2 Soft Compounds

Miami GP: Shockwaves & Sofa Beds

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2421798/fan_mail/new 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: W4 Podcast Studio [https://www.w4podcaststudio.com/]

Japanese GP: Antonelli Wins Again, Verstappen Threatens To Walk - Is F1 In Trouble?

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2421798/fan_mail/new 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: W4 Podcast Studio [https://www.w4podcaststudio.com/]

Chinese GP: F1's Teenage Sensation and The Great Battery Debate!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2421798/fan_mail/new 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: W4 Podcast Studio [https://www.w4podcaststudio.com/]

Australian GP: Has F1 Turned Into Mario Kart?!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2421798/fan_mail/new 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: W4 Podcast Studio [https://www.w4podcaststudio.com/]

Abu Dhabi GP: Lando’s Glory, Red Bull’s Reset & F1’s New Era Begins

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2421798/fan_mail/new 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: W4 Podcast Studio [https://www.w4podcaststudio.com/]