Podcast · Sport

F1 Beyond The Grid

by Formula 1 · English · Sport

The risk-takers, late-brakers and history-makers of Formula 1 slow down for in-depth interviews. Tom Clarkson brings you revealing, feature-length conversations with drivers, team bosses, engineering experts and F1 legends. Hit the follow button for the fastest way to get new episodes. Watch epis

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 45 min
Latest: 13 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026 · 25 minNew

50 years since James Hunt’s dramatic title win - with Freddie Hunt

A fiery crash, a miraculous recovery, a shock disqualification, and a tense, rain-soaked title-decider. At the end of the drama-filled 1976 season, James Hunt emerged as Formula 1 World Champion. Hunt was loved by fans and respected by his rivals, particularly by Niki Lauda. The pair fought for the world title in a remarkable year in which Lauda almost lost his life. James retired from F1 as a World Champion with 10 race wins and 23 podiums. He later became a broadcaster, commentating for the BBC alongside Murray Walker. He died in 1993, aged just 45. To mark the 50th anniversary of James…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

6 Oct 2026 · 57 min
James Vowles: ‘the most difficult year of my career’
2026 was supposed to be the year Williams made a big step forward in Formula 1. They’d scored their first podiums under Team Principal James Vowles in 2025, all while prioritising focus on this new era of regulations, so expectations of what they could achieve this season were high. But they’ve fallen well short of those. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, James talks about the phone calls he had with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz before the season to tell them the team was ‘in trouble’, whether he was worried both drivers would leave and why the car was overweight in the first place. James is very…
29 Sep 2026 · 32 min
Isack Hadjar + Laurent Mekies: trust, teamwork + targets
From scoring his first podium with the team in Monaco, to missing three races with a wrist injury, and then re-signing for 2027, Isack Hadjar has had an eventful first season at Red Bull Racing. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Isack opens up about what happened to his wrist, how challenging it was to miss those races and what that new contract means to him. Plus, Isack tells Tom why he’s been ‘surprising himself’ this year, what it’s like being Max Verstappen’s teammate and his targets for the rest of the season and beyond. Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies also joins Tom to talk about their…
22 Sep 2026 · 45 min
Romain Grosjean: a career of comebacks
‘I did all I could to survive’. A fiery crash put his life in danger, but Romain Grosjean escaped the flames and returned to racing. As Romain tells Tom Clarkson, the crash in Bahrain was not the first time he had to rebuild his career. After a seven-race spell in Formula 1 in 2008, he was dropped for the following season. Determined to find a way back, he took a step down the motorsport ladder to the junior category, GP2, became champion, and earned a Formula 1 comeback with the same team that had previously let him go. Romain, who has 10 F1 podiums to his name, reflects on Grands Prix he…
15 Sep 2026 · 37 min
Yuki Tsunoda: racing for F1 return
After describing 2025 as the ‘toughest year of my career’, Yuki Tsunoda was thrilled to make his F1 comeback with Racing Bulls after the summer break – stepping in for Liam Lawson while he fills in for the injured Isack Hadjar at Red Bull. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Yuki gives a very honest account of his struggles at Red Bull last season – revealing how it affected him personally, the biggest mistake he made and what it really felt like when he found out he wouldn’t be on the grid in 2026. Or so it would seem… Yuki received the call that he’d be back racing in Zandvoort just three days…
8 Sep 2026 · 55 min
Pedro de la Rosa: Aston’s ambition, Fernando’s future + McLaren memories
Aston Martin Global Ambassador Pedro de la Rosa joins Tom Clarkson to discuss how Aston are fighting back after a difficult 2026 so far. Pedro tells Tom how it really felt when they realised just how far behind they were during the Barcelona shakedown and whether the team’s strategy of waiting until halfway through the season to bring upgrades risked them losing two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso. Pedro also talks more about his relationship with Alonso, including how they communicate with each other through eye contact, and what it’s like working with Aston Team Principal and legendary…
1 Sep 2026 · 40 min
Charles Leclerc: full faith in Ferrari
Why did he sign a new multi-year deal with Ferrari? What caused his rough patch earlier in the season? How did those struggles really make him feel? And what did victory at Silverstone mean to him after that difficult period? Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Charles Leclerc opens up and shares really interesting insight into the ups and downs he’s experienced so far in 2026. Charles also tells Tom what it’s like being a Ferrari driver at Monza, why Michael Schumacher had such a big influence on him growing up, whether he thinks Ferrari can challenge Mercedes for the World Championship this season,…
25 Aug 2026 · 43 min
Sergio Perez: bouncing back with Cadillac
After a year away from Formula 1, following his exit from Red Bull Racing at the end of 2024, Sergio Perez is back with the sport’s newest team - Cadillac. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Sergio talks about his last six months at Red Bull being mentally demanding, the new perspective having a year out has given him, the initial reservations he had about returning to F1 and why the Cadillac project is just as motivating for him as fighting at the front of the grid. Checo also discusses Cadillac’s decision to replace Graeme Lowdon with Marcin Budkowski as Team Principal, why he wishes he’d enjoyed…
18 Aug 2026 · 49 min
LEGENDS: Damon Hill – from ‘humiliation’ to World Champion
1995 was a 'catastrophe' for Damon Hill, a bruising battle on and off the track. He was determined that 1996 would be his year. 30 years since his title triumph, 1996 World Champion Damon Hill joins Tom Clarkson to reflect on his winning season. From four wins in the opening five races, to finding out he was being dropped by Williams at the end of the season while still in the championship fight, Damon talks candidly about the ups and downs of a very dramatic title-winning campaign. He also tells Tom how he changed his approach going into 1996, after some tough battles with Michael…
28 Jul 2026 · 48 min
Ollie Bearman: High hopes with Haas + Ferrari
Ferrari discovered him, trained him and gave him a place in Formula 1 with Haas. Ollie Bearman dreams of driving for the Scuderia, but with Lewis Hamilton enjoying a revival and Charles Leclerc committed long-term, what does Bearman's future hold? Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Ollie discusses what he still believes he can achieve with Haas, why this year’s results don’t reflect how much his driving has improved, and whether he’d ever leave the Ferrari family to pursue other options. Ollie also talks about stepping up as a team leader this year, recalling the time he picked up the microphone and…
21 Jul 2026 · 51 min
Alan Permane: Lawson, Lindblad + leading Racing Bulls
Racing Bulls Team Principal Alan Permane says his exit from Alpine in 2023 was both ‘devastating’ and a ‘defining moment’ in his career. ‘Devastating’ because he’d been with Team Enstone for more than 30 years, winning World Championships with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. But ‘defining’ as it led to his first role as a Team Principal in Formula 1 – his biggest job yet. One year since taking the reins, Alan tells Tom Clarkson why the role was not initially a natural fit for him, how he’s risen to the challenge and what changes he’s made at Racing Bulls. He also shares fascinating…
14 Jul 2026 · 25 min
Damson Idris: F1: The Movie ‘changed my life’
Damson Idris describes playing Formula 1 rookie Joshua Pearce in F1: The Movie - the Oscar-winning, highest-grossing sports film of all time - as a life-changing moment. Speaking to Tom Clarkson a year since its release, Damson talks about racing in the F2 cars they used for the film, how he and co-star Brad Pitt compared against each other on track and what it was like to immerse himself in the world of Formula 1. Damson also tells Tom about his relationship with Lewis Hamilton and why he believes the seven-time World Champion ‘has that Michael Jordan thing’. You’ll also hear about a…
7 Jul 2026 · 38 min
LEGENDS: Giancarlo Fisichella on winning for Italy + Antonelli’s potential
For 20 years, Italy waited for a driver to join Giancarlo Fisichella as a Formula 1 Grand Prix-winner. Now, Kimi Antonelli is flying Il Tricolore on the top step of the podium once again. Fisi tells Tom Clarkson about the pressures of carrying Italy’s hopes in F1 and what Kimi needs to do to end the nation’s even longer wait for a World Champion. Fisi looks back on his own F1 career - the ‘hard’ moments he had supporting Fernando Alonso in his teammate’s title-winning seasons, how they relaxed before the race and how close he came to moving to another team in the mid 2000s. Giancarlo…
30 Jun 2026 · 44 min
Lando Norris: ‘success is addictive’
Lando Norris achieved his lifelong dream in 2025, becoming Formula 1 World Champion for the first time after a rollercoaster title battle that went all the way down to the wire in Abu Dhabi. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Lando talks about not being nervous before that season-finale, what it really means to achieve the goal he’s been chasing for so long, how becoming champion has changed him and whether he ever considered ‘doing a Nico Rosberg’ and retiring after winning his first title. Lando also tells Tom why he doesn’t think he’d be World Champion now had he ignored team orders at Budapest in…
23 Jun 2026 · 26 min
Flavio Briatore: growing Alpine with Colapinto, Gasly + Gucci
Flavio Briatore and ‘Team Enstone’ go back a long way. As Benetton in the 90’s, he led them to multiple World Championships with Michael Schumacher. And as Renault in the 2000s, he did the same with Fernando Alonso. So how can he achieve similar success with Alpine? Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Flavio talks about the progress the team have made since he became Executive Advisor, what he makes of his drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, and whether he has a timescale for Alpine to be fighting for titles. Flavio also shares some funny anecdotes about replacing Jenson Button with Alonso at…
16 Jun 2026 · 49 min
Tom Kristensen: the best who never raced in F1?
As a child, Formula 1 was his dream. As a young driver, he was on the same trajectory as Michael Schumacher. Tom Kristensen was offered a chance to join a Formula 1 team, but he saw it as too risky. Instead, he found success in sportscars and made history at the Le Mans 24 Hours with a record nine victories. Tom tells Tom Clarkson about the ‘risky’ offer he received from a Formula 1 team in the 1990s, the sportscar decision which harmed his F1 chances, and the day he impressed a World Champion in a modern F1 car. ‘Mr Le Mans’ also remembers his history-making days at the world’s most famous…
9 Jun 2026 · 38 min
Alex Albon: making history with Williams
In Barcelona, Alex Albon became the driver with the most race starts in Williams history – surpassing Nigel Mansell’s record of 95 Grands Prix. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Alex talks about what that milestone means to him and how he’s changed, as a driver and as a person, since joining the team in 2022. Alex also tells Tom why Williams have had a difficult start to the new era of Formula 1 and how that setback has changed their targets of competing for podiums, race wins and championships. You’ll also hear about Alex’s relationship with teammate Carlos Sainz and how he views the success…
2 Jun 2026 · 41 min
LEGENDS: Jean Alesi’s one and only win
At the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix, Jean Alesi achieved the sole Grand Prix victory of his Formula 1 career. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Jean relives the standout moments from that unforgettable moment in Montreal – like only finding out from the fans that he was leading the race, doing a lap of honour on the back of Michael Schumacher’s car, and then being whisked to the Vatican in Rome to celebrate. He talks about the emotions he felt when crossing the finish line and what he feels now when looking back – and whether only winning one race frustrates him. Jean also shares some brilliant stories…
26 May 2026 · 40 min
Mattia Binotto: ‘Audi are serious’ about F1 success
He learned how to win at Ferrari. He believes Audi can become Formula 1 World Championship contenders by 2030. For Mattia Binotto, the first step is raising the ambition of every person in his team. Audi aren’t on the grid to take part. They’re there to win. The Audi Team Principal tells Tom Clarkson how he plans to turn the former Sauber team into winners. Mattia talks about the pressure and opportunity created by Audi, a brand with an impressive record in other forms of motorsport. He explains the ingredients that made Ferrari the dominant team of the early 2000s and how he aims to apply…
19 May 2026 · 47 min
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 multiple wins, poles and podiums throughout his 15 seasons at the pinnacle of motorsport, David Coulthard was often fighting at the front. But how did he make his way into the fastest cars? Speaking to Tom Clarkson, David shares some of the remarkable tales from that journey – including his careful approach to getting a drive at Williams after the death of Ayrton Senna and why a ‘totally unnecessary’…
12 May 2026 · 30 min
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, Jenson admits he did get to a point where he thought a win might never happen. So how did he feel when he finally did cross the finish line and take the chequered flag first? Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Jenson talks through the race in great detail, before describing the emotions of that huge milestone, how he celebrated and why it changed him as a driver. Plus, the 2009 World Champion also…
5 May 2026 · 48 min
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. He wanted a challenge, and he certainly got one. 50 years later, Emerson tells Tom Clarkson why he and his brother Wilson launched Copersucar, a team based in their home country of Brazil. He also remembers the dramatic events that led him to start his own team – winning the World Championship with Lotus and considering retirement before winning a second title with McLaren, and the…
