F1 Explains

Lando Norris' driving style, the food which fuels the Haas pit crew, the Apex GP cars from F1: The Movie and the team boss who lets his drivers use his office toilet. F1 Explains covered all this and much more in 2025 as we answered your questions on how the sport works. Christian and the team have chosen their favourite moments from the season, which include a world-first episode recorded ins...

In the months between the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi and the five red lights in Australia, Formula 1 teams are still be racing. They're building in factories, testing on simulators and wind tunnels, working flat-out to get their cars ready for a new era. New car design and power unit rules will change the game in 2026, so the work F1 teams do this winter is more important than ever. Williams ...

What does a Formula 1 driver need to become a World Champion? Can they really approach a title decider as if it’s any other race? And is it better to be leading the way or chasing? Ahead of this weekend’s three-way title showdown between Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, two-time World Champion Mika Hakkinen joins Christian Hewgill in the Yas Marina pa...

In a shock reversal of the usual format, this episode of F1 Explains starts with a question that YOU have to answer. It's about an engine company with an incredible winning record in Formula 1. Any guesses? For decades, Ford won in Formula 1. Their engines powered drivers and teams to World Championships. In 2026, the company will return to the grid, partnering with Red Bull on a new F1 engine...

How do you start a brand new F1 team? Does joining at the start of new regulations in 2026 give Cadillac an advantage or disadvantage? What are the team’s goals? Cadillac F1 Team CEO Dan Towriss joins Christian Hewgill to answer your questions and tell us what we can expect from F1’s newest team. Dan also talks about their driver line-up of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, Cadillac’s short a...

To answer the latest load of F1 Explains listener questions, Christian is joined F1TV expert James Hinchcliffe, IndyCar race-winner who recently drove an F1 car for the first time, and F1TV lead presenter Laura Winter, who once drove an F4 car but doesn't like to talk about it... Laura and Hinch answer your questions on the differences between F1 and IndyCar machinery, how Cadillac's arrival w...

How many members of an F1 team does it take to answer the latest batch of your questions? 5, as it turns out! Haas drivers Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon, Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, Race Engineer Laura Mueller and F1 ACADEMY driver Courtney Crone sat down with Christian Hewgill at the US Grand Prix in Austin. Ayao took questions about the parts Haas buys from Ferrari, and what he thinks abo...

When Formula 1 drivers want to go faster, they study squiggly lines on a screen. This is F1 data, showing how drivers accelerate, brake, steer and more. Hidden in the squiggles are the secrets of speed. Tom Stallard, Race Engineer to Oscar Piastri at McLaren, and former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer join Christian Hewgill to decode F1 data. Tom answers your questions on what data is recorded, how i...

Once McLaren team mates fighting for the Formula 1 World Championship, now legends of the F1 Paddock, Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard know how it feels to be in the middle of a title battle. The pair join Christian Hewgill and F1 Explains listeners live on stage in Austin, Texas, to answer your questions. David and Mika explain how McLaren handled their title rivalry in the late 1990s, comp...

What does ‘lift and coast’ mean and why do drivers use this technique? How do they reduce their speed under a Virtual Safety Car? Why do they use a different engine mode when driving in the pitlane? And what do the buttons on an F1 steering wheel do? Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto joins Christian Hewgill in the paddock at the United States Grand Prix to answer your questions. Gabriel also reveals...

Without marshals, we wouldn't be able to go racing. In their bright orange jumpsuits, they're hard to miss. Hundreds of them are dotted around the track to ensure the safety of all the drivers competing in every series during a Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend. So how do they keep drivers safe? What roles are different marshals performing at different parts of the circuit? How do they know which ...

When F1 drivers crash, the FIA Medical Car rushes to the scene. It's a high-performance machine with a racing driver at the wheel and a doctor in the passenger seat. The Medical Car crew, Dr Ian Roberts and driver Bruno Correia, answer your questions about their vital jobs. They tell Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill about responding to crashes, assessing driver injuries and the part of a Gr...

How different is driving at night compared to racing during the day? What impact does being a celebrity have on an F1 drivers’ life? How are car numbers decided? And what’s the process behind designing a special helmet? Williams’ Alex Albon joins Christian Hewgill in the Formula 1 paddock to answer your questions. Get your question answered on the podcast Send your voice notes and emails to ...

What are race strategists doing during a Grand Prix? How are strategies decided for each driver within a team? What happens to that strategy when something unexpected happens, like teammates colliding with each other? And is Artificial Intelligence used when deciding the best tactics for a race? Bernie Collins, former F1 strategist at Aston Martin and McLaren, joins Christian Hewgill in the pa...

