Chequered Flag Formula 1

Harry Benjamin and Becky Evans give you a flavour from Silverstone as Max Verstappen attempts to overtake 100 go-karters at a special exhibition event. One of the 100 karters is our very own, Becky Evans! What would her strategy be against Verstappen? Harry speaks with the four-time world champion about this unique challenge, plus he chats with Red Bull performance engineer, Richard Cooke, and some of the other competitors including streamer, Pie Face, and professional mountain bike rider, Matt Jones.

Harry Benjamin, Alice Powell and Rebecca Clancy assess the twists and turns of the Spanish GP as the virtual safety car plays a vital part, leading to contrasting fortunes for Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris. The team also praise Max Verstappen, question George Russell's strategy and ask if the new Madring circuit was a success.

Harry Benjamin and Alice Powell review the first qualifying session at the brand-new Madring ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. They assess how Lando Norris, Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen handled the challenge of Formula 1's newest circuit. Could Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton bounce back after a disappointing race in Italy? Plus, with tyre strategy, overtaking and the crucial opening lap all in focus, what can we expect from Sunday's race?

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen sits down for an exclusive chat with the BBC's F1 correspondent Andrew Benson. The Red Bull driver talks about why he extended his contract, his discussions with McLaren, his stunning appearance at the Nurburgring 24 Hours in May, and the new Formula 1 engine rules.

The Chequered Flag team are in Madrid for Formula 1's first race at its brand-new circuit. Jennie Gow is joined by the BBC's F1 correspondent Andrew Benson and former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer to assess Kimi Antonelli's remarkable momentum, George Russell's fight to recover his season and Ferrari's growing tensions. Plus, Andrew sits down with Max Verstappen to discuss his decision to remain with Red Bull.

Harry Benjamin, British racing driver Alex Lynn and F1 journalist Rebecca Clancy look back on a dramatic Italian Grand Prix, from Kimi Antonelli's extraordinary challenge from the back of the grid to George Russell's fight for victory. They examine Ferrari's difficult home race, Max Verstappen's pace, McLaren's tense intra-team battle and what the championship picture means heading to Madrid's brand-new circuit.

What would happen in one of the most anticipated qualifying sessions of the season? The historic Monza took centre stage on qualifying day at the Italian Grand Prix. Would the passionate tifosi be delighted with a Ferrari pole for Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc? With Kimi Antonelli taking a grid penalty, could George Russell capitalise and make ground up in the championship race? Or would we be in for a huge shock? Harry Benjamin is joined by F1 journalist Rebecca Clancy and British racing driver Alex Lynn to look back on a dramatic session, plus hear from the key protagonists.

Formula 1 heads to Monza, where the Tifosi are dreaming of a Ferrari victory and Italian championship leader Kimi Antonelli faces a charge from the back of the grid. Jolyon Palmer and Andrew Benson join Harry Benjamin to assess Mercedes' title opportunity, Lewis Hamilton's hopes of a first Ferrari win on home turf, McLaren's remarkable form and Lando Norris's new long-term deal. Andrew sits down for a chat with the world champion and we discuss whether Red Bull and Max Verstappen can compete at the front this weekend.

As championship leader Kimi Antonelli and the rest of F1 head to Monza, Harry Benjamin and Nicola Hume are here to investigate why the Italian has cause for concern.Off the back of Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson's stand-in success in Zandvoort, they also revisit the most memorable F1 super subs, from the sublime to the ridiculous.Nicola puts Harry on the spot with her Formula 1 or Formula Fun facts - which are true and which are fake? Plus, have the Backstreet Boys nailed the perfect driver boyband line-up?

Was Kimi Antonelli the weekend's biggest winner? Lando Norris took the victory, but it was the Mercedes driver who extended his lead at the top of the drivers' standings after finishing second. Jennie Gow is joined by Marc Priestley and Kai Bachini to look back on a busy race at Zandvoort. Plus, we hear from Norris, Antonelli and George Russell.

Can George Russell build on a hugely positive day in Zandvoort? After winning the sprint, he was narrowly beaten to pole by Lando Norris in qualifying. Kai Bachini and Marc Priestley reflect on a busy day at the Dutch Grand Prix and hear from both British drivers, as well as Kimi Antonelli, who starts tomorrow's race in third.

Will Kimi Antonelli extend his championship lead as he chases a first Drivers' World Championship, or can the chasing pack reel him in? Jennie Gow is joined by Marc Priestley and Kai Bachini to look ahead to the second half of the season. But first, they react to the news that Max Verstappen has signed a new Red Bull contract that will keep him with the team until the end of 2030. Andrew Benson joins from the circuit and we hear from Max himself. They also discuss what to expect from Liam Lawson as he makes his return to Red Bull. Plus, hear how one 12-year-old boy's dream became a reality!

As the summer break nears its end, Harry Benjamin and Becky Evans debate whether more sprint weekends should be added to the F1 calendar and look ahead to the final Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. Will it be missed?Becky also explains what it was like to drift an 850bhp Ferrari, before the pair imagine which F1 drivers would thrive in alternative driving roles and judge the remarkable, and more ordinary, road cars owned across the grid.Plus, how did former F1 driver Kimi Raikkonen catch out Becky Evans in front of 50,000 people?

Harry Benjamin reflects on the first half of the season - school parents evening style! Accompanied by classroom favourite, former British racing driver Alice Powell, and the feared and revered BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson. Who has been the A* driver so far this year? Who must do better and who will be most improved in the second half of the campaign?

Harry Benjamin and Nicola Hume dive into F1's silly season, debating Max Verstappen's future. Could the four-time world champion leave Red Bull, and if so, where? How would this impact other driver-market moves? Plus, what do the drivers get up to in the summer break… using our own imagination of course. And we analyse Toto Wolff's “Teletubbies” comment by asking the important question - which driver would be which Teletubby?

Harry Benjamin, Jennie Gow, British racing driver Alice Powell and the BBC's F1 correspondent Andrew Benson react to an action-packed Hungarian GP. Lando Norris started on pole. Could he convert that to victory? Ferrari looked like the favourites coming into the weekend. Could they deliver on their promise heading into race-day? And what about championship leader Kimi Antonelli and his Mercedes team? The team dissect it all plus hear from the key drivers, including Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen.

Harry Benjamin and British racing driver Alice Powell react to a dramatic qualifying at the Hungarian GP. Who would take pole position? Could Mercedes continue their domination, or would Ferrari deliver on their potential?  Plus, post-qualifying penalties dominate the agenda. And Jennie Gow speaks with some of the main protagonists.

F1 has its last outing before the summer break. Kimi Antonelli is the in-form driver following his victory in Belgium. He leads the drivers' championship by 45 points. Can anyone stop him? Lewis Hamilton had a chaotic race at Spa, but could the Ferrari have strong pace this weekend, and could the seven-time champion challenge for victory and continue his title challenge? Jennie Gow is joined by the BBC's F1 correspondent Andrew Benson as well as F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling and W Series race-winner Alice Powell to look ahead to the weekend. Plus, Harry Benjamin sits down with Carlos Sainz to reflect on Williams' difficult season.

Could Mercedes have experienced two more contrasting races? Kimi Antonelli claimed his sixth victory of the season to extend his championship lead over Lewis Hamilton to 45 points, while George Russell's afternoon was over before he'd even completed the opening lap. Harry Benjamin, Sam Bird and Rebecca Clancy look back on a dramatic race and assess what it means for the title fight. They hear from race winner Antonelli, a frustrated Russell after his early retirement, and second-placed Charles Leclerc.

Can Kimi Antonelli convert pole position into his sixth win of the season? The Italian edged out Charles Leclerc in a thrilling qualifying session at Spa, with Lando Norris setting the third-fastest time, but a 10-place grid penalty will see him start from 13th. We hear from the top three and look ahead to the race.

Why won't the Max Verstappen rumours go away? And is F1 really considering bringing back mid-race refuelling? Andrew Benson, Harry Benjamin and Jolyon Palmer get stuck into those topics and more as they look ahead to the Belgian Grand Prix. They also hear from Oscar Piastri, who says there's still belief at McLaren that they can turn their season around. Plus, should Formula 1 come up with a solution to stop races finishing behind the safety car?

Do we believe Oscar Piastri when he says McLaren can fight for this year's world championship? Harry and Becky are at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where they catch up with the McLaren driver to discuss the title race and the rumours linking Max Verstappen with a move to Woking. They're also joined by Alisha Palmowski, fresh from her F1 Academy victory at Silverstone, and debate whether Formula 1 should consider alternatives to prevent races from finishing behind the safety car.

In this special edition of the pod, Damon Hill joins Rosanna Tennant and Harry Benjamin live on stage at Silverstone to reflect on a thrilling British Grand Prix in front of a packed audience. Charles Leclerc claimed his first victory in almost two years after Kimi Antonelli's race was compromised by a wheel failure, meaning Ferrari have now won two of the last three Grands Prix. We hear from Leclerc, and the team also unpick the confusion that unfolded in the closing laps as the race finished behind the safety car.

Is there any stopping Kimi Antonelli? The young Italian followed up his Sprint victory by taking pole position for Sunday's Grand Prix. Rosanna Tennant is joined by Harry Benjamin and Andrew Benson to look back on a busy day at Silverstone. They hear from Antonelli, as well as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

Can Lewis Hamilton convert sprint pole into a sprint victory? And what does the future hold for Max Verstappen? Rosanna Tennant is joined by Rebecca Clancy, Andrew Benson and Harry Benjamin to discuss those questions and look ahead to the rest of the Silverstone weekend. Plus, we hear from Verstappen and Arvid Lindblad.

What's it been like arriving at races as F1 world champion? And just how frustrating has this season been so far? Andrew Benson puts those questions and more to Lando Norris ahead of his home Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Is George Russell's season back on track? The Mercedes driver converted pole into a commanding lights-to-flag victory at the Red Bull Ring. Harry Benjamin is joined by Sam Bird and Andrew Benson to reflect on Russell's win, hear from the race winner, and assess what it means for his title hopes. Plus, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya joins the pod to give his verdict on the race.

Did George Russell get a lucky break to take pole? The Mercedes driver did nothing wrong, but questions are being asked about whether race control was too slow to wave double yellow flags after Max Verstappen's crash at the end of qualifying. Harry Benjamin is joined by Sam Bird and Andrew Benson to debate the controversy, and they hear from both Russell and Verstappen.

Is Lewis Hamilton a genuine title contender, or are we all getting a little carried away after his victory in Barcelona? Harry Benjamin is joined by Abbie Eaton and Andrew Benson to debate whether Hamilton can really mount a championship challenge. They hear from Hamilton himself on whether he believes it's possible, while also discussing Mercedes' reliability concerns, Fernando Alonso's future, and what Formula 1's new heat hazard measures actually mean.

After his first win for Ferrari in Barcelona, can Lewis Hamilton contend for an eighth world title? Harry Benjamin and Becky Evans are joined by 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill to discuss just that. Hill also gives his thoughts on the first all-British podium since his Dad, Graham Hill, stood on the podium alongside Sir Jackie Stewart and John Surtees in 1968. Plus, we discuss your hot takes with British racing driver Abbie Eaton. Is Charles Leclerc F1's next Daniel Ricciardo?

Where does this victory rank among Lewis Hamilton's greatest achievements as he secures his first win for Ferrari? Jennie Gow is joined by Alice Powell, Abbi Pulling and Andrew Benson to reflect on a remarkable day for the seven-time world champion. They hear from Hamilton and discuss whether this breakthrough victory firmly establishes him as a genuine title contender.

How important could that pole position be for George Russell's season? The Mercedes driver will line up alongside Lewis Hamilton on the front row for Sunday's race, with team-mate Kimi Antonelli starting just behind. Alice Powell is joined by Abbi Pulling and Andrew Benson to look back on a thrilling qualifying session in Barcelona and hear from the top 3.

Can George Russell get his season back on track? After a difficult run of results, the Mercedes driver has slipped to third in the championship standings and faces a real challenge to close the gap at the top. Alice Powell is joined by Abbi Pulling and Andrew Benson to look ahead to the weekend and discuss whether Russell can start clawing back points on teammate Kimi Antonelli. We hear from both Mercedes drivers, delve into the latest pit lane speeding fiasco and take a look at the ongoing discussion around Formula 1's future engine regulations.

Can anyone stop Kimi Antonelli? Harry Benjamin and Andrew Benson join Rosanna Tennant after another dominant display from the young Italian. They discuss whether Antonelli is already on course to run away with the championship after extending his lead at the top of the standings to 66 points. The team also debate George Russell's recent struggles and asks whether we're finally seeing Lewis Hamilton return to something approaching his very best form.

Are we running out of superlatives to describe what Kimi Antonelli is achieving on track? The Mercedes teenager edged out Max Verstappen to secure his fourth pole position of the season. Harry Benjamin and Nelson Valkenburg join Rosanna Tennant to look back at the day. We hear from Antonelli, who described his lap as "magic", as well as Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Are Ferrari really the favourites to take their first win of the season this weekend? And is there growing tension between the two Mercedes drivers? Rosanna Tennant is joined by Damon Hill, Jolyon Palmer, Harry Benjamin and Andrew Benson to tackle the big talking points heading into the race weekend. They hear from both Mercedes drivers, as well as Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. Plus Dutch journalist Nelson Valkenburg also joins the team to talk Max Verstappen.

What does it cost to attend every F1 race as a fan? Izzy Hammond and Harry Benjamin are joined by superfan Brandon Burgess to find out. They discuss the best and worst races on the calendar from a fan perspective. We also discuss the latest listener Hot Takes following the Canadian Grand Prix. Would George Russell have beaten his team-mate Kimi Antonelli if he didn't retire in Montreal? With the championship gap now at 43 points, is Antonelli champion-elect?

A battle for the ages, strategy blunders and retirements were the story of the day at a dramatic Canadian Grand Prix. Harry Benjamin, F1 journalist Rebecca Clancy and former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley review all of the action, plus hear from the key drivers including Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Who would claim sprint victory? Who would take pole position ahead of Sunday's Canadian GP? Would we have a Mercedes battle, or would McLaren continue their resurgence? Harry Benjamin and former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley reflect on a busy Saturday in Montreal, hearing from the key drivers, whilst also looking ahead to Sunday's race.

Eleanor Oldroyd is joined by F1 commentator Harry Benjamin and W Series race-winner Alice Powell to look ahead to the Canadian Grand Prix. Can Kimi Antonelli keep up his title charge? And will McLaren continue their resurgence? We get immediate reaction as the key protagonists speak with the media in Montreal, plus the BBC's F1 correspondent Andrew Benson joins the show to look ahead to the weekend and discuss F1's latest developments, including the most recent set of engine regulation tweaks.

Izzy Hammond and Harry Benjamin are back with more F1 ramblings. This week, will Kimi Antonelli's hot form continue? We answer your hot takes. F1 Academy racer Alisha Palmowski discusses the return of her season in Canada. Can she compete for the championship? Plus, world champion Lando Norris gives title advice to Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, and former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley explains F1's latest engine change. F1 returns for the Canadian Grand Prix next week, with live commentary across the 5 Live network. Search F1 on BBC Sounds.

In this Chequered Flag special, Harry Benjamin looks into the efforts being made to create more opportunity for young people in F1. We hear from a number of trailblazers including Lewis Hamilton who, through his charitable foundation Mission 44, is opening doors to careers within the sport.