

The Race F1 Tech Show
The Race Media Ltd
Journalist Edd Straw and former F1 technical director and car designer Gary Anderson are here to guide listeners through the wonderful world of Formula 1 technology. With the help of special guests they’ll discuss and explain everything from how F1 cars are engineered to go faster, to the science behind cutting-edge aerodynamics and the complexities of engine development. They’ll also discuss the latest design trends shaping the grid, speak to some of the famous names behind classic F1 innovations, and answer fans’ burning F1 tech questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 8, 2025 • 1h 6min
What caused Ferrari's Singapore brake problems?
Lewis Hamilton’s brake problems late in the Singapore Grand Prix turned a potential fifth place into eight place, but why exactly did Ferrari hit trouble? That’s one of the questions we answer in the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show.Gary Anderson joins Edd Straw to look at what happened to Ferrari in Singapore, as well as tackling the warm-weather improvement of Mercedes and Red Bull’s high-downforce form. We also tackle listeners questions on a range of topics from oscillating wings and F1 car ride to 2026 expectations and Gary’s brief dalliance with Coloni. There’s also a chance to catch up with the progress of A2RL, the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, with head of operations Josh Roles joining us to tell us all about it.Don't miss A2RL at Yas Marina circuit on November 15. Get your free tickets now at https://a2rl.io/Want bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 25, 2025 • 48min
Why wind plays havoc with F1 cars + Explaining Red Bull’s recent renaissance
In this engaging discussion, Gary Anderson, a former F1 technical director known for his work on the Jordan 191, dives into the complexities of wind dynamics affecting car performance. He reveals how gusts impact downforce and balance, making certain cars particularly sensitive. Gary also elaborates on Red Bull’s resurgence, attributing it to clever setups and driver feedback. From the evolution of wheel covers to the debate on mechanical grip versus aerodynamics, this conversation is a treasure trove for F1 enthusiasts!

Sep 11, 2025 • 32min
Explaining Red Bull’s 12-month Monza turnaround
With Gary Anderson on holiday, Edd Straw is joined on this episode of The Race F1 Tech Show by Mark Hughes to delve into the reasons behind Red Bull’s dramatic turnaround to win at Monza, 12 months after struggling badly at the same track.We also discuss whether the 2025 regulations have delivered on their objectives in terms of improving the raceability of the cars, and what to expect from next year’s rules on that front.There’s also questions from listeners about push-to-pass, low-downforce configurations and how much weight could be removed from F1 cars. Got a tech question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comTry Sentry today.Want bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Join The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 28, 2025 • 1h 2min
Inside Red Bull's trackside fuel and lubricants lab - and why it matters
Fuel and lubricants are often taken for granted by F1 fans, but it’s a crucial battleground that has a big impact not only on performance, but also reliability. We hear from Exxonmobil’s Fiona McKewan, whose role as Red Bull technical advisor means she attends races and closely monitors and analyses the various fluids that are essential to the operation of the car and power unit. She explains the rigorous processes that ensure not only are the products working as intended, but also how the trackside lab can be used to warn of and prevent imminent reliability problems. Gary Anderson explains why the competitive order will change after F1’s August break despite the focus being on 2026. And we also tackle listener questions on AI, tyre pollution, attitudes to reliability and containing outwash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 14, 2025 • 1h 3min
CFD pioneer Nick Wirth on solving real world problems with F1 knowledge
Edd Straw interviews Nick Wirth, founder of Wirth Research, about how his company is using CFD technology sharpened over his decades in motorsport to tackle wider-world problems. Wirth, boss of the Simtek team that raced in F1 in 1994-95, who also had stints with Benetton and Virgin, has long been an evangelist for the power of CFD. He offers some characteristically strong opinions on why it should have replaced the use of windtunnels in F1, as well as explaining the ever-growing potential of the technology. We also get Gary Anderson’s insight on windtunnel research versus CFD aero testing, as well as answering your questions on calculations, the cost of manufacturing parts, the plank and Ferrari’s troubles.Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comWant bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Get 90% off your first month's membership to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 29, 2025 • 54min
Can F1’s problems with wet weather running be solved?
