Written by Silvia Cojocaru, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
Women have played an influential role throughout the history of motor racing. Many have taken to the wheels of motorsport machines, while numerous figures have worked tirelessly on the sidelines in various roles, shaping the racing world to the present day. Woman Spotlight Wednesday aims to take a look at the tales of these superwomen, who have surpassed various hurdles to reach where they are today.
Today’s story dives into the tale of a vibrant personality, none other than current Senior TV Producer for Sky Sports F1, Jess Medland, who represents an important figure for women working in motorsport media.
She found a deep interest in the sport during her childhood, mainly driven by her older brother who introduced her to the sport. She even grew up in Brixworth, the village where Mercedes produces powertrains for their Formula One cars.
Despite her deep enjoyment of motorsport, Jess never considered a career in Formula 1 when doing her Bachelor's in English.
She is consequently vocal about how uncertainty, especially in her twenties is completely justified, and states that working in the motorsport field requires more than just a degree, putting the focus on each individual’s unique skill set.
Medland recounted a unique detail in an appearance on the ‘Cool Down’ podcast. She recounted going to lunch with her parents back in 2015 and drawing out her entire career path on a tablecloth. This helped her realise her strengths and also her biggest passions.
Later on, her stepdad wrote on a piece of paper that, on May 2nd, 2020, she would be named the publishing director for Autosport. Jess carried this folded piece of paper with her, until the statement finally became true, though even earlier than expected.
Getting her start in the motorsport world working for Autosport in 2015, she later went on to become one of the creative forces behind WTF1 in 2017. During her time there, she managed to take WTF1 from a meme page to a more serious publication, playing an important role in their growth.
She made the difficult decision of leaving this team when she realised that her main goal of ensuring more people being involved in motorsport would be better achieved at bigger companies which hold the power to give back to the fans.
As a result, she went on to become the Director of Digital Strategy for the Motorsport Network in 2020.
It is through her love of motorsport that she met her now husband, Chris Medland, fellow employee at Sky Sports F1 as a journalist and broadcaster.
The two of them have Daniel Ricciardo to thank for their meeting, as they first saw each other at a press event at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Ricciardo was the track’s ambassador.
Jess Medland dedicates her time to helping others achieve their dreams of working in motorsport.
She serves as inspiration for many young girls who might think they can’t make it in a male-dominated industry, whilst providing valuable insights into the vast world of media and Formula One.
What’s more is the way she values bringing fans closer to the sport, a trait easily noticeable through her content and interaction with her followers.
Comments