‘Just magic' – One of F1's most recognisable voices reveals Leclerc and Hamilton moments that will live with him forever

Scottish Sun

2 days ago

CHARLES LECLERC and Lewis Hamilton won arguably the two most iconic Formula One races of the 2024 season.
Charles Leclerc made history as he won his home race at the Monaco Grand Prix with "tears" in his eyes, while Hamilton defied the odds to take the chequered flag at the British Grand Prix in his final home race with Mercedes.
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Charles Leclerc won an emotional 2024 Monaco Grand Prix
Credit: Rex
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Lewis Hamilton then made history at the British Grand Prix later on
Credit: Reuters
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Both races were made iconic by the man behind the microphone for F1TV and Channel 4, Alex Jacques
Credit: X @C4F1
Both races have already gone down in the annals of F1 history for their huge significance in the modern era of the sport.
But for many fans, that experience was elevated to even greater heights by the man behind the microphone, Alex Jacques.
Jacques is the lead commentator of F1TV and Channel 4, and the voice of the EA Sports F1 25 video game, while he has also featured in the Netflix series Drive To Survive.
For many fans, his voice has become synonymous with formula racing, given he also spent a decade as the commentator of F2 before leaving the role to spend more time with family at the start of this year.
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Following his work at both Monaco and Silverstone last year, fans showed their love by featuring him in numerous social media clips, often edited with emotive background music, of the races.
And Jacques has not been blind to the outpouring of love fans have given him for his work.
Speaking exclusively to SunSport at a launch event of the EA Sports F1 25 video game, Jacques explained his thought process in the moment and gave his thoughts on the fan reaction to it.
He said: "You're trying to tell their stories and both of those examples that you used, so for Charles Leclerc, my overarching, and it links back to the previous question, so it's amazing to see all of those edits.
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"As a commentator, you want to do justice to the moment. If you're watching the Monaco GP and you're watching Charles Leclerc, you might be an F1 fan and you might not know that backstory.
"That's my job as the commentator, to tell you that this guy from Monaco, oh, it's just a rich kid winning the Monaco GP. Nothing of the sort. This guy's been through heartbreak on multiple occasions and it's his life's purpose to win that race.
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"On that last lap, I tried to distil quite a complex story into quite a short amount of time. He's such a well-supported driver that that lap has, as you say, been subject to so many edits on social media."
He continued: "With Lewis Hamilton, this is a driver that we got used to winning week in, week out. Suddenly, goes through a winning drought.
"That was one of the best Grand Prix of all time in the entire history of the 75 years. To see him come out on top when it could have been five drivers.
"So rarely do you get a Grand Prix where five drivers could win it. For him to come out on top, top three was three British drivers at the British GP. He ends his winless drought.
"If you can't do justice to those moments, that's when you have to step forward as a commentator and hopefully provide the words that match the pictures. Both of those occasions were just magic Formula One moments."
Jacques' infectious love for motorsport means it was "tough" for him to step away from working on F2.
What was is like working on the EA Sports F1 25 game?
Alex Jacques:
"It's a really long time recording the commentary for the game but it's a wonderful experience because these are the games that I played growing up, right? So maybe it wasn't the case with commentators from a previous generation but for me I used to love the F1 game coming out and then to be part of it and to get to record the lines.
"So I'm very happy to spend a week of my life in a very dark room effectively reading and in fifth place and in sixth place and so on and so forth.
"You also get to do loads of creative stuff as well and they'll bring in other people for you to commentate with so it's a long process but when you hear your own commentary in the game it's well worth it.
Anything in particular for fans to look out for?
"Yeah, there's new tracks all the time, there's new storylines all the time. One of the cool things that we got to do this year is they were introducing the cars and the characters from the F1 movie. so that's a part of the game as well and it was great to be able to, it's very weird when you're finding yourself talking about Brad Pitt's character in the game. but yeah and a lot of fun.
"There's always something new, they're always coming up with new things for the game as well. The accuracy of the tracks this year is ridiculously good and you're like, hold on, I've been there, there is a hot dog stand at that point, how have they got that in the game? So yeah, loads of fun stuff like that to enjoy."
However, "he has no complaints" about stepping back to spend more time with his family after becoming a father for the first time just before this season's Imola Grand Prix, although he jokes it has led to his favourite drink being a "strong black coffee, given how sleep deprived I am".
He said: "It's been a strange one because I got the job in F2 first and then got opportunities in F1. F2 has always felt a little bit like the home team, if you like.
"F1 is the big international call-up, if you want to put it in a football metaphor. It was tough saying goodbye because very rarely you have to leave that paddock behind.
"The nice thing about whether you're telling the story of George Russell or Lando Norris or Charles Leclerc, these are all drivers that I've known from when they were very young because of commentating on F3 and F2 and watching their journey all the way through. But eventually it's time.
"Eventually, you just cannot commentate on everything as much as I would love to. It was sad to say goodbye, but I have the best job in the world, so I have no complaints.
"I think to get 10 years commentating on any championship in any sport is a privilege and I thoroughly enjoyed it...
Thoughts on 2026 possibly being last year at Imola?
Alex Jacques:
"I'm not entirely sure what the situation is for Imola, but I will say that it is a historic place to go racing.
"It's very, very fortunate. Anytime you're covering motor racing in Italy, you're having a great week of your life. Right?
"That's the nature of it. It's obviously the circuit closest to Ferrari's factory, and also you've got the Racing Bulls factory close around there.
"But it's the nature of gravel traps, narrow circuit, tight walls, thrilling undulations. Those are the things that drivers, not just at Imola, but those are the things across the calendar that the drivers respond to.
