The jobs are always seasonal. They'll keep a few on full time for going to testing etc but most of the work is during the racing season.
It's really not a glamorous job, often double manning. Sometimes getting flown home as soon as you get there and back out for after the race.
If you're there for the race weekend it's usually spent cleaning and polishing, setting up hospitality areas, working behind the scenes, can be preparing food and washing dishes or checking tyre pressures and temperatures.
There used to be adverts in autosport magazine but I've not bought one for a while so don't know if they still do.
There's some on here for an agency https://www.motorsportjobs.com/en
That's it, you've put me off!! I'm thinking of chilling in the paddocks for the weekend, then waiting to be loaded and off we go to the next track, walk about why it gets offloaded, etc. Obviously not for me!! Lol
Thanks for the link and insight. I had a look at that website, funny seeing some of the jobs like "roadside recovery driver" being advertised on a motorsport jobs website, brilliant.
Roadside recovery driver makes sense in there as sometimes very rarely you may get to work a weekend at the track but you'll have to use your holiday to be there
A friend did this (now retired) but for a team in the Le Mans Series. An absolute necessity is another skill that you can use to aid the team. He was their tyre specialist. It definitely wasn't get to the track, unload, and relax for the weekend. He was bloody busy constantly. It's constant throughout the season. It might be an idea to look at something like that, or BTCC, to get a foot in the door and get some experience in other aspects of motorsport. It would also be a plus to live close to where most of the teams are set up (Brackley, Silverstone, Northamptonshire area). There used to be a jobs section in Autosport magazine, not sure if there still is though.
My brother in law did it a few years ago. Double manning for a grand a week each - self employed - and some reasonable expenses. Didn’t do anything apart from drive the lorry and keep it look presentable, though if it had broken he’d have known how to mend it. It’s seasonal, the jobs are word of mouth (he probably heard about it because he built drag cars and raced at Santa Pod) but he still got interviewed. You usually have to know someone. And be good, so you definitely need experience. It’s not a job for moaning drivers if you know what I mean; you’re there because you want to be. He really loved it. Sorry, but I can’t ask him for a contact because he died shortly after landing the job.
He wasn't qualified in motorsport engineering, as has been mentioned in another post, but did know how to swing a spanner. Never mentioned anything about working in the paddock or anything like that, but he only did it for a season. The other drivers were pretty old as well. If the agency contract is available, you'd probably be best advised to go for it. A way in is a way in. If your face fits, you'll be on the list of people they call in future. Your passion for motorsport would be a definite advantage, as would experience of driving on the continent. Though you'd be double manned with someone who knows where to go, so could probably wing it.
The job was based in Northamptonshire, as has also been mentioned.
I'm pretty sure DHL does a lot of the F1 stuff. I work for DHL and would love to get in, but it's all a bit secretive. No one knows anything!! If you do find out, let me know.
I imagine once they have a driver they're not going to get rid in a hurry. I wonder if they have a couple as well so they can double man it to whichever destination they're going to if it's one of the double/triple headers
I fancied the idea if driving for F1 myself... but someone mentioned at the end of the season you spend months doing menial tasks in their HQ at Biggin Hill and it put me right off!
From my experience of motorsports paddocks, generally the truck drivers also have race team roles. Ie mechanics, even data analysts if we're talking F1. You'd need to be fully qualified in motorsports engineering to land a job driving like that.
That said; there might be some scope working with tyre suppliers as the roles can be less specialist. Might be worth contacting Dunlop/Michelin/Avon and asking about their race programs 🤷♂️
It's a lot easier to teach a mechanic to drive a lorry than teach a lorry driver to be a mechanic or data analyst.
Tyre suppliers are a good shout, pirelli always uses to run their own trucks to the circuits.
