F1 Nation

This episode is sponsored by AWS - Global AI Partner of Formula 1

As Kimi Antonelli becomes the youngest F1 World Champion in history, Tom Clarkson and James Hinchcliffe review the Mexico City Grand Prix.

9th place would have been enough for Antonelli to take the title, but he fought his way to the podium. What does that say about his character? Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton lifted the new champion onto their shoulders on the rostrum. Could Kimi go on to challenge their incredible records?

Race-winner Verstappen showed all his speed and composure...

Their names are on the F1 World Championship trophy, now they're answering F1 Explains listener questions! 1978 and 1996 title-winners Mario Andretti and Damon Hill joined us for a special legends live show at Circuit of the Americas.

Mario and Damon tell Christian Hewgill about the incredible growth of F1 in the USA, then listeners Nick and Brian take the stage to ask questions about winning in different forms of motorsport, data vs driving instinct and Mario's movie career...

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With Kimi Antonelli two points away from becoming the youngest World Champion in F1 history, Tom Clarkson and broadcaster Diego Mejía preview the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Can anyone delay Kimi's coronation? Perhaps one of the drivers in contention for P2 in the championship - George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, or Charles Leclerc? Verstappen is a 'turn one specialist' in Mexico, but might the high altitude favour the Ferrari drivers? Why are the final races of 2026 so important for Russell and anyone else hoping to mount a title challenge in 2027?

Tom and Diego a...

This episode is sponsored by AWS - Global AI Partner of Formula 1.

James Hinchcliffe and Lawrence Barretto join Tom Clarkson in the Austin paddock to reflect on the United States Grand Prix.

Kimi Antonelli’s dominant win from pole wasn’t enough to secure the title this time around, but he’s moved even closer to becoming the youngest World Champion in F1 history. How did he make the one-stop strategy work so well? And what are the permutations for Kimi to seal the championship in Mexico?

On the other side of the Merced...

What’s the difference between understeer and oversteer? How is race pace different to quali pace? And how do drivers deal with jet lag?

Haas Reserve Driver Jack Doohan joins Christian Hewgill in the Austin paddock to answer your questions about Formula 1.

Jack opens up on the challenges of dealing with the mental pressures of the sport and explains what downshifts are, how they feel in the car and why good downshifts are so crucial to lap time.

This episode is sponsored by AWS - Global AI Partner of Formula 1.

Jolyon Palmer and Alex Jacques join Tom Clarkson for some energetic debate ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in Austin.

With Singapore still fresh in their minds, the guys discuss the strategy call from Lewis Hamilton that cost him a podium and whether a driver should go against their team’s strategic decisions.

Lots of listeners disagreed with Jolyon’s take on last week’s podcast about the crash between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the Sing...

Packed with drivers, cars, team personnel, media, celebrities and more, their voices drowned out by the noise of passionate fans in the grandstands and engineers at work, the Formula 1 grid before a race start is probably the most exciting, chaotic and loudest places to be in all sport.

But what actually happens on the grid before lights out? How are the drivers preparing in those final moments before going into battle? What work is being done on the cars? 

Christian Hewgill and Molly Hudson, F1 correspondent for UK newspaper The Times, are together on the g...

Max Verstappen secured back-to-back wins from pole position with his first ever victory at the Singapore Grand Prix. With seven podium finishes from the last eight races, at a range of different tracks, are he and Red Bull now the benchmark in Formula 1?

Tom Clarkson is joined in the paddock by Jolyon Palmer and James Hinchcliffe to discuss Max’s ‘masterclass’ around the Marina Bay Circuit and what we can expect from Red Bull for the rest of the season.

Charles Leclerc claimed his first podium in seven races with P2, but should he have taken...

Why does every Grand Prix have a different number of laps? How come some F1 teams have fewer employees than others? What are drivers and engineers doing during practice sessions?

Those are your questions. Christian Hewgill gets the answers from F1TV Lead Presenter Laura Winter and two-time 24h Le Mans podium-finisher (and budding stylist, apparently) Alex Brundle.

Laura and Alex also tackle your questions on tyre rules, whether driver or car is more important, and why a race with every driver in the same car would not tell us who's 'best'

Got...

Tom Clarkson and F1 Correspondent Lawrence Barretto think Red Bull and Ferrari will be closely-matched at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, with Mercedes and McLaren also in the mix.

Will Max Verstappen win this Grand Prix for the first time in his career? Will the tight corners of the Marina Bay circuit suit McLaren and Ferrari? Will Mercedes' upgrades give Kimi Antonelli a chance of victory, and can George Russell recover from a back-of-the-grid start due to an engine penalty?

In the highly competitive midfield, Audi, Racing Bulls and Alpine will be watching Aston Martin...

Jolyon Palmer and Alex Jacques join Tom Clarkson from the F1TV commentary box to debrief an epic Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Max Verstappen secured his first victory of 2026 and the first win for Red Bull’s own power unit. How did Max recover from a slow start? Why were Red Bull so competitive in Sepang? And just how far have they come this year?

Meanwhile, there were mixed emotions at Mercedes, with Kimi Antonelli coming home in P2 but George Russell retiring due to an engine issue. Now 84 points behind championship leader Kimi, ar...

Days after driving a modern Formula 1 car for the first time, Jamie Chadwick joined F1 Explains to answer your questions.

She tells Christian Hewgill what surprised her the most when she tested the 2025 Williams F1 car at the Portimao circuit in Portugal, and compares the experience to driving in W Series, Indy NXT and Le Mans.
 
Jamie also talks about working with Williams, supporting F1 ACADEMY drivers and her ambitions for her racing career, all while signing a flurry of caps thrown on stage by the Baku crowd...

Got questions? We'll get the a...

Tom Clarkson and 1996 World Champion Damon Hill preview this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Damon competed in the very first F1 race at Sepang back in 1999 so tells Tom what we can expect from the track, the weather conditions and who will be competitive here.

The guys also discuss what George Russell will take into the weekend from his dominant victory in Baku, why Ferrari have felt the need to publicly reaffirm their support for Team Principal Fred Vasseur, and their thoughts on Fernando Alonso’s decision to continue racing with Aston Martin in 2...

Tom Clarkson, James Hinchcliffe and Alex Brundle sit down in the Baku paddock to dissect a thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

George Russell may have only won the race by a tenth after a dramatic drag race with Max Verstappen to the finish line, but he was dominant all weekend to take his third victory of the season.

Why was George back to his best in Baku? Has he finally got to grips with the car? And what does this result mean for his title challenge?

Kimi Antonelli recovered from his crash in qualifying...

They're the racing series which prepare drivers for Formula 1. F2 and F3 are where Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Gabriel Bortoleto and many more F1 stars have honed their skills behind the wheel. How are these categories different, what do the drivers drive, and what does it take to win?

2026 Formula 3 champion Ugo Ugochukwu tells Christian Hewgill the key to topping a competitive field of 30 drivers, what he learned from racing on F1 weekends and how he hopes to make the step up to F2 and beyond.

Formula 2 Technical Director Pierre-Alain Michot answers your...

Tom Clarkson, Jolyon Palmer and James Hinchcliffe look ahead to this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.

The guys reflect on how different Kimi Antonelli’s European leg of the season was this year compared to last, before discussing how much the Italian’s success this season is down to his own progress and how much can be attributed to George Russell’s struggles.

With Lewis Hamilton now over 100 points adrift of championship leader Antonelli, are his title hopes now over? If so, how should Ferrari approach the rest of this year? After their strong p...

Every driver wants to stand above their rivals, hear their national anthem, life the trophy and spray the champagne on the Formula 1 podium. It's a moment of celebration which takes careful planning and is governed by strict rules... like a wedding... in race suits.

We've put your podium questions the two people who work together to make it all happen: Linda Boudabous – Master of Ceremonies and Special Operations Co-ordinator at the FIA, and Katalin Bukor – Head of Ceremonies & Protocol at Formula 1.

They tell Christian Hewgill about broken trophies, keeping VIPs dry and what happens when real...

Tom Clarkson is joined by journalists Albert Fabrega and Julianne Cerasoli to reflect on the first Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring circuit.

The Virtual Safety Car came at just the wrong time for race leader Lando Norris on lap 15, costing him victory after he’d made a great start from pole. Could McLaren have pre-empted the VSC? Why did Lando pit after the VSC ended? Could he have stayed out on the medium tyre?

Tom, Albert and Julianne discuss those talking points and you’ll hear reaction from McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella.

Ki...

How did the Madring come to life? What makes it such a unique track compared to the rest of the F1 calendar? And why is ‘La Monumental’ the corner everyone’s talking about?

As we head to the heart of Madrid for the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, Christian Hewgill has been finding out more about F1's newest circuit.

He's joined by F1 correspondent Lawrence Barretto, who was Carlos Sainz's passenger as he drove the very first lap of the track earlier this year, and the Madring’s Chief Operating Officer, Carlos Jimenez, to answer y...

Formula 1 is heading to a brand-new circuit in Madrid this weekend, as the Madring hosts the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time.

Tom Clarkson and F1TV lead commentator Alex Jacques discuss the unique challenges this track will present the drivers, why we could be treated to a chaotic race and which teams will be competitive there.

