Formula One is the highest level of race car series in the world. Teams race on different tracks each weekend, and drivers earn points that add up over the season.
The “world championship” in Formula One is the season-long points competition that crowns the top driver (and also the top constructor/team). Each Grand Prix contributes points based on finishing positions, so a “round” like Canada can materially change the standings.
A race lead is the position of the car that is currently first on track at a given moment. In F1, leading early doesn’t guarantee victory because pit stops, strategy, tire wear, and safety cars can change outcomes.
When they say “new cars,” they mean the race cars have been updated or redesigned for the season. That can make the championship harder to call because teams are still figuring out the best way to drive and set them up.
Monaco refers to the Monaco Grand Prix, one of Formula One’s most famous races. It’s known for its tight street circuit, where qualifying and track position often matter more than raw speed.
The Nürburgring is a major German motorsport venue with multiple track layouts, best known for endurance and high-performance racing. It’s often associated with tough, technical driving conditions and a strong motorsport culture.
A “GT program” means a team’s structured effort to compete in GT racing categories. GT racing typically uses production-based cars (or cars derived from them), and programs involve car development, driver selection, and race scheduling.
A “12-hour” race is an endurance format where cars compete for a full 12 hours, typically involving multiple driver stints and frequent pit stops. The key challenge is managing pace, reliability, and tire/brake wear over long periods.
“Bath” here is shorthand for the Bathurst 12 Hour, a famous Australian endurance race. It’s a major event for GT and touring-car style competition, and it often attracts high-profile drivers.
Engine modifications mean changing parts of the engine (or how it’s controlled) to meet new rules and make the car faster. Teams do this so the car still performs well under the updated regulations.
Internal combustion power is the “normal” engine power made by burning fuel. In hybrid race cars, some of the total power also comes from electricity, so teams talk about how much of each they’re using.
Electrical power is the “electric motor” part of a hybrid race car. The car can use electricity to help with acceleration and overall efficiency, not just the fuel-burning engine.
A “60-40 split” is a planned balance of where the car’s power comes from. If it shifts toward one side, the car will feel and behave differently because it’s using more of that power source.
Energy harvesting means the car recovers energy, usually when slowing down, instead of wasting it. That recovered energy can then be used later, and the rules control how much is allowed.
The FIA is the organization that makes the rules for major racing series. If they talk about changing regulations, teams have to adjust their cars to match.
They’re talking about possibly bringing back V8 engines in the future. The main point here is the sound and how it feels to fans.
Topic
Oz Grand Prix
“Oz Grand Prix” is the Australian Grand Prix. The host mentions it because they think the sound of one racing category is better than another.
LIVE
It's race week in Formula One and that is the focus of today's motorsport brief.
Hi everyone, Rusty with you for another short cast. Matt Hickey is standing by at Codesports
HQ ahead of what's become round five of the world championship, the Canadian Grand Prix
this weekend. Teenage sensation Kimmy Antonelli is on top after the Miami race on 100 points,
20 clear of his teammate George Russell there at Mercedes, Ferrari Charlotte Claire third
on 59, reigning champion Lando Norris is next on 51, Oscar Piastri is sixth on the ladder behind
Lewis Hamilton and then Max Verstappen, seventh. A bit of talk there about Oscar and Max and Red Bull
which we'll get to and a pledge by the governing body to bring back the V8 in the next four years.
Quick mention of two fabulous recent feature episodes, the legendary Kenny Smith who should be
knighted on racing in his 80s. Going up against the likes of Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren, Jimmy
Clarke and lots of other legends of the 60s and 70s as well as the mentoring and assistance that
he's provided to the likes of Scott Dixon, Greg Murphy, Liam Lawson and more. There is also nearly
two hours with Stephen Gaul if you like your two wheels, in fact his story is more than just for
two wheel fans, he was a Mr Motor Cross star of the 70s, battled with his great mate Anthony Gunter
and saw the emergence and road against Jeff Leeson Craig Dach who you can find in our library.
There is a yarn about Gaulie testing a supercar too that I didn't know about and his world-class
rider and athlete training. Both feature episodes are captivating chats, you'll love those.
Now to get our teeth into F1, he was a regular on the pod last year, he's been super busy,
so have we, so it's nice to get him on finally. Matt, welcome back to the podcast.
Rusty, thanks for having me back on, it's been a little while but we're ready to get stuck into
things. Been too long, hey with the rounds that we've had to date, Toto Wolf looks like a genius
mate, doesn't he? With backing of Kimmy Antonelli, I mean you've got to do that really with a rookie
in those early years, you do that knowing there might be some speed humps along the way. Did you
think we would see this kind of form from him or that it might have perhaps even taken a bit longer
to get there? I mean look, you're spot on, you do just have to back these young drivers in when
you have the faith that they have the ability to do so. We've seen it succeed over the years and
we've seen it not so much succeed over the years as well. A few years ago, if you told us we'd be
here, I would be a little bit surprised. I will give myself a little pat on the back there, Rusty
at the start of the year for the code, our code-inherit son, we were asked to do our crystal ball
for the Formula One season. I did have Kimmy winning the championship, I thought
there was a lot made of George understandably, but Kimmy was going to be driving the same car
and I thought he could maybe surprise a few people. So in terms of this year, I'm not massively
surprised because as I said, they are driving the same car, but in terms of how quickly that
career has progressed, it's very impressive. What gave you that confidence? Something about
all the chatter being about George and as I said, understandably so, but we know this guy is
a prodigious talent. We know how good he has been and for Mercedes, a team like Mercedes to back
him in so young, clearly their indicators show that he was ready for it and he's proving it right
now. The stats and polls with that three Pete that is enjoyed put him in very rarefied company
along with some of the greats. In addition to how you backed him there, do you feel like he's got
all the makings beyond the car to be a champion this year? And I say that because some of the
prelims stuff we saw at Miami, it looks like his interaction with the team, the way he's kind of
galvanizing the crew, that is someone well beyond his years, don't you reckon? Oh 100% and I will
admit, Russie, the only reason I'm getting around myself is because it doesn't happen too often,
so you've got to sell out the wins because there's so few of them. But look, it's a long season. We
know that, we know that with Oscar last year, we experienced it and it didn't necessarily end the way
that he had hoped and that we had all hoped from an Australian point of view. So, you know, he's not
by no means a lock to win the championship. It's less than a race lead. We know what happens,
especially in these new cars. But again, it does seem as though this is a guy who has at least one
world title, if not multiple by the time his career has come to a close. He's just that type of driver
and at the moment he's got the car to a lamb to do that as well. Just to pick up on what you were
saying there a moment ago about George Russell, I feel for him because on paper it looked like
his year. How will he respond to this? Obviously he's had a bit of time to think about stuff with
the two Middle Eastern races getting postponed and so on. Now we're right back into the grind.
He does have time though, Matt, doesn't he? There's still plenty of races left.
All he has to do is look to his good mate Landon Orris last year, who was found himself in a
similar position throughout the season, trailing his younger teammate who was shot out of the blocks.
I think George will be calm at this point. There's no point in stressing majorly. We haven't had,
you know, too many races with those cancelled races in the mix as well. So I think George will be
okay. He'll be biting his time. If we get to three or four races left and he's got a little bit of a
gap to make up there and it might start to get a little bit tense, but he'll be hoping to stay
right there with Kimmy and hopefully experience for him while we're down. It sounds like the team
are mindful of what happened between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, you know, a decade ago,
basically. And they've already moved to ensure that if this stuff intensifies between the two
drivers that it plays out as fairly as possible. We know it will, right? We've both seen enough
formula one to note that when it's a car that is above and beyond the rest, at least as it currently
stands, we're seeing maybe they're starting to catch up a little bit the rest of the pack, but
two drivers who are right in the thick of it, it will get tense. There will be nudges and
niggles along the way. Again, it'll be fascinating to see how it pans out from a team perspective.
You mentioned McLaren there a moment ago. They look like they're starting to kind of
find the form that we saw of them in 2024 and 25. Do you agree?
Yeah, I think so. I mean, based off Miami, you'd have to say that if they were potentially a
little bit braver with their strategy choices, that might have been a race win when you look back at
and how that panned out. So I think McLaren are well and truly in the thick of it. If we get to
the end of the year and you know, Oscar Piastri has won a couple of races, I wouldn't be shocked
because I think McLaren are making up some ground. The chat about Oscar to Red Bull if,
underline, if Max pulls up stumps, that's crowded, plenty of chat. Is the risk of Max going, do you
think, more serious than ever? And I think people are in this conversation, Matt, maybe undervaluing
Oscar's ability or potential to be a team leader. I feel from a timing perspective, what he would
have learned at McLaren and so on. I'm not saying he's going to leave. He's contracted there for a
little while, obviously, but I feel like he's got the personality and he'll have the skills
that he's learnt now to do that. Yeah, I 100% agree with that one, Rusty. I think the fascinating
part of it, the other conversation as well that's kind of taking place is because Jampiero Lempiasi
is making that move to McLaren to be the chief racing officer that maybe Max will follow and
it's a straight swap scenario. That's the other rumour that's getting floated and pushed around.
My only concern for Oscar and obviously we're looking down the tracks or a lot can change
in that time, but I get the feeling that in recent, probably last year and in nearly parts of this
year, I think because Max is so talented and it's not to say that Oscar doesn't have talent that can
get to that point as well. The Red Bull as a team, their performance may be a little over-inflated
in terms of what we see because Max is getting the absolute ridiculousness out of that car.
We look at how he was continually compared to his teammate. Now he's been through so many
teammates in the last 18 months. I don't think you can say anymore that it's the teammate that
is underperforming. I think the attention is more Max is just overperforming what this car
actually gives him. My only concern from an Oscar Piazzari point of view is potentially,
is Red Bull not where we actually think they are because Max is making the car look better than
it actually is? In other words, timing, right? Is it the right time to go there? Have they got the
complete package for Oscar to be able to deliver and how seamless would that transition be if
he did make it? We saw something similar with Daniel Riccardo as well. That timing
didn't necessarily work out for Daniel Riccardo when he looked to become the number one driver
somewhere else. It doesn't always necessarily work out that if you are the number one driver,
that the results are going to follow. You obviously at Codesports cover lots of different
sports, right? I don't know how much you and the team that cover AFL, for example, have had
and if you've had dealings with Emma Murray. She's obviously worked with Scotty McLaughlin
and things like that. She's a part of that team Piazzari there now. Good addition. What do you think?
Yeah, I mean always the case when you can add expertise and people who can come in and
I guess we know how much of a mental game formula one is. If you can have someone come in and help
out with that, I definitely think it's a handy addition and I think it's also good that Oscar
is being conscious of that because sometimes we see people being brought into teams when
potentially it's a bit too late or things have gone too far and it's a tougher road to get back
to where you'd like to get back to. Everyone I talk to says she is a good addition. We're going to
grab a quick break here. Will you stick around with us, Matt? We've got a bit more to talk about
as formula one builds up to its next event. Always stick around, Rossi, always.
You're listening to maybe even watching the Motorsport brief, our Rusty's Garage
short cast. Delighted to be joined for the first time this year by Matt Hickey from Codesports
who was a regular throughout season 2025 as we previewed and reviewed formula one and we thought
it was timely given that we're more or less hitting the accelerator in the run up to Monaco,
for example, to chat with him about the state of play. Max was someone we had in focus there
before the commercial break. He's loving this whole GT program, Nurburgring over the weekend,
obviously. I have Matt, a bottle of gin riding on him, turning up at the bath as 12-hour, possibly
as early as next year. I have absolutely no proof of whether there's any leaks in that,
that is, a pure gut feel. But he's relishing this, isn't he? Yeah, he certainly is. James Phelps
and Beck Williams from Code jumped into that discussion recently as well. It is a fascinating
one. Of course, Bath is 12-hour falling in February next year, so I think the organizers are hoping,
hey, it's outside this F1 window. Let's get the great man in. And I think the fact that, as you
mentioned, we've seen him at Nurburgring that maybe potentially there is that opportunity. He has
spoken about his love for Bath this in the past, which I'm sure many people will remember. So,
hey, fingers crossed, wouldn't that be some sort of spectacle? I tell you what,
it would be absolutely packed at Mount Penorama. Sure would. Is that second seat at Red Bull kind
of still a bit of a dam if you don't drive at the moment? Yeah, I mentioned earlier. It's one of
those ones where, I guess, you continually being compared to one of the, let's probably say, top
three drivers of all time, depending on where you sit. But he's definitely in the mix for that,
if not already there. It's a brutal comparison. I'm sure everybody would understand how brutal
that is. Well, I think, as I mentioned earlier, it's probably time for us to start thinking,
is this the co-driver that is underperforming, or is it just max vastly overperforming as max tends
to do? So, it is a brutal seat, but we saw Isaac Hage, I had good he was last year. So,
it's not to say that the talent isn't there. I think maybe it's time to move past that rhetoric
that, oh, we're pretty nice people in the car too early. He was brilliant last season, Isaac Hage.
So, I think maybe we start to look at the conversation a little differently.
Yeah, and Isaac wouldn't have lost that overnight. There's no doubt about that max in
brilliant form. Some chat that Sir Lewis Hamilton might announce that he's going to retire at the
British Grand Prix. What do you think? And could he be swayed to stay a little bit longer if he
was a bit more of an uptick in form? Yeah, look, I'm hoping he doesn't. doesn't,
because what an absolute gift and treasure to the sport that he is. If it is the case,
what a career. I'm just purely unbelievable. We'll go down as, again, one of arguably the best
driver of all time in Formula One. A fantastic story as well. We've heard so much about him
in his dad growing up. I hope it's not the case if it is a fitting place to do it, nonetheless,
but time will tell. I think, as you say, if we see Ferrari uptick a little bit,
obviously that lure of the next championship is always just sitting there.
All right, and Ollie Beerman clearly would be the man most likely to take over if he did. Can we
come to the rigs? We haven't even spoken about that. What do you make of it all? I mean, we're
giving it time. Is it a dud? Will it get better? You know, sometimes when we're at the end of a
regulation period, when everything tightens up and people have got their heads around it
technically and so on, the racing ends up close and exciting. Will this work, do you think?
Look, the crystal ball, I will say yes, because we've seen it work in terms of regulation changes
time and time again. There will be engine modifications as early as next year as well,
but they're changing slightly in the rig, so there'll be more internal combustion power versus
electrical power. I think that's moving to a 60-40 split from memory. Obviously, we had the
safety concerns when we see that massive difference in energy use and harvesting
that the driver spoke about. The other thing that I think everybody probably should take with a little
bit of a grain of salt, especially in the early parts of the season, there tends to be a bit of
pattern rusty where the teams complaining about the regs are the ones that aren't winning
and the teams who don't complain about the regs are the ones that are up and about in the podium.
So we also, let's just see how it plays out before we jump to any conclusions. Obviously,
let's make it safe, but I think over time this will figure itself out.
I'm a believer that we do need to listen to the drivers. They're the ones who are there. For the
first, I don't know, third or half of the race at Melbourne, when we got our first glance at these
new regulations and what the cars would be like, I thought, this is great. We've got a lot of passing
here. And then the reality sort of sunk in that there was an almost artificiality about it. It
didn't feel as on the absolute limit when they made those passes as we want, as purest of the game.
Now, not many people are fans of the boss of the FIA. That's a very difficult job, obviously. He
told us in Miami that they're likely to fast-track the next series of regulations with a view to
kind of V8s again and hallelujah, I say. Yeah, I mean, just for the sound purely,
let's get that off the gun straight away for all the purists out there. And if you've been to the
Oz Grand Prix, the supercars do sound better than the F1s, which is saying something, well,
in my mind, they do anyway as it currently stands. Yeah, look, as I said, I think we will figure it
out as a sport. It'll get to a point, but it's a good point that you raise Rusty about, let's not
get into passing for the sake of passing. Let's not just create passing opportunities, not because
of the racing, the cars and the drivers. Instead, it's being, okay, well, we've kind of artificially
created to use that phrase, these passing opportunities. So you have a look at the number
of passes in a race and is that overinflated because of something we've just created ourselves?
And yes, at times, it can be entertaining. What I do like though about red changes is we get to
see things like the Macarena wing. We get to see innovation and some different things like that.
That's one of my favorite parts about regulation change is what little loophole is somebody going
to try and exploit. What different bit of creativity are we going to see? And so that's
been a little fun, I guess, side quest in terms of the race, which I have found entertaining.
Looking ahead to this weekend's race, can Kimmy Antonelli do it yet again? Who wins?
Look, I'd be a fool to say it wouldn't be Kimmy. I wouldn't be shocked if we see a little bit of a
surprise as well. I don't know what that surprise is going to come in the form of,
but I feel like we're due for a little bit of a surprise, maybe somebody from another team popping
out. But I will also do that with a little bit of a fence sitting at the same time.
Okay, so far your tips for 2026 are going all right, my friend. Before we go, what have you
been working on there at Code Sports? Give us a little insight to some of the stuff you've been
covering. Yeah, plenty, plenty going on. As I mentioned, great yarn from Beck Williams and James
Phelps about Max and that potential for the Bathurst 12 Valor. They have a column track talk,
which has got some really great stuff in it for all the motorsport fans, lots of different tidbits
and whispers from around the various paddocks around the country. And of course, Formula
Thank you for coming back on again, Matt, and we'll get you on again in a few rounds time.
Thanks, Frosty. Great to be back, mate.
About this episode
Race week energy builds around the Canadian Grand Prix as Rusty’s Garage looks at early-season form, driver confidence, and what the new cars are doing to predictability. The conversation swings from McLaren’s strategy potential and George Russell’s extra downtime to how Verstappen can skew perceptions of Red Bull. Regulation talk turns to a shift in hybrid power balance, safety concerns, and a possible fast-track toward V8-style character. They also nod to passing, the “mental game,” and Hamilton retirement chatter.
Code Sport’s Matt Hickey makes his first appearance on the pod for the year as F1 gets ready to rock Montreal. Can anyone stop the Kimi Antonelli juggernaut? And how will his Mercedes teammate George Russell respond when he thought it was going to be his year? The Oscar Piastri/RedBull rumor and the likelihood Max Verstappen will pull up stumps on Formula One given how much he’s enjoying GT racing now. Could Sir Lewis Hamilton call time on his F1 career at the British Grand Prix. And the new regs. With time & continued tuning will the racing actually end up properly exciting? Plus the plans to bring back V8’s by the end of the decade. Hallelujah….. As always with these two it’s an easy convo about F1. They just needed a couple of frothies! Head to Rusty's Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and give us your feedback and let us know who you want to hear from on Rusty's Garage
