The Japanese Grand Prix delivered a huge weekend in the 2026 Formula 1 season — and there’s a lot to unpack.

Kimi Antonelli takes back-to-back wins in China and Japan, becoming the youngest championship leader in the history of the sport. Despite a poor start, he fights back to win at Suzuka, with Mercedes continuing to look strong across the opening races.

The race itself was shaped by a major incident, with Ollie Bearman involved in a 50G crash — one of the biggest impacts seen in recent Formula 1 history — bringing out a safety car that proved decisive.

McLaren showed real progress, with Oscar Piastri running strongly and finishing second, while Ferrari demonstrated impressive cornering speed but struggled with energy deployment and straight-line performance.

There’s also a deeper conversation around the current state of Formula 1. Questions are raised about qualifying, energy management and whether modern cars are delivering the same level of excitement, with drivers managing systems rather than pushing flat out.

Off track, attention turns to Max Verstappen after a difficult weekend. A tense moment in the press conference involving journalist Giles Richards, combined with on-track struggles, highlights growing frustration around performance and the current direction of the sport.

The episode also looks at wider issues across the grid, including Aston Martin’s ongoing struggles and the challenges facing teams as they look ahead to future development.

🎧 Full race reaction, insight and debate from Suzuka.

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Kimi Antonelli delivers a breakthrough moment in China, becoming the first Italian to win a Formula 1 race in 20 years, but while the headlines celebrate a new star, the bigger story may already be unfolding at the front of the grid. Mercedes look firmly in control after two races, with signs they still have more performance in hand. Behind them, Ferrari show promise, Lewis Hamilton secures his first podium in red, and Red Bull continue to struggle to match the pace.

In this episode of The Pit Talk Podcast, Chris McHardy and former F1 driver Robert Doornbos break down everything from the Chinese Grand Prix:

•⁠ ⁠Antonelli’s first win and the maturity behind it •⁠ ⁠Mercedes’ early dominance — and why it could get worse for the rest •⁠ ⁠Hamilton vs Leclerc: Ferrari’s most compelling battle right now •⁠ ⁠Red Bull’s issues and what it means for Verstappen’s title hopes •⁠ ⁠Reliability concerns and multiple non-starters — are the new regulations too complex? •⁠ ⁠Aston Martin’s struggles and serious questions around their direction •⁠ ⁠Calendar disruption as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are cancelled - It’s only race two — but the narrative of the 2026 season is already starting to take shape.

The 2026 Formula 1 season has started with a statement, and Mercedes look frighteningly fast.

George Russell claimed victory in Melbourne with a dominant performance as Mercedes secured their first 1-2 finish without Lewis Hamilton since 1955. The pace of the Mercedes — described as a “rocket ship” — immediately raises questions about whether the rest of the grid can catch them this season.

In this episode of The Pit Talk Podcast, Chris McHardy and former Formula 1 driver Robert Doornbos break down everything from the opening race of the 2026 season.

The new 2026 regulations produced an explosive opening 15 laps with wheel-to-wheel battles for the lead, raising big questions about whether this season will be decided by drivers or engineering.

Is Mercedes already the team to beat?

🎙️ The Pit Talk Podcast with Chris McHardy and Robert Doornbos reacts immediately after the Australian Grand Prix to analyse the biggest stories shaping the new Formula 1 season.

The Pit Talk Podcast returns for Season 2 as former F1 driver Robert Doornbos and broadcaster Chris McHardy preview the new Formula 1 season ahead of the opening race in Melbourne.

From major rule changes to championship contenders, this episode dives deep into the biggest storylines shaping the 2026 Formula 1 season.

In this episode we break down the biggest storylines for 2026:

• Ferrari’s make-or-break season after a bold message from Piero Ferrari
• The real problems at Aston Martin despite huge investment and the arrival of Adrian Newey
• How the new F1 rules – active aero, boost modes and battery management
• Early insights from Bahrain testing and which teams look strongest
• Rookie watch and why Arvid Lindblad could be one to watch
• Can Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finally deliver a title for Ferrari?

With a new era beginning in Formula 1, we discuss the teams, drivers and controversies that could define the season.

It’s the morning after the night all of Lando Norris’ dreams came true as he was crowned Formula One world champion.

Robert Doornbos and Chris McHardy are back in their hotseats - albeit a little bleary eyed - as they run the rule over the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lando may have won the war but Max Verstappen took the battle on the day clinching an eighth Grand Prix of the year. With that in mind, who really is the Driver of 2025?

The guys also assess what went wrong for Oscar Piastri in the final nine races of the season, wonder what might have been had Christian Horner been given the boot earlier and ponder what’s next for Lewis Hamilton who is a complete shadow of his former self.

Robert also looks into his crystal ball as the conversation invariably turns to what next with testing for 2026 just around the corner. And we tell you who on the pit wall is expecting “mayhem” with all the regulation changes!

The tagline says it all: ‘all roads lead to Abu Dhabi.’ And so the 2025 Formula One season comes down this: a three-way shootout at Yas Marina Circuit to determine the destination of the Drivers Championship.

McLaren’s inexplicable decision not to pit in Qatar allows Max Verstappen to win the Grand Prix, and move to with 12 points of Lando Norris.

In this episode, Robert Doornbos and Chris McHardy speculate on what might be going on inside the corridors of power at McLaren, and ponder what might just transpire in the UAE capital as the race for the Drivers Championship gets ready for it’s final, thrilling lap.

Robert Doornbos and Chris McHardy are back in their hotseats as they try to make sense of a controversial Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Disqualifications for both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have blown the race for the Drivers Championship wide open. Did McLaren have a genuine case to answer for or were there ‘other forces’ at play? The guys debate that, and give a break down of the technical infringements that could derail their title dreams.

Is there more to Lewis Hamilton’s constant bemoaning at Ferrari than meets the eye, and which team was offered to Robert back in the day as Toto Wolff lands a lucrative windfall at Mercedes.

The Brazilian Grand Prix 🇧🇷 never disappoints — and this one had it all.

Lando Norris continued his incredible late-season surge, taking a perfect 33-point weekend and pulling off a 58-point swing on teammate Oscar Piastri to seize control of the championship race. But while McLaren celebrated, Ferrari endured a nightmare weekend to forget, and Max Verstappen fought back from the pit lane to the podium.

From the Senna S controversy and Ferrari’s meltdown to Max’s tyre strategy and Yuki Tsunoda’s pit-stop chaos, Robert Doornbos and Chris McHardy dissect every major story from Interlagos and look ahead to what promises to be a wild Las Vegas Grand Prix under the lights.