How to get a job in F1?
Discussion
As per the title really! 
I have been told that I am going to be made redundant from my current job. The upside of this is that it comes with 3 months of paid gardening leave and a fairly chunky payout at the end of that (roughly equal to 12 months net salary). I would like to use this opportunity to try to change industry and work in F1. I am a huge motorsport fan, and feel that working in an industry I'm passionate about might make work feel a little more rewarding. I haven't sat down and worked out a proper plan yet, but I know there are many people here with lots of industry experience and so would be grateful for any help/advice people could give.
A little about me and my current situation ...
Early 40s.
No kids.
Mortgage paid off.
Nothing on credit. I live well within my means.
I live at the northern end of the F1 corridor (Leamington Spa in Warwickshire) and have no real desire to relocate.
I have spent the last 10 years or so working for a bank as something between a data analyst, a forecaster and an MI manager.
In my simple mind, I essentially dig through data, use what I find to construct a model of the future, and then present that to people with varying levels of technical understanding. My hope is that these skills and mindset could be very applicable to the strategy department of an F1 team.
I believe I have HAAS, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Cadillac, Alpine, Williams, Red Bull and potentially Racing Bulls (I'm unsure which site their strategy team work out of) all within commuting distance of where I live, so there's multiple options if I could convince someone that I am the man for the job.
My biggest worry is whether F1 teams hire from outside of their industry - or is motorsport experience pretty much a prerequisite for the majority of their roles? If motorsport experience is required, can anyone give me a steer on something that is within reach of someone with no industry experience but also likely to catch the eye of a recruiter for an F1 team down the line.
I also think that the 3 months of paid gardening leave gives me an opportunity to do an unpaid internship somewhere - giving me the chance to demonstrate my value. Is this something that could help? Or am I barking up the wrong tree with this idea?
Apologies if I haven't explained myself too well - my head is still a little all over the place as I try and process my news. Whilst it's a big shock, and the uncertainty about the future is unsettling, I really do want to use it as an opportunity to really shift my career towards something I'm passionate about.
Any help or advice people can give is most welcome. Even if it's just to tell me that I'm being an idiot, it'll never work, and I should look for something more in line with my previous experience.
I have been told that I am going to be made redundant from my current job. The upside of this is that it comes with 3 months of paid gardening leave and a fairly chunky payout at the end of that (roughly equal to 12 months net salary). I would like to use this opportunity to try to change industry and work in F1. I am a huge motorsport fan, and feel that working in an industry I'm passionate about might make work feel a little more rewarding. I haven't sat down and worked out a proper plan yet, but I know there are many people here with lots of industry experience and so would be grateful for any help/advice people could give.
A little about me and my current situation ...
Early 40s.
No kids.
Mortgage paid off.
Nothing on credit. I live well within my means.
I live at the northern end of the F1 corridor (Leamington Spa in Warwickshire) and have no real desire to relocate.
I have spent the last 10 years or so working for a bank as something between a data analyst, a forecaster and an MI manager.
In my simple mind, I essentially dig through data, use what I find to construct a model of the future, and then present that to people with varying levels of technical understanding. My hope is that these skills and mindset could be very applicable to the strategy department of an F1 team.
I believe I have HAAS, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Cadillac, Alpine, Williams, Red Bull and potentially Racing Bulls (I'm unsure which site their strategy team work out of) all within commuting distance of where I live, so there's multiple options if I could convince someone that I am the man for the job.
My biggest worry is whether F1 teams hire from outside of their industry - or is motorsport experience pretty much a prerequisite for the majority of their roles? If motorsport experience is required, can anyone give me a steer on something that is within reach of someone with no industry experience but also likely to catch the eye of a recruiter for an F1 team down the line.
I also think that the 3 months of paid gardening leave gives me an opportunity to do an unpaid internship somewhere - giving me the chance to demonstrate my value. Is this something that could help? Or am I barking up the wrong tree with this idea?
