Lando Norris’ Budapest victory confirms McLaren’s resurgence, but as championship rivals continue to take points off each other, Kimi Antonelli emerges as the biggest beneficiary, extending his lead at the top of the standings to 50 points.

Meanwhile, George Russell’s title challenge suffered another setback after a team-related anti-stall issue compromised his start, leading Otmar to question whether Mercedes can overcome their recent run of misfortune.

Rob Smedley uses the data to reveal why Aston Martin’s 16-part B-spec upgrade has delivered genuine progress, while Otmar examines the deeper structural issues that have shaped the team’s trajectory over the past five years.

The trio also analyse Williams’ difficult weekend, Carlos Sainz’s growing frustrations, and the return of Sepang to the calendar, revisiting Kimi Räikkönen’s infamous 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix strategy gamble.

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Jake, Rob Smedley and Otmar react to a Belgian Grand Prix that reshaped the championship. Twelve months after admitting he'd "probably reached the bottom" at Spa, Kimi Antonelli returns to the same track and delivers a flawless win over Charles Leclerc, extending his title lead to 45 points. George Russell doesn't survive the first corner.

Rob takes us into the Engineering Dark Web to explain exactly why George is losing time to his teammate — and Otmar and Rob put the theory to the test that's dividing the Mercedes garage: is this a car problem, a George problem, or both? Toto Wolff says it's "50% the car." George isn't fully convinced. Rob's verdict is blunter still: beat your teammate, or leave.

Also in this episode:

• The Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen parallel that explains exactly what's happening to George right now
• Why Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen's contract clauses both come to a head this weekend in Hungary
• Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin verdict — an 80% new car arrives in Budapest with zero testing, and it might decide whether he stays
• Why 400,000 fans at Spa still wasn't enough to save it from the 2028 and 2030 calendar
• Bullsh*t Corner nominations, your questions answered, and the usual dad jokes

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Lawrence Stroll's dramatic Force India buyout began with Sergio Perez intentionally pushing his own team into administration to save it. This week, Jake, Otmar and Rob trace Perez's journey from a lonely 14-year-old living in truck-stop motels to his difficult final months at Red Bull, asking what his story reveals about the pressure modern F1 drivers face.

The trio also unpack the fallout from Silverstone. Rob explains the clever technical trick Mercedes used to out-engineer their customer teams on the straights, while Jake shares fresh insights from a Monday morning debrief with George Russell at Soho Farmhouse.

With Russell cutting Kimi Antonelli's championship lead to just 25 points after the rookie's costly learning moment, they debate whether the title race is now wide open heading into Spa.

AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/hpracing to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, a month's supply of Omega3 capsules and five travel packs

Eight Sleep 👉 If you’re ready to upgrade your nights and unlock more energy in your days, start with Eight Sleep. Use code RACING for £350 off the Pod 5 Ultra here: https://highpfrmc.com/HPR-eightsleep-au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.