F1 Explains: Commentating on a Grand Prix - with Alex Jacques
F1 Nation
Formula 1
4.3 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 2 April 2026
⏱️ 32 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Who overtook who? Which driver is in the gravel? Formula 1 commentators put on-track action into words. They need to be accurate, fast and entertaining to make sure you always know what's happening.
F1TV and Apple TV commentator Alex Jacques is the voice of Formula 1 around the world. He welcomes Christian Hewgill into the commentary box to answer your questions. From the screens he can see and the research he does to the role of co-commentators and finding the right words at the biggest moments, Alex tells all about his job.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello everyone, welcome to F1 Explains. I'm Christian Hugill, and if you're new to us, |
| 0:09.8 | this is the official Formula One podcast that answers your questions on the best sport in the world. |
| 0:14.7 | You can email us about anything, F1 Explains at F1.com, and we will find the best people in the |
| 0:20.0 | paddock to answer them. |
| 0:21.6 | Or not in the paddock, in the case of this week's episode. |
| 0:25.0 | Instead, it was recorded about a 10-minute walk from the paddock in Australia. |
| 0:29.9 | We went out of the gates, across a fan zone, past a metal gate guarded by a stern-looking |
| 0:36.2 | Australian man, up some incredibly unglamorous looking |
| 0:40.3 | stairs, and in to the commentary box. The pre-season favourite begins with a win. George Russell wins, |
| 0:49.2 | the Australian Grand Prix. It's a Mercedes-1-2 in a season opener for the first time since 2019. |
| 0:56.3 | We don't just answer questions about on-track stuff on this podcast. We also talk a lot about the |
| 1:02.9 | wider world of Formula One, including how the people who describe the action to us do their |
| 1:09.0 | job. You've sent us a lot of questions on this one over the years. |
| 1:11.8 | We've been doing this podcast. |
| 1:13.2 | Alex Jakes is F1 TV's main commentator. |
| 1:16.4 | He's also heard on Channel 4 in the UK and Apple TV in the United States, |
| 1:21.0 | as well as all over the world on F1's social media channels. |
| 1:24.7 | And this is what happened when back in Australia, |
| 1:26.9 | he invited us into his |
| 1:29.1 | home away from home of a race weekend. Alex Jakes, thank you for welcoming us in to your |
| 1:37.6 | commentary box home. It's lovely to be here. Well, thank you so much for having me back on the |
| 1:41.7 | pod once again. And yeah, welcome to the living room. I've got a few thoughts. There's no houseplants, pot of plants, picture frames. You could have made it a bit more homely for the weekend, is all I would say. This is luxury. We are currently sitting in a double box at Albert Park. Let me tell you, some of the commentary boxes around the Formula One World Championship are way more |
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