The Race F1 Tech Show

Latest Episodes:

The amazing tech that allowed Red Bull to go aggressive in 2024 Feb 28, 2024

Show notes

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.

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Click here to watch the first episode of Ansys' Driven By Simulation series.

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Introducing… The Race F1 Briefing Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

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.

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2023 in review: Where Red Bull's rivals failed - and what they need to fix Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023 in review: Is the Red Bull RB19 the best F1 car of the modern era? Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FOCUS ON: Ambiguous statistics + Tackling track limits Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are so many teams suffering big performance swings from race to race? Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

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.

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Explaining Austin’s ‘plank’ drama & Mercedes’ important upgrades Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FOCUS ON: How Sprint races have led to set-up errors + Hybrid dominance Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andretti and the tech challenge of starting a new F1 team from scratch Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will anyone catch Red Bull + your questions answered Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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