What separates people who perform at their best under pressure from those who crack? Dr. James Hewitt has spent two decades answering that question—first as a professional cyclist, then through a PhD studying elite performance, and eventually as Chief Innovation Officer at Hintsa Performance, the company behind 19 Formula 1 World Championships with drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Kimi Räikkönen.

In this conversation, Sabrina speaks with James, who works with F1 teams and elite performers today, about what fans completely miss when watching races. You'll discover what's really happening inside that cockpit (imagine doing complex math during a high-intensity workout in a sauna for two hours), why American hustle culture is the opposite of peak performance, and what young racers and their families desperately need to know about navigating this increasingly expensive and professionalized sport.

Check out James online:

Website | Dr. James Hewitt

Instagram | jamesphewitt

Twitter/X | @jamesphewitt

YouTube | Dr. James Hewitt Peak Performance Keynote Speaker

Book | Regenerative Performance: How to Thrive in an Always-On World Without Sacrificing Your Well-Being

Book | Exponential: Hewitt, James, Hintsa, Aki, Öhman, Jyri, Huhtanen, Mari

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Have episode feedback or ideas? Want to connect with 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1? Drop them a line at: sabrina@2guysagirlandf1.com

Check out Dick's karting documentary, Power Drive Vegas.
Interested in Dick's YT Channel about his return to kart racing? See this link.

Thanks to all who have become members of the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 via our “Buy me A Coffee” page. This community is growing because of you. To become a member, click here.

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2025 Sound Engineers: Paul Douglas and Elena Richey

Would Nico Rosberg have retired if he hadn't won the 2016 championship? Do Europeans feel F1 has been 'Americanized' with three US races? These are the kinds of questions that create the best podcast conversations—and they came from listeners Heath and Drew.

In this quick PSA, Dick and Sabrina talk about why listener questions like these make the show better. Drew's hypothetical about Rosberg's retirement could fuel an entire episode. Heath's perspective on F1's expansion brings angles the hosts don't always consider. Your questions, your debates, your curiosities—that's what shapes 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1.

What F1 topics are you thinking about? What debates are you having with friends? What would you ask our upcoming expert guests if you were sitting in on the interview? Send them to sabrina@2guysagirlandf1.com. You're part of this show—let's hear from you.

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Support the show

Follow 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 on Instagram.
Have episode feedback or ideas? Want to connect with 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1? Drop them a line at: sabrina@2guysagirlandf1.com

Check out Dick's karting documentary, Power Drive Vegas.
Interested in Dick's YT Channel about his return to kart racing? See this link.

Thanks to all who have become members of the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 via our “Buy me A Coffee” page. This community is growing because of you. To become a member, click here.

Like the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 background music? It's "An Adventure Called Life" by Score Squad. It's available for purchase at Premium Beat. Use referral code SNSAEDUB at checkout to get 25% off your first purchase.

2025 Sound Engineers: Paul Douglas and Elena Richey

Why did Formula 1 close Barcelona's pre-season testing to media and fans—and what does that decision reveal about who really calls the shots in the sport? In this conversation, Sabrina sits down with Joe Saward, one of only five journalists who attended every F1 race in 2025, all on his own dime and completely independent from teams or media companies.

They talk about the political and business calculations behind Barcelona's closed-door testing, why Bahrain's contract forced F1's hand, and whether this precedent could return in 2031. You'll also hear Joe's take on what the 2026 regulations will actually deliver—battery glitches, potential ECU failures, and why Mercedes doing 100 laps on day one with a brand-new power unit is more impressive than most fans realize. Beyond the technical side, they dig into F1's brutal travel schedule and why only five journalists now go to all 24 races, how workforce turnover is changing team culture, and what makes F1 different from any other business when teams like Mercedes are turning over a billion dollars but the people doing it would still say it beats working.

If you want to understand the politics, the money, and the real decision-making that shapes what you see on a Grand Prix Sunday, this is the conversation that connects those dots.

Check out Joe online:

• JSBM Newsletter
• Grand Prix+
• The Green Notebook

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Support the show

Follow 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 on Instagram.
Have episode feedback or ideas? Want to connect with 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1? Drop them a line at: sabrina@2guysagirlandf1.com

Check out Dick's karting documentary, Power Drive Vegas.
Interested in Dick's YT Channel about his return to kart racing? See this link.

Thanks to all who have become members of the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 via our “Buy me A Coffee” page. This community is growing because of you. To become a member, click here.

Like the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 background music? It's "An Adventure Called Life" by Score Squad. It's available for purchase at Premium Beat. Use referral code SNSAEDUB at checkout to get 25% off your first purchase.

2025 Sound Engineers: Paul Douglas and Elena Richey

Constructors’ titles, strategy shockers, culture resets, and long‑term bets on 2026: 2025 tested team leadership as much as it did the drivers. Dick and Sabrina grade all ten outfits in their annual team principal report card, examining how McLaren converted momentum into a dominant double, how Mercedes navigated life after Lewis while developing Kimi Antonelli, and how Red Bull handled a turbulent transition at the top.

They also dig into Ferrari’s frustrating step backwards, Williams’ resurgence with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, the steady progress at Haas and Racing Bulls, Aston Martin’s puzzling underachievement, Sauber’s fight to stay relevant, and Alpine’s season of survival. Beyond the letter grades, they explore which organizations look structurally ready for the 2026 reset—and which ones might find that new regulations expose deeper strategic and cultural cracks.

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Support the show

Follow 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 on Instagram.
Have episode feedback or ideas? Want to connect with 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1? Drop them a line at: sabrina@2guysagirlandf1.com

Check out Dick's karting documentary, Power Drive Vegas.
Interested in Dick's YT Channel about his return to kart racing? See this link.

Thanks to all who have become members of the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 via our “Buy me A Coffee” page. This community is growing because of you. To become a member, click here.

Like the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 background music? It's "An Adventure Called Life" by Score Squad. It's available for purchase at Premium Beat. Use referral code SNSAEDUB at checkout to get 25% off your first purchase.

2025 Sound Engineers: Paul Douglas and Elena Richey

Four hundred–point seasons, a championship decided by just two points, and a rookie class that looked anything but inexperienced. In this episode, Dick and Sabrina walk through their full 2025 driver report card, grading everyone from Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri to Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, Ollie Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto, and seasoned veterans like Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Charles Leclerc, and George Russell still fighting at the sharp end.

They talk about who genuinely elevated their machinery, who quietly banked results while the headlines focused elsewhere, and how confidence, adaptability, and racecraft under pressure separated an A+ season from a B. Along the way, they touch on sims, new‑reg driving styles, “clean air” merchants, and which drivers might surprise—or struggle—when F1 resets in 2026. If you’re wondering whether your favorite driver was overrated, underrated, or spot on this year, this is the place to find out.

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Support the show

Follow 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 on Instagram.
Have episode feedback or ideas? Want to connect with 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1? Drop them a line at: sabrina@2guysagirlandf1.com

Check out Dick's karting documentary, Power Drive Vegas.
Interested in Dick's YT Channel about his return to kart racing? See this link.

Thanks to all who have become members of the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 via our “Buy me A Coffee” page. This community is growing because of you. To become a member, click here.

Like the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 background music? It's "An Adventure Called Life" by Score Squad. It's available for purchase at Premium Beat. Use referral code SNSAEDUB at checkout to get 25% off your first purchase.

2025 Sound Engineers: Paul Douglas and Elena Richey

A smaller, lighter chassis, no MGU‑H, a huge jump in electric power, and active aero replacing most of what DRS used to do—2026 is the biggest Formula 1 rules reset since 2014. In this F1 Tech Talk episode, Dick walks Sabrina (and the rest of us non‑engineers) through the new regulations in plain language, explaining what’s changing with the power units, batteries, fuel, and aerodynamics, and why the FIA is trying to avoid another one‑team domination era.​

They unpack how the loss of the MGU‑H and a 350 kW MGU‑K will shift the balance toward energy deployment strategy, how active aero modes could either unlock smarter racing or turn into push‑button engineering, and why battery design, software, and reaction speed in development may matter more than outright ICE horsepower. You’ll also hear about the new sustainable fuel rules, the FIA’s built‑in “catch‑up” mechanism for underpowered manufacturers, and which types of teams and drivers might thrive—or struggle—when F1’s 2026 regulation cycle begins.

Send a text

Support the show

Follow 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 on Instagram.
Have episode feedback or ideas? Want to connect with 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1? Drop them a line at: sabrina@2guysagirlandf1.com

Check out Dick's karting documentary, Power Drive Vegas.
Interested in Dick's YT Channel about his return to kart racing? See this link.

Thanks to all who have become members of the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 via our “Buy me A Coffee” page. This community is growing because of you. To become a member, click here.

Like the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 background music? It's "An Adventure Called Life" by Score Squad. It's available for purchase at Premium Beat. Use referral code SNSAEDUB at checkout to get 25% off your first purchase.

2025 Sound Engineers: Paul Douglas and Elena Richey

Three title contenders, three very different journeys, and a final month that nearly rewrote F1 history. Dick and Sabrina revisit Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi to unpack how McLaren almost threw away the drivers’ championship, how Max Verstappen dragged a difficult Red Bull back into the fight, and why it’s possible to be thrilled for Lando Norris and still heartbroken for Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton at the same time.

In this race review, they focus on development lessons fans can actually apply when watching, what November and December revealed about McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, Williams, Aston Martin, Haas, Sauber, Racing Bulls, and Alpine, and what this closing stretch really tells us about the strength of the 2025 grid. They also offer guidance for newer fans on how to view these “processional” finales in the context of regulations, car size, and razor-thin margins—and look ahead to which teams and drivers are best positioned to thrive (or stumble) as F1 heads into the reset of 2026.

Send a text

Support the show

Follow 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 on Instagram.
Have episode feedback or ideas? Want to connect with 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1? Drop them a line at: sabrina@2guysagirlandf1.com

Check out Dick's karting documentary, Power Drive Vegas.
Interested in Dick's YT Channel about his return to kart racing? See this link.

Thanks to all who have become members of the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 via our “Buy me A Coffee” page. This community is growing because of you. To become a member, click here.

Like the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 background music? It's "An Adventure Called Life" by Score Squad. It's available for purchase at Premium Beat. Use referral code SNSAEDUB at checkout to get 25% off your first purchase.

2025 Sound Engineers: Paul Douglas and Elena Richey

Three contenders, one final shot. At Yas Marina, Max Verstappen did everything he could, Oscar Piastri delivered under pressure, and Lando Norris brought it home exactly where he needed to to finally clinch the drivers’ championship.

In this solo race notes episode, Dick breaks down how McLaren’s Abu Dhabi strategy contrasted sharply with their Las Vegas and Qatar missteps, why Lando’s race management and pit timing were spot on, and how Max still ended the year with the most wins. He also spotlights standout drives from Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Fernando Alonso, reflects on the physical toll of the ground‑effect era, and looks ahead to 2026 testing, tyre changes, and young driver outings for Pato O’Ward and Jak Crawford.

Send a text

Support the show

Follow 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 on Instagram.
Have episode feedback or ideas? Want to connect with 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1? Drop them a line at: sabrina@2guysagirlandf1.com

Check out Dick's karting documentary, Power Drive Vegas.
Interested in Dick's YT Channel about his return to kart racing? See this link.

Thanks to all who have become members of the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 via our “Buy me A Coffee” page. This community is growing because of you. To become a member, click here.

Like the 2 Guys, A Girl, and F1 background music? It's "An Adventure Called Life" by Score Squad. It's available for purchase at Premium Beat. Use referral code SNSAEDUB at checkout to get 25% off your first purchase.

2025 Sound Engineers: Paul Douglas and Elena Richey