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Racing Lives with Aurélie Donzelot
Ellie Norman
My guest today is Ellie Norman, the Marketing and Communications Director at Formula 1. She is in fact the very first Marketing and Communications Director at Formula 1, before her appointment in 2017, that function didn’t exist.
Prior to working in Motorsport, my guest held high-ranking positions in Marketing and Communications for huge brands such as Virgin Media and Honda, she is a Fellow at the Marketing Academy and was Head Girl at her school.
She is somebody who I believe is a true agent of change within the sport. She brings positivity, reason, expertise and calm to an industry known for its relentless fast-pace, and, in my humble opinion, the access to Formula 1 you - dear listeners - get to enjoy today is largely thanks to her work and that of her team.
Check out Ellie online:
Instagram: @ellietory
Twitter: @chikincs
You can contact me via @Pandea on Instagram.
You can support the podcast via supporter.acast.com/racinglives.
More episodes
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9. Joanne Revill
01:16:39||Season 3, Ep. 9Joanne Revill has a wealth of experience in production and communication, having juggles both extremely successfully throughout her career. Her motorsport journey started in the heart of it all, working for Formula One Management. Over 16 years, she went from strength to strength within the company, working behind the scenes at first and then very much in the thick of it as Floor Manager during live broadcasts. She’s been instrumental - my words not hers, she’s too humble - in many of the key moments you’ve witnessed in F1’s recent years. From Arnold Schwarzenegger’s podium interviews to capturing Lewis Hamilton’s first moment as a First Time F1 World Champion. A short freelance stint saw her take on the PR for the Mexican GP as part of the NKrush team - a race which is well known to be one of the most fun rounds each year, before moving team-side for the first time - joining Racing Point now Aston Martin F1 Team for 4 seasons. A huge preface is needed for this episode. Although published now, in March 2024, it was in fact recorded almost exactly a year ago. An incredibly busy year followed during which I established and developed my own motorsport consultancy. That went well, but our lovely Racing Lives podcast suffered. While I very much plan to continue recording new series of this awesome podcast, I couldn’t go ahead and not share the few episodes I already have - I owe it to the wonderful women who gave up their time to chat so candidly with me. So my biggest most heartfelt apologies to my guests for being so damn tardy, and a huge thank you to the fans of this podcast for waiting so long! Check out Joanne online:LinkedIn: Joanne Revill“How I got my first job in Formula 1” by JoanneYou can contact me via @Pandea on InstagramYou can support the podcast via supporter.acast.com/racinglivesSign up for the (seriously fun) Racing Lives newsletter at racinglives.substack.com8. Alice Powell & Abbi Pulling
01:07:58||Season 3, Ep. 8We’re doing things a little bit differently this time, as I welcome not one but two guests on the show: Alice Powell and Abbi Pulling! A first for Racing Lives. Both racing drivers, both podium finishers. One is a Formula Renault champion and has scored points in pretty much every series or championship she’s ever taken part in. The other is going from strength to strength, as a fully-fledged member of the Alpine Academy and racing in the exciting F1 Academy series once again this year. I’ve had the pleasure of sharing grounds with both Alice and Abbi while at Enstone - where they train regularly - and at F1 races which both attend often as part of their various roles within motorsport. They’ve done a lot of ‘firsts’ in their lives, and I’m thrilled that I get to share this Racing Lives first with them. Two guests, one hour. Let’s see how we get on. A huge preface is needed for this episode. Although published now, in March 2024, it was in fact recorded almost exactly a year ago. An incredibly busy year followed during which I established and developed my own motorsport consultancy. That went well, but our lovely Racing Lives podcast suffered. While I very much plan to continue recording new series of this awesome podcast, I couldn’t go ahead and not share the few episodes I already have - I owe it to the wonderful women who gave up their time to chat so candidly with me. So my biggest most heartfelt apologies to my guests for being so damn tardy, and a huge thank you to the fans of this podcast for waiting so long! Check out Alice & Abbi online:Instagram: @AlicePowellRacingInstagram: @AbbiPullingWebsite: abbipulling.comYou can contact me via @Pandea on InstagramYou can support the podcast via supporter.acast.com/racinglivesSign up for the (seriously fun) Racing Lives newsletter at racinglives.substack.com7. Lindsay Orridge
