2 Soft Compounds

This week on 2 Soft Compounds , Rick is joined by Jad Malek, Editor of GrandPrix247.com  to unpack the latest paddock bombshells as Formula One races toward Baku. Red Bull looks set to pair Max Verstappen with rising star Isack Hadjar in 2026, a bold move that could either ignite the rookie's career or crush it under the weight of expectation. But with a full regulatory reset looming, Rick ar...

This week on 2 Soft Compounds , Rick and Paul unpack the fastest Formula One race in history and the drama it delivered! At the legendary Temple of Speed, Max Verstappen silenced the doubters with a vintage drive that saw him break the Monza lap record and reclaim the top step of the podium in dominant style.  Meanwhile, all eyes were on McLaren, for reasons beyond just raw pace. A pit stop blunde...

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, t...

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...

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 part...

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...

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 tyr...

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 o...

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 we...

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 guy...

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 s...

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 seas...

Austrian GP: Orange You Glad It's Not Red Bull Again? Norris Silences The Sceptics! This week on 2 Soft Compounds , Rick and Paul disect the sensational Austrian Grand Prix which saw Lando Norris turn up the heat at the Red Bull Ring and throw down the gauntlet in the championship fight! The guys break down every twist in McLaren’s high-speed team battle -including how Norris bounced back aft...

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 g...

Canadian GP: Russell’s Redemption, Norris’ Despair And Hamilton’s Frustration!  This week on 2 Soft Compounds we span continents and emotions - from Robert Kubica’s fairy-tale return to the top at Le Mans, to George Russell’s precision-crafted win at the Canadian Grand Prix. Rick and Paul discuss how Mercedes are back in business and if George Russell just delivered a career-defining drive? There&...

Canada Eh! Will The Man Cubs Overthrow The King of the Jungle?! 🎙️ This week, 2 Soft Compounds shifts focus slightly - from apexes to apertures - as Rick and Paul sit down with 25-year-old F1 photographer Alexis Perrin. From dodging marshals to getting that perfect Hamilton shot, Alexis gives us a behind-the-scenes look at life in the pitlane.  🇨🇦 Rick, Paul and Alexis also preview the Canadian Gr...

Spanish GP: Piastri's Perfect Weekend & Verstappen's Red Mist. 🎙️ In this week’s 2 Soft Compounds , Rick and Paul unpack a dramatic Spanish Grand Prix that may have just redrawn the 2025 championship map. 🔥 No surprise that the guys kick off this weeks episode disussing the clash between Max Verstappen and George Russell - one that's left fans and pundits split! Ditto for our h...

Flexing the Limits: Wings, Rules & What to Expect From The Spanish GP! 🎙️ On this week’s 2 Soft Compounds , Rick is joined by GrandPrix247 editor Jad Malek as they gear up for the Spanish Grand Prix and the spotlight shifts from street circuit glamour to raw technical grit. 🔧  The guys run through the FIA’s new directive banning flexible front wings - effective from June 1st - which could sig...

Monaco GP: Glitz, Glory... and Gridlock. Monaco’s Two Step Sham!  🎙️ Monaco: Glitz, Glory… and Gridlock – This week on 2 Soft Compounds , Rick and Paul break down Formula 1’s most glamorous paradox: the Monaco Grand Prix. It’s a race that promises spectacle but often delivers a slow-motion chess match - and 2025 was no different. 🏁 This week our hosts discuss the FIA’s mandatory two-stop experime...

Imola GP: Max The Intimidator - The Battle For Imola  On this episode of 2 Soft Compounds , Rick and Paul dissect a potentially decisive moment in the 2025 drivers title race, as Max Verstappen reasserts his dominance with a clinical win at Imola. 💥  It started with that lunge - Verstappen's audacious dive on Piastri into Turn 1 set the tone and released 'Max The Intimidator.' This...

Mind Games & Tire Water: The Build Up to Imola 🎙️ This week on Two Soft Compounds , Rick, Paul & Jad unpack the psychological warfare, paddock politics and cheeky innovation behind McLaren’s rise to the top as F1 enters its critical European leg. 🧠  McLaren’s not just fast - they’re smart. Stap in as Jad gets all technical discussing McLaren's sneaky “tire water” trick (aka phase cha...

Miami GP: Lego Cars, Ferrari's Facepalm and McLaren's Unstoppable Rise This week on 2 Soft Compounds , Rick is joined by Grandprix247 editor and unabashed 'tifosi', Jad Mallak, as they dive into a wild Miami Grand Prix weekend that served up one of the most chaotic sprint races in F1 history—followed by a McLaren whitewash no one could ignore. 🌧️ From unpredictable weather to M...

Attack Of The Blue Ferraris: Miami Madness & Motorsport Realities 🎙️ Racing Realities & Ruthless Champions – This week on 2 Soft Compounds , Rick and Paul are joined by rising F3 star Hugh Barter for a no-nonsense look at what it really takes to make it in motorsport. 💰 £5 million. That’s the price tag Hugh drops for a proper shot at F3 and F2. It’s a brutal wake-up call about the financi...

Saudi Arabia GP: Piastri's Dominance - Red Bull's Spin Doctor Can't Fix This One 🏁 Jeddah Masterclass! On this week’s Two Soft Compounds , Rick Houghton and Paul Velasco are joinded by Grandprix247.com editor Jad Mallak and break down a Saudi Arabian Grand Prix that may have just reshaped the championship narrative. 🧡 " Oscar Piastri was untouchable" was the general cons...

Jeddah Jitters: McLaren Dominance and Red Bull's Identity Crisis 🏎️ Jeddah Jitters! This week the 2 Soft Compounds team is revved up as F1 heads to Saudi Arabia with the balance of power shifting before our eyes. Hosts Rick Houghton and Paul Velasco discuss McLaren’s rise as Red Bull stumbles into the kind of meltdown Jos Verstappen warned about a year ago. 🧡 The guys also discuss Piastri’s...