The Race F1 Podcast

We're back with another driver rankings podcast following the Belgian Grand Prix, where there were contrasting fortunes for the two Mercedes once more. But where did our own Edd Straw rank George Russell after early contact with Lewis Hamilton forced him out of the race? And who has claimed this week's top spot in the rankings? Ben Anderson quizzes Edd on how he ranked the drivers in Spa, backed up as ever by questions from The Race Members' Club.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edd Straw is joined by Ben Anderson and Val Khorounzhiy to dissect the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. Kimi Antonelli took his win tally for the season to six with his win at Spa, while team-mate George Russell had another weekend to forget. So how big a hit have the Briton's title chances taken?Edd, Val and Ben also look at two controversial stewards' decisions involving Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton earning a penalty but Charles Leclerc avoiding the same fate. Did the stewards get it right?Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a special bonus, we're making the Friday edition of our In-Car Insights podcast - usually only available to The Race Members' Club - free for everyone to listen to.This one was recorded as Edd, Ben and Val were winding their way through the Ardennes countryside en route to their lodgings, taking in parts of the classic Spa track. On the drive they discuss all of the day's big talking points, but Ben kicks things off by sharing his thoughts on seeing 2026 F1 machinery in the flesh for the first time. Has watching trackside made him to change his mind about this generation of cars, or does he still dislike them as much as before? Listen in to find out!If you like what you hear - and we're confident you will - head to Patreon.com/therace to sign up to The Race Members' Club and enjoy these bonus episodes (and much more besides) on every grand prix weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson look ahead to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa while revisiting a couple of key technical talking points from Silverstone.They discuss Red Bull’s troublesome rear wing and the issues that have impacted Max Verstappen in consecutive weekends, with Gary explaining the complexities of airflow reattachment, why the revolving rear wing design itself isn't necessarily the issue, and whether the team should return to a more conventional rear wing setup for Spa.Gary also shares his thoughts on the front-left wheel shield issue Kimi Antonelli suffered during the British Grand Prix and how he'd react to that if he was working for Mercedes, plus he answers questions from listeners about the fine margins of F1 car weight and design, how driver height and weight affect car dynamics, and how front wing adjustments are made in the modern active-aero era.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Energy concerns are once again dominating discussion as F1 heads to the power-hungry Spa-Francorchamps circuit for the Belgian Grand Prix, so should we expect another weekend of yo-yo racing and drivers complaining?On the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast, Edd Straw is joined by Mark Hughes and Nelson Valkenburg, of Viaplay Netherlands, to explain the set-up and deployment headaches facing the teams this weekend and to debate whether Ferrari will be the team to take the fight to Mercedes once more.With weather forecasts for Spa looking mixed, the prospect of a first proper wet race under this regulation set is also discussed, plus we examine where the true momentum in the Antonelli versus Russell title race lies, and whether there might be a shift in Belgium. Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

F1 seems destined for a V8 engine future, but with a push to make the cars considerably lighter at the same time, could that mean a return of in-race refuelling?On the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast, Edd Straw is joined by Jon Noble and Josh Suttill to debate whether bringing back fuel stops would be a good or bad idea for F1.They also discuss whether FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem's suggestion of appointing an independent engine manufacturer is workable, plus we explain what's going on with the safety probe into revolving rear wings and ask whether Ferrari have got a jump on the rest of the field by arranging a filming day at the Madring, ahead of the first ever race at the Spanish circuit in September.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest exclusive 'In Conversation With...' interview from The Race Business, The Race co-founder Darren Cox sits down with Matthew Savage, Chairman of Dorilton Capital, to uncover the business strategy behind transforming the legendary Williams F1 team. From the $200 million acquisition in 2020 to a staggering $2.5 billion valuation today, Savage explains how a long-term investment horizon, the impact of the cost cap, and the "Netflix" effect turned the team’s fortunes around.We dive deep into the reality of private equity in Formula 1. Why are institutional investors and high-net-worth families rushing into the sport? Is F1 the new NFL? Savage discusses the challenges of transforming a 50-year-old family business, the "siloed" nature of modern F1 teams - acting as media, hospitality, and engineering entities simultaneously - and why he continues to reject multiple buy-out offers every single week.Beyond the financials, we explore the team’s bold ambition to win two championships within the next six years, the importance of retaining the Williams heritage, and the role of team principal James Vowles in navigating the team’s technical and cultural evolution. Whether you’re an F1 superfan or a business strategist, this conversation reveals what it truly takes to build a contender in the most competitive sport on Earth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bring Back V10s celebrates some key names from F1's V10 era who aren't necessarily remembered purely for their outright achievements behind the wheel.Before Season 13 draws to a close, we decided to borrow English football's 'Barclaysmen' social media trend, picking out drivers who made a memorable impression on the V10 era without ever really being considered in the top echelon of drivers.Glenn Freeman, Edd Straw, Matt Beer and Ben Anderson all did their best to grapple with the concept, and got to pick two drivers each. But we didn't share our choices beforehand, meaning everybody needed to bring back-ups.So get ready for a nostalgic chat about occasional race winners, plucky backmarkers, unlikely title contenders, nomadic journeymen, and - somehow - even an F1 world champion!Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a tricky start to the season, Charles Leclerc showed Ferrari what they were missing as he returned to top form at Silverstone. But how did he haul himself out of the hole he was trapped in, and does this mean Leclerc is now finally on top of this generation of cars? In the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast, Edd Straw is joined by Ben Anderson and IndyCar driver Conor Daly to answer those questions and more.Edd, Ben and Conor also discuss Max Verstappen's mindset following his latest 'super dangerous' off in Britain, plus there's chat about how F1 should amend its safety car rules, whether Kimi Antonelli's aggressive driving approach will cost him in the long run, and what was behind Lance Stroll's strange Silverstone showing.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our rankings podcast returns following the British Grand Prix, where Mercedes suffered only their second defeat of the season. But does that automatically make Charles Leclerc a shoo-in for number 1 in Edd Straw's driver rankings? This week's interrogator-in-chief Josh Suttill probes Edd on how he ranked the drivers, backed up as ever by questions from The Race Members' Club.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charles Leclerc hit back after his poor run of form with victory in the British Grand Prix. But where did his and Ferrari’s unexpected turn of pace come from, was there any hope a win without Antonelli hitting trouble while rapidly closing in on the lead, and was he fortunate to avoid a last-gasp challenge after the late safety car?Edd Straw is joined by Jon Noble and Josh Suttill to answer all of those questions, plus they debate the other big talking points from a busy Silverstone weekend, including more anger for Max Verstappen and mixed feelings for the home drivers.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson take a close look at the upgrade package introduced by Red Bull in Austria, and try to diagnose the reason behind Cadillac's race-wrecking brake issues.We also hear from Cadillac's reserve driver Zhou Guanyu, who tells Edd all about his recent outing testing tyres for Pirelli and provides an update on the team's 2026 progress and developments behind the scenes.And finally, Gary tackles questions from listeners on what elements constitute a power unit and whether McLaren have an underlying gear ratio issue. If you'd like to ask Gary a tech question, send it to [email protected].Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After news broke in Austria that Max Verstappen's management have met with McLaren, we explain what’s really going on behind the scenes when it comes to the four-times world champion’s Formula 1 future.Joining Edd Straw, to discuss what it all means for the wider driver market, are Josh Suttill and special guest Nelson Valkenburg, F1 commentator for Viaplay Netherlands.There's also another batch of listener questions to tackle, with the future of the Williams drivers, Isack Hadjar's form, Russell's in-race pace fall-off and more on the agenda.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

