The Bloke and a Bird Show Episode 184

We start with the MotoTT Macau Grand Prix which managed to complete just 1 lap before being called off after two red flag periods.

Could Nico Hulkenburg be headed to IndyCar? (Update since we recorded - Nope)

Formula 1 has released their sustainability plain…

Sebastian Vettel agrees with us - the helmet rules are stupid and need to be changed.

The FIA says that maybe the downforce numbers that they announced with the new rules are a bit optimistic.

Oh - and they think that teams will report loopholes in the rules to the FIA instead of trying to exploit them.

Pirelli’s 2020 tires will get one last chance to impress the teams - if not, the teams could dump them.

The FIA wants to know more about the oil each team is using and how much that they’re using - while Ferrari insists that they aren’t doing anything different with their engine.

Red Bull says 2020 is going to be their most expensive year ever - because of the cost cap.

Red Bull’s lineup today - is their lineup for 2020.

When Lewis leaves F1 - maybe he’ll find something else to do with Mercedes?

Could Mercedes F1 be for sale? Probably not.

The Brazilian Grand Prix was a good one this year….

And the Miami Grand Prix hasn’t been killed off yet…

Read more …
Posted on November 19, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 183

Yes, we’re late again - late race, late show, sorry….

Before we get to F1 there’s shock news from IndyCar as word came out that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the NTT IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Productions were now part of the Roger Penske Automotive Empire.

The Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar team has announced their 2020 driver lineup and despite assurances that James Hinchcliff would have a drive with the team - Hinch is not part of their driver lineup, and neither is Marcus Ericsson.

Antonio Giovinazzi will get a second year with Alfa-Romeo Racing alongside Kimi Raikkonen.

Why yes, Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton, and Sebastian Vettel race Max Verstappen differently than any other driver on the grid.

The FIA is going to take a closer look at where Tecpro barriers are installed in Mexico City.

As expected - it’s not smooth sailing for the latest venue that the Miami Grand Prix has been proposed for.

The 2021 Technical, Sporting and Financial regulations have finally been released - and there’s a lot to digest.

Fernando Alonso is trying to digest the new rules too…

Racing Point is getting a new factory.

Pete Bonnington is back at the track.

Red Bull wrote a letter - and the conspiracy theorists are saying that’s the reason that Ferrari was so slow this weekend.

Petrobras will not be on the McLarens for the Brazilian Grand Prix

And no - Rich Energy will not be sponsoring McLaren no matter what William Storey says.

Read more …
Posted on November 5, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 182

We know we’re late this week - but with the race being in the same time zone for us our weekends are all thrown off…

Formula 1 has an “agreement in principle” to hold a race in Miami at the Hard Rock (Joe Robbie) Stadium. We think that this race is as likely as a race in New Jersey.

Is the Petrobras sponsorship of McLaren about to end?

McLaren says that changing the concept of their car for 2020 isn’t risky…. Where have we heard this story before?

Is Ferrari’s engine legal? Somebody is asking the FIA to take a look.

Renault has been disqualified from the Japanese Grand Prix - for using a system that they may have been using for quite a few years that is apparently a driver aid and therefore illegal.

Could Renault be pulling out of F1 - again…

Robert Kubica insists that there’s absolutely no tension between him and Williams.

Lewis Hamilton will not be guided by Peter Bonnington for both Mexico and the US Grand Prix.

There will not be reversed grid trials in 2020 - and Mercedes is part of the reason why it won’t be happening.

The Q2 tire rules could be going away for 2020 - and the F1 Commission and F1 Strategy Group could both be going away in 2021.

Sebastian Vettel didn’t like Mario Achi or the Mexican Grand Prix trophies.

And the Haas drivers will get to try out NASCARs this week.

Read more …
Posted on October 29, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 181

Were you able to watch qualifying for the Japanese GP or did you miss it due to the schedule changes?

Gunther Steiner received a fine from the FIA for causing moral injury to FIA officials and making comments that were “prejudicial to the interests of motorsport.”

Daniel Ricciardo and his former advisor Glenn Beavis have settled their dispute out of court.

Tire blankets will not be going away in 2021.

Formula 1 is hoping to try out reverse grid sprint races in France, Spa, and Russia, and we know a little more about the plan.

Williams tried out a new front wing, but elected not to run it for qualifying or the race and Robert Kubica wasn’t happy with that decision.

With a Valtteri Bottas win, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team became the first team in F1 history to win 6 straight constructors championships.

Lewis is happy for the team, but felt that he could have won the race too…

Ferrari and Charles Leclerc were hit with penalties for their early race antics. But Sebastian Vettel didn’t get a penalty.

Once again, a Formula 1 race ended early because the flag was thrown early.

And Renault could be in serious trouble…

Read more …
Posted on October 14, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 180

Short show this week - being between races things are a bit quiet this week…

Yes, we’re an F1 show but we start off talking about The Great British Bake Off…

But in F1 news -

The way drivers can change their helmets more than once is apparently to not ask for permission before they do it…

The 2020 Formula 1 calendar has been released and Max Verstappen says it’s going to cause some divorces…

It seems that the teams actually like the idea of open sourcing designs…

Robert Kubica’s sponsors aren’t happy with the reason Williams gave for Robert’s retirement in Russia.

Williams says they know why George Russel ended up in a wall in Russia…

And Robert Kubica got a new steering wheel - just for him..

McLaren says they never even considered moving to Ferrari engines.

Campos Racing says they want to make a bid to enter F1 in 2021 - meanwhile the FIA insists that there are no serious contenders for a race entry in 2021.

Read more …
Posted on October 7, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 179

This week Alfa Romeo Racing had it confirmed for them that you can’t appeal a penalty that isn’t in the rules list as “appealable”

Jean Todt says that there hasn’t been a credible candidate look to apply to enter F1 in 2021

Haas says that no matter what Rich Energy says on their Twitter account the team is not for sale and they’re not talking to a Saudi group to sell off the team.

Max Verstappen doesn’t want to be a deciding factor in who drives alongside him.

Mercedes has fired 4 employees for violations of it’s diversity policy

McLaren will be running Mercedes engines again starting in 2021 - and Mercedes insists that this won’t be a “works” deal. Meanwhile McLaren insists that this isn’t because of rumors that Renault will be leaving the series after the 2020 season.

Ross Brawn and Chase Carey talked to the drivers…

Carlos Sainz Jr wants more airtime for the mid-pack.

Daniel Kyvat couldn’t wear he’s special helmet that he had designed for the Russian Grand Prix.

Ferrari makes questionable strategy calls again.

Toro Rosso wants to change their name

And teams will be testing 2020 tires at the US Grand Prix this year.

Read more …
Posted on September 30, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and a Bird Show Episode 178

Congratulations to Oliver Askew for clinching the IndyLights series championship and Joseph Newgarden for clinching the IndyCar driver’s championship.

F1’s leading drivers are against the idea of reverse grids.

Don’t like the current grid penalty system? Renault thinks they should be replaced with time penalties - and F1, they think penalty ballast is a better idea.

Pirelli has a “secret” indoor testing protocol for the 2020 tire compounds, but they’re still getting another tire test.

What about tossing the idea of standardizing parts and instead let the teams do what they’d like - but they have to share their parts designs with the rest of the field so that teams can pick and chose the best of the best items.

And probably the best suggestion we saw this past week - Alex Wurz says that tracks need to rethink how they use asphalt and gravel runoff areas, and that the two can coexist in such a manner that sausage curbs wouldn’t be needed.

Robert Kubica will not be driving a Williams in 2020.

Haas is keeping Romain Grosjean for 2020 and we don’t believe their stated reason for keeping him over taking Nico Hulkenberg who is now unlikely to be making a move to Alfa Romeo.

Mercedes got a fine for having fuel that was too cold before FP1.

We know what caused Daniel Ricciardo to be disqualified from qualifying in Singapore.

Ferrari considered swapping Vettel and Leclerc.

Giovinazzi got a penalty for driving too close to the recovery vehicle and marshals who were on track.

A plastic bag was the source of Kevin Magnussen’s trouble in Singapore.

And the rumors that Zaandvort won’t be ready to host their race in 2020 - fake news according to the man in charge of hosting the race.

Read more …
Posted on September 23, 2019 by Michael.

No Show This Week... Sept 9

We had a great show lined up for you this week… It was going to be epic - Tricia got a shock entry in the DS3 Cup race in Denmark… But then this happened…

Posted on September 9, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 176

This week was a really difficult week for The Bloke and A Bird Show and the motorsports world…

For us, we said goodbye to one of our original audience members, Chase The Cat passed this week after 17 years with us.

Former Mythbuster and the Fastest Woman on Four Wheels, Jessie Combs was killed in a crash in the Oregon desert while trying to break her own land speed record.

