F1 Beyond The Grid

Formula 1

The risk-takers, late-brakers and history-makers of Formula 1 slow down for in-depth interviews. Tom Clarkson brings you revealing, feature-length conversations with drivers, team bosses, engineering experts and F1 legends.

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437 episodes
Updated Tuesday

Episodes437

Newest first

Apr 8, 2020 · 1 hr 4 min
David Brabham on growing up as Black Jack’s son, Imola 94, and the potential of Brabham returning to F1
Like Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve and Nico Rosberg, David Brabham knows only too well what it’s like to forge a path to F1 under the shadow of a famous father, in his case triple world champion Jack Brabham – the only driver to win the title in a self-made car. On this week’s show, Brabs tells us about his unconventional start to racing, the perhaps surprising influence of his father, his stop-start Grand Prix career, the legacy of Brabham, and that dark weekend at Imola in 1994, when his team mate Roland Ratzenberger was tragically killed…
Apr 1, 2020 · 1 hr 15 min
Mark Blundell on F1 in the 90s, friendship with Martin Brundle, filling Mansell’s seat and more
Fans of F1 racing in the Nineties will remember Mark Blundell well as part of a brilliant ‘Brit pack’ of racers including Damon Hill, Johnny Herbert and his pal Martin Brundle. The gritty racer reached the podium in underdog machinery three times in that period, whilst also acting as test driver for the two best teams at the time: Williams and McLaren. On this week’s show he discusses all of this and more, including the financial realities of racing for a back-of-the-grid outfit, his ‘useful’ friendship with Brundle, filling Nigel Mansell’s hastily vacated seat at McLaren, learning from Ayrton Senna and much more…
Mar 25, 2020 · 1 hr 11 min
Flavio Briatore on crashgate, Schumacher vs Alonso, and winning the title for ‘a t-shirt maker’
He may have been out of the sport for a few years now, but how could anyone forget Flavio Briatore? The former Benetton and Renault boss was one of the biggest and most controversial characters in F1 throughout the Nineties and Noughties, but he was also one of the most successful, with his inimitable style leading Benetton and Renault to multiple championships. On this week’s show he opens up about his unlikely journey from the fashion business to F1 team boss, about working alongside Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, locking horns with McLaren boss Ron Dennis, and that most controversial topic: crashgate...
Mar 18, 2020 · 1 hr 9 min
Pedro de la Rosa on spygate, Hamilton vs Alonso, and racing Christian Horner
As a racer, Pedro de la Rosa competed in more than 100 Grands Prix, and drove many, many more miles as an F1 test driver for the likes of McLaren and Ferrari. And on this week’s show the Spaniard gives host Tom Clarkson a fascinating perspective on F1, from life behind the scenes during the explosive 2007 season at McLaren, to what it was like being in the garage during Lewis Hamilton’s maiden test. Then there are stories of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, racing against Red Bull boss Christian Horner, life as a test driver, and what happened when he handed in his resignation to Ron Dennis…
Mar 11, 2020 · 1 hr 4 min
Lando Norris on late nights, trolls and his pre-F1 meeting with Helmut Marko
Beyond The Grid is back, and to kick off the new season Tom Clarkson sits down with a driver who proved a rookie sensation last year, both on and off the track: McLaren’s Lando Norris. In a revealing conversation, the British racer opens up about his hopes for 2020, whilst also discussing his love of gaming, his relationships with other drivers, dealing with Twitter trolls, and his rather extreme approach to cleaning the house...
Mar 6, 2020 · 1 min
Beyond The Grid returns March 11!
Mark your diaries – Beyond The Grid is back Wednesday March 11. Make sure you subscribe today so you don’t miss out on Tom Clarkson in conversation with McLaren ace Lando Norris.
Mar 4, 2020 · 41 min
SPECIAL EPISODE: Inside the thrilling world of F1 Esports
In a special one-off episode, we look back on the thrilling 2019 F1 Esports Series, speaking to everyone from drivers to organisers to explore what makes F1 Esports one of the most compelling and fastest growing racing series on the planet.
Dec 18, 2019 · 58 min
The Best of 2019: Tom’s favourite moments from Season 2
So here it is folks: your final episode of Beyond The Grid of the year. And what a year it’s been, with great guests every week from March to December. So what better way to bid farewell to 2019 than with Tom’s selection of his favourite moments of the season? We’ve stuffed a Christmas cracker full of anecdotes from the likes of Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen, Rubens Barrichello, David Coulthard and more. Unwrap and enjoy!
Dec 11, 2019 · 1 hr 32 min
Daniel Ricciardo: “If I’m going to strap myself into a car every weekend, I’m not doing it justice unless I’m all in”
He’s that rarest of creatures: a multifaceted, outgoing personality who also happens to be a world-class competitor, beloved by fans, media and even his fellow drivers. On this week’s show we go deep with Daniel Ricciardo on his life on and off the race track, from his present with Renault to his past with Red Bull; his relationship with Max Verstappen to his relationship with music, food and ultimate fighting. You asked for it, here it is: F1’s most colourful character in extended, unfiltered conversation.
Dec 4, 2019 · 1 hr 6 min
Bernie Ecclestone: "I'm now enjoying doing all the things that perhaps I should have done years ago"
To many people, Bernie Ecclestone is the Godfather of Formula One. He transformed the sport from being the expensive indulgence of rich amateurs in the 50s into the global phenomenon it is today, watched by hundreds of millions of people on television and online. On this week’s special show, we speak to Mr E about his incredible career, including his attempts to qualify for races as a driver, managing the interests of tragic world champion Jochen Rindt and running Brabham – including withdrawing the famous fan car! Then there’s the highs and lows of running the sport as its grand supremo…this is one chat you don’t want to miss!
Nov 27, 2019 · 1 hr 26 min
Rubens Barrichello: “Even now, I feel sick not being in an F1 car. I miss the buzz”
This week’s guest is F1’s original iron man – a veteran of 19 seasons in the top class of racing and a record 322 Grand Prix starts. Over the course of that career, Rubens Barrichello experienced every emotion under the sun: from the despair of being injured and losing hero and countryman Ayrton Senna on the same weekend in 1994; he experienced the euphoria of winning races for Ferrari and Brawn, and also the disappointment of being forced to give up race wins for a team mate. The affable Brazilian speaks about all of the above, as well as the time Senna pranked him as a rookie in 1993, the time he ‘married’ Michael Schumacher on a night out, the elation of sealing a drive with Brawn in 2009 and much more!
Nov 20, 2019 · 1 hr 24 min
Special episode: Aldo Costa - The man with more world titles than anyone else
This week’s guest is a man whose name may not be immediately familiar to everyone, but it probably should be. Why? Well quite simply this is a man who has won more world titles than anyone in history - 26 in total. In a glittering career in F1, Aldo Costa was a key engineer for both Ferrari and Mercedes throughout their dominant dynasties, and on this week’s show he spills the beans on what it was like to be on the inside of both historic runs; the similarities, the differences and much more besides...
Nov 13, 2019 · 1 hr 30 min
Mika Hakkinen: “I carry the emotions of winning the world title every day”
He is regarded as one of the fastest drivers to ever grace an F1 racetrack, and arguably the rival Michael Schumacher feared the most. Not only was Mika Hakkinen’s commitment in a racing car absolute, particularly on a qualifying lap; he somehow came back from a horrifying accident at the end of 1995 not only to win races, but two world championships. On this week’s episode we catch up with the Flying Finn to discuss his truly remarkable career, including that rivalry with Schumacher, “kicking Senna’s ass” on his McLaren debut, recovering from a life-changing crash, what it took to win the title twice, and much more…
Nov 6, 2019 · 1 hr 2 min
Franz Tost: “I don’t think I’m hard on drivers – but I expect to see results”
Putting aside Frank Williams, who is no longer in the active role at Williams he once was, Franz Tost is the second longest-serving team boss in the pit lane, behind only Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner. In his 14 years at the helm of Toro Rosso, Tost has overseen the team’s maiden pole and victory, nurtured talents like Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, and helped rehabilitate the careers of those moving the other way in the Red Bull pyramid. On this week’s show, Tom sits down with the affable Austrian to discuss all of the above, plus his early years in F1 with Ralf Schumacher, his involvement with BMW during the Williams years, his famous altercation with Scott Speed, and even his own racing days…
