The Autosport F1 Podcast

Martyn Lee and Haydn Cobb look back at a chaotic Friday for Formula 1’s 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The grid is set for the 21-lap sprint race on Saturday, but the cars line up in an order very few fans would have predicted. Changeable conditions brought out five red flags in a highly disrupted qualifying session. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20Mechanics are an integral part of motorsport regardless of discipline and those that work in the World Rally Championship mechanics are regarded among elite. These unsung heroes are expected to perform miracles against the clock to prepare and repair WRC cars during events. Unlike other forms of motorsport, rallying’s version of the circuit racing pitstop is known as a service and these occur after a series or loop of special stages held on closed roads. Drivers and co-drivers will return to the service park, where teams deploy a group of mechanics to repair any damage or change items on the cars in an allotted time period before the next set of stages. To better understand the life of a mechanic Autosport WRC reporter Tom Howard was invited to become part of the M-Sport Ford WRC team to work on Pierre-Louis Loubet’s Ford Puma Rally1 WRC car at the South Belgian Rally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Easter traditionally marks the first round of British GT and the latest edition of the Autosport Podcast previews this weekend's season opener. After two years where the coronavirus pandemic has prevented the series getting under way at Oulton Park over Easter, this staple of the national racing schedules is back for 2022. With the reigning GT3 champions absent, we explore some of the likely contenders as well as the raft of changes for this year, including new teams, new drivers and new tyres. It's not just British GT that begins in Cheshire but also some of its supporting categories, including the GB3 Championship. The single-seater contest has a new car for this year and has attracted a strong line-up of over 20 drivers despite the difficult economic climate. Autosport's Group National Editor Stephen Lickorish is joined by Plus Editor James Newbold and Deputy National Editor Stefan Mackley to discuss who to keep an eye on in each series this weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Editor of motorsport.com Australia, Andrew van Leeuwen, joins Luke Smith and Matt Kew to discuss the Australian Grand Prix. Martyn Lee is your host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Luke Smith and Alex Kalinauckas are in the Albert Park paddock for the Australian Grand Prix, and here to dig into the details of a highly dramatic (and disrupted) qualifying session. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Formula One is back down under after a two year break, and the cars were on track today for the two Free Practice sessions. The Ferrari vs Red Bull battle looks to have picked up where it left off in Saudi Arabia, with both teams running at the front. Alpine saw stronger pace in FP2 and McLaren were both in the top ten, but how much of that will translate to qualifying? Jonathan Noble is here to analyse the lap times around a newly remodelled Albert Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Autosport's Chief Editor Kevin Turner loves a list and this is the final part of our podcast mini-series, ranking the top ten drivers from another F1 team. Today we rank the greatest Lotus drivers. This time we’re doing it with the help of Matt Kew, and Alex Kalinauckas is your host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Autosport's Chief Editor Kevin Turner loves a list and in Part 5 (of 6) of our new podcast series we're ranking another ten drivers. This time we’re doing it with the help of Matt Kew, and Alex Kalinauckas is your host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jess McFadyen and Alex Kalinauckas join Martyn Lee to analyse the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Red Bull started first and fourth, and finished in the same positions, but it wasn't the dream pole-to-flag victory Sergio Perez dreamed of. Perez was unfortunate to pit from the lead just before a safety car, which gifted his opponents a cheap stop and the chance to leapfrog him. Max Verstappen's late race battle with Charles Leclerc gave him a first win of the new season, and it gave F1 fans plenty of hope these new regulations will allow cars to more closely follow one another. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A polesitter who has waited 215 race starts to lead the pack away on a Sunday, and a massive accident for Mick Schumacher. Saturday in Saudi Arabia was memorable for many reasons, but one to forget for Lewis Hamilton, who could opt to start from the pitlane on Sunday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices