2 Soft Compounds

The Heat Is On: McLaren's Team Dynamics, Verstappen Under Pressure & Groundhog Day At Ferrari!

• W4 Podcast Studio & GrandPrix247 • Season 1 • Episode 21

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The Heat Is On: McLaren's Team Dynamics, Verstappen Under Pressure & Groundhog Day At Ferrari!

This week on 2 Soft Compounds, Formula 1 heads to the Red Bull Ring where the established order is crumbling and the pressure is building - especially for Max Verstappen. With penalty points stacking up Rick and Paul discuss how the current World Champion will tackle the race in Austria. 

The guys also examine McLaren's internal rivalry which continues to simmer. Will the team decide to let their drivers fight or manage the situation before it boils over? 

Plus there's chat about Mercedes who are riding a wave of momentum into Austria after George Russell's breakthrough win. Can they maintain their form in Austria on a track that's traditionally challenged them?

And Ferrari are in the crossfire once again, caught in a spiral of pressure and underperformance. With Fred Vasseur under scrutiny the guys discuss whether Ferrari will finally show some patience or reach for the reset button yet again. 

Last but not least, with Austria is shaping up to be one of the most consequential - and potentially chaotic - weekends of the season, Rick and Paul give their thoughts about the release this week of F1: The Movie. Hit or flop? Catch it all on 2 Soft Compounds!

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Paul Velasco
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producer: Ian Carless
Produced by: W4 Podcast Studio & GrandPrix247

Paul Velasco:

I don't make mistakes. I make prophecies that immediately turn out to be wrong. Anything can happen in Formula One, and i

Rock Houghton:

Hey, welcome to another edition of Two Soft Compounds with me, rick, and Paul Velasco, the editor-in-chief and founder of GrandPrix247.com. It's the gap between the Canadian Grand Prix and Austria which is next on the calendar, but there's been plenty happening behind the scenes in Formula 1, including, straight after the Canadian Grand Prix, the big F1 movie premiere in New York City. With one notable exception Max Verstappen, nowhere to be seen.

Paul Velasco:

Yeah, indeed, it's an F1 movie. Lots of hype. I haven't seen it. The reports are mixed. I still struggle with a 60-year-old Formula One driver, but look, he doesn't look 60, he looks 50, but still a 50-year-old Formula One driver and it sounds quite like a formulaic movie. But let's not get into the movie just yet. Let's talk about the premiere. A, I'll get into the movie just yet. Let's talk about the premiere. A lot of the guys were there in ill-fitting suits and they kind of hung out. Honestly, it was quite a big event in New York. It really, you know, the people are talking tongues, are wagging. They're doing an amazing job promoting the sport in America. Let's be honest, it's like absolutely on fire there and that was just another great addition to their marketing strategy. But again, max Verstappen was not there. I think he also. He doesn't get involved in these driver sort of get-togethers and he wasn't there. But you know where he was, obviously at Spa and interestingly, interestingly, you know Verstappen has a racing team and they normally run Ferraris.

Rock Houghton:

The 296 GT3. But he was running at Aston Martin, which was quite interesting. I mean just throwing it out there. But there you go. Know it is part of the F1 marketing strategy. All right, it's a movie and it stars famous people like Brad Pitt, and he is doing his own driving for the most part in the film. But yeah, I'm with you. I think the 60-year-old bit I mean there was a headline on the official F1 website which said it aims to be the most authentic racing movie ever made. And I'm sorry, but a 60-year-old Formula One driver is just that falls down straight away, doesn't it?

Paul Velasco:

Yeah, no, absolutely. And well, look, you know it's the usual story, an old guy comes out and he helps a young guy become really good, and you know it's so. We've seen it in Top Gun, we've seen it. It's like so, formula A, you know, they're missing a few tricks, they're struggling with scripts obviously. They're obviously tapping into the wrong people, because there's some beautiful scripts, as you know, and to me, rush, for instance, remains one of the great movies of all time in terms of motorsport. And then there's the epic old Grand Prix, which was an amazing movie, you know. You know so, yeah, when it's this is just again, it's like top gun in a, in a formula one car, you know so, yeah, uh, be what it is, I mean, everyone's bought into it and it's going to, like, I say, promote it's, it's, it's the, the most beautiful product placement you could do in a movie. You know, you got formula one in your face.

Paul Velasco:

And, yeah, the bbc review was pretty, we ran it, we ran extracts of it, just you know. So people get a reality check. I think they were pretty fair. It was pretty, we ran it, we ran extracts of it, just you know. So people get a reality check. I think they were pretty fair. It was pretty much what I kind of expect and uh, and I'll go see the movie, perhaps tainted by that. But uh, I've had my preconceptions anyway, you know, when I realized what was going on. But, like you said, some of some are interested. Max was obviously not very interested in in the whole thing. So there you go.

Rock Houghton:

Yeah, let's stick with Max Verstappen, because we head to Austria next weekend with him still holding on to 11 penalty points. This is a big talking point in Montreal, and he was not happy being continually asked questions by journalists about the penalty point situation. He got through Canada unscathed. He didn't pick up any more points. Of course, 12 points means a race ban. After Austria, two of those 11 points drop off, taking him back down to nine, but it's still a big talking point as we head towards Austria.

Rock Houghton:

Christian Horner was sort of dismissing it and didn't see it as a problem. He wanted to concentrate on the performance of the Red Bull car. He said a few days ago that he was a little worried that Austria has medium corners, which their car this year does not perform well on, and the fact that the temperature on track is going to be about 30 Celsius. So he thinks McLaren are going to do very well because historically this year they've done very well when the circuits on the weather conditions are hot. Max Verstappen, though, I mean I think Max will do anything to win mentality. We've all heard that before, but I also think he's a sensible person. He doesn't want a race ban, paul, does he?

Paul Velasco:

No, of course he doesn't. He doesn't want another a race ban at all. But, having said that, we also don't want him to get a race ban because really, this championship's over in terms of a contest unless Max stays in the hunt, Because the minute he's out of the hunt I don't see Mercedes or anything. I think McLaren was a blip. Maybe we'll see now if it was a blip actually in Austria, because they can't afford two races like that in a row. If you take the previous race out of the equation, I think McLaren will be strong. They were strong there last year.

Paul Velasco:

George won it because Max and Norris tangled right, yeah, but George is on a high and their car is pretty good there. So you know and Mercedes don't know Before it never used to run in the cold. Now it ran very well in the heat. So you know, you never know with them. But in terms of Max, we need Max to stay calm, stay cool and be in the hunt, because it's really petering out to Norris versus Piastri. You know what I mean. And Piastri's got the edge now because Norris just self-imploded in Canada.

Rock Houghton:

Yeah, I was reading an article from Martin Brundle where he said Norris either dominates a race weekend or completely falls apart. And one worrying trend that Norris needs to keep on top of is his qualifying performances have almost fallen off a cliff If you look at the performance that he put in on the Saturday in Canada. He's got to get on top of that and then he's got to have that mentality to go racing with some really tough opponents on the Sunday. I think McLaren will be strong in Austria. I think the conditions will suit their car. But you're right, paul, I think this is a time where Red Bull really need to step up and start chipping away on the performance of that car. We know what Max can do. Tsunoda is pretty much a lost cause. I was just reading there's 155 points being scored by Max Verstappen, which makes up the bulk of the team's total, which is 162 points. I think only seven he hasn't scored.

Paul Velasco:

Yeah, so the team trails McLaren. It's a one-man team.

Rock Houghton:

Without a doubt, they trail McLaren by 212 points. But Christian Horner said listen, there's a lot of sprint racing coming up, there's a lot of racing to do before the end of the season. We're not giving up hope, absolutely.

Paul Velasco:

No, it's still hot and you know we're approaching the halfway mark. There's still a a really, really, really polished teammate. You know, really, I mean, oscar just gets better and better and more authoritative all the time. If you see how he approaches his weekends he builds, you know, he builds up, he builds up, he builds up and Q3 delivers boom. Then in the race he delivers boom, and that's, I think, his strength. He just goes about raising the bar every session and Norris is chasing. Norris has really got to pull a few wins if he wants to stay in this championship, because at this rate, I don't know. I mean I don't see him closing that gap to Piastri.

Rock Houghton:

He took full responsibility for the contact with Piastri at the end of his race in Canada. He did it straight away actually. You know there's been some debate this week about McLaren team orders, but I think Norris, apologising straight away, kind of nips that in the bud a little bit for now, doesn't it Paul?

Paul Velasco:

Yeah, I would say so. I mean, you know that really was a total mea culpa move. You know he cannot even blame the team team order. He just went for a gap where there was absolutely no gap. He knows it was proper red mist stuff because you know what happened. If you just rewind that tape.

Paul Velasco:

He got a good run into that last corner, just to be you know where the pith lane goes to the left there. Yeah, he got a good run. I mean he, he edged ahead of of piri and Piastri was on the inside, if I remember correctly, and he just braked so much later into that wall of champions complex and he took it through there and, okay, norris, he had to because he was coming in at a sharper angle. He lost a bit of the exit speed and Norris didn't, and that's when he thought he had a run on him. But he absolutely had no run on him because that kinks to the right. So he was going around. It was just, and he knew. I mean, as you said, he put his hand up immediately. It was just like the dumb, dumb move.

Rock Houghton:

I mean, the Red Bull ring could be a good place for Norris to bounce back from this recent setback. I mean, he got his first podium in Formula One in that amazing final lap in 2020. He repeated it, getting on the podium again in 2021. And, like you say, a year ago he was trying to overtake Max Verstappen for the victory and it ended in tears when they both collided. It was an exciting race last year at Austria and I think it could be again this year too.

Paul Velasco:

For sure. Absolutely, it was the shortest track on the calendar, if I'm not mistaken. I mean, it's really really quick and you know it's not a complicated track. It's like 90 degrees, then sort of 110 degrees, and then there's like another 90 degrees and there's like a few sweepers and then there's a 90 degree and a 90 degree and you're on the home straight to a 90 degree turn one. You know so. But having said that, you know danica patrick put her foot in it when she said our you know circuit, gilvin, nirvana, montreal, it's not tough. Uh sorry, danica, I'll go one step further.

Paul Velasco:

Any track when you're taking it to the max verstappen edge, to the landon norris, to the oscar piastri edge, is super tricky and as simple as as Red Bull Rheem might appear, and certainly driving it 90% is, it's a pleasure, but when you're driving at 101% it's a totally different ballgame.

Rock Houghton:

Yeah, I would totally agree. One of my favorite tracks to drive on the sim actually is Austria, because you have to get every single corner correct because they all link together. If you get one of them wrong, the next three are completely written off, and you know we're going to hear track limits quite a lot this weekend, I think, because Austria really really does test the drivers in terms of track limits, especially with the final two turns on the circuit. So it's going to be interesting. Now. Mercedes arrive in Austria off the back of their best weekend of the Formula One year so far. George Russell, of course, winning from pole in Montreal, Kimi Antonelli getting his first podium in third place. The confidence must be fairly high in that team. I think, if I remember rightly, they didn't have a brilliant Austrian Grand Prix last year. In terms of performance, George Russell won the race, as you mentioned, Paul, but that was because of the crash between Verstappen and Norris. How do you expect Mercedes to fare this weekend? Well, pretty much like they.

Paul Velasco:

Not really sure. You know what I mean. I think they arrive at every race they don't know if they're going to be. Well, they know they've got a very fast car. It's a very fast car and I think George is really growing into it. So is Antonelli. Antonelli had a really solid race, the kid's only 18, and he's just driving like a lot of the guys on the grid wish they drove. Yeah, so I think they're the team to watch in terms of you know what they they bring on on race on the weekend. Really, I'm I'm very confused in terms of pecking order at the moment because, like, I didn't expect mclaren to go off the cliff like that and, uh, suddenly mercedes were up there. So, yeah, at the moment it's going to be interesting. I'd like to see what the pecking order is going to be, and we'll only only know, really, especially that track, because the guys will sandbag will be in Q3.

