Bella James plays 'This or That' | Plus the inside stories on all her viral clips
The Fast and the Curious
Bella James plays 'This or That' | Plus the inside stories on all her viral clips
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Company
Progressive
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
A team principal is basically the top leader of an F1 team. They oversee the team’s direction and make big decisions.
Concept
F1
“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
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
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
“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
“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
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
That phrase means “way ahead” of everyone else. The speaker is saying Max Verstappen stands out a lot.
Company
Auto Trader Magazine
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
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
“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
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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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.”
LIVE
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Immersing yourself in all things soccer ahead of this summer's World Cup?
I'm Alex Abnos, senior sports editor from The Guardian.
Whether you're a soccer beginner or you know the game inside and out, we've got you covered.
From one of the fastest growing soccer newsrooms, The Guardian brings you in-depth World Cup coverage
that gets into the winners and losers on and off the pitch.
Read, watch, and listen as our journalists connect the dots between the games, the cultures,
and this political moment.
We'll have daily newsletters throughout the tournament, a global perspective, and a squad
of Americans, including me, on the ground with the U.S. national team.
Plus, if you want to test your soccer knowledge, try On the Ball.
It's a game in The Guardian app, and it's really, really fun.
And if you're into stuff like this...
Well, I think the problem is, if you give footballers an inch, they will take a mile.
Is it too much when it's this close?
It's a bit much. It's a bit too real.
Maybe you could just talk with a slight delay.
Be sure to listen to our Football Weekly podcast for On the Move Expert Analysis.
The Guardian, bringing you the whole picture on soccer.
Search Guardian Soccer for more.
Hello, everybody. Welcome back to The Fast and the Curious.
We obviously still haven't got any racing to talk about, but that is not going to stop us
talking about the wonderful world of Formula One.
I'm Betty Glover.
Christian Hugill is here, as ever. Can't get rid of him, actually.
He's always here lurking.
No. Are you Christian?
Yeah, I'm all right, mate. I'm fine. Thank you.
I think I've relaxed into the break a little bit.
Like, I'm still...
Obviously, better you do lots of other sports.
I just do F1. I'm still working.
But I've also relaxed into not quite working as intensely for this week.
Feel like I should take advantage, because the season goes on to literally Christmas.
So I've quite enjoyed it.
You've got to enjoy your weekends, Christian.
Get out there in this British sunshine.
Do you know what I did in the British sunshine earlier?
What?
Sat and had a... How did I listen to Put It last week?
A non-conventional fruit. That's not how they put it.
But it's amazing how many people have messaged me about that.
Non-casual fruit.
A non-casual fruit. Thank you.
I did have a mango pot earlier.
And thoughts of this podcast when getting a mango pot out and about for my lunch.
So, yeah.
Excellent. Excellent.
We're losing our heads here.
We need Formula One back, guys. This is ridiculous.
We can't have another week talking about fruit.
But luckily, actually, we've got someone with us today.
We've got a special guest.
She made a debut on the Fast and the Curious last year,
deputizing for me to chat to Christian about the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Now, a year on, she has gone from strength to strength
and is easily one of our most requested returning guests.
Content creator, social media star,
host of the YouTube series Box Box.
Bella James is here.
Bella, hello.
Hello. Most requested returning guest.
You guys are just trying to be nice. That can't be true.
That's definitely... No, it is.
It's Ollie Bell. I think it is true.
Well...
But I'll take it. I'll take it. I'll take it.
We genuinely have had lots of get Bella back on messages.
I tagged you in just one of many the other week, Bella,
and you've replied saying,
yeah, I'm up for coming on, and here you are.
I do, as I'm told.
Yeah, thank you.
Bella, we did a Q&A last week.
What's... And I'd like to put the question to you.
What's your favourite non-casual fruits, please?
I'm confused as to what that is.
What are you talking about?
Betty, explain.
I think what the person meant...
So, one of the listeners, one of our listeners,
messaged in saying,
what's your favourite non-casual fruit?
And I think what he meant was a fruit that isn't like your classics.
Like a strawberry would be a normal one.
Yeah, like an apple.
Not an apple. Not an apple.
So, just something a bit different.
Is a raspberry niche enough?
I feel like it's not.
No, no.
I'm going to have to push you for another one.
We really grill our guests for the hard answers here, Bella.
You'll have to do better than a raspberry.
I'm not even sure what you said.
Mango something or other.
He said mango.
Yeah, I had a mango part earlier.
A peach?
Peach is good.
Yeah, peach is alright. Peach is alright.
I went nectarine, actually.
Oh, but that's basically the same thing.
Yes.
So, we're on the similar vibes.
I agree, peach or nectarine, because when you get them right,
that's like life at its peak, do you know what I mean?
Yeah, this bloody season needs to get going,
because this is ridiculous.
Christian, on our running order, in capital letters,
it says Christian has a fact about the name Box Box.
Yeah, we're going to talk about Bella's YouTube series,
Box Box later.
Bella, we, when we started this podcast,
what, three and a bit years ago,
we so badly struggled for a name,
and Box Box was up there.
I don't know if you remember this, Betty.
No, I didn't.
Yeah, it was, I think, at one point,
I don't think we've ever spoken about this on air.
No.
It was in the top three at one point.
Yeah, I do.
What was the second one?
There was one that we didn't go for, and it was really...
The one that we didn't go for, Bella, what do you think to this?
Because I think it's looking back, absolute s***.
But we nearly went for break time.
That was it.
Spelt like breaks, as in the car breaks.
Yeah, that's awful.
Awful.
I don't like that.
We actually nearly went for that.
Hey, guys, welcome to break time.
Break time.
No, like, that's like a...
Isn't that what you...
Is that what it's called when you're, like, at nursery?
Have a break time?
Yeah.
I don't know, like, with the...
Yeah.
It's giving, like, juice pot with a straw.
It is.
You know what I mean?
And it's giving that, like, chat GBT came up with it.
They can't come up with anything good.
No, that's true.
It doesn't do my Instagram captions for me, I wish.
Yeah.
What year would that have been, then?
2023.
Yeah, it was 2023.
But Box Box was up there, definitely.
That was one of the...
Yeah, but the rest, as they say, is history.
Yeah, I actually...
I probably came up with it in, like, 2020...
Probably 2023 as well, because I was still at uni
when I thought of the idea.
So it was, like, 22...
Oh, amazing.
Wait, maybe it was 22.
So technically...
Technically, you beat us.
I just didn't execute it.
Well, no, they did waste, is that worry?
No.
It's fine.
Thank God.
Thank God, guys.
I don't know why I would have done.
Bella, we want to talk to you about your Formula One journey,
and we're going to get into all of it, how you got started,
the social media sensation side of it,
some of your biggest and best interviews.
But we've got to start this episode by talking about
the one piece of big Formula One news
that we have actually had recently,
and this actually dropped an hour after we released our last episode,
everybody, which wasn't ideal, was it, Christian?
Let's get into it.
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.
Not until 2028, taking the Lewis Hamilton approach
of leaving a team but doing it bloody slowly.
He's Red Bull's head of racing,
which is frankly a ridiculous title for any adult human being to have,
and he's been Max's race engineer since 2016.
Bella, have you struggled to focus on any news in your life
since this shock announcement that's kept us going
with something to talk about in the break?
Have you coped?
To be fair, I don't have much going on in my life.
So...
Yeah, nothing going on here.
Just GP leaving.
I didn't even know he was Italian.
Jean-Pierre Lambiasse, see?
No, it's...
That was a great accent.
Jean-Pierre Lambiasse...
Very good, Bella.
It should be better.
Can you speak Italian?
I'm Bella.
I'm a content creator on Formula One.
I love it.
OK, so now we know why it's a good accent. OK.
I am a quarter Italian, but I can't really speak Italian that well.
Quarter Italian?
Bella.
Bella.
Yeah, Isabella.
To call someone Bella in Italy is weird,
because it does just mean beautiful,
so you can't name your child in Italy Bella,
because it could be like us naming a child beautiful.
So Isabella is my full name.
Beautiful is one of those mad celebrity names, isn't it?
Like...
Yes.
You know what I mean?
XQ245.
Yeah, yeah.
So he, according to Wikipedia,
was born in Bedford, famously not Italian,
but to Italian parents, so he is British Italian.
There you go.
We're probably related.
Like, there's a chance.
Probably.
I mean, probably.
I actually met someone from Audi comms,
and I was actually related to him.
Not even.
No, I'm not even joking.
We sat down and he was like,
oh, my Italian name is this,
and I was like, same.
And he was like, my other Italian name is this,
and he was like, same.
And I was like, what?
And turns out we're like third cousins or something.
Jesus.
That's weird.
Italians were incestual, I think, or something.
I don't know what it was.
For legal reasons,
we'd like to say that all Italians aren't necessarily that.
We love the Italians.
Yeah, sure.
On GP though, Christian.
So yeah, too many tangents.
No, no, we love a tangent.
Don't worry, you're very welcome with a tangent
on this podcast, Belly.
You're very welcome.
On Bella's long lost father.
Probably.
That's insulting to him.
I know, I know.
Uncle, cousin.
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.
And there was also a big reaction.
I completely missed that, by the way.
Bella was there, I'm on the ground.
I've got no information now.
Yeah, carry on.
Well, there was a very big reaction
at the end of the race.
Cash in mind about to obviously Max not winning,
but Max not winning wasn't exactly a surprise by Abu Dhabi.
It was always a long shot.
And a lot of people said the sort of emotional reaction,
does that mean he's off?
Does that mean he's moving on?
There'd been other whispers that he might,
that might be his last race with the team.
They carried on into the winter.
They didn't really, well, obviously they didn't happen.
It didn't materialise this winter,
but some quiet murmurings in the paddock of GP
potentially having a new role had been around.
But nothing like this is going to happen at this point
or he's going to this team,
not like, say, the Jonathan Wheatley stuff of,
he's going to Aston, it wasn't that strong.
But it hasn't surprised me that it's eventually come out
that he's moving on, because sometimes in F1
it feels like a bit of no smoke without fire.
It just feels like such a big blow for Red Bull, doesn't it?
Because they've lost so many big names.
Now this, you just think, oh, God, where do they go from here?
I think, I don't know if you get asked this better.
I get asked a lot, what role would you play
if you could pick a job in Formula One?
And I'm like, I would be no...
No one's ever asked me that.
Really?
They don't think I'm good enough, clearly.
Well, no, but this is my answer.
I'm like, I couldn't do any of it.
But I feel like if any of us three
wanted to apply for a job,
we should probably do it at Red Bull,
because they seem to have vacancies
in like every department.
Yeah, it's not good.
Do we have any inside T words for why?
Do you know why?
It's an excellent question.
The one thing I don't think it's connected to
is Max's...
Departure?
Yeah, potential departure.
I think that is so up in the air
that GP, for my money, isn't thinking about that.
I think he's thinking about his own future.
And if you think about it in Formula One,
if you look at the people who have been
on the staff side of things, by that I mean non-drivers,
if you look at the people that have been in the Paddock decades,
not many of them stay with one team
throughout their entire career.
He's been with Red Bull an awful long time.
And I think the chance to join McLaren,
which he's obviously been presented with,
he's really exciting.
We discussed this a couple of weeks ago, Bella,
where we thought, you know, this dip at the moment,
it doesn't feel like it's going to be a dip forever.
They've impressed so many people with the way
they've roared back into championship contention
in the last couple of years.
And I think people think they're there to stay.
So in terms of why, obviously I think he'd be able
to give us that proper answer,
but I don't think it's Max's future.
I think it's more thinking, what's my next step?
This is someone who's been a race engineer,
as I said, head of racing.
This is someone who's clearly got a role to play
in the sort of upper echelons of management in Formula One.
And where would you want to do that if you do fancy a change?
You can't really get too many better other options
than McLaren, so I think it's just an attractive move
for anyone working in F1 at the moment,
as we've seen by other people leaving to join them.
It's a promotion as well, isn't it?
Yeah.
What's he going to be?
Head of more racing?
Well, the job title, I mean, Betty, you told me this, didn't you?
The job title has been banded about is chief racing officer.
Betty, I've got that right, haven't I?
Yeah, and that's currently covered off
by team principal Andrea Stella.
Well, yeah.
So, Bella, to answer your question more broadly
on how it's going to fit together,
the sort of why McLaren question seems to have been answered by,
F1 gets bigger and bigger.
The season gets longer and longer.
You do see people like Zack missing races.
And we discussed on last week's podcast
that Zack very much leaves the racing,
the management of the race team side of things to Andrea Stella.
He focuses on bigger picture stuff.
Andrea Stella, you look after the race team.
But I think what McLaren are saying here is
even this is becoming such a bloody big job.
There's so much to do in Formula One,
especially in this new era of new rules,
that maybe it was too big a job for one person
and therefore somebody reporting into Andrea Stella
an extra pair of hands, somebody who's senior,
somebody who's got so much winning experience in GP,
got so much F1 experience in GP,
is just another handy person to have.
They obviously think his personality is the right one.
They obviously think he can work collaboratively with Zack,
with Andrea. There's been people saying,
oh, well, he's going to replace Andrea.
This is a surefire sign he's going to leave.
I don't think that's the case at all.
I think he's quite happy at McLaren.
But it's just a sign of how big a job it is
that they basically want an extra pair of hands.
What a bloody good extra pair of hands.
You know, if you're getting somebody so used to winning,
such experience with working with the very best,
it's a great signing for McLaren.
Do you think it's weird, though,
that they've announced it in 24, 20, 28?
That feels like so long away.
Was he going to be leaked or something, maybe?
I don't know, because we all find out about everything, don't we?
It's a really good point, Bella,
that has it been leaked and is that why it's coming out now?
Because it did appear in the media before the official announcement.
So, Bella, that's a possibility.
Betty, to your point,
what feels weird about it
is you don't often
get staff announced
as sort of, as I said earlier,
Lewis Hamilton-style leaving in advance,
because they're privy to so many secrets.
And, you know, car development,
like work on the 2027 packages has already started.
You know, F1 cars, for those new to the sport,
you don't get to the end of the season in 2026.
You go, right, well, it's January 1st,
we should think about 2027.
You know, it's constantly evolving.
And I just saw there was a line in McLaren's press release
that said,
no later than 2028,
which made me think,
is there a world here where an earlier exit is negotiated,
which would basically be in return for a fat wad of cash?
It wouldn't surprise me,
because it is definitely unusual
for a staff member to be...
It's not unusual to go on a long period of gardening leave,
and somebody asked me what gardening leave meant the other day,
which is a very good question.
I literally learned that last week.
Really?
Because of Formula One.
Yeah, I've never heard that before in my entire life.
Somebody said I'm on...
It's actually an interesting short story.
I met someone from...
They used to be at Red Bull.
He told me he was on gardening leave.
I was like, oh, that's a really funny joke.
And then it's an actual thing.
You were like, are you planting your geraniums,
or what's going on here?
Yeah, literally.
Well, it's used by sport people.
Oh, it's...
Yeah, it's not exclusively a sporting term,
but if you're joining a rival,
they basically say, go on gardening leave,
and you hear it in sport quite a bit.
And it basically means,
we don't want you working for us,
because you're going to learn all the trade secrets.
But equally, we don't want you working for them yet,
because you're still contracted to us.
So while you run down your contract,
rather than giving our rivals an advantage
by letting you join them early,
you can sit and do nothing for a bit.
And sometimes they're literally paid to do nothing.
So you do see periods of gardening leave.
Very rarely do you see people having such an active role
within a team whilst knowing
they are going to join someone else down the line.
So it wouldn't surprise me if there was a Red Bull exit
sooner than when he's joining McLaren.
Do you think he will leave sooner if Max Verstappen leaves?
Because he has said that in the past, doesn't he?
Yeah, they are well connected to each other.
The thing is, it's very difficult contract-wise
to necessarily link...
Unless there is something in his contract
that says, if Max goes, I go,
which wouldn't necessarily be unheard of in Formula One
when you've got a tight relationship
between a driver and a race engineer,
I think it will depend on his contract.
It's not as simple as just going,
well, Max is going, so I'm off.
It will really depend with what's in his contract.
On Max, Bella, what are your thoughts?
I just hope he doesn't leave.
I don't care where he goes,
if he stays in Formula One, what team he goes to.
Obviously, anything's possible in Formula One.
We know that with Lewis going to Ferrari.
I just don't want him to leave,
which I think is very possible because he's always said,
I'll get three, four, however many championships he's on now,
and then I have a baby, I've got stuff to do.
He can also go and race in all these other things,
which he's obviously amazing at as well.
He gets more fun out of at the moment.
I don't know, I just don't want to leave selfishly
because I haven't interviewed him.
So, selfishly, I don't want him running away from me.
Bella James, Max for staff and interview would be excellent.
I'd like that. I think he'd like you, Bella.
Thank you, I think he would too.
I think he'd really like you.
Bella, you're quite a straight shooter.
You just say what you think,
and that's what I've always loved about Max.
And Betty, we've said this a lot, haven't we?
We've always found it really funny when the example we've bought
on the podcast before, Betty,
is when we were in Silverstone and everyone was getting excited
because they'd just released the film,
and Brad Pitt was in the panic,
and Max was like, I don't care.
I don't care at all.
And it was just very funny that he'd just be so...
Who's Brad Pitt?
Yeah, I don't care.
But Bella, I think you almost vibe-share in some way to me, Bella.
It's just a bit like, I'm just going to say it.
Thank you, I think.
Yeah, it's a compliment.
That's what Max's trainer said to me once.
He was like, actually, I'm surprised that Max
isn't like top of your favourite driver,
because you like him.
And I was like, oh, that's a really good point.
Yeah.
Like, I do like him, but he's not like top two.
Do you know what I mean?
Who is your top two?
I mean, to be honest, it really does change a lot,
but Charles is always number one.
And then I'd say it would have been Carlos.
It would have been Daniel.
He ran away from me, do you know what I mean?
I can't...
I don't want it to happen again.
Sounds really territorial, but...
Yeah.
Yeah.
But I like everyone, so I don't, like,
want people to fail for anyone listening.
No.
Yeah, no.
No.
But Charles has always been favourite,
but I actually really, really, we're warm.
I think generally the English-British public
is warming to Max more now.
Yeah, I think so.
After last season, I think,
because obviously when he was so dominant,
everyone was just like, ooh.
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,
and they're like, ooh, new sign of Max.
But you're right, Betty, you're right.
The Brits love an underdog. That is a British thing.
Yeah.
We don't necessarily back, like, the Americans do,
a brash, I'm gonna crush it, character.
We like a sort of underdog,
and therefore when Max played the underdog role last year,
and it looked unlikely, I think that...
I think he did gain British support. I do think he did.
Yeah, I agree.
Someone made a good point of, like,
do we just dislike the person who's winning,
which is quite typical in sport, I guess,
because, like, same with, I would say even, like,
Lando was adored when he came in,
but it's less so now he's winning, so...
Yeah, I don't know.
Yeah, it's a very British thing, I think.
Like, as soon as you just want the underdog to win,
as soon as someone's, like, too dominant,
we're like, no, no, no, no, no.
Not a massive fan of this anymore.
I was actually thinking this earlier.
Do you think Max Verstappen can be in that goat category now?
We are gonna move on in a moment,
but this just sprung to my head.
Yeah, 100%.
I think he was in it, like, two years ago, maybe.
Yeah.
I think he's the best on the grid.
Yeah.
But, like, I don't know, I can't do maths,
but, like, quite a large margin.
Yeah, I would say.
Like, I just think that that's the one driver
who you can never discount.
You can't be like, oh, no, Max will definitely won't get it.
I don't know, you know.
You always find a way to get something, so, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I agree.
It would be, it would be sad,
sad times if he ended up leaving.
And Christian, anything you want to add on this
before we take a break?
I agree with Max.
I sort of, I always think, like,
who are the drivers that have squeezed more out of their car
over the course of their careers
than cars have been capable of?
And certainly we saw that a lot from Lewis
when he was coming through,
and he had, he won for so many years consecutively,
despite not having the competitive car.
And Lewis has always been good at that,
and I think Max has done it as well.
So I always say with Max,
I really don't like comparing the who's the greatest,
because they've all got different character traits
and different traits as drivers.
But I agree with Bella.
I think he's the best bar country mile now.
And I always say, I don't think anyone better's done it.
Whether there's people as good, different answer,
but he's, I don't think there's anyone
been solidly better than Max Verstappen.
He's incredible.
It's difficult to say that, like, he's,
obviously he is the best in the world right now or whatever.
But it's difficult to say,
because there's only 20 or 22 people doing it,
and you never know who didn't make it.
So it's like, there's all these racing drivers out there
that didn't have the money or sponsorship, whatever.
So we don't know how good they are or were.
But yeah.
Yeah.
I know it is interesting though,
because every sport does have a goat or a couple of goats.
And like, you're always going to have them.
And if you make it then, like, you are the best.
And I think he's definitely,
he's sat up there with the goats in F1.
We're going to take a quick break,
but when we're back,
we're going to get into Bella James's wild brain.
Absolutely.
That's a very good, very good description.
Yeah.
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Hello, everybody. Welcome back to the Fast and the Curious.
Bella James is with us, Bella.
We mentioned earlier that you have been on before,
and you and Christian were deep in debriefing mode.
So we didn't actually get to talk to you
as much as we probably would have liked
and find out a bit about your story
and your journey to get to where you are.
