Back Of The Grid | F1 Podcast
A Formula 1 podcast created by fans, for fans. Weekly F1 race previews and reviews, news, debate and chat with Tom King, Chris Evans & Stu Greenwood.
Best Ever Bahrain GP… Wasn't in Bahrain | 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Review
The best Bahrain Grand Prix ever… and it wasn't even in Bahrain. Sepang's return delivered mixed conditions, wild strategy and Verstappen's first win of 2026 – once F1 had plugged laptops into the cars to get them moving.
In this episode, Tom and Chris break down a chaotic, rain-hit race at Sepang – the formation-lap power failures and mid-race software fix, Max Verstappen's first win of the season and Red Bull Powertrains' first victory, George Russell's late retirement leaving Kimi Antonelli 84 points clear, and Lewis Hamilton's recovery from a minute down to the podium. Plus Fred Vasseur's "vote of conf...
Is Russell Back in the Title Fight? | 2026 Azerbaijan GP Review
George Russell's first Grand Slam cuts Antonelli's lead to 66 points in Baku, but is he really back in the title fight? Plus the last-lap call that put spectacle over safety, and a Malaysian GP preview.
In this episode, Tom and Chris review a chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Russell's perfect weekend, Antonelli's costly qualifying mistake, the theory behind Bottas's crash, the missing VSC on the final lap, Hadjar's return and Red Bull's first double podium since China 2024, and Colapinto's collision with Gasly and Norris. Then it's on to the Malaysian GP return, the stats from the last time...
A Monaco Sprint?! 2027 F1 Calendar & 2026 Azerbaijan GP Preview
F1 is giving Monaco a sprint in 2027, so is that two processions for the price of one? Chris and Tom break down the 2027 F1 calendar, the new 290km race distance, and preview the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
In this episode: Portimão and Turkey return, sprints grow to 10 rounds (including the season opener and finale), Chris's three reasons a Monaco sprint won't work, the F1 Commission's cut to race distance, the FIA–ACO row over Le Mans, Williams' Baku upgrade, F2's triple-race weekend, our predictions, and why this weekend's race is on a Saturday.
⚠...
Is Madrid Already F1's Worst Track? | 2026 Spanish GP Review
Four overtakes. Fewer than Monaco. And F1 has signed a ten-year deal to come back. Tom and Chris review the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix from Madrid's new Madring circuit and ask whether any amount of corner reprofiling can save it.
In this episode: Antonelli cashes in on another virtual safety car to win and stretch his lead to 81 points; Norris is fastest all day and finishes third; Verstappen is ordered to hand a place back to Hamilton; and Hamilton ends up touring the circuit with no brakes. Plus the argument for closing the pit lane under a VSC...
Antonelli Crushes Russell's Title Hopes | 2026 Italian GP Review
Kimi Antonelli didn't just win the Italian Grand Prix from P19 — he may have crushed George Russell's title hopes in the process. We break down the chaos at Monza that got him there, Gasly's shock Alpine pole, and the Ferrari meltdown that put Leclerc in the wall again.
In this episode:
0:00 Intro
2:04 Qualifying: Gasly's shock Monza pole (Alpine's first)
7:11 Race start: Mercedes chaos, Antonelli wins from P19
10:13 Should Russell have pitted under the VSC?
15:56 66-point gap — is the title race over?
20:00 Ferrari meltdown: Leclerc/Hamilton T1 clash + Leclerc's crash
27:52 Red Bull...
Can Ferrari's Upgrades Win Monza? | 2026 Italian GP Preview
Ferrari roll into their home race with a second power unit token, a rumoured turbo change, and a livery built to honour Schumacher's 1996 Monza win — but is it enough to actually convert into a race win?
Tom and Chris break down whether the upgrades stack up, plus everything else moving in F1 this week: Norris' new deal through 2030, Colapinto staying put at Alpine, the increasingly open Haas seat, and a theory on whether Toyota could be eyeing Yuki Tsunoda.
Plus, Antonelli's grid penalty, the track's four straight-line mode zones, Isaac Hajar's wrist injury, and Russell's sh...
Lando Norris IS Back in the Title Fight | 2026 Dutch GP Review
Lando Norris has won two in a row — is the 2026 title fight actually back on? We break down a chaotic Dutch GP, Hamilton's furious radio to Ferrari, and Alonso's shock points finish.
