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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?

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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.

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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.
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Why did Oliver Oakes become Alpine Team Principal? How does his background as a racing driver and team owner prepare him for this new challenge? And what are his priorities in 2025 and beyond?
Speaking to Tom Clarkson at the team’s headquarters in Enstone, Oakes answers all the key questions around Alpine’s future with him at the helm.
Oli discusses his mixed feelings after their double podium in Brazil, why Alpine have chosen Mercedes as their power unit supplier from 2026, whether Pierre Gasly is ready to lead the team next season, and much more.


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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!


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Nephew of two-time Formula 1 World Champion Emerson and son of Brazilian F1 team owner Wilson, Christian Fittipaldi was destined to follow in his family’s footsteps and race in the pinnacle of motorsport.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson in his home city of Sao Paulo, Christian reflects on his three seasons on the grid with the Footwork and Minardi teams in the early 1990’s. He talks about what it was like growing up in such an iconic racing family and the pressure he experienced carrying the Fittipaldi name, how he recovered from two serious crashes at Magny Cours and Monza, and why he walked away from F1 at the end of 1994 despite opportunities to stay.
Plus, Christian describes how Ayrton Senna’s death at Imola in ‘94 affected him personally and whether he felt a weight of expectation to be the next Senna.

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Despite being a hugely versatile racing driver, who competed in Formula 3000, IndyCar, Sports Cars and Touring Cars, Christian Danner was unable to showcase his full potential in Formula 1 in the mid-late 1980s.
During an era characterised by poor reliability and pre-qualifying, he either failed to start many of the races he entered, or he failed to finish them. But that certainly doesn’t mean he’s short of some fascinating tales from his time in the sport.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Christian remembers becoming the first F1 driver to be disqualified for dangerous driving and how Ayrton Senna leapt to his defence. He also talks about the opposition he faced from the media back home in Germany, why Zakspeed teammate Martin Brundle kept him on his toes , how he climbed from P26 on the grid to a career-best finish of P4 at the US Grand Prix in 1989, and much more.


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Fernando Alonso will become the first driver in Formula 1 history to compete in 400 Grands Prix when he races in Mexico this weekend.
It’s a monumental milestone that even Alonso didn’t think he’d reach. Hear why the two-time World Champion thought he’d leave F1 at the end of 2009 and how changes in his relationship with the sport have prolonged his career.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Fernando reflects on the most poignant moments from an eventful 21 seasons on the grid - revealing fascinating details about his secret meetings with Red Bull, whether he regrets turning them down for Ferrari, the one race he tried to win the most and why he needed reassurance during his comeback in 2021.
Plus, the Spaniard talks about the impact Adrian Newey will have on Aston Martin and how the legendary designer’s arrival at the team affects his own future.


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This week’s guest on F1 Beyond The Grid will make history at the Mexico City Grand Prix – how did he get this far and what’s next?

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 23rd October.

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Tom Stallard, Oscar Piastri’s race engineer and McLaren’s Director of Human Performance, is a man of many talents.
As a professional rower, he won an Olympic silver medal and became World Champion. As an engineer in Formula 1, he’s won races with some of the sport’s most talented drivers and has played a huge part in McLaren’s transformation into title contenders.
So why did Tom make such a big career change and how does working in F1 compare to rowing?
Speaking to Tom Clarkson at McLaren’s headquarters, Stallard talks about his gruelling fitness regime as an Olympic rower, what a race engineer’s relationship with their driver is all about, working with the likes of Jenson Button, Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz, how Oscar Piastri is galvanising the team now, and much more.

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After a decade of highs and lows as Haas Team Principal, Guenther Steiner has changed lanes. Now he’s an author and broadcaster with a new perspective on the drivers, the teams and the bosses he previously saw as rivals.
Talking to Tom Clarkson, Guenther looks back at his time at Haas, from their stunning points-scoring debut in 2016, through triumphs, frustrations and low moments, to his departure and what he’s doing today. He explains why he feels he stayed at Haas too long, picks the driver he thinks is the best in the current field, the Team Principals who impress him most and looks forward to what he might do next.

More official F1 Podcasts

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Be there when the 2024 F1 World Champion is crowned
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This episode is sponsored by:

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