Pescara, a seaside town halfway down Italy’s Adriatic coast, stands proudly in the record books for having been home to the longest track ever used in Formula 1.

Made up of 15.9 miles of country roads, the circuit of Pescara only hosted one world championship-status Grand Prix, in 1957, but it’s significance was mighty - as Matt Bishop and Richard Williams (who literally wrote the book on the Pescara GP) explain in the latest episode of And Colossally That’s History!

Over the course of the episode you’ll learn why Pescara found its way onto the F1 calendar in the first place, why the sport's most famous team boycotted the race, which animals the drivers had to dodge during practice, and why Stirling Moss loved the circuit so much when others hated it. 

As you might imagine, there are plenty of amazing stories to tell, including one about a driver who stopped for fuel at a commercial filling station mid-race, and another about a driver who jumped a level crossing while being chased by police on his way home from the race… 

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Today, Adrian Newey is widely recognised as an F1 design genius, with his cars having been driven to 14 drivers’ world titles, 12 constructors’ titles, and more than 220 Grand Prix victories. 

But where did his extraordinary talent for designing (and engineering) racing cars come from? That’s the topic of the latest episode of And Colossally That’s History, which delves into the roots of Newey’s unprecedented success.

Matt and Richard share incredible tales from Newey’s youth which foreshadow the man he’d become, including the time he used ingenuity and a rules loophole to avoid punishment at school. 

There’s also plenty of chat about Newey’s career before his big breakthrough with Williams in the early 1990s, such as the transformational work he did in sports prototypes, the period he spent race engineering a pair of Indycar legends, his disastrous first foray into Grand Prix racing, and the giant-killing successes with F1 minnows Leyton House that caught Patrick Head's attention. 

Along the way you’ll learn how Adrian acquired and honed the skills and design preferences that would later make him the most valuable technical brain in the F1 paddock.

Oh, and listen out for Matt's anecdote about the amazing declaration former McLaren boss Ron Dennis once made to him about Newey…

Want to get the end-of-season Colossally bonus episode and every episode ad-free? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier!

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Colossally is back, and Matt and Richard are kicking off season 4 with an in-depth look at the extraordinary life of Bruce McLaren, the man who founded and gave his name to this year's constructors' world champions, but who possibly remains a bit of an enigma to some modern F1 fans, having died in 1970.

In this episode we trace Bruce's remarkable journey to motor racing immortality, explaining how a humble boy from New Zealand, who spent much of his youth confined to bed with a debilitating hip disorder, rose to the top of global motor racing, first as a Grand Prix-winning driver and then as a race-winning team owner and constructor.

Along the way Matt and Richard discuss the defining moments of Bruce's racing career, explain the origins of his team's famous papaya livery, and assess the attributes that made him special, not just a driver, but as an engineer and leader of men.

The impact of Bruce's untimely death, resulting from a crash while testing in 1970, is also covered in poignant detail, with Matt sharing a pair of anecdotes that illustrate how a shell-shocked McLaren team grittily persevered after his passing and how Bruce's legacy has been honoured by those who've led the team in the modern era. 

Want to get the end-of-season Colossally bonus episode and every episode ad-free? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier!

Check out the new Colossally items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount!

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On the final episode of season 3, Richard and Matt wax lyrical about a driver whose name might be unfamiliar to many motor racing fans, but who could be regarded as the sport's first bonafide superstar: Tazio Nuvolari.

Matt and Richard explain how, in the pre-war era of Grand Prix racing, Nuvolari became the embodiment of everything a racing driver was supposed to be: A virtuoso and a daredevil, who stirred the emotions in a way that crossed national boundaries. 

There are stories of his great rivalries, his relationships and associations with Enzo Ferrari and (more controversially) Benito Mussolini, plus numerous accounts of his famous driving technique, which included being the originator of the four-wheel drift.

And of course there's also plenty of chat about the famous drives that secured Nuvolari's legendary status, including the one where, in obsolete machinery, he defeated the all-conquering German cars in Hitler's backyard, and the one witnessed by a 14-year-old Murray Walker in 1938, which left such an impression on the legendary commentator that the Italian would forever remain his favourite driver.

Matt and Richard will be bringing members an exclusive Q&A episode on Patreon, where they'll answer questions on each of the topics covered. Join on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier!

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On this week's episode of And Colossally That's History! Richard Williams and Matt Bishop look back on the career of Mika Hakkinen, and in particular how he was able to overcome - thanks to a considerable slice of good luck - the devastating crash in 1995 that so nearly took his life to become a double Formula 1 world champion.

Along the way, Matt and Richard explain what made Hakkinen - widely regarded as one of the quickest drivers of his generation, and a man who often went toe-to-toe with and beat Michael Schumacher in the late 1990s and early 2000s - such a special talent.

They also look back on the dreadful crash in Adelaide in 1995 that would ordinarily have ended Hakkinen's career, if not his life, describing the incredible work done by the medical team on-site, and the remarkable bravery and tenacity show by Hakkinen in the aftermath.

