How data helps F1 drivers go faster - with McLaren's Tom Stallard + Jolyon Palmer
When Formula 1 drivers want to go faster, they study squiggly lines on a screen. This is F1 data, showing how drivers accelerate, brake, steer and more. Hidden in the squiggles are the secrets of speed. Tom Stallard, Race Engineer to Oscar Piastri at McLaren, and former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer join Christian Hewgill to decode F1 data. Tom answers your questions on what data is recorded, how it is fed back to the teams by hundreds of sensors on each car, and how engineers analyse thousands of pieces of information. Jolyon explains how F1 drivers study their own data to find improvements, what they can learn from looking at their team mates and rivals' data, and the data drivers need to know during qualifying and races. Got a question? We'll find the best person to answer it Send your voice notes and emails to F1Explains@F1.com Witness the crowning of the 2025 Formula 1 World Champion Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com Tickets for Las Vegas now available at f1lasvegasgp.com Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with the stars of Formula 1 on F1 Beyond The Grid Expert insight before and after every Grand Prix on F1 Nation
31 Okt 35min
David Coulthard + Mika Hakkinen explain F1 team mate title battles - LIVE at the US Grand Prix
Once McLaren team mates fighting for the Formula 1 World Championship, now legends of the F1 Paddock, Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard know how it feels to be in the middle of a title battle. The pair join Christian Hewgill and F1 Explains listeners live on stage in Austin, Texas, to answer your questions. David and Mika explain how McLaren handled their title rivalry in the late 1990s, compare their experiences to this year's intensifying battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris and discuss whether team mates can be friends. Plus, why braking in an F1 car literally takes your breath away, some dogs named after F1 stars and the racing jobs David and Mika would want to do if they weren't drivers. Have your question answered on the podcast Send your voice notes and emails to F1Explains@F1.com Witness the crowning of a World Champion Book your seat for a Formula 1 Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with the stars of Formula 1 on F1 Beyond The Grid Expert insight before and after every Grand Prix on F1 Nation
23 Okt 31min
Gabriel Bortoleto explains F1 driving tricks, F2 v F1, steering wheels + driving in the pit lane
What does ‘lift and coast’ mean and why do drivers use this technique? How do they reduce their speed under a Virtual Safety Car? Why do they use a different engine mode when driving in the pitlane? And what do the buttons on an F1 steering wheel do? Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto joins Christian Hewgill in the paddock at the United States Grand Prix to answer your questions. Gabriel also reveals what has surprised him the most about teammate Nico Hulkenberg, how he feels about racing his manager Fernando Alonso on track and the differences between F2 and F1 cars. Have your question answered on the podcast Send your voice notes and emails to F1Explains@F1.com It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with the stars of Formula 1 on F1 Beyond The Grid Expert reaction before and after every Grand Prix on F1 Nation
16 Okt 27min
Marshals: The ‘first line of safety for F1 drivers’
Without marshals, we wouldn't be able to go racing. In their bright orange jumpsuits, they're hard to miss. Hundreds of them are dotted around the track to ensure the safety of all the drivers competing in every series during a Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend. So how do they keep drivers safe? What roles are different marshals performing at different parts of the circuit? How do they know which flags to wave? What’s the process they go through when responding to incidents on track? And how do they work with Race Control? Ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne have been speaking to Mike Vandament and Jennifer Kelly, both of whom volunteer as marshals at the Circuit of the Americas, to answer your questions about what they do during a race weekend. And if you're interested in becoming a marshal, Sydney Davis Yagel works for the Sports Car Club of America. It’s her job to get people started with marshalling and other trackside jobs. Sydney tells Christian and Katie how she gives people those opportunities and what type of person she thinks makes a good marshal. THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO FORMULA 1 FLAGS Click here to find out what all the different flags in Formula 1 mean. Have your question answered on the podcast Send your voice notes and emails to F1Explains@F1.com It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with the stars of Formula 1 on F1 Beyond The Grid Expert reaction before and after every Grand Prix on F1 Nation
9 Okt 30min
The Medical Car: 'the world's fastest ambulance'
When F1 drivers crash, the FIA Medical Car rushes to the scene. It's a high-performance machine with a racing driver at the wheel and a doctor in the passenger seat. The Medical Car crew, Dr Ian Roberts and driver Bruno Correia, answer your questions about their vital jobs. They tell Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill about responding to crashes, assessing driver injuries and the part of a Grand Prix when they're most likely to be called into action. Dr Ian explains how he went from working in a hospital to racetracks around the world, Bruno tells the story of swapping a racing car for the Aston Martin and Mercedes Medical Cars, and we hear what drivers are like after a crash. Get your question answered on the podcast Send your voice notes and emails to F1Explains@F1.com It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with the stars of Formula 1 on F1 Beyond The Grid Expert reaction before and after every Grand Prix on F1 Nation
2 Okt 35min
Alex Albon explains night races, car numbers + helmet designs
How different is driving at night compared to racing during the day? What impact does being a celebrity have on an F1 drivers’ life? How are car numbers decided? And what’s the process behind designing a special helmet? Williams’ Alex Albon joins Christian Hewgill in the Formula 1 paddock to answer your questions. Get your question answered on the podcast Send your voice notes and emails to F1Explains@F1.com It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews with the stars of Formula 1, including Alex Albon, on F1 Beyond The Grid Expert reaction before and after every Grand Prix on F1 Nation
25 Sep 20min
How strategy is influenced by tyres, drivers, crashes, AI and more – Quickfire Questions with Bernie Collins
What are race strategists doing during a Grand Prix? How are strategies decided for each driver within a team? What happens to that strategy when something unexpected happens, like teammates colliding with each other? And is Artificial Intelligence used when deciding the best tactics for a race? Bernie Collins, former F1 strategist at Aston Martin and McLaren, joins Christian Hewgill in the paddock to answer your questions about the sport. Bernie also explains why teams change their engine power during different sessions, why drivers try and leave their final qualifying run as late as possible, and what the rules are when a driver is asked to give a place back to an opponent. Get your question answered on the podcast Send your voice notes and emails to F1Explains@F1.com It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there! Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com Listen to more official F1 podcasts In-depth interviews on F1 Beyond The Grid Expert reaction before and after every Grand Prix on F1 Nation
18 Sep 35min
Ask a Team Principal with Sauber's Jonathan Wheatley
2025 is a year of change for Jonathan Wheatley. He left Red Bull in the UK to join Sauber in Switzerland. He also stepped up from Sporting Director to Team Principal. Jonathan answers your questions about moving from a World Championship-winning team to one seeking success. He tells Christian how he leads the hundreds of people working at Sauber's factory and at the racetrack, including drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. More change is ahead for Jonathan and Sauber in 2026, as Audi-take over the team. Jonathan answers your questions on how the transition is going and Audi's ambition to win in Formula 1. F1 Explains puts your questions to F1 experts and insiders. Send yours to F1Explains@F1.com More from official F1 podcasts: F1 Beyond The Grid Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto's story of leaving Brazil aged 11 to chase his F1 dream F1 Nation Valtteri Bottas on why he chose to join Cadillac for 2026
11 Sep 29min