George Russell and Max Verstappen returned to the front in Austria - but will either of them claim the coveted top step of the podium in our driver rankings, or will it go to someone else entirely? Matt Beer, armed with questions from The Race Members' Club, joins Edd Straw to run the rule over his Red Bull Ring driver rankings, including whether he got the top two in his rankings the right way around and whether one driver is being unreasonably picked on when it comes to deciding who comes last...If you'd like to take part in the driver rankings fun, get bonus F1 podcasts, and enjoy ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edd Straw, Jon Noble and Valentin Khorounzhiy gather at the Red Bull Ring to review an entertaining Austrian Grand Prix. It was a race in which George Russell finally took his second win of the season, but with Max Verstappen posing a serious threat and finishing just 1.6 seconds behind, can we now say that Red Bull are back? And what happened to Ferrari's speed? We tackle those questions, plus we take a close up look at some of the weekend's other big storylines, including the qualifying yellow flag saga and the team orders disagreement at Racing Bulls that was missed in the TV coverage...Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a special bonus, we're making the Friday edition of our In-Car Insights podcast - usually only available to The Race Members' Club - free for everyone to listen to.Mercedes ended practice day at F1's Austrian Grand Prix on top, but could McLaren be a threat and is Ferrari holding something back with its upgraded engine? Edd and Jon discuss the pecking order at the end of Friday at the Red Bull Ring, plus explain why F1 has banned both Mercedes and Ferrari innovations.If you like what you hear - and we're confident you will - head to Patreon.com/therace to sign up to The Race Members' Club and enjoy these bonus episodes (and much more besides) on every grand prix weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bring Back V10s looks back on the first two years of the Williams-BMW partnership in 2000 and 2001, with the help of our members!We asked them what they wanted to know about how this partnership started across its first two years, and from that we created a list of subjects for Glenn Freeman to put to Edd Straw and Mark Hughes to explore what was going on both on track and behind the scenes.We cover the expectations ahead of BMW's F1 return in 2000, and why there was tension between the two parties from the very beginning. We look at how the first year laid the foundation for the huge step that came from BMW in 2001 with its incredible P80 engine, and if Williams did enough on the car side to hold up its end of the bargain.We also discuss Williams's three drivers during this time, looking at how Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya fit into the sometimes divided dynamic between team and engine supplier, and wonder what Jenson Button could have achieved if he'd stayed on board for 2001. Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As F1 heads to Austria, Ferrari could have the help of an engine upgrade to boost its chances of turning Lewis Hamilton’s Barcelona win into a title push. But will Mercedes hit back, and if so can George Russell find a way to turn the tide against team-mate Kimi Antonelli after being fortunate to gain 18 points last time out?Those are the key questions tackled by Edd Straw, Ben Anderson and Josh Suttill in the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast.There's also the latest on the Monaco GP pitlane speeding penalty controversy, plus Edd, Ben and Josh tackle another batch of questions sent in by The Race Members' Club.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a revitalised Lewis Hamilton still basking in the glory of his first Ferrari grand prix win, we explain how the Briton has been able to turn his fortunes around so spectacularly after last year’s struggles.Edd Straw is joined by Mark Hughes and Scott Mitchell-Malm for an in-depth look at the seven-time world champion, and the changes that have been made off-track and on to enable him to re-find his form.Edd, Mark and Scott also speculate what the recent success means for Hamilton's future, and look at the reasons why the 41-year-old's revitalised form has coincided with a slight dip for his team-mate Charles Leclerc.