The Downshift AU F1 Podcast

The DownShift Podcast
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It's lights out, drop the clutch and lets get RACING!!! Join Huppy, Lachy, Schwags and KT, four Aussie mates passionate about motorsports as they talk all Formula One leading into each race and reviewing the thrills, spills and drama following. Join the statistician, the straight man, the joker and the newbie (you can decide who's who) for tongue in cheek banter as we reflect on the events, the personalities and the moments that make us go ooh and ah, and sometimes wake the house in the middle of the night with cries of frustration as we watch broadcasts from half a world away.

  1. 5d ago

    F1's WILDCARD Race of 2026? Sepang Is Back After 9 Years

    Nine years ago, a 20-year-old Max Verstappen won what we thought was F1's last race at Sepang. Now F1 is back in Malaysia… to run the Bahrain Grand Prix 🤯 With Bahrain and Saudi Arabia cancelled earlier in the year, Sepang steps in, and more than half the grid has never raced there. We cover how this unusual race came about, Huppy's memories from the 2017 race, a full track walkthrough, tyre choices, a stormy forecast with up to 80% chance of rain in qualifying, the Sepang veterans vs debutants, and whether Russell can turn Baku momentum into a real title fight against Antonelli's 66-point lead. Plus, the predictions get chaotic when Schwags' lucky hat strikes again 🎩 Huppy and Schwags are heading to Sepang as our official correspondents, so stay tuned for updates from the track!📲 Want to take us on? Join the waitlist for The Downshift Predictions app, launching for the 2027 season: predictions.thedownshift.com.au Like and subscribe, and drop your Sepang predictions in the comments! #F1 #BahrainGP #Sepang #MalaysianGP #Formula1 #TheDownshift

    F1's WILDCARD Race of 2026? Sepang Is Back After 9 Years

  2. Sep 28

    Mr Saturday Strikes Back🏆George Russell Wins Baku by 0.196s! 😱

    George Russell reclaims his Mr Saturday title in Baku 🏆 Pole by a massive 0.83s (the biggest gap in about a decade), leading every lap, then hanging on by just 0.196s as a charging Max Verstappen closed in with no turbo power on the final run to the line. Add Red Bull's first double podium since April 2024, and Antonelli's title lead shrinks to 66 points with eight rounds to go. Plus: Kimi's Q1 wall clout, Colapinto's ten-pin bowling restart that took out Gasly and Norris, Lindblad taking out his teammate, Piastri's heartbreak, the Bottas crash that somehow didn't bring a safety car, Leclerc's engine slip, Aston Martin's woes, and whether the broadcast is ignoring the midfield. And of course, the predictions leaderboard gets a shake-up 😂 👍 Like and subscribe so you don't miss an episode, and drop your Sepang predictions in the comments! #F1 #AzerbaijanGP #BakuGP #Formula1 #TheDownshift

    Mr Saturday Strikes Back🏆George Russell Wins Baku by 0.196s! 😱

  3. Sep 21

    BAKU IS BACK! 🏁 2.2KM FLAT-OUT, 7 METRES OF CHAOS & A CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE LINE!

    The DownShift is heading to Baku — and this one could get seriously interesting! 🇦🇿🏁 Episode 105 previews the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where a 2.2km flat-out straight, a seven-metre-wide castle section and Baku's notorious walls could create the perfect recipe for F1 chaos. Kimmy Antonelli arrives with an 81-point championship lead, while Lando Norris continues to rack up pole positions without converting enough of them into wins. Max Verstappen is still searching for his first F1 victory of 2026 despite five podiums in his last seven races, while Charles Leclerc heads to one of his favourite circuits with a potential Ferrari engine penalty hanging over his weekend. The team breaks down the unique challenges of Baku — low downforce, tyre temperatures, energy deployment, slipstream tactics, track evolution, wind and the possibility of safety cars — before making their predictions for pole, the podium and the weekend's wildcard. And there's plenty happening away from Baku too: 🏎️ The 2027 F1 calendar is here🇦🇺 Australia moves to Round 3🏁 Portugal and Turkey return🔄 Spa and Barcelona begin rotating🎟️ Melbourne's new Australian Grand Prix membership and ticketing model comes under the microscope👀 Aston Martin's 2027 driver lineup is questioned following comments from Martin Brundle🔴 Ferrari face a potentially crucial decision over Charles Leclerc's engine Plus, as always, the boys throw in their completely unbiased, highly scientific Baku predictions… which may already require an emergency meeting after FP1. The DownShift — F1 talk, opinions, laughs and plenty of questionable predictions.

