F1 Explains: How Press Officers tell the story
About this episode
Press officers and communications staff are the people “standing beside them, listening closely” as drivers speak to the world’s media after races. They translate what happens inside the team “into the external world for the fans,” often in the media pen, while recording interviews for accuracy and context. The work ramps up at the end of a race, coordinating across track, engineers, and social teams—correcting inaccuracies and guiding drivers with key messages, not scripts. The episode also follows post-podium routines like the cooldown room and spare kits.
You've seen them standing alongside F1 drivers in TV interviews. They're holding phones, recording every word the driver says. Who are they and what are they doing?
F1 Press Officers and Communications teams arrange the interviews you see and hear every race weekend. They're the link between the team, the drivers, the media and fans around the world.
Sophie Ogg, who was formerly F1 Communications Director at McLaren, joins Christian Hewgill to explain what's involved in the job: dealing with media requests, working with adrenaline-fueled F1 drivers and reacting to breaking news - all with the aim of letting fans know what's going on inside a Formula 1 team.
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driver announcements
"And there's probably a lot of collaboration actually around driver announcements. So for drivers leaving one team and going to another, that's one place where you really do collaborate"
“Driver announcements” are the official news releases when an F1 driver changes teams. The press office coordinates the story so everyone’s message lines up.
“Driver announcements” are the official communications around F1 driver moves—like when a driver leaves one team and joins another. Press officers coordinate messaging so the transition is handled consistently and doesn’t create unnecessary friction between teams.
on track incidents
"But in terms of on track incidents, I think you would talk. So if there was something that was particularly heated, I would sort of reach out to colleagues at other teams"
“On track incidents” just means something that happens while the cars are racing—like a crash or contact. The press team cares about how it’s explained so it doesn’t get misunderstood.
In Formula 1, “on track incidents” are events that happen during racing—like collisions, near-misses, or contact between cars. Press officers and teams often manage how these moments are described because the wording can affect public perception and how the situation is understood.
at fault
"And in your mind, you know immediately if it's someone's at fault or if someone's made a mistake. So I think your focus in that point is on your team"
“At fault” means someone is considered responsible for what happened. In the aftermath of an incident, the press team tries to reflect the correct understanding of who caused it.
“At fault” is the idea that one party caused an incident—often based on race direction, steward decisions, or team analysis. In press communication, determining whether someone is at fault shapes how the event is described and how blame is assigned publicly.
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