In this episode: Norris dominates on hards for back-to-back wins and closes the gap to Antonelli, Mercedes nearly gift away a podium with a messy team orders call, Hamilton vents at Ferrari after being held up behind Leclerc, Red Bull's driver shuffle with Lawson and Sonoda stepping in, Verstappen's rare first-lap crash and shock new contract through 2030, and Alonso somehow turns 18th on the grid in...
The Top 6 Are Closer Than You Think... | 2026 Dutch GP Preview
It could be the last-ever Dutch Grand Prix, and Max Verstappen's final home race. Tom & Chris preview a potentially wet, sprint-format Zandvoort, plus Cadillac's shock team-boss change and a top 6 separated by just nine points over the last 4 Grand Prix.
In this episode: why Cadillac swapped Graeme Lowdon for Marcin Budkowski mid-season, whether McLaren's Hungary upgrade travels, the incredibly tight top-six title fight of recent races, Aston Martin & Honda's new engine, silly-season latest, our sprint-weekend predictions, and a mailbag on sim racing and ghost cars.
Chapters
0:00 – Intro: first race back
1:46 – Cadillac's shock team-boss chan...
Only 1 Driver Made Our S Tier | 2026 F1 Mid-Season Tier List
Only one driver made our S tier this season, but is it who you would expect?
It's summer break, so Tom & Chris dust off the tier maker and rank every 2026 F1 team and driver from S ("top tier") to D ("shouldn't even be here").
In this episode: with the driver market gone quiet, we go team by team from Cadillac at the back to a Mercedes side that's built the fastest car on the grid but can't stop it from breaking. Every call is backed by qualifying and race head-to-heads plus the average qualifying gap...
Are F1 Fans Too Dumb For The Tech?
Is Stefano Domenicali right that F1 fans don't understand, or even care about, the sport's technology? We get into it. Plus a wild calendar shake-up as Malaysia returns (sort of), and talk of a German GP comeback.
In this episode:
Domenicali says the wider fanbase doesn't grasp the power-unit rules — so we ask whether that's fair, or just a soundbite for the shareholders. We dig into the engine-regulation vetoes and MBS's push to claw control back from the teams, the strange "Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia" that finally brings Sepang back, the packed run-in with Abu Dh...
Hamilton Penalised, Leclerc Walks Free | Belgian GP Review 2026
Lewis Hamilton got five seconds for a 50/50 first-lap incident. Charles Leclerc practically ran Oscar Piastri off the road at the end of the Kemmel Straight and got nothing. We're not sure the stewards watched the same race we did.
In this episode, Chris and Tom review the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, the last one at Spa for a couple of years. George Russell's afternoon ends before turn six and his frustration with his power unit boils over, Kimi Antonelli takes a sixth win of the season with a drive well beyond his years, Isack Hadjar carves from P21...
Verstappen to McLaren? The Rumours Won't Die | 2026 Belgian GP Preview
The Verstappen-to-McLaren rumours refuse to die down and this week they got louder. Plus: F1 could run 10 sprint weekends in 2027, Aston Martin's big upgrade is delayed to Hungary, and we preview a brutal Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.
In this episode: Mark Weber's denial that Oscar Piastri is being replaced, why Red Bull's talent exodus makes a Verstappen exit feel more plausible (all speculation at this stage, nothing confirmed), what a McLaren hypercar detour could look like for Max, Stefano Domenicali's push for more 2027 sprints, Aston Martin's delayed upgrade, our Belgian GP storylines and predictions, and a...
Leclerc Wins, Fans Lose as Safety Car Ruins the Finish - 2026 British GP Review
Charles Leclerc delivered Ferrari's 250th race win, but it's the FIA's farcical safety car finish that everyone's talking about.
In this episode, Tom and Chris dig into the safety car controversy that ended the race under caution despite fans being told a final lap was coming, the FIA president's awkward driver parade cameo, and a controversial track-limits penalty for Antonelli. Then it's onto the race itself: Leclerc's much-needed win, Russell's home podium, Antonelli's reliability heartbreak, and Verstappen's rear-end snap at Stowe that ended his race early. Plus Drive of the Day, Move of the Day, and this...
