F1 Beyond The Grid

When Claire Williams sold the Williams F1 team at the end of 2020, a very special 43-year association between the Williams family and Formula 1 came to an end. Founded by Claire’s father, Sir Frank Williams, in 1977, the team have won 16 World Championships – a feat only bettered by Ferrari and McLaren.  Claire rose through the ranks – starting as press officer in 2002 and eventually becoming Depu...

As the new Team Principal of Sauber, Jonathan Wheatley is taking on one of the most exciting projects in Formula 1.  With Benetton, Renault and Red Bull Racing, Jonathan has won 19 World Championships over the last 34 years. Now, after nearly two decades as Red Bull’s Sporting Director, he’s in a very different role with a very different team. And not just any team, because, in 2026, Sauber will b...

Tom Clarkson’s guest on this week’s F1 Beyond The Grid is McLaren’s Chief Operating Officer, Piers Thynne, who has been with the team since 2008. He oversees everything that happens at the team's base, the McLaren Technology Centre, so he’s played a crucial role in their current success. How have McLaren transformed into World Champions after finishing second to last in 2017? Why is their philosop...

After five years with Alpine, Esteban Ocon is embarking on a new adventure with Haas in 2025. What challenges has he faced while settling into his new team? How is he getting on with new race engineer Laura Mueller? What are the strengths and weaknesses of their car? Esteban tells Tom Clarkson how he’s adapting to his new surroundings and how Haas have made such a miraculous recovery from a nightm...

Tom Clarkson reveals which Formula 1 star will be joining him on this week’s episode of F1 Beyond The Grid.  Listen to the full show on Wednesday 16th March or you can watch their chat on the official F1 YouTube channel.

Ferrari ambassador and former test driver Marc Gene has been with the team since 2004. During that time, Marc has had the privilege of working alongside five World Champions: Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and now, Lewis Hamilton. Do they all have a common trait that makes them so successful? What’s the difference between one-time and multiple World Champions...

Chosen by Red Bull aged 15. Suddenly launched into his first Grand Prix as the youngest driver ever, having never driven a Formula 1 car before. Racing for the Red Bull junior team, Jaime Alguersuari was expected to win. He was dropped when he didn’t. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Jaime looks back at his rapid rise to Formula 1. From his surprise debut in 2009, the demands of the Red Bull junior progr...

‘I wish I could fast forward’, says Pierre Gasly. Like all F1 drivers, Pierre is used to things happening quickly. He thinks Alpine will be fighting further forwards in a matter of months, and is impatient to get there. He knows how winning feels. He believes he can do it again. Gasly tells Tom Clarkson about the faith he has in Alpine and its leaders, Team Principal Oliver Oakes and Executive Adv...

Aston Martin’s Team Principal knows what it takes to win in Formula 1. Andy Cowell leads a team which now includes Adrian Newey. They have the newest factory in the sport. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are in the driving seat. Owner Lawrence Stroll is funding the team’s future. When will these ingredients bring trophies? Andy tells Tom Clarkson that Aston Martin are in ‘the building phase’ agai...

With 11 Grands Prix under his belt, Liam Lawson is technically no longer a rookie – but he is about to embark on his first full Formula 1 season in 2025 and race at many tracks he’s never driven before. So how does the New Zealander feel about this next step with Red Bull Racing? Speaking to Tom Clarkson at the team’s UK headquarters in Milton Keynes, Liam answers all the big questions ahead of a...

First up in 2025: Liam Lawson. Listen to a preview of the Red Bull racer's conversation with Tom Clarkson here. Don't miss the full episode on Wednesday 12th March. Listen to F1 Nation's 2025 Preview Romain Grosjean, Laura Winter + Tom Clarkson answer the big questions ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. Listen here Experience F1 live in 2025 Head to tickets.formula1.com to book your place tracksi...

Adrian Newey began his new job at Aston Martin this week. Is he the man who will make Aston Martin World Champions? How does Adrian’s arrival change Fernando Alonso’s future plans? How has team owner Lawrence Stroll transformed Aston since he took over in 2018? And what is it really like for Lance Stroll to have his dad as his boss? Tom Clarkson has been listening through his interviews with Lawre...