On this week's episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson reflect on the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix, and whether anything can be done to solve F1's current problems with cars running in severe wet weather.After that, Edd and Gary discuss whether Ferrari has really turned a corner with its suspension upgrade, and whether Gary would have appreciated the feedback documents Lewis Hamilton has been creating and sending to colleagues at Ferrari.And finally, Gary tackles another batch of questions sent in by listeners, covering topics including dampers, materials science, driver weight, tyre changes and the point of TPC running.Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comWant exclusive bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 17, 2025 • 50min
Gary unpicks Ben Sulayem's F1 vision + The tech impact of Horner's Red Bull exit
On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, former F1 technical director Gary Anderson explains what impact Christian Horner’s sudden removal as team principal could have on Red Bull technically, both in the short and the long-run given the team’s longstanding balance issues. Host Edd Straw then quizzes Gary on what he thinks of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s vision for F1’s future, built around a lighter, V8-powered car with standard gearboxes designed to lower costs and increase the spectacle. Is it a good direction, and does it leave enough room for technical innovation?Gary then answers your questions on several topics including how much lighter F1 cars could be while maintaining safety standards, the management of qualifying laps, intermediate to slick crossover points and how a team can go from midfield mediocrity to the front in F1 as McLaren has in recent years. Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comWant exclusive bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 2, 2025 • 44min
Mercedes' ongoing struggles with heat + a floor breakthrough for Ferrari?
On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson take a closer look at two of the big tech stories coming out of the Austrian Grand Prix. The first is Mercedes' ongoing struggle to extract performance in high ambient temperatures, with George Russell finishing over a minute down on the race winner at the Red Bull Ring having won commandingly in Canada two weeks earlier. The second is the potential breakthrough Ferrari have made with its upgraded floor. Edd and Gary discuss the changes and ask whether a genuine step forward has been made, and whether upcoming changes to the rear suspension of the SF-25 should bring a further performance step.And as ever the episode is rounded out with Gary answering tech questions sent in by listeners. This time the subjects covered include whether teams can measure brake pressure and whether anti-dive is adjustable or not.Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comWant exclusive bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 19, 2025 • 45min
What does losing '20 points of downforce' really mean? Plus, McLaren's new suspension analysed
On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson discuss what losing '20 points of downforce' really means, after Lewis Hamilton suffered that fate in Canada, when his Ferrari collided with an unfortunate marmot.There's also chat about the revised suspension geometry on Lando Norris's McLaren in Montreal, including what the team hope to accomplish with the change, and why Norris's team-mate Oscar Piastri didn't (and may not ever) run it.And finally, in the regular 'Ask Gary' section, our tech chief answers questions on tyre warm up, the increasing complexity of aero shapes, and the idea of forcing teams to reveal design secrets...Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comWant exclusive bonus episodes and ad-free listening? Enjoy a 7-day free trial to The Race Members' Club on Patreon today - we even have an 'F1-only' tier! Check out the new items in The Race Shop - members get a 15% discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 3, 2025 • 47min
Why didn't the flexi-wing directive shake up the order?
With the technical directive reducing the permitted flexibility of the front wings the big talking point of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, why didn’t it shake up the competitive order as some hoped?Former F1 technical director Gary Anderson explains that, and the reasons why he always expected the effects to be more subtle, as he looks back at the big technical stories from the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. That includes a look at the steel skid block tests run in Friday practice and the potential impact of the change from titanium for selected races. And whether it makes sense to make such a change given the alternative means to reduce the chance of grass fires ignited by sparks. Host Edd Straw also fires listener questions to Gary on a variety of topics, including active suspension, core versus surface tyre temperature and the Venturi effect.Got a question for Gary? Send it to podcasts@the-race.comLAST CHANCE: Get 75% off your first month of access when you join The Race Members' Club on Patreon. Use the code RACE75 when checking out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


