2 Soft Compounds

Kimi Antonelli is the kind of Formula One story that not just racing drivers dream about but all Formula One fans. 

On this week’s 2 Soft Compounds, Rick Houghton and Damien Reid unpack what makes his rise so different, the patience to dodge turn one chaos, the timing of his deployment, and the calm race management that usually takes a decade to learn, from a kid still at the water park with his school mates. 

Then to Ferrari, where a simple slap on the back after qualifying becomes a test of unity, and the Hamilton–Leclerc clash turns into a case study in stewarding, scrubbed softs versus fresh, and who’s to blame when one driver understeers off and takes the other with him. 

Plus super clipping, dead pedal straights, the altitude factor, Stroll’s run of retirements, the Ocon mess, the case for Liam Lawson, and a data led Russell versus Antonelli comparison.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Damien Reid
Studio Engineer & Editor: Ben Dover
Executive Producer: Ian Carless 
Produced by: Poddworx Dubai

Formula One can sell you a world of total precision, but Singapore reminded us how messy the reality still is!

On this week’s 2 Soft Compounds, hosts Rick Houghton and Damien Reid dig into a Singapore weekend full of contradictions. Max Verstappen looks untouchable and finally cracks a circuit that’s always resisted him.

The guys also react to the breaking news that F1 is heading back to Africa with a long term Rwanda Grand Prix, and ask the bigger question: does a new race and the promise of V8 hybrids actually fix the sport’s direction, or just distract from the problems fans can already feel? 

And there's plenty of chat about the sprint chaos: George Russell’s brief high before another gutting spin, Lance Stroll’s latest early bath, and the costly McLaren clash that swings the constructors’ fight. Plus Ferrari’s tyre and strategy muddle around Hamilton, why modern Pirelli behaviour matters, and what Mercedes take from a split spec weekend as Antonelli quietly keeps banking points.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Damien Reid
Studio Engineer & Editor: Ben Dover
Executive Producer: Ian Carless 
Produced by: Poddworx Dubai

Sepang aka the Bahrain GP finally gave us the wet race we've begged for all year, and the FIA managed to turn it into farce.

On this week's 2 Soft Compounds, hosts Rick Houghton and Damien Reid tip their hats to Bahrain's crew for a proper event on the road, then get stuck into the jaw dropper: race control remotely cutting power from 350kW to 250, stalling the formation lap as turbos died and Ferraris ground to a halt. A pointless delay, a stranded safety car, a red flag nobody knew how to call, and the bigger question of who, or what, is really driving these cars. Plus Hamilton's gutsy podium, Russell's cruel late failure, Norris' near miss, Alonso's best drive of the year, and Verstappen's historic first win for Red Bull's Ford backed engine.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Damien Reid
Studio Engineer & Editor: Ben Dover
Executive Producer: Ian Carless 
Produced by: Poddworx Dubai

Baku promised the usual chaos, safety cars and sudden twists, but in the end delivered long stretches of nothing much at all! 

On this week's 2 Soft Compounds, hosts Rick Houghton and Damien Reid unpack how a circuit this unpredictable became a slow moving train, and why it isn't just down to driver caution. The guys start with the standouts: George Russell's most complete weekend yet and Hadjar's level headed, team first return that still lands a huge Red Bull result. Plus Norris' post race digs at Colapinto and whether drivers now race the rule book instead of their instincts, Ferrari's latest strategy mess with Hamilton, McLaren's upgrades failing to click, and Piastri throwing away points on cold tyres.

Last but not least, there's chat about Antonelli's mature recovery, a Sepang preview, and the final lap Bottas incident that reignites the yellow flags versus safety car debate.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Damien Reid
Studio Engineer & Editor: Ben Dover
Executive Producer: Ian Carless 
Produced by: Poddworx Dubai

Madrid's brand new 'Madring' promised a modern street circuit spectacle and delivered a procession: track position over bravery, and overtakes you could count on one hand. 

On this week's 2 Soft Compounds, host's Rick Houghton and Damien Reid break down what the circuit gets right for fans to look at but wrong for racing. The guys discuss Lando Norris' stunning pole for McLaren, Verstappen's lap one cut under pressure from Hamilton, and the messy business of handing positions back. Plus Ferrari get another headache as Hamilton's brake pedal goes long, before the big domino: the Virtual Safety Car sparked by Stroll's retirement, why Norris got caught out, and whether VSC timing needs reform. 

