
The Autosport F1 Podcast
The Autosport F1 Podcast is one of the world’s leading authorities on Formula 1 as we celebrate 75 years of covering the pinnacle of motorsport. There’s the latest news, race previews and reviews, as well as Q+A sessions with our journalists, giving you content every week from our studios and the F1 world.
Latest episodes

Mar 9, 2022 • 57min
583: F1 2022 with Karun Chandhok
Today we're joined by professional racing driver, TV commentator and MotorsportUK board member Karun Chandhok. We're looking ahead to the Bahrain test this week and discussing what was learned from Barcelona. Should the teams have foreseen the porpoising issue? And can teams fix any issues completely within the timescale and the budget restrictions?
Karun also talks about how international sporting bodies have taken a stance against Russian and Belarusian athletes. He discusses, from his perspective as a driver, the role of professional sportspeople as influencers and role models.
Finally we look at the driver line-ups following Max Verstappen's long term commitment to Red Bull Racing, and which driver pairings he thinks are the ones to watch this year. Karun is joined by GP Racing magazine editor Ben Anderson and your host, Alex Kalinauckas.
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Mar 3, 2022 • 1h 16min
582: Kevin's Top 10...Ferrari Drivers Ranked
As the most successful constructor in Formula 1 history, and its only ever-present force since 1950, Ferrari has had its fair share of top-line drivers during its world championship history. Autosport takes on the task of ranking its very best from the past 71 years.
Alex Kalinauckas is joined by Matt Kew and, of course, Kevin Turner to argue about which drivers deserve their place in the Top 10.
Thank you to today's podcast sponsor BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month by using this link, which also let's the know you heard about BetterHelp on the Autosport Podcast: www.betterhelp.com/autosport
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Mar 1, 2022 • 40min
581: Rally Sweden Review - Why you need to follow WRC this year
Tom Howard is fresh off the plane from Sweden with his full review of how Kalle Rovanperä took an emphatic victory to take charge of the championship. The 21 year old decided on muted celebrations, after giving his support to the people of Ukraine currently under Russian invasion, exactly 21 years after his father Harri took his only World Rally Championship victory at the same event.
In contrast, Elfyn Evans had a weekend to forget. A 10 second time penalty caused by him leaving the designated course, whilst recovering from crashing over a snow back on the final corner, would just be the start of his pain.
To discuss that and a lot more, Martyn Lee joins Tom Howard to look back at memorable weekend of motorsport.
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Feb 25, 2022 • 42min
580: F1 testing - Day 3 - What We Learned In Barcelona
Mercedes put in some quick laps to top morning and afternoon sessions, with drivers running two by two, and both Red Bulls not far behind.
For anyone hoping the new regulations might mean the competitive order was thrown up in the air will be disappointed. But for followers of Formula 1, you won't be surpirsed that the status quo is a good place to start when decoding the timesheets from testing.
Maybe it's a sign that many of the teams are talking up Ferrari, or are they trying some smoke-and-mirrors to divert attention off their own cars.
Joining Martyn Lee to discuss all the action from the final day of the first pre-season test is Luke Smith (F1 Reporter, Autosport) and Haydn Cobb (Editor, Autosport.com).
Formula 1 says it will not hold the Russian Grand Prix scheduled for 25 September "in the current circumstances" following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: “On Thursday evening Formula 1, the FIA, and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is, including the view of all relevant stakeholders, that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances.”
The promoter of the Russian Grand Prix confirmed the contract to hold the race had been suspended, but also asl fans not to seek refunds for tickets as "it is still possible that the round will take place and will be held as previously scheduled".
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Feb 25, 2022 • 53min
579: IndyCar Returns! We talk to Al Unser Jr about his life, career and new book
AL UNSER JR has lived a double life - supreme racing talent and self-inflicted personal turmoil. He won two CART championships and won the Indianapolis 500 twice. It's rare for someone so successful in their motorsport career to open up on struggles with addiction, depression and abuse.
His new book "Al Unser Jr: A Checkered Past" is a brutally honest look at some of the stories which racing fans will know, and some which he has never talked about before.
Growing up in Indycar with a famous surname he was put on a pedestal. Nephew to Bobby, son of Al. The story of 'Little Al' would too often leave the pages of Autosport for the tabloids to chart the fall from grace of an American darling.
JAMES NEWBOLD asks about how he was able to supress his anger at Emerson Fittipaldi after his crash in the 1989 Indy 500, and win an award for sportsmanship, when he had to fight every natural urge not to retaliate. He says what he thinks of the current crop of teams and drivers, and who impresses him the most. He also talks about the process of writing his book alongside noted author JADE GURSS and how he had to stop several times because he was in tears.
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Feb 24, 2022 • 33min
578: F1 Testing - Day 2 - The Stories Behind The Laptimes
Day 2 of F1 pre-season testing saw global events overtake what was happening on track, with drivers and teams speaking out against the Russia/Ukraine conflict. Meetings between organisers will soon communicate Formula 1's stance on the planned race in Sochi.
Martyn Lee is joined by Alex Kalinauckas (Grand Prix Editor, Autosport) and Jake Boxall-Legge (Technical Editor, Autosport) to dig into the timesheets and work out what's really going on. We've been trackside again today and observing how some of the cars are suffering with high speed instability, in a throwback to the 1980's ground effect cars.
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Feb 24, 2022 • 15min
577: The secrets revealed in Red Bull's RB18 unveiling - Autosport Plus
Welcome to a bonus episode of the show featuring some exclusive content from the subscriber area of Autosport.com. Autosport Plus
Red Bull was the first Formula 1 team to launch its 2022 season, but is the last to actually show off its new car. Finally unveiling its RB18 to the world on the first day of pre-season testing in Barcelona, here's what can be seen from the radical new challenger Max Verstappen will defend his 2021 title with.
For a 50% discount on your first payment to the exclusive Autosport Plus subscriber area, using the code PODCAST at checkout.
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Feb 23, 2022 • 38min
576: F1 Testing - Day 1 + Red Bull's Dramatic RB18 Revealed
The Autosport Podcast will bring you coverage of Formula 1 testing at the end of every day of track action. On today's podcast we're looking at the first day of testing (officially a shakedown) and how any fears about early reliability were quickly dispelled. Eight teams achieved over 100 laps as they executed their individual run plans with little drama and no red flags to interrupt sessions.
Martyn Lee is joined by Jake Boxall-Legge (Technical Editor, Autosport) and Haydn Cobb (Autosport.com Editor) to talk about what it was like trackside, and also analyse some of the technical aspects of the Red Bull RB18 which made it's first real appearance today.
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Feb 17, 2022 • 1h 23min
575: Top 10 Drivers To Watch in BTCC and TOCA Support Series
Today we're using the build up to the 2022 season to look back at who excelled last year, and therefore who we should be watching this year. Settle in because this is a long one, with both Top 10 drivers argued out for British Touring Cars and the TOCA support series (Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Ginetta Junior, Mini Challenge and British Formula 4).
We didn't rush this one out at the end of 2021 because so much of our time was spent with the incredibly late running F1 calendar, plus we knew that we had a healthy gap before these series started again. It's still around a month before we'll even see some F4 or Ginetta testing. And a couple of months before the opening round at Donington Park.
Hosting todays podcast is Autosport's Chief Editor, Kevin Turner. He's joined by Marcus Simmons and Stephen Lickorish.
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Feb 7, 2022 • 23min
574: Autosport Awards Highlights
Later than originally planned, the Autosport Awards 2021 were presented on Sunday 6th February at London's Grosvenor House.
On the podcast today we bring you highlights of the winners speeches and some of the stars we met on the red carpet. The categories, voted on by readers of Autosport magazine and autosport.com, are below:
Racing Driver of the Year presented by Pirelli
Race Car of the Year presented by Blink Experience
Rally Driver of the Year
Rally Car of the Year
Rookie of the Year
British Racing Driver of the Year
UK Racer of the Year
Esports Driver of the Year presented by Motorsport Games
Esports Team of the Year presented by Motorsport Games
Pioneering and Innovation Award presented by Mahindra
Gold Medal Award
Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award
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