F1 Nation

 As Max Verstappen celebrates sealing his second F1 World Championship, Tom Clarkson braves the champagne spray to speak to some of those closest to him. Verstappen’s manager, Red Bull’s Chief Engineering Officer and Chief Engineer all share what they think has been most impressive about Max, his race craft and his car in 2022. Former Red Bull driver Christian Klien, Juan Fossaroli of ESPN in Latin America and Dutch journalist Ronald Vording join Tom to explore how Max turned his season around. Plus, how Sergio Perez helped Max take the title in Japan, which driver had ‘their best race ever in F1’, have Alpine struck a crucial blow in their fight with McLaren, and why does Suzuka bring out the best in Sebastian Vettel? This episode is sponsored by: BetterHelp: visit BetterHelp.com/f1nation today to get 10% off your first month NordVPN: EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal at nordvpn.com/f1nation. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!

Baku. Monaco. Singapore. Sergio Perez made it a trio of street circuit wins in Singapore. How is he so good on tight, bumpy tracks, and why is this win especially important for his F1 career? Natalie Pinkham, Tom Clarkson, and Erik van Haren from De Telegraaf in the Netherlands unpick Perez’s winning performance. Plus Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo and Zak Brown of McLaren talk re-taking P4 in their tight Constructor’s Championship battle with Alpine. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll celebrates his best result of the season so far. Team Principal Guenther Steiner and Kevin Magnussen reflect on a frustrating weekend for Haas. Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu gives his take on a race-ending incident. With F1’s return to Japan just days away, will Max Verstappen seal the world title, and will he have to do it on a rainy day at Suzuka?   This episode is sponsored by:  NordVPN: EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal at nordvpn.com/f1nation. Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! GreenChef: visit GreenChef.com/nation135 and use code nation135 to get $135 off across five boxes and your first box ships free! 

After two years off the calendar, the Singapore Grand Prix is back this weekend as Formula 1 returns to the Marina Bay Circuit for the first time since 2019. Tom Clarkson, Natalie Pinkham and Damon Hill explain the unique challenges of F1’s original night race when the drivers will be forced to cope with hot and humid conditions, a tight track and frustration in the cockpit, if they are to come out on top. Touring Car star Rickard Rydell also joins the pod to chat all things F1 – including the junior category rookie who could be Sweden’s next F1 star; and the gang dissect all the big news stories, from what Audi joining means for Formula 1, to the latest moves in the driver market – and make a few predictions for what the race weekend in Singapore will hold for some of F1’s most experienced chargers. And of course, a couple of lucky listeners get to put their questions to the 1996 World Champion in ‘Ask Damon’. To get your F1 question answered by Damon in a future episode of F1 Nation, record it as a voice note and email it to AskDamon@F1.com This episode is sponsored by Trade Coffee: Trade is offering our listeners a total of $30 off your first order plus free shipping at drinktrade.com/nation 

After a breathless spell of three dramatic races back-to-back, Tom Clarkson, Natalie Pinkham and Damon Hill take a moment to look back at three very different Grands Prix – even if all of them were won by the same driver – and look at how Red Bull and Max Verstappen have pulled away from Ferrari since the summer break. Plus they chat about the mounting pressure on the Scuderia, and ask whether Mercedes will be able to break their duck and win a race before the season is out – and whether it could be George Russell rather than Lewis Hamilton who sees the top step of the podium first. The gang also reflect on Nyck De Vries’s impressive debut last time out at Monza – and where that puts him in the race for a full-time place on the grid for next year. Also on the driver market, they examine Alpine’s options for 2023, and why Daniel Ricciardo seems to have dropped out of the running for that seat. And of course, a couple of listeners get to put their questions to the 1996 World Champion in ‘Ask Damon’. To get your F1 question answered by Damon in a future episode of F1 Nation, record it as a voice note and email it to AskDamon@F1.com This episode is sponsored by:  BetterHelp: when you want to be a better problem solver, therapy can get you there. Visit betterhelp.com/f1nation today to get 10% off your first month

Tom Clarkson is joined in the paddock by Fred Ferret from L’Equipe and F1's Technical Illustrator, Giorgio Piola, as they debrief the highs and lows from a weekend racing at Monza which saw Max Verstappen seal his 11th victory of the 2022 season. The trio are joined by McLaren's Lando Norris, Ferrari's Marc Gené, legendary F1 engine designer Mario Illien, Williams' Team Principal Jost Capito, and Nyck de Vries, fresh from a successful maiden Grand Prix after he stepped in for Alex Albon.  This episode is sponsored by: NordVPN: EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/f1nation Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Athletic Greens: get a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase at athleticgreens.com/f1nation  LinkedIn Jobs: find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post a job for free at linkedin.com/F1NATION 

A pulsating Dutch Grand Prix showed the ice-cool thinking and red-hot pace of Max Verstappen and the pressure the F1 pitwall. Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner and Max Verstappen’s father Jos reflect on a fourth successive victory for the 2022 F1 World Championship Leader, whose lead is now 109 points. If Mercedes or Ferrari had made different strategy calls, could the race have ended differently? Tom Clarkson, Auto Hebdo’s Julien Billiotte, Christian Menath of Motorsport-Magazin.com and Allard Kalff from Viaplay in the Netherlands take a deep dive into the Dutch Grand Prix, how and why Max Verstappen won, and the difficulties F1 strategists face when making big decisions. After missing out on points in Zandvoort, Alex Albon joins the team to look forward to Monza. Plus, the team examine great drives from Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris and Lance Stroll, Ferrari’s aims for the rest of 2022, and the 2023 driver market: what’s next for Alpine, AlphaTauri, Daniel Ricciardo and Mick Schumacher? This episode is sponsored by NordVPN EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/f1nation Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!

What a win! From 14th on the grid, Max Verstappen blew the competition away to win in Belgium. How did driving an intelligent first lap set up his incredible victory, and how was he so much faster than his teammate and title rivals? Tom Clarkson, Michael Schmidt from Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport and Swiss F1 racer Marc Surer discuss Verstappen’s dominance, and what it means for this F1 season and beyond. 10th place finisher Alex Albon gives us the set-up secrets behind Williams’ Spa speed, ageless Alonso and outstanding Ocon help Alpine pull further away from McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship, and the team discuss Oscar Piastri’s future and the potential impact on the rest of the 2023 driver market. Plus, we look forward to Audi’s arrival in F1 with Audi Le Mans-winner Alan McNish. This episode is sponsored by NordVPN  EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal https://nordvpn.com/f1nation Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!

…and ‘what’s the weather forecast?’ is just one of them. Can Charles Leclerc cut Max Verstappen’s 80-point championship lead?  What’s next in the fast-moving 2023 driver market? Natalie Pinkham, Tom Clarkson and Damon Hill are back after the summer break for an in-depth chat about how to go fast on the Spa Francorchamps circuit, what the future may hold for Daniel Ricciardo, and the new F1 rule change which might shake up the order. F1 Nation: now on Mondays. Follow the podcast for the fastest way to get new episodes.   This episode is sponsored by:  BetterHelp: our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/F1Nation Liquid IV: get 15% off anything you order when you shop better hydration today using promo code NATION at LIQUIDIV.COM 

1996 F1 World Champion (and as we learned in the previous episode, guitar hero) Damon ‘Demon’ Hill answers your questions in the second of two Ask Damon specials. Which F1 figures would Damon invite to his dream dinner party, and why wouldn’t Tom or Natalie get an invite? There’s advice for going to watch F1 live for the first time, a small argument over how to say the name of a famous racetrack, and memories of an ‘ugly’ but creative bit of F1 tech. To get your F1 question answered by Damon in a future episode of F1 Nation, record it as a voice note and email it to AskDamon@F1.com This episode is sponsored by:  Athletic Greens: get a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase when you visit  athleticgreens.com/f1nation  LinkedIn Jobs: got to LinkedIn.com/F1NATION to post your job for free

You ask, Damon answers! The 1996 F1 World Champion takes your questions in the first of two Ask Damon specials. What would Damon’s ideal racetrack be like? Which F1 paddock took Natalie’s breath away? How do F1 drivers decide when to retire? Which race is Damon still ‘kicking himself’ about? And why is ‘Demon Hill’ credited on a 1999 rock album? Damon, Natalie Pinkham and Tom Clarkson answer all these questions and more… To get your F1 question answered by Damon in a future episode of F1 Nation, record it as a voice note and email it to AskDamon@F1.com This episode is sponsored by: Babbel: go to babbel.com/play and use promo code NATION for an extra six months free Santander: Countdown to Zero is a global competition for startups and scaleups to help the motor sport world become more sustainable. And that’s why we are looking for sustainable and innovative proposals that allow us to continue enjoying our passion while respecting the environment. Register your idea on santanderx.com before 8th September