logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2022
33m 48s

Spygate: 7. Seeing Red

Bbc Radio 5 Live
About this episode

If the 2007 F1 season is a game of chess, then we’re just one move away from checkmate. But whose piece will fall? Following Alonso’s revelations in Hungary, McLaren is dancing on the ledge - and the FIA know it. With new evidence and new allegations, they summon the team back to Paris for a second hearing, and this time, the risks are even bigger than before – and their rivals Ferrari are ready to strike. Is this the end of the championship for McLaren?

Co-host and script consultant: Sarah Holt

Producers: Matt Nielson and Rosie Stopher

Sound design: Alex Portfelix

Showrunner: Sarah Stolarz

Any questions about this podcast: spygate@bbc.co.uk

Up next
Jan 2023
Spygate: 8. The Winner Takes It All
The 2007 season reaches a nail-biting climax. McLaren and Ferrari are neck-and-neck down the final straight – but Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are at each other’s throats. The World Championship is decided by a single point in a thriller that will go down in F1 history. But ... Show More
31m 32s
Feb 2023
Spygate: Bonus: F1's Technological Evolution
A whopping 17 seasons have passed since the ‘Spygate’ controversy and Lewis Hamilton’s debut rocked F1. That’s a long time in a highly technical sport, so what does F1 look, feel and sound like now? And with Hamilton and Alonso still racing, how has their fierce rivalry fared ove ... Show More
40m 6s
Feb 2023
Spygate: Bonus: Listener Questions
The 2007 Formula 1 season remains a source of high drama and heated debate. With Lewis Hamilton’s stunning debut, his bitter rivalry with Fernando Alonso, and a driver’s championship that went right down to the wire – it’s one of the most controversial in Formula 1 history, with ... Show More
34m 46s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2025
Is Verstappen really a title threat?
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has warned that Max Verstappen is a threat for the drivers' championship, a possibility we evaluate in the latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast.Samarth Kanal and Ben Anderson join Edd Straw to discuss Red Bull's recent progress and ask if the ... Show More
50m 52s
Dec 2024
Qatar Quell
F1 or Hunger Games Catching Fire? You decide!! The girlies are fighting like usual, the sport may be corrupt (allegedly - don't come for us) and we're still all super confused about the penalties. One more race to go after this and who is going to take the drivers championship?? ... Show More
53m 51s
May 2025
McLaren's tyre secrets in the spotlight, Sainz Sr's FIA Presidential bid, and more
McLaren’s tyre-management strengths have been a major talking point in F1 recently, with the FIA recently clearing its design following a detailed inspection after the Miami Grand Prix. The latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast delves into this. Jon Noble and Ben Anderson join Ed ... Show More
46m 30s
Apr 2022
Fernando Alonso: Prince of Darkness AKA This Guy Blackmailed His Own Team
Notebooks and pencils out, vankers, cause class is in session! This week Matt and Brian dive DEEP into the Ferrari/McLaren "Spygate" scandal and how Alonso's frustration almost obliterated the entire economy of Woking, England. And for all you Gen Z-ers out there, we give a 101 o ... Show More
1h 35m
Apr 2019
Ferrari’s team orders headache
Michael Lamonato from the F1 Strategy Report Podcast joins Ben Anderson and Edd Straw to discuss the challenge of managing Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc – as well as to analyse the performance and racing trends of the season so far. Sign up to IGP Manager here https://igp ... Show More
1h 2m
May 2025
The latest twist in Red Bull and McLaren's off-track battle
In this episode, we tackle the latest technical intrigue between Red Bull and McLaren and look ahead to the potential for an upset in the Monaco Grand Prix.Scott Mitchell-Malm and Ben Anderson join Edd Straw to explain the real story behind the technical directives that were issu ... Show More
53m 45s
Jun 2024
Will Red Bull Get Caught?
<p>Spanners and Trumpets are joined by tech guru Matthew Somerfield, technical editor at Motorsport.Com as they visually inspect all the dog gears in their F1 transmission! From Mercedes’ latest updates to Red Bull’s quandary to the real problem affecting several F1 teams, no aer ... Show More
1h 26m
Jul 2022
FRENCH GP RECAP: We're Being Gaslit by Ferrari
There's some unpacking trauma vibes in the first half of the pod and you can thank Ferrari for that BECAUSE THEY KEEP MASSACRING OUR BOY CHARLES LECLERC!!! But the energy shifts once the guys start comparing Mick Schumacher to a potty-trained puppy. We also cover KMag's viking sh ... Show More
1h 14m
Oct 2025
Red Bull-McLaren tape shenanigans: Storm in a teacup or a sign of heightening tension?
After Red Bull were fined for a pre-race rules breach in Austin, which involved a team member attempting to interfere with a strip of tape McLaren had placed on the pitwall as a grid slot reference for Lando Norris, we ask if the incident marks the revival of the fractious relati ... Show More
52m 25s