2025 Formula 1 Season Preview

Join me, Ben, and new guest, David, as we unpack the key talking points of the year to come in Formula 1. This blockbuster episode is full of laughs, analysis and questionable basketball references. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Hello and welcome back to F one. Isn't real. It's
been an awfully long time. But when, as the new
season is going to be starting within the next few weeks,
I thought appropriate to produce a preview episode for the
twenty twenty five Formula One season with a very good
friend of mine, very ascute F one historian, so sweet

(00:36):
take David Incarishan. So, David, how's it going, my friend?
Even even.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
I'm excited I'm on the first time on this show.

Speaker 1 (00:49):
Indeed, indeed, don't take for me hopefully, Yeah, but yeah,
what's your overall expectation for the season.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
This season, I'm gonna be so I've never been more
excited for a season than this one because it's just
I think last year was like gave us a taste
of what was to come. And now with let's say,
obviously the big move with Lewis Hamilton, not in the
miss Standish and Spades Carno. More like it's the upris

(01:20):
of like the McLaren team and just the overall movement
and there's loads of new rookies, new faces. It's exciting, exciting.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
The whole dynamics just being completely turned on its head
because We've heard people dominance for the past few years,
and then all of a sudden, we've got like McLaren
in the mix, We've got Ferrari like definitely. By the
end of the season, definitely, they were looking like one
of the more competitive teams exactly, and then something else
sirs there and red Bull like can they recover?

Speaker 2 (01:48):
I don't know exactly. It's a lot to look forward to,
and yeah, haven't been more excited.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
Let's crept right into it. Then let's have a look
at the drivers Championship. So our top five drivers in
the year twenty five. Let's start with number five in
the championship. But what you say this?

Speaker 2 (02:12):
This is I this is going to surprise a lot
of people. And I'll talk about him later on as well,
because he's on one of my other categories for the
later on when we talk about it. Number five for
me is the newly acquired Lewis Hamilton. Oh that's I'm

(02:34):
not gonna go into too much detail. Why for now,
because he does pop up later on. I feel like
he's in my opinion, I don't think he's there to
be that one a guy for the Ferrari. He's there
to more to be like the mentor for Charles and
he is coming to the latter stages career. So last

(02:56):
season maybe it was just because he was just last
season in the steadies, he was and I guess it
was a bit tired of Mestadius, I guess, but he
wasn't performing to like the standard we Nilo s Hamilton for
the past decade and a bit.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
So maybe like a maybe not a useful parallel in
this situation, but some some as we call it across
curricular linking, we can think about, Like what my mind
just jumped to was the deal that brought Luka Doncic to.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
Exactly That is exactly what I'm thinking.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
So we've got this this established star, like he's literally
the best thing to get, like maybe the greatest of
eactly mutiple player of all time in Lebron James and now,
but he's still he's still got that competitive edge like
Lebron James reminds me of like Fernando Alonso. You know,
he's like this guy who you feel like is just
never going to go out of his prime.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Right.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
And then we've got d who obviously has some some
issues in terms of like his like conditioning and Charlotte Claire,
who had at times let his emotions get the best
of them, has his inconsistencies as well, So like will
the dynamics. So Lewis is really competitive still, yeah, so
will he? We did you know what I mean?

Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah? We did see obviously the amazing Silverstone last last
year and the other race he did win. I forgot.
I forgot the one even though it was still Russell's win.
Like there was still flashes off that venture Lewis Hamilton.

Speaker 1 (04:30):
Hungry Pard I think it was, wasn't it hungry Hungoing?

Speaker 2 (04:35):
I think so? Yeah, Like like we seemed some flashes
of venture Lewis Hamilton. I just feel like it has
came his time, has his calm't But he's still going
to be in that mix.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
I can understand that. Yeah, that Lewis Hamilton the greatest
of all time, but has he kind of let it slip?
Perhaps again we'll talk about him as as the episode
continues exactly, But my P five I've put Lee laws
okay for me, He's been killing it in the junior
formulas for a decade a decade. That's that's like almost

(05:10):
as much as all of the other rookies combined. In
terms of experience. He knows that he's inside out because
he's represented Rebel as a test driver since twenty twenty
two and in Alpha Tari and racing Balls over the
past few years. He secured six points from eleven starts,
and I think that's extremely impressive considering how how you know,

(05:31):
let's people not basically especially considering like he was, you know,
he was going against Yuki Sonoda, who's been driving at
the team for multiple years now.

Speaker 2 (05:40):
Yeah, Like, I.

Speaker 1 (05:42):
Think he's going to be kind of the first season
Checho Perez was was like was Mating twenty twenty one,
like a really reliable backup driver. But Liam Lawson has
got the like he's got the talent to go on
well into the future. So I feel like he'll I
feel like he'll that's all right into that P five spot.

Speaker 2 (06:02):
Yeah, he's definitely has to. Like he's been in the
mix of F one for a very very long time.
Like was it cool like last season we didn't see
that much of him, but like like properly because obviously
it was after Daniel Occardo left. He just flot straight in.

(06:25):
But I think it would definitely help that he's in
that red bull Car, So obviously we've definitely seen more
of him in the more competitive situations.

Speaker 1 (06:36):
My one concern about Liam Lawson is that we might
have like a Nick Debrize situation. Yes, he performed really
well if you remember, like remember thinking back two years
at Monza, he secured P nine in the Williams and
then off of that one drive he ended up getting
selected for the for the Alpha Tari seat, the next

(06:58):
Racing Balls seat than the next you And like, I
feel like it hasn't worked out a few performances, Like
is that is that always the way to go down?
You know, it's it's dicey, but I trust, I trust him.

Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, she would go to four.

Speaker 1 (07:13):
To four, who's your Who's your? P four?

Speaker 2 (07:17):
Thinks my preform P three are like interchangeable for me,
But I think I changed it last minute. I think
P four might be another surprise Lando Norris damn Okay.
I just feel I don't know.

Speaker 1 (07:37):
Like.

Speaker 2 (07:39):
This season is definitely definitely going to be filmed way
more motivated after this year's to shortcoming last year's shortcomings, sorry,
last year's shortcomings of him just being like he's like
in the mix of the championship. But I haven't. Everyone
knew that it was always going to end up maxis so,
but he was always just always had that little chance

(08:00):
that was like grasping onto it. He did have like
loads of poles, loads of poles, loads of opportunities to
close in that gap and actually make a proper push
to make Max Field concerned. But I just feel like
his emotions got to him. I guess his ego definitely
got to him, iglet, and I feel like that maybe

(08:24):
his downfall this season in terms of his standing against Piastre.

Speaker 1 (08:28):
I've been talking about this for a long time on
the podcast, and he's just like he's a big baby,
like he really he really doesn't like as soon as
he's put in these stressful situations, these positions where he
has to kind of compromise for the team or something
like that, he's just always he always has a negative
attitude towards that. And it kind of reminds me of

(08:48):
a young Max staffing in the world, And I'm saying, like,
these people they can either, you know, go one way,
or they can go the other. So you know, you
have certain young drivers who are known to have their
emotions get the better of them, like Daniel colveat right,
You just he just didn't. He never got a foothold
in the way that you would you would have expected
from someone of his talent. So Landon and Norris, I

(09:09):
feel like he could go down that wrote or he
could go down Maxim Stappins route and become one of
the greatest. And I don't know he's on the line
for me exactly.

Speaker 2 (09:17):
It's he's really unpredictable for me because actually said, like
there's two different rout this type of archetype we've seen before,
and I just see the mcclown situations becoming way more
like tense and like I feel like Lando, compared to
Filatri is more to crack under that tension and under

(09:38):
the pressure more than what we've seen from last season
from piastre.

Speaker 1 (09:42):
Pstrew's got such a cool head man like he yes
who dialed in. But for me personally, I can I'm
sure we'll come on to this at some point later.
I see Norris, like when my evaluation of it, where
I was thinking about it, I see Norris kind of
getting the best of him in the big moments, you know,

(10:03):
like I put my faith in him slightly this year.
But yeah, we'll go on to discuss why I don't
I personally don't see it planning him out for him
this year, But my P four might P four is
Lewis Hamilton. Okay, So I see I see Ferrari taking
a major step forward. I don't see Lewis Hamilton taking

(10:23):
that step forward with them. Personally, I don't think he's washed.

Speaker 2 (10:28):
Yeah, he's definitely not watched three four in this in
this type of Yeah, I can't.

Speaker 1 (10:32):
Still this is good. But I personally think I can
see him as a like, as a number two driver
this year, Like I see him you know and yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (10:45):
Ahead, Okay. I feel like we might have more of
a similar situation where the start of the season we
had last season, where like we weren't sure who was
one A, who was one bee?

Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yeah, like Color of Science, he had had that string
of races where where he po outscoring Leclaire and like
people are questioning, okay, if what's what's the dropping science
to the right idea. But I feel like, so I
feel like we might have some aspects of that in
this season because just the nature of Lewis Hamilton just

(11:16):
being just such a great driver and Leclaire also being
a great driver, but also not always not always doing
up to his own standards. So but yeah, I feel
like Lewis, it's just it's going to be hard to
trap higher in the list. I just you know, when
I think about Lowis Hamilton, I feel like, you know,

(11:36):
you couldn you could think about last year, right, Charlotte Clair.
I mean, like again, for the for the whole season,
there were there were maybe maybe from the start of
the season there was that there were few doubts about
his his status at Ferrari, But then as we got
to the end of the year, there was really like
he was really strong in that position, like there was
really kind of clear the Charlotte Clair, for all you know,

(11:57):
for all that he had some shortcomings and you know,
emotional moment, he really kind of I think cemented his
position as that Ferrari driver, the leader of.

Speaker 2 (12:05):
Ferrari in fact, exactly. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (12:08):
And I think Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, has
a bit of a chip on his shoulder, like, yes,
honest compared to George Russell, like I would have expected
him to do better, to be honest with you, and
and and I don't know if he'll be ready to
I don't know if he'll be that kind of leader
that he was at Mercedes.

Speaker 2 (12:27):
So long Ferrari, I don't think he has to be.
I don't think like this situation like a legacy is
a legacy driver. I feel like it's kind of similar
to what we were saying about the Lakers before, Like, yeah,
he in order for Ferrari to be successful. Obviously Lewis
still does have to be performing, But I don't think
he was brought in for him to win the World

(12:49):
Championship or whatever. I feel like he has been brought
in to help them get back into the competitive time,
which they haven't been since I guess, I guess since
twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen around those times. So I feel like, do.

