Behind every driver is a crew making split-second calls. Knowing who does what turns the radio chatter into a story you can follow.
The race engineer
Every driver has one voice in their ear: the race engineer. They relay strategy, warn about rivals and traffic, manage the car’s settings and keep the driver calm. The relationship is one of the closest in the sport, built over years.
The strategists
Back in the garage and at the factory, a strategy team runs constant simulations: when to stop, which tyre to fit, how a safety car would change things. They turn live data into the calls the race engineer passes on.
- Race Engineer — The driver’s single point of contact on the radio.
- Strategist — Models pit windows and tyre choices in real time.
- Performance Engineers — Tune the car’s systems, brakes and power unit.
- Team Principal — Runs the operation and owns the big calls.
Who decides
In the heat of a race the strategists recommend and the driver has a say, but the final word on a borderline call usually sits with the team principal or sporting director on the pit wall. Good teams make those decisions in seconds.