How Formula 1 takes over Las Vegas
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...
33m Nov 22, 2024
33m
Inside the F1 Pit Lane - with Bernie Collins
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...
29m Nov 15, 2024
29m
Miami GP ticket competition: Christian + Katie announce the winners
F1 Explains gave listeners who attended our live show at F1 Arcade Washington D.C. (https://www.f1arcade.com) the chance to win tickets for the 2025 Miami Grand Prix. Courtesy of the Miami Grand Prix, two lucky listeners have won a pair of tickets for the new McLaren grandstand, some exclusive McLaren merchandise and the chance to win a hot lap of the track with a professional driver. The dra...
9m Nov 08, 2024
9m
What really happens on the F1 starting grid - with Oscar Piastri's engineer + Gordon Ramsay
The clock is ticking. The starting grid is full of people - drivers, engineers, reporters and celebrities. Formula 1 is about to go racing, but there's so much work to do. What happens on the grid in the crucial final minutes before lights out? In the first podcast episode to be recorded on a Formula 1 starting grid before a race, Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne push through the crowds and...
33m Nov 08, 2024
33m
Strategy, slipstreams + sim racing - LIVE at F1 Arcade Washington D.C.
Want somewhere to watch a Grand Prix with F1 fans, race against your friends and enjoy food and drink? Look no further than F1 Arcade! Christian and Katie recorded a special episode of F1 Explains at F1 Arcade Washington D.C. after the Mexico City GP Watch Party. F1 Arcade is open now in Washington D.C., Boston MA, plus London and Birmingham in the UK. Go to f1arcade.com to buy tickets for Wat...
42m Nov 01, 2024
42m
Ollie Bearman, Mika Hakkinen + F1 Explains listeners LIVE at the US Grand Prix
A Formula 1 legend and a brand new star took to the stage at Circuit of the Americas for F1 Explains LIVE. Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne put your questions to 2-time World Champion Mika Hakkinen, and Ferrari Academy Driver and 2025 Haas F1 Team Driver, Ollie Bearman. F1 Explains listeners Rachel from Austin, Texas, Michelle from Cleveland, Ohio, Erin from Los Angeles, California and Ryan...
30m Oct 24, 2024
30m
Join us at F1 Arcade Washington D.C. this weekend!
Come watch the Mexico City GP with F1 Explains at F1 Arcade Washington D.C. Buy tickets at f1arcade.com/us/watch-parties/mexico-city (https://f1arcade.com/us/watch-parties/mexico-city) On Sunday October 27th, Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne will be hosting a Watch Party for the race, and recording an episode of the podcast. Join us to watch the Grand Prix on big screens with amazing food...
2m Oct 22, 2024
2m
An F1 driver's pre-race routine - with Liam Lawson
What do Formula 1 drivers do in the hours before the start of a Grand Prix? VCARB's Liam Lawson tells Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne about his pre-race routine, and how he'll be preparing his body and mind to for his return to Formula 1 this weekend at the United States Grand Prix. Andy and Jess from the UK, and Kathy from California had their questions answered on this episode. Send your...
32m Oct 18, 2024
32m
Downforce + why F1 cars have wings - with McLaren Aero Specialist Emel Cankaya
F1 cars race round corners at more than 190 miles per hour. Those insane speeds are made possible by downforce - the invisible power which keeps F1 cars on-track. Emel Cankaya is an Aerodynamics Specialist at McLaren. She tells Katie and Christian what downforce is, how F1 cars create it and what the front wing, rear wing and floor of the car do. She also explains how and why F1 teams change t...
32m Oct 10, 2024
32m
Overtaking, braking and qualifying - Stoffel Vandoorne answers your questions
What are the rules when F1 drivers go wheel-to-wheel? How do they know when to hit the brakes? Why do drivers wait until the last moment to set their qualifying lap times? Aston Martin Reserve Driver Stoffel Vandoorne joins Christian Hewgill (and Katie Osborne in voice note form) to answer your questions. Send us your questions Laura from Belgium, Todd from Virginia, Richard from Texas and Lua...
31m Oct 03, 2024
31m
Coaching F1 drivers - Performance Engineers with McLaren's Tom Stallard
Precision at 200 miles per hour. Millimetre-perfect steering, Millisecond-perfect braking and acceleration. That's what it takes to race in Formula 1. Performance Engineers help the 20 fastest drivers in the world to be their very best. McLaren's Tom Stallard, a former Performance Engineer, tells Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne about the incredible work these engineers do with Formula 1 dr...