28 Apr 2026 · 50 min
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 wheel-to-wheel with World Champions. The Racing Bulls driver has made a fast start to his first season in Formula 1. He always believed he’d race at the top. He’s living his childhood dream and he’s loving it. Arvid tells Tom Clarkson how he went from watching F1 on TV aged 4 to racing in F1 aged 18, inspired and supported by his family, his coach – the racing driver Olly Rowland – and Helmut…
21 Apr 2026 · 45 min
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 close to F1 before. This time he’s determined to make it. Speaking on the day he had a seat-fit for Cadillac’s F1 car, Colton Herta tells Tom Clarkson about growing up at racetracks with his father, IndyCar legend Bryan Herta, his love of motorsport and F1 deals that never happened with Sauber and Red Bull’s junior team. Colton also remembers leaving the US as a teenager to race in Europe,…
14 Apr 2026 · 55 min
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 Car and his job have evolved since his first race back in 2000 and some of the most iconic races he’s been involved in over the last 25 years. He talks through what a Grand Prix weekend looks like for him, the role his co-driver Richard Darker plays and some of the challenges they face – like picking up the leader when the Safety Car is deployed and judging wet conditions. Bernd also reveals…
7 Apr 2026 · 48 min
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 getting closer and closer to that dream. Doriane tells Tom Clarkson her racing story so far, from feeling like a 'superhero' in her kart, to seeking sponsors at the age of 11, taking on the Le Mans 24 hours, and being spotted by the Mercedes Junior Programme. In F1 ACADEMY, Doriane switched to racing open wheel cars on Grand Prix circuits, supported by Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton, George…
31 Mar 2026 · 48 min
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 write that year off and prioritise the new regulations for 2026? Their decision to stay focussed on the ‘25 car paid off, with Max Verstappen going from more than 100 points behind to missing out on the title by just two points. But in this new era of Formula 1, Red Bull have fallen down the pecking order after a difficult start to the season. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Laurent explains why they…
25 Mar 2026 · 59 min
Ayao Komatsu: aiming high with Haas
Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu is Tom Clarkson’s guest on this week’s F1 Beyond The Grid. Ayao has been with Haas since their debut season 10 years ago, but he’s only been in charge since 2024. What has he learned about leadership in that time? How did he guide the team’s recovery from such a difficult start last season? And what are Haas’ targets in the new era of Formula 1? As for the drivers, Ayao tells Tom what he wants to see from Esteban Ocon this year and how long they can hold on to Ollie Bearman if his eye-catching performances continue. Ayao also reveals a lot about his…
18 Mar 2026 · 39 min
LEGENDS: How Jacques Villeneuve shook up F1
The son of a motorsport legend, a racer since childhood, Formula 1 was Jacques Villeneuve's destiny. In 1996, the young Canadian arrived at his first Grand Prix and immediately proved he belonged there by taking pole position. In his rookie season Villeneuve won races, went wheel-to-wheel with Michael Schumacher and took Williams teammate Damon Hill to a final race title-decider. 30 years on, he sits down with Tom Clarkson to remember how he shook up the sport. Jacques explains why he left IndyCar as reigning champion to join Williams in Formula 1, and how racing on ovals influenced how he…
11 Mar 2026 · 44 min
Dan Towriss: the ‘passion and drive’ behind Cadillac F1 Team
The newest team in Formula 1 are here to compete. Cadillac have earned the respect of their rivals. Now they’re pushing to get faster. CEO Dan Towriss takes Tom Clarkson back to the start of the story - how he and his TWG Motorsports company first became involved in discussions about F1, conversations with General Motors and Cadillac, the work to build a team, choosing their race drivers and making their F1 debut in Australia. Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are the first Cadillac F1 drivers. What do they bring to a new team? What does the future hold for the team’s reserve driver, IndyCar…

About F1 Beyond The Grid

F1 Beyond The Grid is a English sport podcast from Formula 1. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Formula 1
Language: English
Category: Sport
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 45 min
Latest episode: 13 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1405972616

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