F1 Explains

What is a ‘driving style’ and how many different ones are there? What’s the secret to executing a champagne pop on the podium? And how do F1 drivers come up with ideas for special helmet designs and create the final product?

McLaren driver Lando Norris joins Christian Hewgill at the Canadian Grand Prix to give you the answers.

Lando also tells us what he likes to eat for breakfast, why he has to get up so early on race day, his guilty pleasures, what he’d be if he wasn’t an F1 driver, and why he wan...

He's a legend of Formula 1, a three-time World Champion who fought to make the sport safer. Sir Jackie Stewart's good work continues today with his charity Race Against Dementia.

Sir Jackie joins Christian Hewgill to answer your questions on how F1 has changed since the 1960s and 70s, the great drivers of the past and how F1 cars and racetracks have become safer over the decades.

Lady Helen Stewart, Jackie's wife, was once his timekeeper. She stood at the side of the track with a stopwatch to record his lap times. In 2014 they learned she has...

Teamwork. Racing. Pasta. We explore all that and more as Mika Hakkinen joins Christian Hewgill and F1 Explains listeners live on-stage at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Double World Champion Mika talks about what he learned from racing Michael Schumacher. Their rivalry started as teenagers in karts and continued when they fought for F1 titles in the late 1990s.

F1 Explains listeners Lisa, Daniel and Tessa ask Mika their questions on whether the friendships between today’s drivers affect how they race on-track and what skills Mika took from F1 into life post-racing.

Plus Mika ta...

No room for mistakes. No time to breathe. The Monaco Grand Prix is a unique challenge. Legends win here, but even the greats have failed to complete 78 laps on the narrow streets of Monte Carlo.

Christian Hewgill is in Monaco to find out what makes this race special. Monaco winner and two-time F1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen explains why it's such a difficult Grand Prix, mentally and physically. F1TV Commentator Alex Jacques tells us about the history of the race, and about the brand-new tyre rule which will change things this year.

Plus, Christian tours...

F1 Explains LIVE with Mika Hakkinen
Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix 2025
Saturday 24th May, 1:30pm
F1 Fanzone stage
Send your question to F1Explains@F1.com, tell us you're coming and you could be part of the show

F1: THE MOVIE starring Brad Pitt
Only in cinemas June 2025
Watch the trailer now

It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there!
Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com

Listen to more official F1 podcasts
In-depth interviews on F1 Beyond The Grid
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What happens in a Formula 1 team's garage during a race? In a world-first episode, recorded inside the Haas garage during the Miami Grand Prix, mechanics, engineers and strategists tell F1 Explains what they do while the cars are racing.

How are the pit crew told it's time for a pit stop? How do strategists make their calls? How do mechanics make sure new tyres are ready to go? Christian Hewgill explains it all from an exclusive position surrounded by data screens, engineers and equipment.

Plus, we listen in to team radio channels, learn what F1 tyres...

How do F1 bosses keep the pressure off young drivers? What's it like launching a brand new team? Former Haas Team Principal and future star of the F1 movie Guenther Steiner answers these questions and more in an episode recorded live at the Miami Grand Prix.

F1 Explains listeners Jenny, Joshua and Sydney join Christian Hewgill on-stage to ask Guenther their questions about running an F1 team. Guenther explains how to keep experienced drivers motivated and names the drivers he thinks will help the new Cadillac get off to a strong start in F1 next season.

...

Formula 1 races in incredible places. Miami is unique. Home of two-time Superbowl champions the Miami Dolphins, the Miami Open tennis, other world-class sporting events and concerts, the Hard Rock Stadium is transformed into a Grand Prix track where hundreds of thousands of fans enjoy the action both on and off the circuit.

Christian Hewgill is in Miami to answer your questions how the event happens, meeting Miami GP President Tyler Epp, plus John Murphy and Kathy Nowak, who oversee building the racetrack, the one-of-a-kind F1 paddock inside the stadium itself and the campus with its marina, yachts, and...

He's a former racer who's now boss of Alpine. Oliver Oakes joins F1 Explains for another 'Ask A Team Principal' special.

He tells Christian Hewgill how he deals with feedback from drivers Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan, while keeping hundreds of team members working together.

Plus, Oliver explains how he became a Team Principal in Formula 1 after starting out as a driver and team boss in F3 and F2.

See F1 Explains LIVE with Guenther Steiner at the Miami Grand Prix
Friday May 2nd - 1:45pm
Hard Rock Stadium, 300 Level
Free...

How do drivers stay so calm when they’re about to crash? What’s the difference between a slipstream and dirty air? Why do F1 cockpits have small ‘windscreens’? How do you become an F1 presenter? And what exactly is the role of a driver’s press officer? 

Christian Hewgill is joined by F1TV main presenter Laura Winter and IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe to answer your quickfire questions.

Get your question answered by an F1 expert
Big or small, if you've got a question we'll find the best person to answer it.
Send your e...

Drivers, sponsors, repairing crashes and making big decisions; Formula 1 Team Principals have a lot to handle. Williams Racing boss James Vowles answers your questions about his job.

What does it mean when a team says they're focusing on F1's new rules in 2026? How does James deal with team mate battles? How are Williams supporting young women reach F1? Christian Hewgill asks James these questions and more in an interview which is hilariously interrupted by Alex Albon. It's safe to say this episode really lifts the lid on what happens behind the scenes in an F1 Team Principal's...

190 mile per hour corners. Heavy braking zones. Twists and turns with no room for error. Suzuka, home of the Japanese Grand Prix, tests Formula 1 drivers' skills to the limit. But what are those skills? What are the 20 drivers actually doing with their hands, their feet, and their eyes, which allows them to drive so fast?

Former F1 racer and Aston Martin ambassador Pedro de la Rosa answers your questions on the incredible abilities of F1 drivers. He tells Christian Hewgill how they hit corner apexes perfectly, brake and accelerate precisely and how they develop their racing instincts.
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What does the CEO of a Formula 1 team actually do? What happens in the F1 boss group chat? How are McLaren going to handle their drivers in 2025? Who decides who gets to go on the podium to collect the Constructors' Trophy?

Zak Brown answered these questions and more on-stage at the Australian Grand Prix. Christian invited F1 Explains listeners Chloe, Samantha, Lauren and Katy to ask Zak their questions, including whether Zak will be celebrating success with more tattoos or shoeys.

Send us your F1 questions
Drivers? Cars? Something else you want to know more...

A new car to drive. A new Race Engineer to talk to. When Formula 1 drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz move teams, they have a lot to learn.

Mercedes Reserve Driver Valtteri Bottas tells Christian Hewgill about the challenges drivers face when switching sides, from learning buttons on their steering wheel to understanding the voices in their ear.

Then, 2009 World Champion Jenson Button returns to the podcast to share his experiences of moving from Williams to Honda to McLaren.

Send us your F1 questions
Drivers? Cars? Something else you want to know...

Faster cars. Brighter spotlight. Higher pressure. A Formula 1 debut is a dream come true, but rookies need to impress, or their first season could be their last...

2009 World Champion Jenson Button tells Christian Hewgill the lessons he learned from his first year in F1 with Williams, what the 2025 rookies should try and achieve and the mistakes to avoid.

Oscar Piastri's Race Engineer Tom Stallard explains how he and the team supported Oscar in his rookie season, and answers your questions about how new F1 drivers adapt to racing the fastest cars on the planet.

...

Christian's just about to leave for the Australian Grand Prix, but before he goes he's got all the details of F1 Explains LIVE in Melbourne - with special guest, McLaren CEO Zak Brown

F1 Explains LIVE at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2025 F1 Fanzone Stage, near the Brabham Grandstand 1130-1200, Saturday March 15th Got a ticket for the track on Saturday? You can come to the show If you'll be at the race and have a question for Zak Brown, email it to F1Explains@F1.com - we might be able to make you part of the...

