F1 is more competitive than ever

F1 is becoming more competitive than ever.

Whilst you may not believe me when we look at the top of the table being dominated by both McLaren drivers, each Constructor overall is becoming better. To help illustrate my point, let's have a look at what happened at the British Grand Prix.

Silverstone was an eventful race to say the least. Lando took his first home victory, and Hülkenburg had his first podium finish, rising from P19 up to P3. Something else - that may have gone under the radar - was Pierre Gasly finishing 6th, which on the surface appears to be simply a solid position. But the points gained from this placement mean that the last-placed team in the Constructors' Championship will have scored more points than any other last-placed team in history.

This is an incredible figure, which shows that the overall quality on show across the board is getting better. But what does this increased overall competitiveness mean for candidates in the market

Higher demand for talent

As the league grows in its competitiveness, each team will be looking for ways to get an additional edge in each race. The best way to do that will not always be in the driver's seat, but actually everything that comes before that. Finding talent that has either experience, knowledge, or a particular talent in a high-demand area will be crucial to build out a car that is superior to the rest.
With rule changes coming in 2026 that have made reducing the overall weight of the vehicles crucial, some high-demand areas include Aerodynamics, Vehicle Dynamics, and Composites. Talented people in these roles could be in a great position as they will be wanted by most of the industry, allowing them to negotiate a great salary package.

Better employee experience

As teams will be looking to attract top talent, they will equally be looking to retain the talent that already exists within their ranks. With teams swarming around like vultures trying to poach the best in the business, teams will be assessing their internal operations and looking at how they can retain their best employees.
The simple truth, is that people tend to stay where they are well-treated. F1 and Motorsports can be more difficult regarding employee retention with there being so many big names in the industry that are hard to say no to, but teams will be doing everything in their reasonable power to ensure their top talent are happy in their role and are being treated as best as possible. This may include a rise in salary, but could also look like more complete benefits packages or more favourable working patterns.

More jobs?

For those looking to enter the industry, a more competitive competition could lead to the creation of more jobs. Teams may look into developing talent themselves to support their efforts in the future, creating more entry-level jobs for recent graduates and other skilled workers without F1 experience.
We also know for a fact that there will be more jobs coming in the industry with General Motors (racing under the Cadillac brand) joining the grid from the 2026 season. As they aren't replacing a team, this means there will be 22 cars on the track for every Grand Prix! Will this increase the level of competition even further, or will this create an even greater disparity between the top and the rest? What we are confident of is that there will now be even more opportunities for top talent to find their route into this exciting market.

If you're interested in hearing more about Cadillac joining the grid in 2026, feel free to check out our blog about their unique challenges here.