Performance People

What does it take to prepare a Formula 1 world champion to perform at the very highest level?In this episode of Performance People, Georgie Ainslie sits down with elite performance coach and physio Bradley Scanes, whose work in Formula 1 included training and supporting Max Verstappen through the relentless physical, mental and logistical demands of the sport. Bradley explains what an F1 driver’s off-season really looks like, from structured downtime after Abu Dhabi to the intense six-to-seven-week pre-season block where every detail counts. He breaks down the extraordinary fitness demands of driving at the top level, from neck strength and reaction speed to cardio conditioning, heat tolerance, recovery, hydration and jet lag management. He also shares what his role on race weekends actually involved: not just physical preparation, but creating the calm, focused environment that allows a driver to perform when the pressure is greatest.The conversation then shifts from the world of Formula 1 to a challenge many listeners will relate to far more directly: marathon running. Bradley explains why running can be such an effective and accessible form of exercise, why many fears around damage to the knees are overstated, and what really causes most running injuries. He talks through what it takes to break the four-hour marathon barrier, why consistency matters more than anything clever or complicated, and why amateurs should think in terms of months of sensible build-up rather than quick-fix plans. The discussion also explores the mental side of endurance training, the reality of hitting the wall, and the importance of trust between coach and athlete, whether you’re preparing for a Grand Prix or your first marathon.From world-class basics to world championship standards, this is a fascinating conversation about performance, recovery, preparation and doing the work that most people never see.00:00 Intro00:16 Inside Max Verstappen’s world with performance coach Bradley Scanes00:35 What Formula 1 can teach us about elite preparation01:04 The off-season: how Max Verstappen resets after a campaign03:47 The brutal physical training demands of Formula 107:01 How drivers train reaction speed, focus and decision-making09:39 Why championships are built in pre-season12:02 Bradley Scanes on supporting Max Verstappen on race weekends14:09 The sleep, jet lag and recovery battle in Formula 117:40 Why marathon running is more achievable than most people think20:23 The truth about breaking the 4-hour marathon barrier26:36 Why trust is the secret ingredient in elite coaching28:11 Outro________________________________The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.________________________________ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com________________________________Connect with Performance PeopleHit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/________________________________The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Former Premier League footballer Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu joins Performance People to talk about the injury crisis that nearly ended his career at 17, the natural recovery blend his father created to help him heal, and how that personal turning point became the foundation for his wellness business, The Turmeric Co.In this episode, Thomas reflects on chronic pain, elite sport, recovery, entrepreneurship, preventative health, and why he believes the future of healthcare should focus far more on education and prevention than treatment alone.In this episode:* The career-threatening knee injuries that changed everything* Why conventional anti-inflammatories caused more problems* How his father developed the original turmeric blend at home* The six-week turning point that helped him return to football* Building The Turmeric Co from a kitchen recipe into a serious business* The challenges of manufacturing, shelf life and retail growth* Why Thomas believes recovery is the foundation of performance* His bigger vision for preventative health in the UK00:00 The vision behind The Turmeric Co00:39 Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu’s defining moment01:16 Two ACL ruptures by 1703:46 Living with chronic pain04:47 Searching for a natural solution06:27 The library research behind the blend08:02 Creating the first homemade shot10:41 Pain-free in six weeks12:23 From home remedy to business14:15 Rejected by manufacturers16:20 Building production from scratch17:39 The first life-changing testimonial20:52 Scaling The Turmeric Co25:11 A vision for the NHS28:56 What recovery means now________________________________The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.