Why did he sign a new multi-year deal with Ferrari? What caused his rough patch earlier in the season? How did those struggles really make him feel? And what did victory at Silverstone mean to him after that difficult period?Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Charles Leclerc opens up and shares really interesting insight into the ups and downs he’s experienced so far in 2026. Charles also tells Tom what it’s like being a Ferrari driver at Monza, why Michael Schumacher had such a big influence on him growing up, whether he thinks Ferrari can challenge Mercedes for the World Championship this season, and how it feels to now be married to his wife Alexandra.This episode is brought to you by Bitdefender, Exclusive Cybersecurity Partner of Scuderia Ferrari HP.

After a year away from Formula 1, following his exit from Red Bull Racing at the end of 2024, Sergio Perez is back with the sport’s newest team - Cadillac.Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Sergio talks about his last six months at Red Bull being mentally demanding, the new perspective having a year out has given him, the initial reservations he had about returning to F1 and why the Cadillac project is just as motivating for him as fighting at the front of the grid. Checo also discusses Cadillac’s decision to replace Graeme Lowdon with Marcin Budkowski as Team Principal, why he wishes he’d enjoyed his career more and how he thinks age affects racing drivers.This episode is sponsored by: Claude: for problems worth solving — get started with Claude at Claude.ai slash gridWayfair: join Wayfair Rewards today to get 5% back on every purchase and start saving on your next home upgrade. Head to wayfair.com to shop all things home.

1995 was a 'catastrophe' for Damon Hill, a bruising battle on and off the track. He was determined that 1996 would be his year.30 years since his title triumph, 1996 World Champion Damon Hill joins Tom Clarkson to reflect on his winning season. From four wins in the opening five races, to finding out he was being dropped by Williams at the end of the season while still in the championship fight, Damon talks candidly about the ups and downs of a very dramatic title-winning campaign. He also tells Tom how he changed his approach going into 1996, after some tough battles with Michael Schumacher on and off track the year before, and why he turned down an offer to sign for McLaren despite wanting to join them.Listen to more Official F1 PodcastsListen to the latest episodes of F1 Nation and F1 ExplainsThis episode is sponsored by: Vanta: get started today at vanta.com/GRIDCarGurus: go to cargurus.co.uk for complete vehicle details without any surprises

Ferrari discovered him, trained him and gave him a place in Formula 1 with Haas. Ollie Bearman dreams of driving for the Scuderia, but with Lewis Hamilton enjoying a revival and Charles Leclerc committed long-term, what does Bearman's future hold?Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Ollie discusses what he still believes he can achieve with Haas, why this year’s results don’t reflect how much his driving has improved, and whether he’d ever leave the Ferrari family to pursue other options.Ollie also talks about stepping up as a team leader this year, recalling the time he picked up the microphone and addressed the whole team after a few difficult races.Plus, he explains why he was moved to tears after driving Ayrton Senna’s 1985 Lotus at Silverstone.WIN TICKETS FOR F1 IN MADRIDOfficial F1 Podcasts are giving you the chance to win one pair of weekend grandstand tickets for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix 2026. You must be 18+ to enter. Competition closes on 31 July 2026. To enter and for full terms and conditions, visit f1.com/podcast-win-madridTHIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY...Hexclad: Find your forever cookware @hexclad and get 10% off at hexclad.co.uk/GRID! Offer excludes bundles and other items already on sale. #hexcladpartner

Racing Bulls Team Principal Alan Permane says his exit from Alpine in 2023 was both ‘devastating’ and a ‘defining moment’ in his career.‘Devastating’ because he’d been with Team Enstone for more than 30 years, winning World Championships with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. But ‘defining’ as it led to his first role as a Team Principal in Formula 1 – his biggest job yet.One year since taking the reins, Alan tells Tom Clarkson why the role was not initially a natural fit for him, how he’s risen to the challenge and what changes he’s made at Racing Bulls.He also shares fascinating insight into his drivers. What state of mind was Liam Lawson in after his demotion from Red Bull Racing? How did he produce such an impressive turnaround in form? Why does Alan describe rookie Arvid Lindblad as ‘very pushy’? And how has he dealt with some intense moments between Lawson and Lindblad on track? Alan also talks about the unique way they decided which driver would receive the team’s latest upgrade first, whether they’d ever give Max Verstappen a test in the Racing Bulls car, and what he makes of Red Bull junior driver and F2 championship leader Nikola Tsolov.WIN TICKETS FOR F1 IN MADRIDOfficial F1 Podcasts are giving you the chance to win one pair of weekend grandstand tickets for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix 2026You must be 18+ to enter. Competition closes on 31 July 2026. To enter and for full terms and conditions, visit f1.com/podcast-win-madridThis episode is sponsored by: Wayfair: ready to upgrade your home for way less? Head to wayfair.com right now to shop all things home and get your space ready for less.CarGurus: go to cargurus.co.uk or complete vehicle details without any surprises.

