Conversations with the people behind motorsport.
161 Laps is a new interview show about the people, stories and lives behind motorsport — not just what happens on the racetrack.
Hosted by Paul Burfitt, 161 Laps brings together drivers, team owners, engineers, sponsors, officials, promoters, media people and others who have built their lives around the sport.
The conversations are relaxed, personal and genuine.
There’s no race recap, no press-conference script and no requirement to arrive with something to promote.
Instead, we talk about the experiences people don’t always get asked about.
And sometimes the simplest question is the most interesting:
What have you got to lose?
The Bathurst 1000. Mount Panorama. 161 laps.
One of the most iconic races in motorsport. A thousand kilometres of preparation, determination, teamwork, risk and sometimes a little luck.
But here's the thing.
You can do everything right for 160 laps, and it can all change in an instant on the last.
That's motorsport. And in many ways, that's life.
The victories, the setbacks, the unexpected turns and the people who help you along the way.
161 Laps is about the stories behind those moments — on and off the track.
Paul Burfitt
Founder & Host
I've been involved in motorsport in one way or another for much of my life.
I've raced cars, managed drivers and professional race teams, worked with sponsors, negotiated commercial partnerships and experienced both the excitement and the frustrations that come with being part of the sport.
Along the way, I've met some remarkable people. Not just the drivers whose names appear on the results sheets, but the team owners, engineers, mechanics, officials, promoters, sponsors and countless others who make motorsport what it is.
And one thing I've learned is that some of the most interesting stories have absolutely nothing to do with who won the race.
They're about the decisions people make, the risks they take, the opportunities they chase, the disappointments they overcome and the lives they build along the way.
That's what interests me.
161 Laps isn't about conducting another post-race interview or asking the same questions you've answered a hundred times before.
It's an opportunity to sit down, have a genuine conversation and explore the stories people rarely get the chance to tell.
No scripts. No agendas. Just a good conversation.
And hopefully, a few laughs along the way.
See you soon, Paul
A relaxed one-on-one video conversation, generally recorded remotely.
Allow approximately 45–60 minutes.
There’s no preparation required and no list of rehearsed answers. The aim is simply to have a great conversation and see where it goes.
Episodes are published across video, podcast and social channels, with shorter moments from the conversation also used to introduce your story to a wider audience.
161 Laps is for people who love motorsport — but also for anyone interested in ambition, careers, risk, success, failure, reinvention and the stories behind interesting people.
The show begins in Australian motorsport but is being built with a global audience and guest list in mind.
I’d love you to join me for an episode.
No hard sell. No gotcha questions. No corporate script.
Just a genuine conversation about your story and the road that got you here.
What have you got to lose?
Pick a time that suits you. Or send me a message below.
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