Episode 171 - F1 2026 Singpore Grand Prix

**Summary** Teeks and Riri review a chaotic Singapore sprint weekend and a much calmer Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen won both races and Kimi Antonelli extended his championship lead. They also question the FIA’s explanation for the wet-weather software failure, weigh Mercedes’ upgrade strategy, and discuss the reliability problems shaping the season.In this episode: **Topics**Mercedes split its garage between two aero specifications, giving George Russell the older package and Antonelli the new one for a direct comparison. Russell faced a back-of-the-grid start after taking a power-unit penalty. The hosts debate Mercedes’ upgrade choices and the team’s reliability woes. The FIA blamed a software bug for cars losing power in Malaysia’s wet conditions. Teeks and Riri challenge the emergency fix and debate how much control software should have over the cars. Audi’s Singapore livery, inspired by the city’s shift from daylight to twilight, earns praise. The hosts also spot Charles Leclerc’s black race suit. Sprint qualifying saw Arvid Lindblad miss SQ2 after a timing glitch, while Verstappen took pole. The sprint itself was crash-filled, with only 13 cars finishing. Verstappen secured pole again for the Grand Prix, ahead of Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Liam Lawson qualified ninth and continued his recent strong form. The dry Grand Prix was largely uneventful until Hamilton’s decision to stay out during a virtual safety car left him vulnerable on worn tires. He finished sixth as Verstappen won, with Leclerc second and Antonelli third. The hosts name Verstappen driver of the day and discuss Antonelli’s growing title lead, the season’s retirements, and whether teams are sacrificing reliability for speed. **Timestamps**  00:00 - Welcome and Singapore Grand Prix preview  02:10 - Mercedes compares two aero packages  05:24 - Toto Wolff on investigating the performance drop  06:19 - Russell’s power-unit penalty and grid start  09:12 - The cost of more engine components  10:14 - The FIA explains the wet-weather software failure  12:01 - Why the emergency power fix worries the hosts  15:10 - Hybrid complexity and the spirit of racing  18:44 - Audi’s Singapore special livery  21:08 - Leclerc’s black race suit  22:09 - Sprint format, heat rules, and cooling vests  24:22 - Sprint qualifying: Perez’s incident and Lindblad’s exit  27:21 - Sprint top ten and Verstappen’s pole  31:38 - Rain delays the sprint; Russell briefly leads  34:14 - Stroll and Perez crash, followed by a safety-car pile-up  37:55 - McLaren teammates collide; Verstappen wins the sprint  40:32 - Grand Prix qualifying and Hadjar’s car trouble  42:48 - Colapinto hits the wall in Q2  44:10 - Verstappen takes pole ahead of the Ferraris  47:13 - Grid penalties and a dry race start  49:37 - Verstappen holds off Leclerc as the race settles  51:18 - Bortoleto retires with a transmission problem  52:12 - A long stretch without major race action  53:04 - Hamilton stays out during the virtual safety car  56:07 - Hamilton loses places on worn tires  57:10 - Verstappen wins Singapore for the first time  58:02 - Antonelli finishes third and extends his lead  60:00 - Race review: retirements and reliability concerns  64:15 - Driver of the day and the championship outlook  **Important information**  If you enjoy our podcast and what we do here, please consider giving us a like and follow on your podcast platform of choice. After all, we are an ominous force, and we are EVERYWHERE!!! We are also on Instagram @inductionnoise, Tik Tok and YouTube. Look out for the orange logo with the TURBO and IN on it. If you’d like to get in touch with us for feedback, suggestions or inquiries, you can do so via our email which is [inductionnoise@outlook.com](mailto:inductionnoise@outlook.com)   Thanks for listening 😊