F1: Beyond The Grid

This episode is brought to you by T-Mobile, official 5G partner of F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix 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. More official F1 Podcasts F1 Nation - Grand Prix reviews and previews from inside the F1 paddock F1 Explains - answering your questions about Formula 1 Be there when the 2024 F1 World Champion is crowned Get tickets for Las Vegas, the rest of 2024 and early 2025 at tickets.formula1.com This episode is sponsored by: Uncommon Goods: to get 15% off your next gift go to uncommongoods.com/GRID Vanta: get $1,000 off Vanta at vanta.com/grid Bitdefender: visit Bitdefender.com to learn more about why Ferrari chose Bitdefender to stay ahead of cyber threats and how YOU can make your digital life safer

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! This episode is sponsored by: SelectQuote: get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS, at selectquote.com/beyondthegrid  Indeed: to get your jobs more visibility with a $75 sponsored job credit, go to indeed.com/grid

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. Listen to more official F1 podcasts F1 Beyond The Grid - exclusive interviews with F1's biggest stars F1 Nation - expert race previews and reviews Experience F1 live Tickets for the end of the 2024 F1 season and the start of 2025 are available now at tickets.formula1.com Discover F1 Unlocked Unseen. Unheard. F1 Unlocked. Dive into exclusive content from F1 experts, redeem epic rewards and enter money-can't-buy competitions. Click here to join for free This episode is sponsored by: Uncommon Goods -  for 15% off your next gift, go to uncommongoods.com/grid Liquid I.V. - get 20% off your first order of Liquid I.V. when you go to liquidiv.com and use code GRID Shopify - sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beyondthegrid Vanta - get $1,000 off Vanta at vanta.com/GRID. 

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. This episode is sponsored by Bitdefender, the official cybersecurity partner of Ferrari. Visit Bitdefender.com to learn more about why Ferrari chose Bitdefender to stay ahead of cyber threats and how YOU can make your digital life safer.