With five races to go, Max Verstappen is just 40 points off the top of the F1 Championship. Rick Edwards and Matt Majendie discuss how likely his comeback is, why he’ll do well in Mexico, and what must be going through the heads of Team McLaren.

Also in this episode:
How Charles Leclerc’s tyre masterclass frustrated Lando Norris in Austin
Are McLaren’s Papaya Rules out the window?
Yuki Tsunoda’s audition to secure the Red Bull second seat in 2026
Red Bull’s sneaky tape-tactics get called out by the FIA

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for exclusive F1 insights, race recaps, and all the gossip from inside the paddock.

-

For the entire season Matt Majendie and Rick Edwards are embedded with Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Matt will be in the pits and in the garage, with the drivers and in the factory, at the debriefs and the strategy session.

Get involved with the show!

Email us: theinsidetrack@bbc.com

Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @theinsidetrack_podcast

TikTok: @theinsidetrack_pod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast

This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC. 

No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.

Producer: Jon Weeks

Executive Producer: James Cook

Social Media and Video Editor: Georgina Revell

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With five races to go, Max Verstappen is just 40 points off the top of the F1 Championship. Rick Edwards and Matt Majendie discuss how likely his comeback is, why he&rsquo;ll do well in Mexico, and what must be going through the heads of Team McLaren.
Also in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">How Charles Leclerc&rsquo;s tyre masterclass frustrated Lando Norris in Austin</li>
<li aria-level="1">Are McLaren&rsquo;s Papaya Rules out the window?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Yuki Tsunoda&rsquo;s audition to secure the Red Bull second seat in 2026</li>
<li aria-level="1">Red Bull&rsquo;s sneaky tape-tactics get called out by the FIA</li>
</ul>
👉 Don&rsquo;t forget to subscribe for exclusive F1 insights, race recaps, and all the gossip from inside the paddock.
-
For the entire season Matt Majendie and Rick Edwards are embedded with Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Matt will be in the pits and in the garage, with the drivers and in the factory, at the debriefs and the strategy session.
Get involved with the show!
Email us: theinsidetrack@bbc.com
Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @theinsidetrack_podcast
TikTok: @theinsidetrack_pod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast
This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC.&nbsp;
No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.
Producer: Jon Weeks
Executive Producer: James Cook
Social Media and Video Editor: Georgina Revell
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experience the F1 season with unrivalled access to Red Bull Racing.

Matt Majendie and Rick Edwards are big F1 fans and they might have just hit the jackpot.

For the entire season Matt is embedded with Max Verstappen, Christian Horner and the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. He’ll be in the pits and in the garage, with the drivers and in the factory, at the debriefs and the strategy session. Each week, Matt will share insider stories and updates with Rick in the studio.

The 2025 season promises to be epic, with Verstappen going for his fifth title in a row. But the competition is fierce. Multi-time world champion Lewis Hamilton joins Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, McLaren is looking super-fast with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Mercedes has paired George Russell with rising star Kimi Antonelli.

Join Matt and Rick each week as they break down the latest F1 news, the backstage gossip, which driver is thriving and who’s under pressure. Get up close and personal with Red Bull as they battle to retain their standing as the fastest team on the planet. 

And between races, become an expert on what makes the difference between winning and losing in F1. Matt will be exploring the technical aspects of the sport – from car design and cornering, to understeer and oversteer, defensive driving and perfect overtaking. 

Follow us on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsidetrack_podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theinsidetrack_pod

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast

This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC. No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.

Experience the F1 season with unrivalled access to Red Bull Racing.
Matt Majendie and Rick Edwards are big F1 fans and they might have just hit the jackpot.
For the entire season Matt is embedded with Max Verstappen, Christian Horner and the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. He&rsquo;ll be in the pits and in the garage, with the drivers and in the factory, at the debriefs and the strategy session. Each week, Matt will share insider stories and updates with Rick in the studio.
The 2025 season promises to be epic, with Verstappen going for his fifth title in a row. But the competition is fierce. Multi-time world champion Lewis Hamilton joins Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, McLaren is looking super-fast with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and Mercedes has paired George Russell with rising star Kimi Antonelli.
Join Matt and Rick each week as they break down the latest F1 news, the backstage gossip, which driver is thriving and who&rsquo;s under pressure. Get up close and personal with Red Bull as they battle to retain their standing as the fastest team on the planet.&nbsp;
And between races, become an expert on what makes the difference between winning and losing in F1. Matt will be exploring the technical aspects of the sport &ndash; from car design and cornering, to understeer and oversteer, defensive driving and perfect overtaking.&nbsp;
Follow us on:
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theinsidetrack_podcast/">https://www.instagram.com/theinsidetrack_podcast/</a>
TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@theinsidetrack_pod">https://www.tiktok.com/@theinsidetrack_pod</a>
YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast">https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast</a>
This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC. No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.

The Inside Track

Get inside F1 with exclusive access, insight and content from Red Bull Racing – Max Verstappen, Christian Horner, Yuki Tsunoda and the rest of the Red Bull team.
 
