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Bella James plays 'This or That' | Plus the inside stories on all her viral clips

Bella James plays 'This or That' | Plus the inside stories on all her viral clips

The Fast and the Curious Apr 14, 2026 61 min
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About this episode

Formula One news and internet fame collide as Bella James returns to The Fast and the Curious. The crew breaks down Jean-Pierre Lambiasse’s shock move from Red Bull to McLaren (no earlier than 2028), debating what it means for Red Bull and how F1 contracts and “gardening leave” work. Then Bella shares her path from uni content creation to viral F1 clips and her YouTube series Box Box—an eight-to-nine minute, drive-through interview format built around showing guests’ personalities beyond racing. The chat ends with a fast “this or that” game and Bella’s dream guests.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Company

Progressive

"Drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over $900 on average. Pop over to Progressive.com, answer some questions, and you'll get a quick quote with discounts that are easy to come by."

Progressive is an insurance company. They’re saying that if you switch to them and answer a few questions online, you may get discounts that lower what you pay.

Concept

Formula One

"[101.8s] We obviously still haven't got any racing to talk about, but that is not going to stop us [106.0s] talking about the wonderful world of Formula One."

Formula One is the biggest level of race car driving in the world. The cars are very high-tech, and the races happen on tracks in different countries.

Concept

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

"...to chat to Christian about the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Now, a year on, she has gone from strength to strength..."

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is an official Formula One race in Saudi Arabia. It’s one of the stops on the F1 schedule.

Company

Jean-Pierre Lambiasse

"Christian, Jean-Pierre Lambiasse. What are your thoughts? Yes, the man who gets shouted at by Max Verstappen for a living Jean-Pierre Lambiasse, aka GP, is leaving Red Bull. He will join McLaren."

Jean-Pierre Lambiasse is an important person in an F1 team behind the scenes. When he switches teams, it can affect how the team works and how the car gets improved.

Brand

Max Verstappen

"Christian, Jean-Pierre Lambiasse. What are your thoughts? Yes, the man who gets shouted at by Max Verstappen for a living Jean-Pierre Lambiasse, aka GP, is leaving Red Bull."

Max Verstappen is one of the best-known F1 drivers right now. The mention of him shouting at someone shows how serious and constant the communication is in racing.

Brand

Red Bull

"Yes, the man who gets shouted at by Max Verstappen for a living Jean-Pierre Lambiasse, aka GP, is leaving Red Bull. He will join McLaren."

Red Bull is one of the big Formula One racing teams. When key people leave or join, it can change how the team builds and improves the race car.

Brand

McLaren

"Jean-Pierre Lambiasse, aka GP, is leaving Red Bull. He will join McLaren."

McLaren is another major Formula One team. If a key leader joins them, it can help shape how they build the car and plan for races.

Concept

race engineer

"and he's been Max's race engineer since 2016."

A race engineer is the person in the team who talks to the driver during the race. They use car data to help with strategy and adjustments so the driver can go faster and manage the car.

Concept

paddock

"Yeah, anyway, on GP, were you really surprised when this dropped? Because I feel like everyone was surprised, but then also when you started thinking about it, you're like, I can sort of see. No, I wasn't surprised. There was a lot of talk about him potentially moving on in the paddock in Abu Dhabi at the end of last season."

The paddock is the team area at a race. It’s where mechanics and team people work, and where a lot of behind-the-scenes driver talk happens.

Concept

team principal

"The job title has been banded about is chief racing officer. [852.5s] Betty, I've got that right, haven't I? [853.9s] Yeah, and that's currently covered off [856.5s] by team principal Andrea Stella."

A team principal is basically the top leader of an F1 team. They oversee the team’s direction and make big decisions.

Concept

F1

"[913.8s] got so much F1 experience in GP, [916.2s] is just another handy person to have."

“F1” is Formula 1—the biggest and most competitive type of race car series in the world. If someone has F1 experience, they’ve worked at the very top level.

Term

contract

"It will really depend with what's in his contract. On Max, Bella, what are your thoughts?"

A contract is the agreement that says what a driver is allowed to do—like which team they race for and for how long. If the contract changes, the driver might be able to move to a different team.

Concept

Silverstone

"...when we were in Silverstone and everyone was getting excited because they'd just released the film..."

Silverstone is a well-known race track in the UK. It’s where big racing events happen, so it makes sense people would get excited there.

Concept

underdog role

"But then he was sort of in that underdog role last season, and I feel like, like, the British public especially, but I feel like everybody, like, the Americans, everyone, just started getting behind him a bit,"

“Underdog” means someone who isn’t expected to be the winner. When that happens in racing, people often start cheering for them more.

Term

goat category

"[1366.8s] I was actually thinking this earlier. [1369.4s] Do you think Max Verstappen can be in that goat category now?"

“GOAT” means “greatest of all time.” They’re asking whether Max Verstappen is now seen as the best ever in Formula 1.

Concept

competitive car

"...he won for so many years consecutively, despite not having the competitive car."

A “competitive car” is a race car that’s fast enough to fight at the front. If the car isn’t good, even a great driver can struggle to win.

Concept

best bar country mile

"I think he's the best bar country mile now."

That phrase means “way ahead” of everyone else. The speaker is saying Max Verstappen stands out a lot.

Company

Auto Trader Magazine

"[1832.9s] And I don't... [1833.0s] Auto Trader Magazine. [1834.1s] Auto, yes. [1834.5s] Things like this,"

Auto Trader is a car-focused publication and website. They’re using it as an example of the more “hardcore” car media group they were placed with.

Concept

F1 content

"Because you said you did YouTube content, but was there like an overnight thing of going, okay, I'm going to try F1 content?"

F1 is Formula 1, the highest level of race car competition. “F1 content” just means making videos about those races and the drivers.

Company

Drive to Survive

"But F1 just... It was just how Drive to Survive"

“Drive to Survive” is a Netflix show about Formula 1. It makes the racing easier to get into by showing what’s happening off the track too.

Concept

motorsport

"[2010.4s] ultimately, like, [2011.3s] motorsport is sick anyway. [2012.9s] It's such a spectacle to see."

Motorsport is basically car racing—different series where drivers compete. It’s exciting because you’re watching both the driving and the teams making decisions during the race.

Concept

pits

"Well, I'm not surprised because I'm going to see the pits at the moment. I don't even know what's going on with them, but I just know it's bad"

The pits are the area at a race track where the team goes to work on the car during a stop. Mechanics can change tires and do other quick fixes to help the car get back out faster.

Concept

Goodwood Revival

"...one more so than others, which was a Goodwood revival in 2024. And I just happened to, it was a good video..."

Goodwood Revival is a big car event in the UK where people bring older cars and race them. It’s known for a fun, old-school vibe, so clips from there often get attention.

Concept

F2

"It was something in F2 then, I think. Yes. He had literally just signed the house contract like maximum a month before."

“F2” means Formula 2, a racing league where drivers compete in cars similar in spirit to F1. It’s like a stepping stone—many drivers use it to move up to Formula 1.

Company

MoneyGram

"And you know, I think the first one, the first brand I worked with was MoneyGram, Hass F1 team."

MoneyGram is a company that helps people send money. Here, it’s mentioned as one of the brands that reached out to work with her.

Brand

Top Gear

"[3170.8s] So you've had, [3171.2s] you've had some big old names, haven't you? [3172.9s] Chris Harris from Top Gear."

Top Gear is a long-running automotive TV show known for car reviews, challenges, and celebrity interviews. Chris Harris is one of its most recognizable presenters, and his mention signals a mainstream, enthusiast-friendly automotive audience.

Brand

Chris Harris

"But Chris Harris, for example, massive name. Top gear presenter, huge, for those who are not car people, like massive car YouTuber, car journalist has done everything in cars."

Chris Harris is a famous car writer and TV personality. He’s known for reviewing cars and talking about car culture, including on YouTube.

Concept

Formula 1 world champion

"So, number one, Charlotte Claire, 2026 world champion, or Lewis Hamilton, 2026 world champion. Lewis Hamilton. Charlotte Claire is your favourite driver?"

In Formula 1, drivers earn points at races all year long. The driver with the most points at the end of the season becomes the “world champion.”

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