Matt Gallagher to Alfa Romeo in 2024! 😂 Suzuka roundup

Welcome back to the Pitstop Podcast! That's the Japanese Grand Prix over and out. We know some of you guys around the world have to get up early for pretty much every race on the calendar so we hope you enjoyed the lay in this weekend! Hear our post race thoughts in this episode, plus we give you our IDEAL F1 drivers lineup for 2024.. Check it out! @Pitstop
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1. **Celebration of Major Achievements:**

- The podcast celebrates three significant milestones: Episode 69, Red Bull's consecutive Constructors' Championship wins, and Oscar Piastri's first Formula 1 podium finish at the Japanese Grand Prix.

2. **Oscar Piastri's Historic Podium:**

- Piastri's third-place finish at Suzuka marks a remarkable achievement for the rookie driver, especially considering it was his first race on the challenging Suzuka circuit.
- His performance highlights his potential and suggests a bright future in Formula 1.

3. **Comparison to Max Verstappen:**

- The hosts compare Piastri's driving style and potential to that of reigning world champion Max Verstappen.
- While acknowledging similarities, they emphasize that Piastri has his own unique strengths and a different approach to racing.

4. **McLaren's Resurgence:**

- The podcast praises McLaren's impressive progress in recent years, attributing their success to the strong driver lineup of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
- The hosts believe that the team has come a long way from its struggles a few years ago and now boasts one of the best driver pairings on the grid.

5. **Logan Sargeant's Struggles:**

- The hosts criticize Logan Sargeant's performance, particularly his involvement in accidents and mistakes.
- They question his suitability for Formula 1 and suggest that he may not be cut out for the sport.

6. **Sergio Perez's Poor Race:**

- The discussion turns to Sergio Perez's disappointing performance at the Japanese Grand Prix, which the hosts consider one of his worst races.
- They argue that his mistakes and lack of pace were unacceptable for a driver in a championship-contending team.

7. **The George Russell-Lewis Hamilton Controversy:**

- The hosts analyze the incident during the race where George Russell was instructed to let Lewis Hamilton pass to defend against Carlos Sainz.
- They debate the merits of the team's decision and whether Russell should have stayed ahead to help Hamilton.
- The discussion highlights the complex dynamics within the Mercedes team and the challenges of managing two competitive drivers.

8. **The Sergio Perez Time Penalty Controversy:**

- The hosts discuss the unusual situation where Sergio Perez retired from the race due to car damage, only to be brought back out to serve a time penalty.
- They question the legality and logic of this maneuver, as it allowed Perez to avoid carrying the penalty into the next race.

9. **The Hosts' Ideal 2024 Formula 1 Grid:**

- The podcast concludes with the hosts revealing their own hypothetical Formula 1 grids for the 2024 season.
- They make several bold choices, including replacing current drivers with rising stars and shuffling drivers between teams.
- The exercise demonstrates their passion for the sport and their desire to see a more exciting and competitive grid in the future.


* Albon and Lawson are considered potential replacements for Perez at Red Bull, with Perez's future uncertain despite a recent contract renewal.
* Leclerc is demoted to Alfa Romeo, while Matt Gallagher, a sim racer, is placed in the Alfa Romeo seat alongside him.
* Gasly and Perez are surprisingly paired together at Haas, with Hulkenberg retained and Mick Schumacher replaced by Theo Porchaire.
* The podcast hosts acknowledge that these hypothetical moves are unlikely to happen but express their desire to see Lawson secure a seat and Sargent depart from Williams.
* The potential impact of media and Netflix on Formula One viewership and decision-making is discussed, with the hosts speculating that a decline in viewership could lead to rash decisions regarding driver selection.

In this podcast episode, Jake Boys and Fabio Bocca engage in a lively discussion about the potential driver lineup for the upcoming Formula One season. They speculate on the future of several drivers, including Alex Albon, Liam Lawson, Sergio Perez, Charles Leclerc, Matt Gallagher, Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen, Lance Stroll, Logan Sargeant, and Valtteri Bottas.