Can we have sports without entertainment? Or is sports entertainment first and foremost? What is 'WAGagadon'? In the context of F1, these questions become even more interesting and layered, as Elizabeth Blackstock puts it - "Liberty Media is currently stuck marketing a sport when they were sold entertainment."On this week's episode, we discuss all things drama, fashion, gossip and entertainment. Toni has assembled a phenomenal group of fans and experts to convince Michael there is so much...

You've probably heard this saying - F1 is a travelling circus. On this week's episode, we are joined by two of the best experts to help us understand the sheer complexity of putting on every year this 'travelling circus'.Joe Pompliano is an entrepreneur and investor with a passion for breaking down the money and business behind sports. Giorgia Tirabassi is a Trackside Operations Manager at DHL Global Forwarding - DHL is one of the longest-standing sponsors in F1 and the main partner in charge...

Anyone who follows Toni's content knows how fascinated she is with tires - the one thing that actually touches the track and yet it’s the one thing that the teams do not have full control over. The big question is can Toni convince Michael of this? Convert him to the tire head camp. To help with this, she’s tapped the biggest self professed  tire fanatic of them all, Matt Trumpet - an F1 fan, fellow F1 podcast co-host and musician. Tune in as we go from rubber compounds to tea cosies from...

All modern sports are inundated with a seemingly endless stream of stats and data. As with everything else, F1 takes it to another level. With hundreds of sensors collecting all information possible, the F1 data fans are spoiled with endless possibilities. To better understand some of those possibilities we spoke with Tareq Nazlawy, founder of Trace - a Digital Assets Venture Studio, and Sean Kelly, F1's unofficial chief statistician.  Will Michael overcome his aversion, join the ranks of the...

In many ways, F1 is more like a chess game than a straight-out race to the finish line, but to appreciate this, Michael will need to understand the complexities behind the team's strategic thinking. We invited LMDh engineer and ex-F1 race engineer Blake Hinsey (AKA Brrrake) to help break things down for us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kosta is interested in having his name (and face!) on an F1 car. But how does one even go about that? In this installment, Toni and our experts will explain the crazy business model of F1 and to help us with this is motorsports journalist and novelist, Elizabeth Blackstock. We'll also be briefly introducing a new guest who'll be helping us later on in the season - Matt Bishop, MotorSport columnist, Racing Pride founding ambassador and previously CCO at Aston Martin Cognizant Formula 1...

This is the intro episode to season 2 of choosing sides F1 - a podcast that blends sports, cultural commentary, humor and a deep love for the pinnacle of motorsports. If our first season was all about Michael Kosta's induction into the sport, for season two, Toni Cowan-Brown (Tech and F1 commentator) takes him much deeper down the rabbit hole.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last season on Choosing Sides, we established unequivocally that  F1 is the pinnacle of motoracing. We helped co host Michael Kosta choose his team and driver and then we sent him on his jolly way. But as it turns out, F1’s newest fan is still a little confused. Season 2 co host, Toni Cowan-Brown, thinks she knows what his problem is. He hasn't figured out what kind of F1 fan he is.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's here: The season finale of Choosing Sides: F1. In this episode, Michael and Lily watch a race together and then Michael (at long last!) decides on the team and driver he wants to support as he begins his Formula 1 fan journey. Let's go!Special thanks to all of our guests this season. This episode was produced by Lily Herman and Senior Producer Yochai Maital. Sound Design by Yochai Maital. Mastering by Sela Waisblum. Recording at The Cutting Room Studios by Rob O'Leary II. At SI Studios,...

As we get the finale ready for your waiting ears, we thought we'd take a quick moment to look back at Michael's journey - in his own words.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At long last, we've reached the final team on the grid! Ever sowing the seeds of chaos, the Haas Formula 1 team has a short history filled with sketchy sponsors, firery crashes, and radically different drivers. Will it become a last-minute favorite for Michael ahead of our final episode? Listen to find out.Special thanks to our guests: Alanis King and Elizabeth BlackstockThis episode was produced by Lily Herman and Senior Producer Yochai Maital. Sound Design by Yochai Maital. Mastering by...

Alfa Romeo is often one of the forgotten "A" names on the grid, but that doesn't make it any less important. In this latest installment of Choosing Sides: F1, Lily tells Michael all about Alfa's strange history as well as its two drivers — one of whom is a favorite of hers. But will Michael agree?Special thanks to our guests: Tatiana CalderonThis episode was produced by Lily Herman and Senior Producer Yochai Maital. Sound Design by Yochai Maital. Mastering by Sela Waisblum. Recording at The...

The time has finally come for Michael to meet Williams, the F1 team that has most intrigued him over the course of the season. Will he fall for its rich history and passionate former leader Sir Frank Williams? Or much like the rest of the grid, will he leave Williams in the dust? Tune in to find out.Special thanks to our guests: Byrd PinkertonThis episode was produced by Lily Herman and Senior Producer Yochai Maital. Sound Design by Yochai Maital. Mastering by Sela Waisblum. Recording at The...