    BAKU IS BACK! 🏁 2.2KM FLAT-OUT, 7 METRES OF CHAOS & A CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE LINE!

  4. Sep 15

    F1’s New $83M Track Has One BIG Problem…

    🏁 The first-ever F1 race at Madring is in the books… but did Formula 1’s spectacular new Madrid circuit actually deliver? The hype was enormous. A brand-new circuit, 22 corners, the spectacular banked La Monumental, and more than 100,000 fans packed into Madrid. But when the lights went out, there was one fairly major problem: overtaking was almost impossible. In Episode 104 of The Downshift F1 Podcast, we review the inaugural Madrid Grand Prix and ask whether Madring is a brilliant circuit for qualifying and hot laps — but a terrible circuit for actual Formula 1 racing. 🏆 Kimi Antonelli took another huge victory, with Max Verstappen second and Lando Norris third after a dramatic safety-car period and another costly McLaren pit stop. We break down: 🏎️ Why Madring produced so few overtaking opportunities😴 Whether F1 has effectively created a faster version of Monaco🔥 Why La Monumental looks spectacular but didn't necessarily improve the racing⏱️ An incredibly close qualifying battle between Norris and Antonelli🟠 How Lando Norris went from pole position to P3🔧 McLaren's costly seven-second pit stop🏆 Another outstanding drive from championship leader Kimi Antonelli🐂 Max Verstappen's impressive run to P2🇪🇸 A difficult home Grand Prix for the Spanish drivers😬 Whether Lance Stroll's future at Aston Martin should finally be under serious pressure📈 The latest championship picture — and whether anyone can realistically stop Kimi🔮 Plus our prediction results and an early look towards Baku And unlike the rest of us watching on TV, KT was actually at Madring for its inaugural Grand Prix. He gives us the view from inside the circuit — including the atmosphere, fan zones, hospitality, circuit access, viewing areas and some of the first-year teething problems Madrid needs to address before F1 returns in 2027. So after all the hype, was Madring worth it? Let us know in the comments:👇 Did you enjoy the Madrid Grand Prix — or does F1 need to change the circuit before next year? 👍 Like the episode if you enjoyed it🔔 Subscribe to The Downshift for our F1 race previews, reviews, predictions and plenty of questionable motorsport opinions throughout the 2026 season. #F1 #Formula1 #MadridGP #Madring #SpanishGP #KimiAntonelli #LandoNorris #MaxVerstappen #MercedesF1 #McLarenF1 #F1Podcast

  5. Sep 11

    F1’s Wild New Circuit Is Here! Madring Spanish GP Preview

    Formula 1 heads into the unknown this weekend as the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix arrives at the brand-new Madring circuit in Madrid — and there are plenty of questions nobody can answer yet.🏁 Who will master the Madring first?🔥 Will the incredible La Monumental banked corner live up to the hype?⚡ Which teams will get their setup right quickest?🇪🇸 And can Fernando Alonso or Carlos Sainz deliver something special on home soil?In Episode 103 of The Downshift F1 Podcast, we preview the very first Formula 1 Grand Prix at Madrid’s new 5.4km Madring circuit.The headline feature is undoubtedly Turn 12 — La Monumental — a huge 550-metre-long banked corner with banking of around 13.5 degrees. With Formula 1 cars tackling it at speed for the first time, it could become one of the most spectacular corners on the F1 calendar.But the new circuit creates a much bigger challenge for the teams.There’s no previous Formula 1 race data. No established setup. No known tyre degradation. No reliable strategy history. Track evolution could be significant, temperatures are expected to be high, and the teams will need to learn quickly across Friday practice.We discuss:🏎️ What the new Madring circuit could be like to race🔥 The spectacular La Monumental banked corner⚔️ Where the main overtaking opportunities could be📈 How much the track could evolve across the weekend🛞 Pirelli’s C2, C3 and C4 tyre selection🔄 Whether we could finally see a genuine two-stop race⚡ Energy management and overtaking under the 2026 regulations🪽 Whether teams will favour medium or lower-downforce setups🐎 Ferrari’s small advantage from previously running at the circuit⭐ Why Mercedes could still be the team to beat🚀 Whether Kimi Antonelli can continue his incredible form🐂 Why Max Verstappen could be dangerous at a completely new circuit🟠 Whether McLaren can return to podium contention🇪🇸 The prospects for Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz at their home Grand Prix☀️ The hot and dry Madrid weather forecast🎯 And, of course, our Spanish Grand Prix predictions.With no previous winner, no established lap record and no real form guide for this circuit, our prediction competition gets even more difficult.Who takes pole? Who wins the first-ever Madring Grand Prix? And exactly where will Fernando Alonso finish?Let us know your predictions in the comments BEFORE the race.

