 points to 190 or anything like that. And because of that, it is likely going to be one or two performances that are going to swing this. And I think there are almost two schools of four when it comes to who you think is going to win.

and it's almost what one backs botas and one backs peres. So if you think botas is going to win outside of the obvious answer of Botti's out, it might be because he is the better qualifier of the two. And if he can get a few really good qualifying sessions, almost get a really good start and start to hold up some drivers. We know that that Ferrari engine looks pretty good on race starts. Then maybe Bottas can get a couple of really good results that way. But the reason I'm going with Sergio Perez, he did make a living 10 years ago at Force India of being in that midfield and making unlikely tire strategies work, one stops that you weren't expecting.

If there's anyone who's going to take advantage of an opportunistic safety car, it will be Sergio Perez. And because of that, I'm just banking on one or two of those happening this year, which is why I'm going for him. and it makes me happy that the first one we have a disagreement because there is the everlasting fear that we are going to get to teammate wars and agree on everything and we haven't got that. You have just picked the same as Harry though on the first pick. It was literally impossible for us all three

to have a different option, to be fair. Where the Discord say, Ben? What do the Discord say? Well, the Discord say. Well, Discord are with you, Sam. A fairly close one, but 116 votes to 80 in Val. alter boss has his favour. Yeah, that's what we like to see. Well done the people.

I'm proud of you. I'm going to remind you, you said that when you are cursing the discord for disagreeing with you at some point in this episode. We've been through this before. My praise is fickle. I totally know it. Okay, so that's our thoughts on Cadillac. Let's go to Alpine, the team that did actually finish last place in the 2025 championship.

Franco Colopinto somewhat enters his third year in Formula One, but this is his first appearance in teammate wars because he didn't start over the previous two seasons. Pierre Gasley has a very impressive teammate wars record. He's seven and one in his teammate wars career. The only time he lost to a teammate was 2019 against some chap called Max Verstappen. So Gasly's got a pretty good record here.

Sam, do you think that will be enough to see him past Franco Colopinto? Yeah, I'm always backing my boy, Pierre Gassi, the gasman. Soschis out, of course. And he's a record of three for itself. You really spoke about the 7-1, but even just looking at the stats from last year when he was up against Colopinto, which of course started, what,

four or five races into the season. It really swings the way of Gasly. Grand Prix qualifying was 13 to 5 against Colopinto. He won 4-0 in the springs as well. In the race, he'd beat him 11 times. Colopinto only seven. Conopence are only beating once in the spring, essentially, as well.

So the points were clear on Gassi's cycle. And whilst you expect that with the experience that Gassley has, and we know that Colopinto has had the winter of all winters, you know, he's going to come out here like the god of the cold, I'm sure. Gas is just, you know, it's just Gasly. It doesn't need some sensational winter to get it right. So I think gas is going to take another crown here. Harry, have you got Pierre Gisley to take this win?

Looks like they'll have at least more opportunities at points than they did last year. Fifth place. I'm coming. Yeah, I'm going for Gassi as well. no disrespect to Colopinto on this one but I think as he said his record speaks for itself on this one for Pierre Gasly

and whilst I think we'll see an improvement from Colopinto this year I mean it must happen because of the winter he's had I think Gassie's more than got more than enough in the tank to beat Colapinto so there might be a few occasions

where Colapinta gets the better of him this year more than we saw last year but overall I think it's a An easy Gassley one. It's a clean sweep for Pierre Gassley, maybe unsurprisingly. I'll be real. I was really tempted to go a Colopinto here, because I do think he'll have a better season

than most they're expecting. I think he'll be closer this year than he was last year. He actually has a preseason under his belt, which I think could be really important in terms of his development. Both times he's been an F1 so far. He's really been, you know, thrust into the action at both Williams and Alpine. And he did start to get.

the better of Gasly at some points later in the season. I think the problem for Colopinto and Alpine, apart from everything last year, was that the Alpine got worse as the year went on, as Colapinto maybe got a little bit more familiar with the car. But where Colapinto had a lot of crashes, a lot of errors in his, even in his Williams days, where he was a bit more competitive and early on at Alpine, they were pretty good, close to being eradicated in the second half of last season, which I think both. well for him going into this year.

But I did go for Gassley here. He's made the team his own. He beat Ocon two out of two years when they were teammates. He scored all 22 points for Alpine last year. In fact, you remember that podium that Esteban O'Con got the Brazilian GP? Gisley was also on the podium that day. But you remember that brilliant, sensational double podium they got a Brazil. That was the last time someone not named Pierre Gassley scored a point for Alpine.

So Gazzley has very much put himself as the centrepiece of this team. That's why I'm going for him. Just on this one before we move on, Sam, how do you think Franco Colopinto approaches the season? Even if he can't beat Gassley, based on what happened to Jack doing last year, is he going to face some early pressure to get some performances in? You'd like to think no,

but when you've got a certain non-employee running the show who has somehow snuck his way back onto the grid once again, it's hard to know what might impress him. It feels like only race wings, I keep him in that seat because Flav ain't letting anything go unless it's a one-two on Melbourne Day 1, apparently. I think he almost needs to publicly frame himself

as here to learn. I haven't done a start of the season before. I'm developing. I'm really committed to the team. Learning from Pierre, that to me feels like the best way to continue framing publicly and get the right perception on you

that, yeah, I'm quick, but I've got so much to learn. And this is my first time doing this. I think that might sway, and public opinion, which could go in his favour. No real surprise here, as the Discord have also gone for Pierre Gazley by a massive score line at 190 to 5.

So, yeah, no doubt in the Discord's mind whatsoever as to who's going to win this one. Audi, of course, Salbert last year, but this is our first true rematch from 2025, as Gabriel Bortoletto in his second year in F1 goes up against Nico Holkenberg. Holkenberg won this one 51 to 19 last year. And Holkenberg's overall teammate wars record is very impressive indeed.

He's won five and lost just once. If I know one thing about Mr. Harry Ead, it's that he does not pick against Nico Holcomburg when it comes to teammate wars, unless he's against Daniel Ricardo. Is that continuing here? Well, his name's Gabby Bortoletto, not Daniel Ricardo, so yes. is league of Holcomburg.

You're a movable long check. It's the unstoppable man. I actually think this, I actually did consider Baltimore to leto in this scenario because whilst, yeah, 5119 is quite a big score for a team that wasn't in the points

all that often last year. Obviously, Holcombogs podium at Silverston really weighted that one heavily in his favour. And there was a period of the season, as we joked, where Holcombberg just gave up and went missing. and Bortoletto was quite impressive.

So I think it would be closer this year than it was last year, but I think Holcomburg still nudges this. I would be surprised if the points tally is as high as it was last year. It really hurt me going for Gabby Bortoletto last year, which I'll admit was a bit of a plucky move to go for Bortoletto, and it didn't pay off whatsoever. And I am famously someone who doesn't learn from their mistakes, which is why I'm going with Gabriel Borateletto again this year.

12 all in qualifying against Holkenberg last year, he lost 1311 in terms of races. And if you put those two together, you wouldn't necessarily think there would have been a 51 to 19 gap between the two drivers. I am backing Bortoletto to refine his skills a little bit more in year two. He struggled a lot in tricky conditions,

if you think back to Australia and Silverstone. He struggled to adapt. to the tough car that he had at the beginning of the year. But I think there was enough promise to make me think that he can turn it around this year. The other thing that might well suit him, you're going to hear a lot about driving styles as we approach the new season. And particularly when you focus on cornering, you've essentially got some drivers that adopt a sort of U-shaped approach to corners that are very smooth sort of through the apex of the corner

onto the exit. And then you've got drivers that are very V-shaped going in. into corners. So it's very heavy braking and then heavy acceleration out of the corner. It's likely it will favour the latter this year. And Bortoletto does fit that when it comes to low speed corners. So that's why I'm going for him. He won F3 and F2 for a reason. I'm not even backing Holkenberg to fall back here. I'm more backing Bortoletto to make a jump. Sam, what do you say? Well, you go down to the docks. You get ready to get all your ferry and two ships sail off into the night. one pretty solid

one's got to his destination about 50% at the time the other one is hitting iceberg every time it's just like to leave the port so I think I'm going to get on the one that gets at least 50% at the time both terrible boats why would you go on either

stay on land my only option I've got to get off his island okay I'm there I'm there I'm afraid I've gone Gabby Ben Toleto

over here I'm hoping he's going to pull me to safety because I struggled with this one. It really was weighing up the statistics that actually took place. And often data is a good metric to make a lot of decisions by. And then I decided to ignore that entirely and follow my guts and think he was pretty good. And a lot of things just didn't go the right way for him. And when he was good, the car was bad. When he had his slump, the car was good. And Holkerberg had those two results. Australia and Silverstone, which really boosted his points tally up, which were really bad weather and showed you his

long-term experience in Formula One that came to fruition. But Ben, like you, I think the driving style might really suit the youngster this year. So I'm going for Gabby. Good news and bad news here, folks. Good news is all three of us now have completely unique selections and we're only three teams in. That is an absolute dream. The bad news, where it's not necessarily bad news for us, it's more bad news for Kirsty because she's not going to like me now.

The Discord on this have gone Bortoletto 98. Holkenberg 98. Which means we need a tie break on behalf of the Discord. Okay, Kirsty. Put your watch hand up for Holkenberg. Put your bracelets hand up

for Gary Voltaetto. Oh, this is tense. Wow. I think it was... Oh, Portoletto! Yay! Portoletto takes it for the Discord. Queen Kirsty has decided.

With an little air pump fair. The funny thing is, only way are going to be seen doing that. Kirsty's version will forever be hidden. What did you call it when I did that? The croissant. The croissant. Put it with a croissant.

Folks, for those watching visually, a long time ago, I did like a little fist pump in the air. It was like three years ago. It was not just, come on. It wasn't a long time ago. when I was a boy, um,

having a little fist bump and my fingers were all a mess on my hand and it looked like the shape of a croissant. But I think me and Kirsty both independently made the same assumption and edited a croissant onto your hand. I am bullied here forever. Oh,

um, that's gonna do it for part one of teammate wars. That's three teams in the books. After the break, we kick off with Hass. Decluttering feels good, especially when it helps someone else. Give yourself and your space a fresh start

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Welcome back, everyone to the second part of teammate wars. we've already had differences in opinion across all three of us as we head now to Hasse. Olli Behrman versus Esteban Ockon the second year that we've had this rivalry. Behrman in his true rookie season, 4138 winner over O'Con last year. So a close run thing.

It does mean that Esteban Ockon's teammate wars record is now one and seven. Man always finds a way to lose these matchups by like five points. We'll see if it turns around for him this year. Harry, what do you say?

I'm going for Olly Beerman. Another tough one here, but I I just think given how well what Behrman did last year,

I know it wasn't his first year, but his first four year in F1, I think his potential, it's good potential to be even better as we have introduced

new rules. And obviously, it's a new, it's a blank canvas somewhat for all these drivers. So it's not like either one of them have have experience in driving these cars

more than the other one. It's the same for both. And obviously, Hasse are just going to like really mess with Ockon and put them on intermediate tires and when it's dry and stuff like that. So that's going to contribute to the win that Berman will get. Yeah. Do you think Gene Hasse is like

Ang and Deck in the year of the petting jing here, now put him on intermediate tires? It's just there to laugh at him. But he's both of them because he doesn't have a friend. Talks himself. What do you think, Gene? I think, what are you thinking? I can imagine that. You're getting a hair of jeans, to be honest. I, you know what? I was going to play the dry...

No, you're not getting it. Sorry. Do you think Gene House wears jeans? And do you think he has like... He says, I'm going to put on my jeans. Does he have good jeans, though? Well, who knows? There's no controversy with that statement whatsoever, right?

No, not at all. Not at all. Yikes. Sam, what have you got? I've also gone, Arleigh Bamming. Ben, I think you disagree with this statement. I don't think Ockon had a particularly good year. I think he was quickly found out by Bamman,

and he's a big of a bit of a downward spiral as Ockong. You know, we got beat by Gasson a couple times in a row, fired for the silly move up, Monaco, essentially, it's sounding like. He got to the Ong's first. That's how it works, yeah, I'm sure. And then he's bested by a rookie in that rookie's first full year. And I think he was quite comfortably better as well. Despite a few moments, which you expect from a rookie,

O'Cong never really fully showed up for me. When I asked him to him to him, I was going for a really tough time. Sorry, we just start saying that. You just got finishing off. He's just one there for me. You just weren't there when I was down, Okong. I get your friend.

