Team Torquing Points: Season 2 Premiere

Our first episode of the new series of Team Torque saw Alex joined by Carlos behind the mic for the very first time.

It might be a new year, but it’s still the same chaos. As always, we asked for your questions, but there’s never any guarantee that our duo will answer them, and that was the case on this week’s premiere.

But, from what they did discuss, here are some of the highlights from this week’s edition of the hit series…

Alex was straight into the swing of things, introducing his new co-host… or was it guest? And what’s the series called again?

Alex: It is episode 1, what’s this show called again?

Carlos: Team Torque…

Alex: Ha! Team Torque! Even Carlos knows the name of the podcast. Season 2, Episode 1 with a new guest, a new host – Carlos Sainz.

Carlos: Am I a guest or am I a host?

Alex: Both. You are not a guest, actually you’re a host.

Carlos’ new role as GPDA Director has him thinking about how motorsport can be made more affordable at the grassroots level. Both he and Alex reflected on how much karting has evolved, and how expensive it has become.

Alex: It [karting] has changed so much. Honestly, they have flexi-wings. All the plastic, if you push it now, they’re so soft.

Carlos: This, in a way, kind of throws me off a bit. The amount of money that young racing drivers are paying in karting, it’s one of the things that as GPDA Director, I’m probably not going to be able to make a change.

But my target in life as a racing driver is trying to make the basics of motorsports a bit more affordable. Because it’s nuts the amount of money now that young people need to spend to get into karting. In our time, it was already getting out of hand, but where it is 15/16 years later… pffft.

Alex: It’s got crazy. And I think, which is a strange concept, I know karting was useful but if I had my own kid go into karting, I would not prioritise the best material or anything.

I’d make sure you had a good mechanic, and a good driver coach, and we’d create a good system, but I'd save my money for the single seater stuff for sure. The whole thing is too expensive.

Turns out, Carlos is quite the podcast enthusiast, which led to an impromptu brainstorming session for his own potential show. After a bit of back and forth, they landed on something… truly unique.

Alex: What’s the name of your show?

Carlos: Hmmmm…

Alex: Sainz…

Carlos: No.

Alex: Smooth Podcast… ha ha ha… Smooth Podcastinator.

Carlos: Smoooooooth Podcastinatooooor

Alex: Perfect. Done!

Carlos: That’s the intro done.