The Autosport F1 Podcast

It has been one of F1’s worst kept secrets, but Audi has finally named Sauber as its "strategic partner" to enter Formula 1 in 2026. Sauber has confirmed that Audi will buy a stake in the company, but we don’t know how much We know they will begin increasing their stake, but we don’t know when. Ferrari have a Sauber engine supply deal until the end of 2025, but that means supplying a competing road car manufacturer, and the potential for Audi to gain knowledge of the Ferrari program. Will that be an issue for the team at Maranello?  Again, so many unanswered questions. Today we ask: ·       Why has F1 been so keen on getting VW Group into the sport? ·       What does this mean for Audi, Sauber and Alfa Romeo? ·       And can Audi be competitive when they arrive? Let’s get up to speed with Autosport’s Matt Kew. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Martyn Lee is joined by Luke Smith and Mandy Curi, who were both at Circuit Of The Americas this weekend, to look back at the United States Grand Prix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Luke Smith and Alex Kalinauckas analyse the grid for United States GP, which differs slightly from the order they crossed the line because of various power unit penalties. We pay tribute to  Dietrich Mateschitz, as it was announced shortly before qualifying that he had sadly passed away following an illness. Luke and Alex also reflect on the current resurgence of Formula 1 in the United States, as Austin hosts another fan-packed grand prix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s not unheard of in Motorsport, but certainly not common, for a newly crowned champion driver to up sticks and move to a back-of-the-grid team. But that’s exactly what is happening in Formula E next season. Stoffel Vandoorne will move to the Dragon Penske squad as drivers champion and join a team with two points to their name in 2021-2022. Today we ask: How will the grid look different next season as the reigning champ heads from Mercedes to Dragon? Why one of the most successful teams might not be on the grid? And can the new Gen3 cars provide the entertainment needed to forget about the manufacturers who have recently left the sport? Let's get up to speed with Autosport’s Jake Boxall-Legge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Extreme weather is nothing new to Formula 1. But it seems more recently, it is becoming an issue for the cars. Seven sessions up to the 2022 mid-season break required wet or intermediate tyres: the events in Imola, Monaco, Montreal and Budapest. Since then, add Singapore and Suzuka. We hear a lot about how rain levels the performance, how it throws the form book out of the window, how it shakes up the grid. According to F1 legend Pat Symonds, the opposite is the case. We’re going to look at two things today. Firstly, Pat’s argument that Formula 1’s recent adventures in the rain show that far from levelling the performance, it’s the best who do better. And then we’ll look at specifically this generation of cars and wet weather tyres. Today we ask: ·      Do downpours really level the playing field? ·      Why do the best teams and drivers always rise to the top? ·      And why we can’t think of the rain as having an equal effect on machine vs driver. Let's get up to speed with GP Racing magazine editor Stuart Codling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Formula 1 2022 could have been Ferrari’s triumphant return to the top. Both world championships were in play as Ferrari stole an early lead. Three races in, Charles Leclerc was 46 points clear of Max Verstappen and more importantly Ferrari looked to have pace in their pocket. Fast forward, and in Suzuka just over a week ago Verstappen’s title was a formality with a margin of 113 points over Leclerc, and in Austin this weekend Red Bull could clinch the team battle too. Ferrari weren’t just bested; they were well and truly beaten.  With four races to go, and no major rules change into next year, what next for Ferrari? Today we ask: How much of a missed opportunity was 2022?          How far away are they from beating Red Bull? And what the drivers can take forward to do battle in 2023? Let's get up to speed with Autosport's Luke Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every Formula 1 driver has to fight for their place on the grid, and they only need to glance across to the Formula 2 paddock to see 22 drivers all with an eye of putting you on the unemployment line. For example, take the next F2 race at Yas Marina in November. Last year’s F2 races were won by Zhou Guanyu and Oscar Piastri, two names which have displaced legends Kimi Räikkönen and Daniel Ricciardo from Alfa Romeo and McLaren respectively. With a 14 round, 28 race season following F1 around the world, it’s the perfect chance to see legends on their way up, just as GP2 was and to a lesser extent it’s predecessor Formula 3000. Today we ask: •          How was the 2022 season was dominated by the champion? •          Is this the ultimate open-wheeled spec series? •          And what happens next after you win Formula 2? Let's get up to speed with Autosport's Megan White and Martyn Lee  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“When I crossed the line, I didn't know that I was World Champion, there was a lot of confusion but I thought it was quite funny“.  Those are the words of Max Verstappen. At the Japanese Grand Prix, the 25 year old Dutchman won his second World Championship with a dominant performance in the wet. But it wasn’t just his supremacy in Suzuka, his 32nd GP win, which led to his title coronation. After all, he has won 12 Grand Prix this year, plus the Sprints in Italy and Austria. But over the weekend, Verstappen was denied his moment of elation when taking the chequered flag. Whether it’s tears, screams or the perfect soundbite from a team boss, those few seconds after crossing the line are edited for a prime time spot in news bulletins around the world. In many ways, it’s Formula 1’s shop window. So what went wrong last weekend? •          Why wasn’t Verstappen told he was world champion? •          Why were some teams unsure of when to stop racing? •          And how did a new rulebook, a shortened race and a last corner penalty cause a perfect storm of confusion? Let's get up to speed with Motorsport.com’s Jonathan Noble and Martyn Lee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the 2022 Formula 1 season played out, particularly Max Verstappen's battles with Charles Leclerc, we naturally focussed on performances race by race. Now that Verstappen has secured his second drivers title, we think it's time to reflect on the sheer scale of his dominance.  Verstappen won 12 Grand Prix this season plus the sprints in Italy and Austria.  Consider we've only had 18 race meetings (with four remaining) and Verstappen didn’t score any points in two of the first three, Bahrain and Australia.   • What were the key moments this year? • Was it a season Max won, or one Ferrari lost? • And what does it mean for the future?   Let's get up to speed with Autosport’s Matt Kew and Martyn Lee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Red Bull Racing and Aston Martin have both been found to be in breach of Formula 1’s cost cap rules. We're going to tell you exactly what they’ve done, and what it means.   We’ll find out:   • Everything we know so far about Red Bull’s overspend • How the teams are policed, and why we’re still talking about 2021 • What this mean for the teams who complied, and potential punishment for Red Bull  Let's get up to speed with Autosport's Luke Smith and Martyn Lee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices