2 Soft Compounds

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, hosts Rick and Damien jump straight into the Styrian Grand Prix story that left the paddock shaking their heads: the single waved yellow at the Red Bull Ring that decides pole, and the uncomfortable reality that the rules demand a "lift" without ever defining one. George Russell plays the rulebook perfectly, race control hesitates to escalate, and everyone's left asking the same thing: is the system rewarding safety, or interpretation?

From there, the guys dig into the bigger 2026 stories: Aston Martin's brutal pace drop, Adrian Newey's candid take, Fernando Alonso's future, the cost cap and upgrade credits arms race, Russell's tyre management, Ferrari's puzzling tyre sequence, and a proper Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen throwback fight.

Plus, Silverstone is next, where long straights and fast corners could expose the regulation limits even more.

Production Credits:

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

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, Rick and Damien dig into F1's messy 2026: the unpopular rule changes, the Iran war scrapping Saudi and Bahrain, and the Monaco pit-lane timing scandal now snowballing into appeals and possible legal fallout (Russell may have lost the title over it). 

Plus! Damien breaks an exclusive - Qatar and Abu Dhabi could be dropped for extra Las Vegas street races amid shipping chaos. 

Then to Barcelona: a reliability-hit thriller crowned by Hamilton's first Ferrari win, the first all-British podium since 1968, and growing worries over Mercedes power units. Plus Hülkenberg's freak retirement, Aston Martin's woes and a look ahead to Austria.

Production Credits:

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

Monaco always exposes the smallest weaknesses, and this weekend was no exception. This week, host's Rick and Damien break down Kimi Antonelli’s stunning qualifying performance, the crucial relationship between driver and race engineer, and why modern Formula One is as much about information management as outright speed.

The guys also unpack Max Verstappen’s power issues, Lando Norris’ frustrating retirement, Mercedes’ handling of George Russell’s penalty, Charles Leclerc’s brake frustrations, and the fine margins that can make or break a Monaco Grand Prix.

Plus, they look ahead to Barcelona and ask whether the Spanish Grand Prix could shake up the order once again.

Production Credits:

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

Canada gives us the kind of Formula One weekend that makes you argue with your mates for days: big pace swings, strange tyre choices, and just enough chaos to expose who is thinking clearly under pressure.

This week on Two Soft Compounds, Rick and Damien jump straight into the Canadian Grand Prix story that left everyone shaking their heads: McLaren starting on intermediate tyres on a track that was basically dry, despite Oscar Piastri telling the team it made no sense. We break down what they were trying to solve, why it backfired so badly, and how quickly a race weekend can unravel.

From there, we dig into Mercedes and why the upgrades suddenly make them look like the team to beat, while the Russell vs Antonelli fight shows how easily thrilling turns messy in modern Formula One. We also cover Hamilton’s strongest Ferrari performance yet, Verstappen’s blunt take on the new regulations, Hadjar’s frustrating penalties, Aston Martin’s ongoing problems, and why Canada may finally have given Formula One the kind of unpredictable racing it wanted from these new cars.

Plus, Monaco is next, the weather may turn and if these cars hit the rain around the principality, absolutely anything could happen.

Production Credits:

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

A five-week break, a sprint weekend, and suddenly the 2025 F1 season feels very different. This week on 2 Soft Compounds Rick and Damien break down Kimi Antonelli’s breakthrough Miami win, why it felt far more convincing than a lucky result, and whether Mercedes are becoming a genuine threat again without even bringing a major upgrade package.

The guys also dive into the technical battle shaping the grid. Ferrari arrives with huge updates, McLaren talks about effectively building a new car across two races, while Aston Martin’s struggles are becoming impossible to ignore. They also unpack Verstappen’s first-lap 360 and why moments like that are often more skill than luck.

Last but not least Rick digs into George Russell’s difficult weekend alongside Antonelli’s rise, Ferrari’s tyre headaches and penalties, plus the inevitable driver-market rumours that follow a chaotic race weekend. 