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Red Bull was recently declared Formula 1's best engine under the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system, meaning rivals Mercedes and Ferrari will both get engine upgrades during the 2026 season. On the latest episode of The Undercut, Damon Hill and Mark Hughes discuss whether such a mechanism should exist at all, and whether F1 can still be considered a sport if the regulators are trying to artificially level the playing field. They also tackle the thorny topic of whether teams have been actively ‘gaming the system’…Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the Barcelona Grand Prix, McLaren's Lando Norris claimed that if Ferrari had the potential to "embarrass" the competition if it had a stronger engine, adding that the red car is "the class of the field in terms of cornering performance". But is the world champion right?That's one of the topics tackled by Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson in the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show.Gary also shares his thoughts on how F1 strugglers Aston Martin are approaching this season and gives his opinion on the recent ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) decision.He also tackles listener questions on how downforce loss is assessed during a race, engine penalties, F1's future bodywork regulations, and Mercedes' reliability concerns.If you'd like to ask Gary a question, send it to [email protected]Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of Stay On Track, 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill and grand prix winner Johnny Herbert discuss whether Lewis Hamilton should now be considered a contender for the 2026 world title after his thrilling victory in Barcelona. They also ruminate on Hamilton's resurgence and how he's been able to regain his mojo and galvanise the Ferrari team around him, at the very time that team-mate Charles Leclerc is struggling to get results. Damon and Johnny also offer high praise to Mercedes' championship leader Kimi Antonelli and some advice to George Russell in how he can fight back against the Italian.Help shape the future of The Race. Take our short survey today: https://theracemedia.typeform.com/to/a6U6EGpsGet bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spain plays host to two grands prix in 2026, with Madrid's brand-new Madring track joining the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on the calendar. And on this episode of The Race F1 Podcast, Edd Straw, Jon Noble and special guest Diego Meija share their thoughts on F1's newest track after a special tour of the facility, three months before the first race. Equipped with a 10-metre high, 550-metre long, steeply banked corner, Madrid has a corner that on paper could become one of F1's best - but will this latest Spanish venue prove a hit or go down as another missed opportunity, like the now-abandoned Valencia track?Edd, Jon and Diego discuss that corner, assess what the circuit has in store for the drivers, and explain why they're optimistic about the racing it should provide. Plus we also hear from home hero Carlos Sainz, who has been heavily involved in the project.Help shape the future of The Race. Take our short survey today: https://theracemedia.typeform.com/to/a6U6EGpsGet bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Barcelona Grand Prix proved a historic one on-track for Lewis Hamilton as he captured his first Ferrari victory - but can he do the double with his first visit to the top of Edd Straw's driver rankings since the 2024 British GP? And where did Edd place Hamilton's team-mate Charles Leclerc after another tricky weekend?In the latest episode of our driver rankings podcast, Ben Anderson returns, armed with questions from The Race Members' Club, to grill Edd on where he placed each driver in Barcelona - and this time he even gets Edd to concede he got one driver's position wrong! Listen in to find out who it was...Help shape the future of The Race. Take our short survey today: https://theracemedia.typeform.com/to/a6U6EGpsGet bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edd Straw is joined in Barcelona by Jon Noble and Josh Suttill to analyse what proved a historic Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.Lewis Hamilton finally claimed his long awaited first grand prix victory for Ferrari, but how did he turn the tables on Mercedes and is he now back to his best? And with Kimi Antonelli retiring just after passing team-mate George Russell, what does all of this mean for the title fight? The guys discuss all of these questions, as well as fielding many more sent in by The Race Members' Club. Help shape the future of The Race. Take our short survey today: https://theracemedia.typeform.com/to/a6U6EGpsGet bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a special bonus, we're making the Thursday edition of our In-Car Insights podcast - usually only available to The Race Members' Club - free for everyone to listen to.In this episode, Edd Straw and Jon Noble dive into the paddock’s big talking points from media day on Thursday. The guys get into the reaction to the ADUO engine upgrade controversy after the FIA declared Red Bull is F1's ‘best’ engine, and discuss the astonishing development in Alpine’s bid to get Pierre Gasly’s podium-robbing Monaco penalty overturned.They also talk about the finer details of two drivers struggling of late and aiming to turn it around in Spain – Charles Leclerc by trialling a new brake set-up at Ferrari, and George Russell with a plan to tackle how his driving style doesn’t seem to fit these cars.If you like what you hear - and we're