The Autosport F1 Podcast

A missile attack on an Aramco distribution facility, around 10 miles from the track, was the main talking point today. Thick black smoke was seen filling the air during Free Practice 1, which delayed Free Practice 2 as Formula 1 and the FIA met with teams to discuss the situation. Martyn Lee and Haydn Cobb talk about the implications of today's events, and analyse the pace we saw on track heading into qualifying tomorrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Autosport's Chief Editor Kevin Turner loves a list and in Part 4 of our new podcast series we're ranking another ten drivers. This time we’re doing it with the help of Karun Chandhok, and Alex Kalinauckas is your host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Luke Smith, Matt Kew and Haydn Cobb join Martyn Lee to look back at the Bahrain Grand Prix, and how three late retirements gave many of the points scorers a better finish on paper than they might have deserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the Bahrain International Circuit, Luke Smith (F1 Reporter) is joined by Alex Kalinauckas (Grand Prix Editor, Autosport) to analyse a thrilling qualifying session. It's still far too early to say if the established order from the hybrid era is ancient history, but there's certainly a different look to the starting grid for tomorrow’s race. Shortly before Qualifying, and 97 days after the controversy of Abu Dhabi, the FIA released their report into how those final laps played out. The full report can be seen on autosport.com, but our team thinks there are still some questions which need answered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan Noble (F1 Editor, Motorsport.com) was watching both Free Practice sessions from trackside today, and spoke to the drivers and team bosses afterwards. He's speaking to Martyn Lee (Head of Podcasts, Motorsport Network) to analyse the form guide as the fuel came out and the soft tyres went on, for some quick laps. Arguably more interesting was to come, when the teams fuelled up and gave us a clue to their long run pace. Are Red Bull and Ferrari REALLY favourites for pole, and how bad are things for Mercedes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Autosport's Chief Editor Kevin Turner loves a list and in Part 3 of our new podcast series we're ranking another ten drivers.     This time we’re doing it with the help of someone who has unique insight into the cars these drivers piloted, because we’re joined by Williams Heritage Driver Karun Chandhok. In fact every driver on today’s list drove a car in which Karun has experienced behind the wheel. Alex Kalinauckas is your host. Join us next Thursday when Kevin attempts to put the Top 10 McLaren Drivers in order.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The countdown is on until a new breed of Formula 1 cars hit the track for the Bahrain Grand Prix.  Just days after the final test, the teams are ready to do battle for real at the Bahrain International Circuit. Alex Kalinauckas (Grand Prix Editor, Autosport) and Luke Smith (F1 Reporter, Autosport) stayed out in Bahrain and will be back in the paddock this weekend.  They're joined by our latest recruit to the Autosport F1 team, Matt Kew. We get to know Matt on the podcast today and find out his favourite motorsport moments. With time over the last few days to crunch the numbers, we discuss why Mercedes might genuinely be struggling to dial in the setup of their new car, and not just talking themselves down (here's looking at you 2019, 2020 and 2021!). We discuss why Red Bull and Ferrari were looking strong based on what we witnessed trackside in Barcelona and Bahrain.  The predictable midfield battle, as we have come to know it, looks ripe for a shakeup. The difference from the top to bottom of the timesheets is likely closer than we've seen in recent years, as demonstrated by moments of stronger pace from Haas and Williams during testing. Finally, we discuss some of the news of the week, including today's FIA clarification of the Safety Car rule, and that "ALL CARS that have been lapped by the leader will be required to pass the cars on the lead lap" (our caps) rather than "any cars", the source of so much Abu Dhabi controversy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Kew and Luke Smith (F1 Reporter, Autosport) recount their experience of watching the cars over the three days in Bahrain. They talk about how the Mercedes looked like it was struggling to dial-in the handling, how Red Bull grabbed a last minute glory run, and how Ferrari were not-so-quietly confident. With the final day of pre-season testing complete, is porpoising still a thing? What happened to the McLaren brake ducts? Why did Lewis Hamilton say Mercedes are not in contention for a win in Bahrain? And if Mercedes turn up next weekend and put the cars 5th and 6th on the grid, would be we surprised? All of those questions answered on today's podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The second day of the final 2022 Formula 1 pre-season test is in the books, with Carlos Sainz Jr leading the way for Ferrari. It was a day that was blustery and blowy, meant the many red flags that flew were streaming strongly.  Alex Kalinauckas is hosting the podcast today, summarising and understanding the day. To look ahead of the final day of the test here in Bahrain on Saturday, he's joined by Matt Kew and Luke Smith.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WARNING: This podcast discusses specific events and moments in the new Netflix series. If you don't want to spoil any of those surprises,  make sure you bookmark this episode and come back after you've watched the show. Jess McFadyen is joined by Luke Smith to discuss the fourth season of Drive To Survive, having been given access to the series some time ago. The series is out now and keenly anticipated amongst Formula 1 fans. Some of their highlights include Lewis Hamilton letting viewers into his Covid experience and worries about staying healthy. The 2021 rookies are all represented too, with Tsunoda, Schumacher and Mazepin given decent airtime. Once again there is an inflated sense of antagonism between some of the rivalries which does not please those looking for a ‘pure’ telling of the story. The largest omission is the lack of Max Verstappen, the Formula 1 World Champion, who finally provided Drive To Survive a title fight. Max has said he doesn't like the way some rivalries, such as the Norris vs Sainz in a previous series, are painted as more contentious than they really are. Without his direct involvement it's left to Christian Horner to talk about the Red Bull perspective on the title fight. The elephant in the room is the inclusion of Nikita Mazepin and discussions around Uralkali funding of the Haas team, given the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine and international sanctions against the Mazepin family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices