A cliché says if you love your occupation, you won\’t work for a day in your life. It is particularly true in F1, where employees rub shoulders with their heroes, be immersed in the trackside atmosphere, and play a part in the team\’s success.
The potential opportunities to get into F1 are huge and include occupations within
- The F1 teams.
- Engine manufacturers.
- FIA.
- Liberty Media.
- Volunteering.
- Emergency assistance services.
How many children have fantasized about becoming world-famous Formula One champions? The reality is that becoming a leading F1 driver is almost impossible; however, there are many other avenues to get into F1. In most cases, it will be a long and fulfilling career.
If you\’re looking for some F1 merchandise, check out the awesome stuff at the official F1 store here.
How To Have A Career in F1
There are several opportunities in Formula One, some of which are.
- Working for the Formula One Teams.
- Working for the engine manufacturers.
- Working for the FIA.
- Working at Liberty Media.
- Working in a voluntary role at the different tracks.
- Working in the emergency assistance services at the tracks.
Working For The Formula One Teams
Outside of driving an F1 car, a complex support system with team members working together with many different skills. The main categories under which the roles fall are.
- Race Roles (trackside)
- Technical Department
- Team manager and administration
Trackside Race Roles Within The Team
Several roles need to be filled in a Formula team at the racing circuit.
Formula One Racing Driver
The most obvious role that young boys and girls fantasize about is repeating the success of Formula One greats like Louis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Fernando Alonso.
Bearing in mind that there are only ten formula One teams and who collectively have only twenty Formula One racing car seats that need to be filled, the chance of achieving this goal is very small.
If the young driver thinks they have the skill and financial backing necessary, the following is the way to get there.
The FIA is trying to formalize the path an aspiring river must take to get into the seat of a modern Formula One car.
The route that the FIA is trying to enforce is as follows.
Karting
The earlier age at which the drivers start to race go-karts is one of the biggest factors determining the driver\’s future success.
The modern era drivers who started at a very early age have achieved the most success. The following table demonstrates this.
| Racing Driver | Team | Age started karting | Age | Age started in F1 | No race wins | Age won the first F1 race | No champs won |
| Louis Hamilton | Mercedes | 6 | 37 | 22 | 292 | 22 | 7 |
| Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | 3 | 34 | 20 | 43 | 21 | 4 |
| Fernando Alonso | Alpine | 3 | 40 | 21 | 32 | 22 | 2 |
| Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 4.5 | 24 | 17 | 22 | 18 | 1 |
Formula 3
Once the aspiring drivers have won various karting championships, they will be offered a seat in a Formula 3 car.
There are eighteen Formula 3 races in an annual season, and there are only ten teams that race 33 cars.
If a karting driver has proved capable, they may qualify for one of the 33 available driver seats.
Formula 3 is designed to test the driver\’s capabilities rather than the cars. Teams have to use one of the eight-car versions, and the only engine supplied.
The details of the Formula 3 series are summarised in the following table.
| No Of Practise Sessions | 1 |
| Qualifying | 1 and sprint |
| Length Of Race | 40 min + one lap |
| Length Of Sprint Race | 40 min + one lap |
| Teams design their cars | No (8 suppliers) |
| Teams design their engines | No (1 supplier) |
| Number of engines per season | 1 |
| Teams source their tires | No (Pirelli) |
| Drag Reduction Systems (DRS) | Yes |
| Engine Horsepower | 380 HP |
| Top Speed | 186 mph (300 km/h) |
| 0-60km/h | 3.1 seconds |
| Car weight | 1484 lb (673kg), including driver |
| Team Budget | $2 million (2 vehicles) |
If the up-and-coming driver wins the championship and has shown enough skill and flair, they may be offered a seat in a Formula 2 car.
Formula 2
There are currently 11 teams competing in the Formula 2 championship, and they race 23 cars.
Once again, the focus of Formula 2 is the driver\’s skill, and therefore each team race the same car with the same engine.