confident you will - head to Patreon.com/therace to sign up to The Race Members' Club and enjoy these bonus episodes (and much more besides) on every grand prix weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bring Back V10s has World Cup fever! With the help of our members, we put together a tournament featuring 32 of the best races from 1989 to 2005, and in this episode you'll hear Edd Straw, Matt Beer and Ben Anderson debate the tournament from the last 16 all the way to the final. The twist? Host Glenn Freeman has the power to deploy a veto once per round if he disagrees with the selection made by the panel!So get ready to hear Edd pushing too hard for races from 1993, Glenn being torn over how far to push Jerez 1997, Ben basing far too many of his decisions on what happened to Damon Hill in any given race, and Matt saying something nice about Nigel Mansell!But which race will be declared the overall winner of the Bring Back V10s World Cup?To listen to the full tournament, including the group stages, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast, we discuss the news that Red Bull has been declared Formula 1's best engine under the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system, meaning that rivals Mercedes and Ferrari will both get engine upgrades during the 2026 season. Given the Mercedes power unit is considered the standard-setter and the Mercedes team has won every grand prix this year, the decision has understandably baffled a lot of people - so what exactly is going on? Edd Straw is joined by Mark Hughes and Scott Mitchell-Malm to unpick everything we know.Edd, Mark and Scott also discuss the driving style problems George Russell referenced in Monaco, and ask whether he could see an upturn in his fortunes in Barcelona this weekend. There's also a host of listener questions to answer, with topics ranging from whether McLaren have a power unit issue brewing to whether Alex Albon should leave Williams for pastures new.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second instalment of our Driver Rankings podcast, Ben Anderson grills Edd Straw on how he ranked the drivers after the Monaco Grand Prix.One driver's ranking proved particularly controversial to many people in The Race Members' Club - but does Edd agree that it's one of the boldest calls he's ever made?Ben also challenges Edd on the rankings of Charles Leclerc and George Russell, gets Edd to explain how much penalties and driver luck feed into his decision making, and spotlights two drivers who he thinks could have been ranked very differently.There's also a look at the updated driver rankings championship, with one driver in particular jumping several places up the order after Monaco. If you want to take issue with Edd's ranking and have your viewpoint discussed on the show, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Monte Carlo, Jon Noble and Scott Mitchell-Malm join Edd Straw to discuss an intriguing Monaco Grand Prix that saw a runaway race winner, disappointment for the home fans, a slew of costly penalties, and concerns about the track surface - amongst other things...Kimi Antonelli became the youngest-ever winner of the Monaco Grand Prix as pre-event favourite Ferrari floundered and title rival George Russell came away with nothing. But was there ever any chance of stopping the Italian? Edd, Jon and Scott tackle that question as well as discussing Lewis Hamilton's strong showing, miserable outings for Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, podium heartbreak for Pierre Gasly and much more. Plus, there's the usual batch of listener questions to answer.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a special bonus, we're making the Thursday edition of our In-Car Insights podcast - usually only available to The Race Members' Club - free for everyone to listen to. Full disclosure, this episode wasn't actually recorded in a car because in Monaco, Jon Noble and Scott Mitchell-Malm stay down the coast, and commute to the track via public transport. So instead, Jon and Scott recorded Friday's episode outside a kebab shop, as they waited for dinner (with Josh Suttill dutifully collecting food in the background).Listen in as the guys debrief an extremely busy Friday in Monaco and look ahead to the all-important qualifying session and what's to come for the rest of the weekend...If you like what you hear - and we're confident you will - head to Patreon.com/therace to sign up to The Race Members' Club and enjoy these bonus episodes (and much more besides) on every grand prix weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Monaco Grand Prix provides F1 drivers with a unique challenge, but they'll have one less thing to think about this year after the FIA decided that there will be no straight mode zones in the Principality, and hence no opportunity to use the active front and rear wings that are a feature of the 2026 regulations. Is that the right call? One man who doesn't think so is former F1 technical