Back Of The Grid | F1 Podcast

Four overtakes. Fewer than Monaco. And F1 has signed a ten-year deal to come back. Tom and Chris review the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix from Madrid's new Madring circuit and ask whether any amount of corner reprofiling can save it.

In this episode: Antonelli cashes in on another virtual safety car to win and stretch his lead to 81 points; Norris is fastest all day and finishes third; Verstappen is ordered to hand a place back to Hamilton; and Hamilton ends up touring the circuit with no brakes. Plus the argument for closing the pit lane under a VSC, Lawson's likely last outing in the Red Bull, Sainz's miserable home weekend, and a Coca-Cola can causing more fuss than the race did.

CHAPTERS
0:00 - Intro
1:14 - Madrid: an industrial estate with a banked corner attached
2:34 - Four overtakes and a ten-year deal
6:11 - A blank slate, wasted
9:00 - Track limit issues
11:20 - What we'd change
14:07 - Antonelli wins again on virtual safety car luck
15:05 - Verstappen v Hamilton and the order to hand it back
19:29 - Norris: fastest all day, third by VSC
20:37 - Should a VSC close the pit lane?
24:59 - McLaren's share of the blame
26:38 - Ferrari: Hamilton's brakes, Leclerc's long game
28:21 - Russell hung out to dry on a two-stop
30:49 - Piastri's wing, Lawson and the Red Bull seat
32:32 - Colapinto scores as Alpine close on Racing Bulls
34:43 - Sainz's home nightmare
36:33 - Ocon's best since Monaco
37:26 - Driver of the Day
39:54 - Move of the Day
41:09 - WTF of the Day: no brakes, no spin, no Coca-Cola
47:44 - Predictions league and fantasy results
50:59 - A week off, then Baku

LINKS
Predictions league, fantasy leagues and contact form: https://backofthegrid.com
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Back of the Grid is a weekly Formula 1 podcast by fans, for fans. Tom and Chris breaking down every race weekend without the paddock access or the party line.

Like, subscribe, and drop your take in the comments, we read and reply to all of them.

#F1 #SpanishGP #Formula1

Kimi Antonelli didn't just win the Italian Grand Prix from P19 — he may have crushed George Russell's title hopes in the process. We break down the chaos at Monza that got him there, Gasly's shock Alpine pole, and the Ferrari meltdown that put Leclerc in the wall again.

In this episode:
0:00 Intro
2:04 Qualifying: Gasly's shock Monza pole (Alpine's first)
7:11 Race start: Mercedes chaos, Antonelli wins from P19
10:13 Should Russell have pitted under the VSC?
15:56 66-point gap — is the title race over?
20:00 Ferrari meltdown: Leclerc/Hamilton T1 clash + Leclerc's crash
27:52 Red Bull: Verstappen's alt strategy podium, Lawson/Hülkenberg clash
30:10 McLaren: Norris vs Piastri
31:51 Midfield: Colapinto's off, Tsunoda/Audi protest, backmarkers
36:05 Driver of the Day & Move of the Day
40:01 Monza's baffling trophy design
42:36 Predictions League & Fantasy recap
44:58 Madrid preview: the "Mad Lad Ring"
53:54 Inbox: skittish cars Q&A + Loick Hartog's heroics
1:00:45 Sign-off

Submit your Madrid predictions and check the leaderboard at backofthegrid.com. Find our fantasy leagues on Grid Rival there too, and catch us on socials @BackOfTheGridF1.

Back of the Grid — by fans, for fans. See you next week for Madrid.

#F1 #ItalianGP #Antonelli

Ferrari roll into their home race with a second power unit token, a rumoured turbo change, and a livery built to honour Schumacher's 1996 Monza win — but is it enough to actually convert into a race win?

Tom and Chris break down whether the upgrades stack up, plus everything else moving in F1 this week: Norris' new deal through 2030, Colapinto staying put at Alpine, the increasingly open Haas seat, and a theory on whether Toyota could be eyeing Yuki Tsunoda.

Plus, Antonelli's grid penalty, the track's four straight-line mode zones, Isaac Hajar's wrist injury, and Russell's shot at cutting into the championship lead — before locking in this week's predictions.

00:00 Intro
01:11 Norris signs until 2030, gets his title-winning MCL39 chassis
05:45 Colapinto stays at Alpine for '27, Gasly locked in
06:14 The Haas seat — who's replacing Ocon?
08:02 Could Toyota poach Tsunoda from Honda for a Japanese line-up?
12:40 Alonso rules himself out of Alpine
14:13 FIA's power unit token review — nobody gets extra tokens
17:30 Ferrari's Schumacher tribute livery for Monza
20:41 Antonelli's grid penalty and Monza's overtaking potential
22:23 Can Ferrari's upgrades convert into a home win?
23:47 Monza's four straight-line mode zones
28:32 Does McLaren's recent form travel to Monza?
31:54 Hajar's wrist — does Lawson stay in?
34:43 Russell's chance to cut into Antonelli's lead
35:54 Predictions: pole and race winner
37:28 Predictions: first DNF and finishers
39:19 Predictions: the mystery driver (Hajar/Tsunoda)
42:59 Inbox: does Russell get a tow off Verstappen in Q3?
45:22 Outro

Submit your own predictions and check out our fantasy leagues at backofthegrid.com

Got a question for the inbox? Drop it in the comments or fin @BackOfTheGridF1 on socials

#F1 #ItalianGP #Ferrari #Formula1

Lando Norris has won two in a row — is the 2026 title fight actually back on? We break down a chaotic Dutch GP, Hamilton's furious radio to Ferrari, and Alonso's shock points finish.

In this episode: Norris dominates on hards for back-to-back wins and closes the gap to Antonelli, Mercedes nearly gift away a podium with a messy team orders call, Hamilton vents at Ferrari after being held up behind Leclerc, Red Bull's driver shuffle with Lawson and Sonoda stepping in, Verstappen's rare first-lap crash and shock new contract through 2030, and Alonso somehow turns 18th on the grid into 9th. Plus Driver of the Day, Move of the Day, our WTF Moment, and a look at that AI-enhanced crash replay everyone's talking about.

0:00 Intro
1:59 Race review: Norris's dominant Dutch GP win
4:09 Is Norris really back in the title fight?
8:24 Mercedes' risky team orders call
12:58 Toto Wolff on losing Mercedes' budget edge
14:49 Hamilton furious at Ferrari strategy
18:16 Red Bull shake-up: Lawson and Sonoda step in
21:35 Verstappen's rare DNF and new Red Bull deal
25:51 Hülkenberg and Alonso's standout drives
30:53 Williams lock in Sainz and Albon
33:54 Driver of the Day
35:56 Move of the Day
38:48 WTF Moment
45:49 The AI-enhanced crash replay debate
49:03 Predictions, league standings and Grid Rival
51:43 Outro and what's next

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Back of the Grid is an F1 podcast by fans, for fans, hosted by Tom King and Chris Evans

#F1 #DutchGP #Formula1

It could be the last-ever Dutch Grand Prix, and Max Verstappen's final home race. Tom & Chris preview a potentially wet, sprint-format Zandvoort, plus Cadillac's shock team-boss change and a top 6 separated by just nine points over the last 4 Grand Prix.

In this episode: why Cadillac swapped Graeme Lowdon for Marcin Budkowski mid-season, whether McLaren's Hungary upgrade travels, the incredibly tight top-six title fight of recent races, Aston Martin & Honda's new engine, silly-season latest, our sprint-weekend predictions, and a mailbag on sim racing and ghost cars.

Chapters
0:00 – Intro: first race back
1:46 – Cadillac's shock team-boss change
13:24 – Dutch GP preview: Zandvoort's farewell
17:01 – McLaren, Ferrari & a title race in nine points
21:45 – Aston Martin & Honda's engine gamble
23:38 – Silly season & Max's last home race
25:35 – Predictions
30:28 – Mailbag: sim racing, ghost cars & deltas
39:46 – Wrap-up

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Back of the Grid is a weekly F1 podcast by fans, for fans, with Tom & Chris. New episodes every Tuesday.

#F1 #DutchGP #Verstappen

Only one driver made our S tier this season, but is it who you would expect?

It's summer break, so Tom & Chris dust off the tier maker and rank every 2026 F1 team and driver from S ("top tier") to D ("shouldn't even be here").

In this episode: with the driver market gone quiet, we go team by team from Cadillac at the back to a Mercedes side that's built the fastest car on the grid but can't stop it from breaking. Every call is backed by qualifying and race head-to-heads plus the average qualifying gap between each teammate pairing. Expect strong opinions on Verstappen's current form, Antonelli's record setting run, where Russell really landed, Hamilton vs Leclerc, and why Williams and Aston Martin ended up where they did.

🏁 Build your own tier list and send it to us: https://tiermaker.com/create/2026-f1-rankings-15262159
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Back of the Grid is a weekly Formula 1 podcast by fans, for fans. Hosted by Tom King and Chris Evans. New episodes every Tuesday through the season.

#F1 #Formula1 #F1TierList

Is Stefano Domenicali right that F1 fans don't understand, or even care about, the sport's technology? We get into it. Plus a wild calendar shake-up as Malaysia returns (sort of), and talk of a German GP comeback.