Speaker 1 (13:07):
You think a l player and science partnership would have
Like this is what I'm saying, right, if you're going
to give legacy drive to somebody, right, Okay, Lewis Hamilton's
definitely the best person to give it to. But is
that like a very serious move from Ferrari Because if
they're going to be challenging for a championship in the
next two years, right, Lewis doesn't have anything else to prove.
Let's be real, like he is. Definitely, he's the greatest,

(13:28):
and so I think if they had stuck with Carlos
and Charle, they would have been in a prime in
far better position to secure the World Constructed Championship. Person.

Speaker 2 (13:39):
Yeah, but like if you, if you, if you have
the opportunity to get Lewis Hamilton, yeah, nine times out
of ten, the most the most knowledgeable thing to do
is get Lewis Hamilton. You know what I mean is
it was a tough decision because I feel like the
chemistry between Charleston and Carlos was they've been growing together

(14:02):
and especially after seeing this year again, I'm seeing last year,
so he keeps saying, this year, I'm seeing last year's
second place finishing the contractors, like there was there is
something to be made with that. There was something to
be made with that partnership. And they've been growing together
ever since Carlos came over from what did you come

(14:23):
from McLaren right, Yeah, okay from McClaren. So it was
it's a difficult situation.

Speaker 1 (14:31):
But yeah, listen, at the end of the day, what
you're saying when it comes to like, you know, it's like, okay, listen,
Lewis Hamilton is not just a name, right, Louis Hamilton
has like it's genuinely one of the most talented drivers
of all time. It's not like mixed hu making situation
where it's like, oh, it's just like you know, he's
he's prodigious because of his father whateverever. But like mistakes

(14:52):
have been made in the past, like throughout all of time,
all of sports, where you have this big name person
they come in and then at the end of the
day they kind of underperform, And I think I think, like
I think about Ronaldo's move to to Man United, Man United,
like the reason why he was signed was because of
the prestige of like you know, he wants he wants

(15:13):
to come back obviously and because of the name. Right,
But if we're being serious, right, his his prime was,
in my opinion, well behind him. I don't I don't
think he performed as events as he does at Real Madrid.

Speaker 2 (15:24):
He still performed at a high level though, That's what
I'm thinking, So Lewis doesn't have to perform at his
prime level in order for him.

Speaker 1 (15:33):
But if you want to challenge for a championship now,
like why you traded, Like why are you, you know,
giving away for like like you're breaking up. In my opinion,
what is one of the greatest driver partnerships in the
field right now, for the sake of a for for
the sake of a legacy guy, Like I don't, I don't,
I don't understand that. I nuntderstand the reasoning from Ferrari,

(15:53):
You know what.

Speaker 2 (15:53):
I mean, I understand if it definitely would have been
like a very difficult decision for to make, and we'll
see if this season it was the right decision.

Speaker 1 (16:03):
All right, let's move on to number three's T three.

Speaker 2 (16:07):
One of my one of my favorites of this field,
Oscar Piastre.

Speaker 1 (16:13):
Okay over London.

Speaker 2 (16:16):
I felt Oscar Piastri he would he would kind of
be what I like, similar to Lando last year, and
like he's like like kind of like inching closer to
that w to that w DC race and just like
he's going to be like in the mix. But I
don't think he'll He's like people forget that last year
was like his his second year and that f one

(16:39):
like last year was an incredible season for Piastre. He
he was like mature, he was like when Lando was
having some of his antics going on. He was still
level headed, he was calm and composed, and I feel
like he just has the characteristics to take another massive
step and I feel like he that will definitely see

(17:00):
him be better than Lando next this season.

Speaker 1 (17:03):
Is it that maturity, that kind of emotional factor that
pushes over the top, or do you think there's a
kind of gap in terms of talent as well.

Speaker 2 (17:10):
A bit of both, or may that like maturity just
be able to just stay composed, like under high high pressure.
I feel like that in the long run, I will
just I'll just get him over that arm.

Speaker 1 (17:23):
Me personally, I've gone with Landon Norris here. I'm going
to listen, he's a bottle job. Okay, he's a bottle job.
Let's be real, right last year he essentially ruined his
chance to the chauld. He was on pole, I think
it was something like five or six times, and then
he lost the lost the race in the first corner
again and again again and again, and I listen, I think,

(17:48):
I think, at the end of the day, I think
he's more talented than Oscar is. Right now, I can
see developing into a generational talent, But right now, I
think Landon Norris is genuinely more talented, but he's a
victim of his own like lack of composure essentially. And
what I hope, well, I'm really hoping to be honest,

(18:10):
because I think Lando, listen, I think he deserves a
championship at some point. What I'm hoping is that he's
taken some time over the off season to just to
consider like mentality and like you know, Kobe back in
the day, you know, like everybody was going or whatever,
and he was just.

Speaker 2 (18:29):
Yeah, I feel but I feel after last season though
that Mr I was so like torn between Piastri and Lando.
I feel like, definitely, towards the end of last season,
we saw mcclown established that Lando was inching more of
being that that first the first was called first option. Like,

(18:51):
I feel like it's a bit more established that Lando
is their number one guy compared to Piastri.

Speaker 1 (18:58):
So it performs Lando this year, Do you think that
the doll is gonna shift?

Speaker 2 (19:03):
Yes, I feel like that not. Actually, it depends on
like the extent of it in my opinion, right, because
you never know, like some sort of circumstances could happen.
And yeah, but I've got a question for you, though,
of course you're talking about how Lando just like kept

(19:26):
losing it like and like just off his own shortcomings.

Speaker 1 (19:31):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (19:32):
Do you think if the team ordence didn't happen for
Oscar past to get his first win? Mhm, that that
would have helped Lando make his push?

Speaker 1 (19:44):
No, Like Lando Norris had already No, in my opinion,
had already made more than enough concessions to Lando, Like
I think he had blown his chances. Like, I genuinely
don't think that the team can be blamed for that,
to be us with you, because it's like it's like,
oh man, I can't remember the exact race, but at

(20:05):
the start of I think it was like race six
of the end of the season in like the year
two thousand, when Mick Schumacher was sorry Rubens Barrichello was
asked to step aside with Mick Schumacher. I think it
was at the San Marino Grand Prix at the time,
and then at the United States Gone Prett earlier and
later in the year. Michael Schumacher, you know, humbly, I think,

(20:26):
gave up his his race win for Rubens as a
kind of payback. Right, Look, Lando Norris, he's cut from
the same color as Max for Stappen. Like if we
think about a couple of years ago, I don't know
if you recall, but in Brazil it was Max and Checko.
Max had already won the championship at this point, and
it was just for It wasn't even for the win.
It was for P two, but Max for Stappin did

(20:49):
not let Serjio Perez passed. And like, it's not what
I'm saying right, Lando Norris not only botched his own opportunity,
but I don't think he has the humility at this
point in his career to recognize Oscars, that Oscar can
be helped him and he's not a threat, you know
what I mean? Yeah, And so that's where I think
his downfall could be in my opinion. So I would

(21:09):
just I would. I would be very hesitant to say
that that decision from the team cost the land of
the championship. I think he cost himself with the championship too.

Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yeah, oh dear, I'm going for Max for Steffen.

Speaker 1 (21:33):
Oh me too.

Speaker 2 (21:38):
We agreed, what we agreed on?

Speaker 1 (21:39):
What give me your rationale and what's the reasoning?

Speaker 2 (21:44):
Okay, firstly, it's just like I don't want him, not
like not in a bad way, but I just don't
want him to break the record. The record you got
so so it's just like just like out of respect
for is in a way, just just for him to

(22:04):
just keep his not keep the legacy, but just like
just it's just feel bad because it's kind of odd
because he's We're seeing such an amazing driving Max with
staff and just breaking all these record left rights center.
That kind of I feel like we kind of came
numb to it of how great and what he's been

(22:25):
doing is to this extent is crazy. So I can
definitely see him if it was to be anyone, it
would be him to tie that record.

Speaker 1 (22:34):
But just like out of respect, I just feel like, yeah,
just what happened, you know what I mean? Yeah, I
mean like I'm I'm a really I'm a really big
American football fan. And just this last weekend, it was
the Super Bowl and it was the Kansas City Chiefs
against Philadelphia Eagles, and the Chiefs had an opportunity to
do something that had never been done in the Super
Bowl era of American football, which is to go three

(22:55):
three in a row with three p and like over
the past three years is people have become increasingly more
critical of the Chiefs to the point they've kind of
become the villains of the NFL. And like that's the
same with Max. You know, he's perceived in this way
that he's kind of like a bad person for winning. Listen,
I don't think that's right. I agree with you. But

(23:15):
at the end of the day, as a as a
fan of the sport of Formula One and as a
as a fan of the sport of football, I want
I wanted to see the Chiefs lose, and they did,
and I want to see it. You know, I just
I wouldn't seeming different.

Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yeah, it's nothing like it's nothing against Max, it's nothing personal.
It's just the nature of like what he's what's going
to happen. And also, I just we saw last season
that the car wasn't what we've been used to.

Speaker 1 (23:47):
Yeah, the I think maybe it was perhaps a product
of Adrian Newey knowing that he was going to take
a step away. I'm not saying you're sabotaging like I'm not,
but he's been All I'm saying is I think he's
been saving his ideas fast and Martin, you.

Speaker 2 (24:02):
Know, he's like, yeah, so so we'll see how it
performs this year, but that we saw some instances where
like where we became so accustomed for the past few years,
Max constantly constantly a gain the top three finish. At least,
we saw a couple of instances this year where he
would be six fifth so so, so I feel like

(24:25):
that could have a possibility of like cracking through this
season as well.

Speaker 1 (24:29):
So and I think that well, that brings us nicely
onto a number one the world. I think, person, I
think we have the same as well. Yeah to say
it then.

Speaker 2 (24:43):
Away from my favorite driver, definitely not biased in my
opinion because he also drives for the team I support,
But I I feel like this is the year that
Charles Leclair, yes, sir, first Formula One Drivers Trpionship.

Speaker 1 (25:05):
Before we say anything in terms of analysis, I have
predicted Charla Claire to win the championship for the past no, no, no,
to be fair, I picked him, predicted Max last year,
but the two years before that I predicted. I'm just
saying I don't have a good record on this.