Formula 1 teams have one chance to test their cars before the 2025 season. With every lap, drivers and engineers learn more about their new machines. Why is pre-season testing so important, and how do teams get the most out of it?

From Bahrain, Christian and Katie are joined by F1TV Lead Presenter Laura Winter, who gives us the lowdown on testing. Then Alpine rookie Jack Doohan, McLaren's Oscar Piastri and other key team members explain what happens at testing, and how they gather data ahead of the first race.

Got questions about F1? We'll answer them! ...

F1 pre-season testing is just days away, and F1 teams are racing to be ready. What's going on inside their factories? How long does it take drivers to be 100% confident in a brand new car? How do strategists get ready for the first race? Plus, who do you root for - the driver or the team?

Ahead of the 2025 season, Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne get the answers to these questions and more from F1 Correspondent and Presenter Lawrence Barretto, and F1TV strategy expert Ruth Buscombe Divey.

Get your F1 question answered in 2025
Send...

On F1 Beyond The Grid, Formula 1's fastest stars slow down for in-depth conversations with Tom Clarkson.

They reveal what it’s like being at the centre of the biggest stories of the season and share fascinating insight into what life is like as a Formula 1 driver, Team Principal, engineer, designer, and more. In this end-of year special, Tom picks his favourite moments from a long list of stellar guests.

Fernando Alonso reflects on becoming the first driver in F1 history to compete in 400 Grands Prix and why he nearly retired much earlier in his career. Ca...

How do Formula 1 drivers find the fastest way around the track? How do teams scout future superstars? Why is driving in F2 the best way of reaching the top? What really happens on the grid before a race? In 2024, F1 Explains answered these questions and many more sent in by listeners from all over the world.

Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne have picked the most fascinating moments from the podcast's second season:

Liam Lawson on how drivers find the racing line Ollie Bearman reveals Ferrari's young driver scouting camps Oscar Piastri on how F2 prepared him...

'To finish first, first you have to finish'. Formula 1 teams can't score points, wins or championships unless their cars make it to the chequered flag.

Reliability Engineers like Sauber's Laura Villadelprat work in the garage and the factory to keep the cars on-track and avoid the dreaded DNF (Did Not Finish).

Laura explains how F1 teams know when it's time to swap old car parts for new ones, how they monitor reliability in real time, and what they do to investigate the causes of race-ending problems.

'Hi F1 Explains, my F1 question is...'<...

F1 cars are out-of-this-world to drive, even for experienced racers. Pato O'Ward is a race-winner in IndyCar with Arrow McLaren, but when he jumps in a Formula 1 car as Reserve Driver for McLaren F1 Team, he's blown away.

Pato joins Katie and Christian to answer your questions about the differences and similarities between Formula 1 and IndyCar - the cars, the racetracks, the pit stops and more.

'Hi F1 Explains, my question is...'
Be part of the podcast. Send your question to F1Explains@F1.com

Experience the inner sanctum of Formula 1...

F1 cars are racing on the streets of Las Vegas at more than 200 miles per hour. It’s the most spectacular race of the season, and it takes months of work by a team of more than 15,000 people.  

Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne are in Las Vegas to find out how Formula 1 takes over the city. Las Vegas Grand Prix VP of Sporting and Race Operations Silvia Bellot explains how public roads, including the famous Las Vegas Strip, are transformed into a racetrack with miles of special lights, safety barriers and fences. She reveals the challenges of racing in...

It's where pit crews go to work, where strategies are decided and where races can be won and lost. 

Katie and Christian step into the Formula 1 pit lane to put your questions to former Aston Martin Head of Race Strategy Bernie Collins.

Bernie explains how the length and speed limit of the pit lane affects race strategy, why every team's pit box is different, what all the screens and buttons on the team pit wall are for and what it's like to be in the pit lane during a Grand Prix.


'Hi F1 E...

F1 Explains gave listeners who attended our live show at F1 Arcade Washington D.C. the chance to win tickets for the 2025 Miami Grand Prix.

Courtesy of the Miami Grand Prix, two lucky listeners have won a pair of tickets for the new McLaren grandstand, some exclusive McLaren merchandise and the chance to win a hot lap of the track with a professional driver.

The draw was done at random and it's time to announce the winners. Congratulations to them, and thank you to everyone who entered.

You can buy 2025 Miami Grand Prix tickets...

The clock is ticking. The starting grid is full of people - drivers, engineers, reporters and celebrities. Formula 1 is about to go racing, but there's so much work to do. What happens on the grid in the crucial final minutes before lights out?

In the first podcast episode to be recorded on a Formula 1 starting grid before a race, Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne push through the crowds and explain what teams and drivers are doing, why the pre-race countdown is so important and the rules of the F1 grid.

McLaren Race Engineer Tom Stallard tells...

Want somewhere to watch a Grand Prix with F1 fans, race against your friends and enjoy food and drink? Look no further than F1 Arcade! Christian and Katie recorded a special episode of F1 Explains at F1 Arcade Washington D.C. after the Mexico City GP Watch Party.

F1 Arcade is open now in Washington D.C., Boston MA, plus London and Birmingham in the UK. Go to f1arcade.com to buy tickets for Watch Parties or a high-speed night out.

F1 Explains listeners Kim, Lindsay, Nick, Hayden and Kat asked Katie and Christian to...

A Formula 1 legend and a brand new star took to the stage at Circuit of the Americas for F1 Explains LIVE. Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne put your questions to 2-time World Champion Mika Hakkinen, and Ferrari Academy Driver and 2025 Haas F1 Team Driver, Ollie Bearman.

F1 Explains listeners Rachel from Austin, Texas, Michelle from Cleveland, Ohio, Erin from Los Angeles, California and Ryan and Daniel from New Zealand asked Mika and Ollie questions about how Ferrari spotted Ollie, how to be fast at your next karting party and how drivers gain confidence.

NBA star and...

Come watch the Mexico City GP with F1 Explains at F1 Arcade Washington D.C.

Buy tickets at f1arcade.com/us/watch-parties/mexico-city

On Sunday October 27th, Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne will be hosting a Watch Party for the race, and recording an episode of the podcast.

Join us to watch the Grand Prix on big screens with amazing food and drink, plus racing on the F1 Arcade simulators.

Going to be there? We can answer your F1 question. Send it to F1Explains@F1.com, and tell us you're...

What do Formula 1 drivers do in the hours before the start of a Grand Prix? VCARB's Liam Lawson tells Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne about his pre-race routine, and how he'll be preparing his body and mind to for his return to Formula 1 this weekend at the United States Grand Prix.

Andy and Jess from the UK, and Kathy from California had their questions answered on this episode. Send your questions to F1Explains@F1.com

F1 EXPLAINS LIVE - in Austin Texas + Washington D.C.

Saturday October 19th - F1 Explains LIVE at...

F1 cars race round corners at more than 190 miles per hour. Those insane speeds are made possible by downforce - the invisible power which keeps F1 cars on-track.

Emel Cankaya is an Aerodynamics Specialist at McLaren. She tells Katie and Christian what downforce is, how F1 cars create it and what the front wing, rear wing and floor of the car do. She also explains how and why F1 teams change their downforce set ups for each racetrack, and how she got her job in Formula 1.

F1 Explains listener Brigit in New York asked us to...

What are the rules when F1 drivers go wheel-to-wheel? How do they know when to hit the brakes? Why do drivers wait until the last moment to set their qualifying lap times? Aston Martin Reserve Driver Stoffel Vandoorne joins Christian Hewgill (and Katie Osborne in voice note form) to answer your questions.

Send us your questions
Laura from Belgium, Todd from Virginia, Richard from Texas and Luana from Switzerland had their questions answered on this episode. Send yours to F1Explains@F1.com

F1 EXPLAINS LIVE - at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix
...

Precision at 200 miles per hour. Millimetre-perfect steering, Millisecond-perfect braking and acceleration. That's what it takes to race in Formula 1. Performance Engineers help the 20 fastest drivers in the world to be their very best.

McLaren's Tom Stallard, a former Performance Engineer, tells Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne about the incredible work these engineers do with Formula 1 drivers. It's a mix of studying data, finding improvements, and coaching drivers to go faster on-track.

Plus, Tom explains the teamwork among Performance Engineers, Strategists and Race Engineers (the role he currently does with Oscar Piastri). They have to communicate efficiently...

16 drivers in identical cars, racing wheel-to-wheel on Grand Prix weekends. F1 ACADEMY, the game-changing racing series for female drivers, returns at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.

Hamda and Amna Al Qubaisi are F1 ACADEMY race-winners, teammates and sisters. They answer your questions on staying calm under pressure, racing in different junior categories and how they recover after a race.

They tell Christian Hewgill how F1 ACADEMY has changed their careers, and the support they get from Formula 1 teams and drivers through the Red Bull Racing Pepe Jeans and Visa CashApp Academy Programmes.  Plus, the story of when t...

24 spectacular Grands Prix in 21 incredible countries. A Formula 1 season is a world tour. How is it scheduled? F1 Explains gets the inside track from Formula 1 Director of Race Promotion, Louise Young. 

Her team is responsible for planning the Formula 1 calendar. They decide the order of races, negotiate contracts and work with promoters – the groups who own or operate the racetracks which host each Grand Prix. 

Louise explains how the F1 season is scheduled, how new races are chosen, and how Grands Prix are planned to allow freight to be moved sustainably using ships. 

Katie Osbor...

What does it take to win the F1 World Championship? Is it better to be the leader or the chaser in a title fight? What changes when you become a champion?

In a special episode, recorded at F1 Paddock Club, 1996 World Champion Damon Hill reveals all you need to know about winning the sport's ultimate prize - including how teammate rivalry goes beyond the racetrack and onto the dinner table!

F1 Explains listener Lilly from Amsterdam joins Christian Hewgill and Damon on-stage to ask her question. To have your F1 question answered on a future episode...

Why is the 'undercut' pit stop strategy more powerful at some tracks than others? Formula 1 strategists make race-changing decisions under huge pressure. How do they practice? What is a 'DRS train' and how does being in one change a driver's race?

Former Aston Martin Head of Race Strategy Bernie Collins answers these questions and more in a quickfire special.

Yiorgios in Greece, Carla in Kentucky, Luana in Switzerland, Chad in Tennessee, Katherine in Illinois, April in Toronto, John in Minnesota, Lennon in New Jersey and Ken in Ohio had their questions answered in this episode. Send...

How does a Formula 1 team stay fit, healthy and ready to race? The team's Physiotherapist (or Physical Therapist) treats every member of the team like an athlete, helping pit crew members avoid or recover from injury, keeping engineers active and making sure jet lag doesn't knock mechanics off their game.

Faith Atack-Martin from Combine Performance works with Haas F1 Team. She tells Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill how she looks after the staff who travel to races all over the world, and how her job involves everything from filling water bottles to white-water rafting.

Kelly from...

What are the most frequently asked questions sent to the F1Explains@F1.com inbox? We answer three of them on this summer break mini episode. 

Plus, Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill have news of F1 Explains live shows. We're coming to:

Dutch GP in Zandvoort - August 23-25 US Grand Prix in Austin - October 18-20 Las Vegas Grand Prix - November 21-23 Tickets to all three races and the rest of the 2024 season are on sale now at tickets.formula1.com

If you'll be there, let us know at F1Explains@F1.c...

Dozens of people work inside an F1 team garage, and they all have different jobs. Without these mechanics and engineers, the drivers would never get out on-track. Who are they, what do they all do, and how did they get their jobs?

In this episode, recorded at the 2024 Canadian and British Grands Prix, Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne speak to three of Kick Sauber's garage team:

Tyre Performance Engineer, Dominic Cheng Composite Technician Michael Loacker, who looks after the car's bodywork Car Chief Mechanic for Zhou Guanyu, Camilo Zurcher The trio explain a typical race weekend...