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Baku belonged to George Russell. He took pole, fastest lap and the win, and led every lap for the first Grand Slam of his career. Otmar tells the guys about the rather unusual gift he showed George after qualifying. Rob explains why one crash on a street circuit can knock a driver's confidence for the rest of the weekend. And the guys do the maths on whether George can still catch Kimi. The answer isn't what you'd expect. Otmar also tells the story of the Instagram post from Malaysia that nearly got Checo Pérez a five-year ban. We hear about the steering change that made Max say "I want that". And the Engineering Dark Web returns with the seventh-gear trick that won Mercedes Baku. Plus, Lando, Colapinto and the ugly side of F1 fandom, a proper A-list B******t Corner nomination from Richard Hammond, Jake's Brad Pitt Zoom disaster, and a phone call with the man behind bscorner.com. The guys are also offering to send a family to the British Grand Prix next year, so get in touch if you'd like to be considered. A huge thank you to Rebecca Gerber at THB Swag for our brilliant High Performance Racing tumblers, and to Walter for building bscorner.com. Go and give it some love. AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit and five travel packs Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £200 off the Pod 6 here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Baku is back, and it’s one of the strangest challenges on the F1 calendar. You want maximum downforce through the castle section, then almost none for the longest straight in Formula 1. Get the setup wrong and you’re either slow through the corners or a sitting duck down the straight. Jake, Rob and Otmar explain how engineers solve that impossible compromise, why driver confidence can be worth more than the numbers in the simulator, and how active aero is changing the game. They also tackle a much bigger question: has F1 become entertainment with a motor race attached? With record revenues, huge team valuations and F1’s push to bring the sport to new audiences, the guys debate what’s been gained, what’s been lost, and why the sound of a V10 still matters. Plus, Otmar reveals what really happens when a driver gets injured at the last minute, Rob shares some incredible reserve-driver stories, they debate whether Fernando Alonso will actually retire, and B******t Corner gets into Lando Norris, Coca-Cola and the complicated world of F1 sponsorship. AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit and five travel packs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

£151 million, three years of design, 17 months of construction, 353,000 fans… and four overtakes. Madrid certainly put on a show, but Jake, Rob and Otmar have a question: did anyone remember to build a race track? The guys debate whether F1 has become too obsessed with bringing the sport to the people, why fans will happily travel for a great race, and why the best circuits on the calendar were built long before computers, simulations and AI got involved. Rob makes the case for old-school tracks like Suzuka, Spa and Monza, while Otmar argues that Tilke has produced some great circuits, but modern tracks still struggle to match the classics. Plus, Otmar questions how Spain ended up with two races and Germany with none, while the guys ask why Madrid can look spectacular and still feel like almost anywhere else on the calendar. AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit and five travel packs Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £350 off the Pod 5 Ultra here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobody wins from 19th at Monza. Well, Kimi Antonelli did, the internet immediately called it the drive of the decade… and Rob would like a word. He agrees it was brilliant — he just thinks everyone's watching the wrong part of it.  The guys pull the race apart properly: why the real brilliance happened in the first four laps, why George Russell was a sitting duck long before Kimi ever arrived in his mirrors, and whether Mercedes should have pitted the other car under that virtual safety car. Jake makes the case that this was actually a good weekend for George. Otmar explains what a home win does to a 20-year-old, including the time he watched Kimi's mum tell him to push his chair in.  Then it's Ferrari's turn — what that garage felt like on Sunday night, Rob's theory that Charles had a puncture before he ever reached the Parabolica, and a mid-season mark out of ten that doesn't survive contact with Monza. Plus Rob was in the Ferrari garage in 2006 and explains why Michael Schumacher really walked away, Otmar reveals how Lewis used to get inside Nico Rosberg's head before a race, and the guys tackle Lando Norris launching his own team — and the £14 million it now costs to get a kid from a go-kart to Formula 1. Rob has a plan to fix that one! And there's B******t Corner, a Nigel Mansell classic, and a first look at the Madring — which, according to Otmar's man on the ground, is "Jeddah on steroids". Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £350 off the Pod 5 Ultra here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit and five travel packs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Monza week, which means Ferrari fever, Tifosi everywhere and absolutely no pressure whatsoever… Jake and Otmar tackle the big Italian dilemma: would the Tifosi rather see Lewis Hamilton win in red, or Kimi Antonelli win at home? For Otmar, it’s not even close. The guys debate Mercedes’ ruthless decision to give Kimi an engine penalty at his home race, why Jake thinks that mentality could win them both championships, and whether Ferrari can keep treating Hamilton and Leclerc as equals. Otmar also revisits the chaotic 2020 Monza race that Force India could have won. Plus, Jake and Otmar reveal their very different routes into Formula 1, tackle the brutal calendar facing F1 staff and ask whether rising ticket prices are pushing out the fans who built the sport. And Rob checks in from the Mediterranean with a classic Ferrari Monza memory, before the guys make their predictions for Sunday. Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £350 off the Pod 5 Ultra here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit and five travel packs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jake and Otmar react to Zandvoort, where McLaren found the answers, Mercedes didn’t, and Ferrari once again left everyone wondering what exactly the plan was. Otmar explains why Mercedes can’t just throw upgrades at the car every weekend, how teams replay races to find out what they should have done differently, and the simple team orders rule he thinks could save a lot of headaches at Ferrari. Then there’s Lewis Hamilton. Otmar sets the record straight on his work ethic, while Jake makes the case that Lewis has done something no other F1 driver has managed: become bigger than the sport itself. Plus: are the 2026 cars turning drivers into pilots? Does Red Bull’s sister-team setup give them an unfair advantage? And Otmar’s solution to one of F1’s most annoying problems is surprisingly simple: colour the entire halo. Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £350 off the Pod 5 Ultra here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au AG1 👉 Head to https://DrinkAG1.Com/HighPerformanceRacing to get the full AG1 welcome kit, including a free Morning Person Cap, plus AG1’s Omega-3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jake, Rob and Otmar go inside the minds of some of Formula 1’s greatest drivers - Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel - to understand what really separated them from the rest. Rob shares the moment he first realised a teenage Fernando Alonso was something special, why he tried to play down just how quick he was, and what made Alonso such a formidable competitor. Otmar explains the relentless preparation and work ethic that made Sebastian Vettel a four-time world champion, while Rob reflects on what Michael Schumacher was really like inside Ferrari, as a leader, teammate and competitor. They also explore the idea of “spare capacity”: the ability to drive at the limit while still thinking about strategy, reading the race and spotting opportunities others miss. From Schumacher watching the big screens while racing, to Vettel’s obsessive preparation and Alonso’s consistency, this is a deep dive into the habits, mentality and ruthlessness behind F1 greatness. Plus, Rob and Otmar reveal the greatest drivers they worked with and raced against, and debate where Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fit into the conversation. AG1 👉 Head to https://DrinkAG1.Com/HighPerformanceRacing to get the full AG1 welcome kit, including a free Morning Person Cap, plus AG1’s Omega-3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You asked, Otmar answered...and then kept going! The former Force India, Aston Martin and Alpine boss spills all to Jake and Rob for a summer break episode that starts with your questions, moves on to Drive to Survive, and ends somewhere near a polo mallet. Otmar explains why Ferrari and Mercedes originally said NO to Netflix, and what made them come crawling back. He reveals the strip of tape he stuck across his forehead on the pit wall and why it worked better than any NDA. There's Ron Dennis banning him from sharing a spy photographer. There's the Mercedes engine call that saved Force India and the one man in the building who didn't want to make it. Otmar also gives the proper explanation for Vettel's Hungary disqualification — the one nobody's told before. The guys discuss why the most stressful job in the world is the one with full accountability and no control. And why both Otmar and Rob have turned down team principal jobs since. Plus Jake's A-level results — E, N and U — and the BBC executive who told him to his face that they don't employ people like him. Dad jokes at the end, as ever. Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £350 off the Pod 5 Ultra here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au AG1 👉 Head to https://DrinkAG1.Com/HighPerformanceRacing to get the full AG1 welcome kit, including a free Morning Person Cap, plus AG1’s Omega-3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Formula 1 heads into the summer break, so Jake, Otmar and Rob hand out their mid-season report cards, grading every team out of 10 and explaining exactly why. Mercedes earned top marks after the strongest first half of the season, but George Russell's reliability issues sparked a debate over what might have been in both championship battles. They then assess Ferrari, McLaren and an underperforming Red Bull, before turning their attention to Alpine, Racing Bulls, Haas, Audi, Williams and Aston Martin. Plus, they rate the drivers, examine whether Kimi Antonelli's championship lead can still be overturned, and welcome back B******t Corner, complete with its own leaderboard and your latest nominations. AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, a month's supply of Omega3 capsules and five travel packs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lando Norris’ Budapest victory confirms McLaren’s resurgence, but as championship rivals continue to take points off each other, Kimi Antonelli emerges as the biggest beneficiary, extending his lead at the top of the standings to 50 points. Meanwhile, George Russell’s title challenge suffered another setback after a team-related anti-stall issue compromised his start, leading Otmar to question whether Mercedes can overcome their recent run of misfortune. Rob Smedley uses the data to reveal why Aston Martin’s 16-part B-spec upgrade has delivered genuine progress, while Otmar examines the deeper structural issues that have shaped the team’s trajectory over the past five years. The trio also analyse Williams’ difficult weekend, Carlos Sainz’s growing frustrations, and the return of Sepang to the calendar, revisiting Kimi Räikkönen’s infamous 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix strategy gamble. Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £350 off the Pod 5 Ultra here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, a month's supply of Omega3 capsules and five travel packs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jake, Rob Smedley and Otmar react to a Belgian Grand Prix that reshaped the championship. Twelve months after admitting he'd "probably reached the bottom" at Spa, Kimi Antonelli returns to the same track and delivers a flawless win over Charles Leclerc, extending his title lead to 45 points. George Russell doesn't survive the first corner. Rob takes us into the Engineering Dark Web to explain exactly why George is losing time to his teammate — and Otmar and Rob put the theory to the test that's dividing the Mercedes garage: is this a car problem, a George problem, or both? Toto Wolff says it's "50% the car." George isn't fully convinced. Rob's verdict is blunter still: beat your teammate, or leave. Also in this episode: The Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen parallel that explains exactly what's happening to George right nowWhy Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen's contract clauses both come to a head this weekend in HungaryFernando Alonso's Aston Martin verdict — an 80% new car arrives in Budapest with zero testing, and it might decide whether he staysWhy 400,000 fans at Spa still wasn't enough to save it from the 2028 and 2030 calendarBullsh*t Corner nominations, your questions answered, and the usual dad jokes New episodes of High Performance Racing every week, subscribe so you don't miss one. AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, a month's supply of Omega3 capsules and five travel packs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawrence Stroll's dramatic Force India buyout began with Sergio Perez intentionally pushing his own team into administration to save it. This week, Jake, Otmar and Rob trace Perez's journey from a lonely 14-year-old living in truck-stop motels to his difficult final months at Red Bull, asking what his story reveals about the pressure modern F1 drivers face. The trio also unpack the fallout from Silverstone. Rob explains the clever technical trick Mercedes used to out-engineer their customer teams on the straights, while Jake shares fresh insights from a Monday morning debrief with George Russell at Soho Farmhouse. With Russell cutting Kimi Antonelli's championship lead to just 25 points after the rookie's costly learning moment, they debate whether the title race is now wide open heading into Spa. AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, a month's supply of Omega3 capsules and five travel packs Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £350 off the Pod 5 Ultra here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Otmar, Jake and Rob break down the chaotic ending to the 2026 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, live in front of a crowd for the first time ever. Charles Leclerc took the win as Ferrari and Mercedes made contrasting strategy calls under the late safety car, sparking fierce debate over whether the FIA should have red flagged the race instead. Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli all played a part in one of the most talked-about finishes of the season, plus B******t Corner, dad jokes, and an Ayrton Senna helmet reveal. What did you make of the race finish? Let us know in the comments below! Thanks for hosting us Optima 1! www.optima1.com Explore Optima 1's award-winning mobile event spaces designed for brand experiences, broadcasting, VIP hospitality, and exhibitions with customizable features and cutting-edge technology:  AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, a month's supply of Omega3 capsules and five travel packs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a weekend at the Red Bull Ring. George Russell is officially back after a dominant pole-to-win victory in Austria, turning the 2026 title fight completely on its head and trimming Kimi Antonelli’s championship lead. In this episode, Jake, Rob, and Otmar break down a thrilling Austrian Grand Prix, from Kimi cracking under pressure to Ferrari’s upgraded engine completely flopping on Sunday. The trio also dissect a paddock bombshell: Max Verstappen’s management having informal chats with McLaren, alongside an exit clause that could trigger before the summer break. Finally, the guys look ahead to a massive homecoming at Silverstone, where Lewis Hamilton chases a historic 10th British GP win and the pod prepares for their huge live show in front of 300,000 fans. AG1 👉Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £350 off the Pod 5 Ultra here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Otmar away, Jake Humphrey and Rob Smedley preview the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix. Rob dives deep into his legendary career, breaking down what it really takes to lead the technical side of an F1 team, the old-school mindset shift he brought to Williams, and what the current team is lacking on track.  The duo also debated a massive F1 "what if", whether Michael Schumacher would have swept the 2007 and 2008 titles if Ross Brawn hadn’t retired. Plus, Rob reveals the incredible reality behind Felipe Massa’s terrifying 2009 Budapest crash, the chaos of engineering the unpredictable Jean Alesi, and a highly questionable new entry into B******t Corner.  Want to guide the next episode? Reply in the comment below with your questions for Rob and Otmar, or nominate an F1 moment for B******t Corner!    AG1 👉Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £350 off the Pod 5 Ultra here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.