F1 correspondent and presenter Lawrence Barretto joins Tom Clarkson in the Yas Marina paddock to reflect on a high-stakes qualifying for Sunday’s title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The three title contenders make up the top three on the grid – with Max Verstappen on pole, championship leader Lando Norris in second and Oscar Piastri in third. How can Max make life difficult for Lando and Oscar behind? What can we expect from the McLaren drivers at the start into turn 1? Will team orders come into play? And what impact could the likes of George Russell in P4 and Charles Leclerc in P5 have on the fight at the front?
F1TV experts Jolyon Palmer and James Hinchcliffe join Tom Clarkson in the Yas Marina paddock to preview this weekend’s thrilling three-way title showdown at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Just 16 points separate the top three of Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. So what does each driver need to win the title? And how will each of them approach such a huge occasion? The guys discuss all the different scenarios that could shape the outcome of this title fight and whether the McLaren drivers will help each other if in a position to do so. Plus, Tom, Hinch and Jolyon react to Red Bull’s announcement that Isack Hadjar will replace Yuki Tsunoda for 2026.
F1TV commentator Jolyon Palmer and Alpine Reserve Driver Paul Aron join Tom Clarkson in the Lusail paddock to reflect on another huge twist in this year’s title race. The guys talk about the decisive moment of the Qatar Grand Prix, when everyone except both McLaren drivers pitted under the Safety Car and Max Verstappen took full advantage to ensure the championship fight goes down to the season-finale in Abu Dhabi. What was McLaren’s thinking behind that strategy? Why did it cost them victory? And how should they have reacted differently? Tom, Jolyon and Paul also discuss why Oscar Piastri was back to his best in Qatar and why Lando Norris wasn’t quite at the level he’s shown in recent weeks. And with just 16 points now separating Lando, Max and Oscar, what will their mindset be in the build-up to this mouth-watering title showdown at the Yas Marina Circuit? Also on the agenda: Carlos Sainz’s incredible performance to secure his second podium for Williams, another weekend to forget for Ferrari and a strong result for Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin following the news that Adrian Newey will become their Team Principal in 2026. Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY... F1 Store: Treat the F1 fan in your life this festive season with exclusive gear from the Official F1 Store. Shop now at f1store.formula1.com Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware at square.com/go/f1nation.
Spanish journalist Albert Fabrega joins Tom Clarkson in the Qatar paddock to discuss the news that Adrian Newey will become Aston Martin Team Principal from 2026. Why have Aston appointed the legendary designer to this new role? How well suited is Adrian to leading a team? And what do Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll make of the decision? Tom and Albert also discuss the championship permutations going into the penultimate round of the season. What does Lando Norris need to be crowned World Champion this weekend? With Max Verstappen closing in, will McLaren change their approach? And who could benefit from the mandatory tyre stints Pirelli have introduced for this race?
The 2025 World Championship took another huge twist in Las Vegas, with Max Verstappen winning and both McLaren drivers being disqualified from the race after their cars were found not to comply with technical regulations. Why exactly were McLaren disqualified? And what does this mean for the title race? F1 correspondent Lawrence Barretto joins Tom Clarkson in the paddock to explain the dramatic events that unfolded in the hours after the chequered flag. Tom and Lawrence also discuss the Battle for P2 in the Constructors’ Championship, as Mercedes gained from McLaren’s misfortune to score a double podium, while Ferrari’s struggles continued. And Doriane Pin tells us how it feels to have been crowned F1 Academy champion after beating Maya Weug to the title in Vegas. Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains F1 returns to the USA in 2026 1-day grandstand tickets for the Miami GP start at $85 Available now at f1miamigp.com
F1TV expert and six-time IndyCar race winner, James Hinchcliffe, joins Tom Clarkson to preview this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. Lando Norris leads Oscar Piastri at the top of the World Championship by 24 points. With three races and one F1 Sprint to go, there are still 83 up for grabs. So how will Lando and Oscar approach this triple header? Hinch shares his thoughts on the mindset of both McLaren drivers and tells Tom why it’s still all to play for despite Lando’s advantage. Max Verstappen is now 49 points adrift of Lando but, while his title hopes look slim, will he and Red Bull still be fighting for wins and have a say in the championship outcome? Plus, Ferrari have been on the Vegas podium two years in a row. Could this be the track where they score a first Grand Prix win of the season? After their double DNF in Brazil, Ferrari chairman John Elkann said Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc need to ‘talk less and focus on driving’. How does Hinch think those comments will impact the team? Watch F1 cars race down the Las Vegas Strip at 200mph LIVE Get tickets at f1lasvegasgp.com Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY... Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware at square.com/go/f1nation.
