The Autosport F1 Podcast

This week we look into the reviving fortunes of a fallen F1 giant - McLaren Racing. But is it still a sleeping giant? They have consistently improved their results since finishing 9th in 2017 (with Honda power) to third in the constructors table in their final year with Renault. In 2021 McLaren will compete again with Mercedes power units and a new driver in Daniel Ricciardo. What do they have to do to get back on the top step of the podium? Can anyone beat Mercedes whilst being a customer? Perhaps, after all McLaren beat their engine supplier Renault in 2020. We sat down with Zak Brown (Chief Executive, McLaren Racing) to talk about how he's rebuilding McLaren. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The development Formula One has long been waiting for finally occurred on Monday morning when Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team announced that seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will be staying with the team for 2021. The one year deal was a surprising development and creates a blockbuster driver market for 2022, with all three Mercedes contracted drivers (Hamilton plus Bottas and Russell) coming to the end of their respective 2021 deals. On this edition of the podcast we dissect the details of Hamilton's new deal, as well as asking what it means for his future and the team. Joining Alex Kalinauckas (Grand Prix Editor, Autosport) today is Jonathan Noble (F1 Editor, Motorsport.com) and Luke Smith (F1 Reporter, Autosport). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shortly after Jonathan Noble finished speaking to Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, he sat down with Alex and Luke around the virtual podcast table to discuss the call. Formula 1's new boss is considering whether a Saturday sprint race could be introduced to freshen up the weekend. He also confirmed that the proposed reverse grids idea is off the table: "Reverse grid is over. That's something I can tell you." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Williams Racing has fallen far from its heights as one of the championship supersquads, and it has regularly pledged its determination to re-tread old ground further up the grid. That tale will be familiar to F1 fans as the team has yet to recapture any of its old gory, but there were signs from the 2020 season that Williams has finally turned the corner and its revival is really on. This week on the podcast we look forward at how they plan to move up the grid, and we look back by ranking the top 10 Williams F1 cars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week James Allison (Technical Director, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team) opened up on why the team fear they could trip up with the rule changes for 2021. Is it a bluff? Or perhaps an insight into mindset of a team so used to winning? Also this week, Carlos Sainz Jr said his first appearance in a Ferrari is "a day I will never forget". What did our own Jonathan Noble make of his first 100 laps in a Ferrari? And finally we hear from McLaren about how the majority of their 2021 chassis is brand new because of their move to Mercedes-Benz power. Production Director Piers Thynne told the McLaren website: "Whereas every other team will carry over most of its car from last year into this year, our switch to the Mercedes power unit means that's not the case for us. It's driven a huge amount of change and, essentially, we've been building a new car. The number of new parts on the MCL35M is about the same as when we built the MCL35." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the podcast this week we're looking at how 2021's Technical Regulations are impacting the teams. There are plans to cut downforce levels by 10%, change the floor design and the token system where to control development. We look at the driver line-up changes and how smaller teams will benefit from the budget cap. Also this week JBL, as Autosport's punmaster-in-chief, casts verdict on Renault's rebranding of Alpine as part of their 'Renaulution' event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carlos Sainz will sample a Ferrari F1 car at the Fiorano Circuit next week in a private test, his first time getting real-world experience of the Ferrari systems. Sainz will want to get embedded with the people and team environment. He will be driving the SF71H. Sainz joins the Maranello team at a time of rebuilding and, despite small changes to the 2021 cars, he will be up against a team mate who has a year of experience in the current car. Plus we discuss what the management changes at Alpine F1 mean for their season, and what Perez can do in a Red Bull car which has the potential to win races in 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the first #ThinkingForward of 2021 we speak to WRC Director Peter Thul about the qualities needed to excel in rally, why WRC is backing F1’s strategy that hybrid engines and biofuels are the future rather than electric and why so many co-drivers end up running teams and federations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to our celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the 1991 motorsport season, which is also the subject of a special feature in this week's Autosport Magazine. 1991 was a special year for Formula 1 with new races in France and Spain, the arrival of Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen, new points allocations plus the first stop/go penalty. In our 1991 special, we argue that Senna's campaign - both on and off track - make it the greatest of his F1 crowns, while Williams co-founder Patrick Head is brutally honest about his team's failings that season. Want Autosport magazine delivered to your door each week? Subscribe today and never miss your weekly fix of motorsport: www.autosportmedia.com/offer/article Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Only a month since the end of the season, the Formula 1 world has been busy with news to digest. Alex Albon will be driving in DTM in 2021 whilst also attending F1 races as Red Bull Racing Reserve Driver. We look at how this will impact his F1 ambitions. What's the latest with the 2021 Formula 1 season calendar? Any how did fans react to Alpine unveiling an interim livery? Alex Kalinauckas (Grand Prix Editor, Autosport) is joined by Luke Smith (F1 Reporter, Autosport) and Jonathan Noble (F1 Editor, Motorsport.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's Autosport podcast looks forward at Formula 1's future. There's no doubt Lewis Hamilton is currently F1's dominant force but, when he decides to stop driving, who can take his crown? It will be a tough act for anyone to follow but three of the drivers we've picked in this week's issue of Autosport magazine are discussed on the podcast. In Luke Smith's first cover for the magazine we look at why Sainz, Norris and Russell are our picks of the next generation. Also on this show we review the 2020 Formula 2 season. The title was won by Mick Schumacher but it wasn't a season of domination from the eventual winner, compared to previous years of F2/GP2. However that doesn't mean we shouldn't be excited about the Schumacher name being back on the F1 grid in 2021, and the curious reason why it could be even better for 2022. Alex Kalinauckas (Grand Prix Editor, Autosport) is joined by Luke Smith (F1 Reporter, Autosport) and Kevin Turner (Editor-in-chief, Autosport). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Earlier this week Autosport revealed that Suzuki team boss Davide Brivio would depart the reigning MotoGP championship squad and move to Renault's Alpine F1 Team. We ask if a change of management can position the newly rebranded team for success. With Marcin Budkowski leading the team, Pat Fry as Chassis Technical Director and Rémi Taffin as Engine Technical Director, could they mount a challenge in 2021? Or is this more about 2022 and the new regulation changes? Also this week, we talk about Williams changing philosophy and sharing more parts with the Mercedes F1 team. Plus with Australia's season-opener being postponed, Alex pitches his plan for why F1 should return to Silverstone much earlier in the season. Alex Kalinauckas (Grand Prix Editor, Autosport) is joined by Luke Smith (F1 Reporter, Autosport) and Jonathan Noble (F1 Editor, Motorsport.com) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After intensive debate, we have finally ranked drivers from no fewer than 19 disciplines to bring you this order. Our expert championship correspondents have also offered up a host of stats, interviews with key figures and in-depth analysis to argue the strengths and weaknesses of each entry. We know the challenge of scoring drivers is invariably controversial, so if you agree or disagree with our Top 50 ranking, get in touch on social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The highs, the lows and everything in between. Autsoport's cast of editorial stars, including Alex Kalinauckas, Luke Smith, Jon Noble, Stuart Codling and Jessica McFadyen look back at the best and worst of 2020, plus look forward to what 2021 will hold ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the retirement of Frank Williams this year, Toto Wolff is now the most successful active team principal in Formula One. His range of motorsport responsibilities for Mercedes also includes Formula E, where rivals BMW and Audi made shock withdrawal announcements recently. So how does the seven times world champion team boss see the future of both series and what is his view on what the motorsport of tomorrow will look like? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Grand Prix season is run and won, and while the race may not have offered the biggest spectacle, there's plenty happening off the track to keep fans' interest high. Join the Autosport team for a detailed look at Abu Dhabi and beyond ... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Max Verstappen has upset the Mercedes duo in an interesting qualifying session at the Yas Marina Circuit. Alex Kalinauckas and Luke Smith take a deep dive into the session Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The final practice day for 2020 is done, and there's plenty to talk about as the F1 season draws to a close this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Jake Boxall-Legge and Jon Noble discuss the day's running. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lewis Hamilton is cleared to race, George Russell is back to Williams and our weekly take on whether Sergio Perez is a genuine chance of driving for Red Bull Racing in 2021. All that and more with your Autosport hosts Alex Kalinauckas and Luke Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It will go down as one of the best Grand Prix of 2020, with many ups and downs across the field. Alex Kalinauckas, Luke Smith and Jon Noble review a great night of racing in Bahrain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Mercedes pair are split by a hair, and Alex Kalinauckas and Luke Smith review qualifying from Bahrain's outer-loop layout – a unique circuit and some qnique topics to discuss Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ahead of the Sakhir GP, Romain Grosjean has opened up on his terrifying accident in Bahrain last week, and Jonathan Noble details the Frenchman's dramatic recount of the fiery incident. Noble and Jake Boxall-Legge also talk about George Russell's perfect Mercedes debut. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In one of the busiest F1 news weeks on record, Alex Kalinauckas and Luke Smith look at George Russell's maiden Mercedes media call and his big feet, Jack Aitken's fresh approach and the FIA's controversial call to allow Fernando Alonso to drive in the season-ending young driver test Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan Noble (F1 Reporter, Motorsport.com), Luke Smith (F1 Reporter, Autosport) and Stuart Codling (Executive Editor, GP Racing) analyse the key issues around Mercedes' decision What job can Russell do this weekend? Is there only upside for George? What's the impact for Bottas if Russell beats him? Plus driver news for Williams and Haas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Romain Grosjean's dramatic and terrifying crash highlights the race review from Bahrain. Alex Kalinauckas and the team of experts look at the incident and go behind the scenes on a frightening night of F1 action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another pole position for Lewis Hamilton, but there were so many stories to come from qualifying in Bahrain. Alex Kalinauckas and Luke Smith discuss the day's action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A wild day of practice crashes and circuit invasions by a dog created the headlines on the first day of running in Bahrain ... plus the regular news from the paddock, brought to you by Jonathan Noble and Jake Boxall-Legge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Autosport aces Alex Kalinauckas and Luke Smith preview the big news ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, including the conundrum at Red Bull Racing ....should they keep Alex Albon or snatch Sergio Perez for 2021. Plus, news on Valtteri Bottas, Romain Grosjean and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Autosport has produced a standalone special magazine to celebrate our 70th birthday. All current print subscribers will receive a copy for free. To order your copy of the 196-page Autosport 70th Anniversary issue, please go to: autosport.com/autosport70th Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After securing his 7th World Championship in dominant fashion, many now feel Lewis Hamilton is the greatest F1 driver of all time. However, some still argue that his success has only come from being in the best car. Jon Noble and Luke Smith are joined by former Mercedes F1 team Technical Director, Paddy Lowe, to discuss if Hamilton is really the difference-maker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Dream the impossible. You can do it too man!" - those were the words of inspiration that Lewis Hamilton gave to his young fans after he crossed the line to take victory in Turkey. Hamilton has wrapped up his seventh Formula 1 world championship in the most entertaining and unpredictable Grand Prix of 2020 . Alex Kalinauckas, Jon Noble, Luke Smith and Stuart Codling look at the wet race, the outstanding drives and Hamilton's record-equalling victory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lance Stroll has taken a surprise pole position in the first F1 qualifying session for 2020 that saw the Mercedes drivers off the top spot. Alex Kalinauckas and Luke Smith detail a remarkable qualifying in Turkey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The surface of the Turkish GP track was anything but a delight on the first day of practice at the Istanbul circuit, with cars slipping and sliding through the two sessions. Jonathan Noble and Jake Boxall-Legge discuss the day's track action, plus the news and views from the paddock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the eve of F1's return to the Istanbul circuit, Alex Kalinauckas and Luke Smith discuss the news from the track, including Sergio Perez's future, George Russell's response to his Imola error and the introduction of the W Series to the F1 support calendar next year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michele Mouton is a true legend of motorsport. Still the only