James Allen On F1

James Allen On F1
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Jul 23, 2025 • 54min

41: The F1 Season In Numbers At The Halfway Stage

In F1 the numbers never lie; whether it’s zeros on a paycheck, thousandths of a second on a stopwatch or points of downforce on a new front wing. At the halfway stage of the F1 World Championship, the points tables for drivers and constructors tell their own story. McLaren are well ahead in both; Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull trail badly. But by looking at the underlying numbers we can spot trends and learn more about what’s really going on this season and what might happen in the second half. We did this at the quarter stage and now at we look again, after 12 rounds in this 24 race F1 World Championship. Joining James Allen are special guest Dan Fallows - one of the top F1 engineers of the last two decades, he headed up the Red Bull aero department from the Sebastian Vettel era up to the first ground effect car in 2022 and was most recently Technical Director of Aston Martin F1 team. Also joining us are F1 data guru Rob Smedley, of Smedley Group and Autosport’s Jake Boxall-Legge. To view the highlights of the Global F1 Fan Survey and to download the Whitepaper, go to https://fansurvey2025-formula1.motorsportnetwork.com/ Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com. Producers: Dre Harrison, Ben Holmes A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport
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Jul 16, 2025 • 49min

40: The Chase For Power And Money In F1: Two Perspectives

On this week’s podcast we speak to the most powerful woman in F1 today and the American who plans to be one of the two most powerful men next year. As Chief Commercial Officer of F1 and CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Emily Prazer is responsible for bringing billions of dollars of revenue into the sport. She tells us her plans to make Vegas bigger and better this year and reveals its economic impact. Meanwhile Tim Mayer will face off against Mohammed Ben Sulayem in December’s election for FIA President. He faces an uphill task, but he strongly believes the FIA can be more professionally run. He explains why he has decided to run, what he would do differently from the current President and how he would avoid conflicts with F1 drivers over topics like jewellery and swearing. James Allen is also joined in the studio by Autosport’s F1 Business Correspondent Mark Mann-Bryans. To view the highlights of the Global F1 Fan Survey and to download the full Whitepaper, go to https://fansurvey2025-formula1.motorsportnetwork.com/ Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com Producer: Dre Harrison A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport
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Jul 9, 2025 • 38min

39: Emergency Podcast - Christian Horner Sacked By Red Bull Racing

In this emergency podcast we react to the news that Christian Horner has been sacked with immediate effect by Red Bull Racing. During 20 years in charge of Red Bull Racing Horner won eight Drivers’ championships, six constructors’ and took 124 Grand Prix wins. But after some key departures and the poor performance this season of the car the team has dropped Horner. His role will be taken by Racing Bulls Team Principal Laurent Mekies, who in turn will be replaced by Alan Permane, Racing Bulls Racing Director. We’ll get into the background to the sacking, what role Max Verstappen and his father may have played and what it means for Ferrari, who may well move for the 51 year-old to replace Fred Vasseur, whose contract expires at the end of this season. James Allen is joined in the studio to analyse the news by our correspondents Ronald Vording from Netherlands, Christian Nimmervoll from Austria and Motorsport Editor-in-Chief Ben Hunt. To view the highlights of the Global F1 Fan Survey and to download the full Whitepaper, go to https://fansurvey2025-formula1.motorsportnetwork.com/ Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com. Producer: Dre Harrison A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport
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Jul 2, 2025 • 49min

38: F1 Fans Make Their Voices Heard As New Survey Breaks Cover

This week we get behind the numbers to find out what fans think of F1, as the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey is launched, ahead of the British Grand Prix. Over 100,000 respondents took part from 186 countries. Fans were self-selecting, so this isn’t a complete picture of all F1 fans worldwide, but what it does show is that F1 is managing the juggling act of attracting new fans, while keeping its long-standing fans on board. And the responses show there is quite a bit of common ground between the two cohorts, not least that the sporting product of F1 is the most important thing for both. We look at the box office numbers for the opening weekend of F1 The Movie and ask what it means for the sport. And we’ll hear from the newest team principal on the grid, Graeme Lowdon, why Cadillac will be operating out of both the US and the UK when they come into F1 next season. You can watch the full YouTube video on the Autosport YouTube Channel. Joining James Allen in the studio to talk through all this are Motorsport’s Editor-in-Chief Ben Hunt and F1 writer Emily Selleck. To view the highlights of the Global F1 Fan Survey and to download the Whitepaper, go to https://fansurvey2025-formula1.motorsportnetwork.com/ Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com. Producer: Dre Harrison A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport
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Jun 25, 2025 • 41min

37: Behind The Scenes Of A Visceral New F1 Documentary

A new F1 documentary film launches next week that brilliantly shows both the raw emotional journey and the lived experience of an F1 driver. It covers Damon Hill’s life from when his idyllic childhood was shattered after his World Champion father Graham Hill died in a place crash to finally winning the F1 World Championship in 1996. It’s a story laced with good and bad luck and a burning desire to put right what had gone wrong when his father died. What marks out this film is the rawness of the emotion in the storytelling, particularly from Damon and his wife Georgie. F1 drivers make good subjects because they are so extreme; extraordinary people who do extraordinary things. The timing is perfect as F1 the Movie hits cinemas this week, telling an underdog story. Damon was a real-life F1 underdog. So what is it really like to lose everything, but come through to triumph? And why did he feel Williams were never really behind him in his title quest? Damon Hill joins James Allen to discuss the film, along with Sky Sports F1 presenter Simon Lazenby, whose production company Sylverent brought the project to life. And joining them is Autosport’s Editor in Chief Kevin Turner. “Hill” debuts 2 July on Sky Documentaries. Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com. Producer: Dre Harrison A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport
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Jun 18, 2025 • 51min

36: Brad Pitt’s F1 Movie: The Verdict

Finally.. it’s F1 movie launch season. But is the film, dubbed by one critic “Barbie for men” any good? Our correspondents were given a preview showing in Montreal and give their verdict. We hear from the producer Jerry Bruckheimer and one of the stars, Kerry Condon.  Plus we examine the fallout from the Canadian Grand Prix - for the second consecutive race we saw a collision in the closing stages. This time Lando Norris hit his team mate Oscar Piastri, but the dent was in Lando’s championship challenge. We look at the external and internal pressure mounting on Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur and discuss echoes from the past when Jean Todt was under pressure and Michael Schumacher protected him. As Renault’s CEO abruptly departs, what next for Alpine F1 as they sink to 10th in the Constructors’ Championship while doing an exec search for their fourth team principal in two years? Fernando Alonso gave Aston Martin a season best result in Montreal on their 100th Grand Prix, but is Lance Stroll’s form a concern? And should Montreal race winner George Russell take matters into his own hands and force a move to Aston? In the studio with James Allen, one of our regulars, Motorsport Editor-in-Chief Ben Hunt and we welcome back Autosport’s F1 Business Correspondent Mark Mann-Bryans. Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X/Twitter or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com. Producer: Dre Harrison A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport
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Jun 11, 2025 • 48min

35: Inside The F1 Race That’s Bigger Than Glastonbury

This week we look at what’s going on at Silverstone, as we count down to the British Grand Prix in a few weeks’ time, the UK’s largest ticketed event. We look at how the Grand Prix is broadcast with Channel 4 TV presenter Lee McKenzie. Lee gives her view on Lewis Hamilton’s struggles at Ferrari. And as a woman who has worked in the F1 industry for over 15 years, she gives her take on how F1 has managed to get to 42% of its fanbase being female. We also have the latest in our series of race promoter interviews. James Allen travels up to Silverstone to meet with CEO Stuart Pringle, who tells us how his team handle 480,000 fans over four days, how Silverstone is becoming more than just a race venue and we get into the thorny question of ticket pricing. Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X/Twitter or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com. Producer: Dre Harrison A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport
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Jun 4, 2025 • 51min

34: How To “Provoke” An F1 Team Into Ultra-High Performance

It’s a packed edition this week as James travels to the impressive new Aston Martin factory at Silverstone to speak to CEO and team principal Andy Cowell, the latest in our series of F1 Team Principal interviews. Cowell speaks in detail about Adrian Newey’s involvement in the design of the teams Honda-powered 2026 car and how he’s ‘provoking’ the team to reach an ultra-high performance level. Max Verstappen seemed to feel that his Red Bull team was anything but high-performing in the Spanish GP. But is that what drove his bizarre behaviour, colliding with Mercedes’ George Russell? James is joined in the studio by Motorsport.com Editor in Chief Ben Hunt and by Autosport’s Dutch F1 writer Ronald Vording to discuss the fallout. Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com. Producer: Dre Harrison A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport
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May 28, 2025 • 44min

33: F1 Is “Shakespeare on Wheels” And It’s Pulling In The Big Money

Monaco was not the most exciting Grand Prix, Lando Norris closed the gap in the title race on his team-mate Oscar Piastri with his first victory on the streets. McLaren extended their already massive lead in the Constructors table and no-one looked happier on the podium than McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown. But away from the track, Monaco was a huge weekend, with more people, more boats and more going on than for many years. It reflected F1’s cultural and financial boomtime. And we are focussing on that in this episode. F1 is attracting a lot of new sponsors, but what is bringing the big money into the sport? We hear from the largest of them, LVMH, who have come in with a 10 year $1bn deal, using its multiple brands like Louis Vuitton, Moet Hennessy and TAG Heuer, which was the title sponsor of the Monaco GP, the first time that the race has ever had a title sponsor. We also hear from the new Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang on his vision for how F1 grows from here. James Allen is joined in the studio by Autosport’s F1 Business Correspondent Mark Mann-Bryans. Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X/Twitter or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com. Producer: Dre Harrison A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport
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May 21, 2025 • 28min

32: Why McLaren Look Set For A Record 16th Monaco GP Win

We are in the middle of another triple header, the second of the F1 season so far. Imola proved a more exciting race than anyone expected and Monaco is next with a new rule making two pit stops mandatory. Max Verstappen and Red Bull came roaring back to dominant form in Imola, while Ferrari had a weekend of two halves in front of the tifosi. And Aston Martin found some speed … in qualifying at least! So what’s going on and will Monaco give us a different picture once again? James Allen is joined by Motorsport.com Editor in Chief Ben Hunt, who is fresh back from Imola. And Autosport’s Jake Boxall-Legge explains why he thinks McLaren will be hard to beat on the streets and are favourites for a record 16th Monaco GP win. Don’t miss the chance to compete against our expert writers on Motorsport’s hugely popular F1 Fantasy League. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/race-our-writers-motorsport-launches-its-first-ever-featured-league-on-f1-fantasy/10702182/ Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X/Twitter or jamesallenonf1@autosport.com. Producer: Dre Harrison A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport

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