The best Bahrain Grand Prix ever… and it wasn't even in Bahrain. Sepang's return delivered mixed conditions, wild strategy and Verstappen's first win of 2026 – once F1 had plugged laptops into the cars to get them moving.

In this episode, Tom and Chris break down a chaotic, rain-hit race at Sepang – the formation-lap power failures and mid-race software fix, Max Verstappen's first win of the season and Red Bull Powertrains' first victory, George Russell's late retirement leaving Kimi Antonelli 84 points clear, and Lewis Hamilton's recovery from a minute down to the podium. Plus Fred Vasseur's "vote of confidence", the 500 marshals flown in from Bahrain, driver and move of the day, and our Singapore GP preview and predictions ahead of the first Marina Bay sprint.

0:00 Intro 0:17 F1 returns to Sepang 5:11 Formation-lap power failures & the mid-race software fix 10:47 Verstappen's first win of 2026 & Red Bull Powertrains 17:15 Russell retires – is the title fight over? 21:02 Ferrari's tyre gamble & Hamilton's recovery 25:41 Vasseur's vote of confidence 28:29 McLaren struggles & Norris's reprimand 31:16 Racing Bulls, Aston Martin & Williams 34:47 Driver & move of the day 40:12 Organisation, 500 marshals & the "Bahrain" GP 46:15 Predictions & fantasy league results 48:59 Singapore GP preview 54:41 Singapore predictions 58:06 Inbox

🏁 Singapore is a sprint weekend – predictions close Friday 9 October at 1:30pm UK (sprint qualifying). Get yours in at https://backofthegrid.com, where you'll also find our Grid Rival fantasy leagues and the season standings.

☕ Support the show and join our community: https://patreon.com/backofthegrid 📲 Follow us: @BackOfTheGridF1 on X, Instagram and Facebook

Back of the Grid is a weekly F1 podcast by fans, for fans – race reviews, previews, predictions and plenty of opinions.

#F1 #MalaysiaGP #Verstappen

George Russell's first Grand Slam cuts Antonelli's lead to 66 points in Baku, but is he really back in the title fight? Plus the last-lap call that put spectacle over safety, and a Malaysian GP preview.

In this episode, Tom and Chris review a chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Russell's perfect weekend, Antonelli's costly qualifying mistake, the theory behind Bottas's crash, the missing VSC on the final lap, Hadjar's return and Red Bull's first double podium since China 2024, and Colapinto's collision with Gasly and Norris. Then it's on to the Malaysian GP return, the stats from the last time F1 raced there, and our predictions.

Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:17 Welcome & Baku recap 1:27 Russell's first Grand Slam 5:06 Antonelli's costly qualifying mistake 8:03 Why did Bottas crash? The regen theory 11:31 No VSC on the last lap: spectacle over safety? 15:47 Should the stewards explain their decisions? 17:08 Red Bull double podium & Hadjar's return 21:57 Ferrari fade, McLaren's nightmare 24:07 Colapinto takes out Gasly & Norris 30:03 Lindblad vs Lawson: "pretty sick" 32:25 Haas, Williams & Audi 35:09 Driver & move of the day 37:44 Final award & Pirelli's tyre problem 41:29 Prediction league & fantasy results 44:25 Malaysian GP preview 49:46 Our Malaysian GP predictions 55:21 Inbox: Lindblad & Red Bull's junior programme 58:46 Wrap-up

🏁 Malaysian GP predictions are open now. Get yours in before Q1 at https://backofthegrid.com, plus links to our F1 Fantasy and Grid Rival leagues. 💜 Support the show on Patreon for extra perks, including our community Discord: Patreon.com/BAckOfTheGrid 📱 Find us as @BackOfTheGridF1 on X, Instagram and Facebook.

Back of the Grid is a weekly F1 podcast by fans, for fans, hosted by Tom King and Chris Evans.

See you next week for the Malaysian GP review!

#F1 #AzerbaijanGP #Formula1

F1 is giving Monaco a sprint in 2027, so is that two processions for the price of one? Chris and Tom break down the 2027 F1 calendar, the new 290km race distance, and preview the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.

In this episode: Portimão and Turkey return, sprints grow to 10 rounds (including the season opener and finale), Chris's three reasons a Monaco sprint won't work, the F1 Commission's cut to race distance, the FIA–ACO row over Le Mans, Williams' Baku upgrade, F2's triple-race weekend, our predictions, and why this weekend's race is on a Saturday.

⚠️ Race is SATURDAY! Please Remember predictions close Friday 1pm UK (4pm Baku).

CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 1:16 2027 F1 calendar revealed 2:04 Portimão & Turkey return 4:53 Triple headers 6:28 Sprints grow to 10 rounds 7:24 Sprint opener & finale – Middle East compensation? 9:41 A Monaco sprint?! 13:36 Fixing the sprint format 18:47 Why Monaco now? Our theory 20:25 Breaking: races cut to 290km 22:52 Le Mans, Indy 500 & the FIA–ACO row 26:39 Azerbaijan GP preview 28:54 Williams upgrade & Hadjar update 30:38 F2's triple-race weekend 32:07 Predictions 35:44 Inbox: could F1 race midweek? 38:57 Why is Baku on a Saturday? 42:34 Wrap-up

LINKS 🏁 Predictions & fantasy leagues: https://backofthegrid.com ❤️ Patreon (incl. our Discord community): https://patreon.com/backofthegrid 📱 @BackOfTheGridF1 on X, Instagram & Facebook

Back of the Grid is a weekly F1 podcast by fans, for fans – hosted by Tom King and Chris Evans.

#F1 #AzerbaijanGP #MonacoGP #Baku