36m Sep 26, 2024
36m
Teammates, rivals, sisters: F1 ACADEMY drivers Hamda + Amna Al Qubaisi answer your questions
16 drivers in identical cars, racing wheel-to-wheel on Grand Prix weekends. F1 ACADEMY, the game-changing racing series for female drivers, returns at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix. Hamda and Amna Al Qubaisi are F1 ACADEMY race-winners, teammates and sisters. They answer your questions on staying calm under pressure, racing in different junior categories and how they recover after a race. The...
22m Sep 19, 2024
22m
How the F1 season is scheduled - with Louise Young
24 spectacular Grands Prix in 21 incredible countries. A Formula 1 season is a world tour. How is it scheduled? F1 Explains gets the inside track from Formula 1 Director of Race Promotion, Louise Young. Her team is responsible for planning the Formula 1 calendar. They decide the order of races, negotiate contracts and work with promoters – the groups who own or operate the racetracks which hos...
40m Sep 12, 2024
40m
Damon Hill on F1 title fights - LIVE at F1 Paddock Club
What does it take to win the F1 World Championship? Is it better to be the leader or the chaser in a title fight? What changes when you become a champion? In a special episode, recorded at F1 Paddock Club, 1996 World Champion Damon Hill reveals all you need to know about winning the sport's ultimate prize - including how teammate rivalry goes beyond the racetrack and onto the dinner table! F1...
28m Sep 05, 2024
28m
Bernie Collins explains powerful pit stops, strategy training + DRS tricks
Why is the 'undercut' pit stop strategy more powerful at some tracks than others? Formula 1 strategists make race-changing decisions under huge pressure. How do they practice? What is a 'DRS train' and how does being in one change a driver's race? Former Aston Martin Head of Race Strategy Bernie Collins answers these questions and more in a quickfire special. Yiorgios in Greece, Carla in Kent...
31m Aug 29, 2024
31m
Keeping F1 teams healthy + injury-free - with Faith Atack-Martin
How does a Formula 1 team stay fit, healthy and ready to race? The team's Physiotherapist (or Physical Therapist) treats every member of the team like an athlete, helping pit crew members avoid or recover from injury, keeping engineers active and making sure jet lag doesn't knock mechanics off their game. Faith Atack-Martin from Combine Performance works with Haas F1 Team. She tells Katie Osbo...
42m Aug 22, 2024
42m
FAQs + Live show news
What are the most frequently asked questions sent to the F1Explains@F1.com inbox? We answer three of them on this summer break mini episode. Plus, Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill have news of F1 Explains live shows. We're coming to: Dutch GP in Zandvoort - August 23-25 US Grand Prix in Austin - October 18-20 Las Vegas Grand Prix - November 21-23 Tickets to all three races and the rest of...
18m Aug 01, 2024
18m
Meet the mechanics in an F1 garage - with Kick Sauber
Dozens of people work inside an F1 team garage, and they all have different jobs. Without these mechanics and engineers, the drivers would never get out on-track. Who are they, what do they all do, and how did they get their jobs? In this episode, recorded at the 2024 Canadian and British Grands Prix, Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne speak to three of Kick Sauber's garage team: Tyre Perfor...
38m Jul 25, 2024
38m
How Formula 1 teams work - from factory to racetrack
To win in F1, hundreds of people have to work together. From the mechanics at the track to designers at the factory, every team member plays their part. How are F1 teams organised, and why does every team have to build a unique car? Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill go back into the sport's past with F1 Correspondent and Presenter, Lawrence Barretto, who explains how car design has been part...
35m Jul 18, 2024
35m
Mika Hakkinen on high-speed tracks + driver contract negotiations - LIVE at the British GP
A double F1 World Champion and three F1 Explains listeners joined Christian Hewgill live on stage at the 2024 British Grand Prix. F1 Explains listeners Sophie from Rugby, Ryan from London and Alex from Atlanta Georgia asked Mika Hakkinen about how Formula 1 has changed since his final season in 2001 and how it feels to drive high-speed corners. The 1998 and 1999 World Champion also explains wh...
29m Jul 11, 2024
29m
How F1 lap times are recorded
In F1, every thousandth of a second is crucial. Drivers' performances are often separated by less than the blink of an eye, so how are F1 cars timed so accurately? To find out, Christian and Katie speak to James Clarke, a highly-trained F1 timekeeper. James explains the technology on cars and at circuits which make the timing system work, how lap times and race positions are accurately recorde...
31m Jul 04, 2024
31m
What F1 drivers eat - with Oscar Piastri's nutritionist, Dr Dan Martin
As high-performance athletes, F1 drivers have to eat the right things at the right times. Everything they eat and drink, plus the timing of their meals, is carefully planned by expert nutritionists like Dr Dan Martin from Combine Performance. Dan works with McLaren's Oscar Piastri. Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne find out what an F1 driver's diet is and how it helps them perform at their b...
46m Jun 27, 2024
46m
How F1 helmets are made – with Bell Racing
They’re essential pieces of safety kit, made from specialised materials. But F1 helmets do far more than just protect the driver. F1 Explains explores helmet design, testing and technology with Stephane Cohen, co-CEO of Bell Racing – the company which makes helmets for 13 current F1 drivers. Stephane tells Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill how Bell make helmets that are strong and light, vis...
37m Jun 20, 2024
37m
Liam Lawson answers your questions - Ask a Formula 1 driver
What do reserve drivers do? Why are F1 stars weighed after every race? What is the racing line (and how can it help you when doing grocery shopping)? Cindy from California, Ana in India, Pierre from France and lots more F1 Explains listeners sent in questions about the life of an F1 driver. Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne get the answers from Red Bull Reserve Driver, Liam Lawson. Liam exp...
28m Jun 13, 2024
28m
Inside the Safety Car - with driver, Bernd Mayländer
It's there to keep F1 safe, and it can transform a race. The FIA Safety Car is sent out in poor weather or after a crash to protect marshals, drivers and fans. But there's more to it than meets the eye... Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne explore the secrets of the safety car: how the decision to use it is made, its purpose on-track and how drivers and strategists can gain an advantage when ...
32m Jun 06, 2024
32m
How F1 video games are so realistic - with EA SPORTS F124
Cars that feel F1-fast. Racetracks that look real. Drivers in detail. EA SPORTS F124, the latest official Formula 1 game, is out on 31 May and it's more lifelike than ever. How do game designers bring the world of F1 to life on your console? Katie and Christian speak to two of F124's creators to find out: Lee Mather - Senior Creative Designer Casey Ringley - Senior Game Designer + Vehicle Hand...
40m May 30, 2024
40m
Ruth Buscombe + Bernie Collins on strategy mistakes, upgrades + how to work in F1
Grand Prix-winning strategists Ruth Buscombe and Bernie Collins are back with Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill to answer another batch of your Formula 1 questions. On the list this week: Why do teams sometimes get their race strategies wrong? How are car upgrades planned? How do you become an F1 race strategist? What do drivers do to look after their tyres? What are the T-bars on top of F1...
43m May 23, 2024
43m
Bernie Collins + Ruth Buscombe on strategy secrets, crazy races + radio riddles
Two race-winning F1 strategists answer your questions on how teams plan their pit stops, what happens if fewer than 10 cars finish a Grand Prix and how teams hide their secrets when they speak to drivers on the radio. Bernie Collins and Ruth Buscombe join Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill for a quickfire episode of F1 Explains. Why do some teams hope they'll finish a lap behind the leader? W...
46m May 16, 2024
46m
Guenther Steiner on his hardest decision + the biggest gossip in F1? LIVE in Miami
At the Miami Grand Prix, F1 Explains went live on-stage with former Haas Team Principal and Miami GP Ambassador, Guenther Steiner. F1 Explains listeners Joan from Florida, Amanda from Tennessee and Nick from Washington D.C. asked Guenther questions about the life of an F1 Team Principal and whether Steiner's office door survived being smashed by Kevin Magnussen. Special thanks to Sam Rose, Ca...
37m May 09, 2024
37m
Fernando Alonso, Pedro de la Rosa + Tom McCullough explain F1 car set-up
A Formula 1 car is like a musical instrument: to perform at its best, it has to be tuned. Aerodynamics, suspension, tyres, and transmission can all be changed to suit the racetrack, the driver and the weather. In Miami, Christian Hewgill joins Aston Martin to explore car setup, with driver Fernando Alonso, Ambassador and former F1 racer Pedro de la Rosa, and Performance Director Tom McCullough...
30m May 03, 2024
30m
F1 race suits, boots + gloves: what F1 drivers wear - with PUMA
When F1 drivers get dressed for a race, safety is the number one priority. Their gloves, balaclavas, boots, suits and underwear protect them from fire and heat. But race kit can't slow them down. It needs to be light, comfortable and breathable, with a few special features built-in to help them perform at their best. Maurizio Sicco, Consultant at PUMA Motorsport and racewear expert tells Katie...
38m Apr 25, 2024
38m
Alpine's Jack Doohan explains F1 brakes - with Brembo
Taming the insane speed of an F1 car takes extraordinary skill and incredible technology. The brakes glow red hot. The drivers feel extreme G-forces. How do F1 braking systems work, and how do drivers cope every time they slam their left foot into the pedal? Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill break down F1 brakes with: Andrea Algeri, engineer from Brembo, which produces brakes for the entire...
47m Apr 18, 2024
47m
Aston Martin's Mike Krack explains the life of an F1 Team Principal
Formula 1 Team Principals have a lot to do. They have to manage the drivers, engineers, mechanics, designers and hundreds of other employees at the racetrack and in the factory. Team Principals lead them all through wins, podiums and retirements. If things don't go well, they sometimes pay with their jobs. Aston Martin's Team Principal Mike Krack tells Katie and Christian about his job and how...
40m Apr 11, 2024
40m
Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu explain F1 teammate rivalries
In Formula 1, a driver's teammate is their biggest rival. Each wants to beat the other, but they also need to score maximum points for their teams. When teammates work together, big rewards can follow. When they clash, it can get messy. Kick Sauber F1 Team duo Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu have been teammates since 2022. They tell Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne the secrets of their rela...
29m Apr 04, 2024
29m
Jolyon Palmer + Alex Jacques explain driving styles, pit stop problems + F1 rule changes
'Please can you summarise how F1 rules have changed since Fernando Alonso's F1 debut?', asks Richard in Dallas, Texas. 23 years of engines, tyres and points systems? No problem for Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne! That's just one of the questions tackled in this episode, featuring F1TV commentator Alex Jacques and former Renault F1 racer Jolyon Palmer. Also answered: What's the difference...
39m Mar 29, 2024
39m
Oscar Piastri explains F2 + F3 - with Alex Jacques
F1 stars of the future show their speed in Formula 2 and Formula 3. The categories immediately below Formula 1 in the motorsport ladder are the perfect place for a driver to sharpen their skills and prove they're ready to move up. How do F2 and F3 work? How are the cars different? How do they prepare drivers for Formula 1? To answer those questions and many more, Christian Hewgill and Katie Os...
41m Mar 22, 2024
41m
Alex Jacques + Jolyon Palmer explain points, pronunciations + the history of the pit lane
Why is finishing outside the points still important? How do you really say 'Charles Leclerc?' How did the pit lane get its name? Christian and Katie put these listener questions and more to F1TV commentator Alex Jacques and former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer. Ask us a question! We love answering your F1 Qs. Write them in an email or record them as a voice note and send them to F1Explains@F1.com C...
35m Mar 15, 2024
35m
Susie Wolff + Lia Block explain F1 ACADEMY: 'rocket fuel' for women in motorsport
The game-changing, trailblazing, all-female racing series is back for 2024 with new drivers, top teams and wheel-to-wheel action. The second season of F1 ACADEMY starts this weekend at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill find out everything there is to know ahead of the first race. Susie Wolff, who's driving the series forwards as Managing Director, tells Katie an...
37m Mar 08, 2024
37m
Mick Schumacher + Bernie Collins explain the F1 race start
20 F1 cars. 5 red lights. 0.2 seconds to react. 5 seconds to 120 mph. The start of a Formula 1 Grand Prix demands extraordinary skill from the drivers and quick decisions from the team strategists. Katie and Christian explore the start of a race with Mercedes reserve driver and former Haas racer Mick Schumacher, who explains what happens in the cockpit in the moments before the start, and the ...
36m Mar 01, 2024
36m
Netflix Drive to Survive: behind the scenes
The latest season of Drive To Survive is another fascinating look inside Formula 1. How is the show planned, filmed and edited? How do the producers decide what stories to tell? What does the future hold for the series? To find out, Christian and Katie speak to Drive to Survive's award-winning Executive Producer, James Gay-Rees of Box To Box Films. F1 Explains is the official F1 podcast which...
