F1 Beyond The Grid23 Mai 2023

Sam Michael: engineering his rise to the top of F1

“You just think there’s no way I could be good enough.” When Sam Michael arrived in F1, he worried he wouldn’t be able to keep up. But he became an influential and experienced leader at two of the sport’s biggest teams. From a race engineer at Jordan in the late 1990s, to senior director roles at both Williams and McLaren in the 2000s, Sam enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top before leaving F1 in 2014. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, he reflects on more than two decades in the pinnacle of motorsport and reveals the people who influenced his life the most. Sam shares fascinating insight into some of the big names he’s worked with; Lewis Hamilton, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Rubens Barrichello to name a few. He explains the characteristics that separate the greatest racers from the rest, how he made drivers take a test to understand their knowledge of cars, what he misses about F1 and much more.

Follow, rate and review F1 Beyond The Grid and share this episode using #F1BeyondTheGrid.
Related episodes

Eddie Jordan
Lewis Hamilton
Juan Pablo Montoya
Ralf Schumacher
Rubens Barrichello

This episode is sponsored by:

MoneyGram: flex your finances using the only digital wallets with real cash access activated by MoneyGram. Learn more at moneygram.com/stellarwallets.

Babbel: go to babbel.com/podcast23 and use promo code BEYOND for an extra three months free with a purchase of a 3-month subscription
free.

Hello Fresh: head to hellofresh.com/grid16 and use code GRID16 for 16 free meals plus free shipping

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(427)

LEGENDS: David Coulthard on finding the best seat in F1

The Formula 1 driver market is potentially just one domino away from exploding into a frenzy, so what exactly does an F1 driver need to do to get themselves into the best seat on the grid?With multipl...

19 Mai 50min

LEGENDS: Jenson Button’s first F1 win

20 years ago, Jenson Button added his name to the illustrious list of drivers to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix, when he emerged victorious at Hungary in 2006.A moment long overdue after multiple podiums,...

12 Mai 32min

LEGENDS: When Emerson Fittipaldi shocked Formula 1

Why would a double F1 World Champion at the height of his powers walk away from a winning car? For the 1976 season, Emerson Fittipaldi stunned the sport by leaving McLaren and setting up his own team....

5 Mai 50min

Arvid Lindblad: fast, fresh + fearless

‘I’ve always been the youngest, the new kid, the underdog. It helps me not be intimidated’. Arvid Lindblad, the fourth-youngest F1 driver in history, is full of confidence. In his first race he fought...

28 Apr 54min

Colton Herta: 'my goal is Formula 1'

Formula 1 has always been a dream for Colton Herta. Walking away from IndyCar to race in Formula 2 is a gamble. His reward, should he prove himself, could be an F1 drive with Cadillac. Colton has come...

21 Apr 47min

Bernd Maylander: 500 races in the Safety Car

At this year’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Bernd Maylander reached a remarkable milestone of 500 races as the FIA Safety Car Driver.Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Bernd reflects on how the Safety...

14 Apr 58min

Doriane Pin: F1 ACADEMY champion, still pushing

From the first time she sat in a kart, aged 9, Doriane Pin has wanted to race in Formula 1. F1 ACADEMY champion, Mercedes Development Driver, poised to drive an F1 car for the first time - Doriane is ...

7 Apr 48min

Laurent Mekies: relishing Red Bull challenge

Red Bull Racing were at a crossroads when Laurent Mekies took over as Team Principal halfway through 2025. After a difficult first half of the season, should they continue working on their 2025 car or...

31 Mar 47min