And to cap off the week, F2 driver and Renault Young Driver Program member Anthoine Hubert was fatally injured in a crash at Spa. Anthoine was well known by several of the younger members of the F1 grid, and the paddock is in shock at his loss.

In other news - it’s confirmed, Esteban Ocon is replacing Nico Hulkenberg at Renault for 2020. No word on where Nico Hulkenberg is headed next.

Sergio Perez will be driving at Racing Point for another 3 years.

Christian Horner is defending Red Bulls Junior driver program.

There will be less testing in season next year, but more races overall.

Ross Brawn says that F1 will try new formats for race weekends next year - and we dread what’s going to happen.

The teams will get more MGU-Ks for next year.

Pirelli is going to kick off their tire testing program for 2021 this month.

No new teams coming to F1 until at least 2022.

And Lando Norris shares his golden rules for attending a race weekend.

Read more …
Posted on September 2, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 175

We watched Netflix’s new show Hyperdrive - and we can tell you that you don’t need to watch it….

After hearing about how the staff at Pocono repaired the catch fencing after the wreck last weekend - we’re starting to agree that maybe it’s time for IndyCar to leave the Tricky Triangle.

Matia Binotto is talking to the press again, and there’s a lot going on in F1 right now that he doesn’t like.

An American will get to drive an F1 car….

Daniel Ricciardo says that Renault still has a way to go before it’s challenging for podiums next year, and could he be getting a new team mate for 2020?

Bobby Epstein says that F1’s home in the US is COTA, and that COTA will host F1 for as long as COTA exists.

Read more …
Posted on August 26, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 174

A show two weeks in a row - we’re sure you’re just as shocked as we are….

So remember how we were told by Red Bull that they had no plans to replace Pierre Gasly… Yeah, so much for that, as he’s be sent down to Toro Rosso with Alexander Albon moving up to Red Bull to replace him.

Cyril Abiteboul would rather the tracks were redesigned instead of the technical rules in order to get better racing.

Ferrari is still moving ahead with their 2019 car despite the fact that it doesn’t have a chance of winning either title, but they do acknowledge that they should have looked to have more downforce this year.

McLaren on the other hand is already working on their 2020 car and it’s had a positive impact on their 2019 efforts.

Did Red Bull reach out to Fernando Alonso to offer him a drive alongside Max Verstappen for the rest of the year? Or did Fernando Alonso reach out to Red Bull to advertise his availability for 2020?

Zak Brown does say that Fernando hasn’t expressed interest in joining McLaren’s 2020 IndyCar attempt.

Alexander Rossi and James Hinchcliffe are headed to Bathurst this fall.

And once again there was a big crash at this past weekend’s race at Pocono.

Read more …
Posted on August 19, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 173

We’re back… It took us a bit to sort out our issues bet we’re ready to go this week.

And as you can tell - we recorded this before Red Bull announced that Pierre Gasly is going back a grade…

A big congratulations to Jamie Chadwick for winning the first W series drivers championship.

IndyCar is going hybrid for 2022.

IndyCar in 2020 will feature a McLaren team thanks to a partnership with Schmitt-Peterson and Chevy.

We talk silly season - before the change at Red Bull…

The Mexican GP is on for another three years.

Chase Carey says that there’s progress on a Miami GP…

And Lewis Hamilton might not appear in the second season of Netflix’s F1 Drive to Survive.

Oh - and THANK YOU INTERNET! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljP-adO-QOw

Read more …
Posted on August 12, 2019 by Michael.

No Show This Week - Aug 4

We’re sorry to have to miss two weeks in a row… We actually had a show recorded this week, but a technical issue developed that left the recording unusable. We’re going to troubleshoot and hopefully have a show next week…

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 172

This week we’re talking lawsuits, rules and other random bits…

Thought the Force India sale was buttoned up? Think again because there’s a lawsuit coming over the sale and it won’t be heard until late next year…

The Rich Energy story continues - without William Storey, or is it now Lightning Volt?

Title sponsor issues aside, Haas is still racing - and Gunther Steiner is trying to figure out how to convince his drivers not to hit each other…

Could Romain Grosjean be in danger of loosing his seat? We’re compiling the list of possible replacements for Romain including:

  • Esteban Ocon

  • Pietro Fittipaldi

  • Rinus Veekay

  • Stingray Robb

  • Fernando Alonso

Melbourne will continue to host the Australian GP through 2025.

We got our first peek at the 2021 rules packages for tires and aerodynamics.

Aston Martin is standing by for Red Bull and F1 - but they hope that Honda doesn’t leave.

The Mercedes drivers are expressing their opinions about how F1 selects tracks.

And Fernando Alonso says that he’s not focused on returning to F1 in 2020.

Read more …
Posted on July 22, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and a Bird Show Episode 171

Wow- what a week we’ve had! So much happened just in the last 5 days that we’ve got a longer show than normal, and we didn’t even deeply cover many of the past week’s big stories….

Robert Wickens was back on a track this weekend…

Jean Eric Vergne won his second Formula E championship…

Oh, and Formula E teams found a sneaky way to implement traction control, even though traction control isn’t allowed in the series.

Matrix management doesn’t work for McLaren

McLaren’s confirmed their driver lineup for 2020 - and Fernando Alonso isn’t part of it.

Jean Todt thinks that maybe refueling should come back.

Rich Energy - Haas, lots of crazy and lots for us to unpack there

Williams on the other hand has a title sponsor that’s not crazy at all, and committed to the team through 2023.

Williams is standing by Robert Kubica, and is also hopeful that they’ll continue as a Mercedes customer team.

Sport Pesa - Racing Point’s title sponsor has kicked off a neat fundraising campaign in support of efforts to find a cure for cancer.

Silverstone will continue to host the British Grand Prix.

Read more …
Posted on July 15, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 170

We’re back with an actual show -

We talk about how we might decorate our studio/office

In light of the latest judgement against Rich Energy we discuss the Haas’ decision to remain associated with the company…

You can buy the commemorative model of Sebastian Vettel’s “victory” at the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix.

Honda’s Technical Directory didn’t know what to do at the podium ceremony after the Austrian Grand Prix, and Red Bull doesn’t know why the car was so fast.

Racing Point says that their problems this year are Force India’s fault.

Pat Fry is going on Gardening Leave.

Toto Wolff sees agendas at play behind the rumors that he’s replacing Chase Carey.

And an F1 race in a parking lot? Sure why not, it’s not like it wasn’t a complete disaster the last time F1 tried it in the US…

Read more …
Posted on July 7, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 169

So the bad news is that we still have the background hum in the recording. The good news is that we’re pretty sure we now know what is causing it and we’re spending the coming week refreshing our podcasting setup in order to take care of the issue. We’re hopeful that we’ll have the whole thing sorted in another episode or so.

It turns out that the feedback is unanimous, at least among our sources in F1 - the French Grand Prix was terrible, and it’s all Circuit Paul Ricard’s fault. Romain Grosjean is actually calling it a nightmare scenario.

Max Verstappen had an amazing Austrian Grand Prix.

We don’t fault the race stewards from investigating Max’s pass on Charles Leclerc, all the same we’re very happy that they elected not to take any action in response to the pass.

It took a while before we got the steward’s verdict, and we know why, either way Ferrari will not be appealing this decision.

Could there be an exit clause at play between Max Verstappen and Red Bull?

Red Bull Development Driver and SuperFormula Driver Dan Ticktum is now Former Red Bull Development Driver and Former SuperFormula driver Dan Ticktum.

Marcus Ericsson will drive an F1 car again - in a Pirelli tire test.

Could the 2020 spec tires be part of the race weekend at the end of this season?

Rumors of a London Grand Prix continue to swirl - could this have an impact on Silverstone?

Read more …
Posted on July 1, 2019 by Michael.

The Bloke and A Bird Show Episode 168

We’re still working on the hum in the background, and we’re hoping to have the problem sorted soon…

This week Patricia doesn’t cut the show short so we actually got to talk about more than how upset we were about F1 FanFest Chicago…

As much as we like Sky’s Karun Chandok, the stewards from the Montreal Grand Prix tell Ferrari that Karun’s analysis of Sebastian’s penalty in Montreal doesn’t count as “overwhelming evidence".

But that wasn’t all the penalty talk this week with a pretty questionable penalty handed down to Racing Point’s Sergio Perez, and a much less questionable pair of penalties handed to Daniel Ricciardo.

Our solution to the problems of last weekend’s race - stop going to Circuit Paul Ricard…

Silly season talk is already underway, and at least one driver should be looking over their shoulder..

Romain Grosjean has had enough with the failings of this year’s Haas car.

And Fernando Alonso is no longer a McLaren test driver…

Read more …
Posted on June 24, 2019 by Michael.