Speaker 2 (25:19):
I'm over to but there's something about it this season
that's just I feel like it's just been like it's
like crescendo. It's like it's it's just been building up
for this, for just him to to win like he
had last year. He did have his first, his first,
his first win up Monaco, the one he always wanted

(25:40):
after many, many years of trying, And I just feel
like this, this is the next step.

Speaker 1 (25:47):
Do you see it as a Max versus Cho championship
or is it a Max versus Charles versus Oscar championship?
Always like a four way champion. Like what we're saying
in terms of like how close it's going to be at.

Speaker 2 (25:58):
The top, I think I think it's gonna be very
close at the top. I feel like we haven't we
haven't had this much parity in and F one in
such a long time, So I feel like it could
be it seriously, could be a four horse race at
the top.

Speaker 1 (26:17):
Yeah, that'd be sick man like that, genuinely. That would
bring it back to like obviously I wasn't personally around
for this, but I remember, you know, well I don't remember,
but I remember I remember my dad like listening to
it on the radio when I was like four in
twenty twelve, when you didn't know which ye it was
going to go and then before that in twenty ten
when it was like a six way race between Alonso

(26:40):
and Massa and Hamilton Bottom like everybody and Vettel is crazy.
I could see that coming back again.

Speaker 2 (26:47):
I could see that coming back. Yeah. Yeah, so that's
in Charles. I feel like I feel like he he
will fix up his.

Speaker 1 (27:00):
What what went wrong last season?

Speaker 2 (27:04):
What was it called? A few? A few? Like one
of his strongest points we both know is is qualifying,
and we did see that there were some parts of
it last season that it actually wasn't up to its
normal standards. So it was kind of odd to see
that like come like just something. The only that's one
of the thing he's been so consistent on is it's
always like qualifying very high. So so hopefully that doesn't

(27:29):
what was called carry on this season where it's qualifying
is a bit on the shakier side.

Speaker 1 (27:36):
We don't see like a call back to like the
clown Ferrari phase.

Speaker 2 (27:41):
Please please please know, Like last season we did see
Ferrari pulled out some crazy strategy that one the one
stop fort what race it was? When was it Mons? Yeah?
So did wins and it was we just saw charge

(28:06):
just just like be that tire whisperer, just like just
just just keeping them tires just just right, making sure
he's not overdoing it.

Speaker 1 (28:15):
So I think Ferrari they've had some Listen, I don't
I don't have all of the inside knowledge for this,
but they've had some management restructuring. Let's put it like that,
they're taken the clowns out, They're taking the clown costumes
out of their closet.

Speaker 2 (28:28):
Them.

Speaker 1 (28:31):
Please, I can't go through another year of Charle performing
amazingly and then it's just like and then them chatting
to him while he's trying to pit and stuff like, yeah, yeah,
I hope.

Speaker 2 (28:46):
We can only hope for the first Yeah we can.

Speaker 1 (28:48):
I mean, charl the Claire World Champion. We'll see, We'll see.
And after the break, we're gonna have a look at
the Constructors Championship. How we think the top five of
the constructors is going to pan out? David Chapter in
a second, welcome back to F one isn't real? Right now,

(29:12):
David and I are going to break down our top
five constructors for twenty five, who's going to win the
Constructors Championship and everything in between. Let's start out with P.
Five David, who are you thinking?

Speaker 2 (29:29):
So this team had a major acquisition in the in
the in the season and it's the men in white
right for the Williams.

Speaker 1 (29:41):
Whoa damn, that's crazy. That's a bomb show man.

Speaker 2 (29:48):
Yes Williams.

Speaker 1 (29:50):
Oh yes, five years after scoring zero points in the season,
Williams take P five in the championship. But it's explain this, David,
Make it makes sense. Okay.

Speaker 2 (30:01):
Obviously the living in the room. Yeah, the smooth offeration.
As you know, indeed, Carlo Science has joined, and I
feel like that will have just a crazy impact on
just the way they run things. In my opinion, like
having that type of acquisition pretty much is like fall
to you because Breville wasn't going to sign him, Misstadi

(30:24):
wasn't going to go for me either, because they always
their eyes will always sell Kimmy. So the next down
in the pecond order, like he wasn't going to ask
the master and Stroll has that seat glued to him.
It literally has that seat glued to him. So I
guess just it just falls down to Williams. So Williams
has almost been like blessed because we both know that

(30:47):
Carlo Science is deserves deserves an amazing car, and I
feel like I feel like Williams would It would be
wrong for not them to It will be wrong for
them not to offer it to him. Mm hmmm. So
I feel like the acquisition of him is just going
to motivate, motivate, just that just them to just be

(31:09):
way better than they were.

Speaker 1 (31:11):
Album can go back to being that second.

Speaker 2 (31:13):
String guy, just like not not being relying on album
to perform in order for them to stay afloat pretty much.
So I just feel like they'll have a major dump
this season.

Speaker 1 (31:26):
I'm gonna go on to talk about both of these
drivers later in the episode, so I'll save my comments
on the driversselves. But like Williams as a car has
been dog No I'm not going to swear on this,
but it's been it's been dogged.

Speaker 2 (31:44):
It's been cheeks.

Speaker 1 (31:47):
For years and years like probably not since like Valeri
botas ever since it's been even like close to good, right,
So could this be the time that they returned to
like they need they need some next totem of undying
to get them out of this situation. And so do
you see like a I mean, okay, they've brought in

(32:09):
James vows Okay. I think that's a major Speaking of
major acquisitions, I think he's revolutionized the way that the
team is run. I think they've met they I think
they've Okay, I'm gonna make the comments about the drivers later,
but I think, going off of what we've seen so far,
they do have two strong drivers.

Speaker 2 (32:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (32:30):
But the car itself, like I think, like two years
ago it still had those you know, the speedometers, was
the speedometers. There wasn't in the in the in the wheel,
the steering wheel, like less than two years ago. Like this,
this team is like running like a like a like

(32:50):
an old grandmother in the in her like alto you know,
the what they called the scooters, you know. Yeah, Like
I don't know. I don't know if I can see
Williams like sniffing a top five of their car.

Speaker 2 (33:09):
Yes, But one thing I do like about Williams, and
they showed it a lot last season. They're not afraid
to make the big decisions. They're not afraid to do it.
And I feel like that's just like the type of
like not like mentality. I feel like the car, yes,
it's to be questionable, I feel like the mentality just
like the energy coming out of it of this move

(33:31):
and just like the way william was ranned last year,
would like then making the massive decision like when when
when album crashed to give Liam to give Sergeant's car
to him to drop Sergeant the mid season. So I
feel like they're not shying away. So I feel like
that's that will come to fruition in this season.

Speaker 1 (33:53):
Yeah, speaking of that, they also have a fantastic like
they have an incredible prospect in the form of color Pinto.
So yes, yes he is back up driver, isn't he?
That's what I'm saying. So if there's any kind of
performance issues, they have somebody who's who's very strong already
in that car who can step in it. Point oh,
he did deserve a seat this season.

Speaker 2 (34:13):
I think, I think I can't believe it, but Williams, Williams,
they got Pinto handed out in them as well. See,
like they have the driver lineup is like could be
one of them, could arguably be one of the top
three of the of the of the whole of the
whole track.

Speaker 1 (34:33):
Like what really annoys me about this though, is Colo
Pinto and the album would have been a fine partnership.
Why did Carlos like why did Red Bull not go
for Carlos Science. I will never understand this.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
Yes, I don't understand it either.

Speaker 1 (34:45):
But like he's he's genuinely.

Speaker 2 (34:48):
Perfect, like pretty much like the perfect pass and how
next to Max.

Speaker 1 (34:52):
He knows him like he knows Max very very well.
They've worked together in the past, and color Science and him,
they're both matured extremely well. I think this is just
one of those things where they just they they once
the decision, they stick with that decision. One of the
only instances that I can think of in recent or work.
I mean, rebeling themselves have only existed for twenty years,

(35:14):
but I can only like one of the only instances
I can think of a driver being brought back into
rotation at Redbell after them being let those Daniel Ricardo right,
Maybe it's just an attitude, you know, a Red Bull.
If you're out for.

Speaker 2 (35:27):
Good, you're out, like you're not coming back. It's like
you haven't had that one chance at that organization.

Speaker 1 (35:33):
I don't know, he just got he got passed up
so hard.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
I just feel like they held onto Sergio Paris too
long for it to become like an option for them
to get Carlo Science.

Speaker 1 (35:47):
I think check. I might have to go back to
the farm bro's real estate right now because they were
too hopeful.

Speaker 2 (35:56):
They were too hopeful about the checkout pet.

Speaker 1 (36:00):
He needs to start working at the kit Kat factory again. Problem.
That's a problem. But that's a's that's a different story.
But let's get into my key five. This is more
of a like I couldn't see any other reasonable options,
and I don't see I just genuinely I think Williams
is going to be held back by its carl this year,
and so I'm going to go with another Mercedes Partnership

(36:21):
partner team in Aston Martin. Okay, your earlier point, Yes,
I agree with you. Hey, Lance Stroll is probably the
most like egregiously paid like a driver in F one history. Okay,
I think I think, if my memory serves me, I

(36:45):
think he scored almost triple. I think he scored almost
triple Strolls points this year, Fernando Alonso. But I still
see him converting it, you know, I see him converting
his like I don't know I've seen carrying. Okay, Fernandaloo
has been for his entire life, Okay, and I see

(37:06):
him doing the same now, and I just don't age
will get to him or just never. We'll just never
get to him, will it. And I think he's gonna
go out swinging either way, and he's he's I mean
what I mean. The age hasn't got to him yet.
I don't think an extra year is going to It's
like it's lore of diminishing returns. The more you the
more years you add on, the less percentage of your
life you ad. You know what I mean. So a

(37:28):
year's gone by, yes, but a smaller percentage of his
life has gone by, and.

Speaker 2 (37:33):
So like he'll be fine, Okay, just the Dutch Batchat
to your statement, shro had twenty four last season points,
Orlando had seventy.

Speaker 1 (37:44):
Oh yeah, it's bad. It's bad. Is he ever going
to get like let go of that scene? I feel
like they'll have they will be.

Speaker 2 (37:53):
I feel like they're the only way you would get
let go like agregiously crazy amount of life.

Speaker 1 (38:00):
There's got to be some Nikzapin type situation.

