F1 Beyond The Grid

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F1 Beyond The Grid episodes

October 20 Fred Vesti: 'making champions' as Mercedes Third Driver
'It's a very unforgiving job... you're helping making champions, but it's not yourself', says Fred Vesti. Through hundreds of hours and thousands of laps in the simulator, he has contributed to Mercedes' success in 2026. It seems certain that Kimi Antonelli will be crowned Drivers' World Champion, and the team are destined to become Constructors' Champions.
Fred tells Tom Clarkson about his demanding work at the track, at the team factory and especially in the simulator and explains how he stays ready to replace George Russell or Antonelli, should they be unable to drive. He explains the key to the Mercedes' drivers speed and how he plays a crucial role in deciding how to upgrade the car.
Fred tells the story of approaching Team Principal Toto Wolff at a party, and having a conversation which eventually led him to join the team's junior driver programme. A champion in sportscars, Vesti remains determined to race in Formula 1, even if that meant leaving the Silver Arrows.
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59 min
October 13 50 years since James Hunt’s dramatic title win - with Freddie Hunt
A fiery crash, a miraculous recovery, a shock disqualification, and a tense, rain-soaked title-decider. At the end of the drama-filled 1976 season, James Hunt emerged as Formula 1 World Champion.
Hunt was loved by fans and respected by his rivals, particularly by Niki Lauda. The pair fought for the world title in a remarkable year in which Lauda almost lost his life.
James retired from F1 as a World Champion with 10 race wins and 23 podiums. He later became a broadcaster, commentating for the BBC alongside Murray Walker. He died in 1993, aged just 45.
To mark the 50th anniversary of James Hunt's title win, Tom Clarkson speaks to his son Freddie - also a racing driver and TV presenter. Freddie shares stories of his ‘maverick' father, and how being the son of a world champion affected his own career.
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25 min
October 06 James Vowles: ‘the most difficult year of my career’
2026 was supposed to be the year Williams made a big step forward in Formula 1.
They’d scored their first podiums under Team Principal James Vowles in 2025, all while prioritising focus on this new era of regulations, so expectations of what they could achieve this season were high. But they’ve fallen well short of those.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, James talks about the phone calls he had with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz before the season to tell them the team was ‘in trouble’, whether he was worried both drivers would leave and why the car was overweight in the first place.
James is very honest and self-critical, reflecting on what he’d do differently and the advice he’d give himself in hindsight. But he’s also optimistic about the future, with the team fighting hard to overcome their struggles and showing ‘true innovation’ to create a new chassis that was introduced in Baku.
This episode is sponsored by:
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57 min
September 29 Isack Hadjar + Laurent Mekies: trust, teamwork + targets
From scoring his first podium with the team in Monaco, to missing three races with a wrist injury, and then re-signing for 2027, Isack Hadjar has had an eventful first season at Red Bull Racing.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Isack opens up about what happened to his wrist, how challenging it was to miss those races and what that new contract means to him.
Plus, Isack tells Tom why he’s been ‘surprising himself’ this year, what it’s like being Max Verstappen’s teammate and his targets for the rest of the season and beyond.
Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies also joins Tom to talk about their approach to Isack’s recovery, why they’ve decided to keep him on for another year and whether Red Bull have everything they need in place to start challenging for World Championships again.
33 min
September 22 Romain Grosjean: a career of comebacks
‘I did all I could to survive’. A fiery crash put his life in danger, but Romain Grosjean escaped the flames and returned to racing.
As Romain tells Tom Clarkson, the crash in Bahrain was not the first time he had to rebuild his career. After a seven-race spell in Formula 1 in 2008, he was dropped for the following season. Determined to find a way back, he took a step down the motorsport ladder to the junior category, GP2, became champion, and earned a Formula 1 comeback with the same team that had previously let him go.
Romain, who has 10 F1 podiums to his name, reflects on Grands Prix he could have won, how his former team Haas have changed since he scored points for them on their debut 10 years ago, and considers his future in the Formula 1 paddock.
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This episode is sponsored by:
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40 min
September 15 Yuki Tsunoda: racing for F1 return
After describing 2025 as the ‘toughest year of my career’, Yuki Tsunoda was thrilled to make his F1 comeback with Racing Bulls after the summer break – stepping in for Liam Lawson while he fills in for the injured Isack Hadjar at Red Bull.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Yuki gives a very honest account of his struggles at Red Bull last season – revealing how it affected him personally, the biggest mistake he made and what it really felt like when he found out he wouldn’t be on the grid in 2026.
Or so it would seem… Yuki received the call that he’d be back racing in Zandvoort just three days before the first practice session, so he takes Tom inside the chaotic week that ensued, how he prepared to drive the 2026 cars for the first time at such short notice, and what it meant to score points in the second race of his comeback at Monza.
And while Yuki’s unsure how many more races he’ll compete in this season as Isack recovers, Tom asks him what the future holds from 2027 onwards.
This episode is sponsored by:
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37 min
September 08 Pedro de la Rosa: Aston’s ambition, Fernando’s future + McLaren memories
Aston Martin Global Ambassador Pedro de la Rosa joins Tom Clarkson to discuss how Aston are fighting back after a difficult 2026 so far.
Pedro tells Tom how it really felt when they realised just how far behind they were during the Barcelona shakedown and whether the team’s strategy of waiting until halfway through the season to bring upgrades risked them losing two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso.
Pedro also talks more about his relationship with Alonso, including how they communicate with each other through eye contact, and what it’s like working with Aston Team Principal and legendary designer Adrian Newey.
Plus, 20 years on, Pedro reflects on his first and only F1 podium at Hungary in 2006, why that result didn’t guarantee his seat at McLaren and how ‘hurt’ he was to not race alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
This episode is sponsored by:
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55 min
September 01 Charles Leclerc: full faith in Ferrari
Why did he sign a new multi-year deal with Ferrari? What caused his rough patch earlier in the season? How did those struggles really make him feel? And what did victory at Silverstone mean to him after that difficult period?
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Charles Leclerc opens up and shares really interesting insight into the ups and downs he’s experienced so far in 2026.
Charles also tells Tom what it’s like being a Ferrari driver at Monza, why Michael Schumacher had such a big influence on him growing up, whether he thinks Ferrari can challenge Mercedes for the World Championship this season, and how it feels to now be married to his wife Alexandra.
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40 min
August 25 Sergio Perez: bouncing back with Cadillac
After a year away from Formula 1, following his exit from Red Bull Racing at the end of 2024, Sergio Perez is back with the sport’s newest team - Cadillac.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Sergio talks about his last six months at Red Bull being mentally demanding, the new perspective having a year out has given him, the initial reservations he had about returning to F1 and why the Cadillac project is just as motivating for him as fighting at the front of the grid.
Checo also discusses Cadillac’s decision to replace Graeme Lowdon with Marcin Budkowski as Team Principal, why he wishes he’d enjoyed his career more and how he thinks age affects racing drivers.

This episode is sponsored by:
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43 min
August 18 LEGENDS: Damon Hill – from ‘humiliation’ to World Champion
1995 was a 'catastrophe' for Damon Hill, a bruising battle on and off the track. He was determined that 1996 would be his year.
30 years since his title triumph, 1996 World Champion Damon Hill joins Tom Clarkson to reflect on his winning season. From four wins in the opening five races, to finding out he was being dropped by Williams at the end of the season while still in the championship fight, Damon talks candidly about the ups and downs of a very dramatic title-winning campaign.

He also tells Tom how he changed his approach going into 1996, after some tough battles with Michael Schumacher on and off track the year before, and why he turned down an offer to sign for McLaren despite wanting to join them.
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This episode is sponsored by:
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50 min

About F1 Beyond The Grid

From the publisher's feed

The risk-takers, late-brakers and history-makers of Formula 1 slow down for in-depth interviews. Tom Clarkson brings you revealing, feature-length conversations with drivers, team bosses, engineering experts and F1 legends.