woman to have won world championship rallies, the sight of her wresting the mighty Audi quattro in the 1980s, matching the top male rally drivers of the time, is as iconic as any moment of Formula One or Le Mans history. Today Mouton’s efforts are focussed on getting the next women drivers to the top of the pyramid in her role as head of the FIA Women in Motorsport commission. Girls on Track – Rising Stars is a global talent competition aimed at 14-16 year olds. Motorsport Network President James Allen finds out more in our latest #ThinkingForward episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Formula 1 returns to Turkey this weekend with 58 laps of the Istanbul Park circuit. Alex Kalinauckas, Luke Smith and Jonathan Noble get you up to speed on all the big talking points. Lewis Hamilton can clinch his seventh world championship this weekend and draw level with Michael Schumacher. If he finishes ahead of Bottas, the title will be his. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The virtual racing world of esports and sim racing has undergone two years worth of growth in a few months this year, thanks to the attention on it during the Covid lockdown. Now, Mike Rockenfeller (Le Mans 24 Hours overall winner, DTM champion and an Audi works driver) is launching RCCO World eX eSports, featuring short head to head races featuring monstrous electric racing cars, technology and story-telling around climate change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Formula 1 returned to the historical Imola circuit for the Emilia Romagna GP, and our expert team has every angle covered in an in-depth post-race analysis podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Qualifying has been run and won for the return of F1 to Imola. There is a familiar feel to the front of the grid, but as Jake Boxall-Legge and Jon Noble discuss, an intriguing, old school Emilia Romagna GP is upon us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

F1 teams have congregated at the famous Imola circuit and there is news everywhere. Driver signings, potential COVID infections and questions on the 2021 calendar. Alex and Luke discuss all of the news and more ahead of the Emilia Romagna GP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since his shock decision to retire as a driver after winning the 2016 Formula One world championship, Nico Rosberg has remained in the public eye. And much of his activity has been focused on the electric and the sustainability agenda, as a shareholder of the all electric FIA Formula E series and founder of the Greentech Festival. Now as a team owner in the newly launched Extreme E series, he’s going head to head with former team mate and nemesis Lewis Hamilton and a cast of US racing legends. As manufacturers and sponsors increase pressure on the sport to demonstrate a sense of purpose, what is Rosberg’s vision for the future of the sport and does the internal combustion engine still have any part in it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Portuguese GP Review is here! No spoilers in the podcast show notes though. So join Alex Kalinauckas (Grand Prix Editor, Autosport) alongside Luke Smith (F1 Reporter, Autosport), Jonathan Noble and Stuart Codling to analyse the result. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex and Luke review qualifying at Portimao, and while the battle at the very front was close yet predictable, there were many interesting stories that played out in Portugal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jake Boxall-Legge and Jonathan Noble analyse what we can learn from the first day of running in Portugal. Plus, in a bizarre moment, what caused a high speed crash between Lance Stroll and Max Verstappen during a practice session? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex and Luke preview F1’s weekend at Portimao, the second new circuit for 2020. Big news greeted us in the media centre of the Algarve track as Haas told us there will be an entirely new driver line-up for 2021. So what next for Romain and Kevin? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nathalie McGloin is a disabled woman who races on equal terms against able bodied men in Porsches. As a teenager she broke her spine as a passenger in a road accident - but now the car has brought her a new purpose. For the latest #ThinkingForward interview, McGloin tell our own James Allen about her her clear vision: where a disabled child can watch an F1 Grand Prix and say, "I want to do that one day" and for it be possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Eifel GP Review is here! No spoilers in the podcast show notes though. So join Alex Kalinauckas (Grand Prix Editor, Autosport) alongside Luke Smith (F1 Reporter, Autosport), Jonathan Noble and Stuart Codling to analyse the result. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Kalinauckas and Luke Smith look back at a day which saw a potential upset on the front row, and another surprise call-up for Nico Hülkenberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Kalinauckas and Luke Smith look ahead to this weekend’s action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices