The Beyond The Grid podcast episode has Eddie Cheever speak up on his career in Europe and America in F1 and IndyCar and more.
- The guest on the latest F1 Beyond the Grid episode had a unique guest in Cheever – the American known for having started the most F1 Grand Prix of his countrymen.
- He discussed his pride in this aforementioned statistic, and spoke on his childhood, in which he was born in Phoenix, Arizona, but moved to Rome, Italy, where his racing story began.
- Cheever explained that he initially was turned off by go karting, but was driven to it by his father. The American described a turning point in his karting, and his ultimate single-seater career, as well as his deal with Ferrari and his climb through the ranks.
- Later, he told of his horrific crash in sports car racing with BMW, and how he cut ties with Ferrari based on the assumption that he had been phased out due to his injury – a decision he deeply regrets.
- Cheever told another story, this one behind how he got his short-lived opportunity at Hesketh, and his IndyCar stint that came later.
- After telling some anecdotes about Ron Dennis and his relationship with him, Cheever discussed when his F2 team stepped up to F1.
- He covered his 1981 season, and his performances in this year relative to the prior year, as well as his move to Ligier.
- On the design of hid Ligier that year, Cheever explained that things never went their way, to the point where their car from the year prior was faster.
- On a more solemn note, he would later speak on the topic of Gille Villeneuve’s final weekend, and the greater implications of his death.
- Cheever covered partnering Alain Prost at Renault, and how the Frenchman drove. Similarly, he discussed being a teammate to Riccardo Patrese at Alfa Romeo, and some of his experiences with the team in that year.
- He went on to discuss some of his sportscar racing career, and his partnering with Derek Warwick, who he says was his favorite teammate.
- Cheever spoke on his favorite F1 cars he’s ever driven, from Niki Lauda’s Ferrari to his Ligier at Detroit, the former being his favorite to drive, and the latter being his favorite car he competed in.
- In answering a question about dominance within F1, Cheever hailed Lewis Hamilton, but made the suggestion that he would be unable to win in a significantly worse car.
- He went on to discuss his post-race oval racing career, and how this is not incompatible to his attitude of self preservation.
- Further, he spoke on his Indy 500 win, and what this meant to him, as well as his respect for Alonso’s attempts.
Here’s the link of the podcast as FOM doesn’t allow to use it: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzQ5NjQzMzkucnNz/episode/dGFnOmF1ZGlvYm9vbS5jb20sMjAyMC0wOC0wNDovcG9zdHMvNzY0OTUzMg?hl=en-IN&ved=2ahUKEwjJipzpsYbrAhVvgUsFHS5ADhYQieUEegQIBhAE&ep=6
Here’s the last episode of F1 Nation
Here’s the last F1 Beyond The Grid podcast with George Russell