Speaker 2 (38:04):
Yes, I think you just have either like the fans
and the fans office of the team will have to
be so fed up, and that would like that would
be that the only decision.

Speaker 1 (38:15):
To as Martin have fans like I genuinely don't even know, Like.

Speaker 2 (38:20):
No, they're they're definitely fan Fernando Lono fan.

Speaker 1 (38:24):
But I'm saying like I don't think there's a single,
like like actually Aston Martin fans, you never know, you
never know? Like what do you know about people that
support Kicks Aalva, Well, there's no no one supports I've
never how are you going to support a streaming service
like bro Aidan Ross supports Kicks album? Man, this like
you you're not supporting Kicks albur unless you're being paid.
Let's be real, Okay. I never thought i'd see the

(38:49):
day when we had like a probably scamming money service
like vis Visa cash Rules and Kick Salvo bro and
and it was this, this whole, the whole, every one
was sponsored by crypto dot com. Who is what are
we doing?

Speaker 2 (39:11):
Work? Working on utter work?

Speaker 1 (39:12):
Nonsense? I thought we would. I thought we were like
the all in the world, Like what, yes, I don't know,
I get let's go to let's go to people coming people.

Speaker 2 (39:25):
People. I've gone for the top dog of the previous
two teams we mentioned mestadies, Yeah, easy one, Yeah, you're
gonna elaborate.

Speaker 1 (39:39):
Well, listen, they're literally the worst of the best. You know. Yeah,
they're going to be in contention for podiums, but they're
going to be few and far between. Also, I do
not rate their driver line line up whatsoever, in my
opinion is an unproven prospect. Pace citis in Formula two
last season mid mid drivers.

Speaker 2 (40:01):
Old is he? How old is he?

Speaker 1 (40:02):
I think he's like twenty ninety something ridiculous? Oh no, no,
he was seventeen. He's he's like twenty eight days older
than amsh can we be let me just so? I
think he's like eighteen and a half now eighteen years old.

Speaker 2 (40:19):
He was born in two thousand and six.

Speaker 1 (40:21):
That's ridiculous. Man, Well he should literally be going to
my school, Like.

Speaker 2 (40:26):
What you what are you doing?

Speaker 1 (40:30):
So he's earning peas Man's this is paycheck. Musn't getting
that paycheck at eighteen?

Speaker 2 (40:35):
Bro and racing in.

Speaker 1 (40:40):
Eighties? Yeah, and a mistakes crazy fast car being a mestadies.
This is my most questionable, Like this is okay, this
is I'm not going to say, okay, let's put like this.
This is the move of this season or the transfer
of this season that I have the least clue how
it's going to pan out. He could I could be

(41:00):
one of the greatest prospects of all time or genuinely
the most dog water f one driver there's ever grace
the sport. I genuinely don't know. But okay, George Russell,
I can't lie. He's not a team leader. He's just
not a leader whatsoever. Like yeah, it feels like even
when he was even even two years ago, when he
was doing slightly better than Lowis Hamilton, I've never had

(41:22):
that vibe from him like he's in control.

Speaker 2 (41:24):
Well for this, this is the first time we'll see
him in that spotlight. Like obviously you were saying like
he did was doing better than Lowis Hamilton, but Lewis
Hamilton was still that guy. So this now and they're
going to be looking at George Russell to make to
make them score major points because obviously Kimmy in his

(41:44):
fast season, being as young as he is, he's obviously
such a raw prospect. And I'm going to be unpredictable.
This team is very unpredictable. Like in my opinion, it
can go in. I can see it being like one
of the going really well and they could possibly be
like go up to three or two. But I think
four it's like the safe spot for them.

Speaker 1 (42:06):
It really strikes me as like around where McLaren was
a few years ago, around where Aston Martin was a
few years ago, Like they're just in that kind of
Goldie looks space where I think it's going to be
like nowhere near good enough to challenge the front three
and also nowhere near bad enough to be like fighting
for the lower positions. I think they quite out on

(42:28):
their own, like they're gonna be one's land in terms.

Speaker 2 (42:32):
Exactly. Yeah, So it's it's any Yeah, I don't know
what else to say to that.

Speaker 1 (42:38):
You see Russell ever being a world champion?

Speaker 2 (42:43):
I don't think. I don't think Russell will be a
world champion. I feel like with the with the prospect
of like the Charles Lando Piastre and the staff and
still being in there in that mix, I just and
then whatever however these new rookies and newcomers will pan out.

(43:04):
I just don't see Russell putting his name in the
in the heart of a world championship.

Speaker 1 (43:08):
I feel like he would just be.

Speaker 2 (43:13):
Just one of those drivers who just like just very
just like a very good driver but just never took
was able to take that next step to just be
a great driver.

Speaker 1 (43:24):
Actually, you know, this is a good exercise. I sually,
I'm gonna'm gonna okay, I'm gonna read out names, and
I want you to say yes or no, one word answer,
and if they're going to be a world champion within
the next eight years, eight years.

Speaker 2 (43:35):
Okay, Max Stappin, Yes, I think he will get at
least one.

Speaker 1 (43:43):
Yes, this is hopefully this is the year.

Speaker 2 (43:46):
This is the year. Lewis Hamilton, I no, I don't think.

Speaker 1 (43:55):
Yes, I think he will. Oscar I think Oscar will. No.

Speaker 2 (44:02):
George Russell, I don't think George Russell. I don't think
because I just don't see him just like having that
that mentality that just like that drive championship mentality, just
to win it, like Liam Liam Lawson, It'll be hard
because how long how long is Max under contract for

(44:25):
eight twenty twenty eight, and who knows what will happen
after that. So maybe if Max does decide to leave
in three years and then and then this is this
was was called red Bulls decision like this whole time
to like get Liam Lawson in, just prepare for the
worst that Max for staff and does leave. So just

(44:46):
like game a few years before he does leave and
develop him to be their next guy. Maybe he could,
but obviously, if I looking at the Coffel drivers again,
it will be very difficult for him.

Speaker 1 (45:01):
This is like, this is properly. I feel like we've
had a there's been a like a dull patch between
I think between Weber stepping away from the sport in
twenty fourteen, in twenty thirteen and today and now I
think there's been a dry patch. We've had some quality drivers,

(45:22):
but we haven't had we haven't had fully fledged stars
in the sport who are all I think within that
kind of range of like they're on the bubble of
like whether or not they will convert their talent into
championships until now. I think this is a prime moment
in Formula one history, to be honest.

Speaker 2 (45:39):
With, there's so many just competitors out there that it's
hard to predict. And that's why at the start this episode,
I was saying that I am very excited for this
season because anything could happen, Like we could see we
could see another Lewis, how much of championship we could
see that It's like that it's definitely not out of
the cars of possibility of that.

Speaker 1 (46:00):
Yeah, but this season, the season is almost like so
basically there's there's a concept in American football which is
like if you essentially, if there's a foul on the play,
on the play that you're running. Right, So if let's
say the quarterback, you know, he takes takes the ball
and he drops back to pass, and then he sees

(46:20):
a and then he sees a yellow flag come in
and that's basically like a foul foul flag, right, he
sees that, and then he knows from that point that
whatever he does in the next play, it doesn't matter
because either way it's gonna it's gonna the play is
going to start because it's been a foul. And in
a foul play, essentially everything just resets after the play

(46:42):
if if it's non beneficial for the offense. So he
drops back, he looks, and then he looks, and every
single time that this happens, he always sends sends the
ball along and you know, it could get intercepted, it
could get touchdown. Who knows. That's this season is for me.
Twenty twenty six is going to be a massive, uh

(47:04):
like reset essentially because there's a regulation change Okay, this
year is like just you know, you just throw the
ball up. You don't know where it's going to go,
but you put it all on the line because this
this season doesn't really count in the long run. It
doesn't really matter, same as same as a player that
gets flagged, it doesn't really matter in the other way.
It's coming back. So you may have the ball up

(47:25):
just in case something good happen. And that's for me.
These teams, I think are all gonna.

Speaker 2 (47:30):
Just just just go running and for it, just gun
for it.

Speaker 1 (47:34):
That's what makes this sign for me. Okay, I die,
I digress P three McLaren, McLaren for me.

Speaker 2 (47:42):
Oh three, yeah, reasonings with your reasonings.

Speaker 1 (47:49):
I think I think this's going to be a little
bit of a reality check year for McLaren. I think
were wrapping it out with Red Bull and Ferrari for
the well red Bull for the part three year. I
kind of I see the car taking a slight step
back in the same way as I see the Mercedes
car taking a slight step back. I don't think that

(48:09):
the engines, so you know, historically Mercedes engines have been
phenomenal in straight line speed. I don't see I think personally,
I think the RedBull powertrain and the Ferrari powertrain the
Ferrari engine are going to outstrip them this year. I'm
back the designers of the of the engine more than
I do the Mercedes engine, and I think it's going

(48:32):
to hold Norris back from properly vying for the title.
I just don't. Also, I can see it being like
a little bit of a if we think back to
like twenty seventeen eighteen, where it was Esteban Akhan and
Sergio Perez at a racing point.

Speaker 2 (48:48):
At that racing point, it just.

Speaker 1 (48:50):
Came to blows all the time. They were always kind
of crashing into each other, you know, making mistakes, stripping
over themselves. I can see a similar thing happening at
McLaren where they put themselves in an impossible situation. But
not only is their car maybe not right quite there,
but their teammates. The teammates are so kind of locked in,
locked it like locked looked competitive and just yeah that

(49:11):
it could go wrong. So that's why I see McLaren
kind of not being able to challenge rebeler Ferrari this year.

Speaker 2 (49:17):
So you're saying last season was a bit of like
a Cinderella year.

Speaker 1 (49:20):
Yeah, I think it was. I think that was their opportunity.
I think that that was the win now moment, you know,
and Norris kind of blew it? What do you do?

Speaker 2 (49:27):
That's I I feel like mcclan will be challenging still
this season. I feel like they have this like they
have the strongest lineup of that they probably do have
the strongest lineup of drivers in terms of like their ability,
and but it's really dependent on that dynamic between those

(49:49):
two and how that pans out and are they going
to get in the way of each other, are they
going to compliment each other? Are they going to figure
things out? Like I think it's so dependent on the
could past landon dynamics of how this season will play,
on how it will have that effect on the team.
And that's that their final standings. But in my third

(50:10):
P three, in my P three, I have Red Bull
for me.

