The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 72
It's been long two weeks since our last show - but we're back!
The 2016 IndyCar season has wrapped up - and we know what Alexander Rossi will be doing in 2017 (hint - it won't be in Formula 1), and another team has decided to throw their lot in with Honda based on past partnerships and not current performance.
Over in F1 - Sergio Perez is confirmed for Force India in 2017, for real this time.
Chase Carey says F1 can't be run as a dictatorship - but can't be run by committee. Which not sure what that leaves him.
Maurizio Arrivabene got in trouble in Singapore - or did he?
Monisha Keltenbourne disappoints Patricia - again...
Malaysia was a great race - that Patricia missed...
And we still have a title race on our hands....
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 71
You don't get a lot of us this month as we found the demands of life pulling us a way from our Podcast Studio - no show next week or the week after, but we'll be back in time for Suzuka and Japanese Grand Prix.
We're still talking about the recent sale of F1 to Liberty Media. There's still a lot of questions being asked about what Liberty's strategy will be and what Bernie Ecclestone's role will be.
We were expecting several questions about the driver's market to get answered this week - but none of them were.
F1 is back at the night race that started it all. Others have tried to copy it, but none have done it better than Singapore under the lights.
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 70
We go away for a week and things go insane...
Monza signs a three year deal - Imola takes them to court
Mass announces his retirement, Jenson Button announces that he has a new contract, but isn't driving, and isn't retiring.
Renault says that the'll announce drivers by Singapore, unless they decide not to.
Red Bull/Toro Rosso's new phenom starts a rumor and gets in trouble.
Oh yeah and Formula 1 was sold...
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 69
F1 is back! This weekend F1 returns to it's traditional post-summer break venue of Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Before the race started, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso competed to see who could rack up the biggest grid penalty - and ended with a tie. While Toto Wolf says we should have been allowed to do what we did - but we did it and we're not the least bit sorry for it.
IndyCar continues to make the case for the Halo - even though they don't seem to be interested in implementing it.
And if you don't watch any other racing this week - make sure you watch the first 10 laps of Spa...
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 68
The Bloke and A Bird Episode 67
F1 has entered into the summer doldrums - teams and drivers are on a much needed break but fans and journalists are force to look everywhere for something interesting in the F1 world.
Rio Harianto fails to raise the cash for the rest of the year, he's headed to a reserve role while Esteban Ocon takes over. Alexander Rossi was offered the seat, but turned it down - but 2017 could be the next time we see him in F1.
Sauber says there are no excuses for 2017, and the drama regarding Silverstone's sale continues, while Toto Wolf channels Captain Obvious.
We discuss how F1 could become part of the Big Sporting Event That Happens Every 4 Years.
Finally we move off of F1 and briefly talk about what we did on summer vacation...
The Bloke and a Bird Show Episode 66
A note for our broadcast partners - this week we go long. Since we didn't record last week, we had a lot to talk about this week...
So while we were gone it seems like the plot of a bad action/adventure movie (or at least a lame episode of Arrow) played out in F1. Bernie Ecclestone's Mother in Law was kidnapped - and the leader to the gang that took her appears to be his helicopter pilot. So what's next, are we going to find out that Bernie is older than his mother in law - oh, right... The good news is that she's home safe.
The future of Rio Haryanto is up in the air still - mind you this is the future of his 2016 season, not his 2017 season.
The big question everyone is asking is what is going at Ferrari?
But also how can Mercedes forget how to use a stop watch?
Not only was the German Grand Prix last weekend, but so was the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, and we were right in the thick of it. If you haven't been to our Facebook page, this would be a good time to visit. Check out photos of the behind the scenes actions - and of Max Chilton and Alexander Rossi.
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 65
This week was IndyCar Testing at Mid-Ohio, and we were right in the thick of it - down on the pit wall and in the pit box of KVSH Racing.
Also this week - Sauber is saved! Unless it's not...
The financial stylings of VJ Mallya won't hurt Force India - or at least VJ says they won't.
The Italian Grand Prix will be at Imola in 2017! Unless it's not...
New rules to keep drivers on the track! Unless they go off it...
And F1 heads to Hungary, although unlike in previous years it's not the last race before the summer break.
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 64
Is the F1 Driver a superhero who can overcome any obstacle - or a fair weather athlete only capable of performing in the dry? That's really all we're trying to figure out coming out of last week's British Grand Prix in Silverstone. There were a few other stories, but really this week is all about the aftermath of Silverstone.
