Paddock 43: An F1 Podcast

It is our 100th episode what the hell!!!?? where did time go...!!! And today we have a special recording studio..

What happens when you put an F1 presenter and a diehard Liam Lawson fan in a papaya McLaren?

F1 content creator Dani Clarkson joins Elle Baillieu for a special passenger-seat edition of Paddock 43, recorded in a McLaren Artura Spider around Melbourne’s Albert Park Grand Prix circuit.

With the Austin Grand Prix weekend setting the scene, we’re swapping the usual podcast setup for a drive and a Formula 1 catch-up.

Come for...

When does supporting an F1 driver cross the line? Motorsport content creator and comedian James Coker joins Elle on Paddock43 for an honest—and often ridiculous—conversation about F1 fandom, life as a creator, and why he stepped away from the WTF1 podcast.

James opens up about the cumulative impact of toxic comments and DMs, why chasing controversy wasn’t worth the toll on his mental health, and how making jokes about the paddock changes once you know the people in it. We discuss parasocial relationships, the boundaries between fans and drivers, and whether drivers and creators should...

LONG YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION

Fresh back from the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix, and I have thoughts. Max Verstappen finally won at Marina Bay, I think Lewis Hamilton got his Ferrari strategy gamble wrong, and McLaren’s Sprint collision was completely unnecessary. Kim Kardashian, though? Brilliant PR weekend.

This week on Paddock 43, I’m unpacking the Singapore GP from both sides: being there in person, then coming home and catching up on everything happening around the race.

It was my first trip to Singapore, and I wanted to experience the event as a fan. I’m sharin...

Drivers pressing the accelerator. Cars barely moving. An entire Grand Prix waiting on a software fix. What actually happened in Malaysia?

F1 journalist and published author Luke Smith joins Elle on Paddock 43 to unpack the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. With more than a decade covering Formula 1, Luke writes for The Athletic, part of The New York Times, and is the author of On the Grid. He was on the ground at Sepang—and takes us inside the confusion, frustration and information gaps as the start unravelled.

We break down the software failure in plain En...

F1 cars needing a software update before they can race? Honestly, put them in rice.

This week on Paddock 43, we unpack the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia—from the chaotic start at Sepang to the software bug that left cars struggling to move. What actually went wrong, how do the 2026 regulations fit into it, and why didn’t testing catch the problem?

Plus, Max Verstappen’s first win of the season, Kimi Antonelli’s growing championship lead, and all the paddock goss.

In this episode:
🏁 Max wins and George’s title hopes take another...

George Russell deserves his flowers for Baku. Max made him work for the win, Isack Hadjar returned with a podium, and Oscar Piastri’s race unravelled at Turn 1. But I don’t think you need another lap-by-lap recap from me.

This week, I’m getting into Franco Colapinto’s crash with Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris. Was a five-place grid drop really enough, and why were there no penalty points for that collision? Then there’s what happened online afterwards: the abuse, the threats, and how invested some F1 fans have become in drivers they don’t actually kno...

Andy Harriss has run track safety on the F1 movie, Top Gear, Mission Impossible, No Time To Die, Napoleon and more, and worked directly with Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton along the way.

In this episode we go deep on what it actually takes to keep an F1 set, a live street show, or a Top Gear stunt safe when everything is moving at 200mph. Andy tells the story of Vettel covering for an absent Hamilton on live TV, being overtaken by Lando Norris on an ice lake in Norway, briefing Verstappen one on one...

Kimi Antonelli has won Formula One’s first race at the Madring—but should it have been Lando Norris’s victory?

Kimi now has an incredible eight wins from his first 38 F1 starts, surpassing George Russell’s seven wins. But after producing one of the best qualifying laps of his career, Lando controlled the Spanish Grand Prix until a badly timed Virtual Safety Car and a seven-second pit stop changed everything.

In this episode of Paddock 43, Elle breaks down:

• Why Lando’s Madrid pole lap was so impressive
• How the Virtual Safety Car handed Kim...

