263: Tom Clarkson (Part B)
3/11/202643 min
A life lived on the road with Formula 1. It’s part history lesson, part travel diary, and part behind-the-scenes pass to the Formula 1 paddock, from someone who has been there for it all.
Respected F1 journalist, broadcaster and podcaster Tom Clarkson has seen the sport from the inside for decades.
With more than 500 consecutive Grands Prix attended since 1998, Clarkson has travelled the world alongside Formula 1’s modern evolution.
From the drivers who left the biggest mark, the circuits that stand above the rest and the press conferences that lit up the paddock — Clarkson shares stories from the road, including regular meetings with former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Plus, the boys unpack Oscar Piastri’s Melbourne weekend, the pressure cooker of the modern paddock, and the global surge of Formula 1.
And then there’s the future. New regulations have arrived, plus the Audi Revolut F1 Team joins the grid, there's new power units, and sustainable fuels engineered by bp set to help shape the next era of the sport.
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A huge thanks to Tommy for stopping by!
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
[upbeat music] A listener production.
Mark Howard· Host0:04
[gentle music] You are listening to episode 263 of The Howie Games featuring... You are listening to episode 263 of The Howie Games Part B, featuring Formula 1 journalist, interviewer, podcaster, all-round star, Tommy Clarkson. On we go. Just before we get to the fact that you're also a movie star- The- Which we need to really not touch on.
Tom Clarkson· Guest0:29
Have I told you about my co-star, Brad Pitt?
Mark Howard· Host0:31
Well, we're gonna get- [laughing] ... to your podcast with Brad, 'cause that fascinates me. Just before we get to that, we, we spoke about one qualifier. Now in your time, you get one driver to win a race for you.
Tom Clarkson· Guest0:40
And that's Max Verstappen.
Speaker 3· Soundbite0:42
The world champion strikes back. Max Verstappen wins the São Paulo Grand Prix in 2024. Seventeenth on the grid.
Tom Clarkson· Guest0:52
But... A- and, well, you know I said i- for qualifier, can I put Senna in the car?
Mark Howard· Host0:55
Yep.
Tom Clarkson· Guest0:56
Previous generation to me, uh, I put Max in above everybody.
Mark Howard· Host1:01
Wow. He's that good?
Tom Clarkson· Guest1:02
I think he's that good. It's, it's his consistency. It's his consistency. He can just bang it in without making... every lap, without making mistakes. And, um, yeah, just, just utterly brilliant. I can't think... You know, of course, Lewis has driven some brilliant races, and Senna, and Prost, and Stewart, and Lauda was a brilliant Sunday driver as well. Not the fastest qualifier, Niki Lauda, but could... But do you know what? Interestingly,