The Bloke and a Bird Show Episode 63
So we're now being published on the Google Play Music Store... At least that's what Google tells us, if we could find a link to the show (or any other podcast on Google Play) we'd provide it but we can't find one.
It shouldn't come as much of a surprise, but Sauber is going to miss this week's in-season test session. Ferrari is looking at 2018 already, and Kimi is staying for another year.
Niki Lauda says Lewis is a liar, then Mercedes says that Niki says that isn't what he meant.
Mercedes has put their drivers on Double Secret Probation, and this week we learn that being a chatterbox on the radio will get you in trouble...
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 62
This week the hills were alive with the sound of V6 hybrid engines, shattering carbon fiber, and exploding Pirelli tiles.
It seems to be Birthday Week in F1 with several drivers having birthdays this week - and one getting a big present from the organizers of the Australian Grand Prix.
Could a Mediterranean Grand Prix be coming to the calendar?
Bernie says he's open to rethinking F1's payout structure.
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 61
This week is living proof that when you write to us -we take action! We got a letter that said we needed more classic cars - and now we have one...
Baku was unfortunately a bit of a bore, but most of the drivers didn't seem to mind. Rumors continue regarding driver moves, and Bernie weighs in an Brexit and next year's calendar...
The Bloke and a Bird Show Episode 60
We're a bit late this week - recording was delayed as we spent most of Saturday trackside at Mid-Ohio Motorsports Course... at a kart race which was actually pretty cool.
This week we talk about Montreal, drivers showing us personality off track... and Baku this week means we're making wind jokes... You'll have to listen to find out why...
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 59
We're back, did you miss us?
We had a fantastic vacation, but still managed to catch the Monaco Grand Prix - our string of great races this season continues.
But before we talk about Monaco, we hear from McLaren's Ron Dennis which is a great lead in to McLaren-Honda's discussions with the FIA regarding the new engine supply rules.
There's been contract negotiations all around this week, from tire contracts, to commercial rights contracts, to engine contracts, driver contracts - and yes even engineering contracts. Silly season seems to have gotten off to an early start this year, and we could be looking at the silliest of seasons in years.
We finally get to talk about the aftermath of Monaco, a group who apparently doesn't know anything about the FOM is attempting to get the FOM to do something, and McLaren has a new tech that they're selling to auto manufacturers.
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 58
This week we take a look back at last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix and this week's in-season test session in Barcelona.
Williams ran some unique parts this week. Lewis won't be able to participate in testing. Renault's new engine looks to be everything it's been promised to be, and there might be one or two available for Monaco.
Honda might have an upgraded engine for McLaren in Monaco - but that might decide to wait until Montreal.
Williams helps a neonatal care unit improve their efficiency - and we have a plan to Make Sauber Great Again!!!!
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 57
The F1 paddock is only talking about Max Verstappen's move to Red Bull - or so NBCSport's Will Buxton would leave you to believe. But we find more to talk about than just Max's new ride, and there was even a race this week.
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 56
This week we find ourselves once again talking nice about Bernie Ecclestone - we don't know what's happened to us and we're highly concerned about it.
Before we get started - we got word this week that the inaugural Grand Prix of Boston has been cancelled. There's lots of finger pointing and all we know is that it's somebody's fault.
Mercedes insists that there's no conspiracy in their garages - and Lewis says that he really trusts his mechanics.
Renault wants Red Bull back as a customer, and the new engine rules that were ratified have a "Red Bull clause" and a "Force India clause."
Finally, despite what Monisha Keltenborn told us in the run up to the Russian Grand Prix - things aren't looking better for Sauber.
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 55
This week Monisha Keltenbourn insists that Sauber's financial difficulties aren't as bad as they seem - or at least aren't as bad as everybody seems to think they are.
The engine rules for 2017 may have been settled, but we won't get an idea of what the 2017 tires really look like until Winter Testing - wherever that is going to be.
If you thought Sebastian Vettel was upset with Danil Kyviat after the Chinese Grand Prix - Seb showed us he could get even more annoyed - going so far as to pay a visit to Red Bull's Christian Horner sitting on the pit wall during the race to "make his thoughts known." Meanwhile Kyviat had a mic drop moment in the press pen...
And Nico Rosberg makes in 7 in a row.
The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 54
We're back - and possibly feeling a little dirty after finding ourselves agreeing with something said by Bernie Ecclestone - no not what was quoted in all the headlines - something else.
Last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix was pretty event filled, at some points feeling more like a horse race than a Formula 1 race, and we finally get a chance to talk about the #windbagsunited picture