Journalist Edd Straw and former F1 technical director and car designer Gary Anderson are here to guide listeners through the wonderful world of Formula 1 technology. With the help of special guests they’ll discuss and explain everything from how F1 cars are engineered to go faster, to the science behind cutting-edge aerodynamics and the complexities of engine development. They’ll also discuss the latest design trends shaping the grid, speak to some of the famous names behind classic F1 innovations, and answer fans’ burning F1 tech questions.
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Edd Straw interviews Nick Wirth, founder of Wirth Research, about how his company is using CFD technology sharpened over his decades in motorsport to tackle wider-world problems. Wirth, boss of the Simtek team that raced in F1 in 1994-95, who also had stints with Benetton and Virgin, has long been an evangelist for the power of CFD. He offers some characteristically strong opinions on why it should have replaced the use of windtunnels in F1, as well as explaining the ever-growing potential of th...
This episode delves into the persistent problems of F1 racing in heavy rain, focusing on visibility and discussing the potential for drivers to influence race start decisions. It also examines Ferrari's suspension tweaks, contrasting Charles Leclerc's adaptation with Lewis Hamilton's ongoing struggles. Finally, the podcast addresses various listener queries, including the mechanics of dampers, the role of materials science and AI in F1, driver weight regulations, and the strategic benefits of testing previous cars.
On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, former F1 technical director Gary Anderson explains what impact Christian Horner’s sudden removal as team principal could have on Red Bull technically, both in the short and the long-run given the team’s longstanding balance issues. Host Edd Straw then quizzes Gary on what he thinks of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s vision for F1’s future, built around a lighter, V8-powered car with standard gearboxes designed to lower costs and increase the ...
On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson take a closer look at two of the big tech stories coming out of the Austrian Grand Prix. The first is Mercedes' ongoing struggle to extract performance in high ambient temperatures, with George Russell finishing over a minute down on the race winner at the Red Bull Ring having won commandingly in Canada two weeks earlier. The second is the potential breakthrough Ferrari have made with it...
On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson discuss what losing '20 points of downforce' really means, after Lewis Hamilton suffered that fate in Canada, when his Ferrari collided with an unfortunate marmot. There's also chat about the revised suspension geometry on Lando Norris's McLaren in Montreal, including what the team hope to accomplish with the change, and why Norris's team-mate Oscar Piastri didn't (and may not ever) run it. A...
With the technical directive reducing the permitted flexibility of the front wings the big talking point of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, why didn’t it shake up the competitive order as some hoped? Former F1 technical director Gary Anderson explains that, and the reasons why he always expected the effects to be more subtle, as he looks back at the big technical stories from the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. That includes a look at the steel skid block tests run in Friday practice and the potenti...
On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson look back on Imola and ahead to Monaco. First, they discuss how Red Bull turned the tables on McLaren at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, asking whether this was a track-specific change in the pecking order, or whether Red Bull have made a significant step forward. Next, Edd and Gary turn their attention to Monaco, looking at the specific setup that the street track demands and then the de...
With five wins from a possible six in 2025 (plus another victory in the Miami sprint), you might be forgiven for thinking McLaren’s MCL39 is without fault. But listen to drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and its clear the car isn’t always perfect to drive, - especially in qualifying trim, and on this podcast host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson look at the reasons for that. Following that, we’ve been inundated with tech questions from listeners recently, so the res...
On the latest episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson take a look at the current drama surrounding F1’s 2026 engine regulations, with stakeholders discussing significant changes to the rules aimed at heading off fears about cars repeatedly running out of energy. Do these changes suggest the rule direction was wrong in the first place, or are there other factors at play? Before that, Gary muses on Lewis Hamilton’s current predicament at Ferrari, ...
We talk with Gary about Red Bull’s troubles and how it managed to win with a tricky car that took a long time to troubleshoot at Suzuka, and tackle your questions on the minimum weight limit, design drawings and airbox intakes. And with tyre weight a big talking point of late, we discuss whether or not the wheels should be excluded from minimum wight tests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ferrari's Chinese Grand Prix weekend fell apart in embarrassing fashion when, after Lewis Hamilton's fine sprint race win on Saturday, both the Briton and team-mate Charles Leclerc were disqualified from Sunday's Grand Prix for excessive skid wear and an underweight car respectively. But how did one of F1's biggest hitting teams find itself in such a position? That's the key question answered by former F1 technical director Gary Anderson in this episode of The Race F1 Tech Show. Alongside host E...
The new season of The Race F1 Tech Show kicks off with a look Formula 1’s big four and the directions they have taken with their 2025 cars. Ex-Jordan, Stewart and Jaguar technical director Gary Anderson joins host Edd Straw to run the rule over the top cars based on what we’ve seen during launch season and testing. There’s plenty of chat about the suspension geometry, with anti-dive levels a major talking point, as well as the areas of similarity and difference between Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari...
On the final episode of The Race F1 Tech Show for 2024, host Edd Straw helps former F1 technical director Gary Anderson navigate through a bumper batch of questions from listeners. Included are questions on whether a loss of platform control was the reason behind Red Bull’s dip in dominance, whether there’s evidence that the windtunnel restrictions are what’s keeping the field close, why Mercedes looked strong in cool temperatures and weak in warmer climates, whether Fernando Alonso should be co...
On this episode we’re lifting the lid (or should that be peaking under the fuel cap?) of F1 fuel tanks - an area of the car some might assume is fairly basic and uninteresting, but (like everything else in F1) is actually incredibly complex and has a huge impact on performance. Joining us to share his wisdom is Giles Dawson of Aero Tech Laboratories (ATL), who shares details about fuel tank (or fuel bladder) design considerations, safety considerations, the materials used in their construction, ...
The battle for the 2024 drivers' world crown may be all but over, but on the constructors' front the battle is still raging, with the final three races set to decide whether McLaren, Ferrari or Red Bull take top honours (and the considerable prize money that goes with it). On this episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson cast an eye over each team, assessing the job they've done over the course of the season and assessing which of the remain...
On this episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson cover a raft of topics that came up over the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, including wet weather set-ups, red flag tyre changes (and whether they should be allowed), and Aston Martin's miserable performance level - especially compared to its similarly powered and funded rival McLaren. They also dive into the latest technical tit-for-tat between Red Bull and McLaren, with the emergence of a new...
The main topic for this episode of The F1 Tech Show was an obvious choice, after Red Bull admitted in Austin that it has a device that can adjust the height of the ‘bib’ at the front of the floor but denying that it was ever – or could ever have been – used to make changes during parc ferme. Edd Straw is joined by former F1 technical director Gary Anderson to explain why bib height is so important, how the adjuster tool works, and why Red Bull's rivals are annoyed. Also on the show, Gary gives h...
On this episode of the pod, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson discuss the news that Renault's Formula 1 engine programme will cease ahead of Alpine's expected move to customer Mercedes power from 2026. They discuss why Renault is making this move (and why now), and the potential positives and negatives that such a move might bring in the short- and long-term. Before that, Gary dives into the subject of flexible aero, and in particular why the flexible rear wing aero t...
Computer simulation technology may have come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, but the windtunnel still remains an essential and hugely important tool in an F1 team's development arsenal. McLaren have recently invested significant money in a windtunnel overhaul, and Aston Martin's brand new windtunnel facility - set to be fully functional early next year - is said to be one of the key factors that attracted Adrian Newey to the team. On this episode of the pod, host Edd Straw and former F1 ...
On this episode of the pod, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson dig into two of the big technical talking points from the Italian Grand Prix in Monza: Red Bull's sharp decline in form, and fresh concerns - from Red Bull and Ferrari - about the flexibility of the front wing used by Formula 1 pacesetter McLaren. After those discussions, Gary tackles another batch of questions from listeners, including ones on Red Bull spec reversion, adjustable aero and Mercedes' anti div...
On this week's episode, we're diving into the world of battery technology. The 2026 engine regs have placed a greater emphasis than ever before on battery power, and with the help of Gavin White and Kieran O'Regan, the co-founders of About:Energy , a company that provides world-leading expertise in battery testing and software, we'll explain where the technology is moving and why this area will be a key battleground for power unit manufacturers. And as if that wasn't enough, former F1 technical ...
On this episode of The Race F1 Tech Show, we lift the lid on F1 helmet technology, as host Edd Straw chats to Stephane Cohen, CEO of Bell Helmets, the brand used by 13 of 20 drivers on the F1 grid. They discuss how F1 helmets have developed in recent years in terms of both design and materials used, and explain why helmets are akin to shoes. Before that, former F1 technical director Gary Anderson opines on Mercedes' recent upgrade package, before introducing the helmet segment by discussing how ...
On this episode, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson turn the spotlight on Red Bull, after the world champion team introduced new upgrades at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Gary gives his thoughts on Red Bull's 'mix and match' approach to bodywork at each circuit, and discusses whether these updates will help Red Bull stem the tide against McLaren, who are seemingly going from strength to strength. Ahead of that, Gary gives his view on the McLaren team orders situation at th...
Edd and Gary are back, fresh from their trip to the British Grand Prix, where they got the chance to take a close look at the cars on track. As ever, Gary made some shrewd observations, which he reports back on in the first part of the podcast. Then, for our main topic, Edd and Gary turn the spotlight on Ferrari, after another troubling weekend where it turned its back on recent upgrades and had to revert back to an older specification to find performance and eliminate bouncing at high speed. Bu...
As the fight at the front gets ever closer, The Race F1 Tech Show takes an in-depth look at the relative strengths and weaknesses of F1’s current big four teams. With Gary Anderson away on holiday, host Edd Straw is joined by another man with a penchant for all things technical: Mark Hughes. Together he and Edd take a team-by-team look at Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari, establishing where each has had success, and which negative car characteristics each is trying to solve. They also dis...
F1 is heading for major rule changes on both the power unit and chassis sides in 2026, but with the battle at the front getting closer and performance in general converging, are these technical tweaks that the sport could do without? That's one of the questions debated by host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson on this episode. Before that, Gary gives his thoughts on Red Bull's struggles in Monaco, and why its car isn't fond of kerbs and bumps. And to round off the show, we...
On this episode, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson look back on Imola and ahead to Monaco, as they discuss the latest phase in F1’s increasingly intriguing development war. First, Edd and Gary discuss Red Bull’s difficult weekend in Imola, and whether that, combined with other teams’ gains, hints at the world champion team nearing the development potential of their current concept. Next, they look at the contrasting development fortunes of Aston Martin, McLaren, Merce...
On this episode, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson discuss the upgrade package that helped Lando Norris and McLaren snap Max Verstappen and Red Bull's stranglehold on the Miami Grand Prix. They look at what McLaren changed, how it has helped the team, and whether this means McLaren will be able to fight at every kind of track going forward. After that, Edd and Gary switch gears to discuss the other big technical talking point of the moment: What Adrian Newey will do n...
On this episode, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson look back on the Chinese Grand Prix, and in particular how the teams responded to the new-for-2024 sprint weekend format and revised parc ferme rules. After that, Gary answers a bumper selection of questions from listeners, including ones on the real impact of front wing endplate damage, how teams deal with ride height fluctuations over a race weekend, what leads teams towards a particular design philosophy, and even ...
On a special bonus episode of the pod, host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson chat to Dr Tom McCarthy, executive director of ASPIRE and a key figure behind the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League aka A2RL . This pioneering autonomous racing series is new for 2024 and pitches eight teams against one another in modified Super Formula SF23 cars chasing a $2.25million prize fund. This new annual race, aiming to stress-test technology for the future of transport, features teams ...
