As a young racer growing up in America in the 60s, Bobby Rahal idolised people like Phil Hill, Dan Gurney and Mario Andretti - drivers who had made it across the Atlantic to drive in Formula 1. He dreamt of doing the same; of travelling to Europe to race at the circuits he'd read about in magazines and going wheel to wheel with his racing heroes. After making a name for himself on US road circuits and putting in some stand-out performances in Formula 3, that F1 opportunity came in 1978 when Walter Wolf offered Bobby a seat alongside Jody Scheckter at the US and Canadian Grand Prix. They were the last two races of the season and, sadly, they would be the first and last races that Bobby would contest in Formula 1. Although his time at the top was brief, Bobby’s legacy lives on as one of a handful of American drivers to have made it to F1. In this episode, Bobby addresses the need for more US drivers on the grid and he winds back the decades to reveal the passions that fuelled his love of European motorsport, his journey to F1 and what really happened at those two races back in 1978.  This episode is sponsored by:  Harry's: Head to harrys.com/grid to have your free Trial set delivered and start a Shave Plan. And your free face wash will be added at checkout! All you cover is £3.95 for delivery Credit Karma:  visit creditkarma.com/loanoffers to see personalized offers BetterHelp: get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/grid

McLaren technical director James Key is one of the youngest tech chiefs in Formula One. He’s very bright, he’s super-organised and he’s ultra-competitive, all attributes that he’s using to drive the team back to the top of the sport. In this episode, James opens up to Tom Clarkson about McLaren’s difficult start to the 2022 season, when their cars finished 14th and 15th in the Bahrain Grand Prix, and how the team pulled together in the days that followed to improve the MCL36. Only three races later Lando Norris finished third at Imola. James also gives a fascinating insight into what it’s like to work with McLaren drivers Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, and how they're adjusting to the new 2022-spec cars, and he hints at what we can expect from them as the season unfolds. We also hear about James'  journey to F1, the technological advances he's been a part of, the highs, the lows and most importantly: what the future holds for McLaren. : Related episodes from the BTG archive: Lando Norris  Daniel Ricciardo  Andreas Seidl, McLaren Team Principal  Zak Brown, McLaren CEO Steve Nichols, Engineer  Alain Prost Mika Hakkinen This episode is sponsored by:  Formula 1 Eyewear: Check out their Red, Gold and Trackside Collections of eyewear with their at formulaeyewear.com Shopify: visit shopify.com/beyondthegrid for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features Hello Fresh: go to hellofresh.com/grid16 and use code grid16 for up to 16 free meals AND 3 free gifts!

From frustration which drove him to tears in 2019, to an incredible F1 victory in 2021, Esteban Ocon has felt the extreme lows and highs of a racing driver’s life. After losing his race seat at Force India, Ocon spent a season as reserve driver for Mercedes in 2019. A year of ‘low moments’ opened his eyes to what he jokingly calls ‘the dark side’ of F1 – the off-track negotiations which can determine a driver’s future just as much on-track results. Wiser and more determined, Esteban returned to racing with Renault in 2020, scored his first podium and became a Grand Prix winner with Alpine. On his return to F1 Beyond The Grid, the Frenchman tells Tom Clarkson all about that chapter of his life, and looks ahead to the story he’s determined to write with Alpine. Plus, F1 friendships, the importance of clean racing, and why he sees the Spanish Grand Prix as a home race. Related episodes from the BTG archive Esteban Ocon’s first appearance  Fernando Alonso, Esteban’s Alpine teammate  Otmar Szafnauer on Force India’s administration  Mick Schumacher Lance Stroll This episode is sponsored by:  Calm: Get an exclusive offer of 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/GRID F1 Manager: Launching on PC, PlayStation and Xbox, Summer 2022. Visit F1manager.com to Wishlist the game on your platform of choice and follow @F1Manager on Twitter to stay up to speed Babbel: Get six months free with a purchase of a 6-month subscription with promo code GRID. 

40 years ago, in May 1982, Formula 1 lost a marvellous maverick. No-one else drove a car quite like Gilles Villeneuve. He lost his life in a crash while at the very peak of his racing powers. In this special episode, those who knew Gilles share their memories and stories with Tom Clarkson. F1 World Champions Mario Andretti and Jody Scheckter and 7-time Grand Prix winner Rene Arnoux raced alongside Villeneuve and were close to him as friends. Jonathan Giacobazzi idolised Gilles; his family’s name appeared as a sponsor on the Canadian’s race suit, and their families travelled the racetracks of Europe together. Jochen Mass was also a good friend of Villeneuve – a fact that makes his blameless involvement in the crash which claimed his life even more tragic. They remember Gilles as a person, a teammate, a rival and a friend, and consider why he is still so adored, 40 years after his death. This episode is sponsored by:  Credit Karma: Head to creditkarma.com/loanoffers to see personalized offers  LinkedIn Jobs: Go to linkedin.com/GRID to post a job for free. Terms and conditions apply. F1 Manager: Launching on PC, PlayStation and Xbox, Summer 2022. Visit F1manager.com to Wishlist the game on your platform of choice and follow @F1Manager on Twitter to stay up to speed 

Growing up in Northern California, a young Alexander Rossi dreamed of racing in Formula 1. His route was not an easy one. Along the way he experienced false starts, unfulfilled promises, behind the scenes power moves and the tragic loss of his friend and teammate Jules Bianchi. Alex tells Tom Clarkson everything that led to his 5 Grands Prix in 2015 and just how close he was to staying in the sport for a longer time. Today, Alex is pushing to add the IndyCar Championship to his Indy 500 win,  supported by team boss Michael Andretti, and challenged by teammate Colton Herta. Alex also has tales of racing at Indy with Fernando Alonso, and competing in Mexico’s extreme truck race, the Baja 1000. Related episodes from the BTG archive The USA’s first F1 World Champion, Phil Hill, remembered  Mario Andretti – 1978 F1 World Champion  Eddie Cheever – the USA’s most experienced F1 driver  Danny Sullivan – from NY taxi driver to F1  NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon on his F1 drive  F1 driver and IndyCar star, Juan Pablo Montoya This episode is sponsored by: F1 Manager: Launching on PC, PlayStation & Xbox, Summer 2022. Visit F1manager.com to Wishlist the game on your platform of choice and follow @F1Manager on Twitter to stay up to speed  Express VPN: Secure your online data TODAY by visiting expressvpn.com/grid and get an extra three months FREE

 He says it himself, Alex Albon is back in F1 wanting to prove a point. After a 2020 season in which he scored his first podiums, but ultimately failed to match Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, he lost his race drive and spent 2012 on the side lines. ‘It killed me’, he says, ‘but the hunger never went away’. Alex tells Tom Clarkson how hard he worked behind the scenes to help Verstappen win the Drivers’ Championship, and to fight for his F1 return with Williams in 2022. Now Alex is revitalised. He feels smarter and more at peace with himself. He’s certainly lost none of his skill behind the wheel -  in Australia he drove 57/58 laps on a single set of tyres to score his first point for Williams in only his third race – and his friendship with rivals Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz is as strong as ever. A round of golf with those guys sounds like a lot of fun… Related episodes from the BTG archive: Nicholas Latifi, Alex’s Williams teammate Jost Capito, Williams CEO and Team Principal Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal Lando Norris Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz George Russell This episode is sponsored by:  Harry's: Get hold of a free travel sized shower gel when you redeem a free Harry’s Trial set at harrys.com/grid. All you need to do is pay £3.95 for delivery.  Calm: Get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at CALM.COM/grid 

Creator of an iconic F1 car, with an inside view of a ferocious racing rivalry: Steve Nichols has witnessed some extraordinary things. The American engineer designed the McLaren MP4/4, the car which stormed to 15 wins in 16 races in 1988. He tells Tom Clarkson the story of the MP4/4’s creation and what made it so fast. Working closely with Ayrton Senna as his race engineer, Steve felt the tension between the Brazilian and his teammate Alain Prost as they fought for the title in the car Steve had designed for them. He also tells the story of how and why he left McLaren and followed Prost to Ferrari, a difficult period which included another famous clash with Senna. Related episodes from the BTG archive: Alain Prost Mika Hakkinen David Coulthard Julian Jakobi - on managing Senna and Prost This episode is sponsored by: BetterHelp: get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/grid F1 Manager: Launching on PC, PlayStation & Xbox, Summer 2022. Visit F1manager.com to Wishlist the game on your platform of choice and follow @F1Manager on Twitter to stay up to speed Credit Karma: Ready to find the card for you? Head to Credit Karma and check out your personalized mix of offers today

A year out of F1 changed Kevin Magnussen’s world. He became a father, he moved back to his native Denmark with his family and he tasted US sportscars and the Le Mans 24 hours. When the chance to return to F1 with Haas suddenly came along, KMag said yes immediately. No fear. No doubt that it’s where he belongs. Kevin tells Tom Clarkson how it felt to lose his place in F1, why his second stint in the sport feels different, what it’s like racing as a dad, and his goals now he’s back in F1.  Related episodes from the BTG archive: Mick Schumacher Guenter Steiner Romain Grosjean Follow F1 Beyond The Grid on your podcast app to get new episodes as soon as they come out and join the social conversation using #F1BeyondTheGrid. This episode is sponsored by: Babbel: Go to uk.babbel.com/play and use promo code GRID for an extra six months free LinkedIn Jobs: visit linkedin.com/GRID to post a job for free. Terms and conditions apply F1 Manager: Launching on PC, PlayStation & Xbox, Summer 2022. Visit F1manager.com to Wishlist the game on your platform of choice and follow @F1Manager on Twitter to stay up to speed

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‘I risked a lot more than people know’. In 1992, Nigel Mansell – a three-time runner-up – finally achieved his lifelong ambition. To win the Formula 1 World Championship, he fought through physical injury and psychological challenges. In this 30th anniversary special episode, Nigel tells Tom Clarkson the story of his championship winning year. He relives his dominant race victories, a Monaco battle for the ages with Ayrton Senna, the incredible celebrations that year at the British Grand Prix, and his crowning moment in Hungary. Mansell also remembers the stunning revelation, less than 24 hours after he won the title. which changed the course of his life. Related episodes from the BTG archive Riccardo Patrese, Mansell's 92 teammate Sir Patrick Head, Williams co-founder Mansell, Prost, Vettel and Leclerc on racing for Ferrari Follow F1 Beyond The Grid on your podcast app to get new episodes as soon as they come out. This episode is sponsored by:  F1 Manager: Launching on PC, PlayStation & Xbox, Summer 2022. Visit F1manager.com to Wishlist the game on your platform of choice and follow @F1Manager on Twitter to stay up to speed ExpressVPN: Protect yourself at expressvpn.com/GRID today and get an extra three months free on a one-year package