We head to Formula E to speak to Jodie Warrington, Team Coordinator at BMWi Andretti Formula E Team and United Andretti Extreme E Team!
Tell us about yourself, what is your current role and what roles have you done previously?
Hello I’m Jodie Warrington. My current job is Team Coordinator at BMWi Andretti Formula E Team and United Andretti Extreme E Team. This is my second season here.
Previous to this I worked at HAAS F1 team within the travel department, and prior to that I was a driver coach, coaching drivers for SWB Motorsport in F4 and BARC Renault.
What do you do in your current role?
My role here is organising and booking all of the travel for the team. I complete all accreditation processes and make sure they are all fed! I am also managing the environmental side of things here and making sure that we comply to the standards set out to us to remain sustainable.
I also travel to every race with them, when on site I manage the schedules and organise the tours that we operate within the garage. I work very closely with the team manager and pick up anything that needs to be done! A big part in the last 18 months has been ensuring that we are all traveling with the correct paperwork for the latest Covid situations within each country that we travel too.
What does a normal week look like for you?
This is a very good question! My week is so varied as no 2 days are ever the same! One day I can be booking flight and hotels for all and the next day I can be updating the CO2 log making sure that we are complying with the standards. A normalish week (if there is such a thing) would be in the factory, normally with Campbell the team manager.
On a Monday, we will run through a list of things for that week, what is urgent and then prioritise the job list. A week leading up to an event like this one is hectic. I will send out the itinerary to all of the team members, then await the required information from Formula E for me to put a copy of the schedule together, this will then be sent to the team manager and the chief engineer, and PR. They will check through and confirm they are happy with everything, I will then distribute this to the team, meanwhile we will have requests coming through for the drivers, which will have to be put in and around their meetings with the engineers along with the duties required from the FIA.
Covid testing and times will be finalised and sent out to the team, along with any further information they need, I.E company letters to travel with, forms that need to be completed or simply reminding them of the clothing they have requested needs to be collected! The day before departure, I will pack the hand luggage items and add them to the required log and ready the case to travel with me to the event. Organise the drivers kit and pack it to make sure it’s in good condition, then fly that out with me also.
Jodie Hemming (GBR) Sywell Leisure Sports.
Formula Renault UK, Rd15 & Rd16, Donington Park, England, 9-10 September 2006.
DIGITAL IMAGE
How did you end up where you are right now? When did you know you wanted to work in sport?
I have been involved with motorsport since I was 13. I started out as a karter and spent many years racing single seater cars all over Europe. I used to prep all of my cars, so I have a genuine interest in the sport.
After meeting my now husband, we went on to have 3 daughters, and in-between having the girls my love for motorsport never subsided, I knew racing wouldn’t really be an option again as there is nothing out there to support older women with children! So, I decided to go to the “behind the scenes”. I knew from around 12 that I wanted to work in motorsport. I got to where I am now by never giving up, I have always pushed myself sometimes to way out of my comfort zone, but have never stopped trying my best and trying to achieve more.
What are you excited about in your industry at the moment?
I am very excited about how the world of motorsport is changing. There is a much bigger focus now on the impact we have on the environment, and we are creating more awareness of this across all forms of the sport. I am also excited to be seeing more female faces within the pit lanes and more female drivers starting to be noticed.
Valencia (ESP), 27th November – 1st December 2020. ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Season 7, BMW i Andretti Motorsport.
What is your number one focus when it comes to your work?
To be the best I can be and give 100%. I would love to become a Team Manager one day, and hopefully that will come with hard work and determination!
In your area of work, what is something you feel most people don’t talk about or focus on enough?
A lot of people see motorsport in the big lights and big city concept, and do not see that we in fact work incredibly long hours at and away from the track. I also feel there is not enough focus on the behind the scenes of motorsport, and the amount of people and time it takes to get 2 cars to a track!
What is the one piece of advice you would give to someone wanting to work in the sports industry?
Never ever give up, stay focused, stay strong and be the best of you.
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