There are 26 races run in the Formula 2 championship.
| No Of Practise Sessions | 1 |
| Qualifying | 2 Sprint |
| Length Of Race | 105 miles (170)km) or 60 min |
| Length Of Sprint Race | 75 miles (120km) or 45 min |
| Teams design their cars | No (1 supplier) |
| Teams design their engines | No (1 supplier) |
| Number of engines per season | 1 |
| Teams source their tires | No (Pirelli) |
| Drag Reduction Systems (DRS) | Yes |
| Engine Horsepower | 620 hp |
| Top Speed | 199 mph (320 km/h) |
| 0-60km/h | 2.90 seconds |
| Car weight | 1664lps (755kg), including driver |
| Team Budget | $6 million (2 cars) |
If the driver has won one or more championships in Formula Two, they may be offered a seat in one of the “junior teams” in Formula 1.
While in Formula 2, some of the most talented drivers may be offered a position in an F1 team to act as a test and reserve Formula 1 driver.
Formula 1
The teams who may offer a seat include
- Williams
- Haas
- AlphaTauri
- Alfa Romeo
- Alpine
While the river is not expected to win any races, the more competitive teams will be watching their performance to see who exhibits the greatest talent.
If an opportunity arises in a senior team, it will generally look amongst the ranks of the existing F1 drivers.
While it is an incredible achievement to become a full-time F1 driver, it also imposes a brutal amount of pressure and the need to stay very fit and remain driving at a peak level.
If performance drops off and podiums are not achieved, the top teams will find a new driver without a second thought.
If you would like to enter the world of Formula 1 and enjoy the trackside atmosphere, there are other, slightly easier routes to follow.
These include
- Race engineer
- Race Team Mechanic
- Heritage Technician
Race Engineer
While roles within the different teams will differ, a race engineer\’s functions are generally summarised.
- Be the link between the driver and the rest of the garage; normally, only the race engineer will communicate over the team radio during races.
- Race engineer organizing things tire choices, fuel amounts, and car setup.
- The race engineer plays the main part in the pre-race planning and post-race de-brief sessions.
- The race engineer communicates with the factory during a race session to discuss the car.
A race engineer will hold a master’s degree.
- Automotive Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Modern Foreign Languages
Race Team Mechanic
The roles that race team mechanics fulfill at the track are broad; however, they generally include the following.
- Unloading and building the car before a race Keeping the car running smoothly.
- Repair any damage to the car. (On Free practice and qualifying day, this may involve working through the night).
- Adjusting the car and making any changes that the race engineer requests.
- Stripping the car at the end of the session.
- Acting as part of the pit crew during racing sessions.
Heritage Technician
Some of the teams have a long history in Formula 1, and in the opening pr race sessions, they often display historical cars from their museums.
These cars have their engineering and mechanical staff who ensure they remain in running order.
The roles this function fills include.
- Ensure cars are built to correct historical specifications.
- Keep the cars stored and in good condition.
- Create an inventory of each car, including its history and detailed build sheets.
- Ensure there are sufficient stocks of parts and support equipment (including software) to ensure cars can operate in the future.
- Keep the car\’s servicing schedule up to date.
Technical / Design Department
If you prefer to remain at the factory, many interesting roles must be filled.
The following list is not exhaustive; however, it indicates the types of roles available.
The Aerodynamics department offers a variety of roles.
Aerodynamicist
The main role of an aerodynamicist is to add performance to the race car. It is achieved through a conceptual design of the aerodynamic surfaces (such as the floor or front wing) to achieve a targeted improvement in flow physics.
This person will be interested in problem-solving and how when air or water hits a solid object, it will pass a force onto it.
Aerodynamics Performance Engineer
This role will typically involve
- Analyzing data from track.
- Analyzing data from the computer programs and simulations
- Analyzing data from the wind tunnel.
- Advising on new aerodynamic developments,
- Discussing the setup of the car.
Junior Aerodynamicist
Somebody who has just graduated from the university will join the team in this junior position.
This person will have worked with the team during vacations and on an industrial placement.
Wind Tunnel Test Technician
This type of role involves.
- Looking after the wind tunnel.
- Ensuring it runs efficiently and reliably.
- Will be responsible for setting up the test models.
- Will operate the wind tunnel for the aerodynamicists.
Aerodynamic Surface Designer
This role will involve.
- Creating computer-aided design (CAD) surfaces for new aerodynamic concepts.
- Maintaining the surface models.
Qualifications For These Roles:
From an academic perspective, maths, physics, and engineering will be the major strengths of this person.
