Up To Speed Up To Speed

When will George Russell's BAD LUCK end?

Oct 8, 2026 · 36m

Summary

Will and Naomi preview the Singapore Grand Prix, analyzing George Russell's back-of-grid start due to an engine penalty and Mercedes' underperforming upgrade package. The hosts debate whether the FIA should mandate cooling suits for extreme heat and discuss Stefano Domenicali's confirmation of the final races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. They also assess Max Verstappen's and Lewis Hamilton's chances to challenge Kimi Antonelli for the Drivers' Championship in the season's closing stretch.

Topics discussed

Intro: George Russell's engine penalty and Singapore preview Welcome, Up to Speed Plus shout-out, and episode overview Listener reactions to the Malaysia Grand Prix episode George Russell's grid penalty and overtaking challenges in Singapore Mercedes upgrade performance and George's recent form Tire degradation issues and the impact of the new upgrade Sprint weekend format and testing the old vs new spec cars Mercedes' Constructors' title chances and Red Bull's resurgence Drivers' Championship battle: Can George hold P2? George Russell's mental state and handling teammate pressure Social media engagement and Up to Speed Plus promotion Physical toll of hot races: Sweat loss and mental fatigue Driver cooling suits: Availability, cost, and Mercedes' stance Debate on FIA safety measures vs. driver autonomy in heat Risk aversion in wet weather and trusting elite drivers Stefano Domenicali's comments on Qatar and Abu Dhabi races Imola as Plan B and Kimi Antonelli's school days Closing remarks and Singapore atmosphere Sponsor: Carvana
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