Having been fortunate enough to attend the Formula 1 (F1) Grand Prix at Silverstone last week, I thought for this week’s blog I would look at F1 and ways in which it links in with TRACK and my own personal enjoyment of the sport.
F1 relies on attention to detail and looking at things from a different perspective. It always amazes me that the difference between 1st and 2nd on the grid in qualifying can be as little as a thousandth of a second, and teams are constantly having to look at ways in which they can gain a competitive edge.
On a personal level I feel that F1 teams could benefit from the skill set which some people on the autism spectrum, and this is something we are actively approaching F1 teams to consider. From a TRACK perspective, I have no statistics on the number of employees of F1 teams who are diagnosed, but I think that many of the roles available within the teams would fit with the skills set which some people on the autism spectrum possess.
I have met with many F1 fans who are on the autism spectrum, and their enjoyment of the sport has many different reasons: A student who I worked with previously loved perfecting laps in the F1 console game and would recreate entire races and be looking to perfect each lap, ensuring that the crucial racing line was followed. It was interesting at Silverstone this week to see the rise in popularity of E-sports with prize money going into thousands of pounds; whilst others love the amount of data which is generated and being able to analyse where improvements can be made and comparing these across the teams.
At Silverstone itself, there are many aspects which may put people off going to watch F1 live, for example the sheer number of people attending (over 100,000 people on the Sunday itself on some occasions), or the noise and smells generated by the cars. One parent I spoke to during the weekend said that their Son’s love of the sport meant he was happy to attend the event, but in other busy situations he would normally not wish to attend. I think there are things which can be put in place which could make the sport even more accessible and this is something which I am looking to work on with the circuit and sport itself.
The race itself ended with a win for Vettel, whilst Hamilton fought back from an early incident to finish in 2nd place, setting up a fascinating end to the season.
We believe that with small changes the workplace can become so much more accessible to people who want to work. From my experience the majority of autistic people do not want charity, they want opportunity. Work with us to help a create spectrum of opportunities which will benefit all of those involved.
Contact us and find out how we can work together. Thomas@track.org.uk