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. 😊

[@Zachnav]

Sleepy? I appreciate that ibwork in motorsport, music tours, but what about all of the music festivals?

[@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?

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@HexAyed]

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

[@thewitchsfamiliar]

When Will talked about his last memory of Jules was the poor bloke looking upset and walking away because he really wanted an interview with his friend ... that killed me. Genuinely fighting tears.

[@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

[@MentalParadox]

What was your problem with Sky? I assume you mean Crofty and Brundle?

[@tarbabyF1]

@@MentalParadox They kind of called races like they were calling horse or dog races. It was just too frenetic. Not what I was used to. And F1 was like a whole experience for me. My totally selfish “me time” and I wanted it to be an elevated experience, not a bunch of high pitched overly excited commentary. As an American I had a hard time understanding what they were saying also. I get they were trying to make it more exciting for people and appeal to a younger audience with all the tech screens and replays and analysis but it was not my cup of tea. And the Hamilton bias was really annoying too.

[@eurocon]

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

[@BelegCuthali0n]

Been a fan of the sport for 40 years now and I love to see so many podcasters nowadays. It really gives you a choice which style of interviewers you like to watch. And you just got another subscriber, because I love the relaxed atmosphere you create in the interview where there's time for the guest to have a proper conversation. Well done! Looking forward to check out some more of your podcasts to get through the F1 break.

[@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.

[@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.

[@bobarchbold275]

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

[@stevegui4378]

Best commentator, personality, all round human being in Formula One. Ever.

[@mell_gif]

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

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Appreciate it!

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@RagingGamingHD1]

Seeing the light in Will’s eyes as he both reminisces on the past and talks about F1 in general is heartwarming

[@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.

[@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

[@ashrael37]

Great interview. I didn't know that Will was a writer much of his life, so I was hesitant to order his book. This interview changed it and it is ordered :)

[@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 🙏

[@bertbouwhuis]

Wow, never knew your relationship with Peter Windsor and how he got you started in the US. This was a genuinely awesome interview. Loved it!

[@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….

[@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.

[@infinatediamondlight]

Lovely to learn more about Will. thanks for the great interview

[@Simon_Hawkshaw]

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

[@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 🤩👍

[@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!

[@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.

[@fifteens6337]

Great chat. Makes me appreciate Will a lot more 👍

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Thanks So much

[@septimus__Prime]

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

[@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

[@alexchilton2676]

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

[@petermercer5968]

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

[@divexel]

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

[@jordanthom8963]

Just getting better and better with the guests😱😱

[@Paulsapartment]

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

[@alaska2026]

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

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@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 😞

[@razvansuta7122]

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

[@pamelaroundy9814]

Will does such a great job! Having been a long time F1 fan and seen so many commentators, he's my favorite!

[@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!

[@RationalRhythm]

Loved this interview. Always enjoy Will on F1TV. Truly inspired especially by his confidence varying from choir/camera vs solo. Always wondered if I can ever succeed being nervous infront of an audience. Will's story motivates me to do what I do well in the context I'm comfortable doing it and to build from there. Thanks Will.

[@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!

[@CaptainJackOC]

Will Buxton seems to be such a great guy. I miss seeing him on Formula 1 weekends. I never heard why he's no longer doing commentary.

[@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

[@pleclerc1]

When Will came to NBC sports, it made the 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.

[@SparkyOne549]

Agree. He did f1 pit lane commentary when it was on the speed channel after Pete Windsor with Steve matchett, Leigh diffy and David Hobbs, which he did mention after I typed this lol.

[@pleclerc1]

@SparkyOne549 those guys made a great team, really enjoyed their show back then.

[@oogabooga4950]

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

[@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.

[@jessicaalfieri2158]

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

[@adamdambrov2308]

Great interview and F1 needs more Will Buxton.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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

[@richikbhattacharjee6976]

honestly such a nice interview

[@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

[@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!!

[@joshuamathews9237]

Will Buxton is by far the best commentator in F1. Loved hearing some of his story. Thanks

[@evolasme]

OK so the first time i saw you was on an MA post so i just thought you were one of Matts mates then eventually ran across your you tube. and honestly i didnt think it was that all that good but god damn mate you are umping your game big style. this interview and what you did with Calum good on ya mate keep it up I'm now subscribed!!!

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Thanks so much! Really interesting to hear where everyone comes from and how they have began to watch the content etc! Thanks for the message and for the Sub! Anyone you would like to see on? :)

[@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.

[@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 .

[@sutha067]

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 😂)

[@olisnell1287]

Great interview gents.

[@orsongarnsey3705]

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

[@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.

[@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! 😅

[@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

[@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

[@tarbabyF1]

@@ZachComa F1 TV is so worth the money!

[@xxr64t]

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

[@spybaz]

great interview, both of you

[@Dante_8183]

Very nice to hear from Will

[@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

[@garysphotography]

Big fan of Will Buxton

[@apopapava7602]

Will is the best period.

[@allensinho4]

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

[@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!!

[@DBStarr7]

Great job! Great questions!

[@mantasdanela9108]

martin brundle needs to be next after this

[@ETC-Plant-Trainer]

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

[@jaquestraw1]

Will & Laura are a great team

[@ernestbrown7367]

Bro, he is a cool he is one of those honest reporters

[@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 🙂)

[@PaytonVanWinkle]

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

[@seanthompson258]

WE LOVE MAX BECAUSE HE IS REAL AND TELLS THE TRUTH THE TRUTH IS EVERYTHING!!!

[@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.

[@valerienorton4371]

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

[@wezzcoetzee]

At 50:00, when Will says those points would've given RedBull the 1 -2 in the championship, that's not true. Sergio finished 3 points behind Charles, if they had switched he would've gotten 2 extra points, so he would've fallen 1 point behind still

[@will6287]

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

[@rayman301030]

Honestly I think they’d have a lot of success if the DTS team or someone else did an F1 history series at least on the level of DTS. If someone can make a well-produced and well-watched series it’d also educate the new masses of fans (and I am certainly one) on some of the context that established fans often criticize new fans for lacking.

[@dillonwarren1408]

You had great questions!

[@josephdemenezes1522]

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

[@seanthompson258]

yeah gunther steiner should take up acting instead of his day job at hass, Komatsu is definately doing the business!

[@seanthompson258]

I dont like fake people, i like it that will said he is pritty much the same guy in his work and in his personal life thats how it should be! Like i am the same guy on the phone as i am in person. Be Real be truthful, give the finger to lies and deception! dont fall out of love! if you do that you are falling out of love! because its fake!

[@LaraKaiser-u9m]

Danke, cooles Video

[@MatthewJohnCrittenden]

Fantastic chat.

[@RoadToSuccessOfficialPodcast]

Glad you enjoyed it