CLIMBING THE MOTORSPORT CAREER LADDER
Climbing the motorsport ladder is an important part of landing your dream job within professional motorsport. The image to the left shows the progression pyramid for those interested in single seater racing. At the start of your career the key to kickstarting your career is to get as much experience as you can at the lower level series. A breakdown of the current UK teams competing in various race series can be found here.
After you have enough experience focus on working in a series that interests you. Working in a series that your passionate about will help keep you motivated even when times get tough. It is important to remember you can change route entirely further down your career path so no need to feel pressured to sticking to one championship/series.
Moving to a different series or team can be daunting at first. When moving from different types of cars within the same team (or a different team) always try use the same mental attitude and skills you have learnt along the way. It is always good practise to approach any new car, team or problem with a positive and calm attitude. It also helps to take your time and learn any new environment and processes without rushing into anything until you are confident. Each new car or team will offer plenty new challenges which will only help propel you further into your career and improve your overall skill set.
WHAT TYPES OF RACING IS THERE?
When we speak with someone that wants to work in motorsport we always ask them that their long term goal is. 9 times out of 10 the answer is Formula 1. As great as it is that people have these ambitions, its unfortunate that not everyone is going to end up there. If your goal is to work in high level motorsport the best way to end up there is by learning your trade (mechanics, engineering etc) in the lower level series. The national level teams (BTCC level and below) will normally publish vacancies on their company website, recruitment websites like Linkedin, Motorsport Jobs and Race Cars Direct. Be sure to keep scouting these avenues, especially around November – March time as teams are gearing up for the new season.
OPEN WHEEL RACING
Open wheel racing is a type of motorsport competition that features vehicles with exposed wheels, meaning the wheels are not covered by the bodywork of the car. The most well-known open-wheel race series is probably Formula One, which is considered to be the pinnacle of international motorsport. Other examples of open-wheel race series include IndyCar, Formula E, and Formula 2.
CLOSED WHEEL RACING
Closed wheel race series refers to motorsports competitions that feature vehicles with wheels are covered by the bodywork of the car. Closed-wheel race cars are typically heavier and less aerodynamic than open-wheel vehicles, and they are designed for stability and durability.
WHERE IS THE WORK?
The good news is that there are motorsport opportunities all over the world! Sometimes the hardest part is know who’s out there and where to Looks.
Although scatted around to some degree alot of motorsport businesses in the UK often operate in and around the Midlands and down to the Oxfordshire area. This is commonly referred to in the industry as the ‘Motorsport Valley’
Once you have a few years experience at national level in your chosen field you may be ready to look into the higher level race series. Some Formula 1 teams recruit though these external sites but they mainly advertise roles on their company website.
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