Austria Recap and Mid-Ohio
About this episode
James Hinchcliffe and Alex Rossi connect across time zones to recap the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix and look ahead to Mid-Ohio. James shares his firsthand experience at the Red Bull Ring, praising the track's efficiency and atmosphere despite the European heatwave. The guys debate Max Verstappen's qualifying drama and Red Bull's team dynamics before diving into IndyCar's grueling summer schedule. Producer Tim shares a nerdy movie screening story, and the hosts swap thoughts on extreme stunts and energy drinks in this high-energy, banter-filled episode.
Despite being on different continents, Hinch and Rossi recap the F1 race in Austria, together. Plus, a bad test at Mid-Ohio has Alex feeling confident for the race this weekend.
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George Russell
"F1 race. Pretty boring. George Russell still a and we go to middle high this week..."
A very fast British race car driver who drives for the famous Mercedes team in Formula 1.
A British Formula 1 driver currently racing for Mercedes-Benz. Known for his exceptional qualifying pace, he stepped into the Mercedes seat in 2022 after starting his F1 career with Williams.
Red Bull Ring
"So it was Austria this weekend. We had a chat before you went about how much you were looking forward to going to that race..."
A beautiful, fast race track located in the mountains of Austria, owned by the Red Bull company.
A motorsport circuit in Spielberg, Austria, owned by the Red Bull energy drink company. It is famous for its short, high-speed layout, dramatic elevation changes, and three long straights that promote overtaking.
Jeep Wrangler
"...to think of the equivalent on an IndyCar weekend, Wrangler Energy. It's now canned."
The Jeep Wrangler is a rugged, boxy SUV made by Jeep that is built specifically for driving on rough outdoor terrain like dirt, mud, and rocks. Its most famous feature is that its roof and doors can be completely taken off for an open-air driving experience.
The Jeep Wrangler is an iconic, highly capable off-road SUV famous for its rugged body-on-frame design, solid axles, and removable doors and roof. As of 2026, the JL generation offers a blend of traditional trail-rated performance with modern technology, including a highly popular plug-in hybrid (4xe) option. It remains a benchmark for factory-standard off-road capability and aftermarket customization.
DRS
"I was fully expecting like there to be a delay with the faith DRS. It wasn't there like, yeah, they said it wasn't that."
A button the driver can press to open a flap in the back wing of the car, making it go faster on straightaways to help pass other cars.
Drag Reduction System. A driver-controlled device aimed at promoting overtaking in Formula 1, which opens a flap in the rear wing to reduce aerodynamic drag and increase top speed on straights.
Kimi Antonelli
"And so he crashed behind him on the racetrack where George Russell and Kimmy Antonelli."
A young, extremely talented Italian race car driver who is being groomed by Mercedes to be their next superstar.
An Italian racing driver who rose rapidly through the junior single-seater ranks. A Mercedes-Benz junior driver, he is widely regarded as one of the most promising young talents in modern open-wheel racing.
double yellow flag
"And Alex, I learned a lot about Formula One flagging rules this weekend in terms of single and double yellows."
A warning flag that means there is a big crash ahead. Drivers must slow down a lot, and any fast lap times they are trying to set will be canceled.
A flagging signal in motorsport indicating a major hazard blocking the track. Under double waved yellows, drivers must significantly reduce speed, be prepared to stop, and are forbidden from improving their lap times during qualifying.
regenerative braking
"So the kind of working theory is that as you lift in these cars, you can regen more power. And so he had burned battery going down into nine, lifted..."
A system that captures the energy normally wasted when a car brakes and turns it into electricity to recharge the hybrid battery, giving the car extra power later.
An energy recovery mechanism that slows a vehicle by converting its kinetic energy into electrical energy, which is then stored in the battery for later deployment by the hybrid system.
clipping
"We obviously talked a lot at the beginning of the year about this new F1 regulation and and kind of the clipping and all this sort of stuff that can be very annoying..."
When a hybrid race car runs out of battery power or hits its legal limit for electric boost on a straightaway, causing the car to suddenly feel like it's slowing down.
A phenomenon in hybrid racing where the electric motor stops deploying energy at the end of a straightaway because the battery is depleted or the regulatory per-lap energy deployment limit has been reached, causing a sudden drop in top speed.
thermal degradation
"This isn't as high a track, but with the heat, it was definitely a big thermal dig and it's, you know, you can burn the rears off at this place really easily..."
When race car tires get too hot and start losing their grip because the rubber is literally overheating, making the car slide around.
The loss of tire grip caused by excessive heat buildup in the tire compound, distinct from mechanical wear. It occurs when high track temperatures or aggressive driving cause the rubber to overheat and lose its chemical bonding properties.
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
"OK, anyway, for the July week and coming up, which means mid Ohio is coming up. You just tested there."
A famous, twisty race track in Ohio known for its hills and challenging turns where IndyCar races every year.
A classic, highly technical road course located in Lexington, Ohio. Famous for its rolling hills, blind corners, and key spectator viewing areas, it is a staple of the IndyCar and sports car racing calendars.
Felipe Nasr
"Nazar drove the two car in place of Joseph and was only a tenth and a half off McLaughlin and Malukas, which was good for him."
A highly successful Brazilian race car driver who has raced in Formula 1 and sports cars, and sometimes helps test IndyCars.
A Brazilian professional racing driver who competed in Formula 1 before transitioning to sports cars, where he won multiple IMSA championships. He occasionally tests IndyCars for Team Penske.
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