Eat your pasta, you will drive fasta. 🇮🇹
The 2026 Italian Grand Prix gave us one of the wildest weekends of the F1 season, with Kimi Antonelli charging from P19 to win his home Grand Prix at Monza and becoming the first Italian driver to win the Italian GP in 60 years.
Elle is solo this week to unpack everything that happened at the Temple of Speed: Pierre Gasly's incredible maiden pole for Alpine, how the Monza tow actually works, Charles Leclerc's huge Parabolica crash and the eerie similarities to 2020, Mercedes' strategy and the battle between Kimi and George Russell, Max Ve...

This week, Elle is joined by two legends from very different corners of Formula 1: F1 commentator Cameron Van Den Dungen and FIA Formula 1 Medical Car driver and former Supercars driver Karl Reindler.

Cam and Karl are also long-time friends, former neighbours and former radio co-hosts, so this episode quickly turns into story time. We hear how Cam went from racing to calling Formula 1 and working on the pilot of Drive to Survive, while Karl shares stories from his career and life inside the F1 paddock.

We get their honest opinions on the season, sprint races...

This week's group chat: Max signs through 2030 then crashes out on Lap 1 of his own final home race, Isack Hadjar breaks his wrist and history repeats itself, Cadillac quietly axes their team principal mid-season, and everyone's calling Lando's title fight "reignited" — except me.

Solo episode, recorded from Tuscany because apparently that's where Paddock 43 happens now.

TOPICS:
00:00 Cold open
02:12 Max Verstappen signs through 2030
03:20 Home race heartbreak — Verstappen's Lap 1 Dutch GP crash
03:48 Hadjar's broken wrist and the Liam Lawson déjà vu
06:14 Cadillac sack their team principal mid-season
09:52 Why the Dutch Grand...

Esme Buxton didn't come up through motorsport — she came up through fashion, shooting editorials and film sets, until a headshoot with F1 presenter Laura Winter turned into a question she couldn't shake: why doesn't a proper fashion-and-culture magazine for F1 exist?

So she built it. In under 18 months, The Paddock Journal went from a Substack to millions of monthly views and a sold-out print annual — all shot by an all-female team inside the paddock.

We get into the rise of print in a digital sport, the "two ecosystems" pulling F1 in different directions, whether the padd...

The Hungarian Grand Prix gave us papaya drama, brilliant racing and another painful day to be an Oscar Piastri fan.
We unpack the McLaren battle, Lando Norris’ performance, Oscar’s race, Carlos Sainz and the blue-flag controversy, Kimi Antonelli’s casual podium, Aston Martin’s mountain of upgrades and what could happen during F1’s summer break.

We also discuss Malaysia’s surprise return to the calendar—and finish with a major announcement about the future of Paddock 43.

Paddock 43 will be back after a short summer break, with new guests joining

Subscribe so you don’t m...

Pat's away this week, so it's a solo one from Elle. First up, an apology and an explanation: no episode after Silverstone because a certain trackside glamping situation and a David Guetta set got the better of her. From there it's a proper catch-up, Red Bull's factory in Milton Keynes and their NASA-built control room, Goodwood Festival of Speed, the McLaren Technology Centre, and a very stressful near-miss getting stuck in Abu Dhabi on the way home.

Then it's into the Belgian Grand Prix. Grid penalty carnage before the race even started, a lap one collision between...

The Austrian Grand Prix may have just changed the entire Formula 1 season. George Russell returned to the top step, but the biggest story might actually be Red Bull. After months of chasing Mercedes and Ferrari, Max Verstappen finally had a car capable of fighting for victory again. Is this the comeback we've been waiting for? Meanwhile, Ferrari's highly anticipated upgrade package completely missed the mark, Kimi Antonelli left Austria wondering what could have been after another incredibly quick weekend, Oscar Piastri bounced back in style, and Lando Norris endured another frustrating race. In this episode of Paddock 43, we break down...

Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari fairytale finally arrived in Barcelona. The seven-time world champion silenced the critics with his first victory in red, while Kimi Antonelli suffered heartbreak, Williams imploded, and Formula 1 found itself at the centre of another stewarding controversy. This week on Paddock 43, we're unpacking everything from an unforgettable Spanish Grand Prix weekend, including the championship battle, Mercedes drama, Audi's plans for Germany, and whether the FIA got it wrong again. Plus: Is Hamilton really back in the title fight? 🏁 Welcome to Paddock 43 – The Formula 1 Podcast That Keeps It Real! 🏎️💨If you love F1 drama, race breakdowns, driver gossip, and unfiltered op...