The arrival of four-time Grand Prix winner Carlos Sainz from Ferrari marks the start of an intriguing new adventure for Williams in 2025. Is Carlos the man to drive Williams back to their glory days? How will Alex Albon stack up against a much more experienced teammate? And can Williams move further up the grid this season or is the introduction of new regulations in 2026 the priority for Team Pri...

2024 saw McLaren become Constructor World Champions for the first time since 1998. Will they defend their title in 2025? And will Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri become the team’s first Drivers’ World Champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008? Tom Clarkson has been digging through the F1 Beyond The Grid archives to find out how McLaren have transformed into the fastest team in Formula 1 and whether thei...

Lewis Hamilton is getting ready for his first season with Ferrari in 2025. He’s won seven World Championships and 105 races, but some of Formula 1’s most successful drivers have joined Ferrari in the past and missed out on the ultimate prize. So what lessons can Lewis take from those who came before him? How difficult is it to win titles with the Scuderia? And why is driving for Ferrari so differe...

What really happens on the grid before a race? How do Formula 1 teams scout their future stars? How are drivers coached to go faster?  In 2024, F1 Explains answered these questions and many more sent in by F1 fans from all over the world. F1 Explains takes your questions and finds the experts to answer them. In this special episode, presenters Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne have picked the mo...

A driver market for the ages, Verstappen at his very best, emotional race wins, new Constructor World Champions and the end of some iconic eras. The 2024 Formula 1 season was sensational. On F1 Beyond The Grid, the stars of this dramatic year of racing have sat down with Tom Clarkson, revealing what it’s like being at the centre of the biggest stories of the season and sharing fascinating insight...

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes: their names are together forever in the Formula 1 record books. As the most successful team and driver partnership in the sport's history comes to an end, some of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes colleagues tell Tom Clarkson their stories of working with him:   Toto Wolff – Team Principal, on how Lewis got stronger every year of their partnership Andrew Shovlin – Trackside En...

This episode is presented by Explora Journeys - redefining luxury ocean travel. 2024 has been a turbulent year for Carlos Sainz. It started with a shock: Lewis Hamilton would be replacing him at Ferrari in 2025. Then he missed a race with appendicitis. But the year is ending with multiple wins and podiums to look back on, and an exciting new challenge to look forward to with Williams next season. ...

2024 has been a rollercoaster for this week’s guest on F1 Beyond The Grid. While the end of the season provides a chance for reflection, he’s also looking forward to an exciting new venture in 2025.     Hear a preview of the episode with Tom Clarkson now and then you can listen to the conversation in full on your podcast app, or watch on the official F1 YouTube channel, from Wednesday 4th December...

This episode is brought to you by Salesforce, a Global Partner of Formula 1® Aston Martin Sporting Director Andy Stevenson reached a huge milestone in Las Vegas, working at his 600th Grand Prix. It’s a sensational achievement made even more remarkable by the fact that all 600 races have been with the same team. A driver winning with a broken leg, another going to jail halfway through the season, p...

This episode is brought to you by T-Mobile, official 5G partner of F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix Why did Oliver Oakes become Alpine Team Principal? How does his background as a racing driver and team owner prepare him for this new challenge? And what are his priorities in 2025 and beyond? Speaking to Tom Clarkson at the team’s headquarters in Enstone, Oakes answers all the key questions around Alpine’s...

He’s one of the most experienced drivers in F1 history, who won races for championship teams Ferrari and Brawn GP.  During his long career, Rubens Barrichello had to cope with the loss of his legendary countryman, Ayrton Senna, and the challenge of carrying the hopes of Brazilian fans afterwards. At Ferrari, Rubens went up against a dominant Michael Schumacher, and while he never won a title, he p...

Nephew of two-time Formula 1 World Champion Emerson and son of Brazilian F1 team owner Wilson, Christian Fittipaldi was destined to follow in his family’s footsteps and race in the pinnacle of motorsport. Speaking to Tom Clarkson in his home city of Sao Paulo, Christian reflects on his three seasons on the grid with the Footwork and Minardi teams in the early 1990’s. He talks about what it was lik...

Despite being a hugely versatile racing driver, who competed in Formula 3000, IndyCar, Sports Cars and Touring Cars, Christian Danner was unable to showcase his full potential in Formula 1 in the mid-late 1980s. During an era characterised by poor reliability and pre-qualifying, he either failed to start many of the races he entered, or he failed to finish them. But that certainly doesn’t mean he’...