In this episode:
Domenicali says the wider fanbase doesn't grasp the power-unit rules — so we ask whether that's fair, or just a soundbite for the shareholders. We dig into the engine-regulation vetoes and MBS's push to claw control back from the teams, the strange "Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia" that finally brings Sepang back, the packed run-in with Abu Dhabi and Qatar still in doubt, Hockenheim's bid to bring back the German GP, and the mystery Silverstone/COTA announcement.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro & our first-ever missed review
1:17 Domenicali: are F1 fans 'too dumb' for the tech?
9:25 Engine reg vetoes & MBS's power play
13:44 Malaysia's back… as the 'Bahrain GP in Malaysia'
19:55 Calendar chaos: triple-header, Abu Dhabi & Qatar doubts
22:17 A German GP return? Hockenheim's push
24:32 Free-to-air, Sky & the F1 TV multi-screen game-changer
28:04 Silverstone & COTA's mystery announcement
30:35 Wrap-up & send us your questions

🌐 Prediction league & more: backofthegrid.com
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Back of the Grid is a weekly Formula 1 podcast, by fans, for fans, hosted by Tom King & Chris Evans. New episodes every Tuesday through the season.

#F1 #Formula1 #BackOfTheGrid

Lewis Hamilton got five seconds for a 50/50 first-lap incident. Charles Leclerc practically ran Oscar Piastri off the road at the end of the Kemmel Straight and got nothing. We're not sure the stewards watched the same race we did.

In this episode, Chris and Tom review the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, the last one at Spa for a couple of years. George Russell's afternoon ends before turn six and his frustration with his power unit boils over, Kimi Antonelli takes a sixth win of the season with a drive well beyond his years, Isack Hadjar carves from P21 to P6, and Franco Colapinto pulls off the move of the race that F1's TV direction somehow forgot to show us.

Plus: our Prediction League and Fantasy results, and a look ahead to Hungary where Aston Martin's B-spec car is going to change everything. Allegedly.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro - Goodbye to Spa, for now
1:45 Russell's first-lap retirement & deployment woes
6:50 Should Mercedes have taken the engine penalty here?
11:14 Antonelli wins again — the mature championship drive
12:26 Ferrari's pace: Leclerc keeps it honest
13:59 Leclerc crowds Piastri — and gets nothing
17:31 The Hamilton/Russell penalty: policing the outcome
21:41 Hamilton's race unravels: pit lane chaos & damage
25:22 Verstappen's podium and a perfect Hadjar tow
26:12 Hadjar P21 to P6 — drive of the weekend?
29:28 Norris & McLaren's strategy miss
33:06 Bortoleto's run continues, Hulkenberg's doesn't
34:19 RB vs Alpine, and Haas' upgrade that wasn't
35:27 Driver of the Day
36:04 Move of the Day
37:48 WTF Moment:v TV direction, Perez's halo passenger & Stroll's DRS
45:49 Prediction League results
47:19 Fantasy League standings (F1 Fantasy & Grid Rival)
48:13 Hungary preview — the great Aston Martin hype
53:43 Our Hungarian GP predictions
57:46 Wrap up (and a very strange episode next week)

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Back of the Grid is a weekly Formula 1 podcast made by fans, for fans. New episodes every Tuesday during the season.

#F1 #BelgianGP #Formula1

The Verstappen-to-McLaren rumours refuse to die down and this week they got louder. Plus: F1 could run 10 sprint weekends in 2027, Aston Martin's big upgrade is delayed to Hungary, and we preview a brutal Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.

In this episode: Mark Weber's denial that Oscar Piastri is being replaced, why Red Bull's talent exodus makes a Verstappen exit feel more plausible (all speculation at this stage, nothing confirmed), what a McLaren hypercar detour could look like for Max, Stefano Domenicali's push for more 2027 sprints, Aston Martin's delayed upgrade, our Belgian GP storylines and predictions, and a mailbag question on the Middle East calendar situation.

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#F1 #BelgianGP #MaxVerstappen

Charles Leclerc delivered Ferrari's 250th race win, but it's the FIA's farcical safety car finish that everyone's talking about.

In this episode, Tom and Chris dig into the safety car controversy that ended the race under caution despite fans being told a final lap was coming, the FIA president's awkward driver parade cameo, and a controversial track-limits penalty for Antonelli. Then it's onto the race itself: Leclerc's much-needed win, Russell's home podium, Antonelli's reliability heartbreak, and Verstappen's rear-end snap at Stowe that ended his race early. Plus Drive of the Day, Move of the Day, and this week's Predictions League and Fantasy results.

⏱ Chapters
0:00 Intro 
0:40 WTF: Silverstone's safety car finish controversy
15:11 WTF: MBS's Lego kart parade drama
20:13 WTF: Antonelli's track limits penalty & Sainz's harsh call
26:53 Race review: Leclerc ends his drought with Ferrari's 250th win
33:56 Mercedes: Russell's stellar recovery & Antonelli's bad luck
38:01 Red Bull nightmare: Verstappen's spin and retirement
42:49 Midfield battle: RB, Alpine, Williams & Cadillac's new livery
45:19 Drive of the Day & Move of the Day
49:11 Predictions League & Fantasy results
51:48 Outro & Belgian GP preview

🔗 Links
Prediction League & Fantasy: backofthegrid.com
Patreon (includes our community Discord): https://patreon.com/backofthegrid

Back of the Grid is an F1 podcast by fans, for fans, hosted by Tom King and Chris Evans. New episodes every Tuesday in season.

#F1 #BritishGP #Formula1