Jacquesy tells Tom why George Russell can still stop his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli from becoming World Champion, despite the Italian’s 66-point lead at the top of the standings. 

And you’ll hear what Ferra...

Tom Clarkson is joined by Lawrence Barretto and Davide Valsecchi to analyse an extraordinary Italian Grand Prix, which saw Kimi Antonelli climb from 19th on the grid to become the first Italian Formula 1 driver to win their home race in 60 years.

How did Antonelli complete such an incredible comeback? Where does his victory rank among the greatest drives in F1 history? And what will be going through George Russell’s head after failing to capitalise on Kimi’s grid penalty? 

Lewis Hamilton has suggested that Ferrari need to introduce rules of engagement after he felt Ferra...

What’s the difference between a high-speed track and a low-speed track? What challenges do both types of circuit present drivers? How does driving style and car setup differ between the two?

Christian Hewgill is joined by former F1 driver and F1TV pundit Jolyon Palmer to answer your questions about speed.

Tom Clarkson, Jolyon Palmer and James Hinchcliffe turn their attention to the Temple of Speed for this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

With championship leader Kimi Antonelli taking a grid penalty at his home race, can the Mercedes driver still fight his way through the field to win? How big an opportunity is this for George Russell? Can Lando Norris make it three wins in a row, or will Monza expose McLaren's weaknesses? 

And after going two races without a podium for the first time this season, can Ferrari find form again and give the Tifosi a...

He spent more than a decade in the F1 pit lane, winning multiple World Championships and seven consecutive DHL Fastest Pit Stop Awards, but former Red Bull Racing mechanic Calum Nicholas has never faced your Formula 1 questions... until now!

Calum joins IndyCar race-winner James Hinchcliffe and Christian Hewgill to explain what pit crew members do when they're not changing tyres, how they know to be ready for a stop, and why their every move in the garage is being watched by the sport's rule-makers, the FIA.

Hinch gives us a guide to the cost cap...

Tom Clarkson is in the Zandvoort paddock with F1 correspondent Lawrence Barretto and F1TV expert Alex Brundle for reaction to a chaotic Dutch Grand Prix. 

Back-to-back wins for Lando Norris means he’s now 83 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli with 11 races to go, so is the McLaren driver back in the title fight? 

Despite being behind him for most of the weekend, Kimi Antonelli got the better of his Mercedes teammate George Russell on race day. Why didn’t George have the pace when it really mattered? Were Mercedes right to issue team orders...

After the huge success of the LEGO Drivers’ Parade at Miami in 2025, the driveable LEGO cars returned at Silverstone for this year’s British Grand Prix. And this time, all 22 drivers had their own car to race in – creating even more chaos than the first time! 

Who designed and built the cars? Where does the construction happen? What contribution do the F1 teams make to the creation of the cars? And how are they powered?

Christian Hewgill is joined by Senior Designer from the LEGO Group, Jonatan Jurion – who shares brilliant insight into how these extraordi...

Max Verstappen has signed a new deal with Red Bull Racing that will see him stay with the team until the end of 2030 at least.

Why has he committed his future to Red Bull? How significant is this for the team? And what does Max’s decision mean for the driver market in general?

Tom Clarkson is joined by F1 correspondent Lawrence Barretto in the Zandvoort paddock to answer the key questions.

Tom Clarkson, Jolyon Palmer and James Hinchcliffe look forward to the return of Formula 1 at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Kimi Antonelli leads the F1 World Championship by 50 points, but his rivals are still in the fight. The guys discuss whether the young Italian can continue his stellar season under growing pressure in the second half of the year.

After some 'sloppy' mistakes in recent races, can Ferrari challenge Mercedes? Will Lando Norris, our most recent race-winner, become a factor in the title fight?

Also in this episode, what's behind a change of Team...

Tom Clarkson is joined in the paddock by F1TV expert and IndyCar race winner, James Hinchcliffe, to reflect on the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Lando Norris converted pole position to take his first Grand Prix victory of the season and his first as a World Champion. Why was Lando back on top in Budapest? Is he driving better this year than last year when he won the title? And can he now regularly fight with Mercedes and Ferrari to defend that title in 2026?

Max Verstappen was pleasantly surprised to finish P2 and secure his third...

Neck training, positive energy and Belgian mussels are on the menu as Red Bull Test and Reserve Driver Yuki Tsunoda joins Christian Hewgill on stage in Belgium.

Yuki answers questions from F1 Explains listeners about why F1 drivers need to be physically fit, the advice he'd give his rookie self, what he learned from teammates including Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, and his favourite race weekend food.

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With chassis set to be more important than power unit at the Hungaroring, will Ferrari have a more competitive car than Mercedes in Budapest? If so, who will come out on top between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton? And could George Russell benefit as he looks to close his 50-point gap to championship leader Kimi Antonelli?

F1 correspondent and presenter Lawrence Barretto joins Tom Clarkson in the paddock to answer the key questions ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. 

Tom and Lawrence also discuss what we can expect from the big upgrades Aston Mar...

Tom Clarkson is joined by race-winner Kimi Antonelli, F1TV lead presenter Laura Winter and two-time Le Mans podium finisher Alex Brundle to review the Belgian Grand Prix. 

Kimi converted pole to secure his sixth win of the season and move 45 points clear at the top of the World Championship. 12 months on from last year’s Belgian Grand Prix, one of his most challenging weekends of the 2025 season, how has the 19-year-old made such an incredible transformation?  

Kimi joins us in the Mercedes motorhome to reflect on his victory and a close fight with Ferrari’s Char...

How do drivers enable Overtake mode and active aero? What’s the secret to a quick flying lap? And how do they know when to launch on a practice race start?

Williams' Carlos Sainz and Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto join Christian Hewgill in the F1 paddock to answer your questions about Formula 1.

You’ll also hear how they find the perfect balance between clean and dirty air when following another car, their race weekend routine and whether everyday normal driving in road cars has any impact on their racing.

Plus, Gabi puts an end to t...

Tom Clarkson is joined by former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe to preview this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Having failed to score points in two of the last three Grands Prix due to car problems, Kimi Antonelli has seen his championship lead cut from 66 points to just 25. So what is the biggest threat to Kimi’s hopes of becoming World Champion this year? His teammate George Russell, Ferrari or Mercedes’ reliability issues?

On a recent episode, Jolyon suggested that Ferrari need to back Lewis Hamilton over Charles Leclerc if they’r...

How has F1 changed since Damon Hill won the World Championship? What happened to make him report rival Michael Schumacher to the stewards? Why does he share an unusual car number record?

30 years after his title-winning season, Damon joins Christian Hewgill on stage at the British Grand Prix to answer these questions and more from F1 Explains listeners.

Lyndsey from Maine and Toby from Manchester ask Damon about making his F1 debut relatively late in life, and what his former team Williams need to do to return to the front of the grid.

...

Tom Clarkson is joined by F1TV commentary duo, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and lead commentator Alex Jacques, to reflect on a dramatic British Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc capitalised on more misfortune for championship leader Kimi Antonelli to take his first victory since Austin in 2024. After such a difficult run of races, why was he back to his best and how significant is this win for Charles?

Reliability issues mean Antonelli has seen his championship lead cut from 66 points to just 25 over the last three rounds, but is he leaving Silverstone happier than George...

What makes one Formula 1 driver faster than another? How does an F1 team work out when and where to bring upgrades to their car? What happens when one team thinks an opponent has broken the rules? How do the 11 F1 Constructors vary in size? And what difference does that make to performance?

Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu welcomes Christian Hewgill into his motorhome office at Silverstone to answer your questions about Formula 1. 

DAMON HILL JOINS F1 EXPLAINS LIVE AT THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX

1996 World Champion Damon Hill will be joining Christian on the S...

Tom Clarkson and F1TV Lead Commentator Alex Jacques look ahead to F1 Sprint and the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Will Mercedes' George Russell win in front of his home crowd to close the championship gap? Can Kimi Antonelli hit the ground running on an F1 Sprint weekend and return to the top step of the podium? Will the upgraded Red Bull allow Max Verstappen to challenge for victory on Silverstone's fast corners and long straights?

After Ferrari's 'reality check' in Austria, will Silverstone suit their car better? Tom and Alex also discuss how...

Tom Clarkson is joined in the Red Bull Ring paddock by F1TV experts James Hinchcliffe and Alex Brundle to analyse the Austrian Grand Prix.

George Russell got back to winning ways for the first time since the season-opener in Australia. He retakes second place in the championship standings, reducing the gap to leader Kimi Antonelli to 40 points. How did George overcome the threat of Max Verstappen in the Red Bull? What does this win mean for his title challenge? And how impressive was his racing IQ to take pole position?

On the other side...

For F1 drivers, being in the right team at the right time is crucial. Competition for a seat in a leading car is fierce. Moving teams is career-defining decision, and not always one the driver can fully control.

To negotiate the best deal available, and to organise the rest of their busy lives, drivers have mangers. They're a mix of agent and advisor - someone the driver trusts to help make decisions.

Carlos Onoro, manager and older cousin of Williams driver Carlos Sainz, sits down with Christian Hewgill to explain his role, which involves far...