You weren't there. So Ollie Bamming is the guy because I'm sure he's going to turn up. There are some interesting ways to get into these answers tonight. I'm just living on a high. I feel like we can win. Oh, this hurts. You can't go against Stockholm. Ben, it's a Laplace.

I'm going, Bearman. Oh, my God. It's the bacon. Oh, I'm going Bearman. I just think he'll beat Ockon. It was... That's so bleak, Ben. Yeah.

But, like, I... If I don't back Ockon, no one will. It's... I don't know. Bearman's just very good. Like, he was really impressive last season. And one thing that Ayokomatsu likes to rave about when it comes to

Oli Beerman is how adaptive he is. And Kamatsu, whilst he's only been team principal for a couple of years, he's been around the sport for a long time and dealt with a lot of different drivers. And, you know, he was talking about Behrman's unorthodox driving styles could be really helpful this year. With the big differences that you'll need track to track in terms of energy management, that could be really helpful to be adaptable. He was comparing him to Fernando Alonzo in that regard, which cheers, Iyo. That's not setting him up to fail. whatsoever. But again, he knows Fernando Alonso. That's a pretty big statement. So it does hurt to say, I have Olly Behrman beating Esteban Ockon, and I will be so happy if I am wrong. The Discord have also gone for Olly Beerman, 165 to 28, so not particularly close there either. Just a quick question on this one, Harry, before we move on to the next team, do you think that the winner of this matchup is likely to be whoever can crack qualifying best? Because it was an area where both struggled a little bit last year,

which might be down to the car. But do you think whoever can crack that might well have the advantage? Doesn't matter, mate. They've got Ferrari engines, so they are rocketing off the line. Yeah, I think, yeah, like I say, it was a struggle for them last year. I think qualifying, all jokes, or Ferrari, you know, starts the side. qualifying I think we'll have less importance this year especially in the early part of the year

but you know if the car is only good in races again I think if one of them can crack qualified it's certainly not going to it's not going to do them a disservice well let's move on to Aston Martin next in this what is going to be a nil-nill-nill matchup for sure Fernando Alonzo versus Lansstrol this is the fourth year that they have been teammates and Fernando Alonzo, 3-0 in the three years that they've been teammates.

So it was 206 to 74 in 2023, 70 to 24 in 2024, and then 5633 last year. Alonzo overall in teammate wars is six wins, one loss, and Lance Stroll is still living off that Sergei Sorokkin win from years ago because he's won and eight. I do actually, before we get into our selections here, I want to give a shout out to someone in the Discord who has a. an excellent name. It's hi, I'm Barry Scott. Oh, what a hero. I told Barry Scott. It is actually him.

It's like bang and the dirt is gone. That was the whole comment. It was just bang! That was it. I wanted to just read out his comment because I thought it was quite funny because he's actually voted for Lance Stroll. But his reasoning is either A, Alonzo won't finish the season, B, Alonzo won't pass a psychiatric test to drive the car, or C, Turning up to China seems like a bit of a stretch at this point, which I just think is covering all bases and good reasoning for picking stroll.

Sam, who have you got? I've gone with Payne as the winner of this. Yeah, it's going to be tough. Is there really a discussion here, and I shame's Barry Scott, Charter Hero? It's going to be Fernando Alonso, obviously. I'm not going to the details. I think I'm going to speak for themselves.

Yeah, I have Fernando Alonzo winning this one. As I'm sure I said 12 months ago, Stroll's only chance, like last year, is if the car is horrible and stays horrible throughout the year, and he can just take advantage as a really weird result. I'm thinking Robert Kubits are beating George Russell in 2019 levels of weird. But otherwise, Alonzo might be 44. I don't care if he's 74. He's got enough left in the tank to beat Landstrol.

I don't think that's going to matter much if it's not competing for podiums and wins, but he can at least beat Landstrol for sport. Harry? Yeah, I mean, fairly easy one. Fernando Alonzo, I am looking forward to the great P10 that Alonzo is going to get at some point during the year and it will be his greatest drive of his entire career. Don't say it.

Get out of the car. Come on. That would be really funny if he did that, to be fair. The eyes in the helmet. it. Yeah. I know, by the way, Discord's also voted for 184 to 9

in the favour of Fernando Alonso. So 9 actually might be more than what I was expecting. Even if we don't think Landstrol has a chance of winning this one, Sam. What is a realistic ambition for him? It depends where the car goes, right? I mean, hopefully around the racetrack. But generally, it's that up in the air

if they're going to pull something together at the moment, that it's tough. I think if you put trusting Adrian Nui, and history tells you you probably should, Honda Abbeck, they've all right, really. Yes, they've had their ups and downs, but more often than got, they've turned out okay. That car, I think, can develop solidly throughout the year.

I think both drivers should have for some points finishes. I think if a long-so can pick up a couple of top seven, top eights, it's been better than maybe what we expected. again geez um we won't get into our championship predictions today because of course that will be here on sunday that's where we go through the entire driver's championship the constructors championship as well and give our full predictions so you'll have to wait and see as to where we've got astin martin in the pecking order racing balls up next uh leum lawson versus the only rookie on the grid that being arvid linblood um interesting match up here lawson of course

going from last year facing Isaac Hadjar and losing out to him. Harry, can he beat Limbludd? I'm going, no. I'm going for Limbludd. I don't know. This is probably me going towards Sam's ways of thinking here, but just something in my gut doesn't, I just don't trust Liam Lawson to deliver.

And that's savage. I'm sorry, Liam, but I basically have evidence. I don't trust you, mate. So, yeah, I don't know. The racing balls doesn't look as good as it did last year. That may change throughout the season. So this is probably going to be slightly slim picking in terms of points again.

But I'm just got a feeling of Lindblad might pull a few surprises, as did Hagell last year. Yes, he has formed as Lawson losing to rookie. So it wouldn't be the biggest surprise in the world. Sam, are you agreeing with Harry? I am, which is a dangerous game. Rocky. Yeah, me and Harvard, apparently.

Yeah, I just, oh, it's so rude. I have genuinely got more faith that Liverpool large will work out how to drive these cars and manage it better than Liam Lawson. Liam Lawson is so raw pace quick. I think if you put him somewhere he's super comfortable, he will be super fast. I'm more worried about his race management. That's my problem with Lawson. He causes accidents.

He drives scruffy a long of the time. I do think that how we've got even more to manage in the car, there's more chance of distraction, there's more chance of things going wrong. And I genuinely think there is a risk that he may have a mistake because of that kind of problem. So I'm choosing to go with the unknown, which I think it was two years since that Willie Wonka. It's the unknown. Jesus. Wow. What is that?

It's not Liam Lawson. It's Arthur Limbaugh. Great. I am going for Liam Lawson. So we do have a disagreement here. I think Lawson, understandably, was a bit shell-shocked after the Red Bull exit after, I remind you, two races. I don't think he fully found his form again until mid-season when he got that sixth place at the Austrian GP, and that felt like the turning point for him.

But if you look at the last 14 races of 2025, Lawson scored 34 points. That's four more than what Hajar scored. So he did end the year reasonably well against his teammate. He was a match for Sonoda right away when they were teammates at racing balls a couple of years ago. And to your point, Sam, about consistency. That is going to be the key. And that's what I'm banking on here is he does find more consistency in terms of race pace, in terms of not finding himself in these sorts of incidents.

This is one of those battles where I think consistency is going to win. Whoever can be more consistent of the two is going to take the victory here. Limblad whilst I think he does have a lot of talent and could well carve out a very good F1 career, I'm just not sure it's going to happen this year. I think it's slightly too early for him. The man did his first, I mean, the man, the boy, did his first full F4 season in 2023. But he is so new to this. And whilst he has done quite well in his junior career, he was fourth in F3, he was sick

in F2 last year. His teammates have been competitive with him. It's not like he's blown them out the water. So I think it will happen for limb blood, just not this year, which is why I'm going for Lawson. Sorry, that expression makes me laugh. It doesn't have a kirkisks who sat there in the corner laughing either. You'll see anyone blowing out the water. I wasn't even mean, really.

There's a literal clip of you using it, mate. I know, but I actually don't know what it looks like. What it looks like is what Lawson's going to do to Limblud this year. And you'll be able to refer back to that. Whoa. Okay. The Discord had this one very close to the point where I thought we were going to need a second tiebreak at one point. Fortunately for Kirsty, that isn't needed because the Discord agree with both of you by 98 to 94.

Wow, Bango had a picking option. Good job Discord. Close run thing. We'll do one more team before we take our next break and that is Williams who managed to lead the midfield last year, not looking quite so encouraging in the early stages of pre-season. Carlos Sines versus Alex Albin for the second season. Alex Albin took the win last year, albeit by just nine points, 73 to 64. And this was the only matchup where we were all wrong, including the Discord. Discord only got this one wrong last year.

Signs overall in Teammate Wars has won four and lost five. Alex Albin in teammate wars, one four and lost two. Sam, what are you going for? I'm going to double down, double down dimmedome on my really bad from the Diomedome hat. I have one one today,

honestly, it's all coming back. It's a massive white hat. It's great. I'm going for colour sites. I've genuinely got no factual reason to go for Carla sites. He just really integrated well into Williams as the year went on,

picked up those two pogims, of course. Just think he settled. How he takes to these new cars, he seems very unhappy with the style of car at the moment. He's hanging up a couple of comments where he's not been loving life. But I think he's very adaptable.

He's proven that by going up and down the grid with half the teams on the grid at this point. I think he'll work out a difficult situation. I have gone with Carlos Sines as well. So yes, I was wrong with Carlos Sines last year and I'm hoping to not be wrong with him this year. It's tough to ignore how much better he got throughout the year. He got more confident the more adjusted he was to that Williams.

If you think he finished the year with a third place in Qatar, third place in Baku, fifth place in Vegas. He was third place in the Austin sprint race as well, whereas Alex Albin, he really struggled to end the year. He didn't score in any of the last eight races, which only him and Colopinto could say. And Carlos Sines also won the head to head in terms of qualifying. So he was 15-9 up at the end of the year. And again, if you look at Alex Albin's qualifying record, his last Q3 appearance was Spa, which quite a few races out. after spa. So if Sines Matt is able to carry that on now that he's had some involvement with the car, maybe he can not only win this. There's a chance he could win this comfortably. I think

Alburn's under quite a bit of pressure to start the year strong. Harry? If you're doubling down Sam, my ex-ben tripling down and I'm quadrupling down. Nice. That's how much works. Yes. I go for Carlos Sons as well. Yeah, it was closer than it. Well, not just close. We were all wrong, obviously, last year. But I think you're right. I think the second half of the season was much better for science.

He found his feet. And I think he has a bit of a history of doing this at other teams. I'm thinking back to Ferrari where he, although start of the year two, is actually quite poor as well. Oh, no. Yes, it was poor. Anyway, either way, he does have a history of cracking on after the first year. so I think size will be better

I think I'll still be relatively close between him and album but just based on you know size his record I'm gonna go with him side no by the way big up Williams for partnering now with M&S the most British thing in the world

I didn't know that I didn't know that their M&S are going to do their travelware something like that's cool Barclays in M&S they are now I can't work out if I am actually now old or if M&S have genuinely become cool

because I think it happens to, yeah, everyone at this point. The quality, man. Yeah. The clothes are great. It's not just, it's not just a double DNF. It's an M&S double D&F. Obviously, if that's got part of their marketing, I'm pretty sure that's what they put on the tweet they put out today,

which was good. They've got a food campaign at the moment that's called like, five ingredients or less. You think they could do it on like the side of a Formula One car, five points or less. This is not just a partnership. This is a Marks and Spencer's partnership. Very good.

That sounds probably better than my version. To present the other side of the argument for Alex Albin here, because the Discord aren't, they're going with 160 to 34 in Carlos Sines' favour. The Williams is going to start this year as a chunky boy. It's heavy, which it will. was also a car that was too heavy two years ago when Alex Albin had to deal with it.

So if we're talking about who has experience in dealing with an overweight Williams, Albin does have that going in his favour. So maybe he can use that early on in the season. But I am, like you both and the Discord, going with Carlos Seines. I'm not sure of fat Williams is really what anyone wants to deal with. I mean, it's not what anyone wants to deal with. No doubt about that. Sometimes life comes at you with different shapes and sizes.

