James Allen’s latest JA on F1 Podcast welcomes Manish Pandey — the master storyteller behind the award-winning 2010 documentary Senna, created with Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees of Drive to Survive fame. Since then, Pandey has gone behind the curtain with rare access to Bernie Ecclestone for a revealing streaming series. Now, the conversation turns to Ferrari’s modern renaissance and the figure many credit with making the Scuderia great again.
Storytelling at F1’s highest level
Pandey’s work blends intimate access with narrative precision, capturing the human stakes that define motorsport’s legends. From Ayrton Senna’s mythos to Ecclestone’s inner sanctum, his lens has helped shape how fans understand F1’s past and present.
A legacy in red
The episode explores the leadership and vision behind Ferrari’s revival — the cultural reset, the standards demanded, and the relentless pursuit of excellence that restored the team’s edge. It’s a journey through the decisions, personalities and pressures that forged a new era in Maranello.
Why this story matters
Ferrari’s identity is inseparable from F1’s. Immortalising the architect of its resurgence isn’t just about one man; it’s about understanding how institutions evolve, how champions are made, and how history is written in a sport where the margins are measured in thousandths.
For listeners, it’s a chance to hear how cinema and motorsport intersect — and how great storytelling can reveal the truth beneath the lap times.
