People of the Paddock: Introducing Rodin Motorsport’s Lucy Gould

At the start of this season, Lucy Gould became the first full-time female mechanic in Formula 2’s history.

So we recently sat down with the Rodin Motorsport number three mechanic in Spielberg and she talk us through her role, how she has gotten to this point, and the advice she would give to anybody wanting to pursue a career in motorsport.

WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT’S YOUR POSITION WITH THE TEAM?

“My name is Lucy Gould and I am a number three mechanic with Rodin Motorsport's F2 team. So, that means supporting the number one and number two mechanics.”

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED IN THE TEAM?

“I have been working with Rodin Motorsport as a whole for three years now, but this is my first year with the F2 team.”

READ MORE: Joshua Duerksen on 2025 struggles, proving himself, and the support from Paraguay

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE ROLE?

“I got the role with Rodin Motorsport through work experience. I did a week in the factory in 2022, and I got offered the job by Stephanie Carlin. So, I started straight away, and I have not looked back since. I did some time with the Spanish F4 and F1 Academy teams, and I got approached by our F2 Team Manager Benn Huntingford, and he offered me a role as a support mechanic in F2.”

WHAT IS THE MAIN SKILL YOU NEED IN YOUR ROLE?

“The main skill I need for my role is to be able to adapt quite quickly. There is a lot more that I have had to learn coming into F2, because the car is quite different. But most importantly, it's being able to learn and take direction, and it all becomes a lot easier the more practice and experience you get.

“I thought it was going to be quite a big challenge, making the step from F4 to F2, and there have been a lot of changes, but it has not been as difficult as I thought it would be. Everyone has been really welcoming and willing to helping me, so I feel really comfortable in the role I am in now.”

WHAT DOES AN AVERAGE RACE WEEKEND LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

“An average weekend for me is we come to the track on a Tuesday or Wednesday, and we set up the garage and prep the cars if we've been on a double or triple header. But if not, we normally prep the cars at the factory. Then we have setup and weigh bridge, and I normally help with the tyres, so they get mounted by Pirelli and then we get them back and we prep for the weekend and then send them back into parc ferme, so I normally help with that.

“Then we get to Friday, where we have Free Practice and Qualifying, making sure that everything is on the trolley ready to go to the pit lane, setting up the pitlane when we get there, making sure everything is where it needs to be. So, if there are any issues, we know exactly where everything is so that everything runs super smoothly.

READ MORE: Jak Crawford on title hopes, consistency and being the most in-form driver on the F2 grid

“The same goes for Qualifying, making sure we've got all the correct sets of tyres out. Then we will prep on a Friday evening for the Sprint Race on Saturday afternoon and the same goes, making sure we have all the correct equipment to go to pit lane, having our pitstop equipment just in case.

“Prep on a Saturday evening for the race on Sunday morning and it's all the same again. Making sure we have everything we need, and obviously we do a pit stop in the Feature Race, so making sure we have the correct set of tyres out for the stop and then having our backup set out, and that can change during the race. The engineers can say we want this set, so I make sure I am always listening.”

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE TOUGHEST ASPECT OF YOUR JOB?

“I think being away from home a lot does take its toll, but I also really enjoy the travelling side of things. It's good to get to experience different countries and places and I really enjoy being a part of a team.

“I also think for me personally, being a female, I struggle with the weight of some things, so it's just making sure I go to the gym and lift some weights, so it's easier for me, so I can do more of the same stuff that the guys do.

STAT ATTACK: The key numbers behind the first eight rounds of 2025

“Even just things like lifting the wheels, they are quite heavy, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. But I really enjoy my job, I don't think there is anything I find super difficult enough to deter me away from it.”

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?

“I personally feel the best part of my job is the racing. I have always loved racing, so getting to be part of a Championship like F2, where you have the pit stop, and it is so competitive, and we follow an F1 weekend, so I really enjoy coming away for race weekends.

“It's also a really nice feeling when you get a podium or win as a team. Everyone is on such a high and it carries on to the next weekend as well. But other than that, I really enjoy being a part of a team, and learning new aspects of motorsport, not just the car, I like learning all around. I am into asking people lots of questions about their job and learning as much as I can.”

ANY FUNNY STORIES FROM YOUR TIME WITH THE TEAM SO FAR?

“I think there are many things I have done that are funny. But we do all like to have a joke around with each other, that is a nice part of it. We all work together but we all get along really well, so we can have a joke around with each other. Sometimes we play pranks. but normally it's just being silly, and of course professional.”

Bruno Michel’s Double-Header Debrief: Intrigue heading into Round 9

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO DO WHAT YOU DO?

“The best advice I could give is really annoying because it is so basic and everyone says it, but it is to get work experience. I would not be doing what I am doing now without it.

“It's really difficult to learn anything online because the majority of roles in motorsport are such hands-on jobs, so I found the most beneficial thing for me to do is to get work experience, and of course it consisted of me having to email all sorts of different teams.

“Sometimes you don't hear back, and sometimes it's a no, so it can be difficult to keep the confidence and to have the perseverance to keep asking. But you have to be persistent and eventually you will get somebody that will reply to you and give you an offer.

“The only way to get experience is to do it. Everyone says they want someone who is experienced, so you need to find a way to get into it. It can be a day at a racetrack, a week in a factory, not just with an F1 team or F2, F3, F4 team but it can be in karting, or a form of supercars or GTs. Basically, anywhere that is a semi-professional race team. It's just great experience.”