
F1 Explains
Your questions about Formula 1, answered by the experts. Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill explain F1 with drivers, engineers and more of the amazing people behind-the-scenes.
Send your questions, voice notes and messages to F1Explains@F1.com
An official F1 podcast. For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid. For race reviews and previews, listen to F1 Nation.
Latest episodes

May 30, 2024 • 40min
How F1 video games are so realistic - with EA SPORTS F124
Cars that feel F1-fast. Racetracks that look real. Drivers in detail. EA SPORTS F124, the latest official Formula 1 game, is out on 31 May and it's more lifelike than ever. How do game designers bring the world of F1 to life on your console? Katie and Christian speak to two of F124's creators to find out:
Lee Mather - Senior Creative Designer
Casey Ringley - Senior Game Designer + Vehicle Handling Lead
Lee explains how photos and radar are used to make sure racetracks look like the real thing. Casey reveals how the brand new Dynamic Handling on F124 and input from Max Verstappen makes the cars better than ever to drive. Plus, Christian tries to put himself in the game...
EA SPORTS F124 is out on 31 May
PEGI: 3 • ESRB: E • Mild Language. In-Game Purchases. Users Interact.
Send us your F1 question and we'll find the expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com
Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:
LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows
More Official F1 Podcasts
For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest stars, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
For race previews and reviews from inside the F1 paddock, listen to F1 Nation
Played the game? Now see F1 for real
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas, across Europe and around the world are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com

May 23, 2024 • 43min
Ruth Buscombe + Bernie Collins on strategy mistakes, upgrades + how to work in F1
Grand Prix-winning strategists Ruth Buscombe and Bernie Collins are back with Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill to answer another batch of your Formula 1 questions.
On the list this week:
Why do teams sometimes get their race strategies wrong?
How are car upgrades planned?
How do you become an F1 race strategist?
What do drivers do to look after their tyres?
What are the T-bars on top of F1 cars, and why are they different colours?
Send us your F1 question and we'll find the expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com
Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:
LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows
More Official F1 Podcasts
For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation
Experience Formula 1 live in 2024
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas and across Europe are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com

May 16, 2024 • 46min
Bernie Collins + Ruth Buscombe on strategy secrets, crazy races + radio riddles
Two race-winning F1 strategists answer your questions on how teams plan their pit stops, what happens if fewer than 10 cars finish a Grand Prix and how teams hide their secrets when they speak to drivers on the radio.
Bernie Collins and Ruth Buscombe join Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill for a quickfire episode of F1 Explains. Why do some teams hope they'll finish a lap behind the leader? What happens when a driver is told to 'keep their head down'? What words did Ruth struggle with when she moved from an Italian team to a British one?
Send us your F1 question and we'll find the expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com
Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:
LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows
More Official F1 Podcasts
For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation
Experience F1 live in 2024
Tickets for races in Texas, Las Vegas and across Europe are available now. Go to tickets.formula1.com

May 9, 2024 • 37min
Guenther Steiner on his hardest decision + the biggest gossip in F1? LIVE in Miami
At the Miami Grand Prix, F1 Explains went live on-stage with former Haas Team Principal and Miami GP Ambassador, Guenther Steiner.
F1 Explains listeners Joan from Florida, Amanda from Tennessee and Nick from Washington D.C. asked Guenther questions about the life of an F1 Team Principal and whether Steiner's office door survived being smashed by Kevin Magnussen.
Special thanks to Sam Rose, Carla Corbet, Lyndsey Fairburn, Lindsay Krushner, Jamil Russell-Lewis + Jason Gol
Watch F1 live in 2024
Tickets for the US Grand Prix in Austin, the Las Vegas Grand Prix and the rest of the 2024 F1 season are available now at tickets.formula1.com
Catch up with our other episodes
F1 car setup - with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
Race suits, boots + underwear: what F1 drivers wear - with PUMA
F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows
More Official F1 Podcasts
For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation

May 3, 2024 • 30min
Fernando Alonso, Pedro de la Rosa + Tom McCullough explain F1 car set-up
A Formula 1 car is like a musical instrument: to perform at its best, it has to be tuned. Aerodynamics, suspension, tyres, and transmission can all be changed to suit the racetrack, the driver and the weather.
In Miami, Christian Hewgill joins Aston Martin to explore car setup, with driver Fernando Alonso, Ambassador and former F1 racer Pedro de la Rosa, and Performance Director Tom McCullough.
Send us your F1 question and we'll find the expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com
Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:
LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner and F1 Explains listeners
F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows
More Official F1 Podcasts
For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation

Apr 25, 2024 • 38min
F1 race suits, boots + gloves: what F1 drivers wear - with PUMA
When F1 drivers get dressed for a race, safety is the number one priority. Their gloves, balaclavas, boots, suits and underwear protect them from fire and heat. But race kit can't slow them down. It needs to be light, comfortable and breathable, with a few special features built-in to help them perform at their best.
Maurizio Sicco, Consultant at PUMA Motorsport and racewear expert tells Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill all about F1 race kit, how it's designed and tested, and the special requests drivers make for their customised gear.
Leading sportswear brand PUMA make race suits for Mercedes, Sauber, Ferrari and Williams, and the PUMA x F1 collection, available now
Send us your F1 question and we'll find the expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com
Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:
How F1 video games are so realistic - with EA SPORTS F124
LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows
More Official F1 Podcasts
For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation

Apr 18, 2024 • 47min
Alpine's Jack Doohan explains F1 brakes - with Brembo
Taming the insane speed of an F1 car takes extraordinary skill and incredible technology. The brakes glow red hot. The drivers feel extreme G-forces. How do F1 braking systems work, and how do drivers cope every time they slam their left foot into the pedal?
Katie Osborne and Christian Hewgill break down F1 brakes with:
Andrea Algeri, engineer from Brembo, which produces brakes for the entire F1 grid
Jack Doohan, Alpine Reserve Driver
Send us your F1 question and we'll find the expert to answer it
Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com
Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:
How F1 video games are so realistic - with EA SPORTS F124
LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
F1 race suits, boots, gloves + underwear - with PUMA
The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows
More Official F1 Podcasts
For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation

Apr 11, 2024 • 40min
Aston Martin's Mike Krack explains the life of an F1 Team Principal
Formula 1 Team Principals have a lot to do. They have to manage the drivers, engineers, mechanics, designers and hundreds of other employees at the racetrack and in the factory. Team Principals lead them all through wins, podiums and retirements. If things don't go well, they sometimes pay with their jobs.
Aston Martin's Team Principal Mike Krack tells Katie and Christian about his job and how it differs from his fellow bosses. Plus, how he manages drivers, keeps on top of the rulebook and why he chooses to watch races from the pit wall, not the garage.
Got a question? We can answer it!
We love answering your F1 questions. Write them in an email or record them as a voice note and send them to F1Explains@F1.com
Catch up with our other episodes
Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows
More Official F1 Podcasts
For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation

Apr 4, 2024 • 29min
Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu explain F1 teammate rivalries
In Formula 1, a driver's teammate is their biggest rival. Each wants to beat the other, but they also need to score maximum points for their teams. When teammates work together, big rewards can follow. When they clash, it can get messy.
Kick Sauber F1 Team duo Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu have been teammates since 2022. They tell Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne the secrets of their relationship, how they help each other, how they race each other on track, how they balance teamwork and rivalry and how they decide who gets which side of the garage...
Get in touch
We love answering your F1 questions. Write an email or record a voice note and send it to F1Explains@F1.com
Catch up with our other episodes
LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner and F1 Explains listeners
Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
Suits, boots + underwear: what F1 drivers wear - with PUMA
The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows
More Official F1 Podcasts
For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation

Mar 29, 2024 • 39min
Jolyon Palmer + Alex Jacques explain driving styles, pit stop problems + F1 rule changes
'Please can you summarise how F1 rules have changed since Fernando Alonso's F1 debut?', asks Richard in Dallas, Texas. 23 years of engines, tyres and points systems? No problem for Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne!
That's just one of the questions tackled in this episode, featuring F1TV commentator Alex Jacques and former Renault F1 racer Jolyon Palmer. Also answered:
What's the difference between F1, FOM and the FIA?
What happens in a team after a bad pit stop?
Why did Jolyon Palmer never wear a cap when he raced in F1?
Ask us a question!
Want to be on the next episode of F1 Explains? If you've got an F1 question, send it to us and we'll find an expert to answer it. Send your email or voice note to F1Explains@F1.com
Check out our other episodes
F1 car setup - with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
Race suits, boots + underwear: what F1 drivers wear - with PUMA
F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack
Why F1 teammates are friends + foes - with Valtteri Bottas + Zhou Guanyu
How Formula 2 + Formula 3 prepare drivers for F1 - with Oscar Piastri
F1 Academy - with Susie Wolff + Lia Block
The F1 race start - with Mick Schumacher + strategist Bernie Collins
Behind the scenes on Drive to Survive - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees
Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with Mercedes, McLaren + Alpine
How F1 teams build their new cars - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows
More Official F1 Podcasts
In-depth interviews with the sport's biggest stars: F1 Beyond The Grid with Tom Clarkson
Listen to race previews and reviews from the F1 paddock on F1 Nation