F1 Nation

On the first episode 2021, Tom Clarkson and new team mates Damon Hill and Natalie Pinkham preview the upcoming F1 season – with plenty of laughs along the way. Dutch broadcaster Jack Plooij joins to discuss Max Verstappen’s chances of dethroning Lewis Hamilton, the gang discuss Valtteri Bottas’s cheeky appearance in Drive to Survive, plus Damon faces his first fan question in the brand-new ‘Ask Damon’ segment. If you want to ask Damon a question, send a voice note to askdamonhill@gmail.com

F1 Nation, your weekly dose of light-hearted F1 chat and fun, returns for a new season on March 23. And this year there’s a new presenting crew! Tom Clarkson returns with two new co-hosts – 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill and Sky Sports F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham.  Be sure to hit the follow button so you don’t miss an episode!

In the closing episode of 2020 TC and Alex welcome Ross Brawn to hear his thoughts on a year like no other (07:54) then Rosanna Tennant returns to review the season and set one last challenge. (28:25) Finally as Alex bids farewell to F1 Nation we hear both the highlights and the occasions when things didn't go to plan when making the podcast. (59:43)

On the newly renamed 'Perez Nation' Tom Clarkson and Alex Jacques relive an incredible F1 week. They debate if Mercedes might consider George Russell replacing Valtteri Bottas for 2021 (3:53) and hear why victory slipped away with Andrew Shovlin (12:12).  Then there's a review of Sergio Perez's stunning last to first win, plus whether it will keep him on the grid for 2021 (20:57), finally hall of fame F1 journalist David Tremayne reflects on the strangest of F1 seasons (31:45). 

TC and Alex are joined by Dr Ian Roberts and Alan Van Der Merwe to hear about making sense of an accident scene with every second counting, practicing for worst-case scenarios, how unseen footage detailed Romain Grosjean's escape after the 53g impact and why they’re not surprised Romain wants to return to racing (6:53).  Then hear from McLaren technical director James Key as the team juggle three years worth of car projects at once. (21:49)

TC and Alex finally present F1 Nation from the same place and discuss how Renault will cope swapping Daniel Ricciardo with Fernando Alonso (2:01), why the change in safety car will feel strange (5:48) and how will F1 cope with a knight on the grid in 2021 (7:18). Plus TC sits down with McLaren's Principal Car Performance Engineer, Mark Temple (10:27) to reveal the unseen pressures of Lewis Hamilton's early F1 years including: adjusting to fame, coping with Jenson Button, learning to 'drive slowly to go faster', ultimately deciding to leave the team he grew up with and whether Fernando Alonso was faster.

TC and Alex go behind the scenes of a historic triumph for Lewis Hamilton and consider the sports people he now sits alongside after his 7th title victory. (10:39) Then George Russell talks 5k times, advice from Hamilton after Imola, and the painful reality of the Turkish Grand Prix behind the wheel (20:09).  Finally TC recalls a trip to the gym with F1 boss Chase Carey (33:11) and explains why you want your tarmac from Shropshire if you're resurfacing a race track. (16:03) 

TC and Alex discuss the driver market (00.16) including another trademarked Yuki Tsunoda update before three time Turkish Grand Prix winner Felipe Massa talks about his surprise at Lewis Hamilton's domination, Stefano Domenicali's strengths as a manager and whether he'd rather return to Istanbul or Interlagos. (07:19)   Finally TC recounts his many nightmares at the circuit, turn 8 excitement and the 2010 drama is revisited (25:03).

TC and Alex debate if Mercedes owe Nico Rosberg for their seven consecutive constructor titles (5:32), find out what Daniel Ricciardo said to F1 journalists after being ignored in the post race press conference (13:22) and Alpha Tauri technical director Jody Egginton explains balancing the demands of next years car with huge rule changes for 2022, how racing cultures differ from country to country and the raw emotion of that Monza win (20:23). 

TC and Alex consider if Lewis Hamilton's win total can ever be caught with the upcoming rule changes (1:53), then there's a dive into the mailbag to debate the dramatic driver market (4:31), Christian Horner explains how Alex Albon can save his seat (5:26) and finally Romain Grosjean picks his greatest races as he nears the end of his F1 career (22:17).