In this episode of the Grand Pricks podcast, we dive deep into the world of motorsport and explore how Formula 1 drivers are made from their early karting days to reaching the pinnacle of racing. We follow the exciting journey of a fictional driver while breaking down the financial demands of advancing through the ranks, revealing how the road to F1 can cost millions. With such high barriers, are we watching the most skilled drivers on the grid, or just the wealthiest? Make sure you subscribe, so you don't miss part two, where we'll examine junior driver programs, team politics, and how development academies shape futures in Formula 1, while also discussing efforts to promote diversity in motorsport. Follow us on socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/ X: https://x.com/grandprickspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

No one expected to check the news on a random Wednesday after the British Grand Prix and find out that, after 20 years at the helm, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner had been sacked. In this bonus episode, recorded straight after our 9-5s because we’re just that dedicated, we unpack Horner’s legacy, from becoming the youngest-ever team principal in 2005 to building one of the most dominant teams in F1 history. We explore the rise, the 2024 scandal that turned the tide of public opinion, and how this season’s underperformance may have pushed Red Bull to a breaking point. We also dive into the speculation surrounding his departure: what might have led to it, how it could affect Max Verstappen’s future, including the growing rumours of a move to Mercedes, and what this could mean for Ferrari’s team principal Frédéric Vasseur, whose contract remains unsigned. We’ll be back with our regular episodes next week during the break before the Belgian Grand Prix, featuring the first of a special two-part deep dive on the making of an F1 driver. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it. Follow us on socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/ X: https://x.com/grandprickspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

We’re back! This time at the British Grand Prix, and we’ve officially reached the halfway point of the 2025 F1 season. True to form, Silverstone delivered classic British weather: gloomy, rainy, and chaotic (we can confirm, Sunday had us drenched). But the tricky conditions also made for one of the most thrilling races of the year. With five DNFs and a flurry of penalties, this race had us on the edge of our seats. We break down the drama, from Oscar Piastri’s costly 10-second penalty that snatched a win from his hands and wrecked Max Verstappen’s race, to the emotional high of Nico Hülkenberg finally stepping onto the podium for the first time in his 15-year, 239-race career. Off-track, the drama was just as juicy: whispers of Verstappen potentially moving to Mercedes if his break clause is triggered, speculation about Franco Colapinto’s future after stepping in for Jack Doohan at Alpine, and early talks about who might run for FIA president in December’s elections. There’s a two-week break before Belgium, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with two deep-dive episodes dropping soon. Hit that subscribe button and stay tuned! Follow us on socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/ X: https://x.com/grandprickspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The race weekend delivered high drama at the Austrian Grand Prix, held at the iconic Red Bull Ring. Things kicked off chaotically even before lights out, with Carlos Sainz forced to retire due to a technical issue on the formation lap. The chaos didn’t stop there: Alex Albon’s Williams suffered an early engine failure, and on the opening lap, rookie Kimi Antonelli collided with Max Verstappen, resulting in a double DNF that stunned the Red Bull fans at their home race. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom. Lando Norris bounced back in style after a disappointing DNF in Canada, where an on-track clash with teammate Oscar Piastri ended his race early. This time, Norris dominated, securing pole position and taking home a much-needed win. Kick Sauber continued to impress, with both Nico Hülkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto finishing in the points, Bortoleto’s first points finish in Formula 1, marking a significant milestone in his debut season. In this episode, we break down all the key moments from the race and also dive into the off-track tension: could Verstappen be eyeing an exit from Red Bull? Rumours swirl around a potential move to Mercedes, which could spell trouble for George Russell, whose contract remains unrenewed. Tune in for all the on-track action and off-track drama, and don’t forget to subscribe! We’ll be back next week with full coverage of the much-anticipated British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Follow us on socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/ X: https://x.com/grandprickspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Last week, Nav sparked a question during our Canadian GP recording: why does McLaren, a family-friendly brand, carry a Velo sponsorship when tobacco advertising is banned? That question kicked off this episode of Grand Pricks. We dive into Formula 1’s commercial evolution, from its roots as a nationalistic sport fuelled by engineering pride, through the tobacco-fuelled sponsorship boom of the late 60s, to Bernie Ecclestone’s reign turning F1 into a global entertainment powerhouse. Was Ecclestone a visionary or just a power-hungry dictator? We unpack the sport’s corporate growth in the 80s and 90s, the decline of tobacco sponsorships, and the rise of digital media, spotlighting Lewis Hamilton’s social influence challenging the old guard. We also look at how F1 is growing worldwide, dealing with environmental and money challenges, and how Liberty Media is trying to update the sport with streaming, social media, and big events, while trying to keep the spirit of racing alive. We’ll be back next week with a new episode covering the Austrian Grand Prix so make sure to stay tuned! Follow us on socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/ X: https://x.com/grandprickspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This weekend, Formula 1 returned to North America for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, and after a break last week, the drama was back in full force. Lando Norris faced an unfortunate DNF after an intense battle with teammate Oscar Piastri, attempting to overtake for P4, while Mercedes had their long-awaited redemption arc, as George Russell secured the team's first win of the 2025 season. His rookie teammate, Kimi Antonelli, clinched P3, becoming the third-youngest driver to ever stand on an F1 podium. With the threat of a race ban closing in on him, Max Verstappen kept his racing clean after his contact with Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix and split the silver arrows for P2. But this caused us to debate: is he grand, or just a prick? Off-track, we dive into the rumours swirling around Ferrari. Could team principal Frédéric Vasseur be on the chopping block? And is Lewis Hamilton heading into his final season? Plus, our Grand Pricks podium picks and everything you didn’t see behind the scenes. We’ll be back next week with our full reaction and analysis of the Austrian Grand Prix! Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it. Follow us on socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/ X: https://x.com/grandprickspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Behind the glamour and glory of Formula 1 lies a history forged by danger, heartbreak, and loss. Since its inception in 1950, the sport has delivered moments of brilliance, as well as devastating tragedy. For decades, drivers raced at the limit, knowing that a single crash could end not just a career, but their life. In this episode of the Grand Pricks podcast, we take a deep dive into how safety in F1 has evolved across the decades, from an era where fatalities were unfortunately routine to the groundbreaking innovations that have saved lives and reshaped the sport into what it is today. While fatalities in F1 are rare now, thanks to tireless efforts in engineering and regulation, understanding the sport’s dark past is crucial to appreciating just how far it’s come and the courage it still takes to line up on the grid. We’ll be back next week with our Canadian Grand Prix race episode, so make sure to subscribe and stay tuned! Follow us on socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/ X: https://x.com/grandprickspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Hola! This weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona delivered plenty of drama both on and off the track. A technical directive targeting flexi-wings was enforced, expected to hit McLaren hard. But the Papaya squad had other plans. They dominated the weekend with a double podium: Piastri clinched his fifth win of the season, and Norris followed closely in P2. Verstappen had a strong start in his Red Bull and went for a bold three-stop strategy. But late in the race, chaos struck. The safety car hit the track when Antonelli’s engine gave out, forcing his retirement. On the restart, the team ordered Verstappen to give a position back to Russell, only for him to (allegedly) retaliate by colliding with the Mercedes driver. The stewards weren’t impressed, handing Verstappen a 10-second penalty that dropped him from P5 to P10. Leclerc secured P3 for Ferrari, while Hamilton came in P6. Thanks to consistent performances, Ferrari has now leapfrogged into second place in the Constructors’ standings, behind the dominant McLaren. Mercedes follows in third, while Red Bull slips further after another point-less weekend for Tsunoda in the second seat. Off-track, we also dove into the debut of the F1 Academy docuseries on Netflix and unpacked the ongoing challenges women face in breaking into Formula 1. Of course, we ended the episode with our iconic Grand Pricks podium picks. There’s no race next week, but don’t worry—we’re dropping a deep-dive episode all about safety in F1. Hit subscribe so you don’t miss it! Follow us on socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/ X: https://x.com/grandprickspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

It’s the Monaco Grand Prix, where glitz, glamour, and chaos collide on one of the toughest circuits in F1. This year brought even more spice with the FIA enforcing a two-stop rule for the first time in Monte Carlo history. Local hero Charles Leclerc looked set for a fairy-tale weekend, but it was Lando Norris who stole the spotlight, snatching pole in qualifying and converting it into a flawless race win. Oscar Piastri joined the action on the podium in P3, while Leclerc still gave his home crowd something to cheer about with a strong P2 finish for Ferrari. Strategy was the name of the game, with teams like Racing Bulls and Williams playing smart — backing the field behind them and ultimately securing valuable points. Unfortunately, those same tactics spelled disaster for Mercedes, who walked away empty-handed. Rookie Liam Lawson finally broke through and bagged his first points. We break down all the major talking points from this electric weekend — from the tense exchanges between Lewis Hamilton and his Ferrari engineer to the off-track drama of the infamous Monaco diamond heist involving Team Jaguar. Don’t forget to subscribe — we’ll be back next week with all the heat from the Barcelona Grand Prix. You won’t want to miss it. Follow us on socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/ X: https://x.com/grandprickspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

We’re kicking off the first race of the European triple-header with the Imola Grand Prix! Or should we say Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix? Honestly, we’re still not totally sure what the difference is. This weekend brought the drama. Qualifying on Saturday saw two big crashes – Yuki Tsunoda in the Racing Bulls and Franco Colapinto, whose debut for Alpine didn’t quite go as planned. The race didn’t disappoint either, with a virtual and a full safety car shaking things up, when Esteban Ocon and home-hero Kimi Antonelli both retired. Verstappen put his Red Bull on top, overtaking Piastri in his McLaren. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s weekend was more of a slow burn. After a tough qualifying, it looked like they might be stuck in their heads – but they pulled off a clean, steady recovery and both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc bagged some solid points. Off the track, there was plenty of spice too. We unpack Anthony Hamilton’s controversial role with the FIA, Christian Horner’s still-uncertain future with Red Bull, and Flavio Briatore stirring things up at Alpine. Make sure to subscribe – we’ll be back next week with a brand new episode diving into all the action from the Monaco Grand Prix. You won’t want to miss it. Follow us on socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grandprickspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grandprickspodcast/ X: https://x.com/grandprickspod YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Grandprickspodcast Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.