Performance People

What does it take to prepare a Formula 1 world champion to perform at the very highest level?
In this episode of Performance People, Georgie Ainslie sits down with elite performance coach and physio Bradley Scanes, whose work in Formula 1 included training and supporting Max Verstappen through the relentless physical, mental and logistical demands of the sport. Bradley explains what an F1 driver’s off-season really looks like, from structured downtime after Abu Dhabi to the intense six-to-seven-week pre-season block where every detail counts. He breaks down the extraordinary fitness demands of driving at the top level, from neck strength and reaction speed to cardio conditioning, heat tolerance, recovery, hydration and jet lag management. He also shares what his role on race weekends actually involved: not just physical preparation, but creating the calm, focused environment that allows a driver to perform when the pressure is greatest.
The conversation then shifts from the world of Formula 1 to a challenge many listeners will relate to far more directly: marathon running. Bradley explains why running can be such an effective and accessible form of exercise, why many fears around damage to the knees are overstated, and what really causes most running injuries. He talks through what it takes to break the four-hour marathon barrier, why consistency matters more than anything clever or complicated, and why amateurs should think in terms of months of sensible build-up rather than quick-fix plans. The discussion also explores the mental side of endurance training, the reality of hitting the wall, and the importance of trust between coach and athlete, whether you’re preparing for a Grand Prix or your first marathon.
From world-class basics to world championship standards, this is a fascinating conversation about performance, recovery, preparation and doing the work that most people never see.

00:00 Intro
00:16 Inside Max Verstappen’s world with performance coach Bradley Scanes
00:35 What Formula 1 can teach us about elite preparation
01:04 The off-season: how Max Verstappen resets after a campaign
03:47 The brutal physical training demands of Formula 1
07:01 How drivers train reaction speed, focus and decision-making
09:39 Why championships are built in pre-season
12:02 Bradley Scanes on supporting Max Verstappen on race weekends
14:09 The sleep, jet lag and recovery battle in Formula 1
17:40 Why marathon running is more achievable than most people think
20:23 The truth about breaking the 4-hour marathon barrier
26:36 Why trust is the secret ingredient in elite coaching
28:11 Outro
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The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.
________________________________
ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.
We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com
________________________________
Connect with Performance People

Hit subscribe today for the latest.
🎧 Spotify/Apple Music

http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/
https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/
________________________________
The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.
This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.
© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Premier League footballer Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu joins Performance People to talk about the injury crisis that nearly ended his career at 17, the natural recovery blend his father created to help him heal, and how that personal turning point became the foundation for his wellness business, The Turmeric Co.
In this episode, Thomas reflects on chronic pain, elite sport, recovery, entrepreneurship, preventative health, and why he believes the future of healthcare should focus far more on education and prevention than treatment alone.
In this episode:
* The career-threatening knee injuries that changed everything
* Why conventional anti-inflammatories caused more problems
* How his father developed the original turmeric blend at home
* The six-week turning point that helped him return to football
* Building The Turmeric Co from a kitchen recipe into a serious business
* The challenges of manufacturing, shelf life and retail growth
* Why Thomas believes recovery is the foundation of performance
* His bigger vision for preventative health in the UK

00:00 The vision behind The Turmeric Co
00:39 Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu’s defining moment
01:16 Two ACL ruptures by 17
03:46 Living with chronic pain
04:47 Searching for a natural solution
06:27 The library research behind the blend
08:02 Creating the first homemade shot
10:41 Pain-free in six weeks
12:23 From home remedy to business
14:15 Rejected by manufacturers
16:20 Building production from scratch
17:39 The first life-changing testimonial
20:52 Scaling The Turmeric Co
25:11 A vision for the NHS
28:56 What recovery means now
________________________________
The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.
________________________________
ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.
We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com
________________________________
Connect with Performance People
Hit subscribe today for the latest.
🎧 Spotify/Apple Music
http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/
https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/
________________________________
The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.
This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.
© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oisin Murphy is one of the most successful jockeys of his generation, a x5 Champion Jockey whose career has been defined by brilliance, pressure, relapse, recovery and an unrelenting pursuit of winning.
In this episode of Performance People, Oisin speaks with rare honesty about the reality behind elite success. He reflects on the horse that changed everything for him, Roaring Lion, and explains why winning major titles has never brought the sense of fulfilment people assume it should. He opens up about the mental strain of race riding, his obsession with strike rate, the exhausting demands of making weight, and the psychological cost of constantly trying to stay at the top.
Most strikingly, Oisin talks candidly about alcohol, blackout drinking, sobriety and the damage addiction caused in both his personal and professional life. He explains why his 2025 comeback title mattered so much, how he felt people had had enough of him, and why proving people wrong became part of the fuel behind that season.
Oisin's book: Sacrifice: A Year in the Life of a Champion Jockey - available now

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:58 Why 2018 Changed Everything
01:23 Roaring Lion and the Horse That Made Him
08:24 Why the Book Is Called Sacrifice
10:51 The Reality of Riding 1,000 Horses a Year
13:45 Why Being a Jockey Is So Unforgiving
15:49 The Obsession With Strike Rate
18:21 Alcohol, Blackouts and Hitting Rock Bottom
23:52 How He’s Approaching Sobriety Differently
27:16 Why Sobriety Made Him a Better Rider
30:03 Why He’s Already Thinking About Retirement
39:36 Why Winning the Champion Jockey Title Brings No Joy
42:10 The 2025 Comeback Title and Proving People Wrong
53:54 The One Race He Still Dreams of Winning
________________________________
The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.
________________________________
ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.
We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com
________________________________
Connect with Performance People
Hit subscribe today for the latest.
🎧 Spotify/Apple Music
http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/
https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/
________________________________
The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.
This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.
© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your brain is the most trainable organ in your body. So why aren't you training it?
This week on Performance People, we sit down with Dr Tommy Wood, neuroscientist, researcher, and performance scientist who has worked at the highest levels of motorsport, including Formula 1 through HINSTA Performance. If you want to understand how the world's elite athletes keep their edge, this is the episode.
Dr Tommy has just released his lates book, The Stimulated Mind, and the conversation does not disappoint. We're talking cognitive performance, dementia prevention, the neuroscience of elite sport, and why up to 70% of dementias could be preventable.
We get into:
* Why 45–70% of dementias are preventable, and what you can do about it right now
* The truth about multitasking (spoiler: your brain literally cannot do it)
* How F1 legends like Hamilton and Alonso use crystallised intelligence to outperform teammates half their age
* What elite athletes understand about brain recovery that most people never will
* Why AI could be quietly shrinking your cognitive capacity and how to push back
* The Norwegian 4x4 protocol and why six months of HIIT can protect your hippocampus for five years
* Social media, dopamine, and how to curate your feed like a high performer
* The 3S Model, Stimulus, Supply, Support, your blueprint for a sharper brain at any age
Dr Tommy Wood works with Formula 1 teams through HINSTA Performance, one of the world's leading high-performance health organisations. His insights bridge elite sport science and everyday brain health in a way that will change how you think about performance, literally.

00:00 Introduction
02:10 Is Dementia Really Preventable?
05:50 Genetics vs Lifestyle — The APOE4 Reality
10:23 Can the Brain Improve With Age?
13:20 The Exercise Formula for Brain Performance
18:21 Recovery, Sleep & Cognitive Overload
20:32 Why the Brain Cannot Multitask
23:41 Social Media, Dopamine & Attention Collapse
27:47 AI, Creativity & The “Google Effect”
45:34 GPS, Taxi Drivers & Spatial Intelligence
48:29 What Elite Athletes Understand About the Brain
55:58 The Owl Experiment & The 3S Model
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The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday. Hit subscribe and don't miss an episode.
________________________________
ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.
We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com
________________________________
Connect with Performance People
Hit subscribe today for the latest.
🎧 Spotify/Apple Music
http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/
https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/
________________________________
The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.
This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.
© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Elie Abirached: Nature Over Bio-Hacking Tech
Longevity expert Dr. Elie Abirached shares his journey from war-torn 1980s Lebanon to pioneering bio-hacker and Harvard researcher. Despite having access to every cutting-edge device; hyperbaric chambers, infrared saunas, PEMF therapy, he reveals why nature, community, and purpose remain the most powerful longevity tools.
In this conversation, Dr. Abirached challenges the "one thing" mentality in health optimisation, shares the Harvard study findings on happiness, and explains his non-negotiable daily practices that keep his biological age well below his chronological age.
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00:00 Cold Open – “Nature Is the Most Powerful Biohack”
00:39 Introducing Dr Elie: Biohacking & Longevity
02:15 Growing Up in Lebanon – Trauma & Self-Preservation
05:10 Losing Both Parents to Cancer – The Power of Purpose
07:10 The Harvard Happiness Study Explained
08:53 Blue Zones, Purpose & Why We Overcomplicate Longevity
11:12 Why Biohacking Must Be Geographically Relevant
14:30 Social Media, AI & The Future of Health Optimisation
18:00 Becoming a “Limitless Human” – Where to Start
21:40 The Recovery Crisis – Why Most People Are Under-Recovered
26:46 The “Three Body Problem” – Physical, Mental & Recovery Balance
30:45 Sleep Is the Ultimate Performance Tool
33:50 Wearables, CGMs & Avoiding Data Obsession
36:30 Circadian Rhythm – The Simplest Longevity Lever
39:00 Building the Ultimate Longevity Toolkit
43:06 The Future of Biohacking & Living With Purpose
44:52 Final Reflections & Practical Takeaways
________________________________
The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.
________________________________
ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.
We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com
________________________________
Connect with Performance People

Hit subscribe today for the latest.
🎧 Spotify/Apple Music

http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/
https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/
________________________________
The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.
This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.
© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.