Will Buxton: F1 & Netflix Star REVEALS What Its Like Working With F1 Drivers

[@KelseyCruttenden]

One of the best F1 reporters and a genuine guy. In 2017, prior to DTS, when Austin was still a relatively sleepy race crowd not quite turned into formula 1, I travelled solo to Austin for the race and spotted Will at Haas Hill (again, prior to the grandstands). He was waking with TV camera in hand, virtually unrecognized through the crowd. I popped over to him and said hello and asked for a photo. Still one of my favorite COTA memories. 😊

[@MsCal20]

Really enjoyed this!! The more I hear Will talk about how he started in F1 and the passion he has for the sport, the more I like him.

[@chrisjameswarren88]

19:29 - having genuine presenters that can be themselves means a lot. Honest comments, jokes and genuine connections are valued a great deal in the long term.

[@djoetma]

Kinda depends. I mean, do I really want a news presenter to be himself instead of just reading the factual news? No, just give me the facts. If that person is on some sort of current topics show, then it's different. But only if he or she is there as a guest. I don't need a presenter of a current topics show portraying their own opinions on a guest. Will Buxton is talking about sports, which isn't as important and thus he has the freedom to be himself. But also, even though I believe this is his real persona, we don't actually know, do we? Maybe he's in his TV mode right now?

[@darrensmith7394]

Fabulous interview. We lived in California between 2009 and 20014 and Will became our pit stop guy . He was amazing .we moved back to Singapore in 2014 and went to the Malaysian Grand Prix in sepang in 2016? He spoke to my wife for ages and took photos and told us he was about to move from Towcester where i grew up in the 80’s to move to brackely I think. Great professional. You’re doing great job with all your sites.

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Mans living in the future

[@obsidian....]

I was doing the same thing in Michigan... I was the only person I knew who watched F1 back then... Commercials and all lol

[@tarbabyF1]

What Will said about where you watch from making a difference in how you view the sport and which commentators seem embedded the most is absolutely true. I started watching F1 in the states with NBC and the switch to Sky Sports almost ruined my experience of the sport. I could not get used to how they presented it. When I got F1TV and could choose my commentary I went with FITV and gratefully said “No more” to Sky Sports. I do however now enjoy some of their KZbin content and podcasts about F1 but cannot handle their actual commentary at the races. Unless, of course, Nico Rossberg is a guest because he is absolutely brilliant. I do wish that the F1 press conferences, which are so uncomfortable to watch, and seem to be slightly adversarial with the drivers, would take a page from both NASCAR and Indycar, where the drivers seem to want to talk to the press and are much more natural and relaxed about it.

[@ThmsDouglas]

I love Nico he tells it like it is and will tell another announcer or driver if they start talking nonsense lol. That's true about the press conferences it always starts with the whatever negative is going on, just drama and I think we get all we need of that with Drive To Survive.

[@1bluensx]

I would like to see the FIA president ousted because of how he treats the drivers. I would like the drivers to be able to have free speech, and say what they want, even if it includes cursing… we’re all human. Nobody out there can say that they don’t curse. Even my priest curses. It’s part of life and expression. FIA president is like USA liberals trying to take way free speech

[@lill3rns]

I could listen to Will for hours. The way he talks about drivers and fans and his own spirit for the sport is so amazing. Keep it up Will, and please stay super dedicated.

[@eurocon]

Good to get to know Will a little better, seems more genuine now we know his story, cheers!

[@ebnielsen57]

Have been listening to Will Buxton for 20 years. He is the most knowledgeable and most understanding of F 1. No one even close to him… So much respect… He’s the best there is….

[@HexAyed]

I really miss when Will uploaded KZbin videos... This was a brilliant chat

[@Air4swan]

I love my F1TV family. I’ll always be a DTS simp but I’m constantly learning more about F1 history and my appreciation for it keeps growing the more I learn

[@arlynbricksin8008]

Thankyou for this chat. Enjoyed Will Buxton on the Speed Channel back in the day and this visit today makes our family like him even more.

[@bobarchbold275]

Great interview...Will is such a nice normal guy...loved the entire programme from start to finish!

[@oddsandwindsocks5905]

Superb interview. Will is very watchable and always seems happy and knowledgeable with his comments on the paddock. I remember watching his own you tube channel he started from home during lockdown.

[@Shocker99]

F1 TV is so much better than Sky F1 at race commentary.

[@martingonzalez2850]

It isn't.