It's time to dive into a true billionaires' playground! This week, Lily and Michael unpack the bizarre history of Aston Martin (or as it's been known in recent years, Force India, Racing Point Force India, and Racing Point). They talk about the Richie Richies who've made this team what it is today and the strange 2022 Aston Martin driver lineup of Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll. However, because Seb announced his retirement after this year last month, Lily will also introduce Michael to...

Another week, another midfield team that begins with an "A"! In this latest installment of Choosing Sides: F1, Lily and Michael discuss Red Bull's sister team AlphaTauri and what it even means to be a "sibling" to RBR. They also talk about the team's two very likable drivers, including fan-favorite Pierre Gasly and delightful (and ever off-the-cuff) Yuki Tsunoda. But at this point in both of their careers, these racers are facing a lot of questions — including how long they want to stay at...

Wow, we're now comfortably in the midfield of the F1 grid! On today's episode, Lily and Michael dive into the confusing, inconsistent, and sometimes scandal-ridden history of Alpine, otherwise known until rather recently as Renault. You'll get to hear all about a second -gate called Crashgate and meet two very intriguing (and different!) drivers in the legendary Fernando Alonso and the scrappy Esteban Ocon. --Production Note -- This episode was recorded prior to the August 1, 2022 news that...

After three weeks of two-parters, it's time for our first single-team episode. This week, Lily and Michael discuss the storied history of McLaren, which spent decades at the top of the standings before struggling in recent years. In addition to covering the very contentious Spygate scandal, the pair also address McLaren's two drivers: The rising star Lando Norris and the perennial favorite — and struggling — Daniel Ricciardo. Special thanks to our guests: Josh Marsh and Nicole Sievers.This...

In part two of their look at Ferrari, Lily and Michael talk about the two drivers who race for the team: The speedy (and high-cheekboned) Charles Leclerc and steadfast (and thirst trap-y) Carlos Sainz. Don't let their fun banter as teammates fool you: Both of them want to win and believe they have what it takes to get to the top. The question is, who will Ferrari prioritize when push comes to shove?Special thanks to our guests: Jennie Gow, Kate Lizotte, and Aldas Kavaliauskas.This episode was...

It's time to leave the land of energy drinks and switch gears to the world of the Prancing Horse. In part one of this two-parter, Lily and Michael take on the long history of Ferrari, the only team on the grid that's participated in every season of Formula 1. But before we get to who's driving the cars, let's meet the man at the center of the team and much of its controversies: The legendary Enzo Ferrari.Special thanks to our guests: Josh Revell and Aldas Kavaliauskas.This episode was...

We're back with the second episode in our Red Bull two-parter, and it's time to talk drivers. On one side of the garage is reigning World Drivers' Champion Max Verstappen, a young racing prodigy known to never back down from a fight — sometimes to his own detriment. On the other side is Sergio "Checo" Perez, a veteran driver who's consistency and reliability initially earned him a spot on one of the grid's fastest teams. The Red Bull team functions with a clear number-one and number-two...

Strap on your parachute and jump in to the first of our Red Bull two-parter. On today's episode, Lily and her crew of guests take Michael on a journey to give him wiiings — and by that, we mean tell him the interesting history of the Red Bull energy drink company as well as the F1 team. We'll also meet two very well-known shit stirrers in the Formula 1 paddock by the names of Christian Horner and Helmut Marko. Bonus: There may or may not be a Spice Girl involved in this operation.Special...

In this second episode of our Mercedes two-parter, Lily and Michael dive into the drivers at Mercedes. On one side of the garage is Sir Lewis Hamilton, the fashionable seven-time world champion, activist, and GOAT of Formula 1 who holds the distinction of being the sport’s first and only Black driver. On the other side is George Russell, the young gun who finally took his rightful place on the Mercedes throne after three years toiling away at Williams — only to join the team right as they...

Now that Michael knows the basics of Formula 1, it’s time to get into the teams. On the first episode of this two-parter, Lily and Michael learn all about the eight-time World Constructors’ Champion Mercedes. After spending the better part of the 2010s and the very early 2020s dominating the sport, Mercedes has hit a bit of a rough patch. But before they get to that, the pair will talk about the team’s early tragic history in Formula 1 and the guy at the head of the program whom the masses...

Let's get this party started! On this inaugural episode of Choosing Sides: F1, comedian Michael Kosta (of Daily Show fame) and walking pop-culture encyclopedia Lily Herman start a hilarious, engrossing journey into the world of Formula One. Our resident-F1-expert Lily takes our resident-F1-novice Michael through the basics of what makes F1 just so dramatic and obsession-worthy. They’ll dive into big questions such as, why does everyone in this sport have a massive ego? Why are there only 10...