"It's important to have that balance between the old school tracks that we love and to have the amazing locations that we go to around the world.
"And we'll see. But I certainly adore going to that racetrack every time we do."
"Eventually, my wife was like, it would be nice if we could hang out at some point rather than you travel the world all the time.
"I got that F2 job when I was 25, so eventually you have to make more time for the people that support you when you're away for ages and have to do the day-to-day moments.
"So, yeah, very, very fortunate to be the dad of a lovely baby girl and I have a very supportive wife and it's nice to have a bit more of a balance even though there's still a fair bit of travel involved."
Despite his new responsibilities away from the track, Jacques does still make time to keep an eye on F1's feeder series and earmarked Irish racer Alex Dunne as one star to keep an eye on, even before he scored a maiden pole position at Monaco last weekend.
Jacques said: "I've been impressed with Alex Dunne, Irish driver, making that step up. There are some drivers that I think you take them from a F3 car, you put them with a little bit more power, a little bit more grip, and they seem to come alive.
"He seems to fall in that category. So, he's an exciting prospect. but there are loads of really, really talented drivers. You've got to be consistent.
Thoughts on Ipswich Town's season?
Alex Jacques:
"Was there a season this year? I don't know. You skipped over.
"Well, it's worth saying that we are having this chat underneath Tottenham's stadium. And the one thing I would say about Ipswich's season is that, okay, it didn't go to plan.
"And I think there was an expectation around the club that we would be more competitive than we turned out to be. But we got some away days at grounds that we hadn't visited before.
"We got away days at, you know, and the combination of being able, I watched Ipswich win their first Premier League game in 22 years with my dad upstairs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That's a memory I'll treasure for the rest of my life.
"What Kieran McKenna gave Ipswich Town fans was not only amazing football in League One, in the Championship, but also when we got to the Premier League, away days and experiences that other clubs take for granted. And Ipswich hadn't had for two decades.
"Hadn't had a trip to Old Trafford. That was amazing. Taking the lead there. You've got to see it as glass half full.
"Okay. Lost a lot of points from winning positions this year. But hold on, last year we gained 30 points from losing positions. So you've got to take the rough with the smooth.
"Did we get promoted a little bit too early? Clearly on the evidence, yeah, we probably did. But have we bought? well?
"I think so. I think we've got a great squad for the Championship next year. Take nothing for granted with like, oh, bounce back immediately. You have to win so many games.
"We've seen this with Burnley. Seen this with Leeds. You've got to win an awful lot of games. I think the club is a little bit exhausted.
"It will catch its breath over the summer. I think when you go from League One, when Kieran McKenna took over at Ipswich Town, Ipswich Town were below Accrington Stanley in the table.
"I don't think anyone could be moaning about the fact that it didn't go to plan in the Premier League. I'll take whatever timeline this is and he can stay for as long as he likes.
"We need to build a statue of him for what he did. Not all seasons are going to go to plan, but I still enjoyed all the away days in the Premier League I was able to get to.
"And I've got full confidence that if he's still behind the wheel next year and he hasn't been poached by a Premier League club, we'll bounce straight back. "
"But ultimately, I think all the drivers that eventually make it to F1, there are defining days in F3, in F2, where you watch what they do.
"Thinking about Kimi Antonelli, the new Mercedes driver, at Silverstone last year, one second a lap faster than everyone else in the field. And that includes three F1 drivers who also graduated with him.
"That is the type of performance that if you put in in F2, you can make a name for yourself. And everyone's watching, everyone's watching in the F1 paddock.
"So, great start for Alex Dunne, lots of talented names in that championship this year, but you need to see a standout performance, whether it be an overtaking performance through the field. Get yourself on the radar. A standout head-bind drive is the best way to do it."
However, Jacques' position on the "ludicrous" three-way 2025 F1 title race is far less clear as the 36-year-old can't pick between McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris or reigning world champion Max Verstappen, but is certain it is "the best type of season" with the field being so close.
He added: "I really loved it because you've got three drivers at totally different stages of their careers. You've also got Lando Norris, [who] came in as the pre-season favourite.
"Can he deal with the expectation on his shoulders? And Oscar Piastri, exceeding expectations for where he is. You've got the McLaren drivers trying to win their first championships.
"You've got Max trying to make history and emulate the great Michael Schumacher. And he'd only be two behind the all-time record if he gets five with a lot of his career still to go. It's a wonderful dynamic. The qualifying sessions have been so tight.
"We've not had a gap between first and second. that's been over a tenth. That is ludicrous. We used to have gaps between first and second of a second back in the early 90s. F1 is ultra-competitive, we're having a great season."
EA SPORTS has launched their new F1 25 game, with the iconic Edition out now and the Standard Edition launching May 30th. Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.
Quickfire questions: Alex Jacques
Build your dream driver:
Racecraft: Fernando Alonso
Qualifying Pace: Charles Leclerc
Talent: Max Verstappen
Awareness: Lewis Hamilton all day
Defence: Fernando Alonso
Tyre management: Ooh, tyre management. Probably be one of the McLaren boys at the moment because they seem to have that on lock, don't they? Yeah, we'll give Lando tyre management.
Quickfire round:
Favourite drink: Favourite drink? Wow, I didn't expect that. Probably a strong black coffee, given how sleep deprived I am on the boat.
Favourite food or snack during comms: You've got to have a bag of Haribo to get you through, especially if you're doing an overnight one.
Guilty pleasure: Guilty pleasure. Yeah, watching Ipswich Town win this year because it's not been a regular occurrence.
Favourite racetrack: Monza.
Favourite car: Favourite car? Of all cars. F1 or... F1 or what? The 1998 McLaren. That's the first season I watch, so that's always my favourite F1 car.
Favourite driver of all time: Favourite driver of all time? Similar answer. Mikka Hakkinen, champion the first year that he won and my childhood hero. And yeah, still get starstruck by him in the paddock. He's a lovely chap.