Journalist Matt Majendie is spending the season with the Red Bull Racing team – at the races, in the garage, on the pit wall and behind the scenes. Each week he’ll join co-host and huge F1 fan Rick Edwards to give the inside track on how the team are doing and what really went down at the race. Expect insight, gossip, laughs and an angle on the F1 season you won't get anywhere else.   
 
Between races, Matt will visit Red Bull HQ to find out how an F1 team keeps fighting even when they’re not racing. He’ll be talking to the engineers, the strategists, the drivers and the designers to see what makes an elite F1 team tick.
 
The Inside Track is what F1 really looks like.

Follow the show:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinsidetrack_podcast/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theinsidetrack_pod

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_official

This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC. No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.

Get inside F1 with exclusive access, insight and content from Red Bull Racing &ndash; Max Verstappen, Christian Horner, Yuki Tsunoda and the rest of the Red Bull team. &nbsp; Journalist Matt Majendie is spending the season with the Red Bull Racing team &ndash; at the races, in the garage, on the pit wall and behind the scenes. Each week he&rsquo;ll join co-host and huge F1 fan Rick Edwards to give the inside track on how the team are doing and what really went down at the race. Expect insight, gossip, laughs and an angle on the F1 season you won't get anywhere else. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Between races, Matt will visit Red Bull HQ to find out how an F1 team keeps fighting even when they&rsquo;re not racing. He&rsquo;ll be talking to the engineers, the strategists, the drivers and the designers to see what makes an elite F1 team tick. &nbsp; The Inside Track is what F1 really looks like.
Follow the show:
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theinsidetrack_podcast/">https://www.instagram.com/theinsidetrack_podcast/</a>
TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@theinsidetrack_pod">https://www.tiktok.com/@theinsidetrack_pod</a>
YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_official">https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_official</a>
This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC. No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.

Game On! Verstappen turns up the heat in the 2025 title race

Rick and Matt discuss the final race of the 2025 Formula One season in Abu Dhabi, Lando Norris’s first time becoming world champion, and Max Verstappen’s valiant second half of the season, which saw him come within two points of finishing top.

The pair ask: Was this Max’s best ever season?

They also review the F1 highlights of 2025, look ahead to what’s to come in 2026, plus we hear Red Bull chief engineer Paul ‘Pedals’ Monaghan’s assessment of the season.

Also in this episode:
The key moments which led to Lando Norris’s first world championship win
Why Max was ‘the most upbeat person’ in the Red Bull camp
Rick’s favourite F1 memes
Next season’s Formula One regulation changes explained
Rick & Matt’s 2026 predictions

Don’t forget to subscribe for exclusive F1 insights, race recaps, and all the gossip from inside the paddock.

-

For the entire season Matt Majendie and Rick Edwards are embedded with Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Matt will be in the pits and in the garage, with the drivers and in the factory, at the debriefs and the strategy session.

Get involved with the show!

Email us: theinsidetrack@bbc.com

Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @theinsidetrack_podcast

TikTok: @theinsidetrack_pod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast

This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC.

No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.

Producer: Jon Weeks

Executive Producer: James Cook

Social Media and Video Editor: Georgina Revell

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rick and Matt discuss the final race of the 2025 Formula One season in Abu Dhabi, Lando Norris&rsquo;s first time becoming world champion, and Max Verstappen&rsquo;s valiant second half of the season, which saw him come within two points of finishing top.
The pair ask: Was this Max&rsquo;s best ever season?
They also review the F1 highlights of 2025, look ahead to what&rsquo;s to come in 2026, plus we hear Red Bull chief engineer Paul &lsquo;Pedals&rsquo; Monaghan&rsquo;s assessment of the season.
Also in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The key moments which led to Lando Norris&rsquo;s first world championship win</li>
<li aria-level="1">Why Max was &lsquo;the most upbeat person&rsquo; in the Red Bull camp</li>
<li aria-level="1">Rick&rsquo;s favourite F1 memes</li>
<li aria-level="1">Next season&rsquo;s Formula One regulation changes explained</li>
<li aria-level="1">Rick &amp; Matt&rsquo;s 2026 predictions</li>
</ul>
Don&rsquo;t forget to subscribe for exclusive F1 insights, race recaps, and all the gossip from inside the paddock.
-
For the entire season Matt Majendie and Rick Edwards are embedded with Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Matt will be in the pits and in the garage, with the drivers and in the factory, at the debriefs and the strategy session.
Get involved with the show!
Email us: theinsidetrack@bbc.com
Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @theinsidetrack_podcast
TikTok: @theinsidetrack_pod
YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast">https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast</a>
This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC.
No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.
Producer: Jon Weeks
Executive Producer: James Cook
Social Media and Video Editor: Georgina Revell
See&nbsp;<a href="http://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Lando Norris becomes F1 World Champion... but is Max Verstappen driver of the season?

Rick and Matt discuss yet another strong race from Max Verstappen in Qatar, as a tactical pit stop saw Red Bull outwit McLaren. 

