Sidepodcast

• Length: 24:13 
• Size: 22.3 MB 
• File: ancillaryomnibus1.mp3 
• Transcript: ancillaryomnibus1.pdf 
• Torrent: Coming soon 

The omnibus edition of the Ancillary F1 series, looking closer at companies that help Formula 1 operate but never get any of the glory.

Here are the links to the individual show notes:

1. Bridgestone
2. McLaren Electronic Systems
3. Tilke Engineering
4. Mercedes Support Vehicles
5. Météo-France
6. Philips Lighting
7. RTV

This is the first series of Ancillary F1, I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any suggestions for future companies or feedback about the ones covered above, I’d love to hear from you.

• Length: 3:10 
• Size: 3.0 MB 
• File: ancillary7.mp3 
• Transcript: ancillary7.pdf 
• Torrent: ancillary7.torrent 

Welcome to the last episode in the mini series Ancillary F1, where we take a look at the supportive companies involved with the sport, those not directly competing. Today we’re looking at television production house RTV.

RTV GmbH was founded in 1995 by Oliver Bauss in Stuttgart. He had been working for the German TV company RTL, who had the F1 rights at the time, and Bauss was a motorsport fan in his own right. With an interest in racing, he soon realised there was a gap in the market for behind the scenes broadcast footage, and he setup RTV.

The company’s first partner was Allianz, who sponsor Williams, and their first commission was to produce a series of programmes about how F1 has helped to improve passenger safety in road cars.

Their clientele, and capabilities improved over the years and now they broadcast a wide range of Formula 1 related packages. They are probably best known for Inside Grand Prix, which is a half hour programme, covering technical information, historical pieces, behind the scenes footage and personnel profiles. The programme has been running since 2001 and is currently broadcast in 55 countries across the world.

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• Length: 3:11 
• Size: 3.1 MB 
• File: ancillary6.mp3 
• Transcript: ancillary6.pdf 
• Torrent: ancillary6.torrent 

Welcome to Ancillary F1, the mini series from Sidepodcast that takes a closer look at supporting companies, those that are involved in the sport but not directly competing. Today we’re looking at Philips Lighting.

This year saw the introduction of Formula 1’s first ever night race, and Philips Lighting got the chance to illuminate the event. The company has great experience in brightening up sporting events, with their first foray into stadium floodlights about 60 years ago. Philips, based in the Netherlands, but a multinational corporation, are involved in all aspects of technology, including healthcare, electronics and as we now know, lighting. The company already has some involvement in Formula 1, as Philips Shavers are a prominent sponsor of the Williams team. They have recently announced an expansion of the sponsorship, meaning the entire Consumer Lifestyle section will be on board, their name will appear on the teams clothing, and they’ll have promotional rights with Rosberg and Nakajima. However, the company has more to offer the sport than money alone and thus Philips Lighting took the next step.

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• Length: 3:40 
• Size: 3.5 MB 
• File: ancillary5.mp3 
• Transcript: ancillary5.pdf 
• Torrent: ancillary5.torrent 

Welcome to the Sidepodcast Mini Series Ancillary F1. Already this series we’ve had a look at Bridgestone, Mercedes and Tilke Engineering, and today it’s the turn of another company who help the world of Formula 1 without ever taking home a trophy.

Météo-France is the official national meteorological service in France, and is the weather data supplier for Formula 1 teams. The organisation has been in existence since 1993, with headquarters in Paris, and funds most of it’s 300 million Euro budget with state grants, royalties, and commercial services.

One of those commercial services began in alliance with Toyota. In 1997, the team manager of Toyota was Ange Pasquali, and he brought Météo-France on board to provide weather information for Le Mans. The company soon progressed onto Formula 1.

Eight of the teams currently contribute towards the cost of the weather service, although when the FIA discussed a potential increase in the cost of Formula 1 entry fees recently, it was suggested that teams pay for the system in it’s entirety and estimated its annual cost at 485,000EUR per year.

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• Length: 3:40 
• Size: 3.5 MB 
• File: ancillary4.mp3 
• Transcript: ancillary4.pdf 
• Torrent: ancillary4.torrent 

Welcome to the Sidepodcast mini-series Ancillary F1. This series is all about the companies the sport couldn’t live without, but who get none of the glory. Today, though, we’re looking at a company who do provide a car and sometimes take part in races.

Mercedes Benz have been providing the Official Safety Car to Formula 1 since 1996, along with the Official F1 Medical Car. The Safety Cars services are called upon when weather conditions, or an accident, mean that drivers shouldn’t be running at full speed. Since 2000, Bernd Mayländer has been the man behind the wheel of the safety car, with a co-pilot by his side. The pair are in constant contact with race director Charlie Whiting, to determine when the car is needed and when it should pull aside.

Since 1978, and Ronnie Petersen’s fatal accident, the medical car has been dispatched behind the grid on the first lap of the race. The first is notoriously the most incident prone lap, so it makes sense for medical attention to be as close as possible. At the end of the first lap, the medical team pull into the pit lane, ready for any further call to action. There are four personnel manning the medical car, Dr Jacques Tropenat, Dr Gary Hartstein, and two assistants.

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• Length: 3:29 
• Size: 3.3 MB 
• File: ancillary1.mp3 
• Transcript: ancillary1.pdf 
• Torrent: ancillary1.torrent 

Welcome to the first episode of the Sidepodcast mini-series: Ancillary F1. This series aims to look a little bit closer at the companies involved in Formula 1, the names you might hear around the paddock, but that aren’t directly competing. Today we’re looking at Bridgestone.

Bridgestone’s origins began, believe it or not, as a footwear company. Shojiro and Tokujiro Ishibashi started putting rubber soles on shoes back in the 1920s and they soon worked their way up to rubber tyres. The name comes from the English translation of Ishibashi – which means stone bridge. They reversed it, and the company flourished.

Despite the war, Bridgestone survived, and in 1950 they made a deal with Goodyear to once more enter the tyre industry. In the 70s, the automotive industry went through a massive boom, and by the 80s, Bridgestone was becoming a worldwide brand. Towards the end of the 80s, they bought out Firestone, who were already running tyres in Formula 1.

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• Length: 30:13 
• Size: 27.7 MB 
• File: peopleomnibus2.mp3 
• Transcript: peopleomnibus2.pdf 
• Torrent: peopleomnibus2.torrent 

Welcome to F1 People - Series 2. This is the omnibus edition of the series, which was seven short shows originally released over seven consecutive days. Now they are all gathered up in one place for easy listening.

Here are the links to the individual show notes:

1. Colin Chapman
2. Niki Lauda
3. Murray Walker
4. Eddie Irvine
5. Jean Alesi
6. Adrian Newey
7. Juan Manuel Fangio

This is the first omnibus edition we’ve tried, the idea came from a suggestion on Facebook by Dave Monks. I’d love to have your feedback - is it useful to have the information presented this way, or is it just clogging up your feeds with the same shows twice? Also if you missed a mini series, do you think this would be a good way to catch up or are the seven separate shows easier?

• Length: 3:36 
• Size: 3.4 MB 
• File: forgotten2.mp3 
• Transcript: forgotten2.pdf 
• Torrent: forgotten2.torrent 

You’re listening to Sidepodcast and this is our latest mini series, Forgotten F1 Teams. It’s all very well talking about BMW, Honda and Williams, but there are teams out there who are important to the history of F1, and yet are not very well known. Sidepodcast wants to address this problem. Yesterday we talked about Simtek, today it’s the turn of Pacific Grand Prix.

Pacific had been around for a while, racing in some of the lower categories, and they’d done a pretty good job. Team boss Keith Wiggins had experience of racing and as a mechanic, and the moment he set up his team, he had acquired sponsorship from Marlboro, signed up a good Norwegian driver, and secured entry into the Formula Ford championships.

The progression was slow but steady, through F2, Formula Ford, F3, and F3000. Pacific’s final year in F3000 saw familiar name David Coulthard driving for them, fighting for the title. He didn’t manage it, however, and Wiggins set his sights on another, more exciting championship – Formula 1. The original aim was to participate in the 1993 championship, but a recession delayed the entry for a year. However, when 1994 arrived, it was full steam ahead. Engine supplier Ilmor were providing a pair of two year old engines, and Wiggins was using some of the leftovers of another failed F1 entry. Early testing signs were not good, the engine didn’t seem to be able to cope, and the chassis had structural problems, but at the opening round in Brazil, Pacific out-qualified Simtek with one of their cars. They only managed three laps of the race before a collision, but this was progress.

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• Length: 4:24 
• Size: 4.1 MB 
• File: people10.mp3 
• Transcript: people10.pdf 
• Torrent: people10.torrent 

Welcome to F1 People, a mini series of short shows chronicling the lives of important people in the world of Formula 1. Today we’re going to look at Murray Walker, not a traditional F1 People subject, but an important one nonetheless.

Graeme Murray Walker was born on the 10th October 1923 in Birmingham, England. His father raced motorcycles professionally before the war, and was pretty good at it. Murray’s father also became a commentator for the BBC, working with them for 31 years. Walker decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, trying out the motorcycling route but realising he was never going to be as good as he wanted to be. At a particular race in 1949, his father was preparing to do the commentary, but had to step down at the last minute. Walker stepped in, and was overheard by a BBC producer in the crowd. He was invited for a commentating audition ahead of a Goodwood meeting, and got the job instantly.

Walker also took over his father’s role as motorcycle commentating when he died in 1962.
Whilst commentating on the race weekends here and there, Walker made ends meet by starting a career in marketing. His creative flair saw him promoted through an advertising agency, and this double life suited him. He worked on occasional F1 commentaries until the late 1970s, and in 1978 he was given the job full time.

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