F1: Beyond The Grid

A driver market for the ages, Verstappen at his very best, emotional race wins, new Constructor World Champions and the end of some iconic eras. The 2024 Formula 1 season was sensational. On F1 Beyond The Grid, the stars of this dramatic year of racing have sat down with Tom Clarkson, revealing what it’s like being at the centre of the biggest stories of the season and sharing fascinating insight into what life is like as a Formula 1 driver, Team Principal, engineer, designer, and more. In this end-of year special, Tom picks his favourite moments from a long list of stellar guests. Fernando Alonso reflects on becoming the first driver in F1 history to compete in 400 Grands Prix and why he nearly retired much earlier in his career. Carlos Sainz explains how he recovered from physical and mental setbacks to win multiple races. And Ollie Bearman describes what it was really like making his F1 debut at such short notice in Saudi Arabia. As well as today’s big names, legends of the past like Juan Pablo Montoya and David Coulthard relive their career-defining moments. Plus, you’ll hear memories of Lewis Hamilton’s time at Mercedes and Bruno Senna’s stories of growing up with his uncle Ayrton, 30 years on from his death. Thank you for listening in 2024. F1 Beyond The Grid will return in 2025. To hear the full interviews with the guests featured in this show, click on the links below… Toto Wolff Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz Juan Pablo Montoya David Coulthard Bruno Senna Fernando Alonso Andy Stevenson Ollie Bearman Ayao Komatsu Tom Stallard Paul Monaghan This episode is sponsored by: Vanta: visit vanta.com/GRIDfor $1,000 off SelectQuote: Get the right life insurance for you for less at selectquote.com/BEYONDTHEGRID Unbound Merino: head over to unboundmerino.com where new customers can use the code GRID for 10% off of their order! Masterclass: get up to 50% off at masterclass.com/GRID

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes: their names are together forever in the Formula 1 record books. As the most successful team and driver partnership in the sport's history comes to an end, some of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes colleagues tell Tom Clarkson their stories of working with him: Listen to more official F1 Podcasts F1 Nation - Grand Prix reviews and previews from inside the F1 paddock F1 Explains - answering your questions about Formula 1 Experience F1 live Tickets for the 2025 F1 season are available now at tickets.formula1.com Discover F1 Unlocked Unseen. Unheard. F1 Unlocked. Dive into exclusive content from F1 experts, redeem rewards and enter money-can't-buy competitions. Click here to join for free This episode is sponsored by Vanta: get $1,000 off Vanta at vanta.com/GRID. F1 Authentics: Find your ultimate piece of F1 history and head over to www.F1Authentics.com to shop now! Shopify: sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beyondthegrid

This episode is presented by Explora journeys, redefining luxury ocean travel. 2024 has been a turbulent year for Carlos Sainz. It started with a shock: Lewis Hamilton would be replacing him at Ferrari in 2025. Then he missed a race with appendicitis. But the year is ending with multiple wins and podiums to look back on, and an exciting new challenge to look forward to with Williams next season. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Carlos talks about his feelings after finding out Hamilton was taking his seat, the pain he suffered after his operation and how he came back from those physical and emotional setbacks to take victories in Australia and Mexico, and secure his future in Formula 1. As well as reflecting on a special four years with Ferrari, Sainz is also relishing his next chapter. What can he achieve with Williams? How does he rate new teammate Alex Albon? And will he cope with not fighting at the front of the grid? Related Episodes Charles Leclerc James Vowles Alex Albon Listen to more official F1 Podcasts F1 Nation - Grand Prix reviews and previews from inside the F1 paddock F1 Explains - answering your questions about Formula 1 Experience F1 live Tickets for the 2025 F1 season are available now at tickets.formula1.com Discover F1 Unlocked Unseen. Unheard. F1 Unlocked. Dive into exclusive content from F1 experts, redeem rewards and enter money-can't-buy competitions. Click here to join for free

2024 has been a rollercoaster for this week’s guest on F1 Beyond The Grid. While the end of the season provides a chance for reflection, he’s also looking forward to an exciting new venture in 2025. Hear a preview of the episode with Tom Clarkson now and then you can listen to the conversation in full on your podcast app, or watch on the official F1 YouTube channel, from Wednesday 4th December. Listen to more official F1 podcasts F1 Beyond The Grid - exclusive interviews with F1's biggest stars. F1 Explains - your F1 questions, answered by experts Experience F1 live Tickets for the 2025 F1 season are available now at tickets.formula1.com Discover F1 Unlocked Unseen. Unheard. F1 Unlocked. Dive into exclusive content from F1 experts, redeem rewards and enter money-can't-buy competitions. Click here to join for free

