Podcast: Why Kimi Antonelli looked destined to be F1 champion years ago
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
What made Kimi Antonelli stand out before he even reached F1? Plus, Mark on the best bits from Christian Horner’s new autobiography
One race into the season and Formula 1 is under fire from fans and drivers alike over its “flawed” racing that brought plenty of overtaking in Melbourne, but with an artificial taste.
Art the same time, the series is being urged to get a grip over safety fears dues to enormous speed differences between cars that are deploying and harvesting energy at varying times.
Now, change looks to be imminent, with F1 expected to tweak to its regulations before the third race of the year later this month. Mark Hughes explains the controversy and the likely fix in this latest episode of the Motor Sport F1 Show.
With presenter Bryn Lucas, he also explores why McLaren was so much slower than Mercedes, despite having the same engine; reflects back on a fantastic debut for Arvid Lindblad; and looks ahead to this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.
Plus, Mark answers your questions: is dirty air still an issue with the new generation of cars? How much influence did engine guru Andy Cowell have over Honda’s development of Aston Martin’s underwhelming power unit; and why did the team make Adrian Newey its new boss?
We’ll feature more listener questions next week. Don’t forget to post yours below:
Can’t see the form? Click here
Click to read more from Mark Hughes and don’t miss an episode by subscribing on your favourite platform or YouTube, where a video version accompanies the audio podcast.
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
What made Kimi Antonelli stand out before he even reached F1? Plus, Mark on the best bits from Christian Horner’s new autobiography
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
After a painful radio exchange with Lewis Hamilton at the Singapore GP, Ferrari’s F1 communication problems are back in the spotlight. Mark and Bryn Lucas explore more than a decade of interference
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes and Bryn Lucas look back on Verstappen’s win at Sepang, a restart delayed by a software glitch, and what to expect in Singapore
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
Christian Horner has been linked with Ferrari and says Red Bull has lost its mojo. Mark Hughes weighs both claims before looking back at Baku and ahead to Sepang
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
Formula 1 has already seen one heroic drive to victory from the back of the grids this season. What are the chances of a second this weekend in Baku?
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
Lando Norris’s Madring masterclass — and why Formula 1 fans need to recalibrate how good he really is
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
From Antonelli’s “impossible” Monza victory to the paranoia gripping Ferrari and McLaren’s driver pairings, this week’s biggest Formula 1 questions answered
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
Formula 1’s fastest car keeps changing hands – is Ferrari’s Monza upgrade about to hand it over again?
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
What’s the overlooked factor behind McLaren’s Zandvoort dominance? And can it survive the trip to Monza?
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
The 2026 Formula 1 field ranked after the first half of the season. One driver stands above the rest
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
In this special episode, Mark welcomes MotoGP columnist Mat Oxley to discuss whether new series owner Liberty Media can repeat its F1 success with MotoGP – without losing motorcycling’s “dangerous and dirty” soul
Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes
How quickly should F1 drivers adapt to their cars? And what is going wrong for George Russell?