What F1 Recruiters Really Look For (Industry Insider Reveals All)

The First Thing F1 Recruiters Look For (And It’s Not What You Think)

An F1 recruiter once told me that the very first thing they do when they see a CV is look for the extra projects they’ve been doing.

Not your grades. Not your work experience. The passion projects.

And when I asked why, their answer stopped me in my tracks.

 

Everyone Says They’re Passionate

Here’s what they know that you might not: everyone who applies to motorsport roles says they’re “passionate about motorsport.”

Every single person.

But there’s a massive difference between someone who loves watching F1 and someone who loves motorsport.

Casual passion talks about loving the sport. True passion shows evidence of living it.

 

What True Passion Actually Looks Like

Real passion doesn’t just consume content. It creates it.

  • The person building race strategy analysis in their spare time because they couldn’t stop thinking about overtaking patterns.
  • The one volunteering at karting tracks every weekend, getting their hands dirty for free.
  • The student creating motorsport content nobody asked them to make.
  • The graduate who started a university motorsport society from scratch because one didn’t exist.
  • The engineering student who spent their summer building aerodynamic models instead of going to the beach.

These aren’t just “nice to haves.” They’re proof of concept.

 

Why Passion Projects Matter So Much

Because motorsport is brutal. For example, for jobs in F1:

  • The hours are insane – 16-hour days during race weekends are normal, not exceptional.
  • The pressure is relentless – one mistake can cost millions and affect championship outcomes.
  • The lifestyle is demanding – constant travel, working weekends, living out of suitcases.

If you’re not genuinely obsessed – if you just think it looks cool or exciting – you won’t last.

Teams know this. They’ve seen countless people join with stars in their eyes, only to burn out when the reality hits.

They’re not hiring fans. They’re hiring people who are already living this life before they even get paid for it.

 

The Passion Project Audit

So here’s the question that separates the casual interest from the true calling:

What have you actually done that proves your passion goes beyond watching races?

Take a moment to write them down:

  • Projects you’ve built in your spare time
  • Motorsport content you’ve created (blogs, videos, analysis)
  • Events you’ve volunteered at
  • Skills you’ve learned specifically for motorsport
  • Communities you’ve joined or started
  • Research you’ve conducted
  • Models or simulations you’ve built

If your list feels thin, that’s not a problem. It’s your starting point.

 

How to Start Building Your Passion Portfolio

1. Pick One Small Project Don’t aim for perfection. Start with curiosity. Analyse tyre strategy patterns. Create content about a technical topic you find interesting. Build something small that demonstrates your thinking.

2. Volunteer Your Skills Local karting tracks, racing series, and motorsport events always need help. Offer your skills – whether that’s photography, social media, data analysis, or just enthusiasm.

3. Join or Create Communities Get involved in motorsport societies, online forums, or local groups. If none exist, start one. Show initiative.

4. Document Your Learning Share what you’re discovering. Write about it. Post about it. Teaching others proves you understand it yourself.

5. Think Long-Term This isn’t about immediate payoff. It’s about building a body of evidence that shows you’re already living like someone who works in motorsport.

 

The Real Test

Teams can spot the difference in 30 seconds of meeting you.

Not because they’re psychic, but because true passion changes how you talk, what you know, and what you’ve done with your time.

When someone asks you about motorsport, do you light up talking about races you’ve watched? Or do you get excited sharing projects you’ve built, problems you’ve solved, or insights you’ve discovered?

The difference is everything.

 

Your Next Move

If you’re reading this thinking “I need to start doing passion projects,” you’re exactly where you need to be.

Awareness is the first step. Action is the second.

What will you start working on this week that proves your passion goes beyond being a spectator?

Because while everyone else is updating their CV with better formatting, you could be building the evidence that actually gets you hired.

The recruiters are looking for it. The question is: will they find it on your profile?

 

Ready to build your passion project portfolio? Here are some resources to get you started:

What passion project will you start this week?