Lucia Conconi devoted more than two decades to Formula 1 and elite motorsport, recently serving as Head of Vehicle Performance at Sauber Motorsport where she helped drive a competitive resurgence. Her career includes key positions at Renault F1, Mercedes-AMG F1, Brawn GP, and Audi Sport.

Race weekends have long begun before dawn. Heading into the paddock at that quiet hour, you mostly encounter staff from rival squads, including some ex-colleagues now wearing different colors. Even amid fierce rivalry, exchanges remain friendly. For those brief moments before the pressure builds, the paddock feels almost like home.

By the time the first arrivals pass through the gates, activity at the factory has already been underway for several days. Yet once the cars reach the circuit, the tempo intensifies across every location.

What stands out most, and what outsiders rarely see, is the way the entire organization mobilizes around those few days. Whether based at the track or remaining at headquarters, everyone senses the scale of the support structure behind the two cars. Systems engineers track deployments through the night. Simulator work runs alongside on-track running. Data specialists lay the groundwork for choices made in moments. Many of these contributors never appear on screen, yet the cars would not perform without their input.

The atmosphere changes noticeably. An unspoken intensity settles over the weekend, a shared concentration that extends through the factory to staff not directly tied to race operations. You notice it when casual chats stop and when colleagues without any direct need still monitor session timings. The whole team leans forward together.

Being part of that coordinated effort highlights the work required to maintain alignment and the discipline needed to refine processes weekend after weekend.

As development continues, some events carry added significance. Fresh components arrive after extended preparation, bringing a focused calm. Watching the car improve and seeing lap times match predictions rewards months of unseen effort.

Once running starts, the schedule revolves around meetings. Findings are reviewed, options weighed, plans tested and revised. Between sessions, engineers remain immersed in the numbers, shaping calls that will unfold within hours or the following day. The pace stays demanding both at the circuit and back at base. When the factory follows an event across distant time zones, the clock itself adds extra strain.

One recollection remains vivid, marked again by an early start yet filled with a lighter mood. Early in her Formula 1 journey, the team brought the Brawn GP car to the season opener in Melbourne. The time shift created a harsh wake-up for those following from Europe, with Friday practice set in the middle of the night. Still, most race-support staff that year rose ahead of their alarms. Excitement ran high after a demanding winter. The first voices over the radio, engineers confirming readiness, the session going live, and then the car proving quick, set the tone for a season that entered motorsport lore. Few who shared that morning have forgotten it.