Motor Sport F1 Show with Mark Hughes

Lewis Hamilton's victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix marked a breakthrough for both the Briton and Ferrari, but how much of it is down to the man himself, and how much to a Formula 1 car finally built around his needs?

Mark Hughes and Bryn Lucas dig into the remarkable turnaround of both Hamilton and team principal Fred Vasseur, exploring how the new regulations, bespoke brakes and a complete rethink of Ferrari's set-up philosophy have unlocked a seven-time champion who openly admits he forgot who he was last season.

With Lando Norris warning that Ferrari could "embarrass" Mercedes if they reach engine parity, is the 2026 title fight now truly on?

They also examine the messy fallout from Monaco's pitlane penalty chaos: Alpine's successful appeal has handed Pierre Gasly back his podium, but leaves Oscar Piastri and McLaren with a grievance - and George Russell's bungled stop adds another layer of injustice to an already complicated picture.

Plus, are Mercedes hiding a serious power unit reliability problem? And with a race-free weekend ahead, what does the rest of 2026 hold for Charles Leclerc, who heads to the Red Bull Ring - historically one of his happiest hunting grounds - needing a reset?
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While Lewis Hamilton looked back to his best in Monte Carlo, nothing seemed to go right for Charles Leclerc who ended his Monaco Grand Prix in the wall after a terrible weekend — two years after winning at the circuit.

Mark Hughes and Bryn Lucas discuss the unusual, political situation behind the team-mate discrepancy, involving new brake discs for Hamilton and a different set for Leclerc — which were created to match Hamilton's demands.

They look at F1's decision to award engine upgrade tokens to every manufacturer on the grid bar Red Bull. Is the system really meant to reward the fastest performers?

Plus where has Kimi Antonelli's crushing pace come from after a hit-and-miss 2025 season? And how many more make-or-break races can George Russell fail to win?

More on the stories that really matter, in the latest episode of the Motor Sport F1 Show.

Subscribe now for every weekly episode and tell us what you want to know from Mark. Send us a message on social media or find this podcast at https://go.motorsportmagazine.com/49GnWSV and drop your questions in the comments. He'll answer a selection of the best every week.

Read Mark's column every Wednesday at https://go.motorsportmagazine.com/49GnWSV
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This year's Le Mans 24 Hours really is one to watch and sports car correspondent Gary Watkins is on hand to explain why.

Get up to speed ahead of this weekend's race with his guide on the ten things to watch out for in what could be an epic 94th running of the endurance classic.

And don't miss your chance to win a VIP package at this year's Le Mans Classic. Vote on the best Le Mans victory in the race's history and you'll be entered into the draw: https://go.motorsportmagazine.com/4vm1asl
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Ferrari is favourite to win in Monaco this weekend - and that might just be the start of a Formula 1 title fightback.

Mark Hughes and Bryn Lucas reveal why the team could end the 2026 season with the fastest car, thanks to its innovative aerodynamic features, plus the prospect of two key engine upgrades that promise to put the team at least on a par with Mercedes — and potentially ahead of the current championship leaders.

But all is not well at Maranello, as unexpected rule changes, proposed for next year, could strip away the team's key advantages. Will Ferrari succeed then suffer a double whammy? Can it block the new regulations. All is explored in this latest episode of the Motor Sport F1 Show.

We also look ahead to the Monaco Grand Prix where, in shock news, overtaking could once more be on the cards, giving the polesitter more than usual to worry about. McLaren's celebrating its 1000th grand prix too: don't miss Mark's whistlestop history of the current constructors' champions, plus his view on how Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri compare to its greatest team-mate line-ups.

Plus: your questions answered - what has been the greatest qualifying lap of the 21st century so far? And has one of our viewers come up with the solution to all of F1's current woes?

More on the stories that really matter, in the latest episode of the Motor Sport F1 Show.

Subscribe now for every weekly episode and tell us what you want to know from Mark. Send us a message on social media or find this podcast at https://go.motorsportmagazine.com/49GnWSV and drop your questions in the comments. He'll answer a selection of the best every week.

Read Mark's column every Wednesday at https://go.motorsportmagazine.com/49GnWSV

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George Russell saw the Canadian Grand Prix as a chance to relaunch his F1 world championship campaign but instead his worst fear was realised. Not only did he retire with engine issues, his team-mate Kimi Antonelli was bang on his pace — at one of Russell's strongest circuits.

Mark Hughes and Bryn Lucas explore the gripping Montreal team-mate brawl we saw before Russell bowed out and what it means for a title race which the teenage Antonelli leads by 43 points.

They also take an in-depth look at how the Mercedes team-mates' driving styles differ, including how Antonelli creates extra margin over Russell, but only under specific circumstances in races.

Should Russell despair about his position? Will his greater experience give him the edge over the season? And can Mercedes keep the duo from destroying each other on the track?

All this and more — including Lewis Hamilton looking back to his best in Canada and why this season really could be Max Verstappen's last in Formula 1

Mark also answers your questions on the excitement of Montreal and the fairness of Russell's defence of Antonelli.

More on the stories that really matter, in the latest episode of the Motor Sport F1 Show.

Subscribe now for every weekly episode and tell us what you want to know from Mark. Send us a message on social media or find this podcast at https://go.motorsportmagazine.com/49uvWpY and drop your questions in the comments. He'll answer a selection of the best every week.

Read Mark's column every Wednesday at https://go.motorsportmagazine.com/49uvWpY
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.