Our 2026 Australian GP predictions
About this episode
Matt and Tommy dive into their 2026 Australian Grand Prix predictions with enthusiasm and humor. They discuss the excitement around new regulations and the unpredictability of the season, highlighting drivers like Charles Leclerc as a potential surprise and Franco Colapinto's expected improvement. They also touch on the so-called Australian GP curse affecting local drivers like Oscar Piestri. The hosts share their competitive spirit through their F1 Fantasy League and tease upcoming content, including impressions and personal challenges, making it a lively and engaging preview for fans.
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Drive to Survive
"of drive to survive sensation, Tom Bellingham? I'm so hyped for this new season."
Drive to Survive is a TV show that shows what happens in Formula 1 racing, including the drivers and teams, so you can learn more about the sport.
Drive to Survive is a popular documentary series on Netflix that covers the Formula 1 World Championship, providing behind-the-scenes access and insights into the teams, drivers, and races.
Race week
"Exactly. And for the first time this year, we can officially say it's race week."
Race week is the time when the cars and drivers get ready and then compete in a race.
Race week in motorsports refers to the period when teams prepare and compete in an official race event, including practice sessions, qualifying, and the race itself.
Formula One
"and we're hoping that Formula One does it justice. But that being said, the unknown, the unpredictability is what gets us up in the morning and it's what excites us about new regulation sets."
Formula One is a top-level car racing competition where the fastest cars race on tracks around the world to see who is the best driver and team.
Formula One is the highest class of international single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the FIA, featuring the fastest circuit-racing cars and a global championship series.
regulation sets
"the unpredictability is what gets us up in the morning and it's what excites us about new regulation sets. Then we see the pecking order and then we'll revisit the excitement."
Regulation sets are the rules that decide how the race cars have to be made and what they can and cannot do during races.
Regulation sets refer to the official rules and technical specifications that govern how cars are built and raced in Formula One, which can change to improve competition and safety.
pecking order
"Then we see the pecking order and then we'll revisit the excitement. But right now, 22 drivers are on equal points and that's all we can ask for."
Pecking order means who is winning and who is behind in the race or championship standings.
Pecking order in racing refers to the ranking or hierarchy of drivers and teams based on their performance and points in the championship.
F1
"More specifically, Tommy, you were impressioned by none other than Connor Moore, the absolute goat F1 impressionist."
F1 is a type of car race where the fastest and most advanced cars compete on tracks all over the world. It's like the top level of car racing.
F1, or Formula 1, is the highest class of international single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the FIA. It features the fastest and most technologically advanced racing cars and is known for its global races and elite drivers.
F1 Fantasy League
"And now another thing just before we dive into all of our predictions. Make sure you join our F1 Fantasy League. I'm not sure if we mentioned it on the actual podcast, but if we have it, we have whatever doesn't matter. We've got a league on the proper"
An F1 Fantasy League is like a game where you pick your favorite Formula 1 drivers and get points when they do well in races. It makes watching races more fun because you can compete with friends.
An F1 Fantasy League is an online game where participants create virtual teams of Formula 1 drivers and score points based on their real-world performance in races. It adds an interactive and competitive element for fans to engage with the sport.
Ferrari
"simmering hope and delusion for Ferrari, every single actual major motorsport platform has... If Ferrari have, look, there's kind of two parts to this, because..."
Ferrari is a car company from Italy that makes very fast and fancy sports cars. They also race these cars in big competitions like Formula 1.
Ferrari is a famous Italian luxury sports car manufacturer known for its high-performance vehicles and significant presence in motorsport, especially Formula 1 racing.
Red Bull
"Autosport. They've all said Ferrari's third. They said Mercedes is fastest and then Red Bull..."
Red Bull Racing is a team that races cars in Formula 1, which is a very fast and famous car race. The team is owned by the Red Bull energy drink company.
Red Bull Racing is a Formula 1 team owned by the energy drink company Red Bull. They are known for being one of the top competitors in the sport.
Mercedes
"Autosport. They've all said Ferrari's third. They said Mercedes is fastest and then Red Bull..."
Mercedes is a famous car company from Germany that makes luxury cars and also races in big competitions like Formula 1.
Mercedes-Benz is a German luxury automobile manufacturer known for producing premium vehicles and having a strong presence in Formula 1 racing as a top team.
overtake
"And then I'm also concerned, but it will benefit Ferrari if no one can overtake. So say Charles Leclerc goes from third to first at the start and then holds on to win."
To overtake means one car goes past another car during a race to move ahead. It's like passing someone on the road but in a race.
Overtake refers to the action of one car passing another car on the race track to gain a position. It's a key aspect of racing strategy and excitement.
Formula 1
"Franco Colopinto. He is, of course, the driver that scored no points last year. I think he's been memed as maybe the worst driver in F1 and a bit of almost like a Latifi character, which I think is unfair."
Formula 1 is a type of car racing where the fastest and most advanced cars race on tracks all over the world to see who is the best driver and team.
Formula 1 (F1) is the highest class of international single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the FIA. It features the fastest and most technologically advanced racing cars competing in a world championship series.
podium
"you had Mark Webber somehow never scoring a podium, despite driving the championship winning Red Bull for four years in a row. Daniel Ricciardo got disqualified, and he never managed a podium in that Red Bull the whole time."
Getting on the podium means finishing a race in first, second, or third place, which is a big achievement in racing.
In racing, a podium finish means finishing a race in the top three positions, earning a spot on the winners' podium during the awards ceremony.
Australian Grand Prix curse
"But they just don't have a good time, Australian drivers at the Australian Grand Prix. So it's just based on a vibe and a curse."
It's a saying that Australian Formula 1 drivers usually don't do well when racing in Australia, which is their home race. People hope this will change soon.
The 'Australian Grand Prix curse' refers to the historical trend or superstition that Australian drivers have not performed well or achieved podium finishes at their home Formula 1 race, the Australian Grand Prix.
F1 fantasy team
"an F1 fantasy team before, it's usually pretty badly. And I have gone all in on them."
It's like a game where you pick your favorite Formula 1 drivers and teams, and you get points when they do well in races.
An F1 fantasy team is a virtual team that fans create by selecting real Formula 1 drivers and constructors within a budget to score points based on their real-world race performances.
constructor
"So yeah, I picked them as my constructor and both the drivers because they were cheap."
The constructor is the team that makes and races the cars in Formula 1.
In Formula 1, the constructor is the team that builds the car chassis and competes in the championship. Points are awarded to constructors based on their cars' finishing positions.
sandbagging
"But I do think that Mercedes have been sandbagging like crazy and left a lot on the table in testing."
Sandbagging means a racing team is pretending to be slower than they really are during practice so other teams don't know how fast they can go.
Sandbagging in motorsports refers to a team deliberately underperforming or hiding their true speed during testing or practice sessions to mislead competitors about their actual performance potential.
Dodge Charger
"... story of how you found it. Like this 1973 Dodge Charger on eBay that has been tucked away in an Arizona b..."
The Dodge Charger from 1973 is an old, strong car that was built to be fast and look cool. People really like it because it’s a classic car from a time when cars were made to be powerful. If you find one that’s been kept safe and dry, it might still be in good shape even though it’s very old.
The 1973 Dodge Charger is a classic American muscle car known for its powerful V8 engines and aggressive styling. It represents the tail end of the muscle car era before stricter emissions regulations and insurance costs impacted performance cars. Finding one tucked away, especially in a dry climate like Arizona, often means it could be in well-preserved condition, making it a prized find for collectors.
Pierre Gasly
""It's P-9. Pierre Gasly. I've locked it in straight away. There you go. Pierre Gasly, P-9.""
Pierre Gasly is a driver who races in Formula 1, which is a top-level car racing competition.
Pierre Gasly is a professional Formula 1 racing driver known for competing in the highest level of open-wheel racing.
loopholes
""Oh, the loopholes are already coming out here. Do you love how I just already loopholes?""
Loopholes are like finding clever tricks in the rules that let a team do something others can't, helping them go faster or win more.
In motorsports, 'loopholes' refer to exploiting gaps or ambiguities in the rules to gain a competitive advantage without technically breaking regulations.
Aston Martin
"It's either Aston Martin or Cadillac score a point."
Aston Martin is a company that makes fancy and fast cars from Britain, often seen in spy movies.
Aston Martin is a British luxury sports car manufacturer known for its high-performance grand tourers and association with James Bond films.
Cadillac
"It's either Aston Martin or Cadillac score a point."
Cadillac is a company from America that makes nice and comfortable cars, often with lots of features.
Cadillac is a luxury vehicle brand from the United States, known for producing premium sedans and SUVs with advanced technology.
mechanical failures
"and there were mechanical failures all the time and just absolute chaos."
Mechanical failures happen when parts of the car stop working properly, which can make the car crash or stop racing.
Mechanical failures refer to breakdowns or malfunctions of car components during a race, which can cause crashes or force drivers to retire from the race.
McLaren P1
"Actually, no, P1 would be better. OK, well, there you go, locked in. Yeah, I didn't even put any McLaren in my top three,"
The McLaren P1 is a very fast and special car that uses both a gas engine and an electric motor to go really fast. It's made in small numbers and is very unique.
The McLaren P1 is a limited-production plug-in hybrid sports car produced by McLaren Automotive. It combines a twin-turbo V8 engine with an electric motor to deliver high performance and advanced hybrid technology.
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