The Autosport F1 Podcast

Autosport Editor-in-Chief Kevin Turner sits down with renowned motorsport writer Maurice Hamilton to revisit one of Formula 1’s most extraordinary flashpoints – the drivers’ strike at the 1982 South African Grand Prix. As tensions simmered between the drivers and the FIA, the introduction of controversial superlicence terms by president Jean-Marie Balestre prompted a united response from the grid. Led by Niki Lauda, the drivers took a stand that would see them barricade themselves in protest, exposing deep fractures in the sport’s governance and a breakdown in communication that defined the standoff. Hamilton and Turner explore how the dispute unfolded, the hastily brokered agreement that followed, and why confusion lingered over what had actually been resolved. The episode also reflects on the wider context of a tumultuous 1982 season, one overshadowed by tragedy. The deaths of Gilles Villeneuve and Riccardo Paletti, along with the career-ending injuries sustained by Didier Pironi, underscored the dangers of the era and left an indelible mark on Formula 1 history.
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The 2007 season was one of the most contentious in Formula 1 history, and the ‘Spygate’ scandal was its biggest story. 

In the latest of our new From the Archive series, experienced F1 journalist Maurice Hamilton – who witnessed the events in the paddock as they unfolded – and host Kevin Turner look back at the time when a Ferrari employee handed sensitive documents to McLaren’s chief designer, triggering a series of events that would also involve Fernando Alonso and result in the biggest fine in F1 history. 
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By definition, winning a Formula 1 championship requires excellence and a consistently high level of performance. But which are the best of the best from the 76 drivers’ title successes so far?  

When it comes to the crunch, we’ve favoured crowns won with cars that weren’t the best over dominant seasons. While pumping in win after win in the best car is harder than the greats make it look and some campaigns have been near perfection, there is something special about a fight against the odds, which pushes the drivers to dig deep, particularly when that effort is rewarded. 

Putting in a great season is about optimising the car and circumstances every time out – or close to it. If done with the best car, the result is win after win. But if done in a lesser machine, a bit of luck is sometimes required to get the job done – or some intra-team rivalry with your chief opposition… 

Kevin Turner is joined by Stuart Codling and journalist Damien Smith to try to put these epic campaigns into a top ten order.
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In this episode of the Autosport F1 show, Kevin Turner and Stuart Codling break down a wild third round that saw Kimi Antonelli claim his second win of the season for Mercedes, officially becoming the youngest driver ever to lead the World Championship standings.

But while Antonelli celebrates, the "new era" regulations are facing their biggest safety test yet. We dive deep into the massive 50G shunt between Oli Bearman and Franco Colapinto that has the paddock—and Andrea Stella—sounding the alarm.

In this episode:

The Silver Arrows Scuffle: How the safety car spared Mercedes from a very "public" conversation between Antonelli and George Russell.

The "Autocorrect" Problem: Why drivers are frustrated with "mechanical algorithms" taking control of their power deployment.

Max Verstappen’s Future: Red Bull is struggling, and Max is hinting at "life decisions" outside of F1. Is he actually ready to walk away?

Best of the Rest: Praise for Pierre Gasly’s "under the radar" brilliance and Oscar Piastri’s near-miss at a win.

Technical Deep Dive: Why Ferrari is killing it off the line but struggling on the straights.

With a five-week break before Miami, the FIA and teams are headed to the boardroom to "fix" the rules. Will we see a different F1 in May?

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro: A New Championship Leader

2:00 - Race Results & The Safety Car Flip

5:00 - The Bearman/Colapinto Crash: Safety Concerns

10:00 - "Beta" Regulations: Can F1 fix the power delivery?

17:00 - Oscar Piastri’s Performance

22:00 - Battle of the Aerodynamics: McLaren vs. Ferrari

25:00 - Pierre Gasly vs. Max Verstappen

27:00 - Is Max Verstappen actually leaving?

31:00 - What to expect during the April break

Subscribe to Autosport for more F1 insights and head over to Autosport.com for our upcoming retro features!
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Motorsport fans know that the best performers aren’t always rewarded with a title at season’s end. Unreliability, misfortune, bizarre scoring systems and inferior equipment can combine to deny drivers even when they are at the top of their game. 

For this list, we have picked out Formula 1’s greatest all-season performances by drivers who didn’t win the championship. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the champions from those years were unworthy; it’s more about highlighting star campaigns that went unrewarded.  

We’ve taken into account the machinery at their disposal, standout drives, the amount of bad luck they had and the points they gave away.  

F1 pundit Karun Chandhok joins Autosport’s Stuart Codling to assess host Kevin Turner’s selection. 
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