This episode is brought to you by Salesforce, a Global Partner of Formula 1® Aston Martin Sporting Director Andy Stevenson reached a huge milestone in Las Vegas, working at his 600th Grand Prix. It’s a sensational achievement made even more remarkable by the fact that all 600 races have been with the same team. A driver winning with a broken leg, another going to jail halfway through the season, preparing a future seven-time World Champion for his debut… Andy has seen everything Formula 1 has to offer over the last 33 years in the paddock. Sharing fascinating and surreal anecdotes with Tom Clarkson, he talks about Eddie Jordan not liking him when he first joined ‘Team Silverstone’, how they’ve evolved since their F1 debut in 1991, why he’s stayed there for his whole career, what it’s like working with Crohn’s disease, and much more. Related Episodes Fernando Alonso, on racing in 400 Grands Prix (https://podfollow.com/f1-beyond-the-grid/episode/c7d26eb608f8ed5bb6587b72cbee3b15ee7823e0) Listen to more official F1 Podcasts F1 Nation - Grand Prix reviews and previews from inside the F1 paddock F1 Explains - answering your questions about Formula 1 Experience F1 live Tickets for the end of the 2024 F1 season and the start of 2025 are available now at tickets.formula1.com Discover F1 Unlocked Unseen. Unheard. F1 Unlocked. Dive into exclusive content from F1 experts, redeem rewards and enter money-can't-buy competitions. Click here to join for free This episode is sponsored by: Vanta: get $1,000 off Vanta when you go to vanta.com/grid

He’s one of the most experienced drivers in F1 history, who won races for championship teams Ferrari and Brawn GP. During his long career, Rubens Barrichello had to cope with the loss of his legendary countryman, Ayrton Senna, and the challenge of carrying the hopes of Brazilian fans afterwards. At Ferrari, Rubens went up against a dominant Michael Schumacher, and while he never won a title, he proved he could match his teammate on his day. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Rubens reflects on some of the highs and lows of his career, the long shadow cast by the death of Senna, and the pressure and pride he felt racing for Brazil’s passionate F1 fans. 10 Teams, 20 Drivers, 1 Massive Season Launch A groundbreaking season launch event at London’s The O2 – featuring all the teams, their drivers and team bosses, plus top entertainment – ahead of the 2025 campaign. 18.02.25! This episode is sponsored by: SelectQuote: get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS, at selectquote.com/beyondthegrid Indeed: to get your jobs more visibility with a $75 sponsored job credit, go to indeed.com/grid

Tom Clarkson is back, speaking to a current F1 star ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. Listen for a preview, then hear the full in-depth interview on Wednesday 21st August. Follow F1 Beyond The Grid to get the episode delivered to your podcast app as soon as it’s released

Change is on the horizon at Alpine, as boss Bruno Famin prepares to step down, and the Renault-owned team considers switching to another manufacturer's power units. Bruno tells Tom Clarkson why he is moving away from the F1 team to focus on operations at Renault's engine factory in Viry, just outside Paris. The factory has produced Renault F1 engines since the 1970s, but staff have been told this project will stop ahead of F1's new engine regulations in 2026. Bruno explains the thinking behind that plan, the possibility of Alpine becoming a Mercedes-powered customer team, and the alternative projects Viry could work on in future. Bruno also looks back on his year as Alpine Team Principal, the arrivals of experienced engineer David Sanchez and former team boss Flavio Briatore. Plus, Pierre Gasly's continuing relationship with the team, and the departure of Esteban Ocon. This episode is sponsored by Liquid IV: get 20% your first order when you shop better hydration today using promo code GRID at liquidiv.com Experience F1 live in 2024 Tickets for races in the Netherlands, Italy, Texas, Las Vegas and around the world are on sale now. Go to tickets.formula1.com to book your place at a Grand Prix.

As President and CEO of Liberty Media, Formula 1's parent company, Greg Maffei is at the very top of the sport. Together, he and F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali, are setting the strategy for the sport’s future. Since Liberty Media took ownership of the Formula 1 in 2017, we’ve seen thrilling races from the Las Vegas Strip to Silverstone, new fans around the world have fallen in love with the sport, and new stars have been given their chance to shine in F1 Academy. Maffei tells Tom Clarkson how he’s pushing to make F1 more competitive, more sustainable and more spectacular. He talks drivers, teams, races, golf, skiing, and the things that excite him in the coming years, including Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari and the upcoming F1 movie starring Brad Pitt. See F1 live in 2024 Get your tickets for Las Vegas, Austin and races around the world now at tickets.formula1.com Listen to more official Formula 1 Podcasts F1 NationF1 Explains Watch F1 Beyond The Grid on the F1 YouTube channel Follow F1 on Instagram, TikTok, X + Facebook Head to F1.com or the F1 app for the latest news, video and analysis

30 years ago, Karl Wendlinger’s Formula 1 career was just beginning to rise after a strong start to 1994 with Sauber. But that all changed in first practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, when the Austrian lost control of his car as he approached the Nouvelle chicane and crashed into the barriers. After a long recovery to regain racing fitness, Wendlinger returned a year later at the Spanish Grand Prix. He wasn’t the same driver though, and at the end of 1995, his time in F1 was up. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Karl talks in great detail about the crash; why he still doesn’t know the cause, how it affected him physically and mentally, what motivated him to race again, and how he processed leaving the sport. Plus, Karl remembers coming through the Mercedes junior programme with Michael Schumacher and the warm welcome Ayrton Senna gave him when he first arrived on the grid. This episode is sponsored by: Shopify: sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beyondthegrid Indochino: go to Indochino.com today and use code GRID to get 10% off any purchase of $399 or more.

