F1 Beyond The Grid

F1 is back and so is F1 Nation! Tom Clarkson, Damon Hill and Natalie Pinkham chat about the news, views and pre-season clues from three days of running in Barcelona. Which teams have made strong starts, and which still have work to do? Plus, rumours of ‘brand new cars’ being prepared for the Bahrain test, exciting early signs for close wheel-to-wheel racing in 2022, and expert insight on the new generation of cars from Aston Martin’s Performance Director, Tom McCullough. We also breakdown F1’s porpoising problem, hear tales of Damon’s worst pre-season sessions, and learn that we’ve all been pronouncing his name incorrectly (according to his mother, anyway). Send your F1 question to the 1996 World Champion for our first Ask Damon of 2022. Record it as a voice note and email it to AskDamon@F1.com Don't forget to search for F1 Nation in your podcast app and follow the show so you don't miss out new episodes, weekly throughout the 2022 season. 

Season 5 of F1 Beyond The Grid starts with a brand-new episode on Wednesday 16th March. Alain Prost is a four-time Formula 1 World Champion, star of one of the sport’s most thrilling eras, and Ayrton Senna’s great rival. In this 2018 interview from the Beyond The Grid archive, Alain tells Tom Clarkson the story of his rise to the top of the sport, the championships he missed out on, the titles he won, and the dazzling drivers he raced along the way. Prost v Senna was the duel which dominated F1 in the late 1980s and early 90s. You’ll hear Alain’s take on their relationship, and memories of their heart-to-heart phone conversations which finally helped him understand Senna as a driver and as a person.

Season 5 of F1 Beyond The Grid starts with a brand-new episode on Wednesday 16th March. Before another year of in-depth conversations with Formula 1’s biggest stars, we’re revisiting some of our favourite episodes from the past four seasons. In October 2020, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff told Tom Clarkson about his love of competition, what breaking records means to him, the challenge of managing the warring Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and how much he misses his friend and colleague, the late, great Niki Lauda. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and F1: Beyond The Grid listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/GRID

Season 5 of F1 Beyond The Grid starts with a brand new episode on Wednesday 16th March. Before another year of in-depth conversations with F1’s biggest stars, we’re revisiting some of our favourite episodes from the past four seasons. When Lando Norris chatted to Tom Clarkson in March 2020, he was just about to start his second F1 season. He’d driven brilliantly in his rookie year, but podium finishes and his first pole position were still in his future.  Lando talked about his late-night lifestyle, social media, gaming, his housework routine, and relationships with his fellow drivers. Plus tales of getting in trouble with McLaren and a slightly awkward pre-F1 meeting with Red Bull’s driver programme boss, Helmut Marko. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and F1: Beyond The Grid listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/GRID

2021 gave us amazing action on the racetrack, and captivating conversations on F1 Beyond The Grid. For this special episode, Tom Clarkson has picked his favourite moments from the past year. Red Bull’s Christian Horner explained how Max Verstappen evolved from teenage sensation to World Champion, Charles Leclerc remembered his emotional race victories for Ferrari and showed off his musical talents, Monza winner Daniel Ricciardo explained why that victory meant so much to him, and Valtteri Bottas revealed the pressure he was under during his time at Mercedes, plus his favourite type of coffee. All that plus Fernando Alonso, race strategist Ruth Buscombe, Aston Martin CEO Lawrence Stroll and many more. To listen to these interviews in full, scroll through the F1 Beyond The Grid back catalogue. There are more than 150 episodes for you to enjoy over the winter break, including conversations with Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and Alain Prost. F1 Beyond The Grid will be back in 2022 with more in-depth conversations with F1’s biggest stars. Thank you for listening. This episode is sponsored by: Calm: go to calm.com/grid for 40% off unlimited access to Calm’s entire library.  Babbel: go to babbel.com/mygift and give the gift of language to someone special. 

