As a racer, Pedro de la Rosa competed in more than 100 Grands Prix, and drove many, many more miles as an F1 test driver for the likes of McLaren and Ferrari. And on this week’s show the Spaniard gives host Tom Clarkson a fascinating perspective on F1, from life behind the scenes during the explosive 2007 season at McLaren, to what it was like being in the garage during Lewis Hamilton’s maiden test.  Then there are stories of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, racing against Red Bull boss Christian Horner, life as a test driver, and what happened when he handed in his resignation to Ron Dennis…

F1: Beyond The Grid

76: Pedro de la Rosa on spygate, Hamilton vs Alonso, and racing Christian Horner

Beyond The Grid is back, and to kick off the new season Tom Clarkson sits down with a driver who proved a rookie sensation last year, both on and off the track: McLaren’s Lando Norris.  In a revealing conversation, the British racer opens up about his hopes for 2020, whilst also discussing his love of gaming, his relationships with other drivers, dealing with Twitter trolls, and his rather extreme approach to cleaning the house...

75: Lando Norris on the quirks of his lifestyle, Twitter trolls and his pre-F1 meeting with Helmut Marko

Mark your diaries – Beyond The Grid is back Wednesday March 11. Make sure you subscribe today so you don’t miss out on Tom Clarkson in conversation with McLaren ace Lando Norris.

74: Beyond The Grid returns March 11!

In a special one-off episode, we look back on the thrilling 2019 F1 Esports Series, speaking to everyone from drivers to organisers to explore what makes F1 Esports one of the most compelling and fastest growing racing series on the planet.

73: SPECIAL EPISODE: Inside the thrilling world of F1 Esports

So here it is folks: your final episode of Beyond The Grid of the year. And what a year it’s been, with great guests every week from March to December. So what better way to bid farewell to 2019 than with Tom’s selection of his favourite moments of the season?  We’ve stuffed a Christmas cracker full of anecdotes from the likes of Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen, Rubens Barrichello, David Coulthard and more. Unwrap and enjoy!

72: The Best of 2019: Tom’s favourite moments from Season 2

He’s that rarest of creatures: a multifaceted, outgoing personality who also happens to be a world-class competitor, beloved by fans, media and even his fellow drivers.  On this week’s show we go deep with Daniel Ricciardo on his life on and off the race track, from his present with Renault to his past with Red Bull; his relationship with Max Verstappen to his relationship with music, food and ultimate fighting. You asked for it, here it is: F1’s most colourful character in extended, unfiltered conversation.

71: Daniel Ricciardo: “If I’m going to strap myself into a car every weekend, I’m not doing it justice unless I’m all in”

To many people, Bernie Ecclestone is the Godfather of Formula One. He transformed the sport from being the expensive indulgence of rich amateurs in the 50s into the global phenomenon it is today, watched by hundreds of millions of people on television and online.  On this week’s special show, we speak to Mr E about his incredible career, including his attempts to qualify for races as a driver, managing the interests of tragic world champion Jochen Rindt and running Brabham – including withdrawing the famous fan car! Then there’s the highs and lows of running the sport as its grand supremo…this is one chat you don’t want to miss!

70: Bernie Ecclestone: "I'm now enjoying doing all the things that perhaps I should have done years ago"

This week’s guest is F1’s original iron man – a veteran of 19 seasons in the top class of racing and a record 322 Grand Prix starts. Over the course of that career, Rubens Barrichello experienced every emotion under the sun: from the despair of being injured and losing hero and countryman Ayrton Senna on the same weekend in 1994; he experienced the euphoria of winning races for Ferrari and Brawn, and also the disappointment of being forced to give up race wins for a team mate.  The affable Brazilian speaks about all of the above, as well as the time Senna pranked him as a rookie in 1993, the time he ‘married’ Michael Schumacher on a night out, the elation of sealing a drive with Brawn in 2009 and much more!

69: Rubens Barrichello: “Even now, I feel sick not being in an F1 car. I miss the buzz”

This week’s guest is a man whose name may not be immediately familiar to everyone, but it probably should be. Why? Well quite simply this is a man who has won more world titles than anyone in history - 26 in total.  In a glittering career in F1, Aldo Costa was a key engineer for both Ferrari and Mercedes throughout their dominant dynasties, and on this week’s show he spills the beans on what it was like to be on the inside of both historic runs; the similarities, the differences and much more besides...