director Gary Anderson, who explains why to Edd Straw in the latest edition of The Race F1 Tech Show.Edd and Gary also discuss the implementation of the 'Rev 1' engine map for this weekend, explaining what it is and why it's being used, plus there's a wider look at the unique engineering challenge that Monaco provides compared to other circuits.And, as ever, we round off the episode with our listener questions section, in which Gary tackles questions on Ferrari's curious engine smoke, car ballast, the purpose of ADUO and limiting outwash.If you'd like to ask Gary a question, send it to [email protected]Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast, we discuss whether F1 2026 could be set for its first upset, with Ferrari hotly-tipped to set the pace in Monaco. But why are the Scuderia so fancied at this race, and if they are to set the pace, will it be track specialist and home favourite Charles Leclerc that leads the way or his resurgent team mate Lewis Hamilton?Edd Straw is joined by Josh Suttill and Ben Anderson to discuss Ferrari's chances and who else might be in the fight for victory. They also discuss the rule changes that have been implemented for the Monaco weekend, explaining why the FIA has banned the use of active aero and how the energy deployment restrictions that have been imposed will impact racing.Note: This podcast was recorded before news broke of Leclerc extending his Ferrari contract.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We ask what Toto Wolff’s version of ‘papaya rules’ should look like as he bids to keep battling Mercedes team-mates George Russel and Kimi Antonelli in line in the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast. Nelson Valkenburg and Scott Mitchell-Malm join Edd Straw to discuss the way the battle could and should be managed on track, and the risks of trying to keep too tight a leash on Antonelli and Russell. We also take listener questions on Ferrari communications, Valtteri Bottas’s struggles, the driving style flexibility of the 2026 car and the chances of the field closing up at the front. There’s also a look at the troubled form of Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon, McLaren’s strategy malaise and the focus of rule changes. Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bring Back V10s tackles one of F1's roughest title wins hangovers in episode 6 of season 13, with a look back at the sudden downturn in fortunes for one of the 1990s' elite teams.Benetton was on top of the world at the end of 1995, having clinched the constructors’ crown and back-to-back drivers’ world titles with Michael Schumacher. But with Schumacher departing for Ferrari in 1996, the team had a new challenge to prove its success wasn’t just about the driver - and it didn't go very well...Joining Glenn Freeman for a look back at Benetton’s turbulent post-Schumacher period are Matt Beer and Ben Anderson.They discuss the logic behind choosing Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger to lead Benetton's new era, how quickly things got fractious behind the scenes and whether this decline was always inevitable no matter who Benetton picked for its life after Schumacher.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alpine announced a major new sponsorship deal on Wednesday, with Italian fashion house Gucci to enter Formula 1 for the first time next year as the team's title sponsor. Jon Noble, who was at the launch event in Paris, joins Edd Straw to explain why this deal is so significant for Alpine (and parent company Renault) outside of the obvious money it will bring. Edd and Jon also discuss Alpine's wider progress this season, as the former world championship winning team - under the leadership of Flavio Briatore - continues its steady rise back up the grid after its rock bottom finish in the constructors' standings in 2025. And finally, Jon explains what impact the new deal might have on the team's driver line-up of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto going forward, as Briatore looks to make another fashion brand a serial F1 winner, after his previous success with Benetton.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first episode of a new regular post-race series, Edd Straw presents his Canadian Grand Prix Driver Rankings and takes questions on what he got right - and what he got wrong...Joining Edd to probe his decision making - and share the thoughts of The Race Members' Club - is Glenn Freeman, who presses Edd on the rationale behind where he ranked the duelling Mercedes drivers, a resurgent Lewis Hamilton, and a clumsy Oscar Piastri.If you want to take issue with Edd's ranking and have your viewpoint discussed on the show, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Montreal, Edd Straw and Jon Noble are joined by Josh Suttill to discuss a thrilling Canadian Grand Prix in which the world championship battle between Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell really came alive. But did the Silver Arrows' intra-team battle step over the line given Toto Wolff has warned he may put the handbrake on? The guys debate this, as well as discussing McLaren's strange implosion, Lewis Hamilton's revival, Red Bull's mixed outing and all of the race's other big talking points. Plus, there's the usual bumper selection of listener questions to answer.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a special bonus, we're making the Thursday edition of our In-Car Insights podcast - usually only available to The Race Members' Club - free for everyone to listen to. Angry reactions to "b******t" speculation, intrigue over F1's supposedly agreed 2027 engine plan, and a whole race weekend to look forward to - it was quite the first day in the Canadian Grand Prix paddock for Edd Straw and Jon Noble. What luck that they had a handy shuttle journey in which to record an episode of In-Car Insights!If you like what you hear - and we're confident you will - head to Patreon.com/therace to sign up to The Race Members' Club and enjoy these bonus episodes (and much more besides) on every grand prix weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Undercut, Damon Hill and Mark Hughes explore the complex relationship that F1 has with automotive manufacturers - a relationship that many would argue is to blame for the knot that the sport has put itself in with the 2026 regulations. With another big manufacturer - Chinese car giant BYD - exploring joining the grid, is it time for F1 to de-couple itself from the 'myth' that road relevancy was every really an important aspect of the sport? That's the question at the heart of this wide-ranging conversation...Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Max Verstappen’s future still up in the air, can Red Bull Racing 2.0 really can convince him it’s the place to be in the short and long-term? And what might the team do should it be necessary to replace the Dutchman in 2027 or the years that follow? Edd Straw is joined by Jon Noble and special guest Matt Majendie - author of the new book Inside Red Bull Racing - to debate those questions, and ask whether the new-look Red Bull (devoid of championship-winning stalwarts like Christian Horner, Helmut Marko, Adrian Newey and more) still has what it takes to be F1’s standard-setter.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson discuss the concept of risk vs reward in grand prix racing, following on from Fred Vasseur's recent comments that Ferrari need to move out of a conservative mindset and 'push everything' in terms of innovation.Edd and Gary also discuss some of the latest tech developments seen in F1, including a clever exploitation at the rear of the Red Bull's sidepod - or technically the floor - that has gone straight onto Gary's 'dubious list'.And finally, Gary answers several questions sent in by listeners. On this weeks list are questions about hydrogen-fuelled F1, our battery graphic complaints, and if the introduction of V8 engines could be brought forward to 2028.If you'd like to ask Gary a tech question, send it to [email protected] bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While his F1 colleagues were putting their feet up and enjoying a weekend without racing, Max Verstappen was at the Nurburgring taking part in one of the most demanding 24-hour events in the world - and coming ever so close to taking victory on debut. But what can we learn from the Dutchman's near-miss and what do his latest exploits away from F1 tell us about his future in grand prix racing? Edd Straw is joined by a sleep-starved Josh Suttill, still at the Nurburgring, to answer those questions and more...Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of Stay On Track, Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert go deep on the most important relationship in F1 - the one between a driver and his race engineer. They're joined by special guest Pierre Hamelin, who listeners might recognise as Arvid Lindblad's race engineer at Racing Bulls. Pierre has developed a reputation as a man who nurtures rookie drivers, having previously engineered Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz, Daniel Riccardo, Liam Lawson, Isack Hadjar and others. But how does he go about helping a young driver get the best out of himself and the car?Pierre shares his secret tips and tricks, plus Johnny and Damon discuss the evolving F1 title race and why Canada is such an important grand prix for George Russell...Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bring Back V10s drops a couple of cylinders to look back at a famous race from the V8 era: the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix. Glenn Freeman is joined by Edd Straw and Jon Noble, who were both at Istanbul Park that weekend, to look back on a race most famous for Red Bull team-mates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber wiping each other out while battling for the lead!As well as analysing the incident we look back on how everyone involved handled it, and why Red Bull couldn't get the situation under control after the race.McLaren also had a misunderstanding of its own that almost resulted in Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button repeating the Red Bull trick on their way to a 1-2 finish, featuring some pretty animated radio traffic from Hamilton.Off-track we look back on how Robert Kubica was settling in at Renault, the struggles for the new teams on the grid in 2010, Michelin's late bid to derail Pirelli's 2011 F1 deal, Mercedes' underwhelming start to life as a team owner, and why things looked so bleak for Ferrari at this stage of the season.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Haas is Formula 1’s smallest team, but its Toyota partnership is playing a big part in helping it to continue to overachieve. Scott Mitchell-Malm, who paid a visit to its Banbury facility between the Japanese and Miami Grands Prix, and Edd Straw, who recently attended a Haas TPC (testing of previous cars) test at Silverstone, get together to tell the story of this unique team. We look at the Toyota deal and how it has led to the creation of the TPC programme, the ongoing driver-in-loop simulator build project and also production enhancements for the team. We also hear from Toyota project manager Pierre Genon, who is tasked with overseeing the way the two companies work together and reveals what’s happened, and what is to come, for this partnership. There’s also a look at the future, asking whether one day this could be a Toyota works team, if a sale is possible and also how far owner Gene Haas might be willing to go with it. Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have something a bit different for you as we settle into the gap between the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix. In Miami The Race recorded the first of its new 'In conversation with...' interview series as part of The Race Business, and our first guest was none other than McLaren CEO Zak Brown.In the conversation with Darren Cox from The Race Business, Zak looked back over his career prior to heading up the current world champion team, and explained how close he came to accepting a job offer from F1 itself just before McLaren came calling.It's a fascinating discussion where you'll hear Zak discuss his journey before and during his time in F1 in great detail, and it will give you an insight into the way he operates at McLaren, and how he has helped turn around a team that even he admits was "a mess" when he got there.Look for 'The Race Business' on YouTube if you'd like to check out more conversations like this one with big hitters in the F1 industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We explain F1’s unexpected decision to move away from the 50/50 split of electric and V6 power in 2027. As well as revealing the full scope of changes that go beyond the increase in V6 and reduction in deployment power for next year, Jon Noble, Ben Anderson and Edd Straw also delve into the difficult details that must be solved to make it happen. The political machinations that made this change of direction possible, and the expected timeline for finalising the changes are also delved into.In the final part of the podcast, we look at the long-term V8 engine plans for 2030 or 2031 and the key considerations for formulating those rules.Get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw is joined by former F1 technical director Gary Anderson to discuss the multitude of tech storylines that came out of the Miami Grand Prix weekend.First up, following Gary's heartfelt tribute to Alex Zanardi, Edd and Gary look at the significant upgrades we saw on most of the cars in Miami, and the impact they had on the racing. Should the FIA have clamped down on some of them? Gary suggests they should have...After that, Edd and Gary run the rule over F1's engine future, following comments made by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem that the sport will abandon its current V6 hybrids and revert to V8 units with “minor electrification”. Is this the right move?And finally, Gary tackles another selection of listener questions. If you'd like to ask Gary a question, send it to [email protected] bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can George Russell get his title bid back on track, or is Kimi Antonelli now the firm favourite for the title? That's just one of the questions you threw at us about the increasingly intriguing intra-team battle developing at Mercedes - and we answer several more in this mailbag episode, featuring questions sent in exclusively by The Race Members' Club.There are also questions about plans to reintroduce V8 engines by 2030, the difficulty of following races in 2026, and whether F1 should be concerned at how easily Gasly's car appeared to flip over in Miami. If you'd like to ask a question on a future episode, get bonus F1 podcasts, extra content and ad-free listening, sign-up to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.