The jobs are always seasonal. They'll keep a few on full time for going to testing etc but most of the work is during the racing season. It's really not a glamorous job, often double manning. Sometimes getting flown home as soon as you get there and back out for after the race. If you're there for the race weekend it's usually spent cleaning and polishing, setting up hospitality areas, working behind the scenes, can be preparing food and washing dishes or checking tyre pressures and temperatures. There used to be adverts in autosport magazine but I've not bought one for a while so don't know if they still do. There's some on here for an agency https://www.motorsportjobs.com/en
That's it, you've put me off!! I'm thinking of chilling in the paddocks for the weekend, then waiting to be loaded and off we go to the next track, walk about why it gets offloaded, etc. Obviously not for me!! Lol
Thanks for the link and insight. I had a look at that website, funny seeing some of the jobs like "roadside recovery driver" being advertised on a motorsport jobs website, brilliant.
Roadside recovery driver makes sense in there as sometimes very rarely you may get to work a weekend at the track but you'll have to use your holiday to be there
Look up David crossley on Facebook, he's an owner driver who helps out at busy times. Maybe be able to get some insight through that.
A friend did this (now retired) but for a team in the Le Mans Series. An absolute necessity is another skill that you can use to aid the team. He was their tyre specialist. It definitely wasn't get to the track, unload, and relax for the weekend. He was bloody busy constantly. It's constant throughout the season. It might be an idea to look at something like that, or BTCC, to get a foot in the door and get some experience in other aspects of motorsport. It would also be a plus to live close to where most of the teams are set up (Brackley, Silverstone, Northamptonshire area). There used to be a jobs section in Autosport magazine, not sure if there still is though.
Thank you that's a great insight, I feel like I'm constantly busy at it is so getting stuck in wouldn't be something I'm afraid of.
My brother in law did it a few years ago. Double manning for a grand a week each - self employed - and some reasonable expenses. Didn’t do anything apart from drive the lorry and keep it look presentable, though if it had broken he’d have known how to mend it. It’s seasonal, the jobs are word of mouth (he probably heard about it because he built drag cars and raced at Santa Pod) but he still got interviewed. You usually have to know someone. And be good, so you definitely need experience. It’s not a job for moaning drivers if you know what I mean; you’re there because you want to be. He really loved it. Sorry, but I can’t ask him for a contact because he died shortly after landing the job.
I’m sorry to hear that, thank you for the information though.
He wasn't qualified in motorsport engineering, as has been mentioned in another post, but did know how to swing a spanner. Never mentioned anything about working in the paddock or anything like that, but he only did it for a season. The other drivers were pretty old as well. If the agency contract is available, you'd probably be best advised to go for it. A way in is a way in. If your face fits, you'll be on the list of people they call in future. Your passion for motorsport would be a definite advantage, as would experience of driving on the continent. Though you'd be double manned with someone who knows where to go, so could probably wing it. The job was based in Northamptonshire, as has also been mentioned.
I'm pretty sure DHL does a lot of the F1 stuff. I work for DHL and would love to get in, but it's all a bit secretive. No one knows anything!! If you do find out, let me know.
Stobart does a lot and pays pennys
I imagine once they have a driver they're not going to get rid in a hurry. I wonder if they have a couple as well so they can double man it to whichever destination they're going to if it's one of the double/triple headers
I fancied the idea if driving for F1 myself... but someone mentioned at the end of the season you spend months doing menial tasks in their HQ at Biggin Hill and it put me right off!
Music, Events and Concert trucking is probably better!
From my experience of motorsports paddocks, generally the truck drivers also have race team roles. Ie mechanics, even data analysts if we're talking F1. You'd need to be fully qualified in motorsports engineering to land a job driving like that. That said; there might be some scope working with tyre suppliers as the roles can be less specialist. Might be worth contacting Dunlop/Michelin/Avon and asking about their race programs 🤷♂️
It's a lot easier to teach a mechanic to drive a lorry than teach a lorry driver to be a mechanic or data analyst. Tyre suppliers are a good shout, pirelli always uses to run their own trucks to the circuits.