The Race F1 Tech Show

On this episode, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson look back on the Chinese Grand Prix, and in particular how the teams responded to the new-for-2024 sprint weekend format and revised parc ferme rules. After that, Gary answers a bumper selection of questions from listeners, including ones on the real impact of front wing endplate damage, how teams deal with ride height fluctuations over a race weekend, what leads teams towards a particular design philosophy, and even a multi-part question on paint! Join The Race Members Club. Click here to sign up or join in Apple Podcast app Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a special bonus episode of the pod, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson chat to Dr Tom McCarthy, executive director of ASPIRE and a key figure behind the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League aka A2RL. This pioneering autonomous racing series is new for 2024 and pitches eight teams against one another in modified Super Formula SF23 cars chasing a $2.25million prize fund. This new annual race, aiming to stress-test technology for the future of transport, features teams from the UAE, China, Singapore, Germany, Hungary, Italy and the USA. Listen to the chat and then mark your calendar for 27 April 2024, when you can stream the first event live on The Race’s YouTube channel.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 app Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 up Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 up Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 up Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Click here to watch the first episode of Ansys' Driven By Simulation series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Race F1 Tech Show will be returning with a new series very soon, but before then we wanted to let you know about a new podcast from The Race. With so much going on in Formula 1 these days, it's not always easy to keep your fingers on the pulse of all the big talking points. Introducing The Race F1 Briefing, designed specifically to provide an overview of the key stories that matter from Thursday to Sunday on F1 race weekends and every day during pre-season testing. The first episode drops on February 21st, for day 1 of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain. Like, follow or subscribe to ensure you never miss an episode - just search for 'The Race F1 Briefing' on your favourite podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After focusing on Red Bull in the first of our season review episodes, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson turn their attention to the rest of the field on the final show of the year. They discuss who did the better job out of Mercedes and Ferrari, which is best placed to challenge Red Bull in 2024, and what performance elements they need to fix to make that happen. They also take an in-depth look at Aston Martin and McLaren, before running the rule over the remainder of the grid. Before that, Gary shares his thoughts on how F1 should structure Sprint weekends going forwards, and we round off the final episode of the season with three more questions from listeners, on the 2026 engine rules, teams' winter development schedules, and the fabulously quirky Tyrrell P34. The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the end of the season just around the corner, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson present part one of our technical review of 2023, which deals with Red Bull's all-conquering RB19 - undoubtedly the car of the season, but should it be regarded as the best of the modern era? We debate that question, assess its various strengths and minimal weaknesses, and ask how much development potential is left in the concept. Before that, Edd and Gary weigh up everything that happened in Las Vegas, with a particular focus on how and why a water valve cover was lifted by Sainz's Ferrari, and whether the rules around his subsequent penalty need looking at. And finally, Gary answers a trio of questions from listeners on the merits of push to pass versus DRS, the location of air intakes, and the difference half a millimetre of ride height can make to a car's handling. The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Tim Silvey is joined by Sean ‘Virtual Statman’ Kelly and our resident racing driver Alex Brundle to bring you fresh perspectives, performance insights and statistical surprises to enhance your enjoyment of Grand Prix racing. On this episode, Sean gives us a deep dive on ambiguous statistics, after Max Verstappen's run of dominance led to statisticians reappraising previous records. Following that, Alex climbs onto his soapbox to have his say on the thorny issue of track limits and how he - as a driver - thinks the sport needs to evolve. And in our Aramco Focus, we have the final instalment of our trio of interviews with Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough, who this week explains how teams go about designing a new car. Get in touch with the show! Use the hashtag #AramcoF1Focus on social media or email podcasts@the-race.com Brought to you by Aramco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show takes an in-depth look at the key technical talking points from the Brazilian Grand Prix. Host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson begin by taking a look at Fernando Alonso’s extraordinary defence (and then attack) of Sergio Perez’s Red Bull, and the way the Spanish veteran used all the tools available to him within his car to secure a hard-fought podium finish. After that, Edd and Gary discuss one of this season’s big tech topics: Why some teams are experiencing such big swings in performance, from race-to-race and circuit-to-circuit. Using the contrasting fortunes of Aston Martin and Mercedes as examples, they try to unpick the key reasons for fluctuations, ask why some teams suffer more than others, and dig into why Red Bull stay so consistent.  And, as ever, the show is rounded out by Gary answering several questions from listeners, which this week are on forcing teams to share data, moveable aero, and endplates. The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's show host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson dive straight into the topic of those dramatic disqualifications to Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in the US Grand Prix. Gary explains how each car came to have excessive wear to the planks on the car's underfloor, why the plank is there in the first place, and why it was surprising the two teams came to be in the situation. After that, Edd and Gary discuss the major upgrades that Mercedes introduced in Austin, which tech chief James Allison described as a 'bellwether' for 2024. Gary gives his thoughts on the direction the team appear to be moving in, and whether the team's disqualification with Hamilton says anything about the benefits the package seems to have brought. There's also chat about the brake issues Aston Martin suffered in Austin, and how they affected the team's desire to assess their own package of upgrades. And in the final instalment of 'upgrade watch', Gary gives his thoughts on the package of parts Haas brought to their home event, and why he was confused by their approach. As ever, we close out the show with a pair of questions from listeners, which