Heikki Kovalainen was Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at McLaren when he became World Champion for the first time in 2008.


On Day 9 of 30 Days of Beyond The Grid, Heikki tells Tom Clarkson how Lewis tried to spice up their rivalry and what it was like to win the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix, his first and only win in Formula 1.


For Heikki’s full conversation with Tom, listen here.

30 Days of BTG: Day 9 – Heikki Kovalainen on bets with Hamilton and winning in Hungary

Formula 1's extraordinary stars slow down and open up, sharing untold stories and unrivalled insight. Tom Clarkson brings you revealing, feature-length interviews and amazing anecdotes from superstar drivers, team bosses, tech geniuses and racing legends.

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30 years since his death at Imola on 1st May 1994, Ayrton Senna’s legacy is still felt around the world.


Brazil’s three-time Formula 1 World Champion continues to inspire today’s generation of racing drivers and fans.


To Bruno Senna, Ayrton is still both his uncle and his hero.


Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Bruno shares his childhood memories of Ayrton away from the track, the ‘racing relationship’ they built together, how his life changed after Imola 1994, and the pressure Ayrton’s success put on his own F1 career.


Hear more stories about Ayrton Senna on F1 Beyond The Grid from his former teammates and rivals:



Alain Prost 

Damon Hill

Gerhard Berger 

Martin Brundle 



Ayrton Senna remembered by Bruno Senna

A multiple title winner at junior level and a point-scorer on his unexpected F1 debut in 2016, Stoffel Vandoorne seemed on track for a long and prosperous career in Formula 1.


But his big break at McLaren in 2017 arrived during one of the team’s most challenging periods.


They finished second-last in the standings during Vandoorne’s first season, endured a difficult transition from Honda to Renault engines the following year, and there was huge organisational change at the top as Zak Brown came in as CEO.


After just seven points-finishes in two years, with a best result of P7, Stoffel was replaced by Lando Norris for 2019 and he hasn’t raced in F1 since.


Now a Test and Reserve driver for Aston Martin, the Belgian tells Tom Clarkson how he prepared for his first race in F1 at such short notice, the drama of signing his first McLaren contract, where it all went wrong during his two seasons on the grid, and what impact those struggles had on his mental wellbeing, motivation and enjoyment of racing.

 



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Stoffel Vandoorne: dramatic debut to 'tough' exit

20 years since his infatuation with Formula 1 began at China’s first race in 2004, Zhou Guanyu will race in front of his home fans for the first time as an F1 driver at the Chinese Grand Prix.


Zhou tells Tom Clarkson what racing in Shanghai will look like through his eyes; from his helmet design and sold-out grandstand, to the reaction he’s expecting on his first lap of the track and what it would mean to score his first points of the season in the city he was born in.


The Sauber driver also talks about what impact his success has had on motorsport culture in China, his crash at Silverstone in 2022, the documentary being made about his journey to F1, his passion for fashion, uncertainty over his future in the sport with no seat confirmed for 2025 yet, and much more.



Related Episodes



Zhou’s first BTG appearance 



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Zhou Guanyu: China’s hero making history at home

Fernando Alonso is 'here to stay' in Formula 1 with Aston Martin. What made the double World Champion decide to continue racing with his current team?



In a special episode of the F1 Nation podcast, Aston Martin Ambassador Pedro de la Rosa and 1996 World Champion Damon Hill join Tom Clarkson to analyse Alonso's announcement, what it means for him, the team and the rest of the drivers searching for a 2025 race seat.



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F1 Nation: Why Alonso's staying at Aston

Seven-time Grand Prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya joins Tom Clarkson for the first episode of F1 Beyond The Grid’s LEGENDS episodes.


Going into the final two races of 2003, Montoya was only three points behind World Championship leader Michael Schumacher in a three-way fight for the title, with Kimi Raikkonen just behind them.


But by the season finale, the Colombian was out of contention – so where did it all go wrong? Juan Pablo reflects on the highs of his wins at Monaco and Hockenheim that year, the lows of his championship-ending collision with Rubens Barrichello, and whether there was anything he could have done differently to become World Champion.


Montoya also discusses whether he treated Michael differently to other drivers on track and addresses their famous incident at Imola in 2004. He explains how he got the better of teammate Ralf Schumacher, why he couldn’t be friends with his rivals, and much more.


Plus, Juan’s son Sebastian drops by to talk about his Formula 3 ambitions this year, what it’s like having an ex-F1 driver as his dad, and the best piece of advice JPM has given him.



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30 Days of BTG: Day 9 – Heikki Kovalainen on bets with Hamilton and winning in Hungary

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