Kimi Antonelli extends his championship lead with a dominant Monaco Grand Prix victory, but the result only tells half the story. Verstappen's race ended before it even began, Leclerc suffered more Monaco heartbreak, Russell's disastrous weekend continued and a late red flag turned the final laps into absolute chaos. We break down the biggest winners, losers and championship implications from one of the wildest Monaco Grands Prix in years. 🏁 Welcome to Paddock 43 – The Formula 1 Podcast That Keeps It Real! 🏎️💨If you love F1 drama, race breakdowns, driver gossip, and unfiltered opinions, you’re in the right place! Paddock 43 is your go-to podcast f...

Elle is back from NASCAR and we're catching up on everything she experienced behind the scenes before diving into the biggest talking points currently taking over the Formula 1 world. This week we discuss the online speculation surrounding Liam Lawson and Hannah St. John, the rumours involving Alexandra Leclerc, and why fans can't stop talking about the Leclerc family right now. We also celebrate a huge moment for women in motorsport as Abbi Pulling secures a historic GB3 victory and discuss the latest FIA rule changes introduced by Mohammed Ben Sulayem and what they could mean for the future of Formula 1. ...

The Canadian Grand Prix delivered absolute chaos, and this week I’m flying solo to break it all down. Mercedes had the fastest car all weekend, but somehow walked away with heartbreak after George Russell’s race-leading car failed on lap 30, handing victory straight to teammate Kimi Antonelli. Four wins in a row, 43 points clear in the championship, and suddenly the 19-year-old looks unstoppable. I also dive into the growing tension inside Mercedes after a fiery Sprint battle between Russell and Antonelli, Toto Wolff’s brutal radio message, and whether this rivalry is about to become a real problem for the te...

The 2026 F1 season keeps delivering headlines and we’re unpacking all of it ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. Kimi Antonelli arrives in Montreal leading the championship after an unbelievable three wins from three pole positions at just nineteen years old. Ferrari is reportedly reverse-engineering its own car after a “soul-destroying” Miami weekend. Max Verstappen spent 24 hours driving a Mercedes at the Nürburgring and somehow finished P38. Charles Leclerc has taken delivery of a $20 million Riva superyacht… named after himself, naturally. And Lewis Hamilton was spotted leaving Kim Kardashian’s Broadway production hand-in-hand with Kim herself.

After three...

This week on the Paddock 43, Pat sits down (virtually) with American F1 content creator Sarah Kaye for a fun and candid chat all about her journey into Formula 1 and the world of motorsport content creation. Sarah opens up about how she first fell in love with the sport, what inspired her to start creating F1 content online, and how her platform has grown within the motorsport space. The pair also dive into Sarah’s recent experience at the Miami Grand Prix, where she attended as a guest of the FIA, sharing behind-the-scenes insights from one of F1’s biggest race week...

Kimi Antonelli just won his THIRD race in a row at the Miami Grand Prix 2026 and he's only 19 years old. McLaren brought their biggest upgrades, Lando Norris led the race, and they STILL couldn't beat Mercedes. We break it down exactly why. This week on Paddock 43, we're deep in the Miami GP 2026 race review: Antonelli's record-breaking hat-trick, the McLaren undercut, Charles Leclerc's catastrophic final lap spin and post-race time penalty, Pierre Gasly's terrifying upside-down crash, and what the 2026 F1 championship standings now look like heading into the Canadian Grand Prix. In this episode: Kimi Antonelli's Miami GP win, how he...

F1 is (ALMOST) BACK after a five-week break… and somehow, it seems as though its returning as a completely different sport with the updated 2026 regulations In this episode of Paddock 43, we break down the FIA’s early tweaks to the 2026 F1 rules, from energy management changes and increased power deployment to new race start safety systems and wet weather adjustments. After just three races, F1 is already refining the future of the sport… so will it change much or not? We also unpack the biggest story heading into the Miami GP: can Mercedes maintain their dominance, or is the gap finall...

