Motor-vators to move in Motorsports
What are the main reasons why candidates 'start their engines' and look for a new opportunity?
2026 is well underway by now, so it's safe to say we're starting to get a clearer picture of the current recruitment landscape. One of the most important aspects of hiring is understanding the candidates in your market; what makes them tick, what attracts them to certain roles, what forces them away from another role. Having a full picture of this landscape helps you plan out your hiring (and retention) strategies accordingly.
I think we've set the scene well enough, let's take a look at what these push and pull factors are and how to plan for them accordingly
Career Progression
In our conversations with candidates in the industry over the last year, the most common factor for candidates considering a new role is the desire for a position that further progresses their career or provides a fresh challenge. Feeling like you have stagnated in a company is never a nice feeling, and a number of candidates begin to actively search for a new role once they feel this has become a reality.
If you're looking to hire then making it crystal clear what progression in your company looks like is a great option. Employee case studies, visible career ladders, and placing emphasis on progression in external communications are just a few ways to showcase to potential candidates that you take progression seriously.
If you’re looking to retain then regular check-ins with your staff about their role and where they see themselves in a few years' time helps make them feel listened to and that their progression is taken seriously. Having a clear promotion framework, showing them exactly the steps they need to achieve to progress, is another excellent option.
Interest in advanced, innovative companies
In an industry with constant innovation, the draw of working with a team developing the absolute best of the best is understandably an appealing proposition for most candidates. Teams with strong reputations or an exciting vehicle/engine/team tend to be a constant theme amongst candidates looking for a new opportunity.
If you're looking to hire then this is when you need to let your products and reputation in the market speak for themselves. No need to boast too hard!
If you're looking to retain then you'll need to put effort into the rest of your package. Make yourself a company that people wouldn't want to leave for any other reason. Think culture, work pattern, strong benefits package. For anything else that comes into consideration in a job opportunity, make that part of your proposition great.
Culture and environment
The workplace and culture of a company have always been somewhat important, but more than ever we are seeing this rocket up the importance rankings of job-seeking candidates. Gen Z entering the workforce has been a major factor in this; they want to work somewhere that they like turning up to every workday. With the high-pressure, intense environment that comes with working in motorsports, this is a crucial factor for many in the industry. This can be around their ethics, their stance on sustainability, or how they treat their staff. These are all important factors that come into consideration for job-seekers.
If you're looking to hire then placing company values at the heart of decision-making is a must; you've got to practice what you preach. And making your values clear in your communications and on your website will help to attract the right candidates for you.
If you're looking to retain you should basically follow the same advice. Making sure you stick with your values and commitments to sustainability and other social causes will go a long way towards keeping your existing staff happy.
Personal ambition and work-life balance
Candidates each have their own idea of what they want their working life to look like. For some, they want a career that prioritises their future, some want a career that also prioritises their 'now'. More and more we've seen candidates enter into the job market in search of an opportunity that fits in with their lifestyle or future personal ambitions.
If you're looking to hire it comes down to your communications once again. Pushing the lifestyle that comes with working for a team in Motorsports (particularly if it's for a trackside role), will go a long way to attract the types of candidates that would be perfect for your company.
If you're looking to retain then it's worth considering where you can be flexible with working patterns. Being open to a conversation around flexible working will make employees feel valued, even if they end up meeting in the middle from their initial hopes. Due to the fast-paced nature of the industry, fully remote working is not possible for many roles but offering flexibility in working hours or working days could be a retention option.
Industry passion (the F1 draw…)
The final motivator to move is extremely unique to the Motorsports industry: the presence of F1. The likelihood is that people getting involved with motorsports in any way also have a vested interest in F1, whether from a sporting or engineering perspective. The draw of eventually working for one of the 11 teams on the F1 grid is strong, and it can be hard to know exactly how to compete with it.
If you’re looking to hire then you're an F1 team that naturally has this advantage over almost all other motorsport companies. Just let the opportunity speak for itself.
If you're looking to retain then you'll be having to push the elements of your company and the role that cannot be matched by an F1 team. Indycar teams are smaller, so you're more likely to have a greater impact on vehicle performance. Formula E teams give you greater control over the software and powertrain rather than focusing on aero dominance. WEC teams are focused on endurance over purely speed, making it a completely different (and interesting) beast to conquer!
So there's our information that we've gathered from candidates throughout the industry. How do you plan to use this to inform your talent strategy in 2026 and beyond?