And Colossally That's History!
And Colossally That's History! is a podcast that delves into the dramatic events, epic stories, and larger-than-life figures that have shaped motor racing history. Hosts Matt Bishop and Richard Williams explore topics ranging from Grand Prix racing's use as Nazi propaganda to how Ayrton Senna's death transformed modern Formula 1. The show offers new insights and perspectives on how motor racing evolved from a niche pastime into a multi-billion-dollar global sport.
Episodes
The tragic coronations of America's only F1 champions, Hill and Andretti
For the season finale of And Colossally That's History, Matt and Richard tell the twin stories of Phil Hill and Mario Andretti; two American drivers who couldn't have been more different, but who'll be forever linked by the eerily similar, eerily tragic similarities between their crowning moments.There were 17 years between Phil Hill becoming America’s first F1 world champion at Monza in 1961 and
20+ hours at the wheel - 6 of the craziest Le Mans drives
As we near the end of another marathon year of motor racing, Matt and Richard thought it was the perfect time to reminisce about marathon performances at motor racing’s most celebrated test of endurance, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.Over the course of the episode, Matt and Richard tell the tales of six drivers who spent at least 20 hours (and in one case all 24 hours!) at the wheel during a single 24-h
The Triple Crown champion - Remembering Graham Hill
On the latest episode of And Colossally That’s History, Matt Bishop and Richard Williams raise a glass to Graham Hill, killed 50 years ago this week, along with five members of his team, in a light aircraft crash.Hill was just 46 years old at the time, and he left behind not only a wife and a young family but a sizeable void in the sport of motor racing. Matt and Richard describe how despite
Robert Kubica - The lost champion of F1’s modern era
On the latest episode of And Colossally That's History, Matt and Richard reflect on the career of Robert Kubica, regarded by many as the lost champion of F1’s modern era.They describe Robert's path to F1, when he battled - and often beat - fellow future grand prix stars Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in karting, before his dazzling debut races with BMW-Sauber.Kubica's dramatic pair of Canadian GP
The highs and lows of Honda's rollercoaster F1 journey
The latest episode of And Colossally That’s History tells the rollercoaster story of Honda’s involvement in Formula 1.Join Matt Bishop and Richard Williams as they explain how founder Soichuro Honda’s deep love of motor racing led him to enter a car in F1 in 1964, barely a year after the first Honda road car had left the factory.The Japanese team’s early forays into Grand Prix racing - met with sc
Jack Brabham's unique achievement - and why it'll never be matched
On this week’s Colossally, Matt and Richard reappraise the career of a driver whose unique achievement in winning the F1 world championship in a self-built machine bearing his own name will likely stand in eternity: Sir Jack Brabham.In debates around F1’s greatest driver, Black Jack’s name doesn’t always come up, despite his three world titles - but should it? That’s one of the topics of conversat
Brazil 2008: The title showdown that had it all
As F1 2025 heads towards a spectacular conclusion, we wind the clock back to arguably the greatest title showdown of them all, which happened 17 years ago this coming Sunday: Brazil 2008.It's a race that hosts Matt Bishop and Richard Williams were both in attendance for, affording us a unique perspective to look back on what happened, with Matt and Richard recalling how events played out through t
The amazing story of F1’s craziest track - and why grand prix racing never went back
Pescara, a seaside town halfway down Italy’s Adriatic coast, stands proudly in the record books for having been home to the longest track ever used in Formula 1.Made up of 15.9 miles of country roads, the circuit of Pescara only hosted one world championship-status Grand Prix, in 1957, but it’s significance was mighty - as Matt Bishop and Richard Williams (who literally wrote the book on the Pesca
Adrian Newey: The making of an F1 design genius
Today, Adrian Newey is widely recognised as an F1 design genius, with his cars having been driven to 14 drivers’ world titles, 12 constructors’ titles, and more than 220 Grand Prix victories. But where did his extraordinary talent for designing (and engineering) racing cars come from? That’s the topic of the latest episode of And Colossally That’s History, which delves into the roots of Newey
The Bruce McLaren story: A life measured in achievement, not in years alone
Colossally is back, and Matt and Richard are kicking off season 4 with an in-depth look at the extraordinary life of Bruce McLaren, the man who founded and gave his name to this year's constructors' world champions, but who possibly remains a bit of an enigma to some modern F1 fans, having died in 1970.In this episode we trace Bruce's remarkable journey to motor racing immortality, explaining how
Coming soon - And Colossally That's History: Season 4!