[@eduardosantana8300]

Definetly not because of Will. Glad hitch checked him when he was talking out of his elbows last gp

[@ThmsDouglas]

@@eduardosantana8300 I honestly don't mind any of them it's not like 1 of them I just can't stand and I actually love Hinch when we get him.

[@cjwright1960]

F1TV is better than the ESPN broadcast in America.

[@Pedro285]

Way better. Sky is geared towards the domestic audience so Is heavily biased towards everything UK. All good - unfortunately it’s been the international feed as well. Gets a bit rich when you’re not a Pom. F1TV has better balance

[@amyhutton5761]

Your grid walk, Will, is epic. You are who I want to see when I'm watching. Your love of sport brings the TV experience to life. Great interview thank you, Ben Fowler.

[@heliwrecker8649]

Mr Buxton, you are a legend sir!. Stay humble my man. It's who you are and where you came from that make you an incredible journalist and tv personality.

[@vasekkosar3931]

I like WB. He's one of the most knowledgable people in F1. Yes, sometimes he says something that I disagree with, that's just the nature of the sport and indeed of us as humans but I respect him immensly. And he also seems like the most genuine guy you could meet and talk to about F1 or anything else. Love him, regardless of what others say

[@obsidian....]

We (all of us pre DTS F1 fans) fell in love with Will's reporting in the States. He made it watchable over here 🙏

[@Vamuda]

Great interview with Will Buxton, so nice to get to know him this way... just like the book he wrote all about the Formula 1 🤩👍

[@Simon_Hawkshaw]

Always appreciated Will and wish he was more on center stage again.

[@mell_gif]

Mate, your pulling out some bangers recently!!! Great work lad!

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Appreciate it!

[@clemensweiss6163]

33:30 what Will says here is absolutely spot on, I stopped watching F1 in 2013 and during the first lockdown I watched Drive to Survive because Jeremy Clarkson mentioned it on a podcast and I was bored. The first two seasons of DTS were so much fun to watch and just after I finished the second season, F1 was the first big sporting event and it was in my home country Austria so I watched it and I was hooked. After not having watched a race in about 7-8 years, I have maybe missed 3-4 races in total since the 2020 season. The timing was absolutely perfect.

[@capimol]

I watch F1 out of the UK, previously watched Sky, gave up sky for their biased commentary, now I subscribe to F1 TV, their team of commentators is simply brilliant, far better the Sky...my opinion.

[@into_the_void]

Alex is good but James Hinchcliffe irritates me

[@JsausageandbunEaterWithoniOn]

@@into_the_void James Hinchcliffe has definitely grown on me recently

[@alexchilton2676]

Loved this episode! Amazing to hear his passion for the sport and the drivers!

[@matatumas]

i rlly don't know nothing about buxton but as a stroll fan ik they get along very well and i appreciate that

[@BrianHoff04]

Around an hour in they discuss Will's book. Ben makes a comment that makes me feel.. sad. That in today's world people only want a nice illustration and two paragraphs to read. That no one wants to read a 10 page story about anything. Man.. that kills me to hear. I will read a 10 page article if the writer has skills. I'll pay attention to the details if it is interesting to me. Yet I believe Ben when he says most people won't do that. Being 60.. we once did read like that. Now.. being fed two paragraphs + a picture or video under 4 minutes and people think they're informed. That sucks the wind from my sails. Interesting interview. Will is well spoken.

[@stuartroberts4353]

It's definitely a problem these days, I'm in my 50's and have been a prolific reader my whole life, I've always got a book in the go. This something I instilled in my children at an early age and they continued to be into books but a lot of their peers rarely if ever read a book.

[@randomrexy2135]

It's incredibly sad to hear that people even when interested don't follow that path to be specific about reading i personally struggle and have done for all my life ( light dyslexia adhd and autism) but i picked up a book and was stunned how easy it is to pick up once given the chance

[@danimalplanet18]

The first 5 minutes was as if I was listening to my other self... I'm of the similar birth year as is Will Buxton. Parents took me to Zandvoort in 1985, hooked on F1 ever since. In the 1990s, dad and I went almost every year to Spa and I still recall how the sound of the Ferrari v12 stood out from all the others.

[@kevinowen5648]

Will is an absolute legend! The children book idea is amazing should definitely do it! I have 2 boys aged 8 and 5 who adore f1 and will,they would love it!

[@jordanthom8963]

Just getting better and better with the guests😱😱

[@MrSeanana]

I love Buxton as a host and a steward of F1 which as a fan of F1 should be enough but his posts on IG about the riots in the UK solidified it for me. He’s the genuine article!

[@DonStevo82]

I can listen to this guy for hours... I remember the Schumacher days. Did not really live the Senna days, though I was already 12 when he died, but got into F1 somewhat later I guess. I don't vividly remember watching that race, unless I erased it from my mind because of what had happened 😞

[@fifteens6337]

Great chat. Makes me appreciate Will a lot more 👍

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Thanks So much

[@richikbhattacharjee6976]

honestly such a nice interview

[@pleclerc1]

When Will came NBC sports, it made de show so much more entertaining...his passion for the sport made the grid walk one of the best part of the broadcast, his since become the best F1 pundit out there, never afraid to say what he thinks.

[@peterdaigle4772]

This split screen format always messes me up at first. This was a great interview and a new look at Will's work. Will i buy his book? Probably not, but i applaud him for making it happen. Also, my reading time is currently tied up with Bernie Collins' new book

[@gillespieshawn]

Great interview, but watching the split screen is awful. It’s unpleasantly distracting as you’re not looking at each other, and limbs disappear. I’d rather have a wide view of both of you. The visuals aren’t important, but they are distracting.

[@urbanstrencan]

Just amazing to hear from Will Buxton, his commentary on F1 TV Shows are just awesome. ❤❤. Can't wait to get his book

[@allisonsnell9352]

Fab interview. Love Will, so passionate about F1. Great idea re the book, my husband and I were into F1 back in the 80’s. Loved it!! Then Fell out of love with the sport…then Drive to survive started!! Back to being obsessed!! I google everything I’m not sure about. Learnt about the qualifying colours on screen this week!! 😂 Love, love, love F1. Hope the books a success Will!!

[@razvansuta7122]

Even more respect for Will after this one! Keep inspiring Will!

[@J.e.r.o.e.n]

F1 tv is the best, prefer it anyday over Dutch coverage or Sky. And I love the passion brings to it 👍

[@shoop4040]

This is great, I love this guy and the passion he brings to the sport .

[@alaska2026]

What a great interview. I am so happy that I discovered your channel ❤

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@adamdambrov2308]

Great interview and F1 needs more Will Buxton.

[@dtc357]

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Will has always been a favorite of mine (F1TV - US 💌), your passion has always been appreciated! I enjoyed your (opinionated) commentary days too!

[@jessicaalfieri2158]

YT suggested this video and I'm definitely here to stay. Great interview!

[@petermercer5968]

I've been following will for a long time. And he's still my favourite commentator on formula 1.

[@septimus__Prime]

Ever since DTS, I wanted to learn more about Will. I always enjoyed his view on F1 and the drivers.

[@oogabooga4950]

Great interview. My gf bought me Will’s book for my birthday last week. Great illustrations in it!

[@TheAshizzles]

Been looking forward to this one, ever since I had a little chat with you at WingFest! Great pod as always! Also the wings were fantastic!

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Thanks again!

[@orsongarnsey3705]

Watching Will grow over the years has been gratifying. Buxton; soon to be legend.

[@itsyourround]

Such a great chat! Any chance you can put a black line between each frame when it cuts to the two shot? It may make the seating arrangement less awkward. Feel free to bin this suggestion if you hate it - it's your channel after all.

[@ikaye01]

Interesting moment at 52:50, Will's body language changes to something more closed and protective when he starts talking about Max's future.

[@holtby91]

I remember getting into F1 in 2006 and ITV’s coverage wasn’t great for newcomers, they assumed everyone was in the know. Something like Will’s book would have been great to read when I was a teenager. Thank god for Wikipedia and KZbin! Plus the better coverage by BBC and later Sky! 😅

[@dave1753]

love the pre race and post race shows, Will and Laura and myself having Northern Irish cousins having Bernie is great. It would've been great to see Will and James both doing the pom poms in Austin. Drive to Survive was awesome, even though my earliest memory was watching Gilles Villeneuve race. Keep up the great work Sir.

[@xxr64t]

Awesome episode and will is so good. I’d love to see a chat with crafty brundle or Ted kravitz

[@pacattack90]

Great interview! I watch Will on the F1 KZbin videos and I wish here in Aus we could get F1 TV.

[@ThmsDouglas]

Get a VPN easy to get F1TV anywhere.

[@mobius1291]

I remember his first race after Peter Windsor left to start USF1.

[@GreatCdn59]

i had totally forgot about USF1! i was trying to think where Peter Windsor went, but the timeline totally makes sense

[@MrJoelKnott]

Thank you for this. Didn’t know Will had written a book… purchased the Audiobook in the middle of this interview 👍

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@spybaz]

great interview, both of you

[@ZachComa]

In the US, we get the F1 races on ESPN (which sometimes is ABC if it's a big and/or local race), but it's a direct feed of the Sky feed with Crofty on commentary.

[@obsidian....]

That started when Liberty Media bought F1 in 2016... And DTS came out in 19'. Speed aired it up until 2012 and then NBC started in 2013... Will was on NBC and Speed starting in 2010? - up until they lost the rights

[@apopapava7602]

Will is the best period.

[@Twin540i]

It took a while for DTS to take off as it was only the minnows contributing to the series before 2019-2020 when the top teams of Ferrari Mercedes started opening their drivers and team to DTS

[@mantasdanela9108]

martin brundle needs to be next after this

[@Paulsapartment]

I never watched any racing until the Netflix series and I watch F1 all the time now and have F1 TV now too!

[@sutha0677]

I first knew of will from the commentary for GP2, he was such a different commentator, because he’ll actually live on tv tell drivers off if they done something wrong (I.e Jonny Cecotto and Sergio Canamasas every single time 😂)

[@MaxRank]

It’s not an achievement to make it without tiktok or the internet. Millennial comment. Murray Walker owned this space for most of my life and all without the internet.

[@juliswift]

I loved Murray Walker's commentating!!

[@olisnell1287]

Great interview gents.

[@Dante_8183]

Very nice to hear from Will

[@lonestranger]

@1:02:45 I had no idea that F1TV isn't available in the UK, and I'm surprised. I'm in Canada and fortunately we do have access to F1TV, with the choice of hearing race commentary either from F1TV's presenters or by SkyF1's presenters. We also have a cable TV channel TSN that broadcasts most of SkyF1's content including pre- and post-race shows (but usually not Ted's notebook). I guess my point is that I'm fortunate to have such a wealth of choice of how and who to watch F1 coverage.

[@leechalmers1444]

Here from Alberta. Just curious, do you watch Live F1 TV or do you watch International coverage ?

[@lonestranger]

@@leechalmers1444Cheers from B.C. I originally chose the International coverage because it was what I was used to from SkyF1/TSN but since I've been also watching F1TV's pre- and post-race, over time I've more often been choosing the F1TV coverage for the races. How about you?

[@leechalmers1444]

@@lonestranger I find myself going back and forth. Prefer Bernie over Ruth …. not so much about their knowledge but more about presentation and communication style and to a lessor degree personality and humility.

[@PaytonVanWinkle]

Love this. Great interview, please adjust your camera a bit. Too much gray space at the top.

[@ETC-Plant-Trainer]

What a great Podcast with Owen would love to meet him in person

[@will6287]

“You want to start from the front, because it means you have the other 19 drivers starting behind you” Will Buxton.

[@pvg5559]

Thanks Will to elaborate on his views, nice words you said on Max which I do appreciate being a fan. Parts just shows how things are being manufactured sometimes in platforms to miss out on how you really think about the F1 drivers. That in itself is a trade and I wouldn't mind you fulfilling that role someday in a driver's respected platform. Max is just an example but that kind of unbiased journalism is something that I am craving for. Thanks to Ben for accomodating this and to Will for his honesty. Great work. Hope to see more of this reverse clickbait content, I am sure some people would agree with me.

[@dillonwarren1408]

You had great questions!

[@RogerKeulen]

Kimi saying nothing was the better awnsers than the thing he needed to say from the team. (I think that Kimi specialy in the beginning, just forgot what he needed to say 🙂)

[@rolandoruiz7710]

I’m disappointed that Will did not acknowledge his American broadcast partners: Lee Diffey Steve Matchett David Hobbs… They were, inarguably, the best Formula 1 commentators / presenters, period. Real-time technical commentary by ex race engineer Steve Matchett - he could point out the slightest difference in cars from race to race. That is, sadly, lacking in today’s Sky Sports coverage. For those of us lucky to have had them, we miss them greatly.

[@garysphotography]

Big fan of Will Buxton

[@ygaudreault]

Regarding Max with the medias. I think like most great atlhetes (MJ, BRADY, etc.) they take everything as a slight for motivation.

[@josephdemenezes1522]

Like the guy since he was at NBC Sports in USA..hot blood..no plastic coverage here.

[@johanboes1]

One conclusion : f1 before 2000 was better in every way.

[@JsausageandbunEaterWithoniOn]

Hmmm…

[@allensinho4]

"Uuuuh Hello folks and Welcome to Paddock Pass!" That's what we had before Netflix! Great times!

[@narek_kona302]

What were the full details as to why Max did let Checo pass? 🧐🧐

[@valerienorton4371]

Lando has said it " I hate everyone when I'm in that car racing "

[@seasidescott]

~ minute 26 Will is telling us about how split brained drivers are when driving, fascinating insight, and Ben derails the conversation to talk about Drive to Survive and some angle he thought might lead to a salacious story or something? He was getting the real deep stuff right then but didn't see it.

[@jaquestraw1]

Will & Laura are a great team

[@mikebell2970]

I enjoyed the interview but found it quite frustrating how you would cut him off a lot of the time.

[@rigsbyrigged1831]

My son is is 19. He loves football! I remember the first time I mentioned Pele and he knew exactly who Pele was. Same with me. I know who Fangio was oi Clark. So this is Billy Buxton talking shite again, and I love the guy. But do not underestimate new fans.

[@LaraKaiser-u9m]

Danke, cooles Video

[@irisheyes5890]

What’s the meaning of the bracelets.

[@midnightq69]

Not the graphics from the Hub

[@MatthewJohnCrittenden]

Fantastic chat.

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@radamus210]

If you read everything Will, hope you do this. For me, it's good to see the backside of what makes you tick. As you noted, in this world today, I'm selective where I put my time into someone and how seriously they are worth listening to. If I go by what I've seen and absorbed, I feel pretty good with you. My best bit from you this year, couple months back, when you shredded McLaren after that stupidly managed race~ I saw a team principal character coming out in you HAHA! you let it fly, I was laughing at you ripping their ass, because you weren't wrong~Curious to know if Zac ever stopped by and said "we need to chat" HAHA! Funny thing about D2S, I fall into a different category of fan. I go back to the late 70's, 80's and into the 90's. But gotta tell ya man, after 2 dead on one weekend and losing Senna? (everyone was a Senna fan) I stalled out man, lost the dedication. Happened with Indy cars too. I did watch now and then when Lewis was winning, don't remember Red Bull coming in, Seb and Webber. But I did start back watching when HAAS came along and of course as Lewis was approaching Michaels record. And D2S comes out and that really did hook me and here's why. Not even in the old days did we ever, have such an inside look at the highest level of racing on the planet. And I haven't missed a session since, not 1~and that's some weird fk'n hours on American est. But with D2S? haven't watched last couple, I was there, saw it already ~ Great chat, really great.

[@markyexley9440]

Silverstone ‘hits different’ 😬

[@tonyroberts7481]

You’ve had Mat and Tavarish so next get Cleetus.

[@TheWookiee1977]

I started watching F1 in 2007. Will Buxton became a part of the American broadcast in 2010. At that time, it was on the Speed Channel. Bob Varsha was the main commentator, while former mechanic Steve Matchet and retired driver David Hobbs would provide color commentary and expert analysis regarding their respective areas of expertise. Peter Windsor was the trackside reporter until 2010. That season Will Buxton was trackside, doing much of what he does now on F1TV. I watched his grid walks for many years. That same crew transitioned to NBC when they took over the TV rights. Except for Bob Varsha, who only made a rare appearance in the case where NBC's guy, Leigh Diffey was unavailable. Then ESPN took over after the NBC years, and I was exposed to the awful Sky Sports coverage. No Will Buxton! Needless to say, I missed him. David Croft's hoarse, annoying voice provided commentary while the bumbling Martin Brundle gave his awful grid walks. Thank God for F1TV. I was finally able to escape the sky coverage. Keep up the good work, Will!

[@griptopia]

I'm writing something negative (not really, really good interview). thank you

[@bensmith7956]

Will needs a proper F1 channel for him to host. Guys absolutely brilliant.

[@Carpy87]

Brilliant podcast as always Ben however like many youtubers now the adverts are becoming a joke and so damm annoying please stop and share to others

[@doug3011]

without Danny Ric and Gunter, drive to survive does not even get a season 2..without that no one is as famous as they are now, without that there is no 3 U.S Grand Prix. without that Gps are not sell out crowds every race. its that simple.

[@Letsgocarcruising]

Are you going to SEMA? I’d love to meet you and chat. My channel is about 8 months old and it’s growing pretty well.

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

@@Letsgocarcruising i will be at SEMA all week 🇺🇸

[@MiguelTyson]

Fuck yeah Will Buxton 😤😤