68: Special episode: Aldo Costa - The man with more world titles than anyone else

He is regarded as one of the fastest drivers to ever grace an F1 racetrack, and arguably the rival Michael Schumacher feared the most. Not only was Mika Hakkinen’s commitment in a racing car absolute, particularly on a qualifying lap; he somehow came back from a horrifying accident at the end of 1995 not only to win races, but two world championships.  On this week’s episode we catch up with the Flying Finn to discuss his truly remarkable career, including that rivalry with Schumacher, “kicking Senna’s ass” on his McLaren debut, recovering from a life-changing crash, what it took to win the title twice, and much more…

67: Mika Hakkinen: “I carry the emotions of winning the world title every day”

Putting aside Frank Williams, who is no longer in the active role at Williams he once was, Franz Tost is the second longest-serving team boss in the pit lane, behind only Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner. In his 14 years at the helm of Toro Rosso, Tost has overseen the team’s maiden pole and victory, nurtured talents like Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, and helped rehabilitate the careers of those moving the other way in the Red Bull pyramid.  On this week’s show, Tom sits down with the affable Austrian to discuss all of the above, plus his early years in F1 with Ralf Schumacher, his involvement with BMW during the Williams years, his famous altercation with Scott Speed, and even his own racing days…

66: Franz Tost: “I don’t think I’m hard on drivers – but I expect to see results”

As motor racing stories go, Mario Andretti’s is pure Hollywood. Born in what was war-ravaged Italy in 1940, and later a refugee, he would rise to not only become arguably the greatest all-round racing driver in history, but also a household name, synonymous with speed, across America – his adopted homeland after emigrating in the 1950s.  On this week’s episode we hear the full epic tale, from the moment he caught the motor racing bug watching hero Alberto Ascari at Monza, to the early years of his career, racing in secret with brother Aldo. And from the glory of racing for Ferrari at Monza to his tragic coronation as F1 world champion at the same track in 1978 – the incredible stories come one after another.

65: Mario Andretti: “I was driven by a burning desire to pursue the impossible dream”

He’s regarded as arguably the fastest Japanese driver of all time, and yet it could all have been so different for Takuma Sato. A bike racing champion in his youth, Sato caught the racing bug watching Senna at Suzuka in his youth, and though he didn’t start racing until much later than almost all of his rivals, his talent and sheer bloody minded determination lifted him all the way to F1.  On this week’s episode, the Indy 500 champion tells us about his brave switch from Japan to Britain early in his career, his breakthrough performance for Jordan on home soil, his memorable podium finish in the USA, beating Fernando Alonso in his unfancied Super Aguri, and much more…

64: Takuma Sato: “When I saw an F1 car for the first time I thought it was outrageous”

Alex Jacques catches up with a young driver who has the biggest name in all of motorsport. Mick Schumacher exclusively talks to F2: The Road to F1 about his career so far, his passions away from the track and the influence of his father. The German also talks about his future ambitions, as he aims to one day compete in Formula One, where Dad, Michael, won seven world titles.

63: F2 PODCAST: Mick Schumacher – Living up to the name

He was a driver for whom much was expected, arriving in F1 as the younger brother of a double world champion. And though today Ralf Schumacher doesn’t rate his achievements that highly, those who raced against him will tell you the six-time Grand Prix winner was one of the quickest and most under-estimated of his era.  On this week’s show, Ralf discusses being a racing dad to up-and-comer son David, what it was like to race brother Michael at the highest level, why he was never friends with team mates, and much more...

62: Ralf Schumacher: “Would I have made it to F1 without Michael? I don’t think so”

Beyond The Grid, presented by Bose, delivers great stories, fresh insight and amazing anecdotes from the world of F1. Each week Tom Clarkson brings you in-depth, personal conversations with the biggest names in the sport, from current superstar drivers and leading team bosses to legendary figures from history.

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F1: Beyond The Grid

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