If you’ve missed your weekly fix of Colossally, fear not because Matt and Richard will shortly return with Season 4 of the podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Motor racing’s first superstar: The legend of Tazio Nuvolari
On the final episode of season 3, Richard and Matt wax lyrical about a driver whose name might be unfamiliar to many motor racing fans, but who could be regarded as the sport's first bonafide superstar: Tazio Nuvolari.Matt and Richard explain how, in the pre-war era of Grand Prix racing, Nuvolari became the embodiment of everything a racing driver was supposed to be: A virtuoso and a daredevi
Mika Hakkinen: F1's 'luckiest' champion?
On this week's episode of And Colossally That's History! Richard Williams and Matt Bishop look back on the career of Mika Hakkinen, and in particular how he was able to overcome - thanks to a considerable slice of good luck - the devastating crash in 1995 that so nearly took his life to become a double Formula 1 world champion. Along the way, Matt and Richard explain what made Hakkinen - widely re
Lotus 72: The car that changed F1 forever
On the latest episode of And Colossally That's History! Richard and Matt are reappraising the legacy of one of F1's most enduring cars: The Lotus 72.Named by no less than Adrian Newey as the car he wishes he'd designed, the 72 was a revolutionary machine in Formula 1 terms, setting the template, as it did, for all F1 cars that would follow.It was also one of the longest-serving and most successful
Silverstone 1950: The amazing stories behind the very first world championship F1 race
On this week’s episode of And Colossally That’s History! Matt and Richard wind the clock back to 1950, as they reappraise the very first race of the F1 world championship era, which took place at Silverstone on May 13. Along the way, they look at the origins of the term ‘Formula 1’, dig into the debate over where the first race run to Formula 1 regulations actually took place, and explain why
Eddie Jordan: F1’s biggest overachiever?
On this week’s episode, Matt and Richard look back on the life and career of Eddie Jordan, who very sadly died of cancer, on March 20th this year, at the age of 76. For the generation who grew up on F1 in the 1990s and 2000s, Eddie was the most charismatic team boss in the game, and it was hard not to cheer for his underdog squad when they landed several big punches on the chins of their much
F1's infamous 'crashgate' scandal
On this week’s episode, Matt and Richard look back at the controversial ‘crashgate’ scandal, when it emerged that the Renault driver Nelson Piquet Junior deliberately crashed during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to hand a major sporting advantage to his team-mate, Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the race.Matt and Richard look at the origins of the saga, peak into the murkiness around who came
The quickest driver in F1 history? Jim Clark remembered
On the latest episode of Colossally, join Matt Bishop and Richard Williams as they reappraise the life and career of a driver regarded by many as the quickest to ever sit in a Formula 1 car: Jim Clark.A double world champion in the 1960s and STILL to this day the driver with the most 'grand slam' grand prix weekends (pole, victory, fastest lap, every racing lap led), Clark was widely considered am
Back from the brink: How Frank Williams survived (and his team thrived) in 1986
Today, Williams are a mainstay on the Formula 1 grid and one of the most successful teams in Formula 1 history, having amassed nine constructors’ world championships, seven drivers’ world championships, and 114 grand prix victories. But it all could have been so different.Ahead of the 1986 season, team boss Frank Williams had a devastating car crash which left him paralysed and fighting for his li
Enzo Ferrari: The uncompromising path to F1 immortality (Part 2)
Matt Bishop and Richard Williams return with part two of their two-part mini series on the life and legacy of one of motorsport’s most important and enduring individuals: Enzo Ferrari.They finished the last episode at the point that Ferrari won its very first world championship Formula 1 race - the British Grand Prix in 1951. In this episode they’ll guide you through the Fifties, Sixties, Seventie
Enzo Ferrari: From middling racing driver to winning constructor (Part 1)
Ferrari is the most famous and celebrated marque in motorsport, and one of the most recognisable brands in the world - but how much do you really know about its founder, Enzo Ferrari?If your answer to that question is 'very little' then help is at hand, because Season 3 of And Colossally That's History! is kicking off with a double header of Enzo episodes!On this first episode, Matt Bishop and Enz
