Hard Compound

No Hard Compound. No soft compound. Much like Europe and Formula 1, we are on summer break. Except, F1 never stops. Join Patrick and Brian for our mid-season review of the drivers, the teams, and the sport. Plus, our predictions for F1 2026. And, our thoughts on F1 2100 -- 75 years from now.  Has Lewis Hamilton been good for Ferrari, or bad?  The horrible, unlucky racing life of Charles Leclerc. ...

Is Apple about to buy an equity stake in Formula 1? Are F1 romances the next big Kindle e-book category? And will Charles Leclerc ever find true happiness at Ferrari? Join Patrick and Brian on the Hard Compound for these answers and more. Including:  Full analysis of the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix.  Why McLaren continue to favor Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri.  What's next for Yuki Tsunoda. ...

Join Patrick and Brian for this special, unedited version of Hard Compound, where we breakdown why Christian Horner was fired, why now, and what's next. But, wait. There's more.  Where Max Verstappen will be driving in 2026 -- spoiler, it may not be Mercedes.  Why Apple TV will get the F1 streaming rights in America.  Why Costco should have its own line of movie theaters.  What F1 the Mo...

They had no champagne for Nico! After a decade in the sport, where neither Nico Hulkenberg and Sauber had made it to the podium, the team decided there was no need to lug champagne around the world. But a thrilling, rainy race at Silverstone gave them a reason to celebrate. Plus!  The old men, Nico Hulkenberg, Lewis Hamilton, and Fernando Alonso all deliver while the rookies falter.  That self-inf...

Do you know Carlos Sainz? We do! It's our early F1 the Movie review. Join Patrick and Brian on the Hard Compound this week and you'll get both our review of F1 the Movie plus our race coverage for the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix.  F1 gets the Hollywood treatment. Is that a good thing?   What F1 the Movie got right and where they missed.  No race for old men? In Austria, Lewis Hamilton, Fern...

Our debt of gratitude to Claire Williams, to Gunther Steiner, to Montreal. And our frustration with Lando Norris, who may have cost himself a championship despite having the best car. Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound for our post-Canadian Grand Prix analysis. Why Toto Wolff is smiling.  Why Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll may not return to F1 in 2026. And why a similar fate awaits Fred Va...

A petulant Max Verstappen takes himself and Red Bull out of the fight. GOAT? While Oscar Piastri builds his championship lead over McLaren teammate, Lando Norris. Join Patrick and Brian on the Hard Compound for complete analysis of the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix. Max Verstappen proves he's no Michael Jordan. More like Tiger Woods after his fall from grace.  Is F1 now too American? We discuss.  R...

Europeans may think the Monaco Grand Prix is a dud but Americans love watching the glitz, glamor, big boats and big shots. And with America taking over F1, the Monaco Grand Prix will remain. Agree?  Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound where we discuss the Monaco Grand Prix, make our predictions for next week's Spanish Grand Prix, and discuss our thoughts on the future of Formula One....

We've spoken about Lando Norris needing that championship mettle. But, really, it's Charles Leclerc who seems to accept decisions by Ferrari that Lewis Hamilton would never, nor Fernando Alonso, nor Sebastian Vettel, certainly never Michael Schumacher. Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound for analysis of the 2025 Imola Grand Prix. Does McLaren have the Constructor's title alr...

The Miami Grand Prix brought the party, the rain, and some bad blood. Join Patrick and Brian on the Hard Compound. We analyze where it turned south for Max Verstappen, and how it all went so horribly wrong for Ferrari. Plus, answer the big questions: Can F1 drivers with children still win championships?  Should McLaren declare Oscar Piastri their #1 driver?  Is Lewis Hamilton the reason behind Fer...

Oscar Piastri seizes the lead in the F1 championship and we do not expect him to let it go, not to his teammate, Lando Norris, and not to reigning champion, Max Verstappen. Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound for our analysis of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, including all the off-track drama.  Why did the stewards go easy on Verstappen's obvious penalty? And what might that mean going...

Is Oscar Piastri now the favorite to win the WDC? Is Ferrari already out of it, after just 4 races? Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound for the Bahrain GP 2025 recap. Our 100th episode!  Max Verstappen is clearly threatening to leave Red Bull after the team fails him. Ollie Bearman is the Guy. Will Yuki keep his Red Bull seat in 2026? Is it bad news for F1 that we've all already forgo...