After 348 Grand Prix starts, just one remains. Ahead of his final race in Formula 1, Kimi Raikkonen joins Tom Clarkson to look back at his 20 year career: the races, the teammates, the bosses, the championship he clinched in 2007 and those he missed out on. ‘Everything comes to an end sometime’, says the most experienced driver in F1 history, who remembers his very first time in an F1 car and his debut in 2001. Kimi explains what makes him so fast, and picks his favourite race victories. What will he miss about Formula 1, and what will he love about retirement? Plus, Kimi’s long-time therapist and trainer, Mark Arnall, shares his insight and memories from 20 years by Kimi’s side. The final chequered flag is almost flying, but Kimi will always be a racer. This episode is sponsored by:  Dubai Expo: To plan your experience visit expo2020dubai.com Express VPN: visit expressvpn.com/grid and you can get an extra three months free  Mission Tea: get 20% off your next order with the code GRID at missionuk.com

Fear is something F1 drivers don’t often admit to feeling. Pedro Diniz does. In his 98 Grands Prix during the 1990s and into 2000, the Brazilian experienced the highs of hard earned top-six points finishes and, on his day, was a match for teammates Jean Alesi and Damon Hill. But, as he tells Tom Clarkson in a rare interview, lucky escapes from a fireball in Argentina and an upside-down car in Germany left a deep impression. ‘The biggest challenge was really the challenge of my mind’, Pedro says. How do fear and the immense pressure of racing in Formula 1 affect a driver's performance? How can meditation and yoga help a racer go faster? Pedro tells all. He also remembers first encounters with Kimi Raikkonen and Rubens Barrichello at the very start of their racing careers, and explains his post-racing passion for producing organic food. Sebastian Vettel is among the people who are very interested in what Pedro’s doing today on his farm in Brazil.

In 2021 he returned to the F1 podium with Alpine, but he still wants so much more. Fernando Alonso has his sights set on silverware in 2022 and beyond. In this exclusive episode, the double world champion opens up on his past, present and future with Tom Clarkson. He explains why racing Michael Schumacher was so special, why he ‘wasn’t ready’ for their fierce championship fights in 2005 and 2006, and what he learned from his ‘magic’ Ferrari opponent. Alonso reflects on his rivalry with Lewis Hamilton at McLaren and the world titles he missed out on in 2007, 2010 and 2012. Does he feel his talent deserves more? Did he fall out of love with F1 when he walked away in 2018? How long is he planning to stay in the sport this time? One thing is certain, Fernando is still pushing for wins, for championships and to create a sporting ‘legacy’ he can truly be proud of. This episode is sponsored by:  Mission Tea: for an extra 20% off your next order with Mission type GRID20 at checkout at missionuk.com Calm: get 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at CALM.COM/grid  Babbel: Go to uk.babbel.com/play and use promo code GRID for an extra six months free

How does a young man from Kentucky go from driving a New York taxi to racing in Formula 1 and winning the Indy 500? Danny Sullivan’s extraordinary story starts with a childhood obsession with F1 books. It sparked a dream of becoming a racing driver, and he moved to Europe to make it come true. Incredibly, Danny lived with the legendary team boss Ken Tyrrell, who gave him an F1 drive in 1983. Danny tells Tom Clarkson about his best moments in Formula 1: how an inspired but risky strategy call helped earn him a 5th place at Monaco, and the time he battled wheel-to-wheel with world champion Keke Rosberg in a thrilling race finish. After a short stint in F1, Danny returned to America and wrote a dramatic new chapter with victory at the 1985 Indy 500. Even now his story continues, helping to make big calls as a FIA Driver Steward - all part of a whirlwind career that he recounts in vivid detail.

Five seasons, one unfulfilled dream. Valtteri Bottas will leave Mercedes as a race winner whose brilliant performances contributed to a Constructors Championship quadruple. Yet, as he tells Tom Clarkson, he’ll look back on his years in silver and black with some dissatisfaction. How did Valtteri’s determination to prove himself, the constant uncertainty about his F1 future, and the need to support the team and his teammate Lewis Hamilton combine to make his life difficult? What would he do differently if he could go back, and why will things be different at Alfa Romeo from 2022? Plus, the Finn explains his love of coffee and cycling, and hints at an F1 grand plan which could see him in a red race suit one day… This episode is sponsored by Express VPN - get an extra three months FREE at expressvpn.com/grid