Jonathan Legard and Mark Gallagher broadcast in blissful coronavirus-induced lock down. They talk to Professor Martin Elliott about how Formula 1's pit stop prowess has helped to change hospital procedures and why the sport has been able to rise to the challenge of tackling the UK's shortage of breathing aids during the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking of speedy engineering challenges, Mark chats with John Lilley about a remarkable project to return a World War 2 Mosquito multi-role aircraft to the skies over the UK. The People's Mosquito has a Formula 1 link in that the Mosquito fighter-bomber was the first composite structure combat plane, the 'wooden wonder' proving a technology that continues to be used to this day. Finally, colleague Claire Cottingham interviews Charlie Martin who aims to become the first transgender woman to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours sports car race; a very personal story of bravery, adversity and triumph in a sport which is beginning to improve its approach to diversity and inclusion. 


Ambitious Goals during the time of Coronavirus

Maurice Hamilton and Lee McKenzie join Jonathan Legard and Mark Gallagher to reflect on the great Niki Lauda on the eve of publication of Maurice's much anticipated biography of the legendary Austrian. Talking of legends, Formula 1's iconic commentator Murray Walker gives his views on what made Niki such an extraordinary individual. Mika Hakkinen reveals his early ambitions to join the circus, prompting a life long love of unicycling, and reflects on being coached by none other than Niki Lauda's former adversary James Hunt. To cap it all we have David Coulthard join the show to discuss the news that Sebastian Vettel is to leave Ferrari at the end of this year and DC explains why he was not entirely surprised by this turn of events.


Niki, Mika & Seb - The Champions Edition

Mark Webber and fast jet pilot Ben Murphy of Red Arrows, The Blades and Red Bull Air Race fame discuss what it takes to stay at the top of your game and the impending return to action in F1. The two first met when Ben flew Mark in formation with David Coulthard and Steve Jones over Silverstone Circuit as part of Channel 4's build up to the 2019 British Grand Prix.  F1 fan Ben, former commander of the world famous Red Arrows, discusses the importance of never giving up when aiming for your dream career.  Mark debates the intensity of the new F1 season, why the Austrian GP is the perfect location for the opening race, former Red Bull Racing team mate Sebastian Vettel's exit from Ferrari and why Lewis Hamilton remains the most formidable force in F1.  A usual Mark is straight talking and insightful, taking the time to explain his own fascination with flying and why managing risk is all part of living life to the full.  Ben describes his own career journey, one which has taken him into a new world of competitive flying.


Mark Webber's Formation High Flier

Nic Hamilton, brother of 6 times Formula 1 World Champion Lewis, discusses his own return to racing this year in the British Touring Car Championship, and his battles against the adversity of being born with cerebral palsy and having to fight bullying and racism during his formative years.  A really inspirational chat.  Williams F1 driver George Russell discusses his support for diversity at the top of motorsport, and explains his journey from being an on-line gaming novice to eSports champion in the virtual F1 series during Covid-19 lock down.

At The Controls Episode 5 - Nic Hamilton, George Russell & Challenging Times

Daniel Ricciardo on dealing with the pressures of being at the forefront of Formula 1, including a career moment when he had to get away from it all and press the reset button with some friends.  Mandy Hickson on her new book An Officer Not a Gentleman, relating tales of her journey to becoming only the 2nd woman to flight Tornado GR4's for the RAF.  Fernando Alonso fan Fred Bteich on how a 12 year old Lebanese boy fell in love with Formula 1, and found himself as a 29 year old final year neurosurgery resident at a Beirut hospital dealing with the personal and professional aftermath of the catastrophic explosion on August 4th.  Carol Glenn on being a black woman who fell in love with motor racing, became a marshal and is now a qualified motorsport event administrator.  An inspirational lady who dealt with racism dressed as casual banter, and is taking positive steps to help future generations enjoy the sport she is passionate about.


