The Race F1 Tech Show

The new season of The Race F1 Tech Show kicks off with a look Formula 1’s big four and the directions they have taken with their 2025 cars. Ex-Jordan, Stewart and Jaguar technical director Gary Anderson joins host Edd Straw to run the rule over the top cars based on what we’ve seen during launch season and testing. There’s plenty of chat about the suspension geometry, with anti-dive levels a major talking point, as well as the areas of similarity and difference between Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes. We also answer questions from The Race Members’ Club, which covers a wide range of topics from whet Ferrari’s level of anti-dive is helping new signing Lewis Hamilton to McLaren’s rear instability, and from the suitability of the Bahrain track for testing to Red Bull’s geometry. There’s also questions about whether the the practical performance limit under the current regulations is being hit, and the argument for opening up testing now that there’s a cost cap in place. SPECIAL OFFER: Get 90% off your first month when you join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an F1-only tier! Head to Patreon.com/therace An edit of our London live show is available to purchase here (free for Champions tier members): https://www.patreon.com/posts/live-show-race-121105739Follow The Race on Instagram, X and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson look back on Imola and ahead to Monaco, as they discuss the latest phase in F1’s increasingly intriguing development war. First, Edd and Gary discuss Red Bull’s difficult weekend in Imola, and whether that, combined with other teams’ gains, hints at the world champion team nearing the development potential of their current concept.Next, they look at the contrasting development fortunes of Aston Martin, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari, all of whom have added significant new parts to their cars of late, before asking that all important question of whether it's genuinely getting closer at the front.And finally, Edd dives into the electronic postbag and pulls out four questions from listeners for Gary, which this time are on Williams being overweight, F1 simulator use, the challenges of Monaco, closed rear wheels and tyre compound balance shifts.To join The Race Members' Club, click here to sign up, or you can sign up for all of The Race's bonus audio content (but not the other perks of membership) directly in the Apple Podcasts app.Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our app on iOS or Android Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson cover a lot of ground on the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, starting with a look at Mercedes' latest struggles, before moving onto an analysis of Red Bull's latest upgrades and why cooling has become such an important factor in this era of F1. After that, we hear from Williams team principal James Vowles who gives The Race's Scott Mitchell-Malm a detailed breakdown of how the team has been able to repair their crash-damaged cars and keep racing in the midst of a series of flyaway races. And finally, Gary rounds off the show by answering questions from listeners about DRS, Mercedes' simulation tools and asymmetrical suspension setup.Join The Race Members Club. Click here to sign up or join in Apple Podcast appFollow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our app on iOS or Android Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the big stories of the Australian Grand Prix weekend was Williams only being able to field one car in the race after Alex Albon tore a hole in one of its two monocoques with a crash on Friday. He was then given Logan Sargeant’s monocoque for Saturday and Sunday, finishing 11th. But how did a team like Williams find themselves in such a position in the first place, and what can be done to solve the problem? They are two of the questions that host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson attempt to answer, as well as how Williams will go about quickly repairing Albon's damaged chassis for Japan.They also discuss whether DRS issues are holding McLaren back, chat about Ferrari's encouraging start, plus Gary rounds out the episode by answering questions fro, listeners on gearbox setup, DRS in the V10 era, and Mercedes' stuttering start to 2024.Join The Race Members Club and have a free month on us! Click here to sign upFollow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our app on iOS or Android Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After two seasons of struggles, Mercedes abandoned its old car philosophy for something new in 2024. But although the W15 has shown flashes of speed, there were worrying signs in Saudi Arabia that the new machine is suffering from an affliction that has haunted the team since the start of the current ground effect era: Porpoising. On this episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson take an in-depth look at what's going on with the latest Silver Arrow and how the team might overcome its difficulties.Before that, Edd and Gary talk about another team that's struggling with its new machine: Alpine. The Anglo-French team has been one of the slowest cars in the grid in 2024 and there are some clear reasons why, which Gary unpicks.And finally, Gary answers four more technical questions from listeners on fuel sloshing, Red Bull's cooling tunnels, infrared cameras, and the development of new technologies.*NOTE: Gary's local audio recording failed, so we're using the lower quality back-up this week. We hope you still enjoy the podcast Join The Race Members Club and have a free month on us! Click here to sign upFollow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our app on iOS or Android Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Race F1 Tech Show is back, and for our first show of 2024 we have something very special. Oracle Red Bull Racing's 2024 car - the RB20 - has been talk of the F1 paddock ever since the world champions rolled it out at pre-season testing and revealed a surprising (and some might say radical) new design direction.On this episode, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson dive into how it was created, and in particular the role CFD and simulation technology played in the process.We have two exclusive interviews for you, the first of which is with Dr Christophe Bianchi of Ansys (the company that provides Red Bull's simulation technology) and the second is with a key figure in the design of the car itself, Red Bull's technical director Pierre Wache. They reveal, amongst other things, how the technology allowed Red Bull to be so aggressive in its design approach.And before the episode ends, there's time for Gary