Celebrating F1 75 with Mario Andretti

F1: Beyond The Grid

karenellenbevan

Leisure, Sports, Technology, Automotive

4.8 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2025

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Mario Andretti was 10 years old when the first ever Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix took place at Silverstone, on the 13th of May 1950.

The 1978 World Champion has seen everything the pinnacle of motorsport has to offer over the past 75 years, and is one of just 34 drivers to win the ultimate prize, so he’s the perfect person to celebrate such a landmark anniversary.

Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Mario charts the history of F1 through his eyes. He explains how different the cars felt to drive in different eras of technical innovations, what it was like to compete in a very dangerous period of racing, and how safety improved over time.

Mario also talks about what made World Champions Alberto Ascari, Jim Clark, Sir Jackie Stewart, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher so special. Plus, he looks to the future of F1 – telling Tom about his role in the new Cadillac F1 team that will join the grid in 2026 and what they need to hit the ground running.

This episode is sponsored by:

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Transcript

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0:00.0	75 years ago, on the 13th of May, 1950, cars raced off the line at Silverstone for the first ever
0:09.7	Formula One World Championship Grand Prix. Mario Andretti was 10 years old at the time. So who
0:17.6	better to celebrate the sports landmark birthday than a man who's witnessed 75 years of high-speed thrills, drama and innovation, and who knows exactly what it takes to win the greatest prize?
0:31.8	I was born loving Formula One. I pursued my impossible dream, and I was able to achieve that.
0:42.3	This was truly, truly probably the ultimate satisfaction in my career as a race driver.
0:49.3	I just feel blessed in the best possible way in my life.
1:02.9	Here on F1 Beyond the Grid with me, Tom Clarkson.
1:09.2	The 1978 world champion takes us through the history of Formula One as he experienced it,
1:12.4	how the cars changed, what it was like competing in a much more dangerous era and how safety's improved over time. And he knows what made the great
1:18.6	drivers great, from Alberto Ascari in the 50s to Erton Senna in the 90s. But this chat isn't
1:25.5	all about the past. Mario also tells me how he's bringing his experience
1:30.1	to the new Cadillac team, which is revving up for its F1 debut in 2026. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
1:43.1	Mario, it is wonderful to have you on the show.
1:46.5	You look like a man who still has a spring in his steps,
1:50.0	still loves being around racing.
1:52.0	Still standing.
1:55.1	Mario, we're talking at the Miami Grand Prix.
1:58.3	Do you still love showing up going racing? Absolutely. I mean,
2:03.6	I always say, as they say here, this is my rodeo, you know, and I mean, I live for the sport.
2:10.0	It's something that has captured my imagination, you know, when I was just barely a young teenager
2:17.2	and with my twin brother, Aldo. And so, you know when I was just a barely a young teenager and with my twin brother aldo and and so as you
2:21.8	could see it was right at the beginning of Formula One you know when I was 10 years old when
	...

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