Why do F1 cars need a pre-race warm-up? How do drivers master the streets of Monaco? Why does pole position swap sides at different circuits?

These are just some of the questions we're answering in our latest quickfire special. Christian Hewgill is joined by Alex Jacques - F1TV commentator and lover of Canadian cuisine.

Also answered: what do F1 drivers mean when they ask their team for 'more power'? What happens when tyres start 'graining'? Why is damaging a rear wing a race-ending incident?

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• F1 Nation's Monaco GP Preview with Jolyon Palmer and James Hinchcliffe - right here on this feed
• F1 Beyond The Grid has in-depth interviews with F1 stars

Tom Clarkson is joined by former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe to look ahead to this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

After Canada, Lewis Hamilton said he thinks Ferrari will be strong in Monaco. So, could this be the first Grand Prix of 2026 that Mercedes don’t win? Are Ferrari the favourites in Monte Carlo?

Jolyon, Hinch and Tom discuss the Scuderia’s chances and what mindset Charles Leclerc is in before his home race, after describing Canada as the ‘most difficult weekend of my Formula 1 career’.

With Kimi Antonelli looking for a fifth win in a row to extend his 43-point championship lead, where has he made a step forward in 2026? And do we need to rethink how we view George Russell’s performances against his Mercedes teammate?

The guys also react to the announcement that Gucci will become Alpine’s title sponsor in 2027. And we look back in the archives to commemorate Jolyon’s first F1 race in Monaco 10 years ago.

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It's race week. You've got a flight to catch. You need to score points this weekend or you might lose your seat. Fans want selfies at the airport. Your engineer needs your thoughts on car set-up. A pundit just said something about you on a podcast. Your Team Principal is calling you...

This is the high-pressure life of a Formula 1 driver. To cope, they need to be mentally strong. How do they train their brains to handle the demands of racing at the very top, and who helps keep their minds in shape?

Christian puts your questions on this to an expert on how F1 drivers' brains work. Dr Tommy Wood is Lead Scientist for Motorsport at Hintsa Performance - a company which provides coaches and sports psychologists for many drivers on the grid.

Tommy tells us how F1 drivers block out distractions and focus on their on-track performance and explains the coaching which helps them do it. Does age affect a driver's mental abilities? And do off-track friendships between drivers have an effect when battling wheel-to-wheel?

F1 Explains is here to answer your F1 questions
Send emails or voice notes to F1Explains@F1.com

Listen to more Official F1 Podcasts
In-depth conversations with big F1 names on F1 Beyond The Grid

Expert opinion every race weekend on F1 Nation - find the latest episode here on this podcast feed

This November, F1 takes over Las Vegas
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