And throws you a fat Williams and you can go to deal with it. throws you with big batty Williams, yeah. Fat bassy Williams. Get that out of the way. Get out of the way once produced your cursing not in the room. We're going to take our next break on the other side. We've still got the top four teams to look at.

Like everyone. This was a bit of a blockbuster matchup when we did this last year. Charles LeCler versus Lewis Hamilton to the point where myself and Harry both went with Charles Leclair. Sam, much to your demise you went for Lewis Hamilton

but he didn't quite get the job done for you. Two drivers with very good teammate wars records. Charles Lecler 7 and 1 Lewis Hamilton 6 and 3 but three of those three of the last four seasons he has lost to his teammates so we'll see if these new

regs can turn things around for him Sam are you going as bold as he did last year going for Hamilton? I still don't know what answer I want to give for this. You got like on either shoulder. Yeah, literally. This is the one that I have been going back and forth with F1 for the whole time since I knew this episode was coming up.

And I'm torn between the old gut, you know, that's served me so well. And who I think is one of the best drivers on the grid at the moment. I'll let you work out which one of the switch in this scenario, again. yeah, go on Lewis. Oh, he's done it. What I got. I've heard the breakings back in the game and he looks quite happy.

So give it a go. Again, great logic. Love it. Hamilton's going to win because I want it to happen. It's amazing. I've got a degree. I use that logic. The whole way through you get.

When you do all your sources, but that's just, think it's that way. Yeah, me. Me 30 seconds ago. I did my thesis on how oil shortage will affect the markets

so I passed. What a read that was. 10,000 words on that bad boy. If there's anyone I could be confident could get 10,000 words out of that, it's you. Thanks, mate. No doubt. I was there for the tree debate, all right?

I was coming. Oh, yeah, the tree debate. That's a patron topic. Yeah. Harry, you didn't go for Hamilton. last year, but you did say when we were recording the episode that you were going F1 back and forth on this all the way up until when we recorded. Who you going for this time? A similar situation like Sam, I did go F on back and forth in this quite a few times

because I think if you went off last year's performances, it's an easy one, isn't it? You'd go, Charles Leclair. But we're in a different era of F1. now, Hamilton looks very happy with this current era of car. And I suspect that he'll be on better form this year. However, go to Charlotte Claire. So I think it's going to be much closer than it was, a much closer run thing than it was last year. But I just think, I know, I know it was testing.

I know it was kind of glory runs at the end. But I feel like he's got that dogging in him this year. did the Charlotte. He always does, but he really got that dog in this year. So, he's slightly bigger dog. Big a dog. Big a dog.

Yeah. Big Batty dog in it. So. No. Do we call them Alsatians? Do you? Why? Is that allowed?

Who is we in this? You? Well, I just did. Yeah. I ever called that because they had a negative connotation. with Germany in the Second World War but they were called German Shepherds beforehand. I think you can say either.

All right, this is good to go. I know. Let us know. What we can go for? Charlotte Claire, have a German Shepherd or an al-Anal station in him. Please answer below. Five-star review.

I'm going, Charles LeCler, for my option. Yeah, I'm going to make this 2-1 to LeCleur. I agree with Harry, though. I think this is going to be closer to the point where I was considering. considering whether I wanted to go for Lewis Hamilton here, because he does sound really rejuvenated. He's come out with some comments after Bahrain

that says, you know, I'm not going anywhere, I'm back. And those are comments that we're actually going to be getting into on our next Patreon episode. So if you want to hear us talk a bit more about that, then make sure you subscribe to the Patreon. But Lewis Hamilton, the man loves late breaking. Not this low breaking, sadly enough, but loves late breaking when in a race, car. And it is likely that's going to suit him more this year. But I just think the gap might be

too much to make up on LeCler based on last year qualifying. Hamilton only qualified in the top four three times. LeCleur did it 11 times. There was 24 in terms of races, 195 in terms of qualifying. It's a massive margin to make up. And I think he will make up some of that. But I do feel like now Charle-Claire, and this is a horrible statement to say, because he's in a Ferrari, he's in the prime of his career, and it's going to be tough to beat him. He's in the prime of his career, man. What did the Discord say, Ben? What did the Discord say?

They've gone with Charle-Clau by 152 to 44. Oh, 44. Don't even... Oh, wow. Nice. Whoever voted to make it 44, everyone else after that point was like, I can't break that. It was actually 44 up at that point. Yeah.

So, yeah, 44-0 and then it's turned around. So, yeah, there are plenty going for Lewis Hamilton, but Charlotte Clare takes the win. I hate to just go. I told you it happened. Red Bull is up next. The only one of the top four teams to have a new lineup, or at least a partly new lineup going into the year.

Max Verstappen going up against Isaac Adler. Vastappen, really good teammates. War's record, unsurprisingly. He's 8 and 1, and that 1 was the first year we ever did teammate wars when he was up against Daniel Ricardo. But Hadja, hey, Vastappen's been beaten when it comes to teammate wars. Hadja hasn't. He's 1 and 0. My go. Now, people might be thinking, are we going to spend a lot of time on this? It's Vastappen against a new Red Bull driver. This should be fairly easy. But I would remind you, In 2014, a four-time world champion at Red Bull

in a new regulation cycle came up against a new teammate, and he lost. So maybe it's not out of the question the same thing can happen here. You can tell I'm really trying to build intrigue and suspense here, and I'm going to be let down very shortly. Harry? Yes, how the question is first happen. Aaron.

No, I think we are expecting Hajar to do better than Sonoda and Liam Lawson was, I mean, he's barely given a chance, but better than they did against Verstappen. But it's

a, I'll caveat this with, if he's there, Max Verstappen. So Harry is going with Max Verstappen. Sam, you go with Max Verstappen. Yeah,

they're a really good job at building that building up, you know, bit by brick, bit by brick. I'm just going to hit the bottom one with a sledgehammer. I'll get all back down again.

It's quite obvious. Max for Stappen. I got a lot of love for Hachar. He brings the boom after all. He brings the boom to you. And if I get him, that's a cultural wing. He's won our heart. Actually, that is a win. That is a separate point for Havsha.

