The Race F1 Rewind

For many motor racing fans, the month of May means one thing: The Indianapolis 500. Famously known as 'the greatest spectacle in racing', the Indy 500 captured American hearts from its inception in 1911 - but the race has also tantalised Europe's racing elite over the years, charmed by its big prize pot and unique challenge.

On this episode, Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) take a look at the roots of oval racing and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway itself, before focusing on famous European incursions at the great American race.

Tune in for stories about the wine-drinking Frenchman who triumphed in 1913, Ferrari's ill-fated attempt at the 500 in 1952, Lotus' ultimately victorious campaign at The Brickyard in the 1960s, and much more. Plus, Matt gives us his personal recollections of working alongside Fernando Alonso during the Spaniard's fabulous (but fruitless) attempt at the 500 in 2017, and Richard takes us back to the early 1990s, when he witnessed first-hand Nigel Mansell's two participations at Indy in 1993 and 1994.

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Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!

In the final episode of our trilogy marking the 30th anniversary of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Matt and Richard look at the fallout and lasting legacy of F1's so-called blackest weekend, when both Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna were killed in action.

They discuss what happened at the next race on the calendar, in Monaco, when a crash in practice raised anxiety levels yet further, and left poor Karl Wendlinger in a coma. They also reflect on the safety changes made in the wake of Imola, both immediately (to cars and circuits) and in the long term.

Also, Richard reflects on attending the inquest into Senna's death in Italy, before he and Matt assess how Williams and Damon Hill were impacted by - and reacted to - the terrible Imola accident.

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Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!

In the second part of our three-episode mini series, marking the 30th anniversary of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Matt and Richard take a chronological look at the events of F1's so-called blackest weekend, when both Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna were killed in action.

It's been described as a weekend 'when God turned his back', and with good reason, with a series of terrible accidents unfolding one after the other over a period of three days. With personal reminiscences, Matt and Richard tell the story of what happened and how F1 came to lose two much loved drivers in consecutive days.

Plus, Richard poignantly shares his reflections on attending Senna's intense, emotional funeral in Sao Paulo.

Next time: Matt and Richard discuss the aftermath and lasting legacy of Imola '94.

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Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of one of the most tragic events in motorsport history: The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, when both Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna were killed in action. In this episode, the first part in a three-episode mini series, Matt and Richard examine how F1 had evolved as a sport by 1994, both culturally and from a safety standpoint. They explain how attitudes to injury and death had changed, but why at the same time a sense of complacency may have taken hold.

And, with the usual array of anecdotes and insight, they look specifically at 1994, and how a combination of rule changes, suspicion and back luck had left Senna in an uneasy frame of mind heading to Imola for round 3 of the championship.

Next time: Matt and Richard unpick the gut-wrenching events of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

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Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!

On this episode, Matt and Richard take a trip back to Germany in the 1930s to explain how Adolf Hitler used motor racing as a tool - and perhaps even a weapon - of the Nazi regime.

They discuss why Hitler felt it was so important to have a state sponsored motor racing programme, how Mercedes and Auto Union used the funds to create some incredible machines that came to dominate pre-war grand prix racing, and tell the ill-fated story of the speed record attempts that both manufacturers were involved in.

There are also stories about Richard Seaman (the British racer who came to drive for Mercedes), Rene Dreyfus (the Jewish driver who took delight in beating the teams for whom he couldn't drive), and the parallels between Tazio Nuvolari's famous victory at Nurburgring in 1935 and the success of the great American sprinter Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

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Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!

On this episode, Matt and Richard are taking a close-up look at Michael Schumacher: One of F1's greatest and most revolutionary drivers ever.

Over the course of this episode, we chart (with the usual first-hand stories and anecdotes) six ways in which the seven-time world champion changed the sport forever, from raising standards in driver fitness to changing the game in terms of racecraft and driver etiquette.

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Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!

On this episode, Matt and Richard are ranking the Top 5 British drivers to have raced for Ferrari in F1, in anticipation of Lewis Hamilton's blockbuster move to motor racing's most famous team in 2025. With youngster Ollie Bearman having recently joined the list, there are 12 drivers to pick from - but who will make the final cut and who will miss out? And who will we crown as Ferrari's best Brit?

Listen in to find out, as Matt and Richard deliver their top 5 with (as you'd expect) a boatload of historical information, interesting factoids, and priceless anecdotes.

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Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!

On the first episode of the podcast, they look back on arguably the greatest fairy tale in motor racing history: Brawn GP's miraculous 2009 F1 season, when the team rose from near oblivion to claim both drivers' and constructors' titles. But what's fascinating, with hindsight, is the chain of events set in motion by the then-Honda team's survival...

Listen in as Bishop, then head of communications for McLaren, explains with some incredible anecdotes what happened behind the scenes at the Woking team, and how in gallantly helping to save a rival, McLaren gave away a key performance advantage that would hurt them for years to come, and also pave the way not only for Michael Schumacher's F1 return, but for the Mercedes team's future dominance.

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The Race is delighted to introduce a new podcast: And Colossally That’s History!

Named in reference to a famous line of Murray Walker commentary, the podcast that takes an unadulterated look at the earth-shattering events, epic sagas and huge characters that have shaped motor racing history. 

From Grand Prix racing as a tool of the Nazi war machine to how Ayrton Senna’s death shaped modern F1, hosts Matt Bishop and Richard Williams will discuss and dissect these topics as only they can, bringing new insight and fresh perspectives that help explain how motor racing moved from niche past-time to the multi-billion-dollar sporting spectacle of today. 

The first episode is coming very soon. Like, follow or subscribe in your podcast app of choice so you don't miss out!

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