Mission 44’s Stephanie Travers on how she’s helping to create a more inclusive and diverse environment in motorsport

In 2021, seven-times Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton launched Mission 44 - a charity driving change so that every young person can thrive in school and access great careers in STEM, with a focus on increasing diversity in motorsport. Females in Motorsport spoke with Senior Impact Manager Stephanie Travers, who also worked in F1 as a Trackside Fluid Engineer with PETRONAS and has become a trailblazer for those out there who dream of making it into the sport.

Stephanie has a lengthy CV which also saw her take on the role of Deputy Team Principal of Team X44, which competed in Extreme E. Having such a background in the sport, helps give Stephanie “a unique lens to design initiatives that are both aspirational and rooted in real-world pathways”.

What does it mean to be a Trackside Fluid Engineer?

Stephanie was born into a family that loved F1 and every Sunday they would come together to watch the races. Some of the aspects that fascinated her the most were the “engineering, precision, speed, and teamwork”. She followed her father’s and grandfather’s footsteps when she went on to become an engineer.

“I was exposed to engineering from a very young age as both my dad and grandfather owned engineering workshops in Zimbabwe, where I was born,” Stephanie tells Females in Motorsport. “As I got older and pursued a career in engineering, I became even more curious about the science and innovation behind the scenes. Motorsport felt like the perfect intersection of my personal passion and professional ambition.”

Knowing the competitive nature of F1, Stephanie tried to go down a path which she would still be passionate about even though it’s not in the sector of her choice. She’s very passionate about Chemical Engineering and she believed that she’d be happy doing a job involving this interesting subject outside the F1 ecosystem. So during university she got to focus on chemistry and fluid dynamics and eventually earned the opportunity to use them in her dream job.

“The Trackside Fluid Engineer role with PETRONAS allowed me to apply those skills in one of the most high-performance environments in the world,” Stephanie says. “I saw it as a way to contribute to race performance and reliability in a highly technical and impactful way. It was also a unique opportunity to be at the heart of the action, literally trackside.”

Stephanie worked with PETRONAS - who is Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team’s title sponsor and partner - for three years. She had several responsibilities such as “analysing and monitoring all the fluids used in the car, engine oils, gearbox oil/transmission fluids, fuel, to ensure they were operating within optimal performance parameters and also to monitor the wear of the engine and gearbox”. 

She didn’t only do such work for Mercedes but also for their customer teams. Stephanie touched on how such a role required teamwork between PETRONAS and the F1 outlet while it demanded “precision and quick thinking”. During race weekends, she would “conduct real-time analysis in the PETRONAS Trackside Laboratory".

The information obtained would help engineers make decisions which affect reliability and as one can imagine, the personnel were under a lot of pressure. Every day was different and provided various scenarios.

Stephanie followed in her father's and grandfather's footsteps to become an engineer

The highlights and challenges of working in F1

Travelling the world with a F1 team was a dream come true for Stephanie. Apart from working, she got to experience various cultures while meeting new people. She also explained how the people she works with became like a family as they’re always travelling together. While there were these good moments, constant travel comes with its challenges too.

“Being away from home for long periods, working long hours across different time zones, and needing to stay mentally and physically sharp under pressure,” are some of the challenges Stephanie came across in her role. However, it taught her how to manage her time better and helped her become more resilient.

One of the main highlights of Stephanie’s time in F1 is when in 2020, Lewis Hamilton chose her to go on the podium with him at the Styrian Grand Prix. It was a time when there was a lot going on in the world. F1 was racing under strict rules and started the season late because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, many around the world were stepping up more than ever for social injustices around issues such as racism. Stepping on the F1 podium felt like a monumental moment for Stephanie.

“That moment on the podium was surreal, it was such a momentous occasion for me and my family,” says Stephanie. “I was filled with pride, not just for what it represented for me personally but for so many young people who saw that moment and felt seen. I had worked so hard behind the scenes, to have that recognised in such a public and historic way was overwhelming in the best sense.”

This inspired many people around the world, but it didn’t stop there. Stephanie had many pursuits coming up which were going to help lead the way for others.

