Silly Season Never Ends For Formula 1... 2026 F1 Preview?

In this episode of the Exhaust Notes Formula One Podcast, Nick, Rohit, and Todd, discuss the ongoing 'silly season' in Formula One, where there have been numerous driver movements and contract negotiations. They focus on the recent signing of Checo Perez by Red Bull for two years, which surprises them as Perez has not been performing well recently. They also discuss the potential future of Yuki Tsunoda, who they believe may not have a strong future in Formula One unless Honda continues to provide engines to a team like Alpine. They also touch on the driver market and speculate on where Carlos Sainz may end up. In this conversation, the hosts discuss the possibility of Carlos Sainz Jr. joining Audi in the future and the topic of nepotism in Formula One. They also share their thoughts on the recently announced 2026 regulations, including the smaller car size and the introduction of active aerodynamics. The hosts make predictions for the upcoming race and discuss potential driver movements, such as Valtteri Bottas to Williams and Esteban Ocon as a replacement for Nico Hulkenberg.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

01:39 Checo Perez's Signing with Red Bull

13:37 The Future of Yuki Tsunoda

26:07 Carlos Sainz Jr. and Audi

29:34 Nepotism in Formula One

43:09 Analysis of the 2026 Regulations

53:45 Predictions for the Upcoming Race

56:51 Potential Driver Movements

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