Apologies if I haven't explained myself too well - my head is still a little all over the place as I try and process my news. Whilst it's a big shock, and the uncertainty about the future is unsettling, I really do want to use it as an opportunity to really shift my career towards something I'm passionate about.
Any help or advice people can give is most welcome. Even if it's just to tell me that I'm being an idiot, it'll never work, and I should look for something more in line with my previous experience.
An alternative is to use your gardening leave to help a non F1 team with their data analytics/telemetry. It'll give you more scope for success and allows you build a CV in Motorsport.
The thing is, getting a freebie may be far from free if you f
k it up, or if you require so much supervision you make a paid engineer much less inefficient. Budget is less of an issue at that level than getting it right.
Lower tiers may be less choosey, and least helps you prove capability (or not).
The thing is, getting a freebie may be far from free if you f
k it up, or if you require so much supervision you make a paid engineer much less inefficient. Budget is less of an issue at that level than getting it right.Lower tiers may be less choosey, and least helps you prove capability (or not).
Depends on your age, if you are young, ask around local teams if you can help out for free, this will get you used to working your socks off for little reward, evenings, unsociable hours, weekends for little extra money.
You have to be prepared to give up a lot, hundreds of hours in airports, on planes, in shuttle buses, very hot pit boxes,
It might look glamorous, but it is hard work for far less reward than you would get working half as hard elsewhere.
They rely on your enthusiasm, and you will either rebel from it and quit, or relish it.
You have to be prepared to give up a lot, hundreds of hours in airports, on planes, in shuttle buses, very hot pit boxes,
It might look glamorous, but it is hard work for far less reward than you would get working half as hard elsewhere.
They rely on your enthusiasm, and you will either rebel from it and quit, or relish it.
I was on a cruise recently and whilst we were waiting in line for the tender back to the ship I over heard two of the crew talking. They were discussing the job and one of the two had previously worked in the motorsport industry and said he would never go back. I might have misheard what he said, but I am fairly certain he said that some weekends he didn't sleep for 50 hours.
These were two young guys in their 20s, fk doing that in my 40s.
These were two young guys in their 20s, f
k doing that in my 40s.OP, not a stupid idea at all, F1 is data driven, be it crunching production numbers, wind tunnel aero numbers, race stratergy numbers etc
Think a few of the replies you've recieved are emphasising the exception not the rule as very few people from each team actually spend time at the track
+440, race, +24yrs F1 veteran here, still enjoy it as I've never stopped evolving to avoid being pigeon holed
As mentioned, F1 isn't for everyone, only way to know for sure is to try it, get yourself on LinkedIn and start messaging everyone that you think would be interested in your skills/knowledge
Getting in is a numbers game, harder you try the luckier you'll get
Think a few of the replies you've recieved are emphasising the exception not the rule as very few people from each team actually spend time at the track
+440, race, +24yrs F1 veteran here, still enjoy it as I've never stopped evolving to avoid being pigeon holed
As mentioned, F1 isn't for everyone, only way to know for sure is to try it, get yourself on LinkedIn and start messaging everyone that you think would be interested in your skills/knowledge
Getting in is a numbers game, harder you try the luckier you'll get
Slightly leftfield idea. Amazon AWS are the official data sponsor of F1 itself, this is Fomula One Management (FOM) / Liberty Media.
Here s former F1 team strategist Ruth Buscome doing a keynote speech at one of their recent conferences.
https://x.com/ruthbuscombe/status/1970245458472976...
They clearly have a large team of people on the F1 project, perhaps they re the sort of company who would know and understand people with banking experience in a similar field.?
Here s former F1 team strategist Ruth Buscome doing a keynote speech at one of their recent conferences.
https://x.com/ruthbuscombe/status/1970245458472976...
They clearly have a large team of people on the F1 project, perhaps they re the sort of company who would know and understand people with banking experience in a similar field.?
Edited by Sandpit Steve on Monday 29th September 18:30
When I lived in Northamptonshire and worked for a (non-F1) engine manufacturer, we had many staff who had had various experiences in F1.
They usually did the same or a similar job as what they had done in F1, except that F1 had worse working conditions, terrible wages and constant high pressure. If that's your thing, then go ahead, otherwise, just get into the automotive industry.
Don't let the glamour of it make you think that it is something incredible. It's a job and you'll be an employee. Unless you're in a very special position (such as being the driver), it will probably not be what you're imagining.
They usually did the same or a similar job as what they had done in F1, except that F1 had worse working conditions, terrible wages and constant high pressure. If that's your thing, then go ahead, otherwise, just get into the automotive industry.
Don't let the glamour of it make you think that it is something incredible. It's a job and you'll be an employee. Unless you're in a very special position (such as being the driver), it will probably not be what you're imagining.
I Have worked in motorsport most of my life , im now a chief engineer for a leading WEC hypercar team, but have done F1.
I worked my way up to the top jobs, worked in britcar,BTTC, BGT then went to F1 all as a mechanic and in some as an engineer.
Motorsport is more than a job, its a life, there is no time for anything else, family etc are a problem not a help. im on my 3rd divorce.
I hated F1, much prefere sportscars. as in F1 you have very little input to the end result, Sportscars is much more a team game.
Data is now more a part than ever, so contact a few teams with a honest cv, but aim at the lower formula and try to work with them first, as most motorsport jobs go "in trade" so to speak.You may even have to work for free to begin with.
Also dont forget in the motorsport world working in F1 isnt a selling point,often the opposite, i would never employ someone who has only worked F1.
Good luck with what ever you do.
I worked my way up to the top jobs, worked in britcar,BTTC, BGT then went to F1 all as a mechanic and in some as an engineer.
Motorsport is more than a job, its a life, there is no time for anything else, family etc are a problem not a help. im on my 3rd divorce.
I hated F1, much prefere sportscars. as in F1 you have very little input to the end result, Sportscars is much more a team game.
Data is now more a part than ever, so contact a few teams with a honest cv, but aim at the lower formula and try to work with them first, as most motorsport jobs go "in trade" so to speak.You may even have to work for free to begin with.
Also dont forget in the motorsport world working in F1 isnt a selling point,often the opposite, i would never employ someone who has only worked F1.
Good luck with what ever you do.
3rd divorce, don't think motorsport is the problem
I've worked with 100's, maybe 1000's of friends, colleagues in motorsport and I'm struggling think of more than a few that have divorced
Race team roles will definitely put more strain on a marriage, relationship than a factory based role but the OP's chances of being offered a race role is less than zero and only a tiny % of an F1 team regularly go to the track
Definitely agree someone with a variety of top level motorsport experience is much better suited to roles outside of F1 as in F1 your spoilt, you cover a very narrow band width and experience is usually extremely specialised
Same situation as the OP but coming at it from the completely opposite direction, decided late last year I needed a more difficult motorsport challenge than F1 is giving me, needed the learning experience, challenge of being the newbie, basically a new unfamiliar, uncomfortable happy place to adapt to, survive and hopefully in time thrive
Researched many different categories, from WEC, WRC, offshore powerboats, Dakar, Moto GP, unlimited hydroplane powerboats, Baja etc Quickly zoomed in and focused on Unlimited Trophy Trucks as this is as far from F1 as a 4 wheeled motorsport can be. Did more research to find out who was who, who was doing what, trying to understand the game, where I could add value ie performance etc
Perseverance paid off and I found a way in, not fully made the jump but I'm hooked as everything is refreshingly different but reassuringly the same which I'm sure the OP will find out for himself in F1 if he doesn't give up easily
I've worked with 100's, maybe 1000's of friends, colleagues in motorsport and I'm struggling think of more than a few that have divorced
Race team roles will definitely put more strain on a marriage, relationship than a factory based role but the OP's chances of being offered a race role is less than zero and only a tiny % of an F1 team regularly go to the track
Definitely agree someone with a variety of top level motorsport experience is much better suited to roles outside of F1 as in F1 your spoilt, you cover a very narrow band width and experience is usually extremely specialised
Same situation as the OP but coming at it from the completely opposite direction, decided late last year I needed a more difficult motorsport challenge than F1 is giving me, needed the learning experience, challenge of being the newbie, basically a new unfamiliar, uncomfortable happy place to adapt to, survive and hopefully in time thrive
Researched many different categories, from WEC, WRC, offshore powerboats, Dakar, Moto GP, unlimited hydroplane powerboats, Baja etc Quickly zoomed in and focused on Unlimited Trophy Trucks as this is as far from F1 as a 4 wheeled motorsport can be. Did more research to find out who was who, who was doing what, trying to understand the game, where I could add value ie performance etc
Perseverance paid off and I found a way in, not fully made the jump but I'm hooked as everything is refreshingly different but reassuringly the same which I'm sure the OP will find out for himself in F1 if he doesn't give up easily
I’ve been in F1 for 7 years as an engineer. The roles at a team are hugely varied, and almost any skill set can find their space. Being easy to work with, finding others easy to work with, and having a can-do attitude are probably the most important attributes.
It’s competitive, and that means the numbers are against you. I probably applied for over 100 jobs, and I had to strategise the jobs I took beforehand to improve my chances. I interviewed at my first f1 employer 5 times for 3 separate roles over a few years.
Top tips
1. Apply for a lot of jobs, and be prepared for a lot of rejections
2. Be open minded about roles. The first step is foot in the door. If you enjoy the environment opportunities will always be there for good people to move into their preferred area.
3. Ask yourself how much you really want it - this should then be obvious on your CV / application by things you have done in your career and life.
4. Don’t listen to people who say it’s low pay, bad lifestyle. It absolutely is for some but isn’t for others. You can only judge that for yourself.
It’s competitive, and that means the numbers are against you. I probably applied for over 100 jobs, and I had to strategise the jobs I took beforehand to improve my chances. I interviewed at my first f1 employer 5 times for 3 separate roles over a few years.
Top tips
1. Apply for a lot of jobs, and be prepared for a lot of rejections
2. Be open minded about roles. The first step is foot in the door. If you enjoy the environment opportunities will always be there for good people to move into their preferred area.
3. Ask yourself how much you really want it - this should then be obvious on your CV / application by things you have done in your career and life.
4. Don’t listen to people who say it’s low pay, bad lifestyle. It absolutely is for some but isn’t for others. You can only judge that for yourself.
Thank you very much to everyone who has contributed. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me - even if it is just tales of woe, and warnings to steer clear.
I would say that I am not looking for a trackside role (although if one was offered to me, I don't think I could say no), and I think my skillset fits better with a HQ-based role.
I am not set on an "F1 or bust" mentality. If another form of motorsport is able to look at what I can do and offer me gainful employment off the back of that, then that would be a great way forwards. However, I am more passionate about F1 than pretty much any other series ... and with F1 being so big, I would imagine (maybe incorrectly) that there are more roles for people specialising in quite a narrow field - let's face it, using data to try and predict outcomes is fairly niche - and in smaller operations there would be an expectation to be more of a 'jack of all trades'.
I will keep this thread updated as I progress, so people can see if I crash and burn or not. In terms of immediate timelines, I find out on Thursday what the timeline is for me exiting my current role, and as an added complication I have a minor operation scheduled for mid-October, which will have me laid low for a couple of weeks afterwards (might be an ideal time to work on my linkedin account to bring it up to date and give it a polish). So it's likely to be about a month before I'm able to really push along with this venture.