Matt also shares some great anecdotes about the time he spent with Hakkinen in his glory days, post-accident, when Matt was writing about the Finn as a magazine editor. He discusses what Mika told him after that legendary overtake on Schumacher at Spa in 2000, and he describes - in hilarious detail - what happened when Mika took him rally driving on a frozen lake the morning after a heavy night drinking vodka...

Matt and Richard will be bringing members an exclusive Q&A episode at the end of Season 3, where they'll answer questions on each of the topics covered. Join on Patreon today and get 75% off your first month - we even have an F1-only tier!

🚨 NEW MERCH ALERT! If you love Colossally AND in particular Anorak Facts, we've got a new t-shirt and notebook design you'll love! 🚨

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On the latest episode of And Colossally That's History! Richard and Matt are reappraising the legacy of one of F1's most enduring cars: The Lotus 72.

Named by no less than Adrian Newey as the car he wishes he'd designed, the 72 was a revolutionary machine in Formula 1 terms, setting the template, as it did, for all F1 cars that would follow.

It was also one of the longest-serving and most successful cars in F1 history, spending six years in the top flight (from 1970 to 1975) , and being raced to 20 world championship-status Formula 1 grand prix wins, two Formula 1 drivers’ world championships, and three Formula 1 constructors’ world championships.

Richard and Matt explore how innovative Lotus boss Colin Chapman, working with designer Maurice Philippe, arrived at the game-changing 72, and why it became so successful. They also talk about the great drivers that excelled in various iterations of it, with both Matt and Richard describing in brilliant detail their experiences of watching the car being expertly piloted by Ronnie Peterson - a man who seemed its perfect match.

Matt and Richard will be bringing members an exclusive Q&A episode at the end of Season 3, where they'll answer questions on each of the topics covered. Join on Patreon today and get 75% off your first month - we even have an F1-only tier!

🚨 NEW MERCH ALERT! If you love Colossally AND in particular Anorak Facts, we've got a new t-shirt and notebook design you'll love! 🚨

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On this week’s episode of And Colossally That’s History! Matt and Richard wind the clock back to 1950, as they reappraise the very first race of the F1 world championship era, which took place at Silverstone on May 13. 

Along the way, they look at the origins of the term ‘Formula 1’, dig into the debate over where the first race run to Formula 1 regulations actually took place, and explain why Alfa Romeo emerged as the dominant force in the post-war years, leading up to Silverstone.  

They also discuss the strange origins of Silverstone as a race venue, before chatting about the wonderful ensemble of drivers that assembled at the former bomber base for the first race - a remarkable list that included a Thai royal, a Colditz Castle POW, and a gigolo, but NO representative from Ferrari.

And finally, they look back on the race itself, which was won by man who, to quote the great Juan Manuel Fangio, “Drove like a madman...”  

Matt and Richard will be bringing members an exclusive Q&A episode at the end of Season 3, where they'll answer questions on each of the topics covered. So if you'd like to ask a follow-up question about Silverstone 1950, join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today. For a limited period we’re giving you 75% off your first month!  

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On this week’s episode, Matt and Richard look back on the life and career of Eddie Jordan, who very sadly died of cancer, on March 20th this year, at the age of 76. 

For the generation who grew up on F1 in the 1990s and 2000s, Eddie was the most charismatic team boss in the game, and it was hard not to cheer for his underdog squad when they landed several big punches on the chins of their much better funded rivals, as well as the occasional knockout blow. 

But, having built an F1 team from scratch on a minimal budget and then not only kept it afloat, but turned it into a grand prix-winning (and at one point championship-challenging) outfit, should EJ be considered F1’s biggest overachiever? 

As Matt and Richard attempt to answer that question, they look back over Eddie’s time in F1, with Matt - who was good friends with Eddie - sharing amusing and poignant anecdotes and stories that perfectly illustrate a fun-loving, larger than life character with a steely inner core.

Get 75% off your first month when you join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an F1-only tier! Head to patreon.com/therace

• Matt and Richard will be bringing members an exclusive Q&A episode at the end of Season 3, where they'll answer questions on each of the topics covered. So if you'd like to ask a question about Eddie Jordan, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/therace⁠⁠⁠⁠
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A Race Media Production

Producer: Jonny Reynolds

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On this week’s episode, Matt and Richard look back at the controversial ‘crashgate’ scandal, when it emerged that the Renault driver Nelson Piquet Junior deliberately crashed during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to hand a major sporting advantage to his team-mate, Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the race.

Matt and Richard look at the origins of the saga, peak into the murkiness around who came up with the idea and put it into action, explain how it came to be uncovered, and discuss the punishments handed out to those involved.

They also debate the morals of the incident itself - was it the worst example of cheating in sporting history (as some claimed at the time) or an example of F1 gamesmanship gone too far?

• Matt and Richard will be bringing members an exclusive Q&A episode at the end of Season 3, where they'll answer questions on each of the topics covered. So if you'd like to ask a question about Crashgate, head to ⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/therace⁠⁠⁠
• Buy some Colossally merch! ⁠⁠⁠Visit The Race Shop⁠⁠⁠
• Follow The Race on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Twitter ⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠
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A Race Media Production

Producer: Jonny Reynolds

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.