Damson Idris describes playing Formula 1 rookie Joshua Pearce in F1: The Movie - the Oscar-winning, highest-grossing sports film of all time - as a life-changing moment.Speaking to Tom Clarkson a year since its release, Damson talks about racing in the F2 cars they used for the film, how he and co-star Brad Pitt compared against each other on track and what it was like to immerse himself in the world of Formula 1. Damson also tells Tom about his relationship with Lewis Hamilton and why he believes the seven-time World Champion ‘has that Michael Jordan thing’. You’ll also hear about a dramatic moment during filming that showed Damson what it’s truly like to be a Formula 1 driver pushing to the limit.This episode is sponsored by: Claude: for problems worth solving — get started with Claude at — Claude.ai/grid.Leesa: go to Leesa.com for 25% off select mattresses PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code GRID, exclusive for our listeners.

For 20 years, Italy waited for a driver to join Giancarlo Fisichella as a Formula 1 Grand Prix-winner. Now, Kimi Antonelli is flying Il Tricolore on the top step of the podium once again. Fisi tells Tom Clarkson about the pressures of carrying Italy’s hopes in F1 and what Kimi needs to do to end the nation’s even longer wait for a World Champion.Fisi looks back on his own F1 career - the ‘hard’ moments he had supporting Fernando Alonso in his teammate’s title-winning seasons, how they relaxed before the race and how close he came to moving to another team in the mid 2000s. Giancarlo remembers living his dream and joining Ferrari during the 2009 season. Does he think Kimi Antonelli could ever do the same?This episode is sponsored by: Vanta: Get started today at vanta.com/GRIDHomeserve: Join the millions of customers who trust HomeServe. For 50% less your first year, go to homeserve.com/gridShopify: You put in the work. Time to get paid like it. Free trial at shopify.com/beyondthegrid

Lando Norris achieved his lifelong dream in 2025, becoming Formula 1 World Champion for the first time after a rollercoaster title battle that went all the way down to the wire in Abu Dhabi.Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Lando talks about not being nervous before that season-finale, what it really means to achieve the goal he’s been chasing for so long, how becoming champion has changed him and whether he ever considered ‘doing a Nico Rosberg’ and retiring after winning his first title.Lando also tells Tom why he doesn’t think he’d be World Champion now had he ignored team orders at Budapest in 2024 and whether he sees himself as a one-team driver with McLaren for the rest of his career. The answer is revealing. Plus, you’ll hear where Lando keeps his Drivers’ Championship trophy and what he makes of his recently unveiled waxwork at Madame Tussauds.This episode is sponsored by: Explora Journeys: travel the world in an ocean-front suite on an ultra-elegantship. Discover more at explorajourneys.comVanta: get started today at vanta.com/GRID

Flavio Briatore and ‘Team Enstone’ go back a long way.As Benetton in the 90’s, he led them to multiple World Championships with Michael Schumacher. And as Renault in the 2000s, he did the same with Fernando Alonso. So how can he achieve similar success with Alpine?Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Flavio talks about the progress the team have made since he became Executive Advisor, what he makes of his drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, and whether he has a timescale for Alpine to be fighting for titles.Flavio also shares some funny anecdotes about replacing Jenson Button with Alonso at Renault, firing Jackie Stewart and his criticism of Franco in the latest series of Drive to Survive. Plus, Flav tells Tom about the arrival of Gucci as the team’s main sponsor in 2027.This episode is sponsored by: CarGurus: go to cargurus.co.uk for complete vehicle details without any surprises

As a child, Formula 1 was his dream. As a young driver, he was on the same trajectory as Michael Schumacher. Tom Kristensen was offered a chance to join a Formula 1 team, but he saw it as too risky. Instead, he found success in sportscars and made history at the Le Mans 24 Hours with a record nine victories.Tom tells Tom Clarkson about the ‘risky’ offer he received from a Formula 1 team in the 1990s, the sportscar decision which harmed his F1 chances, and the day he impressed a World Champion in a modern F1 car.‘Mr Le Mans’ also remembers his history-making days at the world’s most famous endurance race and explains how racing different cars made him a better driver.This episode is sponsored by: Leesa - go to Leesa.com for 25% off select mattresses PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code GRID. Liquid I.V. - visit liquidiv.com and get 20% off your first purchase with code GRID at checkout.Shopify - sign up for your $1 per-month trial today at shopify.com/beyondthegrid.Vanta - get started today at vanta.com/GRID.