How To Become An F1 Journalist (Full Guide)

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Formula 1 is such an exclusive sport that even landing a job in the “pinnacle of motorsport” is an achievement on its own. There’s a wide array of jobs available in Formula 1, and one of these important jobs is in the world of F1 journalism.

To become an F1 journalist, in the majority of cases, you will need a relevant degree and several years of relevant journalistic work experience. The best way to gain the required experience is to work in the world of motorsport, but any kind of journalistic experience will help.

While you might meet the basic requirements in order to become a Formula 1 journalist, there are some other things you can do to help your application stand out above the rest of the applicant pool. It’s not easy, but if you bear in mind what we tell you below, you too can become an F1 journalist!

How Do You Get Into Formula 1 Media?

Getting into Formula 1 media is not easy task, and it requires a lot of hard work and experience. The team that works in Formula 1 are some of the most skilled and experienced people in the industry, and just like the sport itself, the world of F1 media is very exclusive.

Making it to Formula 1, whether you’re a driver, engineer, fitness trainer or journalist, is an achievement on its own. There is a long path to take before you can get there. Unlike soccer which has different branches and leagues, there’s only one Formula 1 that travels all around the world, which makes it even more special.

Formula 1 would essentially be the peak of your career, especially if you’re a motorsport journalist. You’ll usually be able to travel to races, chat to drivers and get behind the scenes access, which is something the average person is not likely to ever experience in their lifetime!

Have Experience

One of the most important factors that will help you to get into Formula 1 media is having experience. You need to be able to produce quality content first and foremost, which is crucial for Formula 1, as it is one of the most widely followed sports in the world.

Formula 1, or any motorsport journalism company, won’t hire you if you don’t have enough experience to be able to produce the quality of content that they need. If your experience is centered around motorsport, you’ll have an ever better chance of landing a good job in the world of F1 media.

On top of your experience, your potential employer will likely require you to have an abundance of relevant education that will prove to them that you are qualified and you know how to get the job done better than anyone else.

Networking

Another important factor in landing a job in Formula 1 media is networking. Just like any other job, having a network of people in the world of motorsport and, if possible, in Formula 1, can help you a lot when it comes to applying for a job.

It’s especially helpful if you have worked with these people in the past and they can vouch for your skills in terms of fitting the job description, as is often the case for many other jobs too. Formula 1 is such an exclusive career path that just about the only way to get into any career in the sport is through networking. This applies to drivers too!

If you’re using the usual applicant portals on websites, you’re going up against thousands of other applicants who have the same if not more education and experience as you, so it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. This is why networking is vital to get ahead of the rest. But what about the specifics of your education?

Do You Need A Degree To Work In F1 Media?

You don’t always need a degree to work in F1 media or become an F1 journalist, but it definitely helps. If you want the best chance of landing a job in Formula 1 media, it’s best to have a degree in some form attached to your CV, ideally one related to journalism.

You should also consider that among the thousands of other applicants for the same position, it’s likely that the majority of them will have a degree of some sort. This means that if you don’t have a degree your chances of making it into Formula 1 media are much lower.

Which Degrees To Study

If you’re trying to become an F1 journalist, it can be difficult to decide exactly what you need to study in order to stand out above the rest of the applicant pool. However, there is no correct answer to this, but there are a few degrees that may be more relevant than others.

Formula 1 media employers will value a degree in journalism or the English language if you’re looking to become a journalist. However, these are not the only options available to you, and you can narrow down to a more specific type of journalism in Formula 1.

You could study subjects like engineering, business, marketing, or sports management to land a journalism job in Formula 1. As long as your degree is related to the sport in some way and offers value to the team then a degree will be valuable for your application.

Additional Courses

It’s always a great idea to study some additional courses to add on to your CV, and doing so will help you to stand out from the sea of applicants that will be applying to the job. The aim here is to broaden your base of knowledge, which will add more value to your CV. While there are specific non-degree, journalism-specific courses, you could also try something totally different.

For example, if you have a degree in journalism, you can do short courses on marketing, sports management or even something more complex such as engineering or aerodynamics. If you have these extra fields of knowledge that you can add to your CV, you will be adding a huge amount of value to what you can offer in a job in Formula 1.

Having a wide range of knowledge will help you to land a job in Formula 1 because it makes you more versatile. For example, as a journalist you could take on basic stories such as the latest driver moves, but you could also take on the latest in tech and mechanical developments made by Formula 1 teams.

How Do You Become An F1 Journalist?

Having a degree and some extra short courses is a great way to boost your resume and stand out from the crowd. However, there’s a lot more to consider when it comes to how you can get your job as a journalist in Formula 1.

Work Experience

Probably the most important factor in getting a job as an F1 journalist is having relevant work experience. Just like the majority of other high-profile jobs, you’ll need several years’ worth of experience to become a journalist in F1.

Luckily the modern world has also given us the opportunity to create our own experience. You could write your own articles, such as on a personal blog, based on the latest motorsport news and keep them on record to show potential employers, which may help you to get hired as a motorsport journalist.

Decide On Formula 1 Or Other News Outlets

Before starting your journey into the world of Formula 1 journalism you need to decide whether you want to work for Formula 1, or for a different news outlet entirely. The latter option may be easier to achieve, and can be used as a steppingstone into Formula 1 itself. Plus, there are so many different media companies out there all covering F1.

Even if they don’t offer as much exposure, it could still be an opportunity for you to gain experience and showcase your talents. They often have online blogs and magazines to promote their content, so you could find yourself a position at one of these companies to start building up some experience.

The other option is to work for a Formula 1 team. You may be able to find some internships, but bear in mind these will still be highly competitive. These are worth doing if you can get in, as they provide you with valuable work experience in a Formula 1 environment. Even if it’s not directly related to journalism, there’s no doubt that hands on F1 experience of any kind would help your CV!

Decide What Type Of Journalism You Want To Do

It’s not always as simple as just becoming a Formula 1 journalist, as there are different aspects of the sport that need to be covered. It’s important to decided which direction you want to go in so that you can start building your knowledge and experience in alignment with your goals.

You might be more interested in the technical side of the sport, with the latest developments on the cars or the clever aerodynamic tricks that some teams use to get the upper hand on their rivals, or you might be more interested in the drivers and how they live their lives. There are journalistic positions that cover these aspects of the sport and more.

On top of that, there are also specialized positions in Formula 1 such as a press officer, communications executive, public relations manager, and broadcast journalist. Each of these, while in the same “field of work,” have different requirements and skills that you need in order to get the job.

Perfect Your Application

If you want to stand out from the crowd of applicants you’ll need your CV to be perfect. The perfect CV is hard to achieve, but as long as you have relevant education and experience, it’s simply a matter of putting it in the right words and making it look good.

If you’re not great at putting a CV together, it might be worthwhile to find someone who can compile all of your information in a good looking package that will help your application to stand out from the crowd. Putting in the time and effort at this stage is vital. Having the experience is one thing, but conveying that experience in the right way is important too.

Use The Right Method Of Applying

When Formula 1 advertise their vacancies, you might find the jobs in several different places. Oftentimes there are agencies who advertise the position for Formula 1 itself or Formula 1 teams, which is not always ideal.

The best place to send your application in is always through the official website or LinkedIn page of the employer, be it an F1 media team or another motorsport journalism company. This way you can make sure that your application has been sent through and received by whoever is offering the job.

Another good way of boosting your application is by connecting with the job poster on LinkedIn and starting a conversation with them. It’s a good idea to try and find out how you can boost your application and what you can do to improve your chances of being hired. Again, networking is key!

What Skills Are Useful For Becoming An F1 Journalist?

Useful skills for becoming an F1 journalist include:

  • Communication
  • Attention to detail
  • Social media experience
  • Video and photo editing
  • Writing and transcribing
  • Translation
  • Research skills

If you’re applying to be a Formula 1 journalist, there are lots of important skills that you need to have in your arsenal if you’re going to be successful. It’s always useful to add these into your CV to make sure that you have these basics covered.

The best way to see what skills are needed for a specific role is to read through the job description thoroughly before you apply, and add whichever skills you have that are relevant on to your CV. You should actually possess these skills if you’re going to add them to your CV though, as it’s never worth lying on your CV, especially if you’re applying to a huge company such as Formula 1!

There are some general skills that you can work on too though if you’re looking for a journalism job in Formula 1. Any the skills below will give you an advantage over other applicants who do not have these skills listed on their resume.

Knowledge Of The Sport

You may be surprised at how many people want to work in Formula 1 without having a true knowledge and passion for the sport. But if you want to land a journalism job in Formula 1, understanding the sport inside out is going to be a crucial skill that will be highly valued by your employer.

You should be able to answer any question that they throw at you in an interview and demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of Formula 1. Understanding the sport at a deep level also gives you the necessary knowledge to be able to ask the best questions too.

Keeping Up With The Latest F1 News

You should be keeping up with the latest news in Formula 1 before you even get the job as an F1 journalist. This shows that you are already building the knowledge and skills that you would need in the role. Keeping up with the latest news is a must for any job in journalism, not just in F1.

Experience In Motorsport

If you really want your application to stand out above all the others you can use experience in motorsport to do so. If you have previous experience in motorsport, whether it’s karting, single seaters, or sports cars, it may give you an edge over other applicants.

This doesn’t mean that you need to be a driver though. You could have been a mechanic for example, and it would still count as relevant motorsport experience. If you’re aiming for journalism in Formula 1, this is valuable experience that many other applicants will not have.

How Much Do F1 Journalists Make?

F1 journalists can make anywhere from around $27,000 to $55,000 or more per year. The average salary for an F1 journalist is around $32,500. Formula 1 journalists are paid depending on their level of experience and seniority in the industry.

In the higher ranges of the F1 journalist salary you can expect to see around $55,500 per year. These are the more senior positions for those who have more experience in their field. As your career progresses in Formula 1, you could expect your salary to reach the higher end of the scale. Your potential salary will also depend on your specific employer, be it F1 or another motorsport company.

Final Thoughts

To become an F1 journalist, above all else you will need to have relevant experience and, in some cases, a relevant degree or other qualification. If you have experience working in the world of motorsport, or as a journalist in any other discipline, this will be very useful for your application.