The pair also discuss all highlights from the Formula One race in Qatar, preview the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, and consider whether Isaac Hadjar is the right man for the job at Red Bull for 2026.

Also in this episode:
Have the Papaya Rules damaged McLaren’s driver championship title hopes?
How Carlos Sainz secured the podium
Will Isaac Hadjar break the ‘curse’ of the Red Bull second seat?
Rick and Matt share their final race predictions for the 2025 season

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for exclusive F1 insights, race recaps, and all the gossip from inside the paddock.

-

For the entire season Matt Majendie and Rick Edwards are embedded with Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Matt will be in the pits and in the garage, with the drivers and in the factory, at the debriefs and the strategy session.

Get involved with the show!

Email us: theinsidetrack@bbc.com

Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @theinsidetrack_podcast

TikTok: @theinsidetrack_pod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast

This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC. 

No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.

Producer: Jon Weeks

Executive Producer: James Cook

Social Media and Video Editor: Georgina Revell

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rick and Matt discuss yet another strong race from Max Verstappen in Qatar, as a tactical pit stop saw Red Bull outwit McLaren.&nbsp;
The pair also discuss all highlights from the Formula One race in Qatar, preview the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, and consider whether Isaac Hadjar is the right man for the job at Red Bull for 2026.
Also in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Have the Papaya Rules damaged McLaren&rsquo;s driver championship title hopes?</li>
<li aria-level="1">How Carlos Sainz secured the podium</li>
<li aria-level="1">Will Isaac Hadjar break the &lsquo;curse&rsquo; of the Red Bull second seat?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Rick and Matt share their final race predictions for the 2025 season</li>
</ul>
👉 Don&rsquo;t forget to subscribe for exclusive F1 insights, race recaps, and all the gossip from inside the paddock.
-
For the entire season Matt Majendie and Rick Edwards are embedded with Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Matt will be in the pits and in the garage, with the drivers and in the factory, at the debriefs and the strategy session.
Get involved with the show!
Email us: theinsidetrack@bbc.com
Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @theinsidetrack_podcast
TikTok: @theinsidetrack_pod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast
This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC.&nbsp;
No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.
Producer: Jon Weeks
Executive Producer: James Cook
Social Media and Video Editor: Georgina Revell
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max Verstappen takes the 2025 F1 Championship fight to Abu Dhabi

Rick and Matt react LIVE to McLaren’s double disqualification in the Las Vegas GP, and discuss Max Verstappen’s renewed chances of winning the Championship, at just 24 points behind Lando Norris.

The pair also discuss all the drama from the race in Vegas, share insight from Red Bull on their second seat for 2026, and hear from Red Bull strategist Hannah Schmitz on proposed mandatory two-stop races in future Formula One seasons.

Also in this episode:
Why the Vegas road surface was so tricky to drive on in the wet
Was Kimi Antonelli’s five-second penalty fair?
Max Verstappen set to lose ANOTHER engineer
Matt misses out on a SIX-POINTER in the podcast predictions league

 

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for exclusive F1 insights, race recaps, and all the gossip from inside the paddock.

-

For the entire season Matt Majendie and Rick Edwards are embedded with Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Matt will be in the pits and in the garage, with the drivers and in the factory, at the debriefs and the strategy session.

Get involved with the show!

Email us: theinsidetrack@bbc.com

Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @theinsidetrack_podcast

TikTok: @theinsidetrack_pod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast

This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC. 

No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.

Producer: Jon Weeks

Executive Producer: James Cook

Social Media and Video Editor: Georgina Revell

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rick and Matt react LIVE to McLaren&rsquo;s double disqualification in the Las Vegas GP, and discuss Max Verstappen&rsquo;s renewed chances of winning the Championship, at just 24 points behind Lando Norris.
The pair also discuss all the drama from the race in Vegas, share insight from Red Bull on their second seat for 2026, and hear from Red Bull strategist Hannah Schmitz on proposed mandatory two-stop races in future Formula One seasons.
Also in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Why the Vegas road surface was so tricky to drive on in the wet</li>
<li aria-level="1">Was Kimi Antonelli&rsquo;s five-second penalty fair?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Max Verstappen set to lose ANOTHER engineer</li>
<li aria-level="1">Matt misses out on a SIX-POINTER in the podcast predictions league</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
👉 Don&rsquo;t forget to subscribe for exclusive F1 insights, race recaps, and all the gossip from inside the paddock.
-
For the entire season Matt Majendie and Rick Edwards are embedded with Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Matt will be in the pits and in the garage, with the drivers and in the factory, at the debriefs and the strategy session.
Get involved with the show!
Email us: theinsidetrack@bbc.com
Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @theinsidetrack_podcast
TikTok: @theinsidetrack_pod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinsidetrack_podcast
This podcast is produced by BBC Studios, a commercial company that is wholly owned by the BBC.&nbsp;
No money from the licence fee was used to create this podcast. The money BBC Studios makes is re-invested to help fund the BBC.
Producer: Jon Weeks
Executive Producer: James Cook
Social Media and Video Editor: Georgina Revell
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Game On! Verstappen turns up the heat in the 2025 title race

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