But the only points that matter in this scenario are Formula One World Championship points. For Stappen got a lot of those. So, yeah, it's Max. Yeah, I'm going with Max for Stappan here. He has been outqualified by a teammate, 17 times since 2019. That's just kind of ridiculous.

He beat Yuki Sanoda to remind everyone what the school line was last year. He beat Yuki Sanoda 385 to 30. And I can't even, I can't claim this next that. I have to give, I have to give Jolian Palmer credit for this one. That he mentioned, big up Jolian Palmer. He mentioned this one on F1 testing. The last time Vestappen was beaten in a race that Vestappen finished.

was the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and that was at the beginning of the season at that point not where it is

now in the calendar yeah yeah he's all right isn't he's not bad is okay do you want to know how many races ago

that was oh higher or lower I mean I say it was 93 no it's 67 it's take it wrong it's 67 yeah I know

but it's it's 67, isn't it? Yeah. We're down with the kids, all right? That's the lowest point of going to show, that. I mean, that's saying something. That is saying something, but I don't think you're wrong either. Even if we don't think Hadjar's going to win this one, Sam,

based on the top four and how much of an advantage it seems like they have on the rest of the field, does the minimum requirements of Hadjar sort of increase in line with that? I think it's not even just that. It's the new membership, the new running with mechis, the way that we've got a new set of regulations, which in theory should balance things out a little bit. I don't think it would be a lot,

but in theory there'll be a little bit more learning that both drivers will have to do and have to pick up together rather than coming to a new team and Max is very much there and running the show. And yeah, as you already mentioned, they should in theory be so much further ahead than the back seven teams

that are going to be behind them, that it should be realistically that if he's, not sat in eighth place at worst-case scenario, it's been a really bad season. But I got faith, I actually think it'll be competitive. I think you'll be much better than what we previously saying. The Discord have gone for 191 to Max Verstappen, three to Hadjar. And to remind people, the way that we do polls and Discord, the poll actually votes for both options. So in reality, it's two people. If Hadjar wins, I'll let those two people and the poll do an episode of this

show, I'm really. How will the poll do the show? I can work back out. All right. Mercedes is up next up, an ultimate team. Kimmy Antonelli versus George Russell for the second year. George Russell's teammate wars record is just quite funny because he's four and three

and he's beaten Lewis Hamilton twice and lost to Kubitsa and Latifi. But he did beat Antonelli quite convincingly last year, 319 points to 150. But second season for Antonelli and F1, maybe there's a surprise afoot here.

Harry, what are you going for? I do think this is going to be a close run thing, but I'm still going for George Russell in this scenario. I think Antonelli will press on in 26. I think he, you know, whilst there were some inconsistencies last year, I think he will begin to iron those out and his speed is proven to be mega. overall. I think also with how F1 is going to be this year, it's screaming for a George Russell. Mercedes aside, it's screaming for a George Russell type of race in, isn't it? Just thinking about it all the time, vocalizing it all the time. Can't wait. Yeah, can't wait. But I think that's just,

it's just going to be up its street. So, yeah, I'm going to have George Russell, but like said, I think it'll be a closer run thing than it was in 2025. Well, Antonelli did finish 2025 very well. Brazil, Vegas, in particular, a couple of really good performances, Sam, that should give some encouragement going to this year. Is that enough for you to pick him? Yeah, he did seem to really pick up once the confidence was restored to his driving after their little mishap when they brought the upgrade to Canada.

I think I can let go again in Hungary. He worked himself out, and we saw that back-to-back beating of George Russell, which first time he'd done it. So fair play to him, that was good progress. But George got that Jack Russell in him. And honestly, I can't look away from it. It could be his years. Are we like to say that?

We've said a lot worse. If the car is as good as a lot of people think it will be, I think this could be a year where we see Georgie Russ stand on the top. And if we get a lot of radio in the meantime, all the better. Yeah, we'll see exactly where he lands in those Drivers' Championship predictions on Sunday. Unfortunately, whilst I have been known in the past ago for surprising Mercedes results, with Russell beating Hamilton in that first year they were teammates. This isn't one where I'm going to shock the world.

I am also going with George Russell. He beat Antonelli 21-3 in both races and qualifying last year. And whilst I would expect Antonelli, like you both, to close up a bit, I don't think it will be enough to beat Russell. I think Russell now is very firmly established in terms of like the top five drivers in F1. He could very well make a case to be top four or top three, I think, in the sport. And it's not only the really impressive performances that he puts together, if you think of Singapore and Canada last year.

It's his consistency. It's pretty brutal if you're his teammate. Like he finished in the top six in 20 of 24 races last year. It's just being able to regularly pick up those points is very tough to go up against. He's really well-rounded as a driver. It doesn't really have any big weaknesses that you can point to. That's why I'm going like you both. for George Russell.

The Discord agree with the three of us as well, 169 to 24 in Russell's favour, which leads us nicely on to the last thing we need to decide, the Constructors champions of last year, McLaren, and the fourth year that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been teammates. Piastri, though, hasn't beaten Norris over a season so far. It was 205 to 97 in 2023, 374 to 292 in 2024. And last year separated by just 13 points, 423 to 410. So Piastri is getting notably closer each and every year.

Is that enough to give him the nod here? Sam, you voted for Piastri last year. Very nearly correct on it as well. You going with the same thing here? No. I've decided to go with the world champ, which still feels really weird to say about Landon Norris, because he's just a baby, who's a very little boy,

yet he is currently number one. So fair play to you, lad. But yeah, I'm back of year. I think, basically, it's a lot on testing, but Landau just feels really comfy in this car. He's quick, really naturally quick. It looks like he's adapted to it really well. Saw a lot of mistakes for Piastri.

whilst Piastri, his raw talent is incredible. And the way he has closed the gap year after year after year on a much more experienced, Landon Norris at this point in their careers. I do wonder if it's going to take a little bit more time. And by that point, the points gap may have already been established. So it would be quite difficult because I don't know, I won't sport too much, but I don't know how many regular race wings they might be picking up. And so that could be the difference maker.

So, yeah, I've gone with Landau. Harry, you also went for Oscar Piastri last year. you're going for Piastri this year? I actually had Piastri written down all day and then just before we started recording I'll take them off. Oh, wow. I know.