this time are on battery technology and whether outdated wings and floors are recycled. The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Tim Silvey is joined by Sean ‘Virtual Statman’ Kelly and our resident racing driver Alex Brundle to bring you fresh perspectives, performance insights and statistical surprises to enhance your enjoyment of Grand Prix racing. On this episode, Alex muses on how the Sprint weekend format contributed to Mercedes and Ferrari running into ride height problems in Austin. Following that, Sean lets his statistical mind run wild as he looks back on the first 200 races of the current turbo-hybrid era. And in our Aramco Focus, we hear once again from Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough, who explains the process by which teams bring upgrades to their cars. Get in touch with the show! Use the hashtag #AramcoF1Focus on social media or email podcasts@the-race.com Brought to you by Aramco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson dive into the subject of Andretti's bid to get a team onto the F1 grid, looking specifically at the technical challenges that they'll face if granted the final green light. Having been heavily involved in starting the Jordan F1 project from scratch in 1991, Gary is well placed to comment on what's needed, even if he concedes it's a considerably tougher task in the modern era. Edd and Gary also cast an eye over events from the Qatar Grand Prix, and in particular the tyre and track limits issues that arose as the weekend unfolded. Gary gives his opinion on what played out and how problems were dealt with, and also comments on the extreme temperatures the drivers did battle with and how the FIA may go about solving the problem. And finally, Gary answers a selection of questions from listeners, including one on which part of an F1 car costs the most to develop but delivers the smallest performance benefit... The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can anyone catch Red Bull? That’s the question everyone is asking in F1 and as it’s long been clear that won’t happen this year, what about in 2024?  With McLaren on form at Suzuka, Mercedes struggling and Ferrari the only team other than Red Bull to win this year, it’s far from clear which will be best-placed next season.  Gary discusses the Mercedes weaknesses shown at Suzuka, delves into Ferrari’s inconsistency and pays tribute to McLaren’s remarkable turnaround.  He also tackles a bumper crop of your questions covering set-up parameter, tyre pressure magic, active suspension, practice run plans and much more.  The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Tim Silvey is joined by Sean ‘Virtual Statman’ Kelly and our resident racing driver Alex Brundle to bring you fresh perspectives, performance insights and statistical surprises to enhance your enjoyment of Grand Prix racing. On this episode, Alex explains the rationale behind the old motor racing adage, of trying to win a race at the slowest possible speed, and why in F1 going fast is sometimes about going slow. Following that, Sean opens his statistical archives and looks back on those rare occasions when usually dominant teams suddenly have an unexpected blip. And in our Aramco Focus, we hear from Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough, who explains how teams go about extracting performance from their cars. Get in touch with the show! Use the hashtag #AramcoF1Focus on social media or email podcasts@the-race.com Brought to you by Aramco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flexible bodywork: It's been a big talking point in F1 for years, with the rules technically outlawing it, but the teams forever drawn towards exploiting 'aeroelasticity' for performance gain. On this week's episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson dig into the subject, ahead of the new technical directive issued to teams by the FIA ahead of the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix. Amongst other things they discuss what the new directive says, what it aims to stamp out, why a certain amount of flexibility in wings and other bodywork is allowed (but others isn't), and who stands to benefit or lose on track. Before that, Gary opines on why we saw a return of porpoising at Monza, and gives his view on the various intra-team on-track battles we saw, having witnessed with many in his own career on the pit wall. And there's also time for Gary to answer another batch of YOUR questions, including ones on part sharing between teams, running repairs, and bespoke engines. The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Tim Silvey is joined by Sean ‘Virtual Statman’ Kelly and our resident racing driver Alex Brundle to bring you fresh perspectives, performance insights and statistical surprises to enhance your enjoyment of Grand Prix racing. On this episode, Sean digs into the stats to discuss F1's sometimes complicated relationship with dominance, where highly successful teams and drivers can be both celebrated for their achievements and disliked for upsetting the competitive balance. Following that, Alex dives into the topic of how team-mates should battle each other on track, and in particular whether it's better for an F1 squad to apply strict team orders or adopt a more relaxed 'let them race' philosophy. And in our Aramco Focus, we hear from the founder and chairman of F1 in Schools, Andrew Denford, fresh from the Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals in Singapore. Get in touch with the show! Use the hashtag #AramcoF1Focus on social media or email podcasts@the-race.com Brought to you by Aramco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When 3D printing technology started to creep into F1 in the late 1980s, nobody would have foreseen how widespread its use would become.  Host Edd Straw is joined by Matt Jones from Stratasys, who tells us all about how additive manufacturing is used in F1 today and how much the technology has evolved over the years. It might surprise you to hear just how many parts are made using such techniques.  Former F1 technical director Gary Anderson also offers his insight into 3D printing, something he first started to use with Jordan, as well as hailing McLaren's latest design innovation and tackling F1's wet tyre troubles.  We also answer a trio of questions from readers related to F1 engines, the possibility of using augmented reality to help visibility for drivers and the velue of studying onboard camera footage. The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Race F1 Tech Show we’re taking a deep dive into the world of F1 simulators. We’ll hear from Kia Cammaerts, the founder and technical director of Ansible Motion, providers of the kind of high-fidelity Driver-in-the-Loop (DIL) simulation tools used by F1 teams. He tells us how the technology has developed and evolved, how teams use simulators as a performance tool, and even where the technology might take the sport in the future. Before that, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson discuss the F1 summer shutdown, before Gary gives his opinion on Aston Martin’s recent dip in relative performance. And finally, Gary answer a bevvy of questions from listeners, including ones on hydraulic systems, Mercedes upgrades and measures for reducing spray. The Race F1 Tech Show, brought to you by Aramco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices