Would you work in F1?
Discussion
A question I often ask myself; "would I actually like to work in F1?"
I have the interest; I have watched F1 since about 95 when I was 10 years old. I believe I posses the aptitude; 1st class MEng + a PhD and was offered a job by Ilmore in May last year but in the end turned it down.
I turned it down because I just wasn't sure it was what I wanted. The money was merely average, but they wanted a pound of flesh and then some. Plus the location just didn't fit at the time, there would have been no work for my OH.
It seems to me, like its something you do out of sheer love. The money doesn't matter so long as you can put a roof over your head and you won't mind spending a lot of time in the office or at the factory. Do I really love F1 that much, do I have the passion?! To add, I once was able to speak to an old hand aero guy from McLaren. The picture he painted was one of relativlely low pay, slow progression and stuck in an office running CFD simulations on bits of front wing endlessly.
A friend also worked at Woking for the F1 team and described a very sterile, anodyne environment where you couldn't even have so much as a few loose sheets of paper on your desk. In Mark Webber's recent book, he painted a pretty bleak picture of what is was like to work at Williams F1, saying everyone looked glum and that he didn't know a single person who would say working there was a happy existence. Whilst he said RedBull was much better, the inter-team politics sounded like it would make for a very stressed out environment.
So I don't know.... would you? unless you're at the very top, pay doesn't sound great, long hours, potential for huge stress (at my Ilmore interview they were very open about how frequently they will pull all nighters or be in the office all weekend on race weekends trouble shooting). To me it sounds like you have to have an intense love and passion for motor-racing to be able to put up with the bad bits.
I have the interest; I have watched F1 since about 95 when I was 10 years old. I believe I posses the aptitude; 1st class MEng + a PhD and was offered a job by Ilmore in May last year but in the end turned it down.
I turned it down because I just wasn't sure it was what I wanted. The money was merely average, but they wanted a pound of flesh and then some. Plus the location just didn't fit at the time, there would have been no work for my OH.
It seems to me, like its something you do out of sheer love. The money doesn't matter so long as you can put a roof over your head and you won't mind spending a lot of time in the office or at the factory. Do I really love F1 that much, do I have the passion?! To add, I once was able to speak to an old hand aero guy from McLaren. The picture he painted was one of relativlely low pay, slow progression and stuck in an office running CFD simulations on bits of front wing endlessly.
A friend also worked at Woking for the F1 team and described a very sterile, anodyne environment where you couldn't even have so much as a few loose sheets of paper on your desk. In Mark Webber's recent book, he painted a pretty bleak picture of what is was like to work at Williams F1, saying everyone looked glum and that he didn't know a single person who would say working there was a happy existence. Whilst he said RedBull was much better, the inter-team politics sounded like it would make for a very stressed out environment.
So I don't know.... would you? unless you're at the very top, pay doesn't sound great, long hours, potential for huge stress (at my Ilmore interview they were very open about how frequently they will pull all nighters or be in the office all weekend on race weekends trouble shooting). To me it sounds like you have to have an intense love and passion for motor-racing to be able to put up with the bad bits.
From the outside looking in, it's always seemed the sort of work one does for the love rather than anything else.
I imagine being trackside has some excitement, but I cannot imagine many more dull activities than sitting in a windowless control room back in the UK whilst the race is on, crunching strategies, etc.
I would also guess that many get into it for a few years and then either move on, or get used to the travel, etc and like it. Nobody has got rich from being low down on the pecking order in an F1 team.
Good on the CV though...
I imagine being trackside has some excitement, but I cannot imagine many more dull activities than sitting in a windowless control room back in the UK whilst the race is on, crunching strategies, etc.
I would also guess that many get into it for a few years and then either move on, or get used to the travel, etc and like it. Nobody has got rich from being low down on the pecking order in an F1 team.
Good on the CV though...
We've done some work in F1, not for the teams though. Interesting and highly political environment (much more so than you would think). Really enjoyed it and still work with some of the people in it. If I was 25 years younger and had no family I'd love to do a couple of seasons on event, however I'm not 
What are the pay rates in a f1 team
I think the drivers are way overpaid but how about everyone else I can't see a mechanic on a very low wage but maybe I'm wrong.
And while I love to watch f1 working in it unless you're a driver earning mega amounts would not be for me
While the travel I'm sure is nice it probably gets very monotonous very quickly and been away from family for a silly amount of time would also put me off!
Unless you're a driver and can afford a private jet to whisk you off straight away like some of them do! I imagine the workloads to be worse than I can imagine for the teams
I think the drivers are way overpaid but how about everyone else I can't see a mechanic on a very low wage but maybe I'm wrong.
And while I love to watch f1 working in it unless you're a driver earning mega amounts would not be for me
While the travel I'm sure is nice it probably gets very monotonous very quickly and been away from family for a silly amount of time would also put me off!
Unless you're a driver and can afford a private jet to whisk you off straight away like some of them do! I imagine the workloads to be worse than I can imagine for the teams
lee_fr200 said:
I think the drivers are way overpaid but how about everyone else I can't see a mechanic on a very low wage but maybe I'm wrong.
The drivers are paid according to demand.Most nowadays actually don't earn that much. I'm talking the Maldonado, Verstappen, Sainz & Ericssons of this world. Either because they're young and inexperienced, or they get paid by their sponsors.
There's then a middle bracket of reasonable earners - low-ish millions per year, in which I include Button, Massa, Ricciardo, Rosberg and probably now Raikkonen.
Only the top few get multi-multi million deals - Hamilton, Alonso and Vettel are currently the only ones in this bracket I think.
It's easy to say they get too much, but there's very few people in the world who can drive an F1 car fast and even fewer who are the fastest.
Also, whilst I guess your job is more-safe at the well supported teams. I imagine those working for teams lower down in the pecking order always have job security looming into the equation as well. I feel for the chaps at lotus, who on top of having to deal with all the stresses of running a race team, must do so whilst worrying whether they'll still have a job next race and whether their pay cheque will arrive!
Muzzer79 said:
lee_fr200 said:
I think the drivers are way overpaid but how about everyone else I can't see a mechanic on a very low wage but maybe I'm wrong.
The drivers are paid according to demand.Most nowadays actually don't earn that much. I'm talking the Maldonado, Verstappen, Sainz & Ericssons of this world. Either because they're young and inexperienced, or they get paid by their sponsors.
There's then a middle bracket of reasonable earners - low-ish millions per year, in which I include Button, Massa, Ricciardo, Rosberg and probably now Raikkonen.
Only the top few get multi-multi million deals - Hamilton, Alonso and Vettel are currently the only ones in this bracket I think.
It's easy to say they get too much, but there's very few people in the world who can drive an F1 car fast and even fewer who are the fastest.
An old school mate of mine worked for Arrows and then Red Bull; pretty sure he's still there.
Never talked about money, but he's certainly happy.
I don't have the skills or experience to be of use to any team and I'm happy doing what I do. It would be an experience and something to tell the grand-kids though.
Never talked about money, but he's certainly happy.
I don't have the skills or experience to be of use to any team and I'm happy doing what I do. It would be an experience and something to tell the grand-kids though.
Who wouldn't want to work in F1? Well, up until I had an interview at Red Bull a year or so back I did. Now, not likely.
Interviewer seemed much more interested in work environment and commitment and "have you ever applied to work in F1 or motorsport before" with not a lot of interest in skills. Seemed to me as though the main qualifying criteria was wanting the job "because it's F1" more than anything else and being prepared to work whenever and wherever they wanted without batting an eyelid or daring to question it. With two young kids I doubt I'd have lasted a season, certainly not two.
Money was decidedly average, certainly didn't reflect the sort of pressure and expectation they seemed likely to impose. I guess the big championship bonuses were nice albeit they'll have dried up now. Their behaviour towards Renault also doesn't portray a management or company ethos that I would have got on with. I detest management who point fingers of blame in any company especially one that actually claims to be a team.
So I stayed where I was (decided about half way through the interview it was never going to work), I see my wife and kids every night and weekend, I have really flexible hours and I get the same money. With Red Bull it seemed it would be all them, lots of take and little give.
I'm sure someone will now come on and tell me it's nothing like that but it is certainly what they portrayed in the interview.
Interviewer seemed much more interested in work environment and commitment and "have you ever applied to work in F1 or motorsport before" with not a lot of interest in skills. Seemed to me as though the main qualifying criteria was wanting the job "because it's F1" more than anything else and being prepared to work whenever and wherever they wanted without batting an eyelid or daring to question it. With two young kids I doubt I'd have lasted a season, certainly not two.
Money was decidedly average, certainly didn't reflect the sort of pressure and expectation they seemed likely to impose. I guess the big championship bonuses were nice albeit they'll have dried up now. Their behaviour towards Renault also doesn't portray a management or company ethos that I would have got on with. I detest management who point fingers of blame in any company especially one that actually claims to be a team.
So I stayed where I was (decided about half way through the interview it was never going to work), I see my wife and kids every night and weekend, I have really flexible hours and I get the same money. With Red Bull it seemed it would be all them, lots of take and little give.
I'm sure someone will now come on and tell me it's nothing like that but it is certainly what they portrayed in the interview.
Composite Guru said:
ewenm said:
If I was young and single then yes. I've done the traveling, working all hours thing. It's fine for a while but tiresome in the end.
There is more to F1 than just travelling. Cars are built in a factory using technical staff doing shiftwork mostly. Super Slo Mo said:
I don't think FOM is any better from what people I know who've worked for them say. However it might be a personal preference.
I would have to go with the answer of 'yes' given I applied for the position of telemetrist a while back. It was perfect - a keen interest - and I lived just a few miles away from Biggin Hill. Even though it was after the official close I sent my CV with a covering letter explaining myself and was invited to an interview.I was thrilled - but I must have not done so well there though because ultimately I was 'runner up' and so ended my career in F1.ewenm said:
Composite Guru said:
ewenm said:
If I was young and single then yes. I've done the traveling, working all hours thing. It's fine for a while but tiresome in the end.
There is more to F1 than just travelling. Cars are built in a factory using technical staff doing shiftwork mostly. ewenm said:
Composite Guru said:
ewenm said:
If I was young and single then yes. I've done the traveling, working all hours thing. It's fine for a while but tiresome in the end.
There is more to F1 than just travelling. Cars are built in a factory using technical staff doing shiftwork mostly. Otispunkmeyer said:
A question I often ask myself; "would I actually like to work in F1?"
I have the interest; I have watched F1 since about 95 when I was 10 years old. I believe I posses the aptitude; 1st class MEng + a PhD and was offered a job by Ilmore in May last year but in the end turned it down.
I turned it down because I just wasn't sure it was what I wanted. The money was merely average, but they wanted a pound of flesh and then some. Plus the location just didn't fit at the time, there would have been no work for my OH.
It seems to me, like its something you do out of sheer love. The money doesn't matter so long as you can put a roof over your head and you won't mind spending a lot of time in the office or at the factory. Do I really love F1 that much, do I have the passion?! To add, I once was able to speak to an old hand aero guy from McLaren. The picture he painted was one of relativlely low pay, slow progression and stuck in an office running CFD simulations on bits of front wing endlessly.
A friend also worked at Woking for the F1 team and described a very sterile, anodyne environment where you couldn't even have so much as a few loose sheets of paper on your desk. In Mark Webber's recent book, he painted a pretty bleak picture of what is was like to work at Williams F1, saying everyone looked glum and that he didn't know a single person who would say working there was a happy existence. Whilst he said RedBull was much better, the inter-team politics sounded like it would make for a very stressed out environment.
So I don't know.... would you? unless you're at the very top, pay doesn't sound great, long hours, potential for huge stress (at my Ilmore interview they were very open about how frequently they will pull all nighters or be in the office all weekend on race weekends trouble shooting). To me it sounds like you have to have an intense love and passion for motor-racing to be able to put up with the bad bits.
That's a very depressing post. But then, I didn't expect it to be fun at such a high level.I have the interest; I have watched F1 since about 95 when I was 10 years old. I believe I posses the aptitude; 1st class MEng + a PhD and was offered a job by Ilmore in May last year but in the end turned it down.
I turned it down because I just wasn't sure it was what I wanted. The money was merely average, but they wanted a pound of flesh and then some. Plus the location just didn't fit at the time, there would have been no work for my OH.
It seems to me, like its something you do out of sheer love. The money doesn't matter so long as you can put a roof over your head and you won't mind spending a lot of time in the office or at the factory. Do I really love F1 that much, do I have the passion?! To add, I once was able to speak to an old hand aero guy from McLaren. The picture he painted was one of relativlely low pay, slow progression and stuck in an office running CFD simulations on bits of front wing endlessly.
A friend also worked at Woking for the F1 team and described a very sterile, anodyne environment where you couldn't even have so much as a few loose sheets of paper on your desk. In Mark Webber's recent book, he painted a pretty bleak picture of what is was like to work at Williams F1, saying everyone looked glum and that he didn't know a single person who would say working there was a happy existence. Whilst he said RedBull was much better, the inter-team politics sounded like it would make for a very stressed out environment.
So I don't know.... would you? unless you're at the very top, pay doesn't sound great, long hours, potential for huge stress (at my Ilmore interview they were very open about how frequently they will pull all nighters or be in the office all weekend on race weekends trouble shooting). To me it sounds like you have to have an intense love and passion for motor-racing to be able to put up with the bad bits.
I was a guest in the pits for a number of LMES races and the atmosphere was very supportive. The mechanics seemed to want to help their colleagues and no one seemed afraid to admit they needed help, always a good sign I think. I enjoyed it. One thing which surprised me was how excited the guys got in the races. When a car expired during the race, the atmosphere went well down and no one seemed to try and get it back up, despite there being two cars. When one car was taken out by a dreadfully driven Audi at the Bus Stop, the concern of the guys sent shivers down my spine, and then, when the report came back of all OK, they got on with their work as if nothing had happened.
It was very exciting. The only ones who threw a strop or weren't interested in the team as much as themselves, were the drivers.
I wouldn't want to do it though. All that hard work, all that expertise, and then they hand the cars over to egotistical idiots who drive it into the barriers and blame a 'sudden odd sensation with the steering'. Yes, mate, you were driving over stones.
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