The risk-takers, late-brakers and history-makers of Formula 1 slow down for in-depth interviews. Tom Clarkson brings you revealing, feature-length conversations with drivers, team bosses, engineering experts and F1 legends.
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REVISITED: Lewis Hamilton opens up on his F1 journey in 2018
Feb 17, 2021
Show notes
In the first of our Beyond The Grid Revisited episodes, where we delve into the archives, we turn the clock back to our very first episode in 2018 to hear from Lewis Hamilton - then only a four-time champion. The Briton discussed how the sport had shaped him, how his interests away from F1 keep him grounded and much, much more. Beyond The Grid will be back with a new series in March.
The Best of 2020: Tom picks some of his favourite moments from Season 3
Dec 16, 2020
Show notes
This is our final episode of 2020, and my goodness what a year it’s been, both in F1 itself and on this very podcast. We’ve had lots of great guests, lots of wonderful anecdotes, lot of laughs and quite a few tears too. And - we hope you agree - some real insights into some of the sport’s high-rollers. On this special episode, Tom has picked some of his favourite stories and anecdotes from the guests he’s spoken to this year, including gems from Sebastian Vettel, George Russell, Lando Norris, Riccardo Patrese and more!
Mattia Binotto on the pressure of leading Ferrari
Dec 09, 2020
Show notes
The job of Ferrari team principal is arguably the most prestigious in Formula 1 – but it’s also the one that undoubtedly carries the most pressure. The man whose task it is to lead the Scuderia right now is Mattia Binotto. Binotto is a Ferrari lifer, having joined the team straight out of university and worked numerous roles over his 25 years stay. He tells us all about that journey, which included working as an engineer for Michael Schumacher, as well as the joyous highs and intense lows of managing Ferrari over recent years. There’s also plenty of chat about Leclerc, Sainz and Vettel, plus discussion on how he intends to guide the team back to the front in the years to come…
Lance Stroll on answering critics and his father-son journey to F1
Dec 02, 2020
Show notes
He’s one of the most exciting young drivers on the grid, with two podiums and one stunning pole position to his name, and yet Lance Stroll has had to deal with a minority of critics throughout his time in the sport. On this week’s show, the Canadian explains how he deals with those voices, how he’s evolved as a driver and person since his debut in 2017, how he was forced to learn from his mistakes on the road to F1, and his relationship with father - and boss! - Lawrence Stroll, the owner of Racing Point...
Lord Hesketh on James Hunt and F1’s original party team
Nov 25, 2020
Show notes
When Hesketh Racing burst onto the F1 grid in the 1970s, they took everyone by surprise. They appeared to be playboys, having fun on and off track. But away from the yachts and the parties, was a small, well-organised group of passionate racers who were determined to win. With James Hunt at the wheel, they did. Lord Alexander Hesketh, who bankrolled and ran the team, tells Tom Clarkson how he ‘accidentally’ got into motor racing, rose to the top, and challenged the old guard of Ferrari, Lotus and McLaren. Lord Hesketh explains the unique quality behind his team’s success and reputation, what made James Hunt a great driver, and why F1 will never see a team like his ever again.
Renault stalwart Alan Permane on 30 years of stars, success and struggles at Enstone
Nov 18, 2020
Show notes
He joined Benetton in the late 1980s as a bottom-rung mechanic and he’s been with the team ever since, as it morphed into Renault then Lotus and now back to Renault. Alan Permane, Renault’s Sporting Director, has seen and done it all in his time at the Enstone factory. He was Michael Schumacher’s mechanic, Giancarlo Fisichella’s race engineer, and he stepped up to lead the team after the Crashgate scandal. He also had an expletive-filled team radio exchange with Kimi Raikkonen in India. Alan reveals the secrets of Renault’s success in the mid-2000s, and how they’re planning to take on Mercedes with Fernando Alonso in 2022.
Jochen Mass on a career tinged with tragedy, racing Lauda and mentoring Schumacher
Nov 11, 2020
Show notes
Jochen Mass’ F1 career began with a bang and ended more than a decade later in a fiery crash. In the 1970s he shared podiums with the likes of Lauda, Hunt, Fittipaldi and Scheckter. His talent deserved more than a single victory, which came on a dark day in Spain in 1975. Tragedy struck again in 1982, when Jochen played a blameless part in the crash which killed the legendary Gilles Villeneuve. Tom Clarkson uncovers the twists and turns of Jochen’s time in F1: the near-victories, cars, bosses and teammates which shaped his character. Jochen is certainly not afraid to speak his mind – a quality he put to very good use in later years when advising his Mercedes sportscar team mate, a young Michael Schumacher.
Eric Boullier on managing Raikkonen, Kubica’s accident and switching from Team Principal to Promoter
Nov 04, 2020
Show notes
Eric Boullier was Team Principal at Renault and Lotus before he became the Racing Director of McLaren. He resigned from that role in 2018 before switching camps to Paul Ricard, where he is now managing director of the French Grand Prix. In this episode, Tom probes Eric about his life in the sport, from the challenge of managing Kimi Raikkonen to dealing with the aftermath of Robert Kubica’s accident. There’s also time to chat about McLaren and the drivers he worked with there – Button, Alonso and Vandoorne – plus Eric brings us up to speed on all things French GP…
Safety car secrets with driver Bernd Maylander
Oct 28, 2020
Show notes
He's led hundreds of laps in F1 – but you may never have heard of him. That’s because Bernd Maylander is the Safety Car driver, and has been for the last 20 years. When the weather is bad or there’s a serious incident, Bernd takes to the track to lead the field around at a safe speed – not fast by F1 standards, but still seriously quick. He gives us the inside line on his job, revealing who is the most aggressive behind the Safety Car, the worst conditions he’s ever driven in, how he feels about Lewis Hamilton always giving him the hurry up, and what happened with that massive re-start pile-up in Mugello recently…
Toto Wolff on Hamilton, Rosberg, Lauda and breaking records
Oct 21, 2020
Show notes
He’s a workaholic, whose team is about to win a record seventh consecutive constructors’ championship. Yet his desire for more trophies remains all-consuming. We welcome back Mercedes boss Toto Wolff for an intimate and relaxed chat at his home in Oxford. Topics up for discussion include his future, how Niki Lauda remains a big influence in his life, the realities of the Rosberg/Hamilton relationship (and why it makes a future Hamilton/Verstappen duo unlikely), how his relationship with Hamilton has evolved, and why records mean nothing to him...
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