So for those that aren't aware,
tell us about your background
and how you've ended up in this position in Formula One.
Well, luckily I'm well versed in this story,
even though I'm not actually the best storyteller.
But in short, at uni,
I started making content in 2019.
So I was 18.
It was YouTube that I started on.
Not related to F1 or cars or anything like that.
And then 2020,
I tried to survive COVID,
basic story,
loved that,
because my dad was an F1 fan,
and he was a Lewis fan.
But again, back to our point earlier,
wasn't keen on him winning all the time.
So I'd go down and he'd be like,
oh, Lewis is winning.
And I'd be like, okay,
obviously he is.
This is a bit boring.
Maybe I won't watch.
And then I tried to survive,
just completely changed my mind on that.
And then just loved it ever since.
And then it wasn't until two years after
I started loving Formula One,
two or three years maybe,
that I then started making F1 related content.
So, which is a bit annoying,
because I'm like, I could have been here earlier.
But yeah, no.
Everything happens for a reason.
So that's when I started doing F1 stuff.
And I've liked cars longer
than I've liked motor sports well.
So there's been that.
I was going to ask about this,
because I think that comes across
in watching Box Box.
You immediately just reel off
more car knowledge than I've got.
Because I'm the opposite.
I was never that bothered by cars.
I was only bothered by F1.
You're completely the opposite,
like cars, not F1.
What was it about cars when,
yeah, we could,
I'd realised this, watching Box Box,
that we sort of come at it the opposite way.
What was it with cars when you were younger
that made you just fall in love with them?
I don't know.
I think it was like mid-teen years.
But it's funny you said to me,
being knowledgeable,
like I'm definitely more knowledgeable
than the average person.
But when I'm in the room with car nerds,
similar to F1 or whatever,
they're like,
you don't know what that is.
And I'm like, no.
Oh, this is me, though.
I'm the same.
This was me and Christian in Detroit.
Oh, yes.
Yes, at the Red Bull launch,
me and Betty quite accidentally
ended up at like a car launch
of like an actual car.
Was it Ford?
Yes.
Was it when you read me that?
Yes, it was with Ford.
But you got put in different groups.
So there were like,
like podcasters in one group,
there was like influencers and whatever.
And then there was like the hardcore journals.
And I don't...
Auto Trader Magazine.
Auto, yes.
Things like this,
proper car people.
And this was like a couple of days
before the actual Red Bull
and Racing Bull's car launch.
So we were sort of at the Ford like factory
and all this stuff.
Which was cool.
And me and Christian,
it was amazing,
but me and Christian ended up in the journal,
like the hardcore journalist group.
And they bought out this new car.
It was called like the Dark Horse something.
And everyone was amazing.
Oh, yeah, the Mustang.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And they were like writing notes and like,
we were listening to all these different people,
like real off, like these spills about this car.
Me and Christian were like,
oh my God.
I don't think we're supposed to be here.
Listen.
You're like, when's the...
When's the F1?
Yeah, like, where's the F1 car?
It's kind of horribly wrong.
Yeah.
But it's interesting, isn't it?
And people do fall in like...
People just fall for the sport in different ways.
Did you...
Did you make a thing of...
Because you said you did YouTube content,
but was there like an overnight thing of going,
okay, I'm going to try F1 content?
I just remember seeing it on TikTok
and I was like,
oh, I was like,
hang on,
why don't I...
I'm so stupid,
why don't I do this?
And then I did that.
I think it literally started with my mum
rating F1 drivers.
I don't...
I think that might have been
the first F1 related video.
So, yeah.
Because I literally saw...
I think I saw someone else do it.
So, essentially,
I've just copied other people.
Like, box, box,
that's where I got my idea from,
from you guys, really.
I just didn't tell you.
Yeah, you just...
You were...
You were skying on us
and you just...
You hacked the WhatsApp grade.
No, I think from then on,
I did...
It was at the same time
I started doing more short form stuff anyway.
So, I was like,
yeah, short form is coming in.
Instagram reels had like,
just become a thing.
So, I was like,
okay,
I need to do more of that
TikTok as well.
And so,
it's easier.
Like, what am I...
I don't know, like,
YouTube would...
YouTube is hard to crack anyway.
But if I was there doing a YouTube video,
like, I'm not the type of person
who can...
Like, I mean,
I am like this,
but like, just talk about F1 for ages,
because I don't know
if I retain enough knowledge
to do that.
But short form was perfect for it.
And I would just...
It'd just be funny stuff.
So, I'm not being like,
oh, the stats and all that,
because I don't know.
Even if I do know them,
I forget them.
I'm so bad.
My memory is so bad.
Same with the cast.
You'd be both to be fair.
Yeah.
What is it about F1
that like has hooked you then?
Because obviously,
if you're like a sort of
new-ish fan starting to come into it,
it can be...
It can...
It's just wild, isn't it?
There's so many sort of
different aspects of it
that you can sort of fall in love with,
I think.
So, what was it that you really,
like, clicked with?
I think to be fair,
I'm not like a sports person anyway.
Like, I've never really
liked doing sports,
like watching it.
I'm really selling it here.
But F1 just...
It was just how Drive to Survive
was different
and how you're seeing
the characters of the people.
That's how you care,
because, like,
ultimately, like,
motorsport is sick anyway.
It's such a spectacle to see.
But when you know
who's driving the cars
and what the politics is
and what there is going on
and like their home life
or whatever,
the cameras have allowed them to see,
it's just so interesting
because that's how you get, like,
passion behind, you know, in fans.
Like, that's how you care
about who's going to win
and who isn't.
So that was, I don't know,
I just, like,
it was literally
when I watched Drive to Survive,
I was like, OK, done.
Like, I don't know,
I just, I don't know.
I was like, done.
That's just my whole life done now.
But Bella, me and Betty
like to send each other long
WhatsApp voice notes.
Often when we're both walking
our respective dogs,
therefore they both sort of
get interrupted by it,
be like, yeah,
and you're talking like this,
oh, hang on, McGinn!
McGinn!
And that happens a lot.
But on one of these,
Betty, do you remember,
do you know where I'm going
with this?
We were talking about, OK,
and that's standard.
But we were talking about
why F1 hooks in a lot of people
who aren't necessarily sports fans.
And we were saying that has
positives and negatives.
Like, it's amazing that,
it's amazing that a sport
engages non-sport fans.
And Bella, I think that's,
you're exactly right.
I think the storylines,
the sort of politics,
the soap opera, the drama,
I think that's a massive reason
why it's been successful
and why it has hooked in
non-sport fans.
I think sometimes what
that brings with it is
when someone says like,
I don't know,
Oscar could have done better,
Lando could have done better.
And you get fans to be like,
you can't say that, that's awful.
You're like, no, this is sports.
That's what's happened.
It's sort of,
I think you get a double-edged sword
of seeing how the sport
does capture people
who maybe don't necessarily follow.
It's not like, oh, I also,
like baseball and rugby
and football.
Do you know what I mean?
Yeah.
It's like sports,
such a funny thing.
It's just entertainment,
which I would,
is the same thing that I do.
Like, we don't need it.
Sport could not exist.
It doesn't like,
save anyone's lives.
But it's like this whole
sector of the world that like,
so many people care,
especially in football,
for example,
so much about that it will,
football is a different level.
