Sian Windmill: “This is my dream job”

Sian Windmill is a Digital Designer at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, where she creates trackside digital content for the team’s garage and hospitality spaces. Her work mainly focuses on motion graphics, combining video editing, illustration, and typography. 

She studied graphic design and began her career in agency work before moving into the luxury watch industry. While working with a watch brand sponsoring Williams Racing, she got her first exposure to  Formula 1. Working on shoots with the team’s drivers helped her build her portfolio and opened the door to motorsport, where she found a strong connection between design, engineering, and storytelling. 

“The work we do, both at Mercedes and in my previous roles, sits within the premium space, so the standard of execution is very exacting,” Sian tells Females in Motorsport. 

“Design is taken seriously; it shapes how people experience the team. There’s a genuine level of care around it, and that’s why I chose that environment to design in. Trackside digital screens are such a niche space; it’s not something traditional design study prepares you for, so most of it is learned on the job.  That was a big learning curve for me, coming from social media and web design. 

“Because our set-up travels around the world, digital screens help us make each space feel bespoke. We can tailor the content to every location, from the garage entrance and paddock walkthroughs to hospitality suites where we get to be more playful with design. 

“It’s the perfect mix for me, there’s a technical side that feeds my methodical mindset and love for problem-solving, but it’s also hugely creative. Our design team is the right size too: enough support when you need it, but plenty of autonomy. Every race feels like a blank canvas, and each year we ask how we can make it more engaging and entertaining. 

“Honestly, I couldn’t have written a better job description for myself.” 

Sian also travels with the team to certain races, which gives her and the design team a chance to take inspiration from the local culture, atmosphere, and identity of each country. Those experiences often influence their creative direction and help shape how they plan and design for future races. 

“Travelling to the races with bigger production setups is incredibly important for my work because it lets me see the designs come to life in a live environment, content behaves differently in the real world,” she says. 

“There’s so much to consider, the energy in the room, what’s happening on track, and how people engage with the space, things you can’t fully understand from behind a screen. 

“Before the racing starts, there’s a small window to test content, so it becomes a lot of trial and error.  You have to be reactive and solve problems quickly, but if you enjoy working under pressure, it’s an exciting part of the job. One of the best parts of travelling is getting to experience places and cultures you  might never otherwise see and use it to influence future work.” 

Sian did not come from a motorsport background, and working in F1 has changed how she views the sport, especially the way people perceive it from the outside. 

“A lot of women still see F1 as a space not for them,” she says. 

“But that hasn’t been my experience at all. I’ve never felt like my gender has held me back; people respond much more to competence and enthusiasm than to the stereotypes outsiders expect. 

“I think those stereotypes are becoming outdated. The sport has evolved a lot, and that surprised me when I joined. I expected to be one of the few women in the room, but that hasn’t been the case at all. Even in our design team, there’s a fairly even gender split.

“Overall, I enjoy the creative freedom I have, I love being part of a sport that never stands still, and getting to see my work come to life. It’s definitely a dream job for me. The landscape in digital design is  constantly evolving - I’m hoping to soon start my Master’s degree in AI and Creative Practice so I can  bring that into my workflow too.” 

Sian’s journey into motorsport through design shows how creative roles play an important part in shaping a team’s identity. It also reflects how the sport is changing, becoming more open, diverse, and welcoming to people from different backgrounds and skill sets.