Bring Back V10s returns for series 6 with the story of Michael Andretti's terrible 1993 F1 season with McLaren. Veteran journalist and author David Tremayne - who covered Andretti's campaign first hand - joins Glenn Freeman and Edd Straw to revisit why a partnership between two of the most famous names in racing went so badly wrong. Over the course of the episode we revisit how McLaren ended up signing Andretti, the doubts he had before he joined, how different his first season could have been with Honda or Renault power, his compromised pre-season, the strange free practice rule that hampered him all year, his biggest on-track regret of the campaign, growing tension with McLaren boss Ron Dennis, and some wild theories Andretti has about why things went so badly for him in F1. We also hear exclusively from Mario Andretti, Michael's father, who gives his thoughts on why it didn't work out in 1993, and what he thinks Michael could have done better or differently to improve his situation and stick around for another crack at it in 1994. READ MORE: 'Andretti's spectacular failure' - classic Sports Illustrated article ASK US ANYTHING: Submit your questions for our series finale using #BringBackV10s on Twitter or emailbringbackv10s@the-race.com
The wait is nearly over - Bring Back V10s is returning for a sixth series, with more amazing stories from a golden era when F1 was loud both on track and off. This season, with the help of a great line-up of special guests, we’ll be diving deep into another hand-picked selection of fascinating topics, including Michael Andretti’s F1 nightmare with McLaren in 1993, Fernando Alonso’s first win at Hungary in 2003, the epic battle between Senna and Mansell at Monaco in 1992 and much, much more. The first episode drops on Thursday July 14th, so to make sure you don’t miss an episode be sure to like, follow or subscribe to the show in your favourite podcast app. And remember, if you’re a member of The Race Members’ Club, you can get episodes a week early and ad-free. Just go to the-race.com/membersclub to sign up. If you’d like to get in touch with the show or ask a question for later in the series, use the hashtag #BringBackV10s on Twitter, or email bringbackv10s@the-race.com
Are you interested in what makes the most sophisticated racing cars on the planet tick? Then our new podcast The Race F1 Tech Show could be for you. Each week, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson dive headfirst into the wonderful world of F1 technology, discussing the sport’s big technical talking points, getting into the nitty gritty of car design and engineering, and answering fans’ burning tech questions. So far we've had episodes on copycat F1 car designs, whether the new-for-2022 Pirelli tyres are working as planned, and this week we have an exclusive interview on the role of the race engineer, featuring Kimi Raikkonen's former right-hand man Julien Simon-Chautemps. Just search for The Race F1 Tech Show in your preferred podcast app and then like, subscribe or follow the feed to join our growing community of tech-loving F1 fans.
We finish the series with Gary Anderson and Mark Hughes joining Glenn Freeman to tackle more questions from our audience. Topics covered include: Colin McRae's Jordan test in 1996, if Toyota should have won the 2005 Belgian GP, how many championships Michael Schumacher would have won without special Bridgestone tyres in the 2000s, if Jenson Button could have won a world championship with Renault, and if Damon Hill was the greatest test and development driver of all time.
Edd Straw and Matt Beer join Glenn Freeman for the first of our two-part series finale where we answer your questions about the V10 era of F1 from 1989-2005. Topics covered include: the prospect of Nigel Mansell at Benetton in 1993-4, if Juan Pablo Montoya's F1 career was underrated, tracks that fell off the F1 calendar during this era, the fastest team-mate pairings, over- and under-achieving cars, Flavio Briatore's engine contract games and which F1 minnow would have been most deserving of a massive cash injection.
The 1990 Mexican Grand Prix is famous for Alain Prost’s greatest F1 victory, and one of Nigel Mansell’s greatest overtakes. Edd Straw and Sam Smith join Glenn Freeman to look back at all the major talking points from that race and everything going on in F1 at the time, including speculation over Ayrton Senna’s future, the mysterious Mexican F1 team that never was, the use of ‘antisocial’ fuel chemicals in F1, Leyton House hitting rock bottom, and Gerhard Berger’s ‘ugly’ overtake that set the scene for Mansell’s famous revenge.
SPECIAL GUEST: TED KRAVITZ! The 2005 San Marino Grand Prix will always be remembered for Michael Schumacher’s thrilling pursuit of Fernando Alonso in the closing stages of the race. Current Sky F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz joins Glenn Freeman and Mark Hughes to look back on a memorable weekend that also featured BAR’s exclusion and a ban for cheating, McLaren unlocking the pace of what would become 2005’s fastest car, tension between Jacques Villeneuve and Sauber, and Red Bull’s early moves off track to establish itself as a credible contender in F1. With Ted's help, and insight from Mark who was in the commentary box that weekend, we also get to the bottom of ITV’s controversial late-race ad break that caused so much uproar with UK viewers.
Alain Prost’s on-off saga over possibly buying the Ligier Formula 1 team finally resulted in the four-time world champion taking over the French outfit and renaming it Prost Grand Prix just before the start of the 1997 season. Karun Chandhok and Matt Beer join Glenn Freeman to look back at the team’s first year under its new identity, where things started off so well. We explore what could have been possible had Olivier Panis not broken his legs at the Canadian Grand Prix, the fluctuating form of the team and stand-in driver Jarno Trulli, a falling out with Damon Hill, and how the signs were already showing that this was as good as it would get for Prost’s team.ASK US ANYTHING: Get your questions in about F1 from 1989-2005 using #BringBackV10s on Twitter or email bringbackv10s@the-race.com
The 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix will forever be remembered for Nigel Mansell getting black flagged, having a collision with Ayrton Senna, then being banned for the following race. Sam Smith and Andrew van de Burgt join Glenn Freeman to discuss that huge controversy in great detail, as well as everything else that was going on in F1 around that time, including tension between Alain Prost and McLaren-Honda, Williams bringing a new car out so late in the season, Onyx firing one of its drivers and getting a memorable underdog podium, plus the only lap in F1 that was ever led by a Minardi.ASK US ANYTHING: Get your questions in for our series finale using #BringBackV10s on Twitter or email bringbackv10s@the-race.com
It’s a Bring Back V8s special! Mark Hughes and Edd Straw join Glenn Freeman to reflect on one of the most memorable races from F1’s V8 era, where Robert Kubica took the only win of his F1 career. We also discuss Lewis Hamilton’s blunder in the pitlane, Fernando Alonso’s talks with Honda, the incoming rule changes for 2009, and if BMW threw away a chance of fighting for the world championship with Kubica over the rest of 2008.We also revisit early speculation about Kimi Raikkonen's F1 future, the paddock's reaction to Max Mosley winning an FIA vote of confidence, how yet another flexi-wing controversy was stamped out, and if Nick Heidfeld should have been willing to sacrifice a BMW 1-2 to chase victory for himself.ASK US ANYTHING: Submit your questions about anything to do from F1's V10 era from 1989-2005 by using #BringBackV10s on Twitter or email bringbackv10s@the-race.com