F1 Beyond The Grid

'I still don't like how it ended. But there's also a part of me which is grateful that they pulled the trigger'. Two years have passed since Daniel Ricciardo left the Formula 1 paddock in Singapore after his final Grand Prix. After racing at the top for more than a decade, he was suddenly no longer an F1 driver. What next?

Daniel has been considering that question ever since that night in 2024. He tells Tom Clarkson about 'going through phases' of different emotions - from 'humiliation' to 'acceptance'. Travel, reconnecting with friends and a lot of introspection is helping him 'refind himself' and figure out what 'chapter two' of his life has in store.

Ricciardo won eight Formula 1 Grands Prix, stood on the podium 32 times and outscored World Champion Sebastian Vettel when they were teammates. But his racing record doesn't tell the full story of life as an F1 driver. Daniel opens up about moments in his career when he felt 'burnt out' and wanted to walk away. He also looks back with pride at his best wins, most spectacular overtaking moves and greatest on-track battles. And he considers his decision to leave Red Bull Racing in 2018; if he had stayed, would he have a World Championship to his name? 

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'It's a very unforgiving job... you're helping making champions, but it's not yourself', says Fred Vesti. Through hundreds of hours and thousands of laps in the simulator, he has contributed to Mercedes' success in 2026. It seems certain that Kimi Antonelli will be crowned Drivers' World Champion, and the team are destined to become Constructors' Champions.
Fred tells Tom Clarkson about his demanding work at the track, at the team factory and especially in the simulator and explains how he stays ready to replace George Russell or Antonelli, should they be unable to drive. He explains the key to the Mercedes' drivers speed and how he plays a crucial role in deciding how to upgrade the car.
Fred tells the story of approaching Team Principal Toto Wolff at a party, and having a conversation which eventually led him to join the team's junior driver programme. A champion in sportscars, Vesti remains determined to race in Formula 1, even if that meant leaving the Silver Arrows.
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A fiery crash, a miraculous recovery, a shock disqualification, and a tense, rain-soaked title-decider. At the end of the drama-filled 1976 season, James Hunt emerged as Formula 1 World Champion.

Hunt was loved by fans and respected by his rivals, particularly by Niki Lauda. The pair fought for the world title in a remarkable year in which Lauda almost lost his life.

James retired from F1 as a World Champion with 10 race wins and 23 podiums. He later became a broadcaster, commentating for the BBC alongside Murray Walker. He died in 1993, aged just 45.

To mark the 50th anniversary of James Hunt's title win, Tom Clarkson speaks to his son Freddie - also a racing driver and TV presenter. Freddie shares stories of his ‘maverick' father, and how being the son of a world champion affected his own career.
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2026 was supposed to be the year Williams made a big step forward in Formula 1.

They’d scored their first podiums under Team Principal James Vowles in 2025, all while prioritising focus on this new era of regulations, so expectations of what they could achieve this season were high. But they’ve fallen well short of those.

Speaking to Tom Clarkson, James talks about the phone calls he had with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz before the season to tell them the team was ‘in trouble’, whether he was worried both drivers would leave and why the car was overweight in the first place.

James is very honest and self-critical, reflecting on what he’d do differently and the advice he’d give himself in hindsight. But he’s also optimistic about the future, with the team fighting hard to overcome their struggles and showing ‘true innovation’ to create a new chassis that was introduced in Baku.
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From scoring his first podium with the team in Monaco, to missing three races with a wrist injury, and then re-signing for 2027, Isack Hadjar has had an eventful first season at Red Bull Racing.

Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Isack opens up about what happened to his wrist, how challenging it was to miss those races and what that new contract means to him.

Plus, Isack tells Tom why he’s been ‘surprising himself’ this year, what it’s like being Max Verstappen’s teammate and his targets for the rest of the season and beyond.

Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies also joins Tom to talk about their approach to Isack’s recovery, why they’ve decided to keep him on for another year and whether Red Bull have everything they need in place to start challenging for World Championships again.