Production Credits:

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

Something’s not quite right in Formula 1 right now and Suzuka really brought that into focus.

In this episode of 2 Soft Compounds, hosts Rick Houghton and Damien Reid vocalise what many fans are already thinking: the sport feels like it’s in a bit of a mess.

The guys discuss Lando Norris' comments about the car effectively making an overtake for him with some racing incidents being linked to sudden spikes in power. All of which raises a bigger question i.e. how much control do drivers actually have?

The guys also get into the growing frustration across the grid, with Max Verstappen openly questioning his future in the sport and Fernando Alonso suggesting the cars are doing too much of the work. But it’s not all negative with praise for teenager Kimi Antonelli, Piastri showing real pace and Leclerc proves there’s still room for proper, instinctive racing.

With a break before Miami, Rick and Damien ask the big question: can Formula 1 fix this quickly or is this just the direction the sport is heading?

Production Credits:

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

The 2026 Formula 1 season burst into life in China but is this the future fans really want?

In this week's episode of 2 Soft Compounds, Rick Houghton and Damien Reid break down a race that delivered on the surface, but raised bigger questions underneath. Kimi Antonelli’s sensational first win at just 19 signals a new era, while Mercedes’ pace and growing reliability issues across the grid hint at an early pecking order taking shape.

The racing looked closer, with more overtaking and better wheel-to-wheel action but much of it driven by battery deployment, lift-and-coast and “push-button” moves that risk making races feel predictable. Add in non-starters, DNFs, and murmurs around power unit parity, and the picture becomes more complicated.

With Max Verstappen already showing frustration and the midfield throwing up standout performances, including Hamilton’s first Ferrari podium and a strong showing from Oliver Bearman, this was a weekend full of contrasts.

Production Credits:

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

Formula 1’s new era exploded into life in Melbourne with active aero replacing DRS, boost buttons rewriting overtakes, and drivers juggling energy modes like software engineers at 300 km/h.

On this episode of 2 Soft Compounds, host's Rick and Damien unpack a race weekend packed with drama: Antonelli’s massive crash and rebuild, Verstappen’s bizarre rear-axle lockup, and Oscar Piastri’s heartbreaking home-race exit after a rogue power surge.

We dive into Aston Martin’s violent chassis vibrations, Mercedes’ clever engine interpretation, Ferrari’s rocket starts and why overtaking numbers might not tell the whole story.

And with China and the first sprint weekend looming, the guys look at the strategy battles ahead and ask the big question: are we watching F1 or Mario Kart?! 

Production Credits:

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

This week on Two Soft Compounds, Rick and Damien Reid wrap up one of the wildest Formula One seasons in years, as Lando Norris clinches his first world title after a nerve-shredding showdown in Abu Dhabi.

They break down how McLaren turned their Qatar disaster into a championship-winning strategy, why Verstappen’s two-point heartbreak may reshape Red Bull’s future, and how Norris proved that “nice guys can, in fact, win.”

The duo also reflect on the end of an era: Renault’s farewell, Sauber’s rebrand to Audi, DRS gone, and a radical 2026 rulebook that could change everything from aero to power balance.

It’s been an incredible season, and the next one starts in just 34 days.

All that and more, right here on Two Soft Compounds.

Production Credits:

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

This week on Two Soft Compounds, Rick Houhgton and Damien Reid break down the chaos from Qatar and set the stage for an all-out championship decider in Abu Dhabi.

After another McLaren strategy disaster and a baffling tire call, Verstappen’s title chase is alive, just 12 points behind Norris with everything to play for. The guys debate whether McLaren’s refusal to back a number-one driver could cost them it all, and why Norris may be cracking under the pressure while Piastri quietly circles.

They also tackle the toxic fan fallout over Antonelli’s incident, Red Bull’s rookie shuffle, Williams’ shock rise, and the brewing tension at Ferrari as Hamilton’s frustrations boil over.

With three drivers in contention and Yas Marina’s chaos waiting, this finale could rewrite F1 history.

All that and more, right here on Two Soft Compounds.

Production Credits:

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