The Race F1 Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ranking the 20 F1 drivers based on skill + Canadian GP preview Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

What would happen if all 20 F1 drivers competed on equal terms in the same machinery? That's a question we tackle in the latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast.

Canadian motorsport journalist Tim Hauraney joins Ben Anderson and Edd Straw to discuss a ranking list answering that question he recently put together for TSN, based on a vote of F1 journalists.

That leads to a question of what constitutes equal cars and also the role of simulator driving in the development of F1 drivers, as well as whether Lewis Hamilton’s ranking has to take a hit because of his difficult recent times.

We also tackle the popularity of F1 (and driver Lance Stroll) in Canada, and discuss the evolution of the grand prix in Montreal, which takes place this weekend.

And with McLaren having won seven out of nine grands prix, we explain why the Canadian Grand Prix might not be so straightforward for F1’s dominant force despite heading into the weekend as favourite.

Want exclusive bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier!

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Is Newey’s Aston Martin revolution on track? Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

We explain why Aston Martin has taken another step backwards this season and whether Adrian Newey’s arrival can change that in the latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast.

Jon Noble and Mark Hughes join Edd Straw to discuss the team’s troubles this year, and how Aston Martin slid to this point having claimed six podium finishes in the first eight races of 2023.

We discuss the car and upgrade troubles in that period, and ask if the recent upturn after the package introduced at Imola recently might be a turning point.

Newey’s criticisms of the driver-in-loop simulator are also addressed, along with the other areas where the Silverstone-based squad needs to improve if it’s to deliver on its objective of becoming a title-winning force.

We also address questions from The Race Members’ club on a variety of topics including Alpine’s driver change, Liam Lawson’s elbows-out style and Sauber’s leap forward.

Want exclusive bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier!

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And Colossally That's History: Motor racing’s first superstar - Tazio Nuvolari Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

On the final episode of season 3, Richard and Matt wax lyrical about a driver whose name might be unfamiliar to many motor racing fans, but who could be regarded as the sport's first bonafide superstar: Tazio Nuvolari.

Matt and Richard explain how, in the pre-war era of Grand Prix racing, Nuvolari became the embodiment of everything a racing driver was supposed to be: A virtuoso and a daredevil, who stirred the emotions in a way that crossed national boundaries.

There are stories of his great rivalries, his relationships and associations with Enzo Ferrari and (more controversially) Benito Mussolini, plus numerous accounts of his famous driving technique, which included being the originator of the four-wheel drift.

And of course there's also plenty of chat about the famous drives that secured Nuvolari's legendary status, including the one where, in obsolete machinery, he defeated the all-conquering German cars in Hitler's backyard, and the one witnessed by a 14-year-old Murray Walker in 1938, which left such an impression on the legendary commentator that the Italian would forever remain his favourite driver.

Matt and Richard will be bringing members an exclusive Q&A episode on Patreon, where they'll answer questions on each of the topics covered. Join on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier!

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Should Verstappen face tougher sanctions - or is outrage overblown? Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

With Max Verstappen admitting that his clash with George Russell in the Spanish Grand Prix was “a move that was not right and shouldn’t have happened”, we discuss what that tells us about the four-times world champion in the latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast.

Dutch TV commentator Nelson Valkenburg and Scott Mitchell-Malm join Edd Straw to revisit the accident and examine exactly what it is that drives Verstappen to do things like this.

We also ask whether criticisms about his failure to live up to role model status and questions about if the FIA stewards should be harsher are valid.

There’s also the question of how significant, or overblown, this incident is, as well as listener questions about Verstappen’s future away from Red Bull and whether he could swap between the A-team and Racing Bulls depending on circuit.

LAST 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 - offer ends Wednesday 4th June!

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Tech Show: Why didn't the flexi-wing directive shake up the order? Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

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.com

LAST 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!

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Spanish GP: Verstappen's fury boils over Jun 01, 2025

Show notes

On the ground in Barcelona, Edd Straw is joined by Jon Noble and Mark Hughes to review the Spanish Grand Prix, in which Max Verstappen's frustrations boiled over as Oscar Piastri led home Lando Norris for a commanding McLaren one-two.

Edd, Jon and Mark weigh in on Verstappen's controversial clash with George Russell, explain why the new flexi-wing directive did nothing to dent McLaren's dominance, discuss Nico Hulkenberg's stunning turn of form for Sauber, and much more.

Plus, there's the usual batch of questions from The Race Members' Club to tackle.

LAST 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!

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And Colossally That's History: Mika Hakkinen - F1's 'luckiest' champion? May 30, 2025

Show notes

On this week's episode of And Colossally That's History! Richard Williams and Matt Bishop look back on the career of Mika Hakkinen, and in particular how he was able to overcome - thanks to a considerable slice of good luck - the devastating crash in 1995 that so nearly took his life to become a double Formula 1 world champion.

Along the way, Matt and Richard explain what made Hakkinen - widely regarded as one of the quickest drivers of his generation, and a man who often went toe-to-toe with and beat Michael Schumacher in the late 1990s and early 2000s - such a special talent.

They also look back on the dreadful crash in Adelaide in 1995 that would ordinarily have ended Hakkinen's career, if not his life, describing the incredible work done by the medical team on-site, and the remarkable bravery and tenacity show by Hakkinen in the aftermath.

Matt also shares some great anecdotes about the time he spent with Hakkinen in his glory days, post-accident, when Matt was writing about the Finn as a magazine editor. He discusses what Mika told him after that legendary overtake on Schumacher at Spa in 2000, and he describes - in hilarious detail - what happened when Mika took him rally driving on a frozen lake the morning after a heavy night drinking vodka...

Matt and Richard will be bringing members an exclusive Q&A episode at the end of Season 3, where they'll answer questions on each of the topics covered. Join on Patreon today and get 75% off your first month - we even have an F1-only tier!

🚨 NEW MERCH ALERT! If you love Colossally AND in particular Anorak Facts, we've got a new t-shirt and notebook design you'll love! 🚨

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BONUS: Bring Back V10s revisits the 1993 Monaco GP May 29, 2025

Show notes

Order your Lotus 98T/4 timepiece at https://www.recwatches.com/timepieces/98t-4/ and get an additional 10% off using discount code "THERACE"

We're bringing you a bonus episode in the feed this week, which is an example of the kind of content you can enjoy in The Race Members' Club. It comes from our sister podcast Bring Back V10s, which celebrates the golden era of F1 from 1989 to 2005. Whilst that show is between seasons, Race Members have been enjoying an exclusive 1993 Revisited series, which takes a race-by-race look back at the 1993 F1 season.

On this episode, 1993 Revisited heads to Monaco where Ayrton Senna was aiming to become the first six-time F1 winner around the famous streets of the principality.

Glenn Freeman, Edd Staw, Ben Anderson and Matt Beer look back on a miserable day for Senna’s rival Alain Prost, who picked up a jump start penalty and then stalled in the pits when serving it.

We also analyse a breakout performance from Michael Schumacher that ended in heartbreak, and welcome Ferrari to the sharp end of the field for the first time in 1993.

Coming back to Senna, we discuss where his final Monaco win ranks among his other successes there, after what seemed to be a more subdued performance than we were used to seeing from him in Monte Carlo.

To listen to every episode of 1993 Revisited and get access to ad-free episodes of all The Race's podcasts, plus loads of bonus podcasts, join us on Patreon today - act quickly and you can enjoy 75% off your first month!

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Behind the scenes with Red Bull + What impact will flexi-wings rule have in Spain? May 28, 2025

Show notes

We go behind the scenes with Red Bull Racing in the latest episode of The Race F1 podcast.

Special guest Matt Majendie is embedded with the team this year for The Inside Track podcast and was at Monaco with the team. He joins Ben Anderson and Edd Straw to tell us all about it.

He explains the strategic attempts for Max Verstappen to gain a place, tells us about Yuki Tsunoda’s mindset and reveals how the team dealt with a difficult weekend.

And with the flexi-wing technical directive kicking in in Spain this weekend, there’s also some hints about what Red Bull really expects from the change.

We also tackle listener questions on McLaren’s position, Isack Hadjar’s promotion chances and refuelling.

For your chance to win a Ferrari cap signed by Leclerc or Hamilton, click here. This competition is open to anyone with an active Racers or Champions tier membership to The Race Members' Club. Get 75% off your first month when you join on Patreon today - we even have an F1-only tier!

Hear more from Matt on The Inside Track: https://link.mgln.ai/4Pk9wZ

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Monaco GP: Did the two-stop rule work? May 25, 2025

Show notes

Edd Straw is joined by Mark Hughes and Scott Mitchell-Malm to unpick the extreme strategy battle that was the Monaco Grand Prix.

The rule that forced two pitstops in the race was the big talking point heading into the weekend - but did it work, given the top four on the grid - Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen - finished in that order?

Edd, Mark and Scott also discuss the 'road block' tactics used by the likes of Racing Bulls and Williams to secure big points, plus - as ever - they answer a host of questions about the race sent in by The Race Members' Club.

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Find out more about Monaco Inside Track: www.themonacoinsidetrack.com

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