F1 Beyond The Grid

McLaren are back on top of the Formula 1 podium, but their mission is far from accomplished yet. Since taking charge in 2018, CEO Zak Brown has overseen a huge transformation on and off the track and the team’s progress has accelerated astronomically over the last 12 months. Lando Norris’s long-awaited maiden Grand Prix victory in Miami is the culmination of an enormous amount of hard work to turn...

30 years since his death at Imola on 1st May 1994, Ayrton Senna’s legacy is still felt around the world. Brazil’s three-time Formula 1 World Champion continues to inspire today’s generation of racing drivers and fans. To Bruno Senna, Ayrton is still both his uncle and his hero. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Bruno shares his childhood memories of Ayrton away from the track, the ‘racing relationship’ th...

A multiple title winner at junior level and a point-scorer on his unexpected F1 debut in 2016, Stoffel Vandoorne seemed on track for a long and prosperous career in Formula 1. But his big break at McLaren in 2017 arrived during one of the team’s most challenging periods. They finished second-last in the standings during Vandoorne’s first season, endured a difficult transition from Honda to Renault...

20 years since his infatuation with Formula 1 began at China’s first race in 2004, Zhou Guanyu will race in front of his home fans for the first time as an F1 driver at the Chinese Grand Prix. Zhou tells Tom Clarkson what racing in Shanghai will look like through his eyes; from his helmet design and sold-out grandstand, to the reaction he’s expecting on his first lap of the track and what it would...

Fernando Alonso is 'here to stay' in Formula 1 with Aston Martin. What made the double World Champion decide to continue racing with his current team? In a special episode of the F1 Nation podcast, Aston Martin Ambassador Pedro de la Rosa and 1996 World Champion Damon Hill join Tom Clarkson to analyse Alonso's announcement, what it means for him, the team and the rest of the drivers searching for...

Seven-time Grand Prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya joins Tom Clarkson for the first episode of F1 Beyond The Grid’s LEGENDS episodes. Going into the final two races of 2003, Montoya was only three points behind World Championship leader Michael Schumacher in a three-way fight for the title, with Kimi Raikkonen just behind them. But by the season finale, the Colombian was out of contention – so where...

The journey that has taken Ayao Komatsu from a teenager in Tokyo, dreaming of working in Formula 1, to the new Haas Team Principal is a gripping tale. Featuring fascinating anecdotes of his father’s experiences as a political prisoner, the challenges Ayao faced when he left Japan for England, and how he engineered his way through university to a career in F1, this is a compelling conversation betw...

He’s a World Championship-winning engineer with nearly 50 years in Formula 1, but Pat Symonds’ focus is new innovation and F1’s next generation.   Pat scored title wins with Michael Schumacher in the 90s and Fernando Alonso in the 2000s. In the 80s, he helped a rookie Ayrton Senna get up to speed and take a stunning Monaco podium. Today, as Formula 1’s Chief Technical Officer, his task is producin...

A Formula 1 winner in his first season, Oscar Piastri has his sights set on more success. At McLaren, alongside Lando Norris, guided by Team Principal Andrea Stella and manager Mark Webber, he’s right where he needs to be. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Oscar reflects on his rookie year in F1, his Sprint victory ahead of Max Verstappen, on-track clashes and off-track discussions with Lewis Hamilton, an...

What does 2025 hold for Alex Albon? How has golf changed his approach to Formula 1? Would he like more competition from his teammate? The Williams driver answers all those questions and more in his first proper catch-up with Tom Clarkson on F1 Beyond The Grid since 2022. Albon explains the mindset of being a number two driver at Red Bull Racing compared to being team leader at Williams, how his fi...

Brand new name. Brand new leader. Brand new ambition? As RB enter the next era of their Formula 1 venture, is their purpose still to develop young drivers for Red Bull Racing? Outlining his vision to Tom Clarkson, new Team Principal Laurent Mekies talks about making RB more competitive in all areas, transforming the team’s culture and mentality, and how the combination of Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki...

Sergio Perez secured a career-best P2 in the Drivers’ World Championship in 2023. But in one of the most dominant Formula 1 cars in history, Checo spent much of the year stuck in the shadow of his unstoppable teammate Max Verstappen. Despite one of Sergio’s most mentally challenging seasons, in which he faced serious questions about his future at Red Bull Racing, the Mexican is in fighting spirits...

F1 is full of extraordinary humans, but who is Tom Clarkson's first guest in 2024? Find out here, then join F1 Beyond The Grid for in-depth conversations with the sport's fastest stars every Wednesday. Discover new official F1 podcasts in 2024: F1 Nation - 2024 Season Preview out now F1 Explains - your questions about F1, answered by the experts

Mercedes Technical Director, James Allison, is Tom Clarkson’s pick for the penultimate day of our countdown to the new series of F1 Beyond The Grid. James tells the very funny and emotional story of how his rather awkward first interaction with Lewis Hamilton formed the foundations of a strong and successful relationship between them. For James’ full conversation with Tom from 2019, listen here.

On 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, Day 28, Zhou Guanyu tells Tom Clarkson why Fernando Alonso is his idol, what it means to be the first Formula 1 driver from China, and how excited he’ll be to race in front of his home fans at the Chinese Grand Prix. For Zhou’s full conversation with Tom from 2022, listen here.

Martin Brundle is best known today for his infamous pre-race gridwalks and his expert analysis on television. But did you know he had a very impressive and dramatic racing career before moving into the commentary box? On Day 27 of our countdown to the new season, Martin tells Tom Clarkson about beating the likes of Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen, before they all went on to beco...

Six-time Grand Prix winner Ralf Schumacher joins Tom Clarkson on 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, Day 26.  Ralf explains why he never became friendly with teammates and also tells Tom whether he would have made it to Formula 1 without his seven-time World Champion brother, Michael Schumacher. For Ralf’s full interview with Tom in 2019, listen here.

On 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, Day 25, Alex Albon talks about the impact of being dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2020 and how he fought his way back into Formula 1 with Williams. Listen to Alex’s full chat with Tom Clarkson in 2022 here.

In 2019, Tom Clarkson sat down with Ross Brawn to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Brawn GP becoming the first team to win both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships in their debut year. On Day 24 of our countdown to the new season, listen to their conversation in full - as Ross shares fascinating insight into how the team emerged from Honda’s ashes and went on to dominate the 2009 s...

On Day 23 of our pre-season countdown, World Champion designer Neil Oatley shares what it was like to have a front row seat for the fierce rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at McLaren in the late 1980’s. For Neil’s full chat with Tom in 2023, listen here.

Damon Hill is Tom Clarkson’s guest for 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, Day 22. The 1996 World Champion explains why his fellow title-winning teammates - Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna - were in a class of their own. And Damon also shares his perspective on losing the 1994 championship to Michael Schumacher in controversial circumstances. Listen to Damon’s full interview with Tom from 201...

He's a three-time podium finisher and a regular points-scorer, with a fantastic pole position to his name, but Lance Stroll's place in Formula 1 is sometimes still questioned. His father, Lawrence, owns the Aston Martin team he drives for - the latest stage in what he calls a 'father-son journey' to the top of motorsport.  On 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, Day 21, Lance tells Tom Clarkson why he dese...

On Day 20 of our countdown to the new season, former Toro Rosso driver Scott Speed tells Tom Clarkson how his ego and a fiery clash with team boss Franz Tost cut his Formula 1 career short. For Scott’s full conversation with Tom last year, listen here.

Juan Pablo Montoya is Tom Clarkson’s pick for 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, Day 19.  Speaking in 2018, Montoya tells Tom why he left Formula 1 halfway through the 2006 season and how he reflects on his five and a half years in the sport.  For the full interview with Juan Pablo, listen here.  

On Day 18 of our pre-season countdown, an emotional Paul Stoddart tells the story of what he calls ‘the most famous two points in Formula 1 history’ - as his Minardi team secured a shock result at the Australian Grand Prix in 2002. For Paul’s full conversation with Tom Clarkson in 2023, listen here.