F1TV lead commentator Alex Jacques and Brazilian commentator Felipe Giaffone join Tom Clarkson in the Interlagos paddock to analyse an eventful race in Brazil. Converting two pole positions into Grand Prix and Sprint wins, Lando Norris produced a perfect weekend to move 24 points clear of teammate Oscar Piastri at the top of the standings. With just three rounds left of the 2025 season, does Lando have one hand on the title now? What did Alex and Felipe make of Oscar’s 10-second penalty? And how will the Australian be feeling after losing more ground in the championship? After his sensational win from P17 in Sao Paulo last year, Max Verstappen fought back in emphatic style again – this time from the pitlane to P3. How did he and Red Bull execute that incredible comeback after such a difficult qualifying session? Despite that remarkable recovery, Max lost more ground on Lando, but did close the gap to Oscar, so where do his hopes of becoming a five-time World Champion this season lie now? Plus, the guys also reflect on impressive performances from Kimi Antonelli, Ollie Bearman and Liam Lawson, a challenging first home race for Gabriel Bortoleto, and a very disappointing double DNF for Ferrari. Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains Up next: Las Vegas See F1 cars race down the Strip at 200mph! Get tickets at f1lasvegasgp.com THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY... Indeed: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at indeed.com/nation Trade Coffee: Get 50 percent off a 1 month trial and 10% off gifts at drinktrade.com/nation
F1TV commentator and former Renault driver Jolyon Palmer, and De Telegraaf journalist Erik van Haren, join Tom Clarkson to preview this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix. With four races and two F1 Sprints to go, Lando Norris leads Oscar Piastri at the top of the World Championship by just one point. How has Lando turned around a 34-point deficit to Oscar since his DNF in Zandvoort? Will the pressure change now he’s gone from ‘hunter’ to ‘hunted’? And having not been on the podium in the last four races, can Oscar regain momentum? In Mexico, Max Verstappen gained more ground in his late push to win a fifth championship in a row. Now 36 points off the lead, are Max’s title chances in his own hands? And if he was to complete an incredible comeback, where would that achievement rank among his other successes? Erik also shares insight into Red Bull’s transformation under Team Principal Laurent Mekies and what Max’s future may hold after 2026. Plus, the guys discuss how the incredibly tight battle between Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull for P2 in the Constructors’ Championship could play out. Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains Experience the 2025 F1 title fight Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com
F1TV expert James Hinchcliffe and former F1 driver Esteban Gutiérrez join Tom Clarkson in the paddock to dissect a chaotic Mexico City Grand Prix. A dominant Lando Norris converted pole into victory to lead the World Championship for the first time since Bahrain. He’s now a point clear of Oscar Piastri with four races and two F1 Sprints to go, so how will the mentality of both McLaren drivers change now they’ve swapped positions in the standings? Max Verstappen finished third to score his sixth podium in a row, but having said Red Bull would need to be ‘perfect’ for the rest of the season if he’s to complete a sensational comeback in this title race, will Max leave Mexico the least satisfied out of the three championship contenders? Ferrari had a mixed weekend, with Charles Leclerc securing back-to-back podiums and Lewis Hamilton unable to convert his best ever qualifying for the team into his first podium. The guys discuss his 10-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, and whether Lewis will have learnt any lessons from his battle with Max. Plus, how did Haas rookie Ollie Bearman deliver a career-best finish of P4? And could Mercedes have fought for a podium had they let George Russell pass Kimi Antonelli earlier in the race? Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains Experience the 2025 F1 title fight Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com
It's the question all F1 fans are asking: can Max Verstappen win this year's Formula 1 World Championship? Haas driver Ollie Bearman gives Tom Clarkson his view and looks forward to what he hopes will be a strong weekend for him personally. Bearman is on a roll, aiming to score points for Haas for the third weekend in a row. Ollie explains the changes he's made to how he approaches race weekends, the challenge of the high-altitude, low-downforce track in Mexico City and how he's preparing for the long run to the first corner at the start of the Grand Prix. Tom also asks Ollie his thoughts on the intensifying three-way World Championship title fight between McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris and a resurgent Max Verstappen at Red Bull. Which driver is in the best position, who copes the best with pressure, and which of the Red Bull or McLaren car would Ollie pick to race in this weekend? Follow the Mexico City Grand Prix News and analysis on F1.com and the F1 app Updates on F1 social media Highlights on the F1 YouTube channel Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains Experience the 2025 F1 title fight Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com
F1TV expert and six-time IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe joins Tom Clarkson in the Austin paddock to dissect all the action from the United States Grand Prix. Max Verstappen dominated the weekend with victories in the Grand Prix and F1 Sprint to make up more ground on the McLaren drivers. He’s now just 40 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri, and only 26 adrift of Lando Norris, with five rounds to go. Having now gone three races without a podium, what’s causing Oscar’s dip in form? How crucial could Lando’s overtake of Charles Leclerc in the latter stages be to the outcome of this title fight? And, if Max and Red Bull’s resurgence continues, will McLaren have to favour one of Oscar and Lando to ensure they win a first drivers’ championship since 2008? Hinch also shares his thoughts on the ‘repercussions’ Lando Norris said he’ll face until the end of the season after his collision with Oscar in Singapore. Leclerc secured his and Ferrari’s first podium since Belgium, six races ago. Why did his strategy to start on the soft tyres work so well? How did Ferrari turn their performance around after a challenging Friday? And will fourth-placed Lewis Hamilton see this as a missed opportunity to have scored his first podium for the team? Plus, Tom and Hinch discuss Mercedes’ announcement that George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will drive for the team in 2026. Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY… Square: Right now, you can get up to $200 off Square hardware at square.com/go/f1nation. (https://squareup.com/us/en/campaign/audio)
Tom Clarkson is joined by former Renault driver and F1TV commentator, Jolyon Palmer, and ex-Ferrari race engineer, Rob Smedley, to discuss the big talking points ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix. With just six races and three F1 Sprints to go this season, only 22 points separate championship leader Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Now that McLaren have wrapped up the Constructors’ title, will we see a different approach from Oscar and Lando in their fight to become World Champion? Mercedes are expected to confirm George Russell and Kimi Antonelli as their driver line-up for 2026 very soon. Jolyon and Rob share their thoughts on how long those contract negotiations have taken for George and what his long-term future might look like. And a year since Charles Leclerc led Carlos Sainz to a sensational 1-2 in Austin, Ferrari are still searching for their first Grand Prix victory this year. Rob provides fascinating insight into what it’s like being at the team's Maranello factory when things aren’t going well and how they can return to winning ways. Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY... Indeed: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at indeed.com/nation
Tom Clarkson is joined in the Marina Bay paddock by F1 correspondent Lawrence Barretto and Australian motor racing journalist Greg Rust to reflect on the Singapore Grand Prix. McLaren have become World Champions for the second year in a row, but the big talking point was the opening lap contact between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Will that incident change how their championship battle plays out in the final six races, especially now the team have wrapped up the Constructors' title? George Russell converted a stunning pole into his second win of the season with a dominant performance from lights out. But as his wait for a new contract with Mercedes continues, why does Lawrence think Russell is in a similar situation to the one Carlos Sainz found himself in at Ferrari? Behind George was Max Verstappen in P2. It's his fourth podium in a row and, given Red Bull’s previous struggles in Singapore, does this result confirm they've finally turned a corner with their car? And if Max does significantly close the gap in the title fight this year, will McLaren favour one of their drivers over the other to ensure they win a first Drivers' Championship since 2008? Also on the agenda, the guys discuss another frustrating weekend for Ferrari, while celebrating impressive points finishes from Sainz, Fernando Alonso and Ollie Bearman. Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com
Former Renault driver and F1TV commentator, Jolyon Palmer, joins Tom Clarkson to preview this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix. Max Verstappen has won the last two races in Baku and Monza, so will Red Bull’s resurgence continue on the streets of Marina Bay? And with his gap to championship leader Oscar Piastri down to 69 points, with seven races and three F1 Sprints to go, can Max really still win a record-equalling fifth title in a row? Jolyon shares his thoughts on Verstappen's chances and analyses the mistakes Oscar made in Azerbaijan that have put Max back in the conversation. Plus, after Carlos Sainz scored his first podium with Williams last time out, Tom and Jolyon discuss whether they can be frontrunners in 2026. Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com
Six-time IndyCar race winner, James Hinchcliffe, and F1TV’s lead presenter, Laura Winter, join Tom Clarkson in the Baku paddock to dissect a chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. Max Verstappen’s fourth win of the season means he’s now 69 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri. With seven races and three F1 Sprints left, is the four-time World Champion back in the title fight? Red Bull Technical Director Pierre Wache shares his thoughts and explains how the team have transformed their performance since the summer break. With Piastri crashing out on lap one and Lando Norris only finishing P7, how big a missed opportunity was this weekend for Lando to close the gap to his title rival? And was McLaren’s difficult weekend a ‘hangover’ from their team orders in Monza? You’ll hear reaction from a very happy Carlos Sainz, after he scored his first podium for Williams with a perfectly executed race to P3. And Tom, Laura and Hinch also discuss a much better weekend for Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, a very important battle between Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, and is Lewis Hamilton starting to 'find his groove' despite a weekend to forget for Ferrari? Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com