Speaker 1 (50:14):
Okay, fine, give me some explanation that's controversial in my opinion.

Speaker 2 (50:22):
That I feel like because what's called red They're getting
a new engine row, aren't they next?

Speaker 1 (50:31):
Yeah, so I believe this is the year that Honda
will be stepping away from exactly manufacturing. So they've been
branded Red Bull power trains for the past few years,
but Honda Step but they were Honda engines.

Speaker 2 (50:45):
So I don't I feel like they're just they just
might just be like preparing just for that new coming
to come in. So I don't think there'll be like
to focus on like upgrade in the car as much
as much focusing on this, I feel like there might
be coded for more the long time in terms of
the car, you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (51:02):
But this is what I'm saying, Like I feel like
Red Bull, no that Redbel have this idea that they've
been dominant for the past few years, a bit like
Mercedes had as the hybrid area was coming to an
end and they thought, you know what, we've got to
put everything into this car now. And so Saggi did
that in twenty twenty one, you know, and they put

(51:24):
me pull out all the stops and they managed to
secure the championship at the final race in Abi Dad
in finding race and Abidabbi mh. But like I see Rebel,
Rebel see their moments slipping away from just like it
did for Mercedes. Because there's about to be a whole
load of technical regulations coming in in twenty twenty six,
and so I think now is their like moment of like,

(51:47):
oh oh damn, you know this, this could be our
last chance in the Inn generation.

Speaker 2 (51:55):
And I just I just see just the whole other
everyone's catching up to them. Yeah, so I feel like
it's just it's just that since everyone else is catching
up to them, it will be harder for them to have
such a clear cut We saw it last season, like
they they end up being theired as well, like everyone

(52:17):
just catching up to them, and they haven't had like
the clear pathway that they had for them, and they
just shared domage that they'd had for the path.

Speaker 1 (52:24):
To what extent is that kind of Sergeia peris related?

Speaker 2 (52:28):
Yes, But and then bringing Liam Lawson, you think he's
going to do better than so.

Speaker 1 (52:33):
Liam Lawson is one of those raw talents, like is
going to hit the ground running. And because like I think,
like this what I think about he had to sit
out a year that he should have been in my opinion,
Oh well, I think if Alpine were being sensible, I
think he should have been racing, right, But but Alpine
ended up letting him go to McLaren in very controversial fashion.

(52:55):
And you know That's how the cookie crumbled, right. I
think Liam Lawson needed to get now, otherwise he was
going to start looking elsewhere. And I think he's one
of those talents that can has that has the that
has the like skill to back that up Osco Piastre
when he came in the sport, he was coming in
all guns blazing because he essentially made the decision to

(53:17):
screw over Alpine. But as he's proven over the past
two years, he was well within his right to do
that because he's a guy. I think Liam Lawson is
one of those.

Speaker 2 (53:26):
So he's gonna have that same like storyline us too.

Speaker 1 (53:34):
You got I've got mcclaran at my P two, I've
got red Bull. So he switched it.

Speaker 2 (53:40):
He just switched it. Yeah, It's just I feel like
they will ride on last season's high of them winning
winning the championship Construction Championship, that they'll have that like
motivation and just like like momentum to just keep that
going and keep them in the race to get to

(54:00):
try and go for the for the repeat. So I
think it's hard not to count them out of the
of the championship.

Speaker 1 (54:08):
I see them. This is the thing with Rebel right,
they've been so they've been guided by Adrian Newey for
some years now and as you made the point earlier
in the episode you were talking about how they've been
they you know, people have caught up to them, right,
But this year it's not an Adrian Newey designed car.
And so that's what I think. That's why I think
Red Bull have the potential to make an innovation. There's

(54:29):
not like, there's like unlike anything we've seen from Rebel
in the past ten years. Right, So they're going to
change all their designs this year are going to be
in my opinion, quite radically different and that could be
to their advantage because as you say that, Adrian Newey
design has been milked by the entire field at this
point and now they're going to have a new, a

(54:50):
new kind of focus and I think that could that
could really help Rebel. Means that now they're doing something different,
they're not going to get They're not you know, they're
not the team that everybody's copying anymore. Is it good
A good thing?

Speaker 2 (55:04):
Yeah? You could also go downhill for them as well.

Speaker 1 (55:08):
That's the run by letting go of one of the
greatest designers of all time.

Speaker 2 (55:12):
Exactly, and then she talk about who's taken the trophy home.

Speaker 1 (55:17):
Yes, let's who you got, who you've got.

Speaker 2 (55:21):
The guys in red.

Speaker 1 (55:22):
Yes, absolutely, we're already doing the double. Yes, I feel
like this is this is the year. But we've seen
this so many times. I want it to be the
year two. But how many memes have we seen where

(55:43):
it's like, oh, we're doing next year, We'll get him
next year. It's like, you know, in American football, this
has always been the Detroit Lions. You know, they would
always been like, oh, well, you know, we're doing next year.
We're doing next year. We'll get there at some point.
One day we'll reach the mountaintop and like it's just
never panned out, Like me, do we are we? Seriously? Okay?

(56:06):
I I also gone with Ferrari questioning if my own
my own.

Speaker 2 (56:14):
But last year we saw changes with with Fred of
him being just just that the strategies were much more consistent,
Like there wasn't this stupid like pitting nonsense that we've
always had, like absolutely horror shows we had like in
the early twenties, Like.

Speaker 1 (56:37):
But I remember, we've seen one incident where where it
was like all the science was fighting with Sojio Peries
in Monaco and he was coming down the RAS cast
and they were asking like, oh, what pit strategy would
you like? Like absolutely serious.

Speaker 2 (56:53):
So I feel like, as we said before, we're past
the clown questions. You can you can throw them away,
you can further away, we can forget everything about them then.
So I feel like I just after the scene seen
last year of them challenging to the final race for
the and for the World Constructor Championship, that fore, like

(57:16):
this year they'll take another jump and just lift the trophy.

Speaker 1 (57:21):
Listen, all I'm hoping is that Red Bull and McLaren
don't have a local costume shop because otherwise they could
go down quickly because listen, I I think listen, Ferrari's
kryptonite has always been themselves and you've just they've just

(57:43):
got There's got to be one year where there's this
kind of alignment, because there's been years where they've been brilliant,
like where they've had a brilliant car. I'm thinking like
twenty eighteen, Yes, either their team either their them you know,
and they shoot themselves in the foot like eighteen in
twenty nineteen, twenty nineteen, I think to Brazil, Sebastian Vettle

(58:05):
and Charlclair crashing into each other twenty eighteen. A berg
Ring question. You know, like it just always managed to
get in their own way. There must be one year
where they.

Speaker 2 (58:19):
Want to see it's just like everything just goes goes
to plan and like how they want.

Speaker 1 (58:24):
It to be.

Speaker 2 (58:25):
Oh, well, it's unpredictably your Ferrari because obviously Lewis Hamilton,
like what is he going to be like in that
in that car?

Speaker 1 (58:34):
Yeah, because he's not used to it he's been driving. Yeah,
I think this is something that we haven't really thought
about so far as Lewis Hamilton's been driving in a
car that's been tailor made for him for him.

Speaker 2 (58:44):
Now it's now he has to adapt to such a
different car, to a different car, to a different team.
And how there's obviously going to be stages of your way.
He's going to be feel like the odd man out
because he's new, he's new to this team.

Speaker 1 (58:58):
He hasn't Yeah, and something about you know, something psychologically
right because when you were young, when you're well obviously
Lowis Hamilton wasn't exactly a kid when he joined David,
but when you're a relatively young driver, You're you're like
neural pathways. Your ability to learn is not is easy
because you know, you just the same, just like a

(59:19):
new go car, you know. But when you're older, when
you're more entrenched in those and that method of driving,
the transition becomes more and more difficult. You've got to
you know, you've got to de tangle a lot.

Speaker 2 (59:31):
You're so accustomed to what you were before.

Speaker 1 (59:34):
Louis Hamilton, this is what I'm saying. Ferrari might have
dropped the ball here because color science. I know he
would have killed it because he's he's again and he
joined FRA when he was relatively young. He was still
not entirely used to that McLaren having joined from Reno
but only a few years prior, and you know he's
more malleable.

Speaker 2 (59:53):
Yeah, he was perfect robin for Charles, who was that
perfect robin for him?

Speaker 1 (59:59):
Yeah, and this is where I see it all falling down.
You really, but listen, we can only hope.

Speaker 2 (01:00:04):
And pray hopefully will not be delutionied right here. This
could bite us.

Speaker 1 (01:00:10):
Yeah, I listen, if we're sat here in nine months
time and we're just like spanging our heads on the table.

Speaker 2 (01:00:18):
Or we could be cheering, cheering, absolutely jubilation.

Speaker 1 (01:00:24):
That's so much like there's nothing you can know for
certain about this year whatsoever.

Speaker 2 (01:00:31):
That's what that's what I'm excited about so exactly.

Speaker 1 (01:00:34):
And when we come back, we'll take a look at
who we think or our awards for the coming year.
Welcome back to F one isn't real For this final
section of our twenty twenty five season, reason first, David

(01:00:58):
A look, okay, well let's start Okay, let's start with
but with closest driver pairing. Who do you think which
two drivers do you think are going to be most
in line this year?

Speaker 2 (01:01:11):
I think this one probably is the most clear cut
out of the categories we chose to today. It's definitely
has to be that the papy iss like they It's
like it's inseparable between them. I feel like this season's
going to pan out to.

Speaker 1 (01:01:28):
Be I would tear I mean, listen, I would tend
to agree with you. I have just I have just
a tiny inkling in my mind that Lando Norris has. Listen,
if Lando Norris had converted on what he should have

(01:01:48):
got or how he should have done, I think last
year he would be miles ahead of Oscar I think, yeah,
definitely in terms of the points category, and genuinely, he
just dropped the ball. And I see him really taking
some time this summer and and and and and thinking
through how he how he conducts himself on the racetrack,

(01:02:09):
and I see him making steps forward to be honest
with you. And I don't know if Oscar has is
quite as talented yet to be honest with you, so.

Speaker 2 (01:02:17):
Past will be taking steps at the same time.