41:34||Season 3, Ep. 7Lindsay Orridge is the person you should call if you want to make something happen in motorsport. She has a wealth of knowledge and contacts throughout the industry, as well as an incredible knack for getting brands seen through clever and meaningful activations. On a personal note, today’s guest is largely responsible for the fact that I now have my own company. Thanks to her friendship, her constant support and guidance, and the fact that she gives me THE WORSE jobs. Not true of course, but by believing in me and seeing potential in me in an area that I definitely couldn’t. And asking me to take on a project that was very much out my comfort zone. I thank her for that. Lindsay is the best bullshit filter in motorsport, bar none, and I am so proud to have her as one of my closest friends. A huge preface is needed for this episode. Although published now, in March 2024, it was in fact recorded almost exactly a year ago. An incredibly busy year followed during which I established and developed my own motorsport consultancy. That went well, but our lovely Racing Lives podcast suffered. While I very much plan to continue recording new series of this awesome podcast, I couldn’t go ahead and not share the few episodes I already have - I owe it to the wonderful women who gave up their time to chat so candidly with me. So my biggest most heartfelt apologies to my guests for being so damn tardy, and a huge thank you to the fans of this podcast for waiting so long! Check out Lindsay online:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lindsayorridgeWebsite: themotorsportcollective.comYou can contact me via @Pandea on InstagramYou can support the podcast via supporter.acast.com/racinglivesSign up for the (seriously fun) Racing Lives newsletter at racinglives.substack.com6. Kate Beavan
50:39||Season 3, Ep. 6Kate Beavan may be a lawyer, but I know her more for her incredible hospitality and creativity, than her legal skills. She did start in motorsport as a lawyer however, working for the Arrows F1 Team before joining FOM - Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula One Management company - to eventually develop and lead the Paddock Club into the VIP hospitality experience as we know it now. That changed in 2021, after successfully seeing Paddock Club through Covid restrictions and its return to full strength. Since then, my guest has championed brilliant ventures - as you’d expect if you know her - not least of which her most recent project - More Than Equal. We talk at length about the work she is doing there, and I have included a link to the survey below. Please take part if you can, it takes just 10mins.Not only does Kate have an incredible reputation within the F1 paddock, she is also adored by all that I have worked with her and alongside her. When I mentioned to a few friends that she was going to be a guest on this podcast, the reactions were unanimously: WOW. I hope you come to the same conclusion. Enjoy!Check out Kate online:Twitter: @BeavanKThose instagram selfies! @Kate_BeavanCheck out More Than Equal: Website: www.morethanequal.comInstagram: @more.thanequalThe survey: more-than-equal-survey-2023.motorsportnetwork.comYou can contact me via @Pandea on Instagram.You can support the podcast via supporter.acast.com/racinglives.5. Rachael Laenen
51:10||Season 3, Ep. 5My guest today is a World Champion. She is a multi-world champion in fact, having successfully played her part in achieving World Champion status for the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team no less than three times. As the team's Head of Hospitality and Events, Rachael Laenen developed and managed all hospitality offerings for the team's partners both on and off track for years.Proud daughter of racing engineer legend Gordon Kimball and proud sister to IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball, Rachael quickly set a standard so high within the realm of team hospitality that, in my humble opinion, most of the grid is still playing catch up. She has since taken her work ethic to the world of avocado farming, while carrying on as a freelance motorsport event organiser on the side! Knowing my guest, she will hate the fact that I chose to introduce her this way. But I saw first-hand how hard she worked over the years, and the amazing things she achieved while in motorsport. She carries her immense passion in everything that she does. And I can’t wait for you to get to know her over the next hour. Check out Rachael online:LinkedIn: Rachael LaenenWebsite: www.kimballavocados.comYou can contact me via @Pandea on Instagram.You can support the podcast via supporter.acast.com/racinglives.4. Fiona Rees
38:57||Season 3, Ep. 4My guest today is Fiona Rees, a logistics expert, an authority in coordination, a worldwide events organiser on a scale that is utterly impressive. In a career spanning 16 years in motorsport, Fiona has ensured the successful completion of countless events across all manner of racing disciplines, carving a highly respected name for herself throughout the motorsport industry. As the FIA WTCR Teams Coordinator (until the series came to an end last month), race weekends take place smoothly, safely and without visible stress. She makes each day fun for those around her, while keep a firm hold on every possible aspect of the action. Check out Fiona online:Instagram: @fionamreesWebsite: fmrsport.comEverything else: https://linktr.ee/fmrsportYou can contact me via @Pandea on Instagram.You can support the podcast via supporter.acast.com/racinglives.3. Reema Juffali
58:50||Season 3, Ep. 3This week's Racing Lives guest is Reema Juffali, a driver from Saudi Arabia who has only been racing for a handful of years and yet has carved out such a resounding space within motorsport that I’ve been looking forward to speaking to her ever since I started this podcast. Reema has competed in British and UAE F4, as well as GT endurance racing and she finished second in this year’s International GT Open Pro AM Championship. She has created her own GT team to ensure that motorsport hopefuls from her own country had a better chance to enter the racing industry. We chat through the challenges and rewards that come from driving professionally and being responsible for a group of people whose livelihood comes from racing, as well as Reema's path into motorsport. Check out Reema online:Twitter: @reemajuffaliInstagram: @reemajuffaliWebsite: www.reema-juffali.comYou can contact me via @Pandea on Instagram.You can support the podcast via supporter.acast.com/racinglives.2. Beth Georgiou
51:41||Season 3, Ep. 2Beth Georgiou is a multi-hyphen powerhouse who has developed her passions into credible and successful professional avenues so well, I am in awe of everything she has achieved already. She is a clever, articulate and dedicated advocate for electric cars, which combined with a lifelong passion for motorsport, has culminated in the birth of the world’s first all-electric junior formula racing series which is called the Software AG ERA Championship, to use its full name - of which she is co-founder and director. While motorsport is a huge part of her life - she grew up close to Silverstone Circuit and has been a marshal, a race director, a commentator, a writer… She is also an accomplished musician and composer. I always research my guests before every show and this is the first time I have had the pleasure of listening to my guest’s work while writing this introduction! Check out Beth online:Twitter: @FoxGeorgiouInstagram: @foxgeorgiouMore about the Software AG ERA Championship:Twitter: @ERAchampionshipInstagram: @ERAchampionshipWebsite: www.erachampionship.comYou can contact me via @Pandea on Instagram.You can support the podcast via supporter.acast.com/racinglives.1. Bernie Collins
50:08||Season 3, Ep. 1My guest today is best known for Formula 1 engineering, specifically strategy, and is absolutely brilliant to chat to. What better way to start off Season 3 of Racing Lives than with the utterly awesome Bernie Collins! Starting as a graduate trainee at the McLaren Formula 1 Team back in 2009, fresh from studying Mechanical Engineering at the Queen’s University in Belfast, Bernie has gone on to Graduate Engineer, Design Engineer then Performance Engineer in just 6 years. She then joined the team now known as Aston Martin F1 Team as a Performance and Strategy Engineer, then Senior Strategy Engineer and most recently Head of Race Strategy. She was featured by Forbes in their 2016 30 under 30 list for manufacturing and industry in Europe, was an ambassador for the Make It in Great Britain campaign, and has gone around the world several times thanks to the Formula 1 circus, most often seen sitting on the Aston Martin pitwall during races. She is now doing her own thing, which has included post-race strategy analysis for Formula 1 TV and is excellent viewing. Links are below if you'd like to check them out. Check out Bernie online:Twitter: @Bernie_collins1Instagram: @Bernie.Collins.1F1 Strategy videos: Italian GP | Belgium GP | Dutch GPYou can contact me via @Pandea on Instagram.You can support the podcast via supporter.acast.com/racinglives.