That will ruin their lives.
Where I'm like,
okay, maybe we should,
we should chill.
But that's what's great about
Formula One is I get to be like,
oh, happy for them.
Sad for them.
Yes, I totally agree.
I totally agree.
Football makes me sad
a lot of the time at the moment
because I'm a Leicester fan
and we are so terrible.
It's not true.
But you're exactly right.
That is something that I love
about Formula One.
That it makes me happy
because even if I don't really
have a favourite,
I've never really had a favourite.
I liked Jensen growing up
because he was that underdog
we spoke about earlier.
Like when he was at BAR,
and it was like,
it's not quite winning
and I like that underdog.
But I've never had like,
you're the only one I want to win.
You're my favourite.
So if like,
yeah, if Charles wins,
you're like,
oh, that's lovely.
Lovely, Charles.
And then if Kimmy wins,
you're like, oh, it's lovely for Kimmy.
It just makes me happy
whereas football just makes me
so desperately sad.
Yeah.
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
because I never hear anything about them.
It's interesting though
because Formula One is not as tribal
as football in that sense, isn't it?
But I love the fact that it can appeal
to so many different people.
Like you could be somebody
that loves like the tech side
and the mechanics side
and that sort of like,
you know, the strategy
and all of that.
You could be somebody
that just loves the wheel-to-wheel racing.
Like you just love sport,
so you just love watching that.
And then you could be somebody
that is more interested
in the personalities
and the storylines
and all of that.
And I just, I love that it can attract
so many different people.
Loud bike, sorry.
Yeah.
Someone's added something to that.
Next to a sapper
pulling up at your mouth.
I wish.
And to me now.
Can you imagine?
It's coming on.
We have quite a young like,
sort of, yeah,
we do have a really young audience
on this podcast.
Don't be a Christian.
What advice would you give
to anybody that would want to create
Formula One content
or just general content, I guess,
and sort of follow in your footsteps?
Yeah.
Oh my God.
It's like, oh,
I can remember when I'd like,
watch videos of people saying this
when I wanted to do it.
So it's like such a burden, guys.
Um, no.
Um, I would say,
it doesn't matter
if you don't know what content
or you don't know what to do,
but trial and error.
Like, and it took years
and years and years
and obviously me posting
to get anything for it.
So you have to be willing
to make that sacrifice.
Same with anything
if you want to do anything niche
or even like be a doctor.
That takes ages.
Um, so you've got to be willing
to really like,
really want it.
Otherwise you will give up,
which is fine.
Try.
And maybe you don't like it,
but definitely trial and error
and just throw,
throw sh** to the wall
until it sticks.
Do you know what I mean?
And you'll find your thing.
Were you ever close to giving up?
Was there ever a point
when you thought this just
isn't happening for me?
No.
No.
I don't, I don't,
I don't really know.
I was literally like,
plan A.
That's literally it.
There was no such thing
as plan B.
Cause like,
like I did work for my dad
for like two weeks in summer
about 2015 or something.
And I was like tapping away
at the laptop.
And I was like,
absolutely not.
Like, no.
I mean,
like he's like engineering admin.
I was like,
no,
I'm not doing this.
So I was just like,
whatever I have to do
to not do that
is what I'm going to do.
Not maybe not whatever,
but,
but this was like perfect.
And I think it's just amazing
the amount of control I have
and everything I get to do with it
and everything I get to create
and being in charge and whatnot
is amazing.
But no,
I don't think I,
with this,
I don't,
I didn't have a bone in my body
that was going to give up.
We'd like a marathon.
Like, absolutely.
I don't,
I'm giving up before I start.
Like,
I don't think it's my personality,
but it was just like,
when I really want something,
I will get it.
But it's,
it's brilliant Bella,
because even in the years
since you've last been on the part,
like your star has risen,
you've really found an audience.
You've really found a style.
You're so yourself in your videos.
It's like it's,
it's been great to see and watch
and it's gone really well.
But was,
was there a moment do you think
where something clicked?
Was it a particular piece of content
or was there a particular time that, yeah,
this is,
it's just clicked.
This is what I want to be doing.
This feels good.
Or even something that just bought you
to the attention of others.
Was there a little moment in any of it?
I think when I started doing interviews,
if you mean from like,
from me feeling good about me
of having found my thing,
was the interviews,
but that wasn't necessarily
because I still did interviews
when I was at uni,
just would let people on the street.
So, and I have done that previously
just in London or whatever.
But I just like,
I realized it was supposed to be a people,
like I was good at people things
and having good weird interactions with people.
And that can obviously be done anywhere,
which is great and I can apply it to wherever.
But that's when I was like,
oh, I think that's what I one,
enjoy doing the most
and two actually people like watching.
But as for like a video that did well,
I kind of had a few
quite a few go viral at the same time,
but one more so than others,
which was a Goodwood revival in 2024.
And I just happened to,
it was a good video,
but I just happened to find that one really posh guy
who was slightly drunk
and everyone loved that interaction.
I clipped like that specific interaction
from loads of people in that video
and posted it again like three times
and it got like six to three million,
like every time.
Like for no reason.
We were talking about my wellies.
That's crazy.
And it just went.
It just went and it was like,
I think it took,
I don't know what it was saying.
It was like five hours,
it was on four million or something.
And I was like, that's weird.
Like that's, yeah.
So, but then at the same time,
I had a few things go viral
and I was like, brilliant,
but we're taking off
and then it was just climbing.
And yeah, I was like,
finally after six years
or five years, I think five,
at that point,
finally I can relax a little bit
and then also feel the stress
of people expecting you to make content.
I remember your Olly Bearman arm wrestle.
Arm wrestle, I remember that.
And I feel like that was quite early, wasn't it?
Wait, yeah, that was earlier.
Oh, wow.
It was something in F2 then, I think.
Yes.
He had literally just signed
the house contract like
maximum a month before.
I did that.
That was in July 24.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
My memory is so bad, I told you.
Yeah, so that was,
I think I had 7,000 followers
when I posted, sorry,
someone's calling me.
Oh God.
She's very busy and important.
She's very busy, very important.
Maybe it's Olly Bearman
wanting another arm wrestle.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Honestly, that's due to happen at some point.
I had 7,000 followers at that point
and then I just arm wrestle to him
because I was like,
that's weird and nobody else
is going to do that, I hope.
And then there's just,
but I knew like if I got it right
that people would clip it
and put it in black and white
and they did that.
So I was like, job done.
So, yeah, so clever.
You've just got to get those
like couple of viral sort of moments
or think slightly differently.
I also, I think it's really impressive
how just yourself you are
when you're in front of a camera
because that's really not very easy
for people to do.
And it also like in my industry
like sports broadcasting,
you sort of get told all the time
and I think the best presenters
are the ones that are themselves.
But that's not easy, you're right.
That sounds so much,
for people not in broadcasting,
they'll listen to that and think,
well, obviously,
but it's better, you're right.
It's so not easy to just be yourself
and find what yourself is
in front of a camera
because it's not a normal thing to do.
I think you're right, Betty.
No, it's very strange.
Like you put on a persona almost
and actually the best people
are the ones that are just them.
So how did you learn to do that?
