Podcast
F1 Nation
Hosted by Formula 1 · EN
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 F1Explains@F1.com
An official F1 podcast. For in-depth F1 interviews, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid
51episodes
Episodes
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F1 Explains: The Formula 1 Paddock
Mar 2000:25:27Tap to summarizeIt's the heart of F1, a circus of speed which tours the racetracks of the world. Drivers mingle with VIPs and engineers. Mechanics push tyre trollies past crowds of reporters and camera crews. Inside hospitality buildings, Team Principals meet sponsors and guests. To enter this exclusive area you usually need a paddock pass, but F1 Explains can get you in...Christian Hewgill is your guide for a tour of the F1 Paddock to answer your questions about what happens there during a Grand Prix weekend.Send your questions to F1Explains@F1.comF1 Nation and F1 Explains have teamed up for 2026Get weekly race reviews and previews right here on this podcast feedExclusive in-depth interviews on F1 Beyond The GridLatest: How Jacques Villeneuve shook up F1Coming soon: Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu on Ollie Bearman's future
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Can Kimi take title fight to George? Lewis back to his best? – 2026 Chinese GP Review with Jolyon Palmer + Bono
Mar 1600:41:12Tap to summarizeF1TV commentator and former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer joins Tom Clarkson in the Shanghai paddock to reflect on an action-packed Chinese Grand Prix.Kimi Antonelli became the second youngest Grand Prix winner in F1 history, leading George Russell to the second consecutive Mercedes 1-2 of 2026. So can Kimi fight his more experienced teammate for the title this year? Kimi’s race engineer Pete ‘Bono’ Bonnington joins the pod to share what this victory means to them and where the Italian goes from here. Lewis Hamilton claimed his first Grand Prix podium for Ferrari, after an epic battle with teammate Charles Leclerc for third place. After a strong start to the new era of F1, is Lewis back to his best? Why did he have the better of Charles in China? And have we seen more evidence that Ferrari can fight with Mercedes for wins this year? The guys also discuss another big result for Ollie Bearman at Haas, double points for Alpine, a fighting performance from Carlos Sainz in the Williams and more difficult weekends for McLaren, Red Bull and Aston Martin.This episode is sponsored by: Quince: go to Quince dot com slash NATION for free shipping and 365-day returns. That's a full year to build your wardrobe and love it.Indeed: get a £100 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/f1nation Saily: get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code F1nation atcheckout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/f1nation
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F1 Explains: flashing lights, fast fixes + F1 engine customers
Mar 1300:30:52Tap to summarizeWhat do the red flashing lights on F1 cars mean? When do drivers attack and defend? How do F1 mechanics fix crashed cars so quickly? F1 Explains answers your questions after the first race of 2026.F1 Correspondent and Presenter Lawrence Barretto joins Christian Hewgill to explain battery recharging, the way drivers are using Boost and Overtake modes, and what the new active aero front wings have in common with electric toothbrushes...And, after Mercedes showed their speed in Australia, we look at how power unit manufacturers work with their customer teams.Get your question answered on the podcastSend your questions to F1Explains@F1.comF1 Explains + F1 Nation have teamed up for 2026Find the latest race previews and reviews on this feed - 2026 Chinese GP Preview out now with Tom Clarkson and Jolyon PalmerThis week on F1 Beyond The GridCadillac CEO Dan Towriss talks about launching the team
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Will Ferrari be fastest on 'quirky' Shanghai circuit? 2026 Chinese GP Preview
Mar 1200:20:26Tap to summarize'Mercedes will have less of an advantage... I think there's some magic in the air for Ferrari'. Tom Clarkson and Jolyon Palmer chat through the big talking points ahead of the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix.What makes the Shanghai International Circuit such a challenge, and how will the racing be different to what we saw in Australia? Will we see Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren get closer to the pace-setting Mercedes?The first F1 Sprint weekend of 2026 means less preparation time for everyone, including last year's Chinese Grand Prix winner, Oscar Piastri. Will he 'pay the price' for not racing in Melbourne?Can Aston Martin unlock more performance, and will Mercedes-powered Williams and Alpine show more speed in Shanghai?F1 Nation and F1 Explains have teamed up for 2026Listen to episodes right here on this feed, and send your F1 questions to F1Explains@F1.comThis week on F1 Beyond The GridCadillac CEO Dan Towriss on the team's first Grand Prix
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Mercedes are mighty, but can Ferrari fight in 2026? Australian GP Review
Mar 900:53:56Tap to summarizeTom Clarkson is joined in the Albert Park paddock by former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and Channel 10’s Richard Craill to reflect on an entertaining season opener in Melbourne. Mercedes took the first victory of this new era of Formula 1, with George Russell leading Kimi Antonelli to a 1-2 finish. George might be the favourite to become World Champion, but could Kimi challenge him for the duration of the season? Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished third, ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton in fourth. Can they take the fight to Mercedes this year? And could we see Hamilton back on the top step? Plus, the guys discuss how far behind Red Bull and McLaren are, a sensational F1 debut from Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad, points for Audi in their first race, and why there may be signs of encouragement for Aston Martin after a very challenging start to the season. F1 Nation and F1 Explains have teamed up for 2026Scroll down to find Williams Team Principal James Vowles answer your questionsThis episode is sponsored by:Indeed: get a £100 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/f1nation
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F1 Explains: James Vowles on the start of the season - live in Melbourne
Mar 600:27:59Tap to summarizeAfter a long winter, we're finally going racing this weekend in Melbourne. Ahead of the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, Williams Team Principal James Vowles explains how the team has prepared for the weekend, his favourite things about the 2026 regulations, and whether the first race will really tell us who's fastest.James joins Christian Hewgill on the F1 Fanzone stage at Albert Park to look ahead to a mouth-watering new season and to answer questions from F1 Explains listeners Sophie, Victoria and Karen.And James also tells us what jobs he’d give to Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon if they weren’t drivers.We want your questions about how Formula 1 works! Email F1Explains@F1.comF1 Explains and F1 Nation have teamed up for 2026. Subscribe to this feed for race previews and reviews every Monday with Tom Clarkson and guests.F1 Beyond The Grid with Carlos Sainz - out now
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All To Drive For! 2026 F1 Season Preview
Mar 201:07:36Tap to summarizeJames Hinchcliffe, Jolyon Palmer and Tom Clarkson look ahead to the first race of the 2026 Formula 1 season, the Australian Grand Prix.Are Mercedes favourites? Are fast-starting Ferrari title contenders? How will McLaren’s teammate battle develop now Lando Norris is reigning champion? Can Max Verstappen put Red Bull in the mix? There are so many questions at the start of a new era of racing. Hinch, Jolyon and TC debate it all.Plus, how will Williams and Alpine perform? Can Aston Martin recover after a difficult winter? Is 2026 a big chance for Haas? Which of the new teams – Audi or Cadillac – will have a stronger season? And the team make their pre-season predictions: who will win in Melbourne, and who will be the 2026 F1 World Champion?F1 Nation and F1 Explains have teamed up for 2026Scroll down to find Christian Hewgill + Lawrence Barretto explaining all you need to know about the new F1 seasonThis episode is sponsored by: BetterHelp: sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/F1NATIONShopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/nation Indeed: get a £100 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/f1nation
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F1 Explains: new rules + new words for 2026
Feb 2700:33:33Tap to summarizeBoost your knowledge ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Christian Hewgill and F1 Correspondent + Presenter Lawrence Barretto run through the key terms and new rules of the sport's new era.Plus we answer your questions on how drivers will recharge their brand new batteries, how the arrival of Cadillac will change qualifying and the new advanced sustainable fuel powering the new cars.We want your questions about how Formula 1 works! Email F1Explains@F1.comF1 Explains and F1 Nation have teamed up for 2026. Subscribe to this feed for race previews and reviews every Monday with Tom Clarkson and guests.And check out the new season of F1 Beyond The Grid. New episodes start Wednesday 4th of March with Carlos Sainz
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What we learned from pre-season testing – with Jolyon Palmer
Feb 2300:39:24Tap to summarizeF1TV commentator and former Renault driver Jolyon Palmer joins Tom Clarkson to reflect on pre-season testing, as Formula 1 gets set for a very exciting new era.The teams and drivers have had a shakedown in Barcelona, followed by two, three-day tests in Bahrain, ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in March.So what have we learned about the new cars? Which teams look competitive? Who still has a lot of work to do? And what do we think the pecking order is heading to Melbourne?What Next?F1 Nation is back next Monday with our big season preview before the Australian Grand Prix. And F1 Explains returns for 2026 this Friday on the F1 Nation feed. Presenter Christian Hewgill is joined by F1 correspondent Lawrence Barretto to answer your questions about the new cars and regulations. Send them in to f1explains@f1.com
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F1 Nation + F1 Explains team up for 2026
Feb 1900:02:34Tap to summarizeF1 Nation is back for 2026 and we're teaming up with F1 Explains - the podcast which answers your questions about the sport.On Mondays F1 Nation will bring you expert reaction to F1 action, and insider views on breaking news from Tom Clarkson, Jolyon Palmer, James Hinchcliffe + more F1 insiders.On Fridays, F1 Explains will tackle your questions on the sport. Christian Hewgill gets the answers from drivers, team bosses and the men and women who work behind the scenes. Send your questions to F1Explains@F1.comF1 Nation and F1 Explains - all in one place. New episodes start on Monday February 23rd
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