Rock Houghton:

Yeah, I think I looked at the advanced weather forecast for Austria and it looks as though Friday, when they do free practice one and free practice two, is going to be fairly cool and even a little bit damp, which is going to make predicting who's going to do well in qualifying in the race really difficult. But then on Saturday and Sunday the weather improves and, as I mentioned, air temperatures of about 30 Celsius. Nice to see McLaren giving an outing in FP1 in Austria to Alex Dunn, a very young race driver who's going to get his first experience behind the wheel of McLaren at the circuit. This is important, obviously, for the young driver development and McLaren, like other teams, have got people on their books who are coming through the ranks. Alex Dunne, what do you know of him? Paul Well, I'm going to.

Paul Velasco:

Actually, you've just prompted me. I really know very little. I should know a lot more. I will definitely be doing a piece on him, who is Alex Dunne, but I know he be doing a piece on him. Who is Alex Dunn?

Paul Velasco:

But I know he's doing really well in Formula 2, although he did crash at Monaco, if I recall but again, it would be unfair for me to give an assessment of him. Obviously he's good. I mean, let's be honest, Zach knows racing drivers quite well. He's picked two very good kids to run his Formula 1 gig and, yeah, he knows drivers and I think this is a kid for the future. I mean, the problem with the McLaren youngsters now is that, you know, to be honest with you, Piastri and Norris could be there for another five, six years, you know, but it's good for him. It's good to get track time. I'm a big supporter of track time for rookies, it's. So, yeah, it's a good showcase for the kid and you've got to encourage the teams to, you know, to nurture this talent and give them the opportunities which, again, because it is a mandatory run, it's good to see. I just hope he doesn't prank the car or anything, because that's important, because it's Norris' car.

Rock Houghton:

So yeah, I think it's good yeah he's leading the F2 championship, albeit by only three points at the moment. Um, he's racing for road in motorsport in formula 2. He's got a you know rich motorsport history in the past. He began karting when he was eight years of age I'm just reading this off on the fly now. He moved into formula 1 in 2024 with mp motorsport and he's currently leading f2.

Paul Velasco:

Yeah well you know. Good luck to. We've seen many kids come and go. I don't know how permanent these things are if it's just to showcase the guy.

Rock Houghton:

But yeah, I'm just thinking. You know, with Norris lacking a bit of confidence at the moment and we've all talked about Norris's headspace and you know the stuff that he needs to bring into his head to get him in the game again Is that going to be a setback for Norris not being in FP1 in Austria because he's handed his car over to this young kid? I mean, surely they would want him to have all the track time he could, wouldn't they, to build up his weekend?

Paul Velasco:

Look, you know, these guys are the best drivers in the world. I don't see it being a problem. Really, I don't. I don't think it won't set him back. I mean it shouldn't. I mean if it's a rookie or a one or two year veteran, but a guy like Norris, no, look what Leclerc also said out Canada, didn't he? Oh, he crashed in Canada, leclerc, yeah, yeah, he said he didn't do two sessions and he got into FP3 and he was immediately quick and he could have even put a thing on pole if he was sensible. So, no, I don't think it will impact his. If the kid crashes the car, different story. But, uh, as it stands, I think, no, I don't especially attract like, like that, you know the yeah, no I?

Paul Velasco:

I personally don't think. Look, it's not ideal. Obviously it's not ideal to sacrifice the car, but uh, I don't think it will impact the driver of norris's level.

