F1 Explains

Latest Episodes:

The F1 boss group chat, podium picks + running a team - LIVE in Melbourne with McLaren CEO Zak Brown Mar 28, 2025

Show notes

What does the CEO of a Formula 1 team actually do? What happens in the F1 boss group chat? How are McLaren going to handle their drivers in 2025? Who decides who gets to go on the podium to collect the Constructors' Trophy?
Zak Brown answered these questions and more on-stage at the Australian Grand Prix. Christian invited F1 Explains listeners Chloe, Samantha, Lauren and Katy to ask Zak their questions, including whether Zak will be celebrating success with more tattoos or shoeys.
Send us your F1 questions
Drivers? Cars? Something else you want to know more about?
Send your email or voice note to F1Explains@F1.com
Listen to more official F1 podcasts
In-depth interviews on F1 Beyond The Grid
Expert reaction on F1 Nation
Join us at a Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2025
Go to tickets.formula1.com to book your seat

When F1 drivers move teams - with Valtteri Bottas + Jenson Button Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

A new car to drive. A new Race Engineer to talk to. When Formula 1 drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz move teams, they have a lot to learn.
Mercedes Reserve Driver Valtteri Bottas tells Christian Hewgill about the challenges drivers face when switching sides, from learning buttons on their steering wheel to understanding the voices in their ear.
Then, 2009 World Champion Jenson Button returns to the podcast to share his experiences of moving from Williams to Honda to McLaren.
Send us your F1 questions
Drivers? Cars? Something else you want to know more about?
Send your email or voice note to F1Explains@F1.com
Listen to more official F1 podcasts
In-depth interviews on F1 Beyond The Grid
Expert reaction on F1 Nation
Join F1 Unlocked and win Miami GP tickets
Weekend tickets + more for you and three friends are up for grabs
Enter here
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Rookie seasons - with Jenson Button + McLaren's Tom Stallard Mar 13, 2025

Show notes

Faster cars. Brighter spotlight. Higher pressure. A Formula 1 debut is a dream come true, but rookies need to impress, or their first season could be their last...
2009 World Champion Jenson Button tells Christian Hewgill the lessons he learned from his first year in F1 with Williams, what the 2025 rookies should try and achieve and the mistakes to avoid.
Oscar Piastri's Race Engineer Tom Stallard explains how he and the team supported Oscar in his rookie season, and answers your questions about how new F1 drivers adapt to racing the fastest cars on the planet.
Get your question answered on the podcast!
Send emails and voice notes to F1Explains@F1.com
F1 Explains LIVE at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2025

With special guest, McLaren CEO Zak Brown
F1 Fanzone Stage, near the Brabham Grandstand
1130-1200, Saturday March 15th

Official Formula 1 podcasts
Reaction to every race on F1 Nation
In-depth interviews on F1 Beyond The Grid
Experience F1 live in Las Vegas
New ticket options, expanded grandstands and lower prices for 2025
Find out more at F1LasVegasGP.com

Join us and McLaren's Zak Brown in Australia! Mar 07, 2025

Show notes

Christian's just about to leave for the Australian Grand Prix, but before he goes he's got all the details of F1 Explains LIVE in Melbourne - with special guest, McLaren CEO Zak Brown
F1 Explains LIVE at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2025

F1 Fanzone Stage, near the Brabham Grandstand
1130-1200, Saturday March 15th
Got a ticket for the track on Saturday? You can come to the show

If you'll be at the race and have a question for Zak Brown, email it to F1Explains@F1.com - we might be able to make you part of the show
F1 Explains will return with a brand new episode on Friday March 14th
Be at a race this season!
Grandstands, general admission + hospitality at tickets.formula1.com

Inside pre-season testing - with Oscar Piastri, Jack Doohan + Laura Winter in Bahrain Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

Formula 1 teams have one chance to test their cars before the 2025 season. With every lap, drivers and engineers learn more about their new machines. Why is pre-season testing so important, and how do teams get the most out of it?
From Bahrain, Christian and Katie are joined by F1TV Lead Presenter Laura Winter, who gives us the lowdown on testing. Then Alpine rookie Jack Doohan, McLaren's Oscar Piastri and other key team members explain what happens at testing, and how they gather data ahead of the first race.
Got questions about F1? We'll answer them!

Send emails or voice notes to F1Explains@F1.com
Let us know if you'll be at the Australian GP - you could be part of our live show

Coming soon to Las Vegas - F1 karting + more at Grand Prix Plaza

Race, shop and eat at the home of the Formula 1 Las Vegas GP
See iconic cars at F1 X - a brand new 4D exhibition
Opens at Grand Prix Plaza, Las Vegas, March 29th
Tickets from March 6th at grandprixplaza.com
Read more here on F1.com

It's all to drive for. Be there

How F1 teams are getting ready to race - your 2025 questions answered with Lawrence Barretto + Ruth Buscombe Divey Feb 21, 2025

Show notes

F1 pre-season testing is just days away, and F1 teams are racing to be ready. What's going on inside their factories? How long does it take drivers to be 100% confident in a brand new car? How do strategists get ready for the first race? Plus, who do you root for - the driver or the team?
Ahead of the 2025 season, Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne get the answers to these questions and more from F1 Correspondent and Presenter Lawrence Barretto, and F1TV strategy expert Ruth Buscombe Divey.
Get your F1 question answered in 2025
Send voice notes or emails to F1Explains@F1.com
Listen to more official F1 podcasts

F1 Beyond The Grid - exclusive interviews with F1's biggest stars
F1 Nation - expert Grand Prix reviews and previews

Discover F1 Unlocked
Unseen. Unheard. F1 Unlocked. Dive into exclusive content from F1 experts, redeem rewards and enter money-can't-buy competitions. Click here to join for free

Alonso, Sainz, Wolff + more - The Best of F1 Beyond The Grid 2024 Dec 27, 2024

Show notes

On F1 Beyond The Grid, Formula 1's fastest stars slow down for in-depth conversations with Tom Clarkson.
They reveal what it’s like being at the centre of the biggest stories of the season and share fascinating insight into what life is like as a Formula 1 driver, Team Principal, engineer, designer, and more. In this end-of year special, Tom picks his favourite moments from a long list of stellar guests.
Fernando Alonso reflects on becoming the first driver in F1 history to compete in 400 Grands Prix and why he nearly retired much earlier in his career. Carlos Sainz explains how he recovered from physical and mental setbacks to win multiple races. And Ollie Bearman describes what it was really like making his F1 debut at such short notice in Saudi Arabia.
As well as today’s big names, legends of the past like Juan Pablo Montoya and David Coulthard relive their career-defining moments. Plus, you’ll hear memories of Lewis Hamilton’s time at Mercedes and Bruno Senna’s stories of growing up with his uncle Ayrton, 30 years on from his death.
Thank you for listening in 2024. F1 Beyond The Grid will return in 2025.
To hear the full interviews with the guests featured in this show, click on the links below…
Toto Wolff
Charles Leclerc
Carlos Sainz
Juan Pablo Montoya
David Coulthard
Bruno Senna
Fernando Alonso
Andy Stevenson
Ollie Bearman
Ayao Komatsu
Tom Stallard
Paul Monaghan
Experience F1 live
Tickets for the 2025 F1 season are available now at tickets.formula1.com

Discover F1 Unlocked
Unseen. Unheard. F1 Unlocked. Dive into exclusive content from F1 experts, redeem rewards and enter money-can't-buy competitions. Click here to join for free
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Liam Lawson's racing line, how Ferrari found Ollie Bearman + Oscar Piastri's F2 preparation - The Best of 2024 Dec 20, 2024

Show notes

How do Formula 1 drivers find the fastest way around the track? How do teams scout future superstars? Why is driving in F2 the best way of reaching the top? What really happens on the grid before a race? In 2024, F1 Explains answered these questions and many more sent in by listeners from all over the world.
Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne have picked the most fascinating moments from the podcast's second season:

Liam Lawson on how drivers find the racing line
Ollie Bearman reveals Ferrari's young driver scouting camps
Oscar Piastri on how F2 prepared him to win in F1
Jack Doohan explains braking at 200mph
Bernie Collins' guide to the F1 pit lane
Planning the F1 calendar
How performance engineers coach drivers to go faster
What happens on the grid in the minutes before the race start

Whether you're a new F1 fan or a long-time follower, there's always something more to learn about F1. If you have a question you'd like us to answer, send it as an email or a voice note to F1Explains@F1.com
Thank you for listening, for sending questions and for coming to our live shows in 2024. F1 Explains will be back for more in 2025.
Listen to more official F1 Podcasts
F1 Beyond The Grid - in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars
F1 Nation - Grand Prix reviews and previews from inside the F1 paddock
Experience F1 live
Tickets for the 2025 F1 season are available now at tickets.formula1.com

Discover F1 Unlocked
Unseen. Unheard. F1 Unlocked. Dive into exclusive content from F1 experts, redeem rewards and enter money-can't-buy competitions. Click here to join for free

Avoiding DNFs: how F1 teams keep their cars racing Dec 06, 2024

Show notes

'To finish first, first you have to finish'. Formula 1 teams can't score points, wins or championships unless their cars make it to the chequered flag.
Reliability Engineers like Sauber's Laura Villadelprat work in the garage and the factory to keep the cars on-track and avoid the dreaded DNF (Did Not Finish).
Laura explains how F1 teams know when it's time to swap old car parts for new ones, how they monitor reliability in real time, and what they do to investigate the causes of race-ending problems.
'Hi F1 Explains, my F1 question is...'
You can get your question answered on the podcast. Send your question to F1Explains@F1.com
Listen to more official F1 podcasts

F1 Beyond The Grid - exclusive interviews with F1's biggest stars
F1 Nation - expert Grand Prix reviews and previews

Discover F1 Unlocked
Unseen. Unheard. F1 Unlocked. Dive into exclusive content from F1 experts, redeem rewards and enter money-can't-buy competitions. Click here to join for free

Pato O'Ward on driving 'amazing' F1 cars - in F1 Garage Nov 29, 2024

Show notes

F1 cars are out-of-this-world to drive, even for experienced racers. Pato O'Ward is a race-winner in IndyCar with Arrow McLaren, but when he jumps in a Formula 1 car as Reserve Driver for McLaren F1 Team, he's blown away.
Pato joins Katie and Christian to answer your questions about the differences and similarities between Formula 1 and IndyCar - the cars, the racetracks, the pit stops and more.
'Hi F1 Explains, my question is...'
Be part of the podcast. Send your question to F1Explains@F1.com
Experience the inner sanctum of Formula 1 - in F1 Garage
Catch all the on-track action and indulge in premium hospitality throughout the Grand Prix weekend. Find out more and book here
Tickets for the 2025 F1 season are available now at tickets.formula1.com
Discover F1 Unlocked
Unseen. Unheard. F1 Unlocked. Dive into exclusive content from F1 experts, redeem rewards and enter money-can't-buy competitions. Click here to join for free

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