Baku or Bust: Red Bull’s Rookie Gamble, McLaren on the Brink & F1’s Wild 2026 Reboot

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 argues it might be the perfect time to roll the dice!

And about those 2026 rules... the guys dive into what’s shaping up to be one of the most controversial technical shakeups in decades. Ground effect? Gone. DRS? Axed. In their place: active wings, narrower tyres, and a 50/50 electric-combustion split!

Meanwhile, Rick grits his teeth as Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari saga continues. Monza offered a flicker of optimism, but beneath the Tifosi’s cheers are real concerns. Fred Vasseur says they underestimated the challenge but Rick’s not buying the spin.

And finally, all eyes are on Baku as McLaren edges toward clinching the Constructors' title in record time. But with team orders stirring tension between Norris and Piastri, Jad breaks down whether this polite rivalry is headed for a spectacular collision.

We've got it all, right here on 2 Soft Compounds.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Rick Houghton & Paul Velasco
Studio Engineer & Editor: Roy D'Monte
Executive Producer: Ian Carless
Produced by: W4 Podcast Studio & GrandPrix247