Should Russell's Pole Have Counted? | 2026 Austrian GP Review
Should Russell's pole have even counted? We break down the yellow-flag row that overshadowed Austria, plus his bounce-back win, Verstappen's Red Bull revival, and a British GP preview.
In this episode, Tom and Chris review the 2026 Austrian GP: the controversial pole that had the whole paddock asking questions, George Russell's important win, Antonelli's mistake-strewn afternoon, Red Bull's upgrade step for Verstappen, Ferrari's latest strategy headache with Hamilton, and a chaotic Racing Bulls team-orders call. Then we look ahead to Silverston. Can the 2026 cars handle a proper high-speed circuit, and is this the weekend Russell finally breaks his...
Can Hamilton Win Again? | 2026 Austrian GP Preview
Ferrari are flying and Mercedes can't stop breaking down! Can Hamilton make it two wins in a row at the 2026 Austrian GP? We preview race week at the Red Bull Ring.
In this episode: the Monaco saga rumbles on (Mercedes withdraw their review, McLaren keep pushing), F1's new engine catch-up rules and why Red Bull are contesting them, Haas silly season heating up, Magnussen's NASCAR debut, plus full Austria storylines and our predictions.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:48 Monaco: The Latest
3:35 F1's Engine Catch-Up Rules (ADUO)
9:19 Haas To Drop Ocon?
16:53 Magnussen's...
Hamilton's First Ferrari Win! | 2026 Spanish GP Review
Lewis Hamilton takes his first win for Ferrari at the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix, and it might just have reignited the title fight.
Tom and Chris break down how Ferrari out-strategised Mercedes in Barcelona, plus the Gasly Monaco penalty U-turn that's reopened a very messy can of worms.
In this episode: Hamilton's emotional first Ferrari win and the records that come with it, the strategy call that put Mercedes in an impossible spot, whether the VSC actually gifted him the win, Russell vs Antonelli and Kimi's latest DNF, Norris inheriting the podium, Leclerc's Q3 crash, a b...
More Penalties Than Overtakes 🤦 - 2026 Monaco GP Review
The 2026 Monaco Grand Prix had more penalties than overtakes, and we're not exaggerating. Pit-lane speeding chaos, Gasly's lost podium, Russell's drive-through farce and Antonelli's fifth win in a row, all unpacked.
In this episode, Tom and Chris work through a Monaco GP defined by the stewards: the pit-lane speeding saga that caught five drivers by fractions of a km/h, why Tom thinks Hülkenberg's hairpin penalty was completely wrong, Mercedes' communication meltdown over Russell's penalty, and Cadillac throwing away their first-ever points. Plus Hadjar's debut podium, Racing Bulls' best-ever day, the Brembo brake row, and a l...
It's All Gucci at Alpine - 2026 Monaco GP Preview
Gucci Racing is heading to Alpine and it's set to reshape the entire team's future. Plus our full Monaco GP preview: can Russell hold the line against Antonelli's form?
In this episode: we talk about Briatore's new Gucci deal at Alpine, the ever intensifying Russell v Antonelli battle, cocerns over Mohammed Ben Sulayem control of the FIA and of course preview the 2026 Monaco GP
0:00 Intro
0:50 It's All Gucci at Alpine: The $150m Deal
10:09 Ben Sulayem & the FIA Term-Limit Row
18:19 Why 2026 Races Could Be Shorter (60/40 Power Split)
24:10 McLaren's 1000th Grand Prix Livery <...
2026 Canadian GP Review - No Rain, All Pain For McLaren
As things heat up between the Mercedes boys, McLaren throw away a perfect shot at a double podium
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;
X | Fa...
2026 Canadian GP Preview - Max's Endurance Side Quest
Max completes a side quest int he Nurburgring 24H and we look ahead to the Canadian GP
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;
X | Facebook
...V8 Back In F1? - 2026 F1 News
Could the V8 be back sooner than we think? And will Honda be given extra budget and time to catch up this season?
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the...
2026 Miami GP Review - Sprints, Spins & Suspect Stewarding
A great race in Miami, beating all expectations, saw new records set by Kimi Antonelli!
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;
X | Facebook
Ba...