I would say that I am not looking for a trackside role (although if one was offered to me, I don't think I could say no), and I think my skillset fits better with a HQ-based role.
I am not set on an "F1 or bust" mentality. If another form of motorsport is able to look at what I can do and offer me gainful employment off the back of that, then that would be a great way forwards. However, I am more passionate about F1 than pretty much any other series ... and with F1 being so big, I would imagine (maybe incorrectly) that there are more roles for people specialising in quite a narrow field - let's face it, using data to try and predict outcomes is fairly niche - and in smaller operations there would be an expectation to be more of a 'jack of all trades'.
I will keep this thread updated as I progress, so people can see if I crash and burn or not. In terms of immediate timelines, I find out on Thursday what the timeline is for me exiting my current role, and as an added complication I have a minor operation scheduled for mid-October, which will have me laid low for a couple of weeks afterwards (might be an ideal time to work on my linkedin account to bring it up to date and give it a polish). So it's likely to be about a month before I'm able to really push along with this venture.
Been in F1 for 6.5 years (at the same team, so my industry experience is limited), and would have to strongly disagree with the image presented to you by those who 'know someone' etc. unless you're on the race team. That's obviously a very different prospect, and in that case the work life balance is going to be rather heavily weighted towards work, but there are thousands of people employed amongst the teams that get to go home in the evening and all sorts! 
Some good points made above, in terms of it's going to be competitive, so you will have to apply to a lot of jobs most likely, and you may just have to get lucky, but if you stick at it, you'll get there, assuming you're competent.
I'd suggest looking at what job adverts are out there to see where you may have potential knowledge gaps, or potential existing skills that match. Definitely get on LinkedIn and start messaging people, it won't hurt. If a team is using a tool you're not familiar with, get familiar with it etc.
As mentioned, Cadillac in particular are on a big hiring spree, the smaller teams will probably be more agressively hiring due to having more budget available and needing to grow to be competitive.
Feel free to shoot me a PM.
Some good points made above, in terms of it's going to be competitive, so you will have to apply to a lot of jobs most likely, and you may just have to get lucky, but if you stick at it, you'll get there, assuming you're competent.
I'd suggest looking at what job adverts are out there to see where you may have potential knowledge gaps, or potential existing skills that match. Definitely get on LinkedIn and start messaging people, it won't hurt. If a team is using a tool you're not familiar with, get familiar with it etc.
As mentioned, Cadillac in particular are on a big hiring spree, the smaller teams will probably be more agressively hiring due to having more budget available and needing to grow to be competitive.
Feel free to shoot me a PM.
Rotary Potato said:
I am a huge motorsport fan
My late BiL was a very senior and experienced design engineer for the automotive sector. He was 'invited' to apply for a job at McLaren (the f1 team, not road cars) along with a few others. He too was a huge motorsport fan. On top of which, his 'team' was McLaren. He had a model collection of every McLaren racing car ever made and one of his Uni projects was the building of a large model of the MP4. These are facts he revealed in the interview.He didn't get the job. Someone else has one qualification that exceeded his but the feedback he received included the suggestion to avoid mention of the depth of his enthusiasm for F1 in future interviews.
At my BiL's funeral, I mentioned this to a friend of his who was in F1 (with Manor IIRC) at the time. He said the last thing most teams want are 'fans' working there. Applicants for jobs would sometimes arrive wearing a team shirt thinking it would put them in a good light but they'd normally rule themselves out even before the interview in doing this. It sounds counter-intuitive but apparently the mindset is different to what many teams seek.
Another family friend was a truckie for Stobarts who had the contract for Mercedes F1. He got transferred across to drive the Mercedes trucks and was told by his manager to not 'rattle on about how big a F1 fan he was'.
So use your enthusiasm to draw knowledge but seems it best to play down the level of enthusiasm you may have.
Seems an idiotic thing, if someone is very keen, as a employer you can exploit that surely? Conditions in race teams are bad enough anyway with hours etc for some roles, so you can easily exploit someone who is very keen even more, I know for sure this has happened, as I know a few folk who were happy to accept it to get their chance.
Says arrogance to me sadly, but again not surprised. Almost like they don't want people who are passionate about the sport, they seem to be endlessly recruiting at all levels in my experience, which is never the best sign.
Says arrogance to me sadly, but again not surprised. Almost like they don't want people who are passionate about the sport, they seem to be endlessly recruiting at all levels in my experience, which is never the best sign.
StevieBee said:
My late BiL was a very senior and experienced design engineer for the automotive sector. He was 'invited' to apply for a job at McLaren (the f1 team, not road cars) along with a few others. He too was a huge motorsport fan. On top of which, his 'team' was McLaren. He had a model collection of every McLaren racing car ever made and one of his Uni projects was the building of a large model of the MP4. These are facts he revealed in the interview.
He didn't get the job. Someone else has one qualification that exceeded his but the feedback he received included the suggestion to avoid mention of the depth of his enthusiasm for F1 in future interviews.
At my BiL's funeral, I mentioned this to a friend of his who was in F1 (with Manor IIRC) at the time. He said the last thing most teams want are 'fans' working there. Applicants for jobs would sometimes arrive wearing a team shirt thinking it would put them in a good light but they'd normally rule themselves out even before the interview in doing this. It sounds counter-intuitive but apparently the mindset is different to what many teams seek.
Another family friend was a truckie for Stobarts who had the contract for Mercedes F1. He got transferred across to drive the Mercedes trucks and was told by his manager to not 'rattle on about how big a F1 fan he was'.
So use your enthusiasm to draw knowledge but seems it best to play down the level of enthusiasm you may have.
While I am a big fan of the sport, I don't really have a 'team' as such. And the thought of wearing merch to a job interview overloads my cringeometer. I can't see myself doing that! He didn't get the job. Someone else has one qualification that exceeded his but the feedback he received included the suggestion to avoid mention of the depth of his enthusiasm for F1 in future interviews.
At my BiL's funeral, I mentioned this to a friend of his who was in F1 (with Manor IIRC) at the time. He said the last thing most teams want are 'fans' working there. Applicants for jobs would sometimes arrive wearing a team shirt thinking it would put them in a good light but they'd normally rule themselves out even before the interview in doing this. It sounds counter-intuitive but apparently the mindset is different to what many teams seek.
Another family friend was a truckie for Stobarts who had the contract for Mercedes F1. He got transferred across to drive the Mercedes trucks and was told by his manager to not 'rattle on about how big a F1 fan he was'.
So use your enthusiasm to draw knowledge but seems it best to play down the level of enthusiasm you may have.
Thank you for your thoughts.bergclimber34 said:
Seems an idiotic thing, if someone is very keen, as a employer you can exploit that surely? Conditions in race teams are bad enough anyway with hours etc for some roles, so you can easily exploit someone who is very keen even more, I know for sure this has happened, as I know a few folk who were happy to accept it to get their chance.
Says arrogance to me sadly, but again not surprised. Almost like they don't want people who are passionate about the sport, they seem to be endlessly recruiting at all levels in my experience, which is never the best sign.
Arrogance may be a factor and I guess that ultimately it can just come down to the person.Says arrogance to me sadly, but again not surprised. Almost like they don't want people who are passionate about the sport, they seem to be endlessly recruiting at all levels in my experience, which is never the best sign.
I think I understand their point, though. They want people utterly focused and expert in their jobs and not someone who gets star-struck every time a driver visits the factory, or keeps asking the bosses what it was like working with so and so.
StevieBee said:
He didn't get the job. Someone else has one qualification that exceeded his but the feedback he received included the suggestion to avoid mention of the depth of his enthusiasm for F1 in future interviews.
That could have been just one tt interviewer.I wouldn't use it as a benchmark for the whole of F1.
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