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Formula 1's fastest stars slow down for in-depth interviews. Tom Clarkson brings you revealing, feature-length conversations with drivers, team bosses, engineering experts and F1 legends.

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F1 Beyond The Grid

Formula 1
Sports
394 episodes
Anthony Davidson: reaching the pinnacle through talent + testing
Racing twice in 2002 with Minardi and once again three years later with BAR Honda in 2005, Anthony Davidson’s Formula 1 career had a few false starts. But in 2007, he finally got a full-time shot with Super Aguri. Although his F1 career ended just over a year later, Anthony is rightly proud to have reached the top of motorsport. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, he discusses the ups and down of his t...
1hr 17m • Jul 08
1hr 17m
F1 at Downing Street - with the UK Prime Minister, James Vowles, Oliver Bearman + Cadillac boss Graeme Lowdon
To celebrate 75 years of the Formula 1 World Championship, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer invited drivers, Team Principals and others from the sport to 10 Downing Street - the heart of government in the UK. In a special episode of F1 Beyond The Grid, the Prime Minister tells Tom Clarkson why he's 'proud' of the sport's success and its £12bn annual contribution to the UK economy. Williams Team...
23m • Jul 04
23m
Lando Norris: raising his game
This episode is brought to you by Dropbox Dash, an official technology partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team. Now a multiple race winner, podium finisher and polesitter, Lando Norris is ready to take the next step in his Formula 1 career and become World Champion. To do so in 2025, he’ll have to beat his equally talented teammate Oscar Piastri. But despite a sometimes challenging first half o...
47m • Jul 01
47m
Brad Pitt: becoming Sonny Hayes for F1 The Movie
For F1 The Movie, Brad Pitt lived the high-speed life of a Formula 1 driver. He drove with seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton. He learned to race. He spent years shooting scenes at racetracks around the world. The result is what he calls ‘the most visceral feeling you will get in a race car of anything put on film’ - F1 The Movie, in cinemas on June 25th and June 27th in North America. ...
29m • Jun 24
29m
Isack Hadjar: ‘I’m a fighter’
He took some blows on his climb to Formula 1. Now Isack Hadjar is toe-to-toe with the heavyweights. Hadjar’s first F1 race was over before it began, as he slid off the track on a rain-soaked day in Australia. He tells Tom Clarkson how previous setbacks helped him get back on his feet, and establish himself as one of the best young drivers in the sport. Hadjar describes himself as ‘a fighter’,...
43m • Jun 17
43m
LEGENDS: Emerson Fittipaldi’s ‘courage’ + ‘risk’ to become World Champion
Emerson Fittipaldi made history with Lotus in 1972 by becoming the first Brazilian to win the Formula 1 World Championship. In 1974, he won the title again with McLaren. Emerson’s achievements on track are legendary, but his actions off track are just as iconic. In a special F1 Beyond The Grid Legends episode, Emerson tells Tom Clarkson why he refused to take part in the 1975 Spanish Grand Pr...
50m • Jun 10
50m
Valtteri Bottas: Cadillac is ‘very interesting project’
This year is the first time Valtteri Bottas isn’t racing in Formula 1 since he started as a rookie in 2013, but the 10-time Grand Prix winner says F1 is ‘still the number one thing in my life’ and his priority is to get back on the grid in 2026. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Valtteri discusses all the options he has for his next move. Would he like to drive for the new Cadillac team that will joi...
44m • Jun 03
44m
Simone Resta: F1 car designer who swapped Ferrari for Mercedes
When he left Ferrari to join Mercedes, Simone Resta took decades of experience with him. In Italy, he worked with Michael Schumacher and designed race-winning cars for Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Charles Leclerc. Now, his task is giving George Russell and Kimi Antonelli the best Mercedes he can. As Deputy Technical Director Simone is focusing on the 2025 season, but he tells Tom Clark...
38m • May 27
38m
Dario Franchitti: why ‘F1 dream’ never became reality
Dario Franchitti has had a sensational racing career in the United States, becoming a four-time IndyCar series champion and a three-time winner of the Indy500. But earlier in his career, Dario had plenty of interest from Formula 1 and tested for a few different teams. So why didn’t he end up racing in the pinnacle of motorsport? Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Dario talks about the three big opport...
58m • May 20
58m
Celebrating F1 75 with Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti was 10 years old when the first ever Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix took place at Silverstone, on the 13th of May 1950. The 1978 World Champion has seen everything the pinnacle of motorsport has to offer over the past 75 years, and is one of just 34 drivers to win the ultimate prize, so he’s the perfect person to celebrate such a landmark anniversary. Speaking to Tom C...