________________________________ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com________________________________Connect with Performance PeopleHit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/________________________________The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Oisin Murphy is one of the most successful jockeys of his generation, a x5 Champion Jockey whose career has been defined by brilliance, pressure, relapse, recovery and an unrelenting pursuit of winning.In this episode of Performance People, Oisin speaks with rare honesty about the reality behind elite success. He reflects on the horse that changed everything for him, Roaring Lion, and explains why winning major titles has never brought the sense of fulfilment people assume it should. He opens up about the mental strain of race riding, his obsession with strike rate, the exhausting demands of making weight, and the psychological cost of constantly trying to stay at the top.Most strikingly, Oisin talks candidly about alcohol, blackout drinking, sobriety and the damage addiction caused in both his personal and professional life. He explains why his 2025 comeback title mattered so much, how he felt people had had enough of him, and why proving people wrong became part of the fuel behind that season.Oisin's book: Sacrifice: A Year in the Life of a Champion Jockey - available nowChapters: 00:00 Introduction00:58 Why 2018 Changed Everything01:23 Roaring Lion and the Horse That Made Him08:24 Why the Book Is Called Sacrifice10:51 The Reality of Riding 1,000 Horses a Year13:45 Why Being a Jockey Is So Unforgiving15:49 The Obsession With Strike Rate18:21 Alcohol, Blackouts and Hitting Rock Bottom23:52 How He’s Approaching Sobriety Differently27:16 Why Sobriety Made Him a Better Rider30:03 Why He’s Already Thinking About Retirement39:36 Why Winning the Champion Jockey Title Brings No Joy42:10 The 2025 Comeback Title and Proving People Wrong53:54 The One Race He Still Dreams of Winning________________________________The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.________________________________ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com________________________________Connect with Performance PeopleHit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/________________________________The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Your brain is the most trainable organ in your body. So why aren't you training it?This week on Performance People, we sit down with Dr Tommy Wood, neuroscientist, researcher, and performance scientist who has worked at the highest levels of motorsport, including Formula 1 through HINSTA Performance. If you want to understand how the world's elite athletes keep their edge, this is the episode.Dr Tommy has just released his lates book, The Stimulated Mind, and the conversation does not disappoint. We're talking cognitive performance, dementia prevention, the neuroscience of elite sport, and why up to 70% of dementias could be preventable.We get into:* Why 45–70% of dementias are preventable, and what you can do about it right now* The truth about multitasking (spoiler: your brain literally cannot do it)* How F1 legends like Hamilton and Alonso use crystallised intelligence to outperform teammates half their age* What elite athletes understand about brain recovery that most people never will* Why AI could be quietly shrinking your cognitive capacity and how to push back* The Norwegian 4x4 protocol and why six months of HIIT can protect your hippocampus for five years* Social media, dopamine, and how to curate your feed like a high performer* The 3S Model, Stimulus, Supply, Support, your blueprint for a sharper brain at any ageDr Tommy Wood works with Formula 1 teams through HINSTA Performance, one of the world's leading high-performance health organisations. His insights bridge elite sport science and everyday brain health in a way that will change how you think about performance, literally.00:00 Introduction02:10 Is Dementia Really Preventable?05:50 Genetics vs Lifestyle — The APOE4 Reality10:23 Can the Brain Improve With Age?13:20 The Exercise Formula for Brain Performance18:21 Recovery, Sleep & Cognitive Overload20:32 Why the Brain Cannot Multitask23:41 Social Media, Dopamine & Attention Collapse27:47 AI, Creativity & The “Google Effect”45:34 GPS, Taxi Drivers & Spatial Intelligence48:29 What Elite Athletes Understand About the Brain55:58 The Owl Experiment & The 3S Model________________________________The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday. Hit subscribe and don't miss an episode.________________________________ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com________________________________Connect with Performance PeopleHit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/________________________________The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Former England international James Haskell joins Performance People for an unfiltered, honest conversation about elite sport, identity, leadership and life after rugby.Haskell reflects on the defining moments that shaped his career, from an unlikely England call-up that changed everything, to the brutal honesty of international environments where high performance is non-negotiable. He speaks candidly about learning to block out external noise, why Googling yourself can be a form of self-harm, and how early experiences with criticism and therapy reshaped his mindset long before conversations around mental health were mainstream.The episode explores what team culture really looks like at the highest level: why different personalities matter, how leaders earn respect, and the balance between discipline, individuality and accountability. Haskell also opens up about retirement, reinvention, and the challenge many athletes face when the structure of professional sport disappears.Now juggling podcasting, music, business ventures and fatherhood, he explains why growth doesn’t stop when sport ends, and why success, in any field, depends on self-awareness, honest feedback and taking responsibility for your own standards.Reloaded – The Good, The Bad and The Rugby by Alex Payne, James Haskell and Mike Tindall is available now (HarperNonFiction). Link here: Reloaded – The Good, The Bad & The Rugby________________________________The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.________________________________ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com________________________________Connect with Performance PeopleHit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/________________________________The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

