2 Soft Compounds

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, the Dutch Grand Prix delivered a script Hollywood wouldn’t dare write and Oscar Piastri nailed the lead role!

Plenty of stuff for Rick and Paul to dive into this week including the part of the script no-one saw coming as Lando Norris’ engine gave up the ghost, leaving him sitting trackside with a thousand-yard stare and a 34-point hole in the standings.

Elsewhere, the home favorite Max Verstappen acknowledged they were lucky to get second place. And the real shocker? Rookie Isaac Hadjar brought it home for his first F1 podium! Plus Alex Albon pulled off a stunning P15 to P5 comeback and Oliver Bearman basically said “undercut this” with a 53-lap opening stint from the pit lane to P6. 

The guys also disect the disaster otherwise know as Ferrari! And Rick has a minor thrombi over Aston Martins Lance Stroll. No sitting on the fence in this podcast!  And as as we barrel toward the high-speed theatre of Monza, engine reliability and team harmony might still shake up this title fight for McLaren.

Subscribe now and don’t miss a moment - this championship script is still being written and anything can happen.

Production Credits:

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

Genltemen, Start Your Engines: Will The Gloves Come Off At Zandvoort?

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, Formula 1 roars back from the summer break and Rick and Paul kick off by discussing whether McLaren’s drivers are about to go from mates to mortal rivals. 

With Oscar Piastri holding a slender nine-point lead over Lando Norris, the guys dive into one of the most intense intra-team title fights in years. Respectful? For now. But with ten races left, how long before gloves hit the tarmac?

The guys also take a look at Max Verstappen who returns to Zandvoort under massive pressure. Red Bull’s early-season dominance has evaporated, and with a 97-point gap to Piastri, the reigning champ needs more than home advantage to keep his hopes alive. Can Max deliver, or is this officially McLaren’s world now?

Plus, the lads unpack Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari struggles after a rocky first half, Cadillac’s driver lineup announcement, Williams’ quiet pivot to 2026, and growing uncertainty over Alpine’s future.

It’s all brewing into a blockbuster run-in - where friendships, contracts, and championship dreams are all on the line.

Production Credits:

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

X-Mode Engaged: F1’s Future, Cadillac’s Big Bet & the Great Hamilton Pushback

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, Rick and Paul take the plunge into F1’s radical 2026 rule shakeup - and let’s just say, not everyone’s loving it! 

With DRS gone, ground effect binned and the rise of switchable aero modes (Z for corners, X for straights), we’re entering a brave new world of active wings and equal parts electric and combustion. Rick & Paul debate whether this is the future of racing or just a glorified slot car series, especially with Lando Norris branding the regs “gimmicky.”

The guys also dig into Cadillac’s full-throttle entry into F1 - including that jaw-dropping $450 million anti-dilution fee and Ferrari engines to start. Paul makes the case for a solid, no-nonsense driver pairing like Perez and Bottas to steer this expensive ship through its early years. It's America’s latest swing at F1 stardom - will it stick this time?

Plus, there's juicy paddock gossip about unrest at Ferrari surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s arrival, questions about his future after cryptic comments and a look at Daniel Ricciardo’s latest setback. Oh, and spoiler alert: McLaren still look unstoppable heading into the second half of the season.

It’s a packed episode filled with controversy, change, and speculation - just the way we like it. Hit play and join the chaos.

Production Credits:

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

The Rise & Fall of Lewis Hamilton. 

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, we're dedicating the whole podcast to Lewis Hamilton who's dream Ferrari move is rapidly becoming a nightmare. Hosts Rick and Paul, alongside special guest Damian Reid, unpack the worrying signs surrounding the seven-time world champ: from his puzzling form slump to cryptic comments questioning whether he’ll even see out the season. Has the sport’s most dominant driver finally hit the wall?

The guys dive into what’s really going wrong - is it age, car setup or just a culture shock inside Maranello? They explore the eerie parallels with Michael Schumacher’s late-career move to Mercedes and why history may be repeating itself with another legend lost in the wrong red.

Plus, a brutally honest take on whether Hamilton and Ferrari ever made sense competitively… or whether this was just a stock-boosting PR fantasy that’s now unravelling in real time.

Is it the end of an era? Or just a bump in the road? Hit play to find out and don’t forget to follow us @2softcompounds on Instagram. 

Production Credits:

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

Hungarian GP: May The Best McLaren Win! 

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, Rick and Paul dive into the drama of the Hungarian Grand Prix - a race where technical compromises stole the spotlight and McLaren cemented its place at the top. Pole for Charles Leclerc but a podium place quickly evaporated thanks to a bizarre fix for plank wear that left him wrestling an “undriveable” car. Over-inflated tyres? Engine mode tweaks? It was a strategy so strange it left Rick tearing his hair out once again! 

Elsewhere the guys dig into Lando Norris's potentially career-defining win, clawing back from P5 with supreme tyre management and race IQ that screamed “future champion.” Or does it? McLaren’s grip on the front of the field looks stronger than ever but it wasn’t all sunshine in Hungary.

Lewis Hamilton left everyone, including Rick & Paul, buzzing after calling himself “useless,” dropping cryptic hints about “stuff going on in the background,” and sparking speculation over whether he’ll even return after the break. Add in Verstappen’s latest meltdown in a car he called “undriveable,” rookie Gabriele Bortoletto starring for Sauber and Liam Lawson upstaging Red Bull and you’ve got one hell of a mid-season shake-up.

As F1 heads into the summer break, the big questions loom: Can Ferrari fix their chaos? Is McLaren unstoppable? And what the hell is happening in Maranello? Hit play on 2 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 2 Soft Compounds, Rick and Paul dissect a Belgian Grand Prix that had all the ingredients for chaos - then delivered a soggy serving of frustration. Rain before lights out, endless delays and a sport still terrified of a little water. Has Formula 1 forgotten how to race in the wet? We think so.

Plenty of chat tho about Oscar Piastri stealing the show after a gutsy rolling-start move on Norris. McLaren’s Spa stranglehold confirmed what we already knew: the championship is now an all-papaya punch-up between Oscar and Lando. Verstappen? He’s just playing catch-up in a car that’s second-best.

Behind the McLaren show, Lewis Hamilton provided the drama with a storming charge from the pit lane - until he slammed into what we’re calling The Albon Wall. Alex Albon’s iron-clad defense was the highlight of the race, while Carlos Sainz continued to… not impress. And speaking of impressing, the rookie trio of Lawson, Bortoletto, and Bearman keep embarrassing the veterans and shaking up the silly season stakes.

Next stop: Hungary. Can Norris respond at a circuit he loves, or will Piastri keep cruising toward the crown with his ‘ice man’ coolness? Strap in and hit play on 2 Soft Compounds - where the racing chat is always wetter, wilder, and hopefully way less delayed than Spa! 

Production Credits:

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

Spa Shenanigans, Max’s Mystery Meetings & Horner’s Heir – It’s Belgian GP Time!

This week on Two Soft Compounds, Rick and Jad Mallak gear up for the high-speed chaos of Spa-Francorchamps - where the forecast is part rainstorm, part rumour tornado. With Christian Horner officially out, Red Bull begins a bold new chapter under Laurent Mekies. Is he ready for the pressure cooker? Or will this weekend reveal just how much Horner held the house together?

Meanwhile, the Max-to-Mercedes saga has gone full soap opera. From Sardinian sightings to jet-tracking superfans, the internet’s convinced Max and Toto are cooking up a blockbuster move. Add in Mercedes' oddly delayed Russell contract renewal and the plot thickens faster than Spa’s fog.

Ferrari’s pinning their hopes on a rear suspension upgrade tested at Mugello - because nothing says “desperate times” like private track sessions in Tuscany. Will it be enough to stop McLaren’s steamroller? Maybe not, especially as Piastri and Norris continue their increasingly tense teammate tango. Let’s just say the Silverstone smiles are getting tighter.

Elsewhere, tyre drama brews as Pirelli drops the C2 compound from the weekend lineup, forcing teams to roll the dice on strategy. With Spa’s trademark weather roulette (sunshine in Sector 1, monsoon in Sector 3), anything could happen - again!

Plus: Sauber’s sneaky resurgence, Aston Martin’s upgrade blues, Williams’ recurring sauna problems, and the Cadillac whisper network linking Bottas and Perez to brand-new seats for 2026.

Strap in and subscribe to Two Soft Compounds - because at Spa, the only thing faster than the cars, is the gossip.

Production Credits:

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

Midseason Mayhem: Horners Exit, Max's Future and McLaren's Championship Battle.

This week on Two Soft Compounds, Rick and Paul unpack a jaw-dropping first half of the 2025 Formula One season. McLaren has gone from dark horses to dominant force, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris locked in a tense title scrap that’s friendlier in the press than it is on track. 

Top of the agenda the guys discuss Red Bull - a team in meltdown. Christian Horner’s high-profile exit and a rumored £60 million settlement have sparked a mass technical exodus, and Jos Verstappen’s “this team will explode” prophecy is unfolding in real-time. With Max’s future now up in the air, Paul and Rick ask the big question: could the reigning champ really walk away before 2026?

Elsewhere, Rick's favortie team, Ferrari, continue to flatter and frustrate and Paul has some choice words about Toto's handling of George Russell. Plus there's chat about Cadillac’s looming arrival for 2026 which just stirred the driver market pot even more. 

As we head to Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix, the gloves are coming off. Will McLaren keep it civil? Will Red Bull survive the implosion? And is Max Verstappen about to trigger the biggest silly season shock of all time? Tap in to Two Soft Compounds for all the F1 drama and debate you crave! 

Production Credits:

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

Going, Going, Gone! Horner Ousted In Red Bull’s Radical Shake Up 

The Formula One world has been thrown into chaos with the stunning announcement that Christian Horner has been sacked as Red Bull team principal and CEO after 20 years at the helm. What seemed unthinkable just days ago has become reality, sending shockwaves through the paddock and raising profound questions about the future of the sport's dominant team.

This special episode of Two Soft Compounds dives deep into the bombshell news, exploring the multiple theories behind Horner's sudden dismissal. From the disappointing performance at the British Grand Prix to Jos Verstappen's eerily prophetic warning from March 2023 that "this team is going to implode" under Horner's leadership, Rick & Paul unpick the complex web of factors that may have led to this momentous decision. The recent exodus of key personnel – including Adrian Newey, Rob Marshall, and Jonathan Wheatley – looms large in our analysis, particularly after their skills helped rival teams outperform Red Bull at Silverstone. 

Production Credits:

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

British GP: Rain, Rage & Redemption - Norris Doubles Up, Red Bull Slides & Hulk Pops His Podium Cherry.

This week on Two Soft Compounds, Rick is joined by Grandprix247 editor Jad Malek alongside motorsport journalist and F1 TV commentator, Damien Reid, as the three dive into a soaked Silverstone showdown that flipped the championship script and gave fans one of the best races of the season. With rain clouds looming and strategies unraveling, it was Lando Norris who danced through the chaos to take back-to-back wins and lead a commanding McLaren 1-2 - cementing their rise from underdogs to undisputed title contenders.

The guys discuss how it wasn’t all smooth sailing at McLaren. Oscar Piastri’s uncharacteristic frustration over a 10-second penalty exposed rare emotion from the Australian and leave Rick asking if the iceman has lost his cool? Congratultions from Rick also for one of his favorites, Nico Hülkenberg who finally ditched his “nearly man” tag with a fairytale podium. There's plenty of chat about whether the Jonathan Wheatley effect has kicked in already at Sauber.

Lots to talk about with Red Bull also as the guys discuss how Verstappen’s low-downforce gamble backfired in the rain. And Ferrari fumbled (again), losing GPS tracking on Hamilton mid-race and Mercedes made tire choices even Rick's nan would’ve questioned. Plus, with Adrian Newey lurking on Aston Martin’s pit wall the 2026 driver and tech market just got juicier.

Next up: Spa. A legendary track, a tightening title fight and a McLaren team that suddenly looks unstoppable. Buckle up and catch it all 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