55m • May 13
55m
Claire Williams: proud of Williams' progress
When Claire Williams sold the Williams F1 team at the end of 2020, a very special 43-year association between the Williams family and Formula 1 came to an end. Founded by Claire’s father, Sir Frank Williams, in 1977, the team have won 16 World Championships – a feat only bettered by Ferrari and McLaren. Claire rose through the ranks – starting as press officer in 2002 and eventually becoming ...
59m • May 06
59m
Jonathan Wheatley: leading Sauber forward into Audi era
As the new Team Principal of Sauber, Jonathan Wheatley is taking on one of the most exciting projects in Formula 1. With Benetton, Renault and Red Bull Racing, Jonathan has won 19 World Championships over the last 34 years. Now, after nearly two decades as Red Bull’s Sporting Director, he’s in a very different role with a very different team. And not just any team, because, in 2026, Sauber wil...
53m • Apr 29
53m
Piers Thynne: running McLaren's championship-winning factory
Tom Clarkson’s guest on this week’s F1 Beyond The Grid is McLaren’s Chief Operating Officer, Piers Thynne, who has been with the team since 2008. He oversees everything that happens at the team's base, the McLaren Technology Centre, so he’s played a crucial role in their current success. How have McLaren transformed into World Champions after finishing second to last in 2017? Why is their phi...
54m • Apr 22
54m
Esteban Ocon: feeling at home with Haas
After five years with Alpine, Esteban Ocon is embarking on a new adventure with Haas in 2025. What challenges has he faced while settling into his new team? How is he getting on with new race engineer Laura Mueller? What are the strengths and weaknesses of their car? Esteban tells Tom Clarkson how he’s adapting to his new surroundings and how Haas have made such a miraculous recovery from a n...
56m • Apr 15
56m
'The team is a big family' - This week on F1 Beyond The Grid...
Tom Clarkson reveals which Formula 1 star will be joining him on this week’s episode of F1 Beyond The Grid. Listen to the full show on Wednesday 16th March or you can watch their chat on the official F1 YouTube channel.
2m • Apr 14
2m
Marc Gene: witnessing five World Champions at Ferrari
Ferrari ambassador and former test driver Marc Gene has been with the team since 2004. During that time, Marc has had the privilege of working alongside five World Champions: Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and now, Lewis Hamilton. Do they all have a common trait that makes them so successful? What’s the difference between one-time and multiple World Cham...
52m • Apr 08
52m
Jaime Alguersuari: record-breaking debut to high-pressure exit
Chosen by Red Bull aged 15. Suddenly launched into his first Grand Prix as the youngest driver ever, having never driven a Formula 1 car before. Racing for the Red Bull junior team, Jaime Alguersuari was expected to win. He was dropped when he didn’t. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Jaime looks back at his rapid rise to Formula 1. From his surprise debut in 2009, the demands of the Red Bull junior p...
1hr 7m • Apr 01
1hr 7m
Pierre Gasly: believing in Alpine
‘I wish I could fast forward’, says Pierre Gasly. Like all F1 drivers, Pierre is used to things happening quickly. He thinks Alpine will be fighting further forwards in a matter of months, and is impatient to get there. He knows how winning feels. He believes he can do it again. Gasly tells Tom Clarkson about the faith he has in Alpine and its leaders, Team Principal Oliver Oakes and Executive...
48m • Mar 26
48m
Andy Cowell: Aston Martin 'want to win’
Aston Martin’s Team Principal knows what it takes to win in Formula 1. Andy Cowell leads a team which now includes Adrian Newey. They have the newest factory in the sport. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are in the driving seat. Owner Lawrence Stroll is funding the team’s future. When will these ingredients bring trophies? Andy tells Tom Clarkson that Aston Martin are in ‘the building phase’ ...
49m • Mar 19
49m
Liam Lawson: ready to go at Red Bull
With 11 Grands Prix under his belt, Liam Lawson is technically no longer a rookie – but he is about to embark on his first full Formula 1 season in 2025 and race at many tracks he’s never driven before. So how does the New Zealander feel about this next step with Red Bull Racing? Speaking to Tom Clarkson at the team’s UK headquarters in Milton Keynes, Liam answers all the big questions ahead o...
