This week we welcome blonde-haired 80s Super Swede Stefan Johansson onto the show. Stefan was a 12-time podium finisher, and he would have been a race winner too were it not for team orders or Lady Luck intervening. A terrific raconteur, Stefan regales Tom with some incredible stories from his career, including fascinating insight into what made Alain Prost so good, his heartbreaking near miss at Imola ’85, his barely conceivable weekend to forget in Austria in 1987, and much, much more…

Stefan Johansson on racing 80s monsters, almost winning for Ferrari and tangling with wildlife

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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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.



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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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LEGENDS: Juan Pablo Montoya’s race for the 2003 championship

The journey that has taken Ayao Komatsu from a teenager in Tokyo, dreaming of working in Formula 1, to the new Haas Team Principal is a gripping tale.


Featuring fascinating anecdotes of his father’s experiences as a political prisoner, the challenges Ayao faced when he left Japan for England, and how he engineered his way through university to a career in F1, this is a compelling conversation between Komatsu and Tom Clarkson.


Ayao talks about his relationship with his family, the influence Japanese F1 hero Takuma Sato has had on his career, why he once wanted to be a journalist, how he’s transforming Haas, and much more.



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Ayao Komatsu: from Tokyo to Team Principal

He’s a World Championship-winning engineer with nearly 50 years in Formula 1, but Pat Symonds’ focus is new innovation and F1’s next generation.  



Pat scored title wins with Michael Schumacher in the 90s and Fernando Alonso in the 2000s. In the 80s, he helped a rookie Ayrton Senna get up to speed and take a stunning Monaco podium. Today, as Formula 1’s Chief Technical Officer, his task is producing spectacular racing - now and for years to come.



Pat tells Tom Clarkson about his past successes, his memories of working with great drivers and his future projects, including the sustainable fuel which will power a new breed of F1 car from 2026.



Book your seat at a Grand Prix 

Tickets for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 are now on sale along with Japan, Miami, Imola and every other race this season. Head to tickets.formula1.com to buy now 



More official F1 Podcasts

F1 Nation - race previews, reviews and analysis from the F1 Paddock

F1 Explains - your questions answered by the experts



This episode is sponsored by:

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Stefan Johansson on racing 80s monsters, almost winning for Ferrari and tangling with wildlife

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