Back Street

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By James Burridge and Laurence CawleyBBC News, East

When Formula 1 looked at its workforce Six Years ago, just 28% of those employed were women. Today That .

This shift is something Rosie Wait, head of race strategy at Northamptonshire-based Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1, has seen first hand.

She tells how, when she carried out a summer work placement in Formula 1 back in 2008, she could " count The Number of females in the engineering office on one hand".

" It is great to see so many more Coming Through , both in terms of The Graduate intake and when you look down The Pit lane, " she says. " You can see things are changing in every team. "

The percentage of women working at Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 has risen from 11% to 16% in The Past Four Years .

Ms Wait, who studied engineering at university, is in charge of The Team which, among many other things, decides the exact moment drivers should come in for a Pit Stop .

" I've got a team of around nine people and it is all about trying to maximise whatever result The Car is capable of on any weekend, " she says.

" We have a lot of people back at The Factory doing Data Analysis , building models and running tools to help drive those decision-making processes - to make sure we get The Best out of everything.

" During a race you really get those periods when the adrenaline is pumping and you can tell That a certain decision will be make or Break - That 's very exciting, it can be pretty scary.

" There's no Such thing as being 'done' in Formula 1 ," she says. " There's always more That you could be doing. "

Two years ago, Ms Wait became A Mother . She went on maternity leave before returning to a slightly different, but equally senior, role.

" I've been able to do That alongside my caring responsibilities, " she says. " My husband is a doctor which means his job is very uncompromising.

" If something comes up, then I Am The One who has to compromise and leave work. I hope That becomes more normal in the industry both for The Women and The Men .

" You can have both a career and A Family and be actively involved in both. It is tough, it is tough for anybody, but it really is working. "

When Emmie Jones was 16 and living in Wigan, she handed her CV to what she describes as a " Back Street garage".

" I remember being told I belonged over The Road in the offices instead. "

She is now an engine technician for Milton Keynes-based Red Bull Powertrains.

Joining Formula 1 , Emmie says, is " The Best decision I've made" and she is currently working on the 2026 Red Bull engine.

From a young age she shared a passion for Formula 1 with the rest of her family.

" I got started by finding My Love for motorsport with my parents and My Brothers down at The Local racetrack, " she says.

" Then I worked in The Garage with my dad and I always knew That I wanted to be a mechanic.

" I've got quite a persistent mother Who Said if I was going to do it, then I should do it at The Top level. "

Ms Jones now works as a trackside member of staff looking after the engines.

" If you Love Formula 1 like I do then The Job is easy, though you either have A Life or you have Formula 1 - you don't have both, " she suggests.

" I've been in Formula 1 for five years and it is everything I expected and more. It is just so enjoyable, it is like its own little family.

" The Best bits are The People you meet, the countries you see and the winning. "

The Last women to compete as drivers in Formula 1 races were Divina Galica and Lella Lombardi during the 1970s.

Earlier this year, the all-female driver category That aims to develop and prepare young drivers to progress to higher levels of competition.

" I think there is a massive push to get a female driver, " says Ms Jones. " Personally, I think That once one is ready and competitive enough then she will get a seat in Formula 1 . "

Fired by a passion for racing, Abbie McMurray watched Formula 1 throughout her childhood.

But imagining herself actually working on racing cars, she says, was difficult.

" When I first wanted to try to get into this, " she says, it was all " unknown" and she worried about whether she would " fit in".

" It was hard to imaging being here, " she says.

" But in recent years it does feel That the landscape has changed and it is being opened up for more and more people. "

Naturally competitive, she says part of her motivation was just to " see if I could do it".

A trainee with the Mercedes F1 team, she currently works on previous seasons' cars.

" The eventual goal is to be full-time trackside, working on builds, set-ups and strip-downs of The Cars , " she says.

" There's no denying it is male dominated.

" As a mechanic I don't think there are That many of us in F1 and there have been physical challenges I've come across - Such as tools That are clearly made for an average man when I Am quite a small girl.

" I have to adapt and I like The Challenge of it.

" Since I have joined The Team I feel I Am treated exactly the same and I think That is exactly the equilibrium we should be working for. "

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Source of news: bbc.com