I think, I mean, I guess obviously
I've been in front of the camera
for seven years now,
but like I think for me,
it's opposite where like I find it
difficult to be someone else.
Like I can't be performative at all.
Like, and I really struggle
to do down the barrel stuff
where it's like, you have to be like,
hi guys, we're here.
I can't do that.
I'm just like, hi,
like which is my,
sometimes my version of enthusiasm
is just like, I don't know.
But yeah,
not being exactly myself
feels difficult.
So I think it might be the opposite for me
where like I just struggle to not,
it's like me is like in a barriers
and like say something,
like say something,
like say something that you're thinking.
I'm like, my thoughts are all going ahead.
I just let them out
for like 99% of the time.
So it works so well for you though.
It really does.
I'm glad.
Yeah, I'm glad.
Thank God.
And you've had that journey as well.
You've gone from,
as you said,
that person who discovered the sport
and the fan being sat in front of
trying to survive.
And then you've got to go into
Formula One paddocks.
What's that been like?
What's what's it been like
seeing the other side of the curtain?
Yeah, I remember being,
which I made a little video about this
when I was in Silverstone last year,
which was my first year there,
in the paddock.
I went to Silverstone in 2021
and I was like on the grass
general admission up at 4am
and it was 30 degrees.
It was like,
but it was amazing because I loved Formula One,
but it was like,
oh my God, this is,
we're roasting.
We're like actually dying out here.
And I just remember seeing the paddock
or not seeing the paddock
because it was just loads of buildings
and it was like somewhere there.
And I was like, I need to,
I literally am not coming back here
until I'm in the paddock.
I need to get there.
And there's no map to getting there.
Like I had no idea how I was going to get there.
I didn't even think
that content would get me there.
I just was doing that anyway.
And so it felt so unattainable
and it's so easy now to be like,
oh yeah, it's fine.
Like it wasn't that hard,
but like it was.
And there was no,
it just kind of happened.
One video would get good
and then one brand would reach out
and then three months later,
another one would.
And you know,
I think the first one,
the first brand I worked with
was MoneyGram,
Hass F1 team.
Off of Hass.
Yeah.
Formerly.
Formerly, I think.
That's a really good question.
No, I think formerly.
But we wish MoneyGram well
wherever they are now.
There's a MoneyGram shop, by the way,
like near where I live.
I've like never seen MoneyGram before in my life.
And I walked past it and I was like,
what the f*** is MoneyGram doing now?
What is it?
It's a casino.
This has gone.
I'm not sure.
I'm not sure.
Was it like a borrowing?
Hang on, Bella.
Hang on.
You worked with them.
You should know this.
You need to know what they are.
What?
First gram I worked with is
first business I worked with
is MoneyGram.
What are they?
I actually don't even think
I knew at the time.
Send international money transfers
online with MoneyGram.
I didn't deliver any of that information.
They were doing a Monaco
win a Monaco trip thing to win.
I was like,
it doesn't matter what they do.
If you just do this,
then you'll go to Monaco.
Right.
Enjoy it.
We wish them well.
Right.
We'll talk about something
you do know more about,
which is Box Box.
And we'll play a little game
with you as well before we go.
After these commercial messages,
maybe MoneyGram will be in there.
They won't.
But who knows?
Who knows?
Immersing yourself in all things
soccer ahead of this summer's World Cup?
I'm Alex Abnos.
Senior sports editor from The Guardian.
Whether you're a soccer beginner
or you know the game inside and out,
we've got you covered.
From one of the fastest growing
soccer newsrooms,
The Guardian brings you
in-depth World Cup coverage
that gets into the winners and losers
on and off the pitch.
Read, watch, and listen,
as our journalists connect the dots
between the games,
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and this political moment.
We'll have daily newsletters
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and a squad of Americans,
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on the ground with the U.S. National Team.
Plus, if you want to test your soccer knowledge,
try On The Ball.
It's a game in The Guardian app,
and it's really, really fun.
And if you're into stuff like this...
Well, I think the problem is,
if you give footballers an inch,
they will take a mile.
Is it too much when it's this close?
It's a bit much.
It's a bit too real.
Maybe you could just talk with a slight delay.
Be sure to listen to our Football Weekly podcast
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The Guardian,
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Search Guardian Soccer for more.
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Welcome back, everybody.
I hope you enjoyed that.
Now, Bella is still with us.
We need to talk about also, sorry,
just while I'm thinking about it.
You sound like you've interrupted yourself,
dear. Are you okay?
Yeah, I am.
Bella James,
same name as Greg James's wife.
I know.
Did you see that reel?
I literally went up to him
at AutoSport Awards on the car pin.
I was like, I've got this joke planned.
Now, I'm going to be like,
how do you feel about me sharing your second name
and your wife has the same first name
as me?
Like this is like meant to be.
And then he said it and I was like,
hang on.
Hang on.
No, no, no.
You stolen my whole thing.
He does that.
Deep.
I need to tell my individual.
Greg James.
Deep.
God.
Anyway, yeah.
That I was just thinking.
Also same second name as Theo James.
So hello.
I don't know where he is.
He's already actually.
So that's that's good.
That's fine for him.
Well,
every goal is a goalie.
Anyway, that's why we got better on
because Greg's not here at the moment
and not here this week.
So we just thought we need a James.
We'll get better.
We need James.
We need James.
This doesn't work.
Get Bella back.
I'm here and I'm way better.
100%
Comfortable.
Let's talk about box box Bella
for anybody that doesn't know
sort of what it is.
Tell us.
Tell us.
What is it?
Yes, a really good question.
It's my baby.
It's like my,
my,
nowhere near having a real baby.
So it's like my actual child at the moment.
And I came up with it.
Like I said,
at uni 2022 maybe three.
I can't do math.
It's like a while ago,
three years ago.
And then when I started getting connections
to the people I wanted to have on,
I was like, wow,
this is really,
this is soon.
And I thought we need to,
we need to get going with this.
So it's a,
I want to say it's not a podcast
for anybody that thinks it is.
It's not.
It's definitely not a podcast.
It's definitely not,
that's what I don't want to insult anyone,
but if I went to get,
watch a podcast and it was nine minutes long,
I'd be a bit like, this is disappointing.
So it's not,
it's not a podcast.
And that's fine.
Not all things are podcasts.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Podcasts are great.
It's just not one of those.
like,
could we not?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Anyway,
I'm clearly affected by people
calling it a podcast in the past.
I get in a,
in a car,
which is a different car each time,
drive the guests,
whilst interviewing them to a drive-through.
And it's nine,
eight minutes long final cut.
So it's comical,
entertaining.
If they're an F1 driver,
it probably won't be anything to do with F1.
Do you know what I mean?
I'm just like,
I think if I was making it really sound really like,
sought out,
it's like a continuation of something like drive to survive
where you,
you get to see the,
the different side of that person.
And so even if they're not F1 or car related,
which hopefully won't stay within those,
it won't stay within those realms,
just to those realms.
You just get to see that other side of the person,
hopefully a side that you haven't seen before.
So like Max Verstappen,
when he comes on,
you'll see.
Yeah, when, obviously.
It's fine.
Cause he's going to,
he's going to leave Formula One.
So you have plenty of time.
Loads of time.
Yeah.
I'll be outside his door.
I can find out where he lives.
Who's your favourite guest?
Sorry that you've had on.
So you've had,
you've had some big old names, haven't you?
Chris Harris from Top Gear.
Yeah.
You've had DC, Matt Gallagher,
from P1 and Matt and Tommy.
Ted Cabot.
I know,
Ted,
do you know what Ted was like?
I actually think the episode that I can go back the most,
because I do watch my own content,
cause it's great.
I can go back the most and watch and enjoy
again and again and again is Ted's episode.
I didn't even think,
cause I didn't know he was that odd
before I met him,
as don't,
now people know because I've enlightened them
to how odd he is.
But as soon as I met him,
I was like, oh, odd.
And then when we were filming,
he was just so odd.
And I was like,
this is amazing.
But I was trying to be more odd
because he was odd.
And then we were just,
it was like,
yeah, it wasn't odd off.
It was beautiful.
It was like,
even the opening intro,
I say to him,
do you think you're funny?
And he goes, no, that's the problem.
And then we just both sit there
and he gets out of Capri Sun.
I was just about to say this.
He bought a Capri Sun,
which I just,
like casually gets it out of the glove box.
It's like Ted,
I don't know how old Ted is,
but who brings a Capri Sun
when you're not seven?
48, 50,
I don't know.
I think I looked this up.
With a Capri Sun.
And he just kept lying.
Like we would,
like not even,
the questions I would ask him,
I pulled up to the driver.
I was like, do you want something?
You should eat something.
Cause it's like, you can do that.
Free will and all that.
And he was like,
no, I've just been to the dentist
and it's 10 a.m.
And it was midday.
And I was like,
it's not 10 a.m.
It's literally not 10.
Had he been to the dentist
or was that also a lie?
No, that was true.
That was true.
I had been to the dentist.
It was just a bit confused.
What I do enjoy about it though,
again, it goes back to Betty's point earlier.
You are either shameedly you in it
and as you should be,
it's your bloody show.
But I'm going to do that thing now.
When I say this,
like when I say some of the quotes to you,
this is going to make it sound way worse
than it actually was.
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.
Huge name.
You called him an old bald man
and shitter than Jeremy Clarkson.
But yet you did it in a very charming,
disarming way.
Do you have to say to any of these people,
look, I will just say stuff
so they don't get offended
or do you just go for it?
I have just kind of gone for it,
to be honest.
But then also I do,
because we haven't really,
I had met Chris before,
but we haven't really had anyone that's like,
so out of reach.
So I know they haven't seen one.
We do always say like,
can you watch one please?
Because then you'll understand
just like what's going on.
Like I'm not going to,
I'm not going to ask you about anything deep.
And we're not going to be there
like having a deep conversation
unless you want to go there
for like one little segment.
But yeah, I don't know.
I didn't really say anything to Chris.
I just, just did it.
There was a height joke within the first like,
30 seconds or something.
And he just sits there and goes,
already like a heart joke in there.
And he has such a scowl on him
that it's great that he just sits there
and scowls like a little grumpy old man.
And I'm there like,
just ripping into him,
like having the best time ever.
And he loved it.
And then, you know.
And you don't do it in a nasty way.
That's very obvious.
Like it is in a very charming way,
but it's great.
And he has to say,
you are very unashamedly you.
And it's clearly not a podcast
because it's cut up
and there's bits of it
and it's dumbest,
but it's, but it's lovely.
I mean, you've already answered this question,
but are there any guests you'd really like?
You've said Max,
but dare I say and listen,
shoot for the stars,
but slightly more realistic,
let's say in the short term,
and anyone you like,
do you know what they'd be good?
Yes, a hundred percent.
I feel like you could guess who I'm going to say,
but James Vowles,
we were supposed to have.
Vowles would be great.
Yeah, he was supposed to come on in fair,
but it just didn't happen.
But I'd be so good.
Albon too, if we're doing Williams,
Albon would be incredible.
I'm happy to have everyone on,
but like James,
I think the James episode as well
would look or would feel slightly different
because I actually just don't want
to say anything rude to him.
I just love him.
I think I'd just be there like
blowing smoke up a sh** whole time.
What is it that you love about James Vowles?
Because you've called him
your favourite team principal.
Yeah, he's...
And we're big James Vowles fans
on this whole car.
So we believe everything that comes out of his mouth.
Honestly, the way he can deliver information
and it just sounds believable,
it's insane.
I don't know,
I feel like James is the type of person
that you go up to and you have an issue
and he's like,
no, it's okay.
We're going to solve this.
We're going to do that.
And then we're going to do that.
And then we're going to...
I'd be like, yeah, great.
This is amazing.
I don't have to think about anything.
You just sorted everything out.
He's just such a warm gentleman.
As soon as I met him,
and I was like...
I think the first thing I said was,
we're not going to talk about stats.
I don't care about anything about that.
And he was like, yeah, fine.
I was like, okay.
So he's just like...
And then we saw...
He's fluent in French, like obviously.
He can fly helicopters, obviously.
Every time I see him,
as I'm sure he is with you,
just like, it's so polite.
Yeah, he is, absolutely.
He won't pass me without at least
like smiling and nodding in my direction
if he can't come over.
And if he comes over,
it's the double kisses.
How are you?
He said to me like four times,
oh my God, it's in his serious voice.
It's so nice to see how well you're doing.
I'm so happy for you.
And I've been like...
What a fan.
Oh, Bill Crock.
He is a lovely man.
He is a really nice man.
It would be nice if things can turn around for Williams,
wouldn't it?
100%.
Yeah, he...
They all scored it.
They all scored it.
Did you see the reel that they posted recently?
It was on Williams' Instagram.
And it was him talking to...
I actually don't know,
she was a female racing driver
and she was French
and obviously he's fluent in French.
So she was trying to...
She was like, oh, let me put this in English
because I can't really speak that good English.
And then fluent French, she just goes,
no, don't worry, it's fine.
We'll speak in French.
And I'm like...
That is such a mic drop, isn't it?
That's brilliant.
Can you imagine just being like,
don't worry about it, guys.
Put your Google translator away.
I've got this, my brain.
A fun fact for you after I got him to wink
the second time I met him.
I said...
Because I can speak a little bit of French.
I said,
tu es très gentil, which means you're very kind.
And he was like,
oh, thank you so much.
I was like, wow, we speak French together.
I think just speaking French with James Vows is stunning.
Bella, just before we go,
we wanted to play a little game with you.
And we liked the way you...
I don't know,
I almost sort of challenged your guests a little bit.
You're not afraid to put them on the spot a little bit.
So I wanted to do this with you.
A little game of this or that.
Me and Betty are going to give you two things, two choices.
Quick fire, no thinking.
You've just got to pick one of them with this or that.
OK, you ready?
I'm ready.
Right.
So, number one,
Charlotte Claire, 2026 world champion,
or Lewis Hamilton, 2026 world champion.
Lewis Hamilton.
Charlotte Claire is your favourite driver?
I know, but it's different.
It's different because Charles is 27
and Lewis is 40.
So I have to pick Lewis.
If it was, yes, Lewis, I just...
Yeah, it's different for the time.
You need the context.
OK, interesting.
Number two, go for a countryside walk with James Valls
or Jonathan Wheatley.
Oh, my God.
Now I actually...
You've hit me where it hurts there, guys.
Because I actually...
You love Jonathan Wheatley.
I actually really...
I would consider Jonathan like a genuine friend of mine.
Whereas, like, James...
You know, like, we're head with strong acquaintances.
But, like, I'm going to have to say James because I haven't...
I've spoken to Jonathan more than I have James,
so I'm going to say James because I want to pick his brain.
I want to tell him about all my problems
and he just gives me solutions to be great.
Perfect.
Number three, Ted Kravitz or Chris Harris?
For what? Doing what with?
Just just got picked one. Who do you prefer?
Oh, God.
So difficult.
Guys! OK, no thinking, no thinking.
No thinking, no thinking.
That was so difficult.
No.
Ted? No, I feel really bad.
Chris, I feel like Chris Harris is like my dad
and then Ted is like my...
Weird uncle.
...brother.
Like, yeah.
I don't know.
Oh, Ted?
Ted?
Ted?
Ted, Ted, I think you've got said Ted
and also Ted's really lovely to your mum as well
and I feel like that's got anyone who looks after your mum in life.
So true.
So I messaged him on Mother's Day and I said,
guess what we're doing?
We're going to a VC ten and he was like,
oh my God, oh my God, now you've just reminded me of Mother's Day
and I was like, you didn't know?
Anyway.
It's Ted.
You backed that.
I think that's anything mother-related, Ted.
Yes, so true.
OK, number four, Bella.
We're at Miami Grand Prix 2026.
Do you want a Bearman podium or an Isaac Hadja podium?
Ollie, Bearman, immediately.
No, events to Isaac.
I haven't actually spoken to him but he seems great
but I know Ollie well enough to be like,
yeah, he deserves that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But I would say Isaac's probably more likely.
Is that bad?
Really?
Has there a head of racing balls going?
It's tricky at the moment, isn't it?
Such as where they are.
I might be basing that off of some 2025 stats to be fair.
I said racing balls then.
You said racing balls.
You were seasoned behind, yeah?
I was seasoned behind.
But anyway, it has our best.
Bet he's got to catch up.
Don't spoil it.
It is V-Cog, right?
Yeah.
Wait, no Red Bull.
Oh my God, why is a Red Bull?
He's a Red Bull.
Nice.
Don't forget.
You can't both forget.
Oh my God, I just forgot.
Oh, sorry.
I completely forgot.
That is so funny.
Olly though, Olly.
Olly, Olly.
Max retires at the end of the season.
No.
Or Fernando retires at the end of the season.
Sorry, Fernando.
I can't retire in this state, fella, honestly.
In this state.
He's already retired.
Do you know what I mean?
It'd just be like, it's like when somebody's already broken up with you,
it's just like, well, I knew it was going to happen again.
Yeah, fine, fine.
Yeah.
Okay, number six.
Yuki Sonoda returns or Daniel Riccardo returns.
Daniel, Daniel.
Sorry, Yuki.
It's easy.
Yeah, easy.
Get stuck in a lift with Kimmy Antonelli or George Russell.
Oh, oh, get stuck.
I think Kimmy and me would be like, oh my God, this is crazy.
Oh my God.
Whereas George would be more like, oh my God.
I can't do impersonations of him,
but maybe Kimmy because I already know him,
but so we'd just like be like, I don't know, friends about it.
I feel like Kimmy would be really cute and he'd be like,
he'd look at you and be like, oh no, is the lift stuck?
What do we do?
Do you know what I mean?
And then I'd be like, Kimmy, I'm going to sort this out.
I know what I'm doing.
I've never been stuck in a lift before.
Well, I got this.
Don't worry.
You're only young.
I'm here to help.
Oh God.
I shall sort this.
Yeah, if I was stuck in a lift with you and Kimmy,
I'd be like Jesus Christ.
We're never getting out.
This is awful.
No, that's so true.
I wouldn't know what the hell is going on.
But if there's Wi-Fi, I could post an Instagram story.
He could do that as well.
Very true.
I'm really smart.
I'm so smart.
Number eight, your final one.
I didn't write this one.
Christian's written it.
I'm really enjoying this, by the way.
It's brutal.
Man.
Betty Glover or Christian Hugo?
You guys, what the hell?
That is so...
Both of you.
You can pass if you like.
Your nice compliments to each other.
You're too different to...
Guys, I can't choose.
The Fast and the Curious or P1 with Matt and Tommy?
We love P1 with Matt and Tommy.
Well, we really do.
We really do.
Oh my God.
Did you just make that right now?
That was...
Yeah, that just came down there.
Genius.
I can't...
I love you both.
And I love being here.
And I love the Fast and the Curious so much.
Well, thank you.
We love you too.
And I think this name is better than any of the other options.
Not that I know all of them well, but I like this name.
It's definitely better than Break Time.
That was it, Break Time.
Yeah.
It's time for Break Time.
My friends still take the mic out of me.
They still say to me,
How's Break Time going?
And I'm like, yes, thank you.
Because I was talking about potential names.
Bella, this has been a joy.
Thank you.
As our listeners love you, we love you.
It's been so much fun having a chat.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for having me, guys.
It's been so fun.
I really liked that game at the end.
I thought you nailed those questions.
Okay, we'll bring the game back, I think.
I think we'll do that for future guests.
I think we might have stumbled across a feature there.
Yeah, that's great.
Well, you're welcome then.
And, Bella, thank you so much.
What race are you next at?
I am actually next at Miami.
So, yeah.
We can say hello.
The three of us are there, I think, aren't we?
So we can do a real-life hello.
Oh, my God.
I can't wait for Hajar to win the Grand Prix
in his V-Cub zone.
Or his racing balls.
I think you say racing balls.
Is it all just the same thing?
You said V-Cub.
It's my favourite Fast and Curious moment for a while.
It's the same company.
It's the same thing.
And they all swap round so frequently, unless it's Max.
It's just hard to keep up at the best of zone.
Just incestuals the Italians, you know?
Right.
That's it.
We're going.
Check out Box Box with Bella on YouTube.
Please subscribe to us if you haven't already.
We are at Fast and Curious, pardon all the socials.
Betty, shall we come back next week
and find something else to talk about?
We'll be back.
We'll be back very soon.
And thank you so much, guys.
Also, remember, subscribe and send us questions.
Please get on it.
Yeah, we'll do another Q&A before Miami
with your questions before we actually get back racing again.
And until then, we'll be back next week.
Thanks, Bella. Bye, everyone.
Thank you.
Bye, Nini.
Bye.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Bye.
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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.
Original notes
Christian and Betty are joined by special guest Bella James. They’ll catch up on all the latest things going on in the F1 world (spoiler alert…not a very long list), celebrate Bella’s successes as a content creator since she was last on the pod, and quiz her with some quick fire ‘this or that’ questions all about the biggest figures in the world of F1.
Which driver would she want to see win in 2026?
Who does she not want to retire at the end of the season?
Who is her favourite out of Betty and Christian?
Make sure you follow us on all the socials and hit subscribe right here because we will be covering the 2026 season from lights out to chequered flag!
YouTube: @fastcuriouspod
Twitter: @fastcuriouspod
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Threads: @fastcuriouspod
Producer: Will Tyrrell
Social Media Manager: Nicola Howard
Executive Producer: Christian Hewgill
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The Fast and the Curious
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