One job on the Method One grid could also be extra unique than being a driver. Laura Mueller is a part of that membership.
Working for the Haas F1 crew, Mueller is F1’s first feminine race engineer. There are 20 race engineers on the grid, one for every driver. They’re the chief hyperlink between the motive force and crew, engaged on observe by way of radio communication and away from it whereas making ready for the following race. They generally stay at their positions longer than an F1 driver stays of their seat.
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Mueller was elevated to the place this season and is paired with Haas newcomer Esteban Ocon. Mueller had beforehand labored as a efficiency engineer at Haas, whereas Ocon, a Hungarian Grand Prix winner in 2021, joined the American crew after 5 seasons with the Alpine F1 crew.
“She’s a fairly decided character,” Haas crew principal Ayao Komatsu . “After which she’s very hardworking. Her work ethic is admittedly, actually good. … Esteban is a fairly decided character as properly. In order that facet, I feel the driving drive, I feel that persona matches fairly properly.”
Getting into the 2025 F1 Miami Grand Prix, Ocon was ninth within the drivers’ standings with 14 factors by way of 5 races. Haas ranked sixth amongst F1 groups with 20 factors, simply 5 in need of Williams in fifth, a place Haas will chase all through the season because the best-of-the-rest prize behind stalwarts McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari and Pink Bull.
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Haas has been the final word underdog outfit since becoming a member of the grid in 2016. It completed fifth that season however has solely managed to equal that outcome as soon as (2018). The lone American crew till Cadillac joins the grid subsequent season, Haas has but to win a race or safe a single podium end in F1.
Mueller is tasked with serving to the downtrodden crew make waves within the midfield this season. Along with Williams, Haas might want to battle with Alpine, Racing Bulls, Sauber and Aston Martin for factors within the constructors’ standings. For Haas, it takes a powerful work ethic to seek out these further margins over their rivals, lots of whom have significantly bigger assets.
Laura Mueller, Race Engineer of Haas F1 works within the storage throughout day one in every of F1 Testing at Bahrain Worldwide Circuit on February 26, 2025 in Bahrain, Bahrain.
“It has been nice to work with Laura,” Ocon stated throughout a . “She’s actually an incredible engineer. She’s been having numerous expertise in numerous completely different classes. She’s achieved DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters), I’ve achieved DTM, so we have now that time in frequent. However she did numerous completely different classes, and her trajectory may be very spectacular.
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“She’s superior to work with. The quantity of hours she places in may be very, very spectacular. She would not depend hours.”
Ocon recalled one significantly demanding weekend in Japan when the French driver struggled to seek out constant efficiency.
“I keep in mind in Suzuka, we had a troublesome one, however we had been nonetheless having conferences and debriefs as a result of it was not the best way we needed to have the efficiency, and she or he didn’t stand as much as take a sandwich or drink for most likely the entire day.
“She was like, ‘Esteban, I’ll most likely go and take meals now as a result of it is 7:30 or 8 within the night.’ And I am like, ‘You did not eat but?’ And she or he’s like, ‘No’’ as a result of she did not need to as a result of she was flat-out with work.”
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Uphill battles include the territory at Haas. For Komatsu, the distinction is having the fitting individuals scaling these mountains.
“We don’t care (about) nationality, gender – it actually doesn’t matter as a result of what issues is figure,” Komatsu stated when Mueller was promoted. “How one can match into the crew, how one can maximise the efficiency. I consider it’s the proper selection.”
