F1 correspondent Lawrence Barretto and Aston Martin Third Driver Jak Crawford are Tom Clarkson’s guests in the Suzuka paddock for F1 Nation’s review of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Kimi Antonelli made it back-to-back wins to become Formula 1’s youngest ever World Championship leader. How much pressure has he put on Mercedes teammate and title rival George Russell? 

With Oscar Piastri finishing P2 and Charles Leclerc also on the podium, the guys discuss where McLaren and Ferrari need to improve if they’re to battle Mercedes for wins this season.

Elsewhere, there’s plenty of praise for Alpine’s Pierre Gasly after scoring points in every race so far this season. Could they challenge the frontrunners this year? And Lawrence gives us the lowdown on what’s going on at Audi after Jonathan Wheatley’s sudden departure as Team Principal.

Is it tyres or tires? Either way, they're very important. The temperature and condition of a driver's tyres have a huge impact on their performance. 2026 sees all-new tires in F1, so what's changed? How do Pirelli choose which tyres to bring to each Grand Prix? How does the company and the FIA ensure tire fairness?

Pirelli is the Official Tyre Supplier of Formula 1. The company's Head of Motorsport, Mario Isola, joins Christian Hewgill to answer your questions. Mario explains what's different about this season's rubber, the number of tires Pirelli brings to each race and how they are allocated to the drivers.

Why don't F1 tyres have tread? Do all types of tire weigh the same? Who pays for them? Mario has the answers.

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F1 Nation - Japanese GP Preview out now. Race review coming Monday on this feed

F1 Beyond The Grid - Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu on the team's ambitions

As Formula 1 heads to Suzuka, Japan,  a teammate battle is brewing. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have driven the pace-setting Mercedes to one win each. How will they race each other this season? How will Mercedes handle their drivers? Max Verstappen has been linked to Mercedes in the past, so are George and Kimi also racing to keep their place in the team?

Tom Clarkson, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe talk about the magic of Suzuka, the early season competitive picture and how the race weekend will unfold. Is there ‘magic in the air’ for Ferrari? Can McLaren and Red Bull find more performance? At Haas, is Ollie Bearman driving towards a future in red?

This episode is sponsored by Indeed: Indeed: get a £100 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/f1nation 

It'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 [email protected]

F1 Nation and F1 Explains have teamed up for 2026
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Coming soon: Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu on Ollie Bearman's future

F1TV 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.

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What 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 podcast
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F1 Explains + F1 Nation have teamed up for 2026
Find the latest race previews and reviews on this feed - 2026 Chinese GP Preview out now with Tom Clarkson and Jolyon Palmer

This week on F1 Beyond The Grid
Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss talks about launching the team

'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 2026
Listen to episodes right here on this feed, and send your F1 questions to [email protected]

This week on F1 Beyond The Grid
Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss on the team's first Grand Prix

Tom 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 2026
Scroll down to find Williams Team Principal James Vowles answer your questions

This episode is sponsored by:

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After 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 [email protected]

F1 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

James 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 2026
Scroll down to find Christian Hewgill + Lawrence Barretto explaining all you need to know about the new F1 season

This episode is sponsored by:

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Boost 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 [email protected]

F1 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