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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55:39
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.
It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there!
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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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54:19
Jacky Ickx: Belgium’s F1 + Le Mans legend
Jacky Ickx didn’t grow up wanting to be a racing driver, so how did he become Belgium’s most successful Formula 1 driver and one of the most versatile racers in the history of motorsport?
Competing in all types of cars and competitions, not only did Jacky win eight F1 races and finish runner-up in the Drivers’ Standings twice, he was also a serial winner in Le Mans, the World Endurance Championship and even the Paris-Dakar rally.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Jacky tells the remarkable story of how he made his Formula 1 debut in a Formula 2 car at the 1966 German Grand Prix. At that time, F2 cars were allowed to race alongside F1 machinery because of how long the iconic Nürburgring Nordschleiffe track was.
Jacky reveals how his impressive performances in the F2 car led to him joining Ferrari in 1968, why he left the team after just one season, only to return a year later, and what his relationship with Enzo Ferrari was like.
Jacky also remembers how he felt finishing runner-up in 1970 to Jochen Rindt, the only driver to be crowned World Champion posthumously, and you’ll hear the story of his inspirational one-man protest on track that changed the safety of Le Mans forever.
F1 Beyond The Grid will return on Wednesday 27th August.
It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there!
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Adrian Reynard: a founding father of Brawn GP + Mercedes
Adrian Reynard's motor racing outfit were one of the best in the world during the 1980s and '90s – winning multiple championships across Formula 3000, F3 and IndyCar.
Reynard Racing Cars also held an impressive record of winning the first race of every major single-seater competition they entered.
But when Adrian helped create the British American Racing F1 team in 1999, expectations were high and that previous success didn’t quite translate in the pinnacle of motorsport.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Adrian tells the fascinating story of BAR - how the team was formed with 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, why a big falling out with Team Principal Craig Pollock led to Adrian resigning, and how he helped lay the foundations for that team to later become World Champions as Brawn GP and then Mercedes.
Adrian reflects on his F1 ventures before BAR as well - including a failed attempt to create his own team in 1990, despite selling his house to fund it, and his experiences with March F1 as a 29-year-old Technical Director in the 1980s.
And Adrian also talks about inspiring legendary engineers like Rory Byrne and Pat Symonds, why he had an up-and-down relationship with the late Eddie Jordan, and the small part he played in the car that Michael Schumacher won his first F1 race in.
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CHARTER
To find out more about the Diversity and Inclusion charter agreed by all 10 F1 teams, Formula 1 and the FIA, with support from the Royal Academy of Engineering and Sir Lewis Hamilton’s foundation, Mission 44, click here
It's All To Drive For in 2025. Be there!
Book your seat for a Grand Prix this season at tickets.formula1.com
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Every race analysed on F1 Nation
Expert answers to your questions on F1 Explains
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY:
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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.
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