Former Renault driver and F1TV commentator Jolyon Palmer joins Tom Clarkson to preview this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. After their awkward team orders in Monza, how do Jolyon and Tom think McLaren are managing the title fight between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris? What impact will that incident have on the rest of this championship battle? Max Verstappen was back to winning ways in Italy, so will he be fighting for victory again in Baku? Or will Charles Leclerc, who has taken pole four years in a row at this track, lead Ferrari to their first Grand Prix win of the season? Plus, the guys discuss a ‘change in tone’ from Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff on Kimi Antonelli, why Carlos Sainz is struggling at Williams and how crucial the upcoming races are for Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, while Jolyon remembers his nightmarish race at Baku in 2017. Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY... Square: F1 Nation listeners can get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/f1nation
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella, L'Equipe's Fred Ferret and Brazilian journalist Julianne Cerasoli join Tom Clarkson in the F1 paddock to dissect all the big talking points from the Italian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen produced a Monza masterclass, taking his third win of the season and Red Bull’s first victory under new Team Principal Laurent Mekies. How has Max’s approach changed under Mekies? And what does Laurent’s reaction to this result tell us about his leadership style? McLaren had an awkward ending to their race. You’ll hear what both drivers made of the situation and Team Principal Andrea Stella explains McLaren’s decision-making and how the team have 'learned lessons' from previous championship battles between team mates. Ferrari and Charles Leclerc couldn’t repeat their home race heroics of last year, with Charles in P4 and Lewis Hamilton climbing from 10th to sixth. Are there encouraging signs for the Scuderia ahead of the next race in Azerbaijan? More from F1 Nation Valtteri Bottas on why he chose to join Cadillac for 2026 Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com This episode is sponsored by: Indeed: listeners of this show will get a seventy-five dollar sponsored job credit at indeed.com/NATION Trade: get 50% off 1 month of cold brew with Trade at drinktrade.com/NATION
A special home win for Ferrari? A fightback from Lando? Ferrari ambassador and former F1 driver Marc Gene joins Tom Clarkson to preview this weekend's Italian Grand Prix. How will a 34-point gap at the top of the Drivers' Championship change things for leader Oscar Piastri and challenger Lando Norris? Marc assesses how they will approach this race and the rest of the season. What does it take to be quick at Monza, and does this year's Ferrari have it? Marc thinks so! He explains why he's hopeful the Scuderia can delight the tifosi this weekend. More from F1 Nation Valtteri Bottas on why he chose to join Cadillac for 2026 Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com
Marcin Budkowski, who worked with Oscar Piastri at Alpine and held engineering roles at Ferrari and McLaren, joins Tom Clarkson in the Zandvoort paddock to reflect on an action-packed Dutch Grand Prix. After Lando Norris’s late mechanical failure, Piastri’s seventh victory of the season moves him 34 points clear of his McLaren teammate at the top of the Drivers’ Standings. What does that retirement mean for Lando’s title hopes and his approach for the rest of the season? How did Oscar end up getting the better of Lando after trailing him in all three practice sessions? Marcin shares fascinating insight into how different Oscar is in the cockpit compared to out of the car with his helmet off, and why the Australian has surprised him this year after having some doubts about his title-winning credentials. Lando’s loss was Isack Hadjar’s gain, as the Racing Bulls rookie jumped up a place from P4 to P3 to score his first podium in Formula 1. How did Isack execute his best weekend in F1 so far? Should Red Bull promote him to be Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2026? And Ferrari had a weekend to forget with a double DNF, after Charles Leclerc was taken out by Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton crashed into the barriers. Marcin tells Tom why he thinks Antonelli is going through a difficult patch at Mercedes and why Lewis’s struggles with the car remind him of Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren. Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY… Vanta: Visit vanta.com/nation to sign up for a free demo today! BetterHelp: F1 Nation listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/f1nation.
Valtteri Bottas joins Tom Clarkson in the Zandvoort paddock to discuss his eagerly-anticipated return to the Formula 1 grid with Cadillac in 2026. Ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, Cadillac announced that Valtteri and Sergio Perez will be the team’s drivers for their first season in F1 next year. Valtteri tells Tom why he chose Cadillac, why they chose him, and what his expectations for 2026 and beyond are. VB also talks about working with new teammate Perez and how they’ll get back up to speed after a year out from racing in F1. DUTCH GP PREVIEW Jolyon Palmer and Alex Jacques join Tom for F1 Nation’s preview of this weekend’s Dutch GP Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars on F1 Beyond The Grid Your F1 questions answered by the experts on F1 Explains It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com
Tyapa Tinnunculus
Why? Why there was kwyat? ((
Benny Lloyd-Willner
Always great tonhear from the AussieFinn :)
Kevin Barry
When are you back in 2023?
Richard White
jeez, wtf was that beginning? cringe
Jonathan Townend
Normally enjoy these podcasts, but to not even mention why the safety car / only in lapping some cars was controversial seems daft and only telling half the story. I guess on official podcasts you can't say the FIA possible got it wrong, while also say Max is a worthy winner.