World number one skeleton slider Matt Weston joins Performance People, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, to share the mindset, resilience and ambition behind his rise to the top of one of sport’s most extreme disciplines.In this episode, Matt reflects on the disappointment of the Beijing Winter Games and how that experience became the driving force behind a remarkable period of success. A multiple Crystal Globe winner, World Champion and European Champion, he opens up about rebuilding confidence, managing pressure, and why adaptability, both physical and mental, has been crucial to his performances.The conversation dives deep into the realities of elite skeleton racing: competing at speeds over 140km/h, racing through serious injury, and operating in a sport where hundredths of a second can define a career. Matt also explains how he prepares for high-pressure moments, works with sports psychologists, and balances perfectionism with performance.Above all, this is a conversation about standards. Matt is candid about his refusal to settle for second place, the mindset that separates good from great, and why gold this winter remains the ultimate goal. An unmissable insight into elite performance, resilience, and what it takes to compete at the very top.Subscribe for more conversations with world-class performers and leaders.________________________________The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.________________________________Connect with Performance PeopleHit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/________________________________The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

On this episode of Performance People, Georgie Ainslie sits down with Pat Sharples, an elite head coach in winter sports, for a rare behind-the-scenes look at how teams are built.Pat reveals what really happens inside a Winter campaign. He explains how he manages 12 very different snow sport disciplines, balancing creativity in freestyle athletes with the intensity of alpine racing, all while keeping athletes confident, healthy and competition-ready.The conversation dives into mindset, risk and preparation in extreme sports, where athletes rehearse dangerous tricks hundreds of times before executing them under pressure. Pat also discusses how confidence, fear management and decision-making can be the difference between medals and missed opportunities.Away from the slopes, Pat shares how recovery, sleep, nutrition and smart performance planning have become critical, especially when competing against nations with far larger budgets. Despite those challenges, he explains why British snowsport is entering the winter cycle with optimism, and highlights the athletes to watch.Subscribe for more conversations with world-class performers and leaders________________________________The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.________________________________Connect with Performance PeopleHit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/________________________________The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

In this episode of Performance People, we’re joined by Emirates GBR champion driver and newly appointed America’s Cup GB1 helm, Dylan Fletcher, to explore the defining moment behind one of British sailing’s most remarkable career arcs.Dylan reflects on the tough reality of being dropped from the SailGP circuit early in his career, describing the moment the “rug was pulled” and how losing control of his future forced a complete reset. What followed was an uncompromising focus on what he could control, a mindset shift that reshaped his approach to performance and decision-making.The conversation dives deep into pressure, resilience and life inside elite sport. Dylan shares what it’s really like to operate under extreme expectation, how he manages nerves, recovery and self-doubt before racing, and why failure, rather than success, has often been his greatest motivation.We also explore the inner workings of sailing’s biggest environments, from SailGP to the America’s Cup. Dylan opens up on helming alongside Sir Ben Ainslie, adapting to the demands of a 150 person team, and learning how to win both on and off the water.Further into the conversation, Dylan reflects on the Olympic campaign that culminated in gold medal success, and why committing fully to winning gold, rather than simply chasing a medal, changed everything.The episode comes at a landmark moment. Emirates GBR were crowned SailGP champions in 2025, and Dylan has just been appointed helm of GB1, the British challenger for the next America’s Cup; placing him at the centre of British sailing’s next chapter.________________________________The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.________________________________ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com________________________________Connect with Performance PeopleHit subscribe today for the latest. 🎧 Spotify/Apple Musichttp://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/________________________________The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.