• McLaren's 'best chance'? - 2026 Miami GP Preview
    Apr 27 2026
    Can a 'completely new' McLaren take victory in Miami? Tom Clarkson, James Hinchcliffe and Jolyon Palmer think it's the papaya team's best chance of the season so far. F1 is back after a break from racing, and everything could be different!

    Tom, Jolyon and Hinch debate which team will make the biggest leap forward in Miami, and how the second F1 Sprint weekend of the year puts pressure on drivers to get back up to speed quickly. Can McLaren get ahead of Mercedes? Have Ferrari got special upgrades? Will Red Bull rise back to the front?

    Plus, the team celebrate the news that F1 is returning to Istanbul Park - a 'modern classic' which always produces exciting racing. We're already looking forward to the 2027 Turkish Grand Prix...
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    53 mins
  • F1 Explains: inside a garage during a Grand Prix
    Apr 23 2026

    What happens in a Formula 1 team's garage during a race? In a world-first episode, recorded inside the Haas garage during the 2025 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 are recycled into after each race, resist the urge to eat the pit crew's mid-race treats and rub shoulders with a rock music legend...

    F1 Explains LIVE at the Miami GP Fan Fest
    Wednesday 29th April | 4pm | Miami Beach
    Special guests: Colton Herta + Zhou Guanyu from Cadillac F1 Team
    For details, terms and conditions and to register for free tickets go to f1miamigp.com/fan-fest

    Send your F1 questions to F1Explains@F1.com

    Experience F1 live in 2026
    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
    Expert reaction before and after every Grand Prix on F1 Nation

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    52 mins
  • What makes the 'perfect' F1 driver?
    Apr 20 2026

    Verstappen's mentality? Schumacher's teamwork? Alonso's intelligence? Tsunoda's physique? Tom Clarkson is joined by former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe to build the ‘perfect’ F1 driver.

    They debate the key attributes needed to become the best in the pinnacle of motorsport and which drivers from past and present are closest to perfection.

    Plus, the guys chat about the possible driver market ramifications if Max Verstappen does leave Red Bull Racing and they share their standout moments from the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix over the years.

    Listen to more official F1 podcasts
    F1 Beyond The Grid - in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names
    F1 Explains - expert answers to your F1 questions

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    51 mins
  • F1 Explains: Cadillac's solid start - with Graeme Lowdon
    Apr 16 2026

    Cadillac have made a solid start in F1. The challenge now is to make their car faster. With a long break before the Miami Grand Prix, there's time for hard work at the factory... and for Team Principal Graeme Lowdon to answer your F1 questions.

    How do Formula 1 teams get all their kit to Grands Prix? What’s the difference between Reserve, Test and Development drivers? And how do team members working at the team's bases in the US and UK during race weekends help the team at the track?

    Graeme also gives his assessment of Cadillac’s first three races in F1 and tells Christian Hewgill what the team are working on during the April break.

    Listen to more official F1 podcasts
    F1 Beyond The Grid - in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names
    F1 Nation - expert views on the latest F1 news

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    30 mins
  • Lambiase leaving: what next for Max + Red Bull? Can McLaren catch Mercedes in '26?
    Apr 12 2026

    Tom Clarkson is joined by former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe to discuss the news that Max Verstappen’s race engineer, GianPiero Lambiase, will leave Red Bull Racing in 2028 and join McLaren as their Chief Racing Officer.

    What does Lambiase’s departure mean for Red Bull? How will it affect Verstappen’s future at the team? And what will GP bring to McLaren?

    Plus, the guys are joined by McLaren’s Technical Director of Performance, Mark Temple, who says Mercedes are 'beatable' in 2026 and tells us about the upgrade work being done at the factory before the Miami GP.

    THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY:

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    41 mins
  • F1 Explains: race strategy in 2026 - with Bernie Collins
    Apr 9 2026

    So much has changed for the 2026 F1 season. How has it affected the job of a race strategist? The new cars and new tyres mean teams have to think differently when planning their pit stops. Race-winning strategist and Sky Sports F1 expert Bernie Collins joins Christian Hewgill to explain it all.

    Bernie also answers your questions on what F1 teams are doing during the April break in racing, how much it costs to race in F1, and what happens when drivers don't set a time in qualifying.

    Send us your question, we'll find the best person to answer it
    Email F1Explains@F1.com

    Listen to more official F1 podcasts
    F1 Beyond The Grid - in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names (including Bernie!)
    F1 Nation - expert race previews, reviews and reaction to breaking news - right here on this feed

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    39 mins
  • Rivals and stars of the season so far – with Jolyon Palmer + James Hinchcliffe
    Apr 5 2026

    Tom Clarkson is joined by former F1 driver, Jolyon Palmer, and IndyCar race winner, James Hinchcliffe, to look back on what we’ve learned from the first three races of the season and what we can expect from Miami onwards.

    The guys discuss the battle between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes, why Oscar Piastri and McLaren were better in Japan, and what they and Ferrari need to do to catch Mercedes.

    Red Bull Racing find themselves in the midfield battle, so will they regret their decision to not switch full focus to 2026 when Laurent Mekies joined as Team Principal last season? Could Max Verstappen’s frustration benefit his teammate, Isack Hadjar? And with Haas and Alpine above Red Bull in the Constructors’ Standings, is it clear who the fourth fastest team on the grid is?

    Plus, Hinch thinks Fernando Alonso is the most positive person at Aston Martin right now, Tom suggests a somewhat contentious reason why, and Jolyon isn’t having any of it!

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • F1 Explains: Commentating on a Grand Prix - with Alex Jacques
    Apr 2 2026

    Who overtook who? Which driver is in the gravel? Formula 1 commentators put on-track action into words. They need to be accurate, fast and entertaining to make sure you always know what's happening.

    F1TV and Apple TV commentator Alex Jacques is the voice of Formula 1 around the world. He welcomes Christian Hewgill into the commentary box to answer your questions. From the screens he can see and the research he does to the role of co-commentators and finding the right words at the biggest moments, Alex tells all about his job.

    Send us your questions for episodes on race strategy and race engineers
    F1Explains@F1.com

    F1 Nation - weekly episodes every Monday with Tom Clarkson and expert guests

    F1 Beyond The Grid - Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies on the 2026 challenge

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    32 mins