I, it was supremely closed last year and I think it could be the same again this year, whether that's for a championship or not. But I just, basing it off the back end of 2025, Norris was really strong and whilst they both had sort of ups and downs during the year

Norris started the year strong and he finished it strong and it was obviously a bit of a bit in the middle whilst Piastri was having his run a form and obviously like you say Sam he's also the world champ so he's riding that high so I think it's going to be close

but I've gone for Norris So what you're saying is it's up to me to save the podcast from British bias accusations. Yes. And I'm not doing it. Oh, you can't do it?

No. I think that might be the biggest upset of the whole show. I'm going with, is it that much of an upset to say like the world champion? You went with the world champion? No, I'm just about all three of us. All three of us. That's what I'm saying.

Is that close? I'm just, I am surprised I got one of us has gone Piastri. Yeah, I'm going Lando Norris. Piastri has got closer and closer to Norris over the last few years. going from 108 point deficit to 82 points to just 13 last year. And if he keeps that up, he's got a great chance of winning in 2026. And it's very much in the question, like he might do.

But I am going with Lando Norris because I just have this fear that the regulation change might well suit Norris more than it suits Piastri. And this is one where I'm quite happy to be proven wrong. And we get another competitive battle between these two because in and amongst all the papaya rules nonsense. It was quite fun to see the two of them duel it out. I just think Piastri's smoother carrying the apex speed style might cost him a little bit versus what Norris is capable of.

Again, could be wrong on this one. I just think that added confidence of being world champion might see him through. The Discord have this at 109. to 81 for Oscar Piastri. So the Discord is going opposite to the three of us. I did think it was going to be different for the people. Interestingly as well, because I went for Norris last year, you both went for Piastri.

The Discord went Norris last year, so they got it right, and they've switched allegiances here. So if they keep that up, who knows? Oh, I can't believe it's done for another year. Yeah. Those are our teammate wars selection.

Can you believe it? I mean, you're already doing this, folks, but let us know where you think we're wrong. But you know what? If you think we're right on something, let us know, because we don't hear that as often. That is okay to say. Yeah, we know.

Yeah, we are interested, of course, in all of your views when it comes to these teammate wars matchups. We're going to take a final break on this episode, and on the other side, we've got a quick game of back and forth. Welcome back, everyone, to the final part of today's episode.

It's time for F1. back and forth. F1. Back and forth, it's F1. Back and forth, it goes backwards. Then goes forth, it's F1. Back and forth, F1. Every time I hear that song,

we saw a lot of times, I always feel like it's sped up at the start. Who knows? I mean, we haven't tampered with it in any way, shape or form. We don't know how to, but... No, no. I'm actually making it ever so slightly quicker each week. 0.1% faster every episode.

Yeah. Back and forth, Harry and Sam will go back and forth on correct answers until one of them can't think of a right answer or gives an incorrect answer. Today's topic is, I want you to name the first 20 drivers to share a podium with Lewis Hamilton in his F1 career. Oh, okay.

So I'll give you, a strike each on this one. And we'll start with Harry. Fernando Alonzo. Fernando Alonzo is a correct answer. He shared a podium with Lewis Hamilton when Lewis Hamilton first got on the podium the 2007 Australian GP.

Sam. Kimmy Rykin. The other member of that 2007 Australian GP podium, that is correct as well. Harry. Felipe Massa Filippe Masa the third answer I have written down here

2007 Bahrain was the first time Sam Robert Kubitzer Robert Kubitzer is a correct answer Monaco 2008 was the first time Harry Nick Heidfeld Nick Heidfeld is a correct answer

going in order somewhat actually well done Canadian Grand Prix 2007 that's the fourth one on the list Sam. Jensen Button. Jensen Button is a correct answer. It's far later than you think it is, though. The first time they shared a podium was the 2010 Chinese GP.

Wow. That is far later, I thought. Also tells me that this list goes far later than I thought too. Well, there you go. Harry. Sebastian Vettel. Vettel is a correct answer. The 2009 Japanese GP the first time they shared a podium.

Sam. Barakello. Rubens Barakello is correct. The 2008 British GP, which is a race that we've reviewed as part of our historic race review series that you can find on. You guessed it, Patreon. Harry. Timo Glock What a shout that is Timo Glock is a correct answer the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix Sam Rosberg Nico Rosberg a correct answer

the 2008 Australian GP Harry Trilly Yano Trilly is a correct answer 2009 Japanese GP so the same as Sebastian Vettel Sam Oh, I feel like it's getting a little bit shaking out.

Coulthard? Coulthard and Hamilton did not share a podium. Oh, dang it. Come on, D.C., what you're doing, mate. Harry, we're back to you. It can only be a rival to one seven times. That's true. It's a lot of work.

It's a lot of work. Can't be doing both of them, can I? Mark. Mark Weber. Mark Weber is a correct answer. The 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. Sam. Covalining. Covalinen is a correct answer. The first time they shared a podium wasn't when there were teammates at McLaren. It was when Covalinan was at Renault in 2007, the Japanese grumprie. Harry, back to you, we have seven answers left. As many as seven. As many as seven. Is Alexander Verz won?

It's another insane show. Correct. Canadian Grand Prix 2007, Sam. I can't believe. Verts is my last answer. That's terrible. What a way to go. Physicella.

Sadly enough, for Lewis Hamilton, he didn't share a podium with Giancarlo Fizekyll. He never got to experience that, which means, Harry, you do take the world. win with six answers left on the board. You can definitely get a few more because this list goes later than you think it does. How late we think? How late we say, Ben?

The last one on this list is the 2014 Austrian GP. Whoa. Botas? Bottas. Yeah, that is the last correct answer on the list. This is an example of how much podiums are dominated by the same people. Yeah. Yeah.

Ordinado? Not Maldonado, no. Is Ricardo one? Yeah, Ricardo. Spanish GP in 2014. You got a couple here from 2012. I mean, that year could be... Yeah, true.

That doesn't help you much, is it? Kobayashi. Perez is a correct, Dan. So they actually shed a podium quite a few times in 2012. But the Malaysian GP was the first time. Big up. Malaysian GP. Always pick up the Malaysian GP.

More from 2012. One more from 2012, yeah. I don't know. The other one from 2012 was Romang Grogon at the 2012 Canadian Grand Prix. One from 2011, Australian GP. Heidfeld.

Close. Petrov. Petrov, the devil. I guess that makes me the devil. And then the 2008 German GP was the other one. Oh, P.K. Jr. No, it was Nelson P.K. Senior. Nelson P.K. Jr. was the last correct answer on the list.

Well done at home. If you managed to get anything close to 20 out of 20, they're very tough back and forth. I think I can come up with a better segment, though. We didn't have it last week, but it's back with a vengeance, because of course it is the greatest segment in all of podcasting. It is the... I'll be question of the week. We asked a question that we couldn't really answer ourselves,

which was, how is Isaac Adjadjah going to beat Max Verstappen in the same car this year? Fortunately, people on Instagram and on Twitter had some very creative suggestions. Yeah, Daniel, love this one from you. Classic that joke. Who needs to close the door? Not key picture. Hey. Big up Ethan on Instagram

saying that the scene from Star Wars episode one where Subalba sabotages Anakin's pod racer. No, a subalba reference it. In this economy. In the God's year of 2026, a Subalba reference. Not a reference to the big race of Buntar Eve. Unbelievable. Have you seen them making a video game about pod racing?

I'm buying it. It's made by the bird. out people. I'm buying it. Is Liam Neeson just there with his red and blue dice? Subalba! Oh, yeah. My Halloween costume sorted.

I saw one here. This one really very laugh. Yes, this is FN2 with no. Okay, F and clue. Very good. Boy, Stang a stair lift, Brian's wife and Max is racing. He's too busy going up those stairs again.

His name's Graham Oh man First one from me From Hazes Castillo He needs to summer the same way Colin Pinto would winter Nice Very good As ever we love the just

The answers The people answer the question This is from Square Portia on Instagram And he says Realistically nothing at all And we all know it I mean, yeah, fair.

I like the number of matter-of-fact answers we got on this one, actually. There were quite a few. Yeah. This one, I've had a Star Wars reference with Obi-Gaun Kang-Obi, John Wilkinson, who just said, Parker 2-3 car outside max his house every time a race is coming up. I've got one here from Cooper that really made me laugh, which is get Vastappen pregnant. Sure. Yeah.

Science can't. Clayton Ellis on Instagram just said stuff a baguette in Max's tailpipe. Oh. Stick that in your tailpipe and smoke it. Wow. Not a bongana. That's the famous quote. Old school.

Bengarno and a teal pope. Jay Hammer just said, La Malle. Dude hit the La Malle. Poor. Not the Lameo. God, Le Mio. Thanks for saying that because that's now,

now that's the worst thing this podcast has ever produced. Oh, yeah. My rain lasted like 15 minutes. Oh, it's a fun one that'll ask it. Last one from me is from Trisnack saying bribe Ockon into disrupting Vestappen's qualifying laps, which he might just do for a laugh, to be honest. Yeah, solid, solid.

Bradshaw, we can't, we don't endorse that, whatever he said that. Johnny Mac has said get Saudi Arabia to reinvest. Classic. Again. Yeah. Last one from me from Regna Scugaria. Eat more broccoli.

What I want to end on. That feels a great. Diet advice there. Thank you very much to all of the answers across Instagram and on X as well. We'll be back with a question of the week next week, but obviously an Australia-specific question of the week with the first race of the season just around the corner. I would say that is the end of the episode,

but I am looking at the calendar and we are very close to the end of February, which means you can just hear those jingle bells coming over the clouds. This is the worst thing we do. Is that the Father Christmas of birthdays? It's me, the Father Christmas of birthdays. Yes, Hall of Famer he's here.

Gosh, what a great day again. Loads of you in February. It's the shortest month. And there's so many of you that have been bored of this tiny little months. Well done. Great accuracy. They probably didn't have much of a saying it, but well done. Your parents had great accuracy.

Branding for February. Happy birthday. Michael from Bonnie Rupp in Denmark. Well, that's a good thing. Just docks yourself there. February, happy birthday. Berladez, happy birthday. Megan, February 1st, happy birthday.

Amy Bags. She got bags of birthdays, as I mean, on February 3rd. I'm sure she has one. Josh, February 3rd, happy birthday to you. Cessaly, happy birthday to you for February 4th. Mark Banghotse, great saying. February 6th, happy birthday. Chris Austin, happy birthday for February 7th.

Lisa, February 9th. You share your birthday with Derek on February 9th. Happy birthday to both of you. Joy and Leaning, happy birthday to both of you, lovely people on February 10th. Melissa Barton, February 11th, happy birthday. Evelyn, February 13th, happy birthday. Lincoln Anderson, that's a cool name. Happy birthday February 24th.

Blue and Racy, who are a husband and wife with the same birthday of February 26. That is actually adorable. And my dad, whose birthday is today as we record this, so happy birthday. Hey, happy birthday, Papa Sage. There you go. Do I just call him Papa Reid? I just say it's your dad. Oh, well, he did one day.

Always on the mind. I can't believe Sam accused someone of doxing themselves when Sam read their address out. They put it in the message. Don't read it. No, don't get read. Don't put it in the message. That's our motto.

If you are a member of our Patreon at the top tier, you can, if you really want, get a birthday shout-out from the Father Christmas of birthdays, but you do need to let us know when your birthday is. Unfortunately, we are very developed, but we are not yet psychic. So please give us a message on Patreon, letting us know when your birthday is. And we'll make sure that's included in the shoutouts.

We'll back in about a month's time for March's birthdays, which will include your own sum, of course. But if you wouldn't mind, at least for now, getting us out of here. I'm actually got a Patreon subscriber. Yeah, that's how it works. If you don't ever want to hear the birthday shoutouts ever again, then you should all stop sending your birthdays, because that means the segment will die.

Thank you so much for your support. It means a lot. We are back to actual racing next week. So Sunday's episode to come and then we get properly into the season, which is very, very exciting. Thanks for this control of the Giscord. It's going to be very useful in the coming weeks

because we will need your inputs who will hear your messages, which is massive, and follow us on social media, late breaking F1 on all channels. We'll see you very soon. In the meantime, I've been SamuSage. I've been Ben Hocking.

And I've been Saboba. And remember, keep breaking late. Can't wait for the compilation at the end of the year. Big up, subalba.