Franco Colapinto: how boy from Buenos Aires made F1 breakthrough
Franco Colapinto didn’t take long to make a name for himself in Formula 1.
He became the first Argentine F1 driver in 23 years when he debuted with Williams in 2024. It only took him two races to then become the first Argentine points scorer in the sport since 1982.
More than a year since his incredible breakthrough, and now racing for Alpine, Franco tells Tom Clarkson the incredible story of how a boy from the outskirts of Buenos Aires reached the pinnacle of motorsport.
Franco remembers the sacrifices he made by moving abroad as a young teenager to pursue his dream, the challenges of leaving his family and living on his own in a different continent, and how an unexpected visit from an F1 legend inspired him to keep going.
Franco also talks about how his experience at Alpine compares to his time at Willams, what his relationships with teammate Pierre Gasly and Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore are like, and his future in F1.
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Graeme Lowdon: getting Cadillac on-track in F1
Six months before their first race, the new Cadillac Formula 1 Team is already moving fast. The drivers have been signed, the car is being developed on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and engineers are running simulations to prepare for Grand Prix racing.
Leading Cadillac to the Formula 1 grid is Team Principal Graeme Lowdon, who knows how to launch a brand-new team. He did it in 2010 with Virgin Racing, which raced at the back of the grid and was graced by the talent of the late Jules Bianchi.
Graeme tells Tom Clarkson how his experience led to a job with Cadillac, how the team won its place in F1, and the incredible preparation work happening as the clock ticks towards Cadillac’s debut at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix. He explains why Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez are the perfect drivers for the team, and why he admires Cadillac reserve driver Colton Herta for swapping IndyCar for a shot at racing in F1.
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Gabriel Bortoleto: ‘my dream was so big’ - the long journey to F1
Aged 11, Gabriel Bortoleto left Brazil, determined to make it in motorsport. His family’s passion, hard work and sacrifice gave him a start. His talent saw him accelerate towards a racing career. A two-time World Champion saw he was special, and helped guide him to Formula 1.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Gabriel looks back at his childhood, how his parents worked hard to fund his racing dream, how he made the difficult decision to leave them behind and go to Europe to further his career, and why Fernando Alonso’s support was essential as he climbed the racing ladder.
Winning the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championship titles earned Gabi a place in F1. He explains how he is adjusting to the driving and living in the World Championship, the pride he feels representing Brazil, what racing against experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg is teaching him, how his manager and on-track rival Alonso continues to help him, and why he spends hours on his home simulator immediately after every race weekend.
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Fred Vasseur: Ferrari’s ‘next step’ with Lewis Hamilton + Charles Leclerc
‘Pressure is the best motivation for all of us’. Fred Vasseur knows all about pressure.
He leads Formula 1’s most storied team. At the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, the tifosi – Ferrari’s passionate fans – want to see Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton on the podium. But what they, the rest of Italy and Ferrari fans all over the world really want Vasseur to deliver is the Formula 1 World Championship.
Fred tells Tom Clarkson how Ferrari are building a team to fight for titles, and the high-priority objectives of his high-pressure job: getting the best out of Leclerc, and supporting Hamilton as he continues to adapt to Ferrari – the challenge of which Vasseur says may have been underestimated. He talks about his 5am starts in search of success, and why returning Ferrari to the top of the sport will take time – even with two proven stars in the cars.
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James Hinchcliffe: F1TV expert on surviving ovals + being inspired by Villeneuve
Today he's on F1TV giving us expert racing insight. But 10 years ago, James Hinchcliffe suffered a near-fatal accident during practice for the 2015 Indy500, which left many people doubting that his racing career could continue.
A year later, he scored a sensational pole position at the very same racetrack.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, James talks through the freak injury he suffered and how he made such a miraculous recovery.
A six-time IndyCar race winner, James also explains what it takes to be quick on high-speed ovals, whether the likes of Max Verstappen would be competitive on them and whether Indy stars like new four-time champion Alex Palou could succeed in Formula 1.
Tom asks James why, despite being such a huge fan of F1 growing up, he didn’t pursue a career in the pinnacle of motorsport, and whether he thinks the United States needs an American on the grid.
Now a regular pundit and commentator on F1TV, James also shares his thoughts on the thrilling battle between McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to become World Champion in 2025.
It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there!
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Listen to more official F1 podcasts
Every race analysed on F1 Nation
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Formula 1's fastest stars slow down for in-depth interviews. Tom Clarkson brings you revealing, feature-length conversations with drivers, team bosses, engineering experts and F1 legends.
Hit the follow button for the fastest way to get new episodes. Watch episodes exclusively on the F1 YouTube channel.
An official Formula 1 podcast. For race reviews + previews, listen to F1 Nation. To learn more about how F1 works, listen to F1 Explains
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