Afterburners Podcast

Sam and Wes sit down for a lengthy chat about the 2021 season and how it  unfolded. They give their race ratings, discuss the key talking points  of each race, and relive one of the greatest F1 seasons of all time.

Sam and Wes sit down for a lengthy chat about the 2021 season and how it unfolded. They give their race ratings, discuss the key talking points of each race, and relive one of the greatest F1 seasons of all time.

The finale of the 2021 F1 season rounded off a stellar year, but the race will reap headlines for all the wrong reasons.

This week, Sam is joined by Wes and Henry to discuss Max Verstappen becoming the Netherlands first ever F1 World Champion, as well as the circumstances which unfolded in race control which proved crucial to how the race and ultimately the championship was decided.

Was Michael Masi right? Who deserved the championship more? Should Mercedes pursue legal action against the FIA? Take a listen to our thoughts on the most controversial season finale EVER in F1 history.

This week, Sam and Wes discuss the carnage that was the inaugural Saudi  Arabian GP in Jeddah, where Lewis Hamilton won with fastest lap ahead of  Max Verstappen, meaning that Sunday's finale at Abu Dhabi will be a  winner-takes-all race.

However, it wasn't just Hamilton that hit the headlines, as not one but two red flags were brought out, and the two title contenders went wheel to wheel - quite literally.

In this week's AfterBurners Podcast, Sam and Wes discuss the life of Sir Frank Williams who sadly passed away on the afternoon of Sunday 28th November 2021, and reflect on how he brought Williams Grand Prix Engineering from the ruins of an old carpet factory in Didcot, to one of the most successful Formula One teams of all time.

The two also discuss the inaugural Saudi Arabian GP in Jeddah, and who has the edge coming into the penultimate race of the year, plus a mini 'Grill the Grid' style quiz to finish.

Sam and Wes are back to discuss the inaugural Qatar GP where Lewis Hamilton ran an impeccable lights-to-flag victory, with his title rival Max Verstappen settling for second after climbing up from seventh after both he and Valterri Bottas were penalised for ignoring yellow flags during qualifying.

It wasn't all about Hamilton though, as Fernando Alonso returned to the podium for the first time since the Hungarian GP in 2014, topping off an incredible weekend for Alpine as Esteban Ocon finished fifth as the Enstone-based team took home 25 points on Sunday to cement 5th place in the constructor's championship.

Sam and Wes are back to discuss the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos where Lewis Hamilton completed one of the most stunning drives of his career, making up 25 places over the course of the weekend to win the race, and eat into Max Verstappen's championship lead.

The race didn't go without controversy though, where Verstappen ran both himself and Hamilton off track at turn four - an action which the stewards decided didn't need penalising, but Mercedes since used their right to review the incident since Verstappen's onboard footage - which wasn't available at the time - has now been released.

The duo also chat about the upcoming inaugural Qatar Grand Prix at Losail International Circuit with differing opinions on the track, and they reflect upon the news regarding Alfa Romeo's driver lineup for 2022.

DISLCAIMER: We didn't realise Wes' audio wasn't coming through his lapel microphone like in previous episodes so we apologise for the quality of his audio.

Sam and Wes are back to discuss the relatively mediocre Mexican Grand Prix after Mercedes and Valterri Bottas took a surprise pole position, only for Max Verstappen to sail past at the first corner whilst Daniel Ricciardo in the McLaren caused the Finn to fall to the back of the pack, and the Flying Dutchman to extend his championship lead to 19 points. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez made history as he became the first Mexican driver to lead the Mexican Grand Prix and finish on the podium for his home race. 

In other news, the team actually correctly guessed the Driver of the Day, and a frequent listener joined in the fun as well.

Sam and Wes get ready for Round 18 of the 2021 F1 season, heading off to the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit for the Mexican Grand Prix. The lads discuss the ever-exciting world championship battle between Max Verstappen, who leads with 287.5 points, and Lewis Hamilton, as 12 points separates the two drivers.

Sprint Races have been one of the hot topics this season, making its debut at two races already - Silverstone and Monza - with a third Sprint to come at the Interlagos Circuit (Brazil). However, could we be seeing Sprint Races become a regular part of an F1 weekend next season?

With Mexico back after two years away, what better way to test the knowledge of Sam and Wes with a quiz of 'Can you name the Final Standings of the 2019 Mexico Grand Prix'?

Sam and Wes are back to discuss the thrilling United States Grand Prix at COTA where Max Verstappen extended his championship lead over Lewis Hamilton to 12 points, winning an enthralling race by little more than a second, as an intriguing strategy battle played out between the two championship protagonists. But it wasn't just the racing that caught peoples' eyes, oh no, but the celebrities as well. Megan Thee Stallion and her bodyguards had no time for Martin Brundle's grid walk, whereas Shaquille O'Neal stood tall on the podium.