F1 Nation
F1 Nation
Formula 1
Step inside the Formula 1 Paddock for race previews, reviews, interviews and analysis with Tom Clarkson and expert guests. Get answers to your questions on F1 Explains with Christian Hewgill. Email [email protected] An official F1 podcast. For in-depth F1 interviews, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
Kimi on the brink + George at a crossroads? – United States GP Review
This episode is sponsored by AWS - Global AI Partner of Formula 1.James Hinchcliffe and Lawrence Barretto join Tom Clarkson in the Austin paddock to reflect on the United States Grand Prix.Kimi Antonelli’s dominant win from pole wasn’t enough to secure the title this time around, but he’s moved even closer to becoming the youngest World Champion in F1 history. How did he make the one-stop strategy work so well? And what are the permutations for Kimi to seal the championship in Mexico?On the other side of the Mercedes garage, George Russell could only manage P8 after a very difficult weekend compared to Kimi. Is there any chance George might start considering a life away from Mercedes given his teammate’s dominance this year?Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc made it back-to-back podiums with a very impressive drive to P2. Was this as good a performance as we’ve seen from Charles all season? Why was he quicker than Lewis Hamilton this weekend? And was this a missed opportunity for Ferrari – given how strong their race pace was, could they have won had they qualified better?The guys also discuss why Max Verstappen and Red Bull weren’t the team to beat despite being many people’s favourites, some spicy team radio from Isack Hadjar, another challenging weekend for McLaren and why they think Racing Bulls haven’t given Liam Lawson a contract for next season yet.Listen to more official F1 podcastsIn-depth interviews on F1 Beyond The GridYour questions answered on F1 Explains
Oct 26
47 min
F1 Explains: Understeer v oversteer, quali v race pace + mental pressure - with Jack Doohan
What’s the difference between understeer and oversteer? How is race pace different to quali pace? And how do drivers deal with jet lag?Haas Reserve Driver Jack Doohan joins Christian Hewgill in the Austin paddock to answer your questions about Formula 1.Jack opens up on the challenges of dealing with the mental pressures of the sport and explains what downshifts are, how they feel in the car and why good downshifts are so crucial to lap time.
Oct 22
26 min
Kimi’s title chance, Max’s momentum + should drivers decide strategy? – United States GP Preview
This episode is sponsored by AWS - Global AI Partner of Formula 1.Jolyon Palmer and Alex Jacques join Tom Clarkson for some energetic debate ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in Austin.With Singapore still fresh in their minds, the guys discuss the strategy call from Lewis Hamilton that cost him a podium and whether a driver should go against their team’s strategic decisions.Lots of listeners disagreed with Jolyon’s take on last week’s podcast about the crash between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the Singapore Sprint race. Having had more time to reflect, has JP changed his view?Looking ahead to Austin, Kimi Antonelli could mathematically become World Champion at the Circuit of the Americas. But do Mercedes have the car to fight for victory? Is their recent form a cause for long-term ‘concern’? And with back-to-back wins from pole position, momentum is fully with Max Verstappen as we head to a track where he’s won four of the last five races. Will he make it five out of six this weekend? Jacquesy and Jolyon discuss the turnaround Red Bull have made since the start of the season and their thoughts on Team Principal Laurent Mekies signing a long-term contract extension. Plus, Haas have announced that Brazilian F2 driver Rafa Camara will drive for them in 2027, replacing Esteban Ocon. What can we expect from the Ferrari Academy driver? And what does his arrival mean for Ollie Bearman?
Oct 18
1 hr 5 min
F1 Explains: The Grid – what happens before lights out?
Packed with drivers, cars, team personnel, media, celebrities and more, their voices drowned out by the noise of passionate fans in the grandstands and engineers at work, the Formula 1 grid before a race start is probably the most exciting, chaotic and loudest places to be in all sport.But what actually happens on the grid before lights out? How are the drivers preparing in those final moments before going into battle? What work is being done on the cars? Christian Hewgill and Molly Hudson, F1 correspondent for UK newspaper The Times, are together on the grid before this year’s F1 Sprint race in Zandvoort to answer those questions and explain the rules everyone has to follow on the grid.Plus, Cadillac Reserve Driver Zhou Guanyu, who drove for Alfa Romeo/Sauber between 2022 and 2024, gives us the drivers’ perspective of what it’s like being in that environment when you’re about to go racing.