Speaker 1 (01:02:20):
So it's like, I know, but I think Oscar's already listen.
I think I think, maybe I don't maybe I don't
want to say this because it might maybe look dumb,
but I think is near, he's near to topping out talent,
like his ceiling is. I think he's ceiling is a
lot lower than definitely, And that's what I'm saying, Like

(01:02:42):
I think, Norris, I can see him just really really
converting more of the ceiling than than he has in
previous years. Yeah, but again, I feel like I feel
like counting out Oscars, like counting out Max. You know,
you shouldn't do it because he'll come, and he'll come
and he'll a you on your feet, you know, like

(01:03:02):
he is a proper good driver. But for the sake
of argument, for the sake of argument, I'm going to advocate.
I'm going to say that my closest driver pairing, or
the one that I've written down and the one that
I personally I agree with in my head and it
makes sense to me, is George Russell and kim Anthoney.

(01:03:22):
Oh in the episode. I don't know. I don't know
anything about kimmyn I have no idea about this idea.
But what I do know is that George Russell is
not as good. I don't think as people say he is.

Speaker 2 (01:03:40):
Yes, do you think Kimmy will get a podium?

Speaker 1 (01:03:44):
Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I can see Kimmy getting at least
one podium.

Speaker 2 (01:03:47):
About a win, no.

Speaker 1 (01:03:49):
No, I think it's going to be I think, as
you we were saying, the field is so competitive this year,
genuinely we have like we're blessed six drivers could could
Winky Liam Nelson. I don't think so.

Speaker 2 (01:04:03):
I think, yeah, but I have at least maybe someone
from like the someone from the back of the field
could have like a win like we did see what
Brazil this year, what Ocon was ocon and ghastly was
charging it up.

Speaker 1 (01:04:17):
Yeah, and the absolutely absolutely awful in the month exactly. Oh, yeah, you.

Speaker 2 (01:04:23):
Could have something InCred Like obviously the circumstance of that
Brazil GP led to that, so we could have Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:04:30):
If formula one right, it's literally like there are certain
races where anything can happen. I think back to a
few came out qualifying poland Brazil, like.

Speaker 2 (01:04:39):
It's just weird Brazil again, Like it's just something about that.

Speaker 1 (01:04:43):
Something about that place, something in the air there.

Speaker 2 (01:04:48):
But bringing back to what you said about misstadis, I
think it's more for unpredicted under unpredictability of those two.

Speaker 1 (01:05:00):
I know that.

Speaker 2 (01:05:02):
Predictability of those two, Like I have no idea what
happened to them.

Speaker 1 (01:05:07):
Yeah, but that's what I mean, Like I don't think
George can lead, really I don't. And and Kimmy could
be he could be a pocket rocket, you know, as if.

Speaker 2 (01:05:17):
He just comes absolutely guns blazing and.

Speaker 1 (01:05:20):
Yeah, genuinely I don't know, Like he is a complete enigma,
Like I really have no idea. But because of that,
because I kind of personally in my like in my
personal ratings of F one drivers, I ranked George Russell
as probably like one of the stars, probably the lowest
of the stars, you know, like you think about the

(01:05:42):
stars of F one, He's probably the one that I
have like lowest in my in my team. And so
that's why potentially, potentially Kimmy could make a make a
real move, like but I just don't know, like I
genuinely have no idea I will speak. I mean, that's
so weird. It's got me confused. Let me confuse. It's

(01:06:04):
got my brain all in a mess. But with that,
to re orient my brain, let's go to the best
driving move of the of the.

Speaker 2 (01:06:15):
Best driving move this This is kind of I didn't
mention it before. I feel like because it did come
to a surprise. Why I put william so high in
the constructors But I feel like Carlos science to the Williams.
It's probably not not for car laws, but for the team.

(01:06:40):
It's the best driver, it's the best driving move. Will
be the best driving move this season?

Speaker 1 (01:06:45):
Yep, I I am okay. I think if we're talking
about when I when I think about when I think
about your best driving move, right is do you come
into this, come into the team, and you immediately hit
the ground running and you take the reins. I would

(01:07:08):
be tempted to say Liam Lawson because but but I
don't think Liam Lawson is going to come in and
challenge mat Yeah. Because of that, I am also going
to go with Carl Science. You know, it depends a
relative thing, Yeah, Liam Lawson.

Speaker 2 (01:07:28):
Many people were doubting the move as well, so like
many people were saying that Yuki did deserve that seat
more than Liam.

Speaker 1 (01:07:36):
Listener, I can't lie. Anybody's saying that Yuki deserve that
seat is not tapped in Like I'm sorry, okay, if
you think you Liam, You're not tapped into the spoil.

Speaker 2 (01:07:45):
But many people were saying that.

Speaker 1 (01:07:48):
I don't. I don't agree. I don't. I think genuinely
the reason why, Like, listen, Liam Lawson did basically as
much as Yuki Snoda did in the Alphatari in like
six races in twenty two any three listen. I think
I think Lim Lawson is the right man for the job.
I don't think is personally of the caliber of Red Bull.

(01:08:12):
I think he reminds me of a of a in
terms of he reminds me of a young Alex album.
You know I'm not just Asian, right, wow, No, I'm
saying like it reminds me of that kind of driver
who's like he has the team, he's good for the team.

Speaker 2 (01:08:32):
Yeah, he's got his limits. I feel like he's good
for their team, and like that related to the situation
they're in, like but like he's never like taken, not
good enough to be able to go into them, like
the higher team than that type of situation.

Speaker 1 (01:08:49):
Yeah, I agree. I think is one he's built for that.
He's built for it. He's built for the Red Bull
second team. I don't see him any I don't see
him straying. I don't see him pridging that gap, you
know what I mean beyond but listen, and he's a talent,
you know you to know that is a talent. But

(01:09:10):
will he make it? I think he's just he's just
he just doesn't have that kind of star power or
that crazy talent that you have from someone like you
would haven't that odd race where he does finish like
P seven, P six. I mean, like I think he
finished in his rookie year. He started the year with
the P ten, end of the year with the P four.
So he's got his.

Speaker 2 (01:09:31):
He's got he's got he's got his glimpses of like, yeah,
of him being a really high level driver.

Speaker 1 (01:09:37):
But like, listen, this is fifth year this year, right,
That's that's what we've got to think about. You know,
it's his fifth season in the sport. Has he really
is he really? Like? Yeah? Yeah? Has he really made
a name for himself in those in those four years
that he's now been racing? Not necessarily and I think
Liam Lawson should be given every chance that you to

(01:09:58):
do that. Move on, move on to Yeah, surprisingly surprise
who you think?

Speaker 2 (01:10:07):
Okay, Okay, So I want to talk about a name
we haven't really mentioned this episode.

Speaker 1 (01:10:14):
I'm talking about the Bear Olive. Oh my days. I
thought that's that is what I've gone with as well.

Speaker 2 (01:10:27):
I feel like he will he he's stepped last season
and Grand Prix no Saudi money was wed. Has the
Saudi opened eyes to like everyone? Like, okay, gain a
P eight in his first drive in a Ferrari car,
so be it. It is a very strong car, but still

(01:10:49):
stepping up to occasion last minute, pretty much open and
I think what's more impressive in my opinion, was but
he goes into the ASCAR and man still manages to
score points. Like I think, listen, I'm always wary whenever

(01:11:10):
I'm whenever we see a new driver or a driver
who has who has one of good performance.

Speaker 1 (01:11:16):
I'm always a warey of the deree effect or the
but which i've which I've now termed copyright Benjamin.

Speaker 2 (01:11:24):
You cannot if you want to.

Speaker 1 (01:11:25):
Yeah, if you listen, I need my money by Monday,
if my fifteen. Yeah. But anyway, Yeah, I think I
think he checks out. I I like listen. I like
his composure. I think what's again, What's even more impressive
than the fact he was able to secure points in
both the races was the fact that he was able

(01:11:47):
to hold off some very very hungry compensities behind him
in those in the in that period, in a similar
way to to how Liam Lawson was able to in
the in the Alfatari and the Racing Book. So I
think only Beman, though his mate, might not be one
of those rookies that we just look at like Osco

(01:12:08):
Piastre and just think, wow, you know, you're the You're
the next one up, you know. I think he will
be as solid. He will be a mainstay in the
on the grid for probably the next decade to come,
if if he can convert this opportunity has been given
into something special.

Speaker 2 (01:12:25):
Okay, one big question, do you think he will take
that seat from Lewis Hamilton if if one Lewis tried
to leave slash retire.

Speaker 1 (01:12:36):
I've been like, that's something that I that I haven't
even contemplated, to be honest, like Lewis Hamilton, for me,
I could genuinely see him going in another like five years.
Will only Beman get frustrated by that point? Will he?
But this all depends on how he performs in the
next two years, I think exactly, but man, or will

(01:12:56):
they go with a more established start, or will only
only Beman have made himself established star by star? Then? Yeah,
that's a that's a tough that's a really question.

Speaker 2 (01:13:06):
That's that's that's something to think about.

Speaker 1 (01:13:09):
Like who do you think would be your like alternative to.

Speaker 2 (01:13:13):
Beermen alternative in terms of in terms of what.

Speaker 1 (01:13:17):
In terms of taking the Ferrari seat when Lewis Hamilton's gone,
Who else could you see stepping into that role?

Speaker 2 (01:13:24):
Oh? I actually have no idea. Yeah, it's really tough
because I feel like within the top, especially for miss
dadis date. I think Kimmy and Russell will stay for
a long long time. I feel like, what's it called
Piastrian Norris. If they don't go to some sort of feud,

(01:13:45):
they would be locked in for a very very long
time Max and Liam. I guess until twenty twenty eight
at least. So I feel like there's a very there's
lots of like, yeah, just just everything kind of stuck
at the top.

Speaker 1 (01:14:00):
And looking at the grid. Outside of that, do we
really have anybody who you think will take that Ferrari seat?
I don't see, Like, I don't think the person.

Speaker 2 (01:14:10):
I see it it is Olibamon.

Speaker 1 (01:14:13):
If he if he develops into what we hope for him,
I can't or what if what if color science? Do
you think do you think he would he would like
even humor that idea? I mean, if he completely pops
off at Williams, then might think they made a mistake,
then maybe do something. Steps away, they'll kind of try

(01:14:34):
and coerce him into leaving sooner than he would have.

Speaker 2 (01:14:36):
I don't know, it's really different if a weird one.

Speaker 1 (01:14:39):
This is the thing that outside of the top four teams,
the drivers are pretty mid Like I'm not gonna lie,
you know, Like I would never like Jack Dern, Isaac
Hadyar Like, Okay, these have been mainstays in Formula two
for two years now, but I just don't see them, like,
I don't really see them converting it. But maybe it's

(01:15:02):
just that I'm not familiar.

Speaker 2 (01:15:03):
With the name exactly the same. So maybe maybe we'll
become from we'll definitely become more familiar with than when
this Seagan progresses and how they're going to adapt to
the F one.

Speaker 1 (01:15:14):
Yeah, that's a question that I think we we can't
even answer right now.

Speaker 2 (01:15:18):
But that's yeah, exactly, Like it's that the path Ferrari
is trying to pay for him right now.

Speaker 1 (01:15:25):
But this is the thing, right, I feel like these
these teams are kind of that I don't think they're
focused enough on the long term planning, you know. So
you know, just going back to that that we we're
talking about just right at the top of the episode,
you know, like the Dallas Mavericks trading for Anthony Davis
because they wanted to win, now, okay, Yeah, and they're

(01:15:46):
just not understanding that there's more, there's a there's a
greater layer to that, you know, there's a there's a
greater layer to that for someone like a Ferrari. Lewis
Hamilton is not a sustainable option in the same Now,
I think he's like thirty nine.

Speaker 2 (01:16:08):
So he's tiny for Yeah, he's forty for.

Speaker 1 (01:16:15):
That. Oh damn, I didn't realize your forty years old.
Like that's that's that senior citizen. Yeah, so that's a
tough question.

Speaker 2 (01:16:28):
That is very okay, that's that's the question for later
on in the.

Speaker 1 (01:16:33):
Question that we are not qualified enough answer.

Speaker 2 (01:16:36):
You know, we don't have we don't have enough, we
don't have enough information yet.

Speaker 1 (01:16:41):
That's almost something we've got to say for the Philosophy podcast, man,
like look at all the Astronomy podcast. We got to
look at the stars to find you answer. I know,
next disappointment of the year.

Speaker 2 (01:16:54):
It hurts for me, it hurts, but I feel like
just I'm going with Lewis Hamilton.

Speaker 1 (01:17:03):
Okay, you put.

Speaker 2 (01:17:06):
I feel like Leclair p one. Yeah, put Lewis Hamilton p. Five.
So because I feel like all of last year was
like the preparation of Okay, Lewis Hamilton. This is final
final season in the Stadies. We're going to see him
in silver and now we're going to see him in
red next season.

Speaker 1 (01:17:27):
That picture of him outside of Marinella was absolutely that
was crazy. Yeah, that was that was Yeah, that was
that was all.

Speaker 2 (01:17:39):
But I feel like I feel like it's not it's
not his fault, but it is because like it's Lewis Hamilton.
Like that's isn't that's He's going to be obviously always
going to be the talk of the town, just always
going to be.

Speaker 1 (01:17:53):
But since he did make this major move that's been.

Speaker 2 (01:17:55):
Like it's up war like Lewis is going to be,
Lewis is back, Louis is going to be back to
his back to his prime time, like the four championships
in the road type type qualities. But I don't see
it for him fulfilling that expectation that people have put
onto him. I think, to.

Speaker 1 (01:18:16):
Let let's be real, like Lewis Hamilton is a fanboy,
you know, like he's like okay, okay, maybe I'm maybe
there's a bit degrading, but he's a bit like you know,
bring your kid to work day, Like it's like, oh, daddy,
you're my hero. You know, let me big chair, let
me see in the big wheelie chair. Let me like
keeping going with like you know, he's he's he's kind

(01:18:40):
of like in my opinion in the Ferrari, I think
he's a fish out of water. Like I I think
I don't listen. I just because this is just sound
like I'm calling washed and I don't think it is washed.
I just think he's not what he used to be.

Speaker 2 (01:18:56):
It's not what people think he will be in the car.

Speaker 1 (01:18:58):
People haven't idealized of Lewis Hamilton. Yeah, just because obviously
he's touch he's to go. But this is this is
this is Michael Schumacher at Mercedes. Like this is Michael
Schumacher and Mercedes. You know, like this is kind of
the sign out he moved to Mercedes because German brand,

(01:19:21):
you know, kind of it's an important move for him
almost like spiritually. And I kind of see it the
same way with Lewis, Like he's when he was the
little kid, he always wanted you know, he always wanted
to be Ferrari. You know, he had the Ferrari cap.
You know it's like he's he's he's the he's the
kid with the merch. You know, he's like he's the one,

(01:19:42):
he's the kid he wants who's like standing outside like
the football ground waiting for the players to get onto
the bus so they can sign there. You know, the
shirt like it's it's like a happy ending. Yeah, that's
what I'm saying this. It's like flashback central. You know,
I don't know. Maybe I'm being too harsh, maybe I'm degrading. Yeah,

(01:20:02):
I thin to agree with you.

Speaker 2 (01:20:04):
That's it's I want to do the time well for him,
because it really hards to see let's say, people that
people at the top of their game, like we've seen
so long dominate and then they just like start to
just start slowing down and stuff like.

Speaker 1 (01:20:19):
It's just it's sad to see as a fan of
the sport. Let's say, yeah, because you know you're so Yeah,
you've been following the sport for a decade now, maybe
over a decade.

Speaker 2 (01:20:30):
So it's just it'll be it'll be hard if hopefully
he does prove me wrong, because I do want him
to prove me wrong.

Speaker 1 (01:20:37):
You think he's still competitive for it? Like, do you
think he still wants that, because you know you could tell.

Speaker 2 (01:20:44):
Last season he was like, yeah, I feel like this
like this it's a new beginning, so I feel like
he will have that motivation. Okay, I need to make
sure that this is a new team. I'm going to
perform the best as I can.

Speaker 1 (01:21:01):
But he doesn't need to.

Speaker 2 (01:21:02):
That's the thing, Like everyone knows Lewis Hamilton is Lewis
Hamilton and who he is and what he's done and
the accolades he's acquired over the past years, and he
just like he's a legend to this, to this whole sport.

Speaker 1 (01:21:18):
So he's almost but I feel like he doesn't need to.
He doesn't. He didn't need to go to Ferrari. You
think Lewis has the potential to kind of taint his
career somewhat if he's a there's always there's always that.

(01:21:38):
There is always so what are you saying?

Speaker 2 (01:21:40):
No, no, you go okay, there's always that like when
like someone who's in the latter stages of their career. Actually,
as we can both agree, Lewis is on, yeah, that
if they keep carrying on for too long, could this
just like put a bad taste in people's mouths? And like,

(01:22:02):
let's say, let's compare it to Michael Jordan when he
went to to watching to Wizards like that.

Speaker 1 (01:22:09):
I didn't think he needed to do that.

Speaker 2 (01:22:11):
Yeah, Like he had his career in Chicago, like the
arguably and many people would definitely say that the best
career one could have and you can make that same
parallel to Lewis Hamilton. He had his career at Mestades
and yeah he maybe he could have just he should
have just rided it to the end.

Speaker 1 (01:22:32):
Yeah, I mean there's there's a kind of a time
old adage here. It's cool to come back because people
wanted you gone, you know, like certain point you just
kind of want to see your heroes step away and
just like Nico Rosberg, you know in twenty sixteen, kind
of step into the sunset and understand that like you
hit that, you hit the top right here now, Like

(01:22:57):
I don't know, but listen, Lewis Hamilton, I will never
be upset like when I listen, you know when they
introduce the grid and they're you know, they're flying through
the people and they and Crofty's you know, talking through
the names. The day when Lewis Hamilton isn't one of them,
you know, is it will certainly be a sad one world.

Speaker 2 (01:23:17):
We should definitely shouldn't take his time in the sport
right now, for granted, because well we would probably never
have a driver pretty much like him.

Speaker 1 (01:23:26):
Yeah, No, he's one of I think I think he's
the greatest of all time. I think it's undeniable. I mean,
that's a whole different debate, that's a long debate. But
well on a slightly related subject, Ferrari related. If Leclair

(01:23:46):
does not get it done this year, it's his eighth season.
Is his championship window closing?

Speaker 2 (01:23:56):
Mm hmmm, I don't think.

Speaker 1 (01:23:59):
I think my opin I think it's just started to open.

Speaker 2 (01:24:03):
I feel like last year was the first real glimpse
of what he what we could see of him being
in Obviously he wasn't challenging, but he was like he
was like, I don't agree.

Speaker 1 (01:24:17):
I think I think twenty twenty two he started out,
he started out with what was it, two wins out
of three and.

Speaker 2 (01:24:23):
They were like no. But by the end of the
season he he didn't like to have the same have
the same result as last season. Did didn't he?

Speaker 1 (01:24:36):
So okay? In my eyes, this is his fourth year
where he could have mounted a challenge. I think this
is year four of the champione Board because like twenty
two twenty two, he had a shot it at the
very start and then he blew it. Arguably, if we
remember everything back to the French Grand Prix, crashed out

(01:24:56):
and that cost him. I think that cost it. I
think that day is Day lost. Championship twenty three, he
was kind of a background character, but he's like because
the Ferrari itself had taken a major step back. Yeah,
twenty four he was he was again, I think Ferrari
was a lesser competitor, but four sorry, yeah, twenty four.

(01:25:22):
For the majority of the season Ferrari was was was
a lesser competitor compared to McLaren and Red Bull, and
then they turned it around.

Speaker 2 (01:25:31):
They turned yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:25:32):
Yeah, And this year I think, is either you realize
that potential you you know that swing around, you know
because you started you started twenty twenty two, your first
in my first Championship Challenge season, right at the top,
and you swung right to the bottom. And then they
swung back around. And are they get to sit on
the swing back around? That's the question.

Speaker 2 (01:25:54):
Yeah. It's a difficult one because obviously, with him being
my favorite driver, I want the best for him. I
want him to to be the world champion. But I
feel like he he would take those shortcomings and obviously
just here's one of his major flaws. It is his
emotions coming to him, like him just just being just

(01:26:17):
being his own downfall. So I feel like hopefully after
last season and the season before that and the season
before that, as you said of what his window was,
that this season he will come and realize and just
like put it all together and like just make sure
that he make sure he just passes up everything, et cetera,

(01:26:41):
and he will become the best that he could be
and win the championship.

Speaker 1 (01:26:46):
Moving on to my disappointment of the year, I've gone
with somebody. I've talked about him previously. I've given him
some some leeway so far, but I can't lie. I'm
gonna I'm gonna come in with some with some heavy band,
which Alex album? I think listen, Okay, okay, and listen

(01:27:07):
while I'm at My driver of the year is Carlos Science, Okay,
but the two Williams.

Speaker 2 (01:27:12):
Boys at the end of the spectrum.

Speaker 1 (01:27:16):
Who ends the spectrum? In my projection for the Constructive Championship,
I think Carlo Science is going to be P nine,
P nine. I think he's going to carry Williams. I
can see him, so, okay, I'm thinking I think back
to Pierre Ghasly in twenty twenty one, and he was
he was in the Alpha TOWERI with Yuki in his

(01:27:37):
rookie season, and I remember thinking at the time, I
remember watching watching the races in twenty one and almost
like every other week you have Pierre Gasly P four,
Pierre Gasly P five and I was thinking, how you
know he's in an awful car? How is Pierre Gasli
doing this? And he just had something, He just had

(01:27:58):
that little spark that was his patch and he took
it by the neck and he really converted it into
it hit. I think Guessley's greatest season, which is twenty
twenty one, I see this being Carlos Science is one
of Carlos Science's best season in the sport. I think
he's coming off a year where every book, well not
everybody well, I mean I think everybody's actually on the side,
but it definitely seems to Carlos like everybody who actually

(01:28:21):
makes the decisions in Formula one has passed him up.
Ferrari pitched him, Red Bull have rejected him, and now
he's at Williams with a massive chip on his shoulder
and a lot to prove. And on the complete flip
side of that, I think Alex Albon is not the
driver that people think he is in the same way
that George Russell absolutely torched Nicholastif and Robert Kobitza he

(01:28:46):
was when he was racing for Williams. Alex Alban has
been driving against major inferior opposition in the tithe and Sergeant,
and I don't think he's up to Carlos Science And
I think this is going to be the year where
people start to realize that Alex Album, there's a reason
why he got dropped from Red Bull because he's not

(01:29:06):
that great and he's been driving. He's been driving. Sure, Okay,
he's converted some brilliant points finishes in the past few seasons,
but look at his teammates. God awful, Absolutely god awful.
Right and listen, last year he was regularly out of contention.
He was regularly out of contention. Perhaps because of the
Williams car. Perhaps I can see this year being a

(01:29:29):
major down one for Alex album because this is the
first time since since he raised against Max Verstappen that
he's not that guy.

Speaker 2 (01:29:36):
He's not that guy for them.

Speaker 1 (01:29:38):
Yeah, this is the thing. He's not the guy. He's
going to be number two driver by a margin in
my opinion.

Speaker 2 (01:29:45):
Yes, fair enough.

Speaker 1 (01:29:47):
I do you hear it? Do you think then what
do you think about the dynamic? Though? Like come in
and get and get it done, to get the job done.

Speaker 2 (01:29:56):
Yes, I feel like Carlos, as I said before, Carlos
scientists too good for Williams in my opinion. So he'll
definitely come in and just like show what what the
standard of his driving is compared to what the standard
of the whole team that has been for the past

(01:30:17):
few seasons. And like how I guess it will show
as you said, like how album? Yeah it is how
how album did compared to what house Carlos Science will
do in the Williams car.

Speaker 1 (01:30:33):
But like, okay, listen, I get what you I get
what you're saying. But it's just it's like it's like
sending Lebron to JV, you know, like or to the
G League or something or something like that.

Speaker 2 (01:30:44):
You know, it's like.

Speaker 1 (01:30:47):
He's just gonna he's just gonna, you know, take them,
He's just gonna. He might joke around, you know, you
might see it's unseerious. It's like, well to use well,
this is a very this is a very this is
a reference that only makes sense between us. But it's
like sending team double A to court four, you know
what I mean? Yeah, well, only only people who know
will get that reference. But you know, do you think

(01:31:11):
carcience might make it make you know, take it as
a bit of a take it as a bit of
a joke, and then perhaps underperform.

Speaker 2 (01:31:20):
I don't think that's who Carlos science is in my opinion,
Like we've seen Carlos just like last season, we saw
his characters show through from the start of the season,
knowing that he's not going to be in that seat
the next the following season.

Speaker 1 (01:31:35):
He could have easily just like ditched that season.

Speaker 2 (01:31:38):
He could have easily done that, Like he could easily
just like said, Okay, if I'm not here, what's the point,
you know what I mean. So so, so I feel
like that's just not who Carlos is as a driver.
What we've what we've seen of what his character of
being a driver is. So I feel like he's always
just just always just wanting just to perform to the
high standard. And I feel that's why he's just going

(01:31:59):
to bring to the winning side.

Speaker 1 (01:32:01):
Okay, last thing, then, last thing, last thing for today,
Actually are we we're gonna have this penultimate thing today. Actually,
we've got Driver of the Year for yourself, David for.

Speaker 2 (01:32:14):
My Drive of the Year. Yeah, I've gone for I've
gone for two. But since we've talked about Charles a
lot recently, I did put Oscar piastri Af my drive
off the year. Okay, I just I just I just
have a lot of faith in his ability and I
feel like he's just going to make another major jump

(01:32:36):
this season.

Speaker 1 (01:32:37):
But leap leap from him right over Norris, who's been
He's been on the cusp of greatness. I think since
since that race in Russia in twenty twenty one Way
bottled it. He's I think from that moment on, he's
been on the cusp of greatness. Yeah, and you think
Oscar is just going to go right ahead and pass him.

Speaker 2 (01:32:57):
Yeah. I feel like Oscar's just mind is just such,
it's so set for like having that ability to improve
every year. I think that's why he's been able to
have this major drumming and now it's his third year
Formula one. He's he's going to I think it's his abilities.

(01:33:19):
It's incredible. He's so mature for his for how long
he's been in the sport, for and he's just showing
his his his just talent in the McClaren carl that's
for being for so young as well. Still, so I
feel like he's going to come improve incredibly more this season,

(01:33:42):
and I feel like he who'll not as I said before,
not challenge, but he'll be in that realm of possibly
just like making okay, making maxive stuff and making charge
with just having making them, making them looking looking their
mirrors saying oh he might have a chance of like
putting pressure in the title race.

Speaker 1 (01:34:03):
Well, all we can say for now is time will
tell exactly that will tell. Yeah, do you have any
overall thoughts about the season to come? I think.

Speaker 2 (01:34:13):
I really do hope that it leads to the to
the height that I've and the excitement that I've had
for it. This is this is such like a turning
point year in terms of like new faces and new places,
like people build coming up the ranks, people may going

(01:34:35):
down the ranks. Like it's look for the past year
we've been so accast and just like being just like
the predicted it was predictable in my opinion the first
couple of years, and now come to a point where
like like as we said earlier on this episode, like
we can't put a finger on anything. We can't just
anything could really happen this season? Is that hell Mary

(01:34:58):
of the past, as you said for in the NFL,
Like anything could literally happen.

Speaker 1 (01:35:05):
Everything we literally put it.

Speaker 2 (01:35:06):
In this video could be wrong.

Speaker 1 (01:35:08):
It feels like that kind of liminal year, that kind
of year on the borderline where it's like we could
genuinely see like the whole table like shift over or
the whole the whole dial kind of change sides. And
I'm so excited for us to be able to have

(01:35:28):
this platform to share our thoughts on it.

Speaker 2 (01:35:31):
And yeah, thank you for lasting. On a scale of ten,
what do you think this season will be?

Speaker 1 (01:35:39):
Who? Okay, listen, if I think I think back to
some of the great seasons that I've personally been oh,
I've personally experience, twenty twenty one, without doubt has been
the greatest. And if I listen, I remember sat on
my in my my sofa in mid morning or yeah,
one morning on Sunday around Christmas time, and I watched

(01:36:04):
watching Live Max for Stappen, Max for Stappen and Abby
Dabbi getting it done on the final lap and is
great in it, like like like just a mind boggeling
F one season that was like I could not give
I could not possibly that. That's like a ten ten season.

Speaker 2 (01:36:25):
Yeah, that's the ten ten season.

Speaker 1 (01:36:27):
So listen, when I think about this in comparison, this
is kind of like a reversion to the old school.
This is something that this is something that F one fans,
or at least newer F one fans I've never seen before.
They don't they don't, you know what, Like I myself
don't really remember twenty twelve or twenty ten where there

(01:36:48):
was some crazy you know, there were there was obviously
like a knew winner every year pretty much, you know,
But when when when you look back on it in
videos and commentaries and documentaries, you just like, yeah, this
this was kind of that one of those years where
there was a tussle, there was a fight of titans

(01:37:08):
of so many shades, you know. And I think the
fact that this is something that nobody is used to
or nobody's really been used to for a long time,
is going to make it a phenomenal season. And listen,
but listen, I don't hype it up too much because.

Speaker 2 (01:37:23):
Exactly that's.

Speaker 1 (01:37:26):
Just the staffing to just win it, and then might
Stapen just come through and just and just take take
it just out just out of nowhere. Don't you give
it a conservative eight point seven out of ten?

Speaker 2 (01:37:40):
I like that. I like that I put I put
it around that ballpark as I put for eight point five.

Speaker 1 (01:37:45):
Okay, fine, we can shake on it. We can. We
can say eight point six out of ten. That's our expectation,
and we hope that this season surpasses it. But we
set our expectations at a good season, hopefully, fingers crossed.

Speaker 2 (01:38:00):
Ingers cross.

Speaker 1 (01:38:03):
Thanks Seusan. Can only can only be good if it
starts well, and David, my friend, has been a good start,
my friend, thank you very much for having me. The
weeks to come, we can have you as myself talking
one breaking it down. I am so excited for the
year to come. I'm glad to have you on board. David.

(01:38:24):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:38:26):
I appreciate it. I'm grateful with grateful the happy part
of the teams. You you bring it.

Speaker 1 (01:38:33):
Thank you. This has been this has been a very
good episode. I've been very very honest. Thank you very much, David.
This is amazing. Thank you everyone for listening. Made this
point and who knows, who knows what will happen, will
be along along for the ride, but we are We
are only along for the ride. We are not calling
like lusty. Don't know where we're going, I don't know what.

(01:39:01):
Away with that, thank you very much for listening.

Speaker 2 (01:39:03):
Thank you