35m Feb 24, 2024
35m
F1 pre-season Testing - with Oscar Piastri + Jack Doohan in Bahrain
Where in the world is Christian Hewgill? He’s in Bahrain to find out why F1 pre-season testing is so important for teams, engineers and drivers. Katie Osborne has a list of listener questions, Christian gets the answers from McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, Alpine Reserve Driver Jack Doohan, Mercedes’ Communications Director Bradley Lord and McLaren Racing Director Randy Singh. F1 Explains is th...
46m Feb 23, 2024
46m
How new F1 cars are designed + built - with Dan Fallows
F1 Explains is back for 2024! Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne are starting by answering your questions about new F1 cars. When do teams start working on their challengers for a new season? How much of a new F1 car is actually new? What happens when a team comes up with something that has never been seen before? Aston Martin's Technical Director Dan Fallows explains how a new Formula 1 car ...
37m Feb 16, 2024
37m
F1 Explains: Season 2
Your F1 questions answered by F1 experts. Katie Osborne + Christian Hewgill are back with drivers, engineers + exclusive interviews with people who make F1 work. Send your questions to F1Explains@F1.com.
2m Feb 06, 2024
2m
Neck strength secrets, wind tunnel watchers, DRS data + pit stop perfection - what we learned in 2023
Brilliant questions, fascinating answers. F1 Explains explores how our favourite sport really works. In 2023, Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill put your questions to drivers, engineers, strategists, designers and many more of the people who do great work behind the scenes. At the end of the podcast's first season, Katie and Christian have picked the things they loved learning the most, inclu...
53m Dec 08, 2023
53m
Why you need to go to a Grand Prix
‘Being here in person is incredible’. ‘Insane. It blows my mind’. ‘It’s a different and amazing experience’. We love watching F1 on-screen, but this episode is all about why going to a Formula 1 Grand Prix is next level. Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne head to the grandstands at the 2023 US Grand Prix to hear why seeing F1 live is a must-do for any F1 fan. Whether it’s seeing how fast the ...
38m Dec 01, 2023
38m
New track prep, pit lane positions, track walks + AI strategy? Your Questions Answered by Lawrence Barretto + Bernie Collins
How do teams and drivers get ready for a track they've never been to before? It takes complex calculations, decades of data and a dash of racers' instinct. F1 Explains has the full answer as we prepare to head to Las Vegas. Plus, who gets which garage in the pit lane? What happens in 'parc fermé', what's an 'anti-stall' and which drivers are interview chatterboxes? Katie Osborne and Christian...
48m Nov 10, 2023
48m
Racing lines, driver drinks + 'No. 1 drivers' Your Questions Answered by Bernie Collins + Lawrence Barretto
How do F1 drivers find the fastest way around a racetrack? Why do the stars of our sport use special drinks bottles? Do some F1 teams have No 1 and No 2 drivers? Race-winning F1 strategist Bernie Collins and F1 Correspondent and Presenter Lawrence Barretto return to answer your questions in another quickfire special. Plus, why do F1 tracks get grippier, what really goes on in F1 hospitality and...
47m Nov 03, 2023
47m
LIVE at the US Grand Prix with David Coulthard
A Formula 1 legend, F1 fans with questions and a loud Texas crowd. F1 Explains took to the stage at the Circuit of The Americas for our first ever live show! Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill welcomed former McLaren, Red Bull and Williams driver David Coulthard to COTA's Amphitheatre stage. F1 Explains listeners Crystal from New York, Sammi from Massachusetts and Amanda from Tennessee brough...
30m Oct 26, 2023
30m
The incredible logistics of Formula 1 - with DHL + Alfa Romeo
Priceless cars, team headquarters, crucial equipment, thousands of spare parts, tyres, fuel... and the Team Principal's favourite coffee. Every item F1 teams need to compete is moved from race to race by an amazing team of logistics experts. Formula 1's Global Logistics Partner, DHL, moves the sport around the world. It's a year-round, tight deadline task which is being achieved more sustainab...
52m Oct 19, 2023
52m
How F1 racetracks are designed
High-speed corners or tricky hairpins? Flat-out straights or tight chicanes? Every Formula 1 racetrack is a unique challenge for the drivers and teams, and the work to create them is a blend of artistry and engineering. F1 Explains how F1 circuits go from a sketch on a piece of paper, through state-of-the-art digital simulation, to reality. What are the challenges of building a racetrack? How...
45m Oct 12, 2023
45m