Last but not least the he cool-down room Coke controversy, and a Baku preview with battery clipping fears and Racing Bulls market rumours.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Damien Reid
Studio Engineer & Editor: Ben Dover
Executive Producer: Ian Carless 
Produced by: Poddworx Dubai

Monza gave us a proper head scratcher: the speed traps and lap times say slower, but the racing looked busier than ever. 

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, hosts Rick and Damien dig into why purists hate and casual fans love the recent hybrid deployments, battery tactics and  "yo yo" overtakes now prevalent in F1. 

The boys also celebrate Pierre Gasly's properly earned pole for Alpine, and get stuck into Ferrari's upgrades, the murky rules between Hamilton and Leclerc, and whether Leclerc's crash was really about energy deployment. 

Plus Antonelli's charge through the field, a race defining Virtual Safety Car, McLaren's Norris–Piastri drama, Verstappen's rear end woes, and the shuffle after Hadjar's injury. And finally, a look ahead to the Madrid Mad Ring: close walls, a red flag heavy history, and almost no data to lean on.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Damien Reid
Studio Engineer & Editor: Ben Dover
Executive Producer: Ian Carless 
Produced by: Poddworx Dubai

Zandvoort was supposed to be Max's home turf party - instead it all went Pete Tong! 

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, hosts Rick Houghton and Damien Reid dig into the slippery patch warning, the unusual line into Turn 3, and how Liam Lawson's pressure tipped a rare driver error at the worst possible moment. They also unpack Max's Red Bull extension through 2030, Red Bull's off weekend pace, Ferrari's habit of arguing strategy over the radio, and a tense Mercedes podium fight as Russell holds off a charging Hamilton.

Plus there's a McLaren deep dive with Norris looking unstoppable while Piastri's dip becomes the real story and a driver of the weekend that came down to a one split-second call in a cloud of smoke.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Damien Reid
Studio Engineer & Editor: Ben Dover
Executive Producer: Ian Carless 
Produced by: Poddworx Dubai

Aston Martin's 16-part reset shaved two seconds off their pace, giving Rick and Damien plenty else to dig into from a chaotic Hungary weekend.

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, hosts Rick Houghton and Damien Reid cover all the action from the Hungarian Grand Prix, including George Russell's mystifying anti-stall off the grid, McLaren's team-order tension between Norris and Piastri, Ferrari's self-inflicted strategy mess, Carlos Sainz's nine ignored blue flags, and a quietly brilliant, more humble Max Verstappen carving his way past Hamilton.

Plus there's Cadillac's endless brake dramas, an Audi–Racing Bulls midfield scrap worth watching, and news that Bahrain's Grand Prix will relocate to Malaysia amid Middle East disruption to the F1 calendar.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Damien Reid
Studio Engineer & Editor: Ben Dover
Executive Producer: Ian Carless 
Produced by: Poddworx Dubai

Spa should have settled the algorithm debate, but instead it just made the case worse.

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, Rick Houghton and Damien Reid dig into the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, from AI-driven energy deployment and neutralising some of the world's best racing corners, to George Russell's Eau Rouge meltdown, Kimi Antonelli's win, Isack Hadjar's faultless drive and the Lewis Hamilton–Russell Lap 1 clash that cost Ferrari a pit stop and a fine.

Plus there's Aston Martin's GT3-beating slowness, Toto Wolff's not-so-subtle digs at Russell, and a Hungary preview that has the lads split on whether McLaren finally turns their small upgrades into a big result.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Damien Reid
Studio Engineer & Editor: Ben Dover
Executive Producer: Ian Carless 
Produced by: Poddworx Dubai

Silverstone should have been a classic, but instead it became another Formula One battery-management argument. 

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, Rick and Damien dig into the British Grand Prix weekend, from boost games and artificial overtaking to Kimi Antonelli’s championship grit, Max Verstappen’s Red Bull frustration, Christian Horner rumours and an FIA safety car finish that short-changed the crowd. 

Plus theres Lego chaos, loose aero bits and the introduction of Rick’s genius “Red Flag Protocol”, the Pinot Noir-fuelled rule change that might just fix messy race endings once and for all.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Damien Reid
Studio Engineer & Editor: Ben Dover
Executive Producer: Ian Carless 
Produced by: Poddworx Dubai