2025 is a year of change for Jonathan Wheatley. He left Red Bull in the UK to join Sauber in Switzerland. He also stepped up from Sporting Director to Team Principal. Jonathan answers your questions about moving from a World Championship-winning team to one seeking success. He tells Christian how he leads the hundreds of people working at Sauber's factory and at the racetrack, including driver...

Ferrari is synonymous with Formula 1 around the world. They’ve won more World Championships than any other team in the sport’s history. But is that success why they’re regarded as one of the most iconic names in F1? Or is there more to it? F1 Explains is at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza to find out what makes Ferrari so special. Christian Hewgill is joined by ESPN F1 journalist, Nate Saund...

The driver hits the brakes. The car stops in the pit lane and 20 people go to work. Wheel guns roar. Tyres spin. The car speeds back into the race. An F1 pit stop is 2 seconds of precision under pressure. F1 Explains meets the people who make lightning-fast pit stops happen. Christian Hewgill puts your questions to Haas pit crew members Matt Thompson, Monique Hurrell and Marcus Farrer. Matt, ...

Where do Formula 1 teams spot the drivers of the future? What are they looking for in young racers? And how did Mercedes guide Kimi Antonelli from karting to F1? F1 Explains explores junior driver programmes, which exist to find talented young drivers and support them as they climb the motorsport ladder. Most F1 teams have these academies. Red Bull signed a young Max Verstappen, Ferrari suppo...

Being the boss of Formula 1 is a big job. F1 teams, drivers, race promoters, sponsors and more than 825 million fans worldwide rely on Stefano Domenicali to lead the sport forwards. It’s a huge responsibility, so how does he keep everyone happy? Speaking to Christian Hewgill, Stefano explains exactly what his job involves and how the role compares to his time as Ferrari Team Principal. He al...

He's a race-winner, a Haas driver and he lays claim to being the tallest person on the F1 grid (hairstyle permitting). Esteban Ocon joins F1 Explains to answer the latest batch of listener questions. Among the topics in our inbox: how drivers prepare mentally and physically, why they get handed a little paper ticket at their post-race weight check, how being tall affects the job of an F1 drive...

How do F1 teams help new drivers settle in? What are the secrets of Silverstone? Could Taylor Swift help Ollie Bearman go faster? Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu answers these questions and more in the latest F1 Explains live show, recorded at the British Grand Prix. F1 Explains listeners Eilín from Ireland, Maya from New York and honeymooning couple Amie and Sam join Ayao and Christian Hewgi...

1996 Formula 1 World Champion, Damon Hill, and F1TV’s lead commentator, Alex Jacques, join Christian Hewgill at the British Grand Prix for an F1 history lesson - 75 years since the World Championship began at Silverstone in 1950. How did the pinnacle of motorsport begin? What did the first World Championship look like in terms of the cars, the calendar and the Constructors? Who were the sport’...

F1 Explains will be live on-stage at the British Grand Prix with two special guests: Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, and F1 legend David Coulthard will join Christian Hewgill to answer your questions. See you there! F1 EXPLAINS LIVE AT SILVERSTONE Friday 4th July Main Stage 1115-1145 Free to all British Grand Prix Friday or weekend ticket-holders Send your questions for Ayao and David to F...

How do F1 commentators call races? What do F1 team radio messages mean? How do drivers make sure their laps in qualifying are as fast as possible? In this 'mega' episode, F1TV commentary duo Alex Jacques and Jolyon Palmer explain how they do their jobs - the camera shots and data they look at during a Grand Prix Alex and Jolyon also help Christian Hewgill decode F1 team radio messages, and br...

Filmed on real F1 racetracks, in the middle of real F1 action, F1 The Movie is the most authentic racing movie ever. Director Joseph Kosinski tells Christian Hewgill how the movie was made - how it all started with an email to Lewis Hamilton, how the team modified real race cars to film the spectacular racing sequences, and how he shot scenes on the grid, on the track and in the pit lane durin...

Watching F1 on TV is incredible. Seeing the action live is even better. With 24 amazing races, different ticket options and viewing positions to choose from, how do you plan a trip to a Formula 1 Grand Prix? Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill speak to Gavin and Megan, F1 fans from Colorado who are going to this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix during their honeymoon. They want advice planning th...

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...

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 S...

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 ...

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 physicall...

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 (mailto: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 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8skLAmcQEX4) It's All To Drive For in 2025. ...

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 Hewgi...

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. ...

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 h...

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...

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. ...

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 quest...

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 you...

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...

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 Butt...

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 Sta...

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'...

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 Osca...

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 ...

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 stel...

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 ...

'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,...

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 mor...

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, includi...

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...