Oct 15
41 min
Are Max + Red Bull now the team to beat? - Singapore GP Review
Max Verstappen secured back-to-back wins from pole position with his first ever victory at the Singapore Grand Prix. With seven podium finishes from the last eight races, at a range of different tracks, are he and Red Bull now the benchmark in Formula 1?Tom Clarkson is joined in the paddock by Jolyon Palmer and James Hinchcliffe to discuss Max’s ‘masterclass’ around the Marina Bay Circuit and what we can expect from Red Bull for the rest of the season.Charles Leclerc claimed his first podium in seven races with P2, but should he have taken the lead from Max at the start after a great launch at lights out? And if he had succeeded, could he have held on to win? There was disappointment on the other side of the Ferrari garage, as Lewis Hamilton’s decision to stay out under the final Virtual Safety Car cost him a podium. He apologised to the team over the radio at the end of the race, but should they have been more forceful in asking him to pit?The guys also discuss Kimi Antonelli’s ‘opportunistic’ drive to P3, the crash between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the Sprint race and Liam Lawson’s future at Racing Bulls after another big points haul for the New Zealander.THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY...Hexclad: Find your forever cookware @hexclad and get 15% off at hexclad.co.uk/NATION! Offer excludes bundles and other items already on sale. #hexcladpartner
Oct 12
49 min
F1 Explains: lap count calculations, team size differences + the purpose of practice - with Laura Winter + Alex Brundle
Why does every Grand Prix have a different number of laps? How come some F1 teams have fewer employees than others? What are drivers and engineers doing during practice sessions?Those are your questions. Christian Hewgill gets the answers from F1TV Lead Presenter Laura Winter and two-time 24h Le Mans podium-finisher (and budding stylist, apparently) Alex Brundle.Laura and Alex also tackle your questions on tyre rules, whether driver or car is more important, and why a race with every driver in the same car would not tell us who's 'best'Got F1 questions? We'll get you an answerEmails and voice notes welcome at [email protected] to more official F1 podcastsF1 Nation for race previews + reviewsF1 Beyond The Grid for big interviews with big names
Oct 8
29 min
A Verstappen v Ferrari fight? Singapore GP Preview
Tom Clarkson and F1 Correspondent Lawrence Barretto think Red Bull and Ferrari will be closely-matched at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, with Mercedes and McLaren also in the mix. Will Max Verstappen win this Grand Prix for the first time in his career? Will the tight corners of the Marina Bay circuit suit McLaren and Ferrari? Will Mercedes' upgrades give Kimi Antonelli a chance of victory, and can George Russell recover from a back-of-the-grid start due to an engine penalty?In the highly competitive midfield, Audi, Racing Bulls and Alpine will be watching Aston Martin closely. The pressure of F1 Sprint, the humidity and the high chance of a Safety Car mean a dramatic weekend is guaranteed.More official F1 podcastsF1 Explains answers your questions about the sportF1 Beyond The Grid brings you in-depth interviews with the sport's biggest stars
Oct 8
29 min
Max, Lewis + Fernando shine in Sepang - Bahrain GP in Malaysia Review
Jolyon Palmer and Alex Jacques join Tom Clarkson from the F1TV commentary box to debrief an epic Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.Max Verstappen secured his first victory of 2026 and the first win for Red Bull’s own power unit. How did Max recover from a slow start? Why were Red Bull so competitive in Sepang? And just how far have they come this year?Meanwhile, there were mixed emotions at Mercedes, with Kimi Antonelli coming home in P2 but George Russell retiring due to an engine issue. Now 84 points behind championship leader Kimi, are George’s title hopes well and truly over? How should he approach the rest of the season?Having gambled on soft tyres while his rivals stuck to inters at the start, Lewis Hamilton dropped from second to eighteenth in the opening stages, before fighting back through the field to third for his first podium since Silverstone. Why did Ferrari start both drivers on the softs? How did Hamilton complete such an impressive comeback? And how much did Team Principal Fred Vasseur need a result like that?The guys also discuss a champion’s drive from Fernando Alonso to score his best result of the season for Aston Martin with P8, why McLaren weren’t in the mix in Malaysia and their Driver of the Day.Big names and expert insight on official F1 podcastsF1 Beyond The Grid - in-depth interviews with F1 starsF1 Explains - experts answer your F1 questionsTHIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY...Claude: Ready to have an AI that can tackle real work? Try Claude Cowork today on any paid plan at claude.ai/nationShopify: If you’re ready to launch your business before Black Friday, go to shopify.com/nation to start your free trial.
Oct 5
50 min
F1 Explains: Jamie Chadwick on her first F1 test
Days after driving a modern Formula 1 car for the first time, Jamie Chadwick joined F1 Explains to answer your questions.She tells Christian Hewgill what surprised her the most when she tested the 2025 Williams F1 car at the Portimao circuit in Portugal, and compares the experience to driving in W Series, Indy NXT and Le Mans. Jamie also talks about working with Williams, supporting F1 ACADEMY drivers and her ambitions for her racing career, all while signing a flurry of caps thrown on stage by the Baku crowd...Got questions? We'll get the answersSend emails or voice notes to [email protected] Official F1 PodcastsExpert race reviews on F1 NationIn-depth interviews on F1 Beyond The Grid
Oct 1
27 min
Who will rise to the challenge in Sepang? - Bahrain GP in Malaysia Preview
Tom Clarkson and 1996 World Champion Damon Hill preview this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.Damon competed in the very first F1 race at Sepang back in 1999 so tells Tom what we can expect from the track, the weather conditions and who will be competitive here.The guys also discuss what George Russell will take into the weekend from his dominant victory in Baku, why Ferrari have felt the need to publicly reaffirm their support for Team Principal Fred Vasseur, and their thoughts on Fernando Alonso’s decision to continue racing with Aston Martin in 2027.Plus, TC ponders what’s next for Esteban Ocon and Haas after they announced they’ll be parting ways at the end of the year.Big names and expert insight on official F1 podcastsF1 Beyond The Grid - in-depth interviews with F1 starsF1 Explains - experts answer your F1 questions
Oct 1
26 min
Load more