From Military to Motorsport: Lessons in High Pressure

Tom Clarkson’s guest on this week’s F1 Beyond The Grid is McLaren’s Chief Operating Officer, Piers Thynne, who has been with the team since 2008.

He oversees everything that happens at the team's base, the McLaren Technology Centre, so he’s played a crucial role in their current success.

How have McLaren transformed into World Champions after finishing second to last in 2017? Why is their philosophy of getting ‘comfortable with being uncomfortable’ so productive? What impact have Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had on the whole team? And how are McLaren preparing for new regulations in 2026, while fighting for both titles in 2025?

Piers provides fantastic insight into what it takes to run a championship-winning Formula 1 team away from the track. He also talks about his passion for McLaren’s heritage cars, the lessons he took into F1 from his time as an army officer serving in Iraq, and how his father helped a certain F1 legend become a World Champion.

It’s All To Drive For. Be there!
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