F1 Explains: pit crews + 'straights' vs 'straightaways' - with James Hinchliffe + Calum Nicholas

F1 Explains: pit crews + 'straights' vs 'straightaways' - with James Hinchliffe + Calum Nicholas

August 27, 2026 · 27 min

About this episode

Calum Nicholas and James Hinchcliffe discuss F1 pit crews, the cost cap, and F1 terminology.

He spent more than a decade in the F1 pit lane, winning multiple World Championships and seven consecutive DHL Fastest Pit Stop Awards, but former Red Bull Racing mechanic Calum Nicholas has never faced your Formula 1 questions... until now! Calum joins IndyCar race-winner James Hinchcliffe and Christian Hewgill to explain what pit crew members do when they're not changing tyres, how they know to be ready for a stop, and why their every move in the garage is being watched by the sport's rule-makers, the FIA. Hinch gives us a guide to the cost cap which limits how much teams can spend. Then, in a new and unlikely-to-be-repeated feature, we translate F1 terminology to that used in North American racing. Get your question answered on the podcast Send it to F1Explains@F1.com Want more Hinch? He's one of many big names on F1 Beyond The Grid And he gives his expert opinion on F1 Nation

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