Formula 1 heads into the summer break, so Jake, Otmar and Rob hand out their mid-season report cards, grading every team out of 10 and explaining exactly why.

Mercedes earned top marks after the strongest first half of the season, but George Russell's reliability issues sparked a debate over what might have been in both championship battles. They then assess Ferrari, McLaren and an underperforming Red Bull, before turning their attention to Alpine, Racing Bulls, Haas, Audi, Williams and Aston Martin.

Plus, they rate the drivers, examine whether Kimi Antonelli's championship lead can still be overturned, and welcome back Bullshit Corner, complete with its own leaderboard and your latest nominations.

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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

New episodes of High Performance Racing every week, subscribe so you don't miss one.

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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.

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Otmar, Jake and Rob break down the chaotic ending to the 2026 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, live in front of a crowd for the first time ever.

Charles Leclerc took the win as Ferrari and Mercedes made contrasting strategy calls under the late safety car, sparking fierce debate over whether the FIA should have red flagged the race instead.

Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli all played a part in one of the most talked-about finishes of the season, plus Bullshit Corner, dad jokes, and an Ayrton Senna helmet reveal.

What did you make of the race finish? Let us know in the comments below!

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What a weekend at the Red Bull Ring. George Russell is officially back after a dominant pole-to-win victory in Austria, turning the 2026 title fight completely on its head and trimming Kimi Antonelli’s championship lead.

In this episode, Jake, Rob, and Otmar break down a thrilling Austrian Grand Prix, from Kimi cracking under pressure to Ferrari’s upgraded engine completely flopping on Sunday. The trio also dissect a paddock bombshell: Max Verstappen’s management having informal chats with McLaren, alongside an exit clause that could trigger before the summer break.

Finally, the guys look ahead to a massive homecoming at Silverstone, where Lewis Hamilton chases a historic 10th British GP win and the pod prepares for their huge live show in front of 300,000 fans.

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With Otmar away, Jake Humphrey and Rob Smedley preview the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix. Rob dives deep into his legendary career, breaking down what it really takes to lead the technical side of an F1 team, the old-school mindset shift he brought to Williams, and what the current team is lacking on track.

The duo also debated a massive F1 "what if", whether Michael Schumacher would have swept the 2007 and 2008 titles if Ross Brawn hadn’t retired. Plus, Rob reveals the incredible reality behind Felipe Massa’s terrifying 2009 Budapest crash, the chaos of engineering the unpredictable Jean Alesi, and a highly questionable new entry into Bullshit Corner.

Want to guide the next episode? Reply in the comment below with your questions for Rob and Otmar, or nominate an F1 moment for Bullshit Corner!

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