to answer three tech questions from listeners, which this time are on skid blocks, aerodynamic design, and differing gear change techniques among drivers.Join The Race's GridRival league and you could win $5000. Free to join. Free to play. Click here to sign up.FEBRUARY IS FREE! Join The Race Members Club and have a free month on us! Click here to sign upFollow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our app on iOS or AndroidClick here to watch the first episode of Ansys' Driven By Simulation series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Gary Anderson on holiday, Edd Straw is joined on this episode of The Race F1 Tech Show by Mark Hughes to delve into the reasons behind Red Bull’s dramatic turnaround to win at Monza, 12 months after struggling badly at the same track.We also discuss whether the 2025 regulations have delivered on their objectives in terms of improving the raceability of the cars, and what to expect from next year’s rules on that front.There’s also questions from listeners about push-to-pass, low-downforce configurations and how much weight could be removed from F1 cars. Got a tech question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comTry Sentry today.Want bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fuel and lubricants are often taken for granted by F1 fans, but it’s a crucial battleground that has a big impact not only on performance, but also reliability. We hear from Exxonmobil’s Fiona McKewan, whose role as Red Bull technical advisor means she attends races and closely monitors and analyses the various fluids that are essential to the operation of the car and power unit. She explains the rigorous processes that ensure not only are the products working as intended, but also how the trackside lab can be used to warn of and prevent imminent reliability problems. Gary Anderson explains why the competitive order will change after F1’s August break despite the focus being on 2026. And we also tackle listener questions on AI, tyre pollution, attitudes to reliability and containing outwash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edd Straw interviews Nick Wirth, founder of Wirth Research, about how his company is using CFD technology sharpened over his decades in motorsport to tackle wider-world problems. Wirth, boss of the Simtek team that raced in F1 in 1994-95, who also had stints with Benetton and Virgin, has long been an evangelist for the power of CFD. He offers some characteristically strong opinions on why it should have replaced the use of windtunnels in F1, as well as explaining the ever-growing potential of the technology. We also get Gary Anderson’s insight on windtunnel research versus CFD aero testing, as well as answering your questions on calculations, the cost of manufacturing parts, the plank and Ferrari’s troubles.Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comWant bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Get 90% off your first month's membership to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson reflect on the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix, and whether anything can be done to solve F1's current problems with cars running in severe wet weather.After that, Edd and Gary discuss whether Ferrari has really turned a corner with its suspension upgrade, and whether Gary would have appreciated the feedback documents Lewis Hamilton has been creating and sending to colleagues at Ferrari.And finally, Gary tackles another batch of questions sent in by listeners, covering topics including dampers, materials science, driver weight, tyre changes and the point of TPC running.Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comWant exclusive bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, former F1 technical director Gary Anderson explains what impact Christian Horner’s sudden removal as team principal could have on Red Bull technically, both in the short and the long-run given the team’s longstanding balance issues. Host Edd Straw then quizzes Gary on what he thinks of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s vision for F1’s future, built around a lighter, V8-powered car with standard gearboxes designed to lower costs and increase the spectacle. Is it a good direction, and does it leave enough room for technical innovation?Gary then answers your questions on several topics including how much lighter F1 cars could be while maintaining safety standards, the management of qualifying laps, intermediate to slick crossover points and how a team can go from midfield mediocrity to the front in F1 as McLaren has in recent years. Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comWant exclusive bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson take a closer look at two of the big tech stories coming out of the Austrian Grand Prix. The first is Mercedes' ongoing struggle to extract performance in high ambient temperatures, with George Russell finishing over a minute down on the race winner at the Red Bull Ring having won commandingly in Canada two weeks earlier. The second is the potential breakthrough Ferrari have made with its upgraded floor. Edd and Gary discuss the changes and ask whether a genuine step forward has been made, and whether upcoming changes to the rear suspension of the SF-25 should bring a further performance step.And as ever the episode is rounded out with Gary answering tech questions sent in by listeners. This time the subjects covered include whether teams can measure brake pressure and whether anti-dive is adjustable or not.Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comWant exclusive bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson discuss what losing '20 points of downforce' really means, after Lewis Hamilton suffered that fate in Canada, when his Ferrari collided with an unfortunate marmot.There's also chat about the revised suspension geometry on Lando Norris's McLaren in Montreal, including what the team hope to accomplish with the change, and why Norris's team-mate Oscar Piastri didn't (and may not ever) run it.And finally, in the regular 'Ask Gary' section, our tech chief answers questions on tyre warm up, the increasing complexity of aero shapes, and the idea of forcing teams to reveal design secrets...Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comWant exclusive bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the technical directive reducing the permitted flexibility of the front wings the big talking point of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, why didn’t it shake up the competitive order as some hoped?Former F1 technical director Gary Anderson explains that, and the reasons why he always expected the effects to be more subtle, as he looks back at the big technical stories from the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. That includes a look at the steel skid block tests run in Friday practice and the potential impact of the change from titanium for selected races. And whether it makes sense to make such a change given the alternative means to reduce the chance of grass fires ignited by sparks. Host Edd Straw also fires listener questions to Gary on a variety of topics, including active suspension, core versus surface tyre temperature and the Venturi effect.Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comLAST CHANCE: Get 75% off your first month of access when you join The Race Members' Club on Patreon. Use the code RACE75 when checking out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson look back on Imola and ahead to Monaco.First, they discuss how Red Bull turned the tables on McLaren at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, asking whether this was a track-specific change in the pecking order, or whether Red Bull have made a significant step forward.Next, Edd and Gary turn their attention to Monaco, looking at the specific setup that the street track demands and then the debating how the teams will approach race strategy, with two pit stops mandatory for every driver in this year's race.And as usual, the final part of the podcast is dedicated to Gary answering tech questions sent in by listeners. This week the selection includes questions on gears, pitstops, underbody aerodynamics, and track evolution.Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comGet 75% off your first month when you join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an F1-only tier! Head to patreon.com/therace Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With five wins from a possible six in 2025 (plus another victory in the Miami sprint), you might be forgiven for thinking McLaren’s MCL39 is without fault. But listen to drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and its clear the car isn’t always perfect to drive, - especially in qualifying trim, and on this podcast host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson look at the reasons for that. Following that, we’ve been inundated with tech questions from listeners recently, so the rest of the podcast is dedicated to answering them. As ever, it’s an interesting and varied selection, with questions on dirty air, engine modes, brake callipers, visor tear offs, and Lewis Hamilton's current struggles improving with the change of formula for 2026.Want to ask Gary a question? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comGet 75% off your first month when you join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an F1-only tier! Head to patreon.com/therace Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson take a look at the current drama surrounding F1’s 2026 engine regulations, with stakeholders discussing significant changes to the rules aimed at heading off fears about cars repeatedly running out of energy.Do these changes suggest the rule direction was wrong in the first place, or are there other factors at play?Before that, Gary muses on Lewis Hamilton’s current predicament at Ferrari, and suggests the setup direction he’d push the seven-time world champion in if he was in Ferrari’s engineering team. And finally, the episode is rounded out with four excellent questions from listeners, which cover dirty air, how car liveries are applied, Max Verstappen’s recent upshift issue, and whether Renault might be tempted back into the power unit game, should F1 revert to V10 engines one day. If you'd like to ask Gary a tech question, email podcasts@the-race.comFollow The Race on Instagram, X and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with Gary about Red Bull’s troubles and how it managed to win with a tricky car that took a long time to troubleshoot at Suzuka, and tackle your questions on the minimum weight limit, design drawings and airbox intakes. And with tyre weight a big talking point of late, we discuss whether or not the wheels should be excluded from minimum wight tests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ferrari's Chinese Grand Prix weekend fell apart in embarrassing fashion when, after Lewis Hamilton's fine sprint race win on Saturday, both the Briton and team-mate Charles Leclerc were disqualified from Sunday's Grand Prix for excessive skid wear and an underweight car respectively. But how did one of F1's biggest hitting teams find itself in such a position?That's the key question answered by former F1 technical director Gary Anderson in this episode of The Race F1 Tech Show.Alongside host Edd Straw, Gary also takes a close look at how the rest of the big four teams' cars have performed over the first two races, plus he answers four tech questions sent in by listeners covering underbody airflow, front wing slot gaps, and more.If you've got an F1 tech question you'd like answering on the show, send it to podcasts@the-race.comJoin The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an F1-only tier! Head to Patreon.com/therace Follow The Race on Instagram, X and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the final episode of The Race F1 Tech Show for 2024, host Edd Straw helps former F1 technical director Gary Anderson navigate through a bumper batch of questions from listeners. Included are questions on whether a loss of platform control was the reason behind Red Bull’s dip in dominance, whether there’s evidence that the windtunnel restrictions are what’s keeping the field close, why Mercedes looked strong in cool temperatures and weak in warmer climates, whether Fernando Alonso should be considered a poor development driver, why Alpine’s performance surged in the second half of the season, and much, much more.  A big thanks to all of you for listening to the show in 2024. Edd and Gary will be back next year with more technical focused F1 chat. If you’d like to send a question ahead of time, you can reach us on podcasts@the-race.comThe Race F1 Podcast is doing two live shows in January! Get your tickets today:London on 16th January - https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/the-race-f1-podcast-live-from-london-16th-jan-2025-ticketsBirmingham on 17th January - https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/the-race-f1-podcast-live-from-birmingham-17th-jan-2025-ticketsWant to listen ad-free? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon! Head to Patreon.com/therace Get your 2025 calendar from The Race Shop!Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and FacebookCheck out our latest videos on YouTubeDownload our app on iOS or Android Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.