Rock Houghton:

To be honest with you, okay, let's move on to, uh, ferrari now. There's been loads of stuff in the Italian media about Ferrari. I'm going to hand this one to you, paul. One of my favorite drivers and pundits, juan Pablo Montoya, has been having his say on what Ferrari might need to do to develop the car more to Lewis Hamilton's nature. What have you been reading? What have you been writing about concerning Ferrari this week, paul?

Paul Velasco:

Well, ferrari, you know, the Italian media, the sharpest knives in the drawer, which is like the big two attacked Vassio. Quite well, ferrari per se and it's got to the point that I'm going to fast forward because we've discussed this before, that you know and Lewis came out and supported Vassio. So Vassio was also defending guys who were named and it was quite an attack. Basically, as it stands now, it's almost like a chess game. And Leo Tureni, who I really think knows more about Ferrari than anyone else on the planet, especially the politics and stuff, he's basically just saying this. He's saying to Alcon he's got to make a decision Is Fred Vasseur the guy for the future or is he not? And if he's not, you've got to fire him right now or you've got to extend his contract. So it's a strange situation that Ferrari find themselves in it kind of ambushed Fred, because he's been this jolly guy and stuff like that, but he hasn't delivered. The car is not in a good place. Yeah, so a lot hinges on 2026, but they might want him out sooner than then. So I don't know. With Ferrari it's very volatile.

Paul Velasco:

I don't really have inside information, to be honest with you, apart from what Leo Torini is reporting and I haven't published it yet, but ahead of this podcast, I can tell you that that's the situation in Italy. It's not like oh, this is just bullshit. No, no one cares. No, it's basically make a call if you think. If you think he's the guy, then give him a five-year contract. If you don't think he's the guy, he's got to go. But don't, there's a rule change coming, you know? And and this other thing he warns, he says and the next guy you get, you cannot blame him if in 2026, the team is shit. Yeah, you understand what I'm saying. So I think they just got to batten the hatches. They've got to shut the media out somehow, because it's a lot of noise. And at the end of the day, they've got to deliver, they've got to deliver on track. And if he doesn't deliver on track, who's going to? I mean, the question is okay. So you kick Fred Vasseur out. Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow what happens?

Paul Velasco:

What next? Who do you bring in there? Who's going to manage this team? You know so it's a very strange. You know the maybe Vasseur was the wrong choice right at the beginning. But now that you've backed your horse you can't just bail out of it so quickly. I mean, you've got to remember guys like Jean Todden. That took five years. Michael Schumacher took five years to build Ferrari. He was nearly fired. In fact they would have fired him after the fourth year. But then Montezemolo, I think, got word that Braun and everyone would leave, they would all quit and John Todd steadied the ship the next year. He triggered the glory years. So you know to actually send Fred packing at that organization that needs.

Paul Velasco:

Look at McLaren. It took Zach five, six years. He promised it in five. It's credit to him. He delivered it in six. Most guys, zach five, six years. He promised it in five. It's credit to him. He delivered it in six. Most guys don't deliver at all. He delivered it in six. He's got a world championship winning team after six years. He got Fred in there for two years. He inherited the shit show that Benotto. You know what I mean. You've got to give the guy a chance. But if you are not into having him running your team because you have learned something and you don't feel he's the future, then you've got to cut him out and you've got to get the next guy in. But I think it would be insane, it would be absolutely insane, to get rid of Fred.

Rock Houghton:

Yeah, and I was actually looking. When I looked at the Canadian Grand Prix, lewis Hamilton unfortunately hit a groundhog which damaged the floor of his car, but up until that point he was and listen.

Paul Velasco:

It also wrecked the whole groundhog family. You know what I mean? Well, exactly, there's a widow, there's the fucking kids.

Rock Houghton:

Respect to the groundhog, yeah, exactly but yeah, I was looking at his times before that happened. I think it was about lap 10 it happened. He looked pretty competitive, you know he I think it was the most competitive I've seen him since china. He looked as though he was he was. He was happy-ish with the car, even saying that after free practice on friday that he was looking forward to the fact that they had a decent tire allocation. He was looking forward to qualifying.

Rock Houghton:

He wasn't as down as we've seen him before and obviously after the race he was a bit deadbeat about the fact that the car was damaged and it wasn't performing as he wanted it to. But maybe, you know, austria could be a turning point for Ferrari, could be a turning point for Hamilton in the way he's driving that car. I think you know as many, many second drivers coming into a team with an established main driver in Charles Leclerc, it's him that has to adapt to the car, not the other way around. Obviously, and I think you know it would be nice to see in Austria if he finally gets to grips with that a little bit.

Paul Velasco:

Look, that's always going to be. Lewis's problem is beating Charles. Charles is good. He's being a bit erratic at the moment. That was a really silly crash he had in Canada. It was like so unnecessary and it set the team back because you know data collection and all that.

Paul Velasco:

But to be honest with you, um, I I don't know if you should build a car around lewis or around charles at the moment. You know they're both. Yeah, it's not like the difference between irvine and schumacher you know what I mean, where you can build a car on schumacher because you know he's going to deliver and the other guy wouldn't. It's. I think ferrari is in a very strange place. As you say, the car is not as bad as they make it out to be. It sometimes gets up right up there and Leclerc's got some podiums with it. Is it a winner? So far I haven't seen it have that super edge. To win it, you need to put it on pole and the other guy's got to be second or third. So yeah, Ferrari man, I've never been able to really figure them out, apart from the fact that they're the own worst enemy but also the best entertainment in Formula 1.

Rock Houghton:

Some other Formula 1 news. James Fowles has extended his contract at Williams. He says he's committed to the team. They do seem to have been making progress this season. The last couple of races hasn't been brilliant for Williams, of course, but they do seem to be making progress. Carlos Sainz seems a lot happier with the car, although he had that impeding during qualifying at Spain and then didn't go particularly well at Canada. But they could be a team to watch in the Austrian Grand Prix. We're also, I'm hopeful Nico Hülkenberg will continue his good form. I mean, he's been driving. Why Are you a Nico Hülkenberg?

Paul Velasco:

fan, seriously. Good form. I mean, he's been driving. Why Are you a Niko Hülkenberg fan? Seriously, yeah.

Rock Houghton:

I've always liked him. He's the only guy in F1 who's never had a podium, jesus Christ. But he's been good this season. He's delivered. Sometimes he has the odd race per season. That's pretty decent, but he's strung a few good results together recently.

Paul Velasco:

And everyone's got a hard-on for that. Seriously, I mean no, to be honest with you, there's certain guys that just don't impress me on the grid anymore, and you know, I think Nico will be a fantastic driver in WEC and stuff like that. I just think he's taking up the spot of someone that is probably better than him. You know listen, mate the fact that Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez are not on the grid. Those are two guys that have won Grand Prixs. They know how Formula One teams were, what Nico actually done, as he actually worked with a big, big Formula One team and seen, you know, being Lewis Hamilton's teammate or Max Verstappen's teammate. So you've got two guys like that Perez and Bottas sitting out, and you've got guys like Nico Hülkenberg and I think, no, I don't think it's right, and there's no disrespect to Nico man, he's a god. But I will tell him. I'll say, mate, you know you spent a fucking lot of time in Formula 1 and you haven't really delivered, bro. You know what I mean. No, that's my gig with these guys. Yeah, I say, but he didn't get a chance, he didn't have a proper team, but that's the thing. You know, you've got to if you're good enough, those teams would have taken you. That's my gig on.

Paul Velasco:

But I want to go back on James Vowles. James Vowles, now that's the way you should do it. I mean, he's been there a couple of years. You can't send the guy packing now and they've entrenched for the long term. I like what he does. He talks a lot but he's delivering.

Paul Velasco:

I just don't think Carlos has been super disappointing in my book, like super, super disappointing. I'm seeing like a Daniel Ricciardo disease happening here. You know a guy that was once good but suddenly, like you know, he was winning races with Ferrari last year. This year he looks long, you know, he looks, yeah, he just doesn't look like the guy. I know he seems to be chasing it.

Paul Velasco:

And Alex Albon, you know he's having a everyone's raving about him and cool, I get it. But again, you know, this is a guy who was absolutely obliterated by Max Verstappen, totally destroyed, and he's come back and he's good, yeah, and he's improved, but so is Max, you know what I mean. And I think he put Albon back in the same car as. So you know, yeah, if you're a guy like Sainz, who they say was nip and tuck, whether it was him or Verstappen who was going to be the giant Red Bull decided to go with Verstappen. Some say it might have been a mistake. Well, it wasn't a mistake, because, as far as I'm concerned, you know one thing you can say about Max he's destroyed every single one of his teammates or made them run away scared. That's the reality, and you can't say the same of science Before we go and give our predictions for Austria.

Rock Houghton:

I just wanted to touch quickly on South Africa and the fact that their sports minister, gaten McKenzie, is now saying he's going to confirm a promoter to hopefully get Formula One back to South Africa. The Kyalami circuit needs upgrading to grade one status before it can host a race. What are your thoughts on that, paul, and what do you know that? Perhaps I don't. I've got no thoughts on that. It won't happen, you don't think it's going to happen.

Paul Velasco:

No, it won't happen, mate. They've been talking about a Formula 1 race in Kailaami. No-transcript me. Kyle army is a beautiful place, but it's a very different place to what it was last year, all those years ago. It's a great little track. It needs a lot of investment to be up to f1 great. But they don't have the money, mate. They don't have the money, mate. They don't have the money.

Paul Velasco:

When people are throwing like $1.2 billion, like the Thai government, at a Grand Prix, south Africa can forget about it. It's not going to happen. If they take $1.2 billion out of that economy and stick it into a Grand Prix, it's highway robbery. The country has so much that it needs investment in that. I just don't see it happening. I don't see it happening. I just I don't see it happening as much as we wish for it. I'm sick and tired of hearing about it. Yeah, the Mandela Grand Prix. We've got the fucking Cape Town Grand Prix. We've got the Kruger National Park Grand Prix. What the fuck? Seriously enough with the South African Grand Prix. Really, it's enough. I don't see it happening. And put their money where their mouth is. Sorry, mate, it's just very close to my heart.

Rock Houghton:

No, no, I get it and I get. That's why I asked really, because I know it's close to your heart. Right, austria, next time out, the weather's going to be quite hot for the race. We think we know that the McLarens are strong when the weather is hot. We know that they look after their tires better than most other teams. We know that Max Verst team could be on a, could be on a sort of bit of a resurgence at the moment. So let's go for predictions, paul. Okay, I'm going max.

Paul Velasco:

Okay, I'm going to go max until the end of the year. Okay, so you don't have a chance. I'm going to go max Verstappen, followed by George, followed by Piastri, okay.

Rock Houghton:

I was going to go max as well, actually, but I'll mix it up a by George, followed by Piastri. Okay, I was going to go Max as well, actually, but I'll mix it up a little bit. I'll say Piastri, max Norris, yeah, that'll be a good race. That'll be a good race, it will be a good race and we'll be here to review it a few days after it. Yeah, thank you, that was really cool. Thanks to Paul, and remember to get your latest fix of Formula 1 news, reviews and gossip head over to GrandPrix247.com for the very latest, and we'll catch you next time out on Two Soft Compounds.

Rock Houghton:

Two Soft Compounds was presented by myself, rick Hutton, alongside Paul Valesco. The studio engineer and editor was Roy DeMonte, the executive producer was Ian Carlos, and this podcast is a co-production between Grand Prix 24-7 and W4 podcast studio Dubai. Don't forget, if you want to join in the conversation, leave a comment on our Instagram page at Two Soft Compounds. We love getting comments, questions, and we'll give a shout out to some of the best ones on the podcast in the next few weeks. You can also email us at twosoftcompounds at gmailcom, and if you haven't done so already, please do click that follow or subscribe button. See you next time.