At the Forefront, In the Frontline - Daniel Ricciardo on coping with Pressure

Esteban Gutiérrez is an impressive man, accomplished racer and important part of the Mercedes-AMG F1 team. A Champion in Formula BMW and GP3, he finished 3rd in GP2 before embarking on a Formula 1 career which witnessed two seasons racing for Sauber before becoming a test driver for Ferrari and latterly Mercedes. He is also an ambitious businessman with a big future in our sport and took time out from his schedule to sit down with Jonathan Legard. Actually face to face and in person, no Zoom involved - remember that?

Sam Bradley and Holly Chapman may not yet be famous, but they have already had one big moment in the sun when Mercedes' bosses invited them to represent the team during the Formula 1 podium ceremonies in Austria and Belgium. They share their career journeys and relate what's it's like to be asked by the boss to join Lewis or Valtteri on the top step. Sam's a mechanic on Lewis's car while Holly is responsible for all of Valtteri's power units, but both were equally blown away by the experience.

David Tremayne, partner to Joe Saward on Grand Prix Plus, talks to us about his republished biography of Austrian World Champion Jochen Rindt, friend of Bernie Ecclestone, best pal to Helmut Marko and a major part of the 1960's Formula 1 jetset before losing his life at the Italian Grand Prix in 1970. Our sport's only posthumous World Champion.

Jonathan and Mark discuss Sebastian Vettel's departure from Ferrari and arrival at Aston Martin together with the news that Fernando Alonso will not be racing for Renault next season - it's going to be renamed and rebranded as Alpine F1. Meanwhile two of Formula 1's biggest names have been going through some major changes, with Sir Frank Williams exiting his team along with daughter Claire, and McLaren announcing that its Woking HQ is being offering for sale to investors in order to raise cash during these difficult times.


Talent, Triumph and Triumph

One of Formula 1's leading engineers, Paddy Lowe talks about Lewis Hamilton's qualities as the driver of this era, reflects on his early days at Williams and the development of active suspension and talks about his interest in helping bring an industrial approach to solving the planet's climate crisis - and hints at a return to Formula 1.  Dr Julian Tan is Formula 1's head of eSports and, with the new series underway, he explains F1's eSports journey so far, the effect of Covid on helping accelerate this part of F1's business on-line, and how quickly they pivoted the business when the pandemic started to emerge in January.  Finally, McLaren's stellar driver Lando Norris discusses his passion for eSports and computer gaming, its relevance to him as a driver and how much he enjoys that aspect of his life - while acknowledging that nothing quite matches driving a contemporary F1 car flat-out on the race tracks of the world.


Paddy Lowe, Julian Tan, Lando Norris & The eSports Revolution

Chris Papaioanu is Commander of US Navy Strike, former head of the Top Gun academy - and thus pal of Tom Cruise - a naval flyer with 3500 hours of fast jet experience, who thinks nothing of landing a weaponised jet on an aircraft carrier at 150mph or being catapulted onto another mission with a 0-165mph time of 2 seconds.  He loves Formula 1, being born to a racing driver father, and he was inspired by NASA's Shuttle programme to get involved in something fast.  In this special episode he talks to Mark Gallagher about his career, journey into naval aviation and the love of speed which is clearly ingrained within him.  He really enjoyed chatting with James Allison and Calum Douglas in Episode 9, but we wanted to talk to Chris a little further about his own spectacular career.  Sit back and enjoy.


Special Episode with Chris Papaioanu

ATC is joined by none other than double Formula 1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen and 9-times Grand Prix winner and WEC World Champion Mark Webber as they discuss F1 2020.  Meanwhile Callum Ilott talks to Jonathan Legard about his season in Formula 2, and his recent promotion to become test driver for Scuderia Ferrari.  Finally, with W Series about to hit the tracks again in 2021 as a support series to Formula 1, CEO Catherine Bond-Muir and contender Jessica Hawkins talk about the Covid-enforced pause in 2020, their hopes for 2021 and ambitions for the future of the series.  


F1 2020, Callum Ilott joins Ferrari & the return of W Series

The At The Controls Podcast features the BBC's Jonathan Legard and long time Formula 1 executive Mark Gallagher in conversation with with a passion for speed, technology, performance - all with a link back to Formula 1.