2026 Miami GP Preview - A Championship Reset?
With a bunch of new deployment and harvesting rules, plus huge updates all coming at once in Miami, will we see a complete reset of the championship order?
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow u...
A New Learning Curve - Rowan Campbell-Pilling, Stepping Up To GB3
Join us as we catch up with Rowan Campbell-Pilling to talk about his step up to GB3 this season and the ongoing journey to F1
Max headed to McLaren!?
With the fast pace of rumours to announcement for Gianpiero Lambiase moving from Red Bull to McLaren, could this lead to us seeing Max Verstappen in a orange for a whole new reason in the near future?
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy l...
2026 Japanes GP Review - Has Safety Taken a Back Seat?
We discuss the repercussions of a huge 50g shunt for Ollie Bearman, review Oscar Piastri's first race of the season and assess if Kimi Antonelli has more of a title shot than George Russell
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid R...
2026 Japanese GP Preview - A Newey Job For Wheatley?
Jonathan Wheatley leaves Audi, but could he be headed to Aston Martin?
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;
X | Facebook
Back of...
2026 Chinese GP Review - Ferrari Lost, But Italy Won! 🇮🇹
A double DNS for McLaren is the biggest talking.... who are we kidding KIMI ANTONELLI WON!!
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;
X | Fac...
2026 Australian GP Review - New F1, Same Old Ferrari
A nightmare for Piastri but a proving ground for Mercedes this weekend in Australia
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;
X | Facebook
Back of...
2026 Australian GP Preview - It's RAWE CEEK!
Time for the first race preview of the season! How will things go coming to Australia?
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;
X | Facebook
...
Aston Martin Are Abysmal!
A round up of the final test in Bahrain plus a look at what rivalries we might see this season
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;
<...Our 2026 F1 Predictions - Will Alonso Retire This Season?
After the first round of testing, we make some bold predictions for the season ahead.
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;
X | Facebook
Ba...
Back In Bahrain - 2026 Testing is Officially Underway!
Final liveries are launched, cars are now OFFICIALLY testing and we are seeing actual coverage of it all too. F1 is finally back!
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the...
The F1 Shakedown Breakdown!
We've finally see all cars on track (sort of) so we are going to look at who sits where and what we can start to work out from the first shakedowns
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
...
What Are Mercedes Up to? - 2026 Testing Preview
Mercedes seem to be up to something tricky with their aero as we see its first shakedown laps and testing runs...
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;<...
2026 Livery Review - Part 1
The first batch of 2026 liveries are here!
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on X or Facebook for the latest news;
X | Facebook
Back of the Grid is a Formula 1 podcast ho...
An Armchair Guide To F1's 2026 Regulations
Happy New Year! We are back for 2026 and we are starting the year off with a bit of a recap of all the changes for 2026 when it comes to regulations
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow...
2025 Season Rankings & Awards
We rank each team and driver as well as hand out some awards to see out the season.
00:00 - Intro
02:32 - Alpine
8:22 - Sauber
15:37 - Haas
21:18 - Aston Martin
27:48 - Racing Bulls
33:34 - Williams
40:46 - Ferrari
57:02 - Red Bull
1:05:28 - Mercedes
1:14:27 - McLaren
1:23:12 - Discord Rankings
1:27:02 - Driver Of The Day - Most Wins
1:28:11- Move of the Day - Most Wins
1:29:49 - Overtake Of The Year
1:32:33 - WTF Moment Of The Year
1:38:06 - Race of the Year
1:39:55 - Rookie...
2025 Abu Dhabi GP Review - Zak Brown Must Be Stopped!
A new champion is crowned but two of the most humble runners-up we've seen in recent years. We cover everything from Abu Dhabi, even Zak Brown's radio cringe.
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
Join our IndyCar fantasy league on Grid Rival IndyCar today!
Follow us on...
2025 Qatar GP Review - Papaya Fruit Salad
McLaren continues to be their own worst enemies and make a blunder of a pit strategy call, but what does that mean for the title race going into Abu Dhabi and who will come out on top come the end of the season?
Join our Patreon for exclusive content and access to the Discord
Back of the Grid on Patreon
Enter the prediction league on our site;
BackofTheGrid.com
Join our F1 Fantasy League now!
Join our F1 fantasy league on Grid Rival F1 today!
...
