F1 Beyond The Grid

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Sam Michael: engineering his rise to the top of F1 May 23, 2023

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“You just think there’s no way I could be good enough.” When Sam Michael arrived in F1, he worried he wouldn’t be able to keep up. But he became an influential and experienced leader at two of the sport’s biggest teams. From a race engineer at Jordan in the late 1990s, to senior director roles at both Williams and McLaren in the 2000s, Sam enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top before leaving F1 in 2014. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, he reflects on more than two decades in the pinnacle of motorsport and reveals the people who influenced his life the most. Sam shares fascinating insight into some of the big names he’s worked with; Lewis Hamilton, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Rubens Barrichello to name a few. He explains the characteristics that separate the greatest racers from the rest, how he made drivers take a test to understand their knowledge of cars, what he misses about F1 and much more.
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Related episodes
Eddie Jordan
Lewis Hamilton
Juan Pablo Montoya
Ralf Schumacher
Rubens Barrichello
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Scott Speed: Red Bull’s American prodigy May 16, 2023

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‘I was a super cocky, arrogant kid’. Fast by name, fast by nature. Scott Speed was born to be a racer. He had natural talent and raw pace. But he didn’t need telling. After being discovered by Red Bull as America’s next star, Speed arrived in Formula 1 with a ‘massive ego’. Debuting for Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006, he lasted just 18 months. With no World Championship points to his name, Speed was replaced by Sebastian Vettel after the 2007 European Grand Prix. Rallycross is the epicentre of his most notable achievements since then – he’s a four-time champion and three-time X-Games gold medallist – but Speed has also raced in NASCAR and IndyCar among other competitions. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Scott relives an exciting journey into motorsport that begins with his father’s infectious passion for racing. He explains very openly how a bad attitude, a lack of motivation, and a struggle to adapt to life in Europe cost him more time in Formula 1. Plus, Scott reveals how he’s helping today’s generation of drivers avoid the same mistakes he made.
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Related episodes:
Franz Tost
Christian Horner
Danny Sullivan
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Mario Theissen: the highs and lows of BMW’s F1 journey May 09, 2023

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BMW have been in and out of Formula 1 since the inaugural Drivers’ World Championship in 1950. As BMW’s Motorsport Director, Mario Theissen oversaw their most recent return at the start of the 21st century. Firstly with Williams and then with Sauber, the following 10 seasons provided plenty of ups and downs before the company decided to pull out of F1 altogether at the end of 2009. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Mario shares his memories of an unforgettable decade in the sport. Williams enjoyed a couple of years as ‘best of the rest’ during an era of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher dominance in the early 2000’s, but relationships within the team started to falter and the partnership ended in 2005. BMW bought Sauber and Theissen became team principal from 2006 onwards. He recalls the emotions he felt when Robert Kubica suffered a horrifying crash at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007, before leading a 1-2 at the same track a year later. Mario reveals why he and Kubica had a dispute as he challenged for the drivers’ title in 2008, why BMW’s decision to leave came as a surprise and how the introduction of the double diffuser played a part in their destiny.
Plus, hear why Sebastian Vettel showed wisdom beyond his years at the very beginning of his career.
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Related episodes
Robert Kubica
Nick Heidfeld
Sebastian Vettel
Jenson Button
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Valtteri Bottas: a new attitude at Alfa Romeo May 02, 2023

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This episode of F1 Beyond The Grid is presented by Salesforce, a global partner of Formula 1. To learn more about how F1 wows fans and grows its fanbase with Salesforce, visit Salesforce.com/F1
Cooler, calmer and now rocking a new hairstyle, Valtteri Bottas seems a completely different man to the one that left Mercedes at the end of 2021. The 10-time Grand Prix winner still has a burning desire to reach the top step of the podium again, but his approach to Formula 1 has changed a lot since joining Alfa Romeo. He’s less sensitive to criticism, he doesn’t care what others think of him and he’s enjoying everything that makes him happy outside of the sport. Valtteri tells Tom Clarkson the inspiration behind his mullet, how he’s adapted to a team not fighting at the front and why he’s got no plans to leave F1 anytime soon. Plus, the Finn explains why he thinks Lewis Hamilton is still the fastest driver on the grid.
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Related episodes:
Valtteri Bottas’ first Beyond The Grid interview
Zhou Guanyu, Valtteri’s Alfa Romeo teammate
Listen to F1 Nation's review of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Plus, check out F1's new podcast, Formula Why, to learn more about how F1 works. Search and listen to both right here on your podcast app.

‘I still want to win’: this week on BTG May 01, 2023

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Who’s Tom’s F1 Beyond The Grid guest this week? Hit play to find out, then share using #F1BeyondTheGrid
Coming soon, the latest F1 Nation for reaction and analysis from the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Plus, check out F1’s brand-new podcast Formula Why to hear why F1 Sprint is such a challenge.

Dan Fallows: directing Aston Martin’s rise Apr 26, 2023

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In 2023, Aston Martin took a leap to the front of Formula 1. They went from midfield battlers to podium finishers, ahead of Mercedes and Ferrari. How?
As the engineer who led the creation of the team's car, Technical Director Dan Fallows, is one of many possible answers to that question. Dan began his F1 career in 2002, as an aerodynamic engineer for Jaguar. Four years later, he joined Red Bull – where he learnt from one of the sport’s greatest car designers in the form of Adrian Newey and played a part in the team’s most successful period.
His first two seasons at Aston Martin were difficult, but it seems to be third time lucky for Dan and the team. He tells Tom Clarkson why the 2023 car is far superior to its predecessor and how the talent of the team’s workforce surpassed his expectations. He explains where his passion for aerodynamics comes from, how playing guitar keeps him occupied outside of F1, and why Fernando Alonso has had such a big impact on the team.
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Related episodes:
Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin team owner
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COMING SOON: Formula Why - a new official F1 podcast Apr 21, 2023

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Introducing Formula Why, a brand-new official F1 podcast about how F1 really works. Episodes weekly from Friday 28th April.
Search your podcast app for Formula Why and hit the follow button to get the first episode fast.

Yuki Tsunoda: fitter, faster, fired up Apr 18, 2023

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Japan has had plenty of Formula 1 heroes to worship over the years. But does Yuki Tsunoda have what it takes to become the country’s first World Champion? If he can drive as fast as he reached F1 then he’s in with a chance. The 22-year-old went from Japanese F4 to his drive at Alpha Tauri in the space of just three years. Since his points-scoring debut in 2021, Yuki has certainly caught the eye of many. But 2023 is a huge year. With Pierre Gasly leaving for Alpine, Tsunoda is now the team leader. How he performs this season will have a huge impact on his future in the sport. Is he ready for the challenge? Yuki tells Tom Clarkson what he's learned from his idol Fernando Alonso, why Daniel Ricciardo’s old trainer has made him fitter than ever before, and how he’s trying to be calmer on team radio. Plus, Yuki reveals why he loves being famous.
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Related episodes:
Nyck de Vries, Yuki's AlphaTauri teammate
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This week on F1 Beyond The Grid… Apr 17, 2023

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Jonathan Palmer: doctor, driver, deal-maker Apr 11, 2023

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He didn’t come from a racing family. He followed in the footsteps of his father and qualified as a doctor. How Jonathan Palmer ended up driving in Formula 1 is an intriguing tale of passion for racing, intuition and plenty of graft. Palmer initially competed in Formula Ford but after qualifying as a doctor, he decided to focus on racing professionally. He became British Formula 3 champion in 1981 and European Formula 3 champion in 1983. That year, Williams gave him his F1 debut at the European Grand Prix. He would go on to race for RAM, Zakspeed and Tyrrell over the next six years – scoring 14 championship points along the way. Palmer takes Tom Clarkson through his unique journey from studying medicine to competing in Formula 1. He reflects on some memorable drives in Monaco and we hear wonderful insight into what it was like working with Ayrton Senna as a test driver for McLaren in 1990. Palmer, whose son Jolyon also raced in F1 for Renault in 2016 and 2017, became part of the BBC’s Formula 1 coverage after retiring. He recalls working the day Senna lost his life at Imola in May 1994.
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