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High Performance Racing

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Rating
★★★★★
4.9
from
58 reviews
This podcast has
32 episodes
Language
English
Explicit
No
Date created
2026/04/13
Latest episode
2026/11/06
Average duration
61 min.
Release period
7 days

Description

They say you can’t truly understand Formula 1 without real experts; High Performance Racing brings you the people who actually lived it. Hosted by Jake Humphrey alongside former Aston Martin & Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and ex-Ferrari & Williams Race Engineer Rob Smedley, this brand-new show breaks down the sport's biggest news stories through the eyes of seasoned F1 personnel. Moving beyond standard race breakdowns, the show offers a front-row seat to the high-stakes world of the Formula 1 paddock, from team analysis & technical breakdowns to the unfiltered banter of the pit wall. High Performance Racing delivers the insider perspectives and uncovered moments that the cameras miss, straight from those who have built careers in the most competitive sport in the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Check latest episodes from High Performance Racing podcast


Hamilton’s Interlagos REVENGE & Have McLaren Given Up on 2026? (E30)
2026/11/06
Is Interlagos where Lewis Hamilton finally answers Ferrari back? Jake, Otmar and Rob are back with a BONUS episode to preview the São Paulo Grand Prix, and none of us can agree on who wins. Max is flying. Kimi’s already champion. And Lewis is at his favourite track with the bit between his teeth. Rob gives away an old engineer’s trick for Interlagos (sorry, young race engineers). Otmar reckons McLaren have already checked out. And he’s got a very clear view on his old driver Esteban Ocon. We also get into Cadillac’s seat shuffle and THAT Mexico paddock moment. Plus our brand-new qualifying wildcard segment. Carlos Sainz in Q3? You heard it here first. Stick around for the dad jokes. They’re terrible... we’re not sorry. Back Wednesday for the race review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kimi's 40 Minutes Nobody Saw, A CRACKED Engine & Ferrari’s Civil War (E29)
2026/11/04
Kimi Antonelli is finally world champion, and this week Jake, Otmar and Rob get the inside story from two people who were there for all of it. Gwen Lagrue, the man who first spotted Kimi racing a go-kart in Adria in 2017, joins the guys to explain what made an 11-year-old stand out from everyone else. He also tells them about the phone call he got from Toto on the morning Lewis said he was leaving. Then Mercedes Deputy Team Principal Bradley Lord takes us inside the factory meeting where Toto told Kimi: “Lewis is leaving. It could be you.” Bradley also shares what happened when the celebrations died down: the 40 minutes Kimi spent alone in an empty engineering office, trying to take in what he’d done. And there’s the cracked sump that left Kimi feeling his engine struggle with four laps to go, with the title on the line. Rob opens up the engineering dark web to show how Kimi went from a difficult rookie season to champion, and the guys ask whether George Russell can bounce back. Plus, Ferrari’s rules-of-engagement mess and how Rob says it used to work in Jean Todt’s office, Otmar’s take on Esteban Ocon’s exit from Haas, the latest on Liam Lawson, Rob ending up in BS Corner, and a signed cap up for grabs. AG1 👉 Grab the Autumn Wellness bundle at https://DrinkAG1.Com/Racing - Get a free welcome kit and shaker, a month's supply of Omega 3 capsules, a bottle of Vitamin D3K2 and five travel packs, plus an extra £10 off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kimi’s Crown Awaits, Alonso Picks a Fight & How Good is Liam Lawson? (E28 Live from New York)
2026/10/28
For the first time ever, the guys recorded High Performance Racing in front of a live audience, in a bar in New York City, cowboy hats and all. Well, two of the guys. Rob was meant to be there too, but a bird strike and an engine failure on take-off put a stop to that. So Rob sends his apologies from a very windy beach, and Otmar has an engine-failure story of his own. Jake and Otmar get stuck into Austin, where Kimi Antonelli put on a masterclass and is now one race away from becoming F1’s youngest ever world champion. Otmar shares the advice he gave Kimi before the race (which Kimi then ignored by winning), and Jake tells the story of a 10-year-old Kimi catching an oversteer on his dad’s lap. Otmar also reveals why Toto really took the gamble on him. Plus, Fernando’s comments about the back markers, and an Aston Martin insider’s view on Honda. Rob’s Dark Web Data on Red Bull’s strategy. Otmar’s call on who finishes third in the Constructors’. Liam Lawson’s guitar, and the New York crowd arguing on stage about whether he’s underrated or overrated. Rob is voted into B******t Corner, and the room brings the dad jokes. Thanks to everyone who came out at two weeks’ notice. You were brilliant. And thank you to Wheel to Wheel, the F1 board game, for putting on the night. AG1 👉 Grab the Autumn Wellness bundle at https://DrinkAG1.Com/Racing - Get a free welcome kit and shaker, a month's supply of Omega 3 capsules, a bottle of Vitamin D3K2 and five travel packs, plus an extra £10 off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why Otmar Said No to Cadillac, The Truth About Massa vs Alonso & Your Questions Answered (E27)
2026/10/21
You sent the questions, the guys answered them! And it's the first time Otmar has been trusted with a tablet. Rob finally answers the question he gets asked more than any other: what really happened to Felipe Massa after 2009? Was it the spring in Hungary, or was it Fernando Alonso? Rob was on the other end of the radio, and he's got the test data to settle it. Otmar reveals the Christmas phone call from Michael Andretti asking him to be team principal, why he said no, why they never came back, and the only team he'd ever be TP for again. He also opens up on the most stressful period of his F1 career: standing between Lawrence Stroll and the rest of the team. And he shares the Toto Wolff line about pressure, diamonds and burst pipes. Plus, the greatest question ever submitted ("what do?"), Rob discovering Google Docs in real time, the best drivers never to make F1, the guys' favourite drivers of all time, Otmar's 1991 Jordan 7Up jacket, and their best F1 celebrity moments, including the day Jake got stood up by Kim Kardashian in Monaco. Keep the questions coming. This show doesn't exist without the High Performance Racing community. AG1 👉 Grab the Autumn Wellness bundle at https://DrinkAG1.Com/Racing - Get a free welcome kit and shaker, a month's supply of Omega 3 capsules, a bottle of Vitamin D3K2 and five travel packs, plus an extra £10 off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Christian Horner: Helmut Marko Stayed at My House TWO DAYS Before I Was SACKED
2026/10/19
"It feels more like Christian Horner Racing than Red Bull Racing." Just days after hosting the Red Bull leadership for dinner at his house on British Grand Prix weekend, Christian Horner got a text asking him to meet in London. It was supposed to be about marketing. When he walked into the room he saw Helmut Marko, Oliver Mintzlaff and the group head of HR, and he knew. In this exclusive clip for the High Performance Racing community, taken from his full conversation with Jake and Damian on High Performance, Christian talks about how his 20-year Red Bull journey ended in one meeting. He covers what he was told, Geri's warning at the Austrian Grand Prix that "something's gonna happen", and what it's like when the work that defined you is suddenly gone. 🎧 Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxTHqfZ_lsw Jake, Rob and Otmar are back with a new episode of High Performance Racing on Wednesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why Ferrari Should Have OVERRULED Lewis Hamilton & Jake Goes MISSING! (E26)
2026/10/14
Jake's gone AWOL, so Rob and Otmar are running the show on their own this week. What could possibly go wrong?! Jake phones in from Orlando, where he says he's getting ready to interview Tom Brady (the guys aren't convinced, and reckon he's in a Norfolk Travelodge). Then Rob and Otmar take charge of the Singapore GP reaction. Max Verstappen took the Singapore double, winning both the Sprint and the Grand Prix, and the guys ask whether he really had the best car. Rob takes them into the Engineering Dark Web to show where Leclerc lost pole and why Ferrari might have let a race win slip away. They also look at Lewis's decision not to pit under the virtual safety car, and Rob explains when a team has to overrule its driver. They also go through a chaotic Sprint, from George binning it while leading to Lando's last-lap lunge on Oscar, and Otmar explains how driver contracts can encourage moves like that. Then there's the FIA's "human error" with power modes in qualifying, and why Otmar would have sent everyone through to Q2. Plus, a parcel of Senna socks from a listener, a B******t Corner where Rob is meant to argue against everything and agrees with every point, the story behind Otmar's "nine women, one month" line, your book titles and dad jokes, and the guys' reaction to an exclusive clip from Christian Horner's High Performance interview. AG1 👉 Grab the Autumn Wellness bundle at https://DrinkAG1.Com/Racing - Get a free welcome kit and shaker, a month's supply of Omega 3 capsules, a bottle of Vitamin D3K2 and five travel packs, plus an extra £10 off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
F1’s Software FARCE & Rob Reveals Why Red Bull Are NOW So FAST (E25)
2026/10/07
The best drivers in the world were ready to race in Malaysia. Then a software glitch got in the way. Jake, Rob and Otmar ask how F1 can call itself the pinnacle of motorsport when an untested software failure can stop drivers from doing their jobs, and why fans deserve to know what’s happening when things go wrong. The guys also debate Kimi Antonelli’s 84-point lead, George Russell’s terrible luck, and whether there’s any way back. Rob explains why Red Bull’s latest upgrade could make them a threat everywhere, while Otmar and Rob tackle Ferrari’s latest strategy mess and why Lewis Hamilton was right to ignore the team and trust his instincts. Plus, Otmar defends Esteban Ocon’s F1 career, while the guys debate whether Williams really are victims of the cost cap, or simply not making enough of what they have. AG1 👉 Grab the Autumn Wellness bundle at https://DrinkAG1.Com/Racing - Get a free welcome kit and shaker, a month's supply of Omega 3 capsules, a bottle of Vitamin D3K2 and five travel packs, plus an extra £10 off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Russell UNTOUCHABLE, Max Wants Hadjar’s Upgrade & Aston SLOWER Than F2 (E24)
2026/09/30
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.
Why Baku Is A NIGHTMARE for Engineers, Kimi's Title Odds & Alonso's EXIT Plan (E23)
2026/09/23
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.
The Madring Verdict! How Does a Track THAT BAD Get Approved? (E22)
2026/09/16
£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.
What REALLY Made Kimi So Good At Monza? Rob Breaks Down The Difference (E21)
2026/09/09
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.
Mercedes’ RUTHLESS Kimi Call, Hamilton's Monza Dream & Cadillac's Big Problem (E20)
2026/09/02
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.
Why Ferrari's No.1 Driver Problem Could Cost Lewis Hamilton an 8th Title
2026/08/26
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.
What ACTUALLY Made Schumacher, Alonso & Vettel F1 Greats (E18)
2026/08/19
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.
What F1 Teams REALLY Hide From Netflix Drive to Survive (E17)
2026/08/12
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.

Podcast reviews

Read High Performance Racing podcast reviews


4.9 out of 5
58 reviews
★★★★★
Lighthouse-IslandFoto 2026/09/14
Amazing
The show is outstanding and it is so informative. I love all three of you on the show as it has a great ping pong effect going backwards and forwards....
★★★★★
likminereet23 2026/09/06
Nomination for BS Corner
First off love the show with the stories from the past, the helpful insight with the current cars, and the banter you all have with each other. My no...
★★★★★
GJ- California 2026/09/02
Kick Back and Enjoy
Really enjoy the laid-back vibe that the boys have established. Otmar (aka Omar) is a great steady story teller, and Jake keeps it light and humourous...
★★★★★
RexGa/Fl 2026/08/27
Excellent show
Great show. I’m relatively new to F1 and love hearing the history mixed with insights on the teams/drivers. Maybe that Ron/Rod guy can stay on his boa...
★★★★★
IpflandroUK 2026/08/10
Otmar !!!
Otmar is the BEST. So glad he is on this show ⭐️⭐️
★★★★★
Cat Judes 2026/07/19
Totally addictive podcast!
This is the perfect combination of technical discussions, team analyses, and personal stories. I learn something new with every episode. The chemistry...
★★★★★
Hey_guero 2026/07/03
The best
By far the best F1 podcast with their real world experiences shared, and flows very nice. Also is quite funny.
★★★★★
Usswl 2026/06/01
This, right here, The Gold Standard
This is such an insightful pod with seasoned pro’s offering their thoughts and wisdom, exquisitely meshed with superlative humour. Everyone one pod ...
★★★★★
Kurtdesign1 2026/05/18
Wonderful
Great conversational discussion on modern F1. Even better discussion around past, first-hand experiences. Perfect presentation and length.
★★★★★
schwartzelini 2026/05/09
Finally…
What a pleasure to hear true, authentic professionals have a genuine conversation without the hype and hyperbole found in so many other pods on F1. C...
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