  6. Sep 11

    Antonelli’s Miracle, Ferrari’s Monza Nightmare | F1 2026 Italian GP Grand Prix Review

    Kimi Antonelli produced an unforgettable comeback at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, charging from 19th on the grid to win at Monza and lead a remarkable Mercedes one-two.In our full Monza F1 race review, Nathan, Lachy and Schwags break down Antonelli’s extraordinary drive through the field, Mercedes’ split strategy, George Russell’s missed opportunity and what the result means for the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship.We also discuss:🏆 Antonelli’s charge from P19 to victory🇮🇹 The first Italian driver to win at Monza since 1966🚩 Charles Leclerc’s race-ending crash and Ferrari’s disappointing home Grand Prix⚔️ The close battle between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri🥉 Max Verstappen’s podium despite problems with his Red Bull🚀 Pierre Gasly’s shock pole position🧠 Whether Mercedes made the right strategy call with Russell📊 The updated F1 championship standings🏎️ Lando Norris recording the highest speed of the race🔮 Our first thoughts ahead of F1’s visit to the new Madring circuit in SpainWas this Antonelli’s best drive yet—and is the 2026 F1 World Championship now his to lose? Let us know in the comments.

  7. Aug 31

    F1 2026 - Italian Grand Prix preview - Monza

    Next on the F1 calendar is the Italian Grand Prix at the Temple of Speed, Monza. Although with the current regulations could this nickname no longer be relevant? Schwags and KT take us through the preiew of the upcomign race with a focus on the technical aspects of the race with low downforce and the challenge of energy management and deployment on a track with 4 straight mode zones and the fear of Super Clipping returning. Its going to be a hot one with temps exceeding 30 degrees all weekend, without the slightest hint of rain. Taking listeners through track dynamics and history, announced and exected car upgrades and team strategies for the race around tyre selection and management in high-speed racing. With the "Tall Huppy Clause" in effect, the team have agreed to some very slight tweaks to the order of predictions to shift the needle back to the middle and be fairer for all as the team make their predictions for qualifying and race outcomes. Will Ferrari take their home race or will there be an upset?

    F1 2026 - Italian Grand Prix preview - Monza

  8. Aug 24

    F1 2026 - Zadvoort revew - 100th episode!!!!

    The DownShift team covers the thrilling Zanvoort race, analyzing key moments, driver performances, and strategic decisions that shaped the outcome. Perfect for F1 fans wanting in-depth insights into the race and season progress. Digging into race strategy and tire management at Zanvoort, Driver performances - Norris, Verstappen, Hamilton, and Alonso. Impact of weather conditions on race outcomes, Team orders and race tactics in F1 and Championship standings and season outlook.

    F1 2026 - Zadvoort revew - 100th episode!!!!
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About

It's lights out, drop the clutch and lets get RACING!!! Join Huppy, Lachy, Schwags and KT, four Aussie mates passionate about motorsports as they talk all Formula One leading into each race and reviewing the thrills, spills and drama following. Join the statistician, the straight man, the joker and the newbie (you can decide who's who) for tongue in cheek banter as we reflect on the events, the personalities and the moments that make us go ooh and ah, and sometimes wake the house in the middle of the night with cries of frustration as we watch broadcasts from half a world away.

Information

  • Creator
    The DownShift Podcast
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    108
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The DownShift Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Downshift AU F1 Podcast