In this week’s edition, we look back at this November episode, exploring how F1 teams make key decisions on areas like driver recruitment, development, and race strategy and comparing it with how things are done at a top Premier League football club. 

F1 is a sport built around technology, whereas, in football, the smartest teams have only begun using technology in the last decade for recruitment, strategy, in-game tactical decisions, and more.

With James to compare how Mercedes recruited Kimi Antonelli with how Liverpool FC discovered Mo Salah, we have two experts in their fields.

Rob Smedley, former race engineer to Felipe Massa, head of track engineering at Williams and who now runs Smedley Group which advises across the F1 spectrum on data and AI. Dr Ian Graham, of Ludonautics, was famously head of the data department at Liverpool FC for 11 years. His data analysis played a key role in building the Jurgen Klopp team that won the Premier League and Champions League. His book How to Win the Premier League is a brilliant guide to the way key decisions get taken in an elite sport. 

Remember to take part in the Global F1 Fan Survey which we are running together with F1. Make your voice heard about F1, what you like and what you’d like to change and who your favourite teams and drivers are. Go to https://fansurvey2025-formula1.motorsportnetwork.com/

Also, listen all the way to the end of the show as we unveil our new range of Autosport Podcasts, you can get more information on Tank Slappers, Autosport National, Retro and Racing, right here: https://www.autosport.com/general/news/autosport-launches-three-new-podcast-channels/10701896/

Send your comments or questions to: @jamesallenonf1 on X/Twitter or [email protected].

Producer: Dre Harrison

A Motorsport Studios production for Autosport