48m • Mar 12
48m
'I felt so out of control': BTG returns Wednesday 12th March
First up in 2025: Liam Lawson. Listen to a preview of the Red Bull racer's conversation with Tom Clarkson here. Don't miss the full episode on Wednesday 12th March. Listen to F1 Nation's 2025 Preview Romain Grosjean, Laura Winter + Tom Clarkson answer the big questions ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. Listen here (http://www.podfollow.com/f1-nation) Experience F1 live in 2025 Head to tick...
2m • Mar 10
2m
Aston Martin’s masterplan – Newey, Alonso, Lawrence + Lance Stroll from the BTG Archive
Adrian Newey began his new job at Aston Martin this week. Is he the man who will make Aston Martin World Champions? How does Adrian’s arrival change Fernando Alonso’s future plans? How has team owner Lawrence Stroll transformed Aston since he took over in 2018? And what is it really like for Lance Stroll to have his dad as his boss? Tom Clarkson has been listening through his interviews with L...
50m • Mar 05
50m
Williams’ winning formula? – Vowles, Sainz + Albon from the BTG Archive
The arrival of four-time Grand Prix winner Carlos Sainz from Ferrari marks the start of an intriguing new adventure for Williams in 2025. Is Carlos the man to drive Williams back to their glory days? How will Alex Albon stack up against a much more experienced teammate? And can Williams move further up the grid this season or is the introduction of new regulations in 2026 the priority for Team...
32m • Feb 26
32m
McLaren’s revival: Norris, Piastri, Brown + Stella from the BTG Archive
2024 saw McLaren become Constructor World Champions for the first time since 1998. Will they defend their title in 2025? And will Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri become the team’s first Drivers’ World Champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008? Tom Clarkson has been digging through the F1 Beyond The Grid archives to find out how McLaren have transformed into the fastest team in Formula 1 and whether...
53m • Feb 19
53m
Racing for Ferrari: Vettel, Prost + Mansell from the BTG Archive
Lewis Hamilton is getting ready for his first season with Ferrari in 2025. He’s won seven World Championships and 105 races, but some of Formula 1’s most successful drivers have joined Ferrari in the past and missed out on the ultimate prize. So what lessons can Lewis take from those who came before him? How difficult is it to win titles with the Scuderia? And why is driving for Ferrari so dif...
39m • Feb 12
39m
Liam Lawson's racing line, how Ferrari found Ollie Bearman + Oscar Piastri's F2 preparation - The Best of F1 Explains 2024
What really happens on the grid before a race? How do Formula 1 teams scout their future stars? How are drivers coached to go faster?  In 2024, F1 Explains answered these questions and many more sent in by F1 fans from all over the world. F1 Explains takes your questions and finds the experts to answer them. In this special episode, presenters Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne have picked th...
47m • Dec 27, 2024
47m
Ageless Alonso, Carlos’s comeback + super sub Bearman – The Best of 2024
A driver market for the ages, Verstappen at his very best, emotional race wins, new Constructor World Champions and the end of some iconic eras. The 2024 Formula 1 season was sensational. On F1 Beyond The Grid, the stars of this dramatic year of racing have sat down with Tom Clarkson, revealing what it’s like being at the centre of the biggest stories of the season and sharing fascinating insi...
1hr 17m • Dec 18, 2024
1hr 17m
'One of a kind': Mercedes on Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes: their names are together forever in the Formula 1 record books. As the most successful team and driver partnership in the sport's history comes to an end, some of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes colleagues tell Tom Clarkson their stories of working with him: Toto Wolff – Team Principal, on how Lewis got stronger every year of their partnership Andrew Shovlin – Trackside...
57m • Dec 11, 2024
57m
Carlos Sainz: pain, pride + potential
This episode is presented by Explora Journeys - redefining luxury ocean travel. 2024 has been a turbulent year for Carlos Sainz. It started with a shock: Lewis Hamilton would be replacing him at Ferrari in 2025. Then he missed a race with appendicitis. But the year is ending with multiple wins and podiums to look back on, and an exciting new challenge to look forward to with Williams next sea...
59m • Dec 04, 2024
59m
'I was tested. It's made me better' - This week on F1 Beyond The Grid...
2024 has been a rollercoaster for this week’s guest on F1 Beyond The Grid. While the end of the season provides a chance for reflection, he’s also looking forward to an exciting new venture in 2025. Hear a preview of the episode with Tom Clarkson now and then you can listen to the conversation in full on your podcast app, or watch on the official F1 YouTube channel, from Wednesday 4th December...
