Jessica Rona: “Behind every race weekend is a team that never stops”

Jessica Rona graduated with an HBO degree in Communication and Multimedia Design from Hanze University of Applied Sciences and currently serves as Team Coordinator for the FIA Formula 2 Championship and FIA Formula 3 Championship programmes at Van Amersfoort Racing. Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) is a premier Dutch motorsport team founded in 1975 by Frits van Amersfoort, based in Zeewolde, Netherlands. Known for developing young talent, VAR competes in FIA Formula 2, FIA Formula 3, Formula Regional European, and Italian F4. The team has a rich history of success and operates from a state-of-the-art facility. 

“I’ve always been a huge motorsport enthusiast,” Jessica tells Females in Motorsport.

“While completing my degree, I wasn’t sure whether there were real opportunities in the sport outside of technical roles. I underestimated what was possible because motorsport felt like such a difficult world to break into. Thankfully, my school had a connection with a Spanish team, Team Virage, and that gave me the opportunity to move to Valencia for my final internship.” 

Determined to find a place in the industry, Jessica reached out to more than 40 teams, hoping that one opportunity would open a door.

That persistence paid off when she heard back from the marketing director at Van Amersfoort Racing. She joined as a marketing intern and, through hard work and dedication, steadily worked her way up to become Team Coordinator.

“It honestly felt like a dream. I was incredibly happy just to have found even a small role within the motorsport community,” she says.

“As a Team Coordinator, now I’ve realised, you have to be available 24/7. There’s always something happening, and if something goes wrong, you need to be there to handle it. Being unavailable simply isn’t an option.

“We manage everything, from booking flights and accommodation to planning what a driver’s day looks like, while also making sure all logistics, freight, and equipment arrive at the venue on time and in the right place.

“Even the smallest thing going wrong, or something as simple as an item going missing, can become a major issue, and we’re the first point of contact when that happens. That’s why this role demands constant attention and responsibility.”

While much of her day-to-day work happens behind screens, on calls, and through endless coordination, race weekends are an entirely different world.

“Race weekends move incredibly fast, especially on busy Fridays when there’s hardly any time between sessions,” she says.

“It’s about thinking ahead and making sure everything is in place so the team can focus purely on performance. A big part of my role is making sure the engineers, mechanics, and drivers don’t have to think about anything outside of racing, whether that’s hotels, transport, meals, or the smallest details in their day.

“It’s demanding, but being so close to racing and working with a team that understands each other so well makes it incredibly rewarding.”

Team coordinators are like the pillars behind each motorsport team, working behind the scenes to make sure everything runs seamlessly when it matters most.

“For anyone looking to build a career in motorsport outside of technical roles, there are more opportunities now than ever before,” she says.

“You just have to keep searching, stay persistent, and not give up. It might take time, but if you keep pushing, something will eventually come your way.”