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Career Spotlight: Catch-up with Lucy Gould, Mechanic at Rodin Motorsport in Formula 2
It’s not just drivers climbing up the motorsport ladder in F1 ACADEMY, as Lucy Gould can tell you. Last season, Gould was right in at the heart of the action as the Number Two Mechanic for Rodin Motorsport in F1 ACADEMY and Spanish F4.
This year, she’s taking the next step up and embracing life in a new paddock. Diving straight into the fast-paced world of Formula 2, Gould talks us through her role as the Number Three Mechanic for the New Zealand team and the different challenges she faces working one step below Formula 1.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN F1 ACADEMY AND F2?
“The jump from F1 ACADEMY to F2 is fairly big. There are a lot higher stakes, it's a bit busier. We do things like pit stops in the Feature Races. Everything's bigger — the car’s bigger, the tyres are bigger. Overall, it’s been a really exciting step up and a lot different from what I’m used to, but a good different.”
WHAT DOES YOUR NEW ROLE INVOLVE?
“So as the #3, I am assisting both cars and the mechanics on both cars, helping with things like tyres, fuel, little bits of prep work like measuring the skid woods, helping with setting up the tyre trolleys to go to the pit lane.
“It’s not too far off what I was doing as a #2 in F1 ACADEMY. In F1 ACADEMY, I was still doing the fuel and helping with the tyres. There were a lot of things on the car that I did purely because you don’t have a #1 and #2 on each car like you do in F2.
“The things that I do in the team now are, not necessarily off the car, but I am more involved with things like the fuel. It takes a lot longer to fuel, the fuel tanks are a lot bigger in F2 as the races are longer.”
HOW DID THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROGRESS TO F2 COME ABOUT?
“I got approached at the end of last year about doing F2 as a #3 for 2025. It was really nerve-wracking to say yes because it is such a big jump, but I feel like I would have really regretted my decision if I didn't take it. I just had to, there wasn't really an option there because I would have regretted it in the future.”
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WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF YOUR NEW ROLE?
“I do enjoy helping out a lot with the tyres and just learning everything on the car. There's so much more than I've ever dealt with before, like we have DRS. Everything's just new, everything’s bigger, so there's a lot more to learn, but that's really exciting because I love learning new things.”
WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST ASPECT OF YOUR ROLE OR A CHALLENGE THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT EXPECT?
“The most challenging part is the weight of things is a factor. The wheels are so much bigger, but just continuously picking them up day-to-day, everything gets easier. The same with torquing the wheels, everything’s heavier.
“With time it gets easier and a little bit more training in the gym, which I need to do a bit more. Challenging, learning new things — there’s a lot to learn but everybody in the team is super helpful, willing to show you and to help you learn, so that’s a positive.”
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEBODY WHO’S LOOKING TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR CAREER?
“My advice for somebody who's looking to take the next step in their career is don't be nervous. I know it’s really easy to say don’t be nervous, but I was terrified and it’s been a lot easier than I expected it to be. Sometimes you just have to take the jump and appreciate that it’s not always going to be easy and things are going to be more difficult. You’re taking the next step, you’re going up a level, but at the end of the day, you’ll be alright.”
HOW BENEFICIAL HAS IT BEEN REMAINING WITH RODIN WHEN MOVING UP?
“Staying within Rodin was really helpful because I already knew most of the F2 team. Not very well, but I knew who they were so it wasn’t a brand new group of people when I started, so that was nice. I didn't have to kind of learn everybody's names, but it's been nice to get to know everybody a lot better. It’s just becoming more like a family.”
READ MORE: Career Spotlight: Meet Lucy Gould, Mechanic at Rodin Motorsport
IS THE EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT WORKING WITH TWO MALE DRIVERS THIS SEASON?
“I don't think there's a huge difference working from male and female drivers. They’re both equally as motivated and they're there to do the job at the end of the day. So I don't think the gender plays a huge factor in it. I've gotten along just as well with the guys as I did the girls last year.”
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR CAREER GOING IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME?
“In five years’ time, I definitely see myself still in motorsport. At what level and what role, I still don’t know. There's a lot that I'd like to try. I'd like to get to F1 eventually, but I don't know how soon I want to take that step. I'm really enjoying where I am at the moment and just want to take it nice and slow, take everything in and become the best mechanic that I can be with all the tools, the knowledge and the people that I have around me.”
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HOW DID WORKING IN F1 ACADEMY HELP PREPARE YOU FOR YOUR ROLE NOW?
“Working in F1 ACADEMY last year definitely helped prepare me for F2 this year. Both are on a Formula 1 weekend, so you’re kind of prepared for the chaos. It’s so busy, there are fans everywhere, so that’s a good side of it. You’re still around the same sort of people, you’re still seeing the same faces in and around the paddock every weekend, so that’s really nice.”
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF?
“Not to stay in your room so much! Go out and meet people, experience stuff because I would never have dreamt of doing anything like this when I was younger. But I got to a point where I was like I really need to make the most of it.
“This is what I want to do, motorsport is what I’m passionate about and it’s my dream career, so I just have to take every opportunity that comes my way to achieve that. I feel like so far I’ve succeeded. I really enjoy what I do so and I wouldn't want to change anything. Although giving advice to your younger self is good, I feel like if I did, I wouldn't have the same experiences that got me to where I am today. I wouldn't wish for a time machine.”