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It’s nice to get recognition for your work. Maybe a pay rise, a promotion, or even just a pat on the back. But what about being asked to collect the constructors’ trophy on the podium at the end of an F1 race to acknowledge the role you played in a Mercedes victory? That is exactly what happened to Stephanie Travers, one of two Petronas trackside fluid engineers, after the Styrian Grand Prix at Spielberg in 2020.
‘I was truly honoured,’ she says of the invitation. ‘To represent the team and Petronas on the podium was a momentous occasion, and it’s something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. It’s just great for the team to recognise the hard work that we put in.’
And make no mistake, it is hard work. The Petronas fluid engineers arrive at the circuit very early in the week leading up to a grand prix, and it’s pretty much non-stop from then on for Travers and colleague, En De Liow, until the teams leave after the race. But just what is the role of a trackside fluid engineer?
‘There are two main areas we take care of,’ explains Liow. ‘One is making sure all the fluids that go into a racecar are in the right condition, and are what