Stepping into the role of Deputy Team Principal

In 2023, Stephanie became the Deputy Team Principal of Team X44. This team was founded by Lewis Hamilton and it raced in Extreme E, an off-roading series that used electrical vehicles. The environment was completely different from that of F1 but Stephanie says that one aspect they had in common is the “drive for performance and innovation.”

Compared to F1, Extreme E didn't go racing in cities or traditional racing circuits. They had races in remote locations such as the Atacama desert in Chile or Greenland. Stephanie explains how such locations can present “logistical and technical challenges,” especially since they can be unpredictable. Other than that, Stephanie says how they had to deal with “off-grid conditions and a heavier emphasis on environmental awareness”.

Stephanie worked in Formula 1 as a Trackside Fluid Engineer and was the Deputy Team Principal of Team X44 in Extreme E

Stephanie felt proud that she had the opportunity to take on this leadership role. Steph was the lead on “driver management, logistics and overseeing the engineering function empowerment”. As a leader, Stephanie focuses on the people and on making them feel like they can all bring their best in a culture based on collaboration and empowerment. She also gave people who had less experience in the field a chance.

“Through our Racing for All initiative, we brought in someone from an underrepresented background with little prior motorsport experience - and that person got to travel outside of the UK for the first time in their life and got the opportunity to contribute to our Constructors’ Championship win,” Stephanie says. “That’s the power of belief and opportunity.”

Stephanie’s work at Mission 44

Stephanie joined Mission 44 in 2022 and she’s involved in the impact and fundraising teams. Her main job is to identify barriers in the motorsport and STEM sectors which affect young people from underrepresented backgrounds and try to get the sectors to address them. She also hosts initiatives at F1 races to help inspire the next generation through motorsport.

“One of the most meaningful experiences is hosting young people from local communities at certain grands prix weekends and watching their faces light up as they engage in STEM workshops and meet people working in motorsport,” Stephanie says. 

Moments like these remind Stephanie why she’s doing this work. She explained how some of the people who attend such events have never realised that motorsport is an option for them until that point.

To help provide more opportunities, in June 2022, Mission 44 and the Royal Academy of Engineering Masters in Motorsport Scholarships were launched. This Scholarship helps students from black or mixed black backgrounds with financial and career support and aims at increasing diversity within F1 and the wider motorsport sector.

From the first cohort of MSc students, all graduates found a job within the motorsport sector. The second cohort was announced at the end of last year and they’ve recently met with Hamilton at the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit to sit down with Channel 4 and discuss their progress. 

The second cohort of Scholarship students visiting the Scuderia Ferrari garage during the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone

This cohort - which includes three women and five men - are studying a range of topics such as Aerodynamics and Computation, Motorsport Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Design.

After a conversation with the British driver, the students went trackside where they had a behind-the-scenes tour of the Scuderia Ferrari HP garage, visited the F1 Onboard Camera Experience and also had a hands-on experience at Pirelli’s tyre fitting area and the Hot Laps garage. 

During the weekend, Mission 44 also hosted the Igniting Inclusion summit which spoke about how a more diverse and inclusive environment can be created within motorsport. Representatives of F1 teams, young people and partners attended the summit to drive the conversation.

For more information on the scholarship offered by Mission 44 in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, head over to this link.

“You’re worthy of a seat at the table”

Stephanie is a speaker at many events and her career inspires many individuals around the world. However, I asked her if she had to pass on one lesson that she learnt throughout her experience, which one would it be.

“You belong in any room you walk into. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise.”

Stephanie learnt that “confidence grows through action”. No one is perfect immediately and it’s a learning curve. So whatever you’re doing, even if it’s for the first time, like “stepping into the garage, standing on the podium, or leading a racing team,” don’t let anyone stop you from doing it for whatever reason they may deem fit.

“You don’t have to know everything and need to go in those environments,” she says. “You will also be learning but at the same time, you do have to believe you’re worthy of a seat at the table.”

Stephanie encourages people to never let anyone make them feel as if they don't belong in a room they walk into

For more information on how Mission 44 is paving the way for underrepresented backgrounds, head over to their website for more information on their project and initiatives.

All images credit: Mission 44