Formula 1 is already shifting… and we’re only just getting started. In this episode of the Paddock 43 Podcast, we break down one of the most important moments for women in motorsport, unpack why the FIA is already tweaking the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, and get real about whether V8 or V10 engines are ever actually coming back. After a short break (because let’s be honest, even F1 needed a holiday), we’re back with a tight 20-minute episode covering the biggest talking points in the sport right now. 🏁 Welcome to Paddock 43 – The Formula 1 Podcast That Keeps It Real! 🏎️💨If you love F1 drama, race breakd...

Kimi Antonelli takes control of the 2026 Formula 1 season with a dominant win at the Japanese Grand Prix, becoming the youngest championship leader in history. But was this a statement drive… or did McLaren throw away a guaranteed victory? In this episode of Paddock 43, we break down everything from the Japan GP, including Antonelli’s rise as a genuine title contender, Oscar Piastri’s missed opportunity after a perfect start, and whether McLaren’s strategy cost them the race. We also dive into the controversial safety car moment following Ollie Bearman’s massive crash, the growing concerns around closing speeds in the 2026 r...

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🏁 Welcome to Paddock 43 – The Formula 1 Podcast That Keeps It Real!

🏎️💨If you love F...

The 2026 F1 season exploded into life at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai with one of the most chaotic race weekends of the year. In this episode of Paddock 43, we break down everything from a historic win for Kimi Antonelli, to a nightmare weekend for McLaren, and a huge milestone for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. The Chinese GP delivered major headlines before the race even started. Four drivers failed to start the race, including both McLarens, leaving Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri stranded on the grid in a shocking reliability failure. Meanwhile, Mercedes rookie Antonelli made Formula 1 history, becoming the...

The 2026 F1 season is OFFICIALLY underway, and the AusGP delivered a FANTASTIC start. In this episode of Paddock 43, we break down an action-packed race at Albert Park that saw George Russell take victory and lead Mercedes to a stunning 1-2 finish ahead of rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli. From an intense opening battle with Charles Leclerc, to Virtual Safety Cars shaking up the strategy, Mercedes managed to pull off a bold one-stop strategy to secure the win. We dive into Ferrari’s gamble, Max Verstappen’s recovery drive from P20, and the heartbreak for Oscar Piastri, who never even made it to t...

It’s officially Australian Grand Prix week and Melbourne is already in full chaos mode 🇦🇺🏁 We’re recording this episode right in the thick of it, running between events, track walks and last-minute prep and bringing you everything we’re expecting from the biggest week this 2026 season has to bring!! We’re joined by special guest Ben Hebbard to break down our bold predictions, where we'll be, what to expect adn what , and how we think the weekend will unfold at the season-opening AusGP. From championship expectations to Melbourne madness, we’re setting the tone for the week ahead, and trust us, it’s alre...

This week on Paddock 43 we sit down with David Hayes, Series Director of Formula 1: Drive to Survive, just days before Season 8 drops on Netflix. With Drive to Survive Season 8 releasing Friday, 27th, we go behind the scenes of the global Formula 1 phenomenon that reshaped the sport and the fandom. David shares what it’s really like filming inside the F1 paddock, how storylines are crafted across a chaotic race season, and the pressure of producing one of the most-watched sports docuseries in the world. We also dive into: What fans can expect from Drive to Survive Season 8 How the series ha...

F1 is officially back, and the Aus GP is set to kick off the season in Melbourne. In this episode of P43, we break down everything you need to know ahead of the F1 Australian Grand Prix. We’re joined by F1 content creators Danii Clarkson and Liv Tyler to talk Bahrain pre-season testing, early performance takeaways, and what it all means heading into the first race of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Which teams look strong after Bahrain testing? Who has question marks? And what should fans realistically expect in Melbourne? If you’re attending the Australian Grand Prix, this episode doub...

PS: We recommend WATCHING this episode!

In this episode of Paddock 43, we’re joined by LEGO Master and Ambassador Andrew to talk all things LEGO x Formula

We chat about how LEGO’s partnership with F1 came to life, what it’s like being involved in such an iconic crossover, and we get hands-on building mini F1 cars during the episode (chaos included). Andrew also takes us inside one of LEGO’s most iconic collector pieces, the Ferrari F2004, celebrating Michael Schumacher and one of the most dominant cars in F1 history. We also did...