Bernie Ecclestone: His three decades as F1’s most powerful man (Part 2)
Matt and Richard round off season 2 of the pod with the second half of our mini-series on Bernie Ecclestone, the man who, as F1's long-term commercial rights holder, did more than anyone else to turn the sport into the global spectacle it is today.Having charted his rise to power in part 1, on this episode, Matt and Richard reappraise what life was like with Bernie ruling the F1 paddock, for the m
Bernie Ecclestone: His rise from used car salesman to F1 supremo (Part 1)
We're rounding off season 2 of And Colossally That's History with a two-part mini-series on none other than Bernie Ecclestone, who, as Formula 1’s commercial rights holder, was F1’s most powerful individual for nearly 40 years. Matt and Richard discuss his humble origins, how he built his reputation and wealth in the used car and motorcycle trade, his early exploits in racing, and how he came to m
Moss vs Hawthorn: The race to be Britain’s first F1 champion
As many as 10 British drivers have become world champion since the inauguration of the Formula 1 world championship in 1950, but only one had the distinction of being the first person from his country to do so.On today's episode of Colossally, Matt and Richard discuss the battle to become Britain's first F1 world champion, which occurred in 1958 and boiled down to a straight fight between two very
France's 'golden generation' of Formula 1 race winners
The latest episode of Colossally has a distinctly French flavour, as Matt and Richard look back on a golden age of French Formula 1 drivers.Believe it or not, having endured a 13-year winless drought in Formula 1 between 1958 and 1971, France then produced 10 different F1 winners in 11 seasons in the 1970s and early 1980s - a remarkable achievement for the country that gave rise to Grand Prix raci
Three races that explain the genius of Gilles Villeneuve
On this episode, Matt and Richard explore the genius of one of Formula 1's most celebrated drivers: Gilles Villeneuve.The unassuming French-Canadian only won six Grands Prix in his all-too-short career, but his reputation remains up there with the very best, and his legacy still looms large over the sport, not least because of his artistry behind the wheel and pure love of racing.To help reapprais
American F1 teams - the good, the bad and the ugly
With Andretti Global still trying (and currently failing) to gain a place on the F1 grid, Matt and Richard thought it was high time to look back at the American teams that have come and gone from Grand Prix motor racing over the years.They tell the tale of the American upstarts who shocked the French establishment in the 1920s, explain the story of the billionaire named Lance (no, not that one) wh
Equalling Enzo: When McLaren won Le Mans at the first attempt
On this episode, Matt and Richard wind the clock back to 1995 when McLaren shocked the sportscar establishment by winning the Le Mans 24 hours at its first attempt.The guys reflect on McLaren's sportcar heritage, the origins and incredible pedigree of the organisation's somewhat confusingly named 'McLaren F1' road car, and why the Le Mans project came at a good time for the beleaguered Formula 1 o
The making of 'Grand Prix' - the movie that took F1 to the masses
This week Matt and Richard are winding the clock back to 1966 - a year when the worlds of Formula 1 and Hollywood collided with the on-location production of John Frankenheimer’s epic movie Grand Prix.The film has received mixed reviews over the years, but what made it so interesting for motor racing fans back then - and what makes it such compelling viewing for modern fans today - is that althoug
From horror crash to heroic return: Niki Lauda's incredible Monza comeback
On this episode of the pod, Matt and Richard tell the remarkable story of Niki Lauda’s Monza comeback in 1976, which came just 40 days after the horrific F1 crash at the Nurburgring that nearly killed him.It was described at the time by Jackie Stewart as “the most courageous thing I’ve ever witnessed in sport” - and all these years later, the nature of the comeback remains unparalleled in sporting
Spygate - The scandal that shook F1 to its core
And Colossally That's History! - the podcast that reappraises motor racing history - is back for a second season!In episode 1, join Matt Bishop and Richard Williams as they embark on a critical reexamination of the remarkable Formula 1 'spygate' scandal of 2007, which centred around the transfer of confidential technical information between two engineers from F1’s biggest and most historic teams,
Coming soon… And Colossally That’s History! - Season 2
Attention fans of motor racing history: Matt Bishop and Richard Williams will be returning shortly with Season 2 of And Colossally That's History! Join them as they take an unadulterated look at the earth-shattering events, epic sagas and huge characters that have shaped the sport's past.Season 2 begins with a bang, with a critical reexamination of the remarkable Formula 1 'spygate' scandal of 200
James Hunt and Hesketh: The serious racers behind the playboy image
On this episode (the final episode in season 1 of the podcast) Matt and Richard tell the tale of James Hunt and Hesketh Racing - perhaps the ultimate underdog success story in Formula 1 history. They explain how a small, privateer racing team with a crash-prone driver rose to prominence in the 1970s, culminating with them beating the might of Ferrari to take victory at the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix.T
Paying tribute to motor sport’s pioneering female drivers
On this episode, Matt and Richard remember several pioneering female drivers from the past; each an inspiring character who competed on equal terms with their male peers and who achieved, against the odds, some incredible things. Those discussed included Maria Theresa De Filippis (the first woman to compete in a world championship Grand Prix), Pat Moss (the talented rally driving sister of F1 sta
Indy 500: Europe's impact on the great American race
For many motor racing fans, the month of May means one thing: The Indianapolis 500. Famously known as 'the greatest spectacle in racing', the Indy 500 captured American hearts from its inception in 1911 - but the race has also tantalised Europe's racing elite over the years, charmed by its big prize pot and unique challenge.On this episode, Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Ric
Imola '94: The fallout and lasting legacy (Part 3)
Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!In the final episode of our trilogy marking the 30th anniversary of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Matt and Richard look at the fallout and lasting legacy of F1's so-called blackest weekend, when both
Imola '94: F1's blackest weekend (Part 2)
Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!In the second part of our three-episode mini series, marking the 30th anniversary of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Matt and Richard take a chronological look at the events of F1's so-called blackest w
Imola '94: Prelude to disaster (Part 1)
Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!2024 marks the 30th anniversary of one of the most tragic events in motorsport history: The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, when both Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna were killed in action. In this epis
How Hitler's Nazi regime weaponised motor racing
Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!On this episode, Matt and Richard take a trip back to Germany in the 1930s to explain how Adolf Hitler used motor racing as a tool - and perhaps even a weapon - of the Nazi regime.They discuss why Hitler felt it
Michael Schumacher: F1 revolutionary
Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!On this episode, Matt and Richard are taking a close-up look at Michael Schumacher: One of F1's greatest and most revolutionary drivers ever.Over the course of this episode, we chart (with the usual first-hand s
Ranking Ferrari’s Top 5 British F1 drivers - ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival
Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!On this episode, Matt and Richard are ranking the Top 5 British drivers to have raced for Ferrari in F1, in anticipation of Lewis Hamilton's blockbuster move to motor racing's most famous team in 2025. With youn
Brawn GP: The overlooked consequences of an F1 fairy tale
Matt Bishop (journalist, editor, novelist and PR) and Richard Williams (journalist, author and broadcaster) are here to reappraise the past - and they'd love to have you along for the ride!On the first episode of the podcast, they look back on arguably the greatest fairy tale in motor racing history: Brawn GP's miraculous 2009 F1 season, when the team rose from near oblivion to claim both drivers'
Introducing... And Colossally That's History!
The Race is delighted to introduce a new podcast: And Colossally That’s History!Named in reference to a famous line of Murray Walker commentary, the podcast that takes an unadulterated look at the earth-shattering events, epic sagas and huge characters that have shaped motor racing history. From Grand Prix racing as a tool of the Nazi war machine to how Ayrton Senna’s death shaped modern F1, hosts