20 years since his infatuation with Formula 1 began at China’s first race in 2004, Zhou Guanyu will race in front of his home fans for the first time as an F1 driver at the Chinese Grand Prix. Zhou tells Tom Clarkson what racing in Shanghai will look like through his eyes; from his helmet design and sold-out grandstand, to the reaction he’s expecting on his first lap of the track and what it would mean to score his first points of the season in the city he was born in. The Sauber driver also talks about what impact his success has had on motorsport culture in China, his crash at Silverstone in 2022, the documentary being made about his journey to F1, his passion for fashion, uncertainty over his future in the sport with no seat confirmed for 2025 yet, and much more. Related Episodes Zhou’s first BTG appearance This episode is sponsored by: Bitdefender: visit Bitdefender.com to learn more about why Ferrari chose Bitdefender to stay ahead of cyber threats and how you can make your digital life safer BetterHelp: our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/GRID

The journey that has taken Ayao Komatsu from a teenager in Tokyo, dreaming of working in Formula 1, to the new Haas Team Principal is a gripping tale. Featuring fascinating anecdotes of his father’s experiences as a political prisoner, the challenges Ayao faced when he left Japan for England, and how he engineered his way through university to a career in F1, this is a compelling conversation between Komatsu and Tom Clarkson. Ayao talks about his relationship with his family, the influence Japanese F1 hero Takuma Sato has had on his career, why he once wanted to be a journalist, how he’s transforming Haas, and much more. Related Episodes Nico Hulkenberg Kevin Magnussen Takuma Sato Book your seat at a Grand Prix Tickets for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 are now on sale along with Miami, Imola and every other race this season. Head to tickets.formula1.com to buy now More official F1 Podcasts F1 Nation - race previews, reviews and analysis from the F1 Paddock F1 Explains - your questions answered by the experts

A Formula 1 winner in his first season, Oscar Piastri has his sights set on more success. At McLaren, alongside Lando Norris, guided by Team Principal Andrea Stella and manager Mark Webber, he’s right where he needs to be. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Oscar reflects on his rookie year in F1, his Sprint victory ahead of Max Verstappen, on-track clashes and off-track discussions with Lewis Hamilton, and why at his home race in Melbourne he’ll be fuelled by his Grandma’s baking as well as the Australian crowd. You can now watch full episodes of F1 Beyond The Grid on the F1 YouTube channel. More Official F1 Podcasts For more Oscar, listen to the next episode of F1 Explains – the podcast which answers your questions about Formula 1. Oscar explains how his time in Formula 3 and Formula 2 prepared him for the pinnacle of motorsport. Listen to F1 Nation's preview of Oscar's home race This episode is sponsored by: Indochino: go to indochino.com and use code GRID to get 10% off any purchase of $399 or more BetterHelp: our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/GRID

F1 is full of extraordinary humans, but who is Tom Clarkson's first guest in 2024? Find out here, then join F1 Beyond The Grid for in-depth conversations with the sport's fastest stars every Wednesday. Discover new official F1 podcasts in 2024: F1 Nation - 2024 Season Preview out now F1 Explains - your questions about F1, answered by the experts

Martin Brundle is best known today for his infamous pre-race gridwalks and his expert analysis on television. But did you know he had a very impressive and dramatic racing career before moving into the commentary box? On Day 27 of our countdown to the new season, Martin tells Tom Clarkson about beating the likes of Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen, before they all went on to become multiple Formula 1 World Champions. For Martin’s full interview with Tom in 2018, listen here.

Six-time Grand Prix winner Ralf Schumacher joins Tom Clarkson on 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, Day 26. Ralf explains why he never became friendly with teammates and also tells Tom whether he would have made it to Formula 1 without his seven-time World Champion brother, Michael Schumacher. For Ralf’s full interview with Tom in 2019, listen here.

On Day 20 of our countdown to the new season, former Toro Rosso driver Scott Speed tells Tom Clarkson how his ego and a fiery clash with team boss Franz Tost cut his Formula 1 career short. For Scott’s full conversation with Tom last year, listen here.

Formula 1 will break new ground this year, with 24 races on the calendar. That’s more than any other season in the sport’s history. On Day 14 of 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, F1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali, tells Tom Clarkson why 24 Grands Prix makes sense. To learn more about F1’s future, listen to Stefano’s full conversation with Tom here.

On Day 13 of 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, F1 talent guru Gwen Lagrue, the man in charge of Mercedes’ junior driver programme, reveals what he looks for in potential F1 drivers and future World Champions. Listen to Gwen’s full conversation with Tom Clarkson from 2023 here.

Heikki Kovalainen was Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at McLaren when he became World Champion for the first time in 2008. On Day 9 of 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, Heikki tells Tom Clarkson how Lewis tried to spice up their rivalry and what it was like to win the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix, his first and only win in Formula 1. For Heikki’s full conversation with Tom, listen here.