Oct 30, 2019 · 1 hr 34 min
Mario Andretti: “I was driven by a burning desire to pursue the impossible dream”
As motor racing stories go, Mario Andretti’s is pure Hollywood. Born in what was war-ravaged Italy in 1940, and later a refugee, he would rise to not only become arguably the greatest all-round racing driver in history, but also a household name, synonymous with speed, across America – his adopted homeland after emigrating in the 1950s. On this week’s episode we hear the full epic tale, from the moment he caught the motor racing bug watching hero Alberto Ascari at Monza, to the early years of his career, racing in secret with brother Aldo. And from the glory of racing for Ferrari at Monza to his tragic coronation as F1 world champion at the same track in 1978 – the incredible stories come one after another.
Oct 23, 2019 · 57 min
Takuma Sato: “When I saw an F1 car for the first time I thought it was outrageous”
He’s regarded as arguably the fastest Japanese driver of all time, and yet it could all have been so different for Takuma Sato. A bike racing champion in his youth, Sato caught the racing bug watching Senna at Suzuka in his youth, and though he didn’t start racing until much later than almost all of his rivals, his talent and sheer bloody minded determination lifted him all the way to F1. On this week’s episode, the Indy 500 champion tells us about his brave switch from Japan to Britain early in his career, his breakthrough performance for Jordan on home soil, his memorable podium finish in the USA, beating Fernando Alonso in his unfancied Super Aguri, and much more…
Oct 16, 2019 · 50 min
Ralf Schumacher: “Would I have made it to F1 without Michael? I don’t think so”
He was a driver for whom much was expected, arriving in F1 as the younger brother of a double world champion. And though today Ralf Schumacher doesn’t rate his achievements that highly, those who raced against him will tell you the six-time Grand Prix winner was one of the quickest and most under-estimated of his era. On this week’s show, Ralf discusses being a racing dad to up-and-comer son David, what it was like to race brother Michael at the highest level, why he was never friends with team mates, and much more...
Oct 9, 2019 · 1 hr 18 min
Jenson Button: “My title was the perfect story – they need to make a movie of it”
Our guest this week is someone who lived through one of the sport’s biggest fairy tales when, in 2009, he won the world title with Brawn, less than 12 months after the team had been put out of business by Honda. But though that season has come to define Jenson Button’s F1 career, in reality it was just one small part for a racer that clocked up more than 300 Grand Prix starts. On this week’s episode, Jenson discusses his remarkable career journey, including why the most enjoyable part was pre-world title, how frustrations in the early days shaped his future, the positive and negatives of his silky smooth driving style, beating Lewis Hamilton and much more…
Oct 2, 2019 · 45 min
Valtteri Bottas: “Beating Lewis isn’t easy. But I don’t like anything easy in my life...”
As Lewis Hamilton’s team mate at Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas finds himself consistently measured against a driver many consider the best of all time. But far from being overawed, the gritty Finn actively relishes the challenge, and has become a consistent race-winning threat. On this week’s show Bottas opens up about mental resilience, motivation and self-development, and also gives us a fascinating look into his private life: beards, dogs and - yes - porridge...
Sep 25, 2019 · 1 hr 1 min
Cyril Abiteboul: “I live F1 physically. I don’t sleep for two nights after a race”
He’s a man with one of the toughest jobs in F1: tasked with leading one of the sport’s grandee teams back to the top, under the weight of huge public expectation. But if anyone knows Renault, it’s Cyril Abiteboul. The Frenchman has worked in a variety of positions for the French marque over the years and, though just 41, is now in his fourth season as Team Principal. On this week’s episode Abiteboul discusses how the oft-talked five-year rebuild is going, the pressures of the job, the inside stories of signing Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon, and why he struggles to sleep at night...