Paddock 43 is BACK!! Obviously, not a whole heap is going on in the F1 world, so we thought we would take you to our backyard... the AusGP circuit! We discuss what we expect for the upcoming 2026 F1 season, our thoughts on the liveries we have seen thus far, and a discussion of the little things that popped up over the F1 season break. A little teaser to start the season, we can't wait to see what the remainder of the season will look like! 🏁 Welcome to Paddock 43 – The Formula 1 Podcast That Keeps It Real! 🏎️💨If you love F1 drama, race breakdowns, d...

A little Christmas message to our lovely listeners from Pat before we re-ignite the chat about 2026 regulations. Last episode of the season until we recommence before pre-season testing!! The FIA’s 2026 Formula 1 regulations are here... and they’re massive. Smaller cars, active aero, 50/50 hybrid power, and fully sustainable fuel will change the sport forever. In this Paddock 43 mini, we break down what’s coming, why the rules matter, and how it will shape the grid from Mercedes and Ferrari to Red Bull. Whether you’re a die-hard F1 fan or planning your first trip to Albert Park, this is everything you need...

The season finale gave us EVERYTHING. Lando Norris is your new Formula 1 World Champion, Max defends with everything he has, Charles goes full send, and Oscar Piastri closes out one of the best seasons we’ve ever seen from an Aussie, even if it didn’t end in a win. In this episode, we break down Abu Dhabi GP. Lando becoming World Drivers Champion, Max’s defensive heroics, Leclerc’s late-race surge, and Oscar’s season-long brilliance that turned him into a future World Champion in waiting. 🏁 Welcome to Paddock 43 – The Formula 1 Podcast That Keeps It Real! 🏎️💨If you love F1 drama, race breakdow...

Qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has set the stage for an absolutely wild final race of the season. Max Verstappen on pole. Lando Norris P2. Oscar Piastri just behind and Australians were staying up for this one. We break down everything from quali, why this track is traditionally won from the front row, how a single safety car could flip it, and whether this race has already been decided before lights out. We also cover:     •    the Lewis Hamilton crash in FP3 and spin in Q1     •    McLaren team dynamics     •    Constructors money battles     •    The final race ever with DRS before the X-Mode/Z-Mode era begins in 2026 Thi...

The Qatar Grand Prix blew the championship wide open, and with one race left, everything comes down to the fallout from one moment: the Lap 7 Safety Car. We break down how that decision and the chaos that followed may have cost Oscar Piastri the entire championship. We dive deep into the Lando vs Oscar tension, McLaren’s strategy roulette, and whether team orders should have been used. Plus: how Max Verstappen managed to turn Qatar into a massive advantage heading into the final round. We also unpack the penalties, the tyre drama, and the midfield surprises that no one saw co...

The Las Vegas Grand Prix gave us everything: controversy, shock disqualifications and a massive twist in the championship fight. This week on Paddock 43, we break down McLaren’s double disqualification and what it really means for Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and the rest of the drivers’ standings. We dig into Max Verstappen’s Vegas win, how it sets up Red Bull heading into the final rounds, and who we actually think will become the 2025 Drivers’ Champion. We also get into Mercedes and why Kimi Antonelli was our Driver of the Day, and Pat drops a very bold prediction about George Russell...

In this episode of Paddock 43, we sit down with Karl Reindler - one of only TWO people in the world trusted to drive the Formula 1 Medical Car. Karl takes us inside the job no one talks about but every F1 fan should know: following the entire grid at full speed on Lap 1, arriving first at major crashes, and making split-second decisions that can save lives. We dive deep into: The insane reality of being the first responder in F1 What it was like arriving first at Zhou Guanyu’s terrifying 2022 Silverstone crash How some drivers react (and don’t react) afte...

This week on Paddock 43, we unpack one of the most dramatic weekends of the Formula 1 season, the Brazilian Grand Prix We kick things off with the moment everyone’s talking about: Kimi Antonelli’s bump into Oscar Piastri, the controversial 10-second penalty, and why we think Oscar was unfairly punished. Did the stewards get it wrong? Or was Antonelli really to blame? Then, we dive into the drivers’ championship battle, is it Lando Norris’ year? We discuss whether Oscar’s time is still to come and how the McLaren rivalry is shaping up heading into the final races. We also dive deep...