Podholic: From pitlane to podium

Expert analysis of motorsport from the Brits who do it best.

AUTOSPORT magazine is a British bible for motor racing news; sound since 1950, the year the inaugural Formula One world championship was born.

It also has a digital presence in the form of ‘The Autosport F1 and motorsport’ podcast. Like the print, it’s a weekly effort and dives into almost everything and anything related to top level motor racing.

No egotistical banter and hyperbolic storytelling here. It’s all meaty stuff; pre and post-race analysis, driver interviews, in-depth technical breakdowns, driver performance and team strategy discussions. If you’re a hardout motorsport buff, this pod will undoubtedly have you covered.

The show is led by a diverse group of hosts, including Alex Kalinauckas, the magazine’s Grands Prix editor, who offers a sharp focus on the sport’s technical and strategic elements, TV presenter Ariana Bravo, freelance F1 journalist Edd Straw, Luke Smith and broadcaster Martyn Lee also feature regularly.

One of the pod’s standouts is its ability to provide in-depth technical breakdowns without losing the audience in a cloud of jargon. The hosts expertly shift gears between complex engineering discussions and more accessible explanations, ensuring that hardcore fans and casual listeners remain engaged. 

It also excels at bringing exclusive interviews with key figures from the motorsport arena. These discussions are not just casual questions and answers but comprehensive explorations of the careers and insights of team principals, engineers and drivers, such as Rally New Zealand 2022 winner Kalle Rovanperä.

So it’s all good news, right? Mostly, but not entirely. While audio and production quality are commendable, there are times when conversational waffle drags on for too long, which could be curtailed to shorten episode length.  

With its multi-environment setting, the show won’t be the most visually appealing for YouTube viewers. Still, it’s very informative, with graphical overlays highlighting race results, lap times, and key race highlights.

Minor quirks aside, the Autosport F1 and Motorsport Podcast is well worth the subscription for anyone passionate about racing. 

The Autosport F1 and Motorsport Podcast homepage: https://podcast.sport-social.co.uk/podcast/autosport-f1-motorsport/