1m • Dec 02, 2024
1m
Andy Stevenson: 600 races, 1 team
This episode is brought to you by Salesforce, a Global Partner of Formula 1® Aston Martin Sporting Director Andy Stevenson reached a huge milestone in Las Vegas, working at his 600th Grand Prix. It’s a sensational achievement made even more remarkable by the fact that all 600 races have been with the same team. A driver winning with a broken leg, another going to jail halfway through the seas...
1hr 17m • Nov 27, 2024
1hr 17m
Oliver Oakes: the racer driving Alpine
This episode is brought to you by T-Mobile, official 5G partner of F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix Why did Oliver Oakes become Alpine Team Principal? How does his background as a racing driver and team owner prepare him for this new challenge? And what are his priorities in 2025 and beyond? Speaking to Tom Clarkson at the team’s headquarters in Enstone, Oakes answers all the key questions around Alpi...
51m • Nov 20, 2024
51m
LEGENDS: Rubens Barrichello on following Senna and racing Schumacher
He’s one of the most experienced drivers in F1 history, who won races for championship teams Ferrari and Brawn GP. During his long career, Rubens Barrichello had to cope with the loss of his legendary countryman, Ayrton Senna, and the challenge of carrying the hopes of Brazilian fans afterwards. At Ferrari, Rubens went up against a dominant Michael Schumacher, and while he never won a title, h...
34m • Nov 13, 2024
34m
Christian Fittipaldi: racing in an F1 dynasty
Nephew of two-time Formula 1 World Champion Emerson and son of Brazilian F1 team owner Wilson, Christian Fittipaldi was destined to follow in his family’s footsteps and race in the pinnacle of motorsport. Speaking to Tom Clarkson in his home city of Sao Paulo, Christian reflects on his three seasons on the grid with the Footwork and Minardi teams in the early 1990’s. He talks about what it was...
57m • Nov 06, 2024
57m
Christian Danner: how Senna came to his defence in Monaco
Despite being a hugely versatile racing driver, who competed in Formula 3000, IndyCar, Sports Cars and Touring Cars, Christian Danner was unable to showcase his full potential in Formula 1 in the mid-late 1980s. During an era characterised by poor reliability and pre-qualifying, he either failed to start many of the races he entered, or he failed to finish them. But that certainly doesn’t mean...
55m • Oct 30, 2024
55m
Fernando at 400: why Alonso’s still fired up
This episode is brought to you by Salesforce, a Global Partner of Formula 1®. Fernando Alonso will become the first driver in Formula 1 history to compete in 400 Grands Prix when he races in Mexico this weekend. It’s a monumental milestone that even Alonso didn’t think he’d reach. Hear why the two-time World Champion thought he’d leave F1 at the end of 2009 and how changes in his relationship...
40m • Oct 22, 2024
40m
A monumental milestone in Mexico. This week on F1 Beyond The Grid…
This week’s guest on F1 Beyond The Grid will make history at the Mexico City Grand Prix – how did he get this far and what’s next? Hear a preview of the episode with Tom Clarkson now and then you can listen to the conversation in full on your podcast app, or watch on the official F1 YouTube channel from Wednesday 23rd October. More official F1 Podcasts F1 Nation - Grand Prix reviews and prev...
2m • Oct 21, 2024
2m
Tom Stallard: Piastri’s Olympic-medallist race engineer
Tom Stallard, Oscar Piastri’s race engineer and McLaren’s Director of Human Performance, is a man of many talents. As a professional rower, he won an Olympic silver medal and became World Champion. As an engineer in Formula 1, he’s won races with some of the sport’s most talented drivers and has played a huge part in McLaren’s transformation into title contenders. So why did Tom make such a b...
1hr • Oct 15, 2024
1hr
Guenther Steiner: life on the other side of F1
After a decade of highs and lows as Haas Team Principal, Guenther Steiner has changed lanes. Now he’s an author and broadcaster with a new perspective on the drivers, the teams and the bosses he previously saw as rivals. Talking to Tom Clarkson, Guenther looks back at his time at Haas, from their stunning points-scoring debut in 2016, through triumphs, frustrations and low moments, to his depa...
40m • Oct 08, 2024
40m
James Vowles: on the right track with Albon + Sainz
‘For 2025, I think we have the best driver line-up on the grid’. Williams Team Principal James Vowles is confident. Race-winner Carlos Sainz joins proven performer Alex Albon next year – a combination of speed and experience Vowles believes will drive Williams forward. He tells Tom Clarkson his long-term vision for the historic team. 2024 has been a year of big decisions for Williams. Vowles e...
50m • Oct 01, 2024
50m
F1 NATION: Christian Horner on Daniel Ricciardo's departure and Liam Lawson's return
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner gives Tom Clarkson and Damon Hill the inside story on the decision to replace Daniel Ricciardo with Liam Lawson at RB. Horner reveals the race when pressure began to mount on the Australian, and why Ricciardo was replaced with six races remaining. With one eye on 2025 and the future of the Red Bull driver line up, is this a chance for Liam Lawson to sta...
36m • Sep 30, 2024
36m
Ollie Bearman: just getting started
Points on his surprise debut with Ferrari. Another top 10 with Haas. Ollie Bearman has made a flying start in Formula 1. In 2025 with Haas, he’s got the chance to show what he can do every race weekend. Ollie tells Tom Clarkson about stepping up from Formula 2, handling the pressure when he got the last-minute call to race for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, the advice Charles Leclerc gave him, and h...
47m • Sep 24, 2024
47m
Bernd Schneider: why Schumacher’s F1 debut nearly didn’t happen
For a driver who only qualified for nine Formula 1 races in three seasons, German racing legend Bernd Schneider sure has some epic stories from his short stint on the grid in the late 1980’s and early ‘90’s. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Schneider talks about how close he came to denying Michael Schumacher his F1 debut and the huge contract Eddie Jordan offered him to return to the sport. Bernd, ...
54m • Sep 17, 2024
54m
Jolyon Palmer: 'career-killer' teammates + a sudden F1 exit
Just 19 months after making his debut with Renault, Jolyon Palmer lost his seat with four races of the 2017 season still remaining and his Formula 1 career was over. So where did it all go wrong for the 2014 GP2 champion? Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Palmer dissects all the ups and downs of his year and a half on the grid. He talks about facing unique challenges to prove his worth on track, why ...
53m • Sep 10, 2024
53m
Yuki Tsunoda: under pressure, aiming high
Now in his fourth year as a Formula 1 driver, Yuki Tsunoda says he’s starting to show his ‘full potential’. Frequently beating his VCARB teammate, eight-time Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo, in qualifying and on race day, the Japanese star’s driving has attracted a lot of attention in 2024. So how and why has Yuki improved so much and what does his future hold? Is promotion to VCARB's seni...
46m • Sep 03, 2024
46m
Inside Michael Schumacher’s final, most dominant, World Championship
With 13 wins from 18 races, Michael Schumacher’s seventh and final World Championship was his best season in Formula 1. Still to this day, Schumacher is the only driver to have won five titles in a row as he and Ferrari dominated F1 from 2000 to 2004. So why was the German at his most ruthless during that last triumph in ‘04? 20 years on, Tom Clarkson speaks to McLaren Team Principal Andrea ...
48m • Aug 27, 2024
48m
Charles Leclerc: chasing the ultimate dream with Ferrari
After winning his home race for the first time in 2024, Charles Leclerc has just one more item to tick off his Formula 1 bucket list. But can the Monegasque and Ferrari still become World Champions together? Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Leclerc reflects on that special victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, the reasons behind Ferrari’s struggles since then and why he’s confident of future success wit...
39m • Aug 20, 2024
39m
This week on F1 Beyond The Grid…
Tom Clarkson is back, speaking to a current F1 star ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. Listen for a preview, then hear the full in-depth interview on Wednesday 21st August. Follow F1 Beyond The Grid to get the episode delivered to your podcast app as soon as it’s released
1m • Aug 19, 2024
1m
Bruno Famin: a year as Alpine Team Principal
Change is on the horizon at Alpine, as boss Bruno Famin prepares to step down, and the Renault-owned team considers switching to another manufacturer's power units. Bruno tells Tom Clarkson why he is moving away from the F1 team to focus on operations at Renault's engine factory in Viry, just outside Paris. The factory has produced Renault F1 engines since the 1970s, but staff have been told t...
36m • Jul 30, 2024
36m
F2 + F3 CEO Bruno Michel: steering young drivers to F1
Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and George Russell are just a handful of the Formula 1 stars born in Bruno Michel’s racing series. Multiple F1 World Champions and Grand Prix-winners have risen from Formula 2 and Formula 3, previously known as GP2 and GP3. From the very first GP2 champion, Nico Rosberg, to Lando Norris, Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly, Valtteri Bottas and many more...
1hr 6m • Jul 23, 2024
1hr 6m

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