An aerodynamicist will hold a master\’s degree in engineering disciplines.
- Aeronautics
- Astronautics
- Aerothermal Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
General Machinist
A formula one team will employ several general machinists.
The job function involves operating the various machine tools in the Formula 1 team’s workshop.
Examples of the machines to be operated will include
- Manual machine tools
- Milling machines.
- Lathes.
- Drills.
- Cylindrical and surface grinding machines.
The qualifications and work experience this person will hold are.
- Have completed a recognized apprenticeship.
- Hold the relevant qualifications.
- Have a proven background in setting and operating manual machine tools, specifically milling, turning, and grinding machines.
- Basic experience with CAD/CAM software.
Electronics Technology Engineer
This role is vitally important to the team\’s success and will involve.
- The design and delivery of various electronic technology projects across all departments and associate companies who work with the team
- Design & development of PCBs and software.
- Design and development of bespoke sensors.
- Design and development programming.
Qualifications For This Role:
- Electronics engineering degree
- 10yrs+ experience in delivering electronic projects.
- Experience in schematic capture and PCB layout.
- Hardware design and programming experience.
- Linux app and kernel development experience.
Program Planner
This role is key to enabling the Formula 1 car build program to be delivered successfully.
- Be responsible for data analysis, component availability, and project support,
- Anticipating demand for parts.
Qualifications For This Role:
- Computer literate.
- Software Engineer – CFD Applications
Control Systems Engineer
This person will be responsible for:
- Developing software needed to make the machines work.
- Automate repetitive tasks.
Qualifications For This Role:
- A degree in a mathematical or engineering subject.
- A string bent towards control systems and model-based design.
- Programming and software development.
Control Systems Simulation Engineer
This person develops and uses simulations to find improvements to the control system, contributing to the Formula 1 car\’s performance.
The person is responsible for.
- Developing simulation models.
- Developing the control algorithms to solve complex problems.
- Continually working to improve the team’s capabilities in this area.
Qualifications For This Role:
- An interest in engineering problems.
- An interest in developing new and improved simulation methodology.
Mechanical Design Engineer
This person creates engineering solutions for the team in the following areas.
- Control the car\’s suspension, steering, and brake systems,
- Be responsible for the metallic and composite design.
- Generate 3D models, Assemblies, and 2D drawings.
- Manage the reliability of the systems.
Qualifications For This Role
- Mechanical, automotive, or aeronautical degree or similar.
- Proven in-depth understanding of mechanical design.
- Experience in solid modeling and surfacing design software
- Use of finite element analysis tools.
NDT Technician
Using non-destructive testing (NDT), this role inspects composite and metallic and verifies the component\’s quality.
The job involves.
- Performing quality checks.
- Maintaining and calibrating the test equipment.
- Understanding the materials to be tested.
Qualifications For This Role.
- The person is a qualified NDT Technician with PCN or Aerospace (EN 4179) Level 2 qualifications in relevant NDT disciplines.
- Experience in Digital Radiography and CT.
Composite Fitting Engineer
This function includes controlling parts\’ quality and ensuring they are delivered on time.
Qualifications For This Role.
- A strong technical background in the composite fitting.
CNC Machinist/Programmer
The CNC machinist and programmer will be responsible for
- producing the carbon components, patterns, and molds.
- Setting and operating the CNC machinery from the setup sheets and programs to producing the Formula 1 car components, jigs, fixtures, and tooling.
Team Manager And Administration
If you don\’t have a technical bent, several administrative and background roles are needed to keep the team operating smoothly.
The roles which are involved include.
The Team Manager
The Formula team managers become the face of the team (along with the drivers). They operate in the same role as the chief executive of a large corporation.
Well-known names of the current Formula One teams include.
| Name | Team |
| Franz Tost | AlphaTauri |
| Frédéric Vasseur | Alfa Romeo |
| Otmar Szafnauer | Alpine |
| Mike Krack | Aston Martin |
| Mattia Binotto | Ferrari |
| Guenther Steiner | Haas |
| Andreas Seidl | McLaren |
| Toto Wolff | Mercedes |
| Christian Horner | Red Bull |
| Jost Capito | Williams |
The Financial Director
Just as a corporation needs to control the company\’s finances, so the Formula One team has to control the 100s of millions of dollars that pass through the organization.
The financial director will have overall responsibility for the teams.
- Cash flow
- Creditors and Debtors
- Wage Role
- Management accounts
- Shareholders’ funds
- Sponsorship funds
- Traveling costs
- The asset register
Human Resource Manager
Formula One teams employ many people, and the staff issues need to be managed correctly to motivate the staff and ensure the team\’s interests are protected.
The human resource manager will be responsible for this.
- Hiring staff
- Managing conflict with staff
- Ensuring that the staff continues to develop their skillsets.
- Managing statutory requirements (for example, ensuring that the COVID regulations are enforced)
Media Manager
The formula one team is a high-profile organization, and how it communicates must be controlled. It ensures that the team, its shareholders, sponsors, partners, drivers, the FIA, and the other teams are held in the best possible light.
This role is responsible.
- Being the Journalists\’ primary point of contact for the Formula 1 Team.
- Develop and deliver media relations strategy for the team.
- Manage the production of team editorial content across multiple platforms.
- Manage distribution of content to media.
- Creation of strategic briefing and positioning documents.
- Liaison with the team\’s shareholders, parent company, other teams, Formula One, and the FIA.
- Travel to race events.
Qualifications For This Role
The person in this role will generally have the following qualifications and work experience.
- Experience in motorsport communications and media.
- Interact with F1 media on all topics associated with Formula One.
- Fluent in more than one language.
Engine Manufacturer
Four engine manufacturers supply the power plants for the ten formula one team.
The engines which each team uses are listed in the table below.
| Team | Engine Supplier |
| Alfa Romeo | Ferrari |
| AlphaTauri | Red Bull |
| Alpine | Renault |
| Aston Martin Aramco | Mercedes |
| Ferrari | Ferrari |
| Haas | Ferrari |
| Mercedes | Mercedes |
| McLaren | Mercedes |
| Red Bull | Red Bull |
| Williams | Mercedes |
There are many different roles within engine manufacturers.
- Administration
- Finance
- Engineering design
- Mechanical
- Non Destructive Testing
Working For The FIA
The FIA is not only responsible for Formula One, but It is also responsible for the majority of other motor vehicle formats.
While the FIA has some unique positions, a large number of the technical function have to mirror the skills within the teams.
The FIA is responsible for setting the regulations that apply to the sport.
- The car\’s minimum weight.
- The engine power is allowed.
- The parameters under which the teams can exploit a car\’s aerodynamics.
- All of the safety requirements, both within the cars and at the track.
- Regulating new team applications.
- Ensuring each track meets the regulatory requirements of the sport.
- Marketing and media activities.
- Managing political developments (such as Russia’s exclusion after the Ukraine war).
The possible employment opportunities within the FIA include each area under the FIA\’s control.
The most visible occupations include.
- The racing director
- The safety car river
- The medical car driver and doctor.
If you have a commercial helicopter pilot\’s license and meet the minimum requirements, piloting the emergency helicopter is also an opportunity. This aircraft is positioned at the track for the duration of the event.
Liberty Media
Liberty media are the effective owners of Formula One.
In this role, they are responsible for growing the profile of the international sport, and they do this by.
- Controlling the television rights.
- Managing the racing format to make it as entertaining.
- Managing the entertainment at the tracks.
Within this multibillion-dollar organization, there are several opportunities to advance your career.
Working In A Voluntary Role At The Different Tracks
There are many opportunities to become involved in a voluntary role at the individual tracks.
These roles are \”manned\” by passionate volunteers about motorsport.
The best way to become involved is to find out who controls the organization at the individual tracks, make contact, and determine the need.
They will expect you to undergo training and be available for all of their events, not just F1.
The functions which these groups are responsible for include.
- Trackside marshals
- Emergency services
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Conclusion
If you are interested in becoming involved in Formula One, over and above the most commonly known roles like F1 drivers, team managers, race directors, and F1 journalists, there are many opportunities for the enthusiast to be involved.
If you have an appropriate engineering degree (or can study towards one), there are a huge number of technical roles which you can fulfill behind the scenes. There are also opportunities for people with financial, business and media qualifications.
