Chequered Flag Podcast Rolls Out 2026 F1 Season With Hamilton's Ferrari Win and Verstappen's 100-Kart Challenge

BBC's Chequered Flag serves up a 2026 F1 feast

The Chequered Flag Podcast has unveiled its 2026 Formula 1 slate, a sprawling collection of race reviews, features and novelty challenges that charts one of the most talked-about seasons in recent memory. The line-up is headlined by a brand-new episode, 2026: Drifting Ferraris, Kimi Raikkonen Pranks and Supercar Collections, which sits alongside more than a dozen other instalments spanning the campaign.

Hamilton's Ferrari fairytale tops the agenda

Among the season's biggest storylines is Lewis Hamilton's breakthrough win for Ferrari at the Barcelona Grand Prix. The Barcelona GP Reaction: Hamilton Wins For Ferrari! episode asks the obvious question of where the victory ranks among Hamilton's greatest achievements, while a separate instalment, Has Hamilton changed Ferrari & Harry 'The Flying Brick'!, sees Harry Benjamin and Becky Evans at the go-kart track unpicking the week's biggest F1 stories.

Russell rediscovers his mojo in Baku

George Russell's lights-to-flag victory in Azerbaijan prompts the question of whether the Mercedes driver has rediscovered his form, tackled head-on in 2026: Azerbaijan GP Review: Vettel Gives His Verdict, a 44-minute episode featuring Sebastian Vettel's own assessment of the race.

Verstappen takes on 100 drivers

Max Verstappen stars in a series of novelty challenges that pit the Dutchman against 100 rivals. In Max Verstappen v 100: Can Harry Benjamin make it onto the grid?, presenter Harry Benjamin attempts to secure a place on the grid as Verstappen takes on 100 drivers. The chaos continues in Max Verstappen Overtook Me and 99 Others!, recorded at Silverstone, where Harry and Becky watch Verstappen attempt to overtake 100 go-kart drivers.

The rise of Kimi Antonelli

The emergence of Kimi Antonelli runs through much of the season's analysis. Spanish GP Review: Antonelli On Top Again sees Harry Benjamin, Alice Powell and Rebecca Clancy look back on the Spanish Grand Prix, while Mid-Season Report: Is Kimi Antonelli Top Of The Class? brings Benjamin, Powell and Andrew Benson together to assess the first half of the campaign. Concern over whether Antonelli's hot form can continue is probed in both F1 Super-Subs, the Home Grand Prix Curse and the Backstreet Boys' Driver Band — where Benjamin and Nicola Hume investigate why Antonelli has cause for concern — and Norris' Title Advice, Palmowski on F1 Academy Return & Will Antonelli Drop Off?, which asks whether Antonelli's hot form will continue.

Grands Prix reviewed, one by one

The podcast's traditional race reviews cover the grid's biggest weekends. The Italian Grand Prix at Monza delivers "history" according to Italian GP Review - History at Monza!, with Benjamin, Alex Lynn and Clancy on duty. Belgian GP Race Review: A Tale of Two Mercedes has Benjamin, Sam Bird and Clancy assess what a split-result weekend means for the title fight, while Canadian GP Review: Ecstasy, Agony and Strategy Blunders captures a dramatic race defined by strategic errors and retirements.

Behind the scenes and silly season

Beyond the track, Training Like an F1 Driver with Oscar Piastri steps out of the commentary box and into the gym with the McLaren driver, and F1 Drivers As Teletubbies?! F1's Silly Season Is Here! has Benjamin and Hume dive into the biggest transfer rumours in the sport. A special fan-focused edition, Chequered Flag Extra: 'I Travelled to Every Race for a Season!', brings Izzy Hammond and Benjamin together with superfan Brandon Burgess.

The full collection, including the headline episode on drifting Ferraris, Kimi Raikkonen pranks and supercar collections, is available now on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.