True, most of the action took place in pit lane. But there was a lot of drama leading up to this year's Japanese Grand Prix. Join Patrick and Brian on the Hard Compound. Full breakdown of the 2025 Japan Grand Prix, plus our take on all the drama inside Red Bull. And McLaren. And Ferrari. Oh, my.  Why the Red Bull seat a make or break assignment for Yuki.  When McLaren decides to prioritize Os...

How do you solve a problem like Tsunoda? Join Patrick and Brian for all the drama inside Red Bull and all the chaos out on track.  Will Yuki finally get that Red Bull seat?  Is Liam Lawson's F1 career already over?  How can Ferrari continue to sabotage their drivers? In different ways! Plus. Why did F1 erase Fernando Alonso? When does the bad blood spill over between Lando Norris and Oscar Pi...

All the young dudes lead to a chaotic start to the F1 2025 season. Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound for all the insight from Melbourne.  Lando Norris does not falter.  Is it too soon to write off Lewis Hamilton? And how much is Toto Wolff gloating? Why the center of F1 is shifting toward America. Is McLaren skirting the rules?  All that and much more, including our predictions for the C...

The F1 2025 season is officially underway. Join Patrick and Brian on the Hard Compound.  It's all about rumors, predictions, hopes, and disappointments. Based on 3 days of testing. Will it be the story everyone wants, Lewis Hamilton winning his record breaking 8th WDC while driving for Ferrari?  Can McLaren repeat as constructor's champion?  How will the rookies fare?  The growing tensio...

Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound and let's discuss all the big changes coming to F1 in 2025. Plus, all the rumors.  Why we expect Max Verstappen and George Russell to battle it out for the championship.  Charles Leclerc versus Lewis Hamilton will turm nasty. Give it time.  How Fernando Alonso is like Michigan's Fab Five.  Is Adrian Newey already sandbagging at Aston Martin? Wh...

It's awards season. And we give out the F1 2024 awards for best driver, best team, best race, favorite moment, biggest disappointment, and more. All that, plus: Why Fred Vasseur is the Yoko Ono of Formula 1. How Lewis and Toto went from Ride or Die to Gone Girl. The cruel cursed F1 life of Fernando Alonso.  Lando's one missing ingredient keeping him from being world champion.  Does every...

Off-season, but we are back on the Hard Compound. With all the news and rumors. Let's discuss.  Will fatherhood change Max Verstappen?  Is Toyota ready to buy Haas?  The real reason Jos Verstappen is always in the Red Bull garage.  How will Indy Racing's big moment impact F1 in America? What are the rookie F1 drivers thinking with these number choices?  Who would have the most valuable m...

Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound. We take a look back at this great and surprising F1 2024 season.  The quiet, steady greatness of Charles Leclerc.  How Max Verstappen cemented his legacy as one of the greatest ever, maybe the greatest ever in F1.  How Lando Norris found his will to win.  Shocking moves by Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz, Christian Horner, and Alpine.  Plus, the best races...

Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024, the final race of the season.  Max Verstappen nearly takes out Oscar Piastri and almost ruins McLaren's chances for a Constructor's title. That's another reason why we predict F1 will enact the "Max rules" starting in 2025.  We explain why McLaren winning the constructor's title frees Lando Norris...

Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound, where the Qatar Grand Prix delivers chaos. And where we say our early goodbyes. To Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. To Esteban Ocon. To the feisty Ferrari brothers, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. But, wait. There's more.  The financial rise in team values. The global growth of F1. And why Toto Wolff chose wisely, but Christian Horner did not.  Pierre...

Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound where we dissect the Las Vegas Grand Prix, determine what sets Max Verstappen so far apart from his competitors, and discuss the massively growing impact of America on Formula 1. But wait. There's more. The Las Vegas Grand Prix has already become the premiere event on the F1 calendar. Shock news. GM Cadillac to join F1 in 2026 and become a works tea...

What was that? The Brazilian Grand Prix got wet and wild. But the truth was revealed. Max Verstappen is simply the best driver in Formula 1. And does not need the best car on the grid to win his 4th WDC. Join Patrick and Brian on the Hard Compound where we discuss the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and this amazing 2024 F1 season. But, wait. There's more!  What else can Lando Norris can do?   Why Max V...

Join Brian and Patrick on the Hard Compound where we discuss the Mexico Grand Prix and this amazing 2024 F1 season. Lando Norris fighting to the last (with help from the stewards) to win his first driver's championship. Ferrari fighting to the last to win (another) Constructor's title. Fernando Alonso still fighting at 400! Great stuff. But, wait. There's more!  Ferrari may not have...