Secrets of Mercedes’ rise to F1 power

Today, Adrian Newey is widely recognised as an F1 design genius, with his cars having been driven to 14 drivers’ world titles, 12 constructors’ titles, and more than 220 Grand Prix victories. But where did his extraordinary talent for designing (and engineering) racing cars come from? That’s the topic of the latest episode of And Colossally That’s History, which delves into the roots of Newey’s unprecedented success.Hosts Matt Bishop and Richard Williams share incredible tales from Newey’s youth which foreshadow the man he’d become, including the time he used ingenuity and a rules loophole to avoid punishment at school. There’s also plenty of chat about Newey’s career before his big breakthrough with Williams in the early 1990s, such as the transformational work he did in sports prototypes, the period he spent race engineering a pair of Indycar legends, his disastrous first foray into Grand Prix racing, and the giant-killing successes with F1 minnows Leyton House that caught Patrick Head's attention. Along the way you’ll learn how Adrian acquired and honed the skills and design preferences that would later make him the most valuable technical brain in the F1 paddock.Oh, and listen out for Matt's anecdote about the amazing declaration former McLaren boss Ron Dennis once made to him about Newey…Want to get the end-of-season Colossally bonus episode and every episode ad-free? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new Colossally items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17 Okt 1h 13min

With Edd Straw on a plane, Glenn Freeman is joined by Jon Noble for a hastily added opening segment to discuss the news that George Russell (and Kimi Antonelli for that matter) have been confirmed at Mercedes for 2026. But does that mean that Russell and the Silver Arrows will be together long-term? We explain why that’s far from clear.The podcast then reverts to its usual format, with Edd Straw joined by Jon Noble (again) and Ben Anderson for the podcast we’d originally recorded before learning of the Russell news. First on the agenda, we explain the ongoing saga between McLaren and IndyCar champion Alex Palou, including what McLaren’s pursuit of more than $20million in lost profits in the UK commercial courts is all about.We also look ahead to the United States Grand Prix, asking if COTA is a modern classic and how the return of a gap in the Pirelli tyre allocations might impact the race. And finally, with the FIA presidential election increasingly set to be a one-horse race, we explain how this has arisen despite there being several candidates who have thrown their hats into the ring. Want bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 Okt 53min

With McLaren’s racing rules still a big talking point after the scrape between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Singapore, we have a go at re-writing their so-called 'rules of engagement'. Edd Straw is joined by Ben Anderson and Scott Mitchell-Malm to unpick what McLaren's papaya rules actually entail, and how it could better handle its desire for fairness in the title run in. We also look a bit more broadly at the title run, McLaren's run of three successive defeats, and ask what we should we expect from the remaining six events. Want bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 Okt 51min

We tackle the question of whether Ferrari has broken Charles Leclerc's spirit in the latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast. Special guest Alex Jacques, who'll be familiar to many listeners as the lead commentator for F1 TV and Channel 4, joins Scott Mitchell-Malm and Edd Straw to discuss Leclerc's critical comments about Ferrari and how he really feels about its struggles.With Leclerc now in F1 middle-age and concerns about how competitive the car will be in 2026, we ask whether he might have to turn his back on Ferrari in 2027 to achieve his ambition of becoming world champion. And if he does so, where would he go?We also discuss the sensational news that double world rally champion Kalle Rovanpera is switching to single-seater racing, with an eye on F1. Can he make his dream a reality? Rally journalist David Evans stops by the give his view. And finally, we answer another batch of questions from The Race Members' Club on a range of subjects, including a proposal for a 'time trial' in sprint weekends and convergence at the front of the field.Want bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 Okt 1h 5min

Colossally is back, and Matt and Richard are kicking off season 4 with an in-depth look at the extraordinary life of Bruce McLaren, the man who founded and gave his name to this year's constructors' world champions, but who possibly remains a bit of an enigma to some modern F1 fans, having died in 1970.In this episode we trace Bruce's remarkable journey to motor racing immortality, explaining how a humble boy from New Zealand, who spent much of his youth confined to bed with a debilitating hip disorder, rose to the top of global motor racing, first as a Grand Prix-winning driver and then as a race-winning team owner and constructor.Along the way Matt and Richard discuss the defining moments of Bruce's racing career, explain the origins of his team's famous papaya livery, and assess the attributes that made him special, not just a driver, but as an engineer and leader of men.The impact of Bruce's untimely death, resulting from a crash while testing in 1970, is also covered in poignant detail, with Matt sharing a pair of anecdotes that illustrate how a shell-shocked McLaren team grittily persevered after his passing and how Bruce's legacy has been honoured by those who've led the team in the modern era. Want to get the end-of-season Colossally bonus episode and every episode ad-free? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new Colossally items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 Okt 1h 18min

Lewis Hamilton’s brake problems late in the Singapore Grand Prix turned a potential fifth place into eight place, but why exactly did Ferrari hit trouble? That’s one of the questions we answer in the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show.Gary Anderson joins Edd Straw to look at what happened to Ferrari in Singapore, as well as tackling the warm-weather improvement of Mercedes and Red Bull’s high-downforce form. We also tackle listeners questions on a range of topics from oscillating wings and F1 car ride to 2026 expectations and Gary’s brief dalliance with Coloni. There’s also a chance to catch up with the progress of A2RL, the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, with head of operations Josh Roles joining us to tell us all about it.Don't miss A2RL at Yas Marina circuit on November 15. Get your free tickets now at https://a2rl.io/Want bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Okt 1h 5min

Nothing else comes close at the Home of Formula 1 Night Racing. Find out more about the FORMULA 1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX 2026 at www.singaporegp.sgEdd Straw is joined by Jon Noble and Mark Hughes to discuss the Singapore Grand Prix, in which George Russell surprised everyone, himself included, by taking victory. But naturally much of the post-race chat centred on the latest twist in the all-McLaren drivers' title battle, after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided on the first lap. What implications will the incident have on how the duo race over the remaining races, especially now McLaren have sealed the constructors' title? That's one of the topics discussed, along with all of the race's other big talking points. Want bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Okt 52min

Get your hands on the official Singapore GP merchandise by going to shop.singaporegp.sgWe ask what's next for Fernando Alonso and Christian Horner in the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast.Glenn Freeman and Ben Anderson join Edd Straw to delve into recent news stories about the two men, who have been defining figures of 21st century F1.With Alonso making comments about 2026 being his last year if it's a success, but not if it's a struggle, we ask what that reveals about his mentality.And with Christian Horner's exit from Red Bull now finalised contractually, we look at where he might crop up in the future and if his return to F1 to run a team is inevitable.We also tackle another batch of listener questions on similarities between Max Verstappen in 1986, Carlos Sainz's Williams move and more.Want bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 Okt 59min