F1: Beyond The Grid

When Claire Williams sold the Williams F1 team at the end of 2020, a very special 43-year association between the Williams family and Formula 1 came to an end. Founded by Claire’s father, Sir Frank Williams, in 1977, the team have won 16 World Championships – a feat only bettered by Ferrari and McLaren.  Claire rose through the ranks – starting as press officer in 2002 and eventually becoming Deputy Team Principal in 2013. Over eight seasons, she led the team to 15 podiums and two P3 finishes in the Constructor Standings before she and her family left the sport. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Claire talks about the ups and downs of her time in charge of Williams, whether she regrets selling the team, why her dad was her biggest role model, and what it takes to run a Formula 1 team. Plus, you’ll hear the fascinating story of why she couldn’t let George Russell join Mercedes earlier in his career and what she makes of the racer he is today. It’s All To Drive For. Be there! Book your seat at a 2025 Grand Prix – tickets.formula1.com [http://tickets.formula1.com/] THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: VANTA: For a limited time, listeners get $1000 off at vanta.com/grid [https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinks.uk.defend.egress.com%2FWarning%3FcrId%3D681a47bbcd07472978d52b7b%26Domain%3Df1.com%26Threat%3DeNpzrShJLcpLzAEADmkDRA%253D%253D%26Lang%3Den%26Base64Url%3DeNrLKCkpsNLXL0vMK0nUS87P1U8vykwBAFRjB7U%253D%26%40OriginalLink%3Dvanta.com&data=05%7C02%7Cjsmith%40f1.com%7Cd8c1a4f803264cc89c0c08dd8cc40294%7Cb792abe295a94aff9e3a4beb3206df89%7C0%7C0%7C638821495697648748%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=OQ%2BKa8EHw6xc173jWGrWV%2B%2Fw7JJfn%2F3jvYfMC4O3CGg%3D&reserved=0]  LIQUID I.V.: Get 20% off your first order of when you go to liquidiv.com [https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinks.uk.defend.egress.com%2FWarning%3FcrId%3D681a47bbcd07472978d52b7b%26Domain%3Df1.com%26Threat%3DeNpzrShJLcpLzAEADmkDRA%253D%253D%26Lang%3Den%26Base64Url%3DeNrLKCkpsNLXz8ksLM1MySzTS87P1QcATmwHXA%253D%253D%26%40OriginalLink%3Dliquidiv.com&data=05%7C02%7Cjsmith%40f1.com%7Cd8c1a4f803264cc89c0c08dd8cc40294%7Cb792abe295a94aff9e3a4beb3206df89%7C0%7C0%7C638821495697668145%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jMwxExDjzZ1uHUuMm3%2BRCoWQ6qmRc4bcTgS8QU3tQ%2FI%3D&reserved=0] and use code GRID at checkout.

As the new Team Principal of Sauber, Jonathan Wheatley is taking on one of the most exciting projects in Formula 1.  With Benetton, Renault and Red Bull Racing, Jonathan has won 19 World Championships over the last 34 years. Now, after nearly two decades as Red Bull’s Sporting Director, he’s in a very different role with a very different team. And not just any team, because, in 2026, Sauber will become Audi. Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Jonathan explains why he’s chosen to make such a big change in his career, how his experience of winning at the very highest level will help Audi achieve their goals and the differences between Sauber and Red Bull.  Jonathan also shares stories of working with Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen - revealing the common trait that makes them such great World Champions. He talks about the unique connection he made with Ayrton Senna in the pitlane, the ‘uncomfortable’ team debrief with Vettel and Mark Webber after their infamous ‘Multi 21’ incident, what it takes to produce the perfect pit stop and his memories of Schumacher’s first title win at Adelaide in 1994. It’s All To Drive For. Be there! Book your seat at a 2025 Grand Prix – tickets.formula1.com [http://tickets.formula1.com/]

Tom Clarkson’s guest on this week’s F1 Beyond The Grid is McLaren’s Chief Operating Officer, Piers Thynne, who has been with the team since 2008. He oversees everything that happens at the team's base, the McLaren Technology Centre, so he’s played a crucial role in their current success. How have McLaren transformed into World Champions after finishing second to last in 2017? Why is their philosophy of getting ‘comfortable with being uncomfortable’ so productive? What impact have Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had on the whole team? And how are McLaren preparing for new regulations in 2026, while fighting for both titles in 2025? Piers provides fantastic insight into what it takes to run a championship-winning Formula 1 team away from the track. He also talks about his passion for McLaren’s heritage cars, the lessons he took into F1 from his time as an army officer serving in Iraq, and how his father helped a certain F1 legend become a World Champion. It’s All To Drive For. Be there! Book your seat at a 2025 Grand Prix – tickets.formula1.com [http://tickets.formula1.com/] THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY... Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at shopify.com/beyondthegrid [https://www.shopify.com/uk/free-trial?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=global-all-na-awareness-2q22-en&utm_term=beyondthegrid]

After five years with Alpine, Esteban Ocon is embarking on a new adventure with Haas in 2025. What challenges has he faced while settling into his new team? How is he getting on with new race engineer Laura Mueller? What are the strengths and weaknesses of their car? Esteban tells Tom Clarkson how he’s adapting to his new surroundings and how Haas have made such a miraculous recovery from a nightmare opening weekend in Australia. He also talks about reuniting with Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, whom he raced alongside many years ago, his passion for cars and remote-control racing, his recent cameo in a Netflix film and his dramatic exit from Alpine at the end of 2024. It’s All To Drive For. Be there! Book your seat at a 2025 Grand Prix – tickets.formula1.com [http://tickets.formula1.com/] This episode is sponsored by: Saily: Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code GRID at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/ [https://saily.com/alexandsigge]GRID Vanta: For a limited time, listeners get one thousand dollars off Vanta at vanta.com/grid [http://vanta.com/grid]

Tom Clarkson reveals which Formula 1 star will be joining him on this week’s episode of F1 Beyond The Grid.  Listen to the full show on Wednesday 16th March or you can watch their chat on the official F1 YouTube channel.