We know F1 as a sport of glamour, fast paced battles,celebrities, the skill of the drivers, the drama between team principals … as this high-octane bull fight. Among all the clamouring and showmanship, we rarely get to hear from those who, in reality, make it all possible. The unsung heroes of the sport. What’s largely missing from the coverage is just how much teamwork is needed to pull a race together. Formula 1 is, at it’s a core, a team sport.
In this episode we dive beyond the spotlight with former Lead Composite Engineer of Aston Martin F1 team, Sósanna Ní Dhubháin. She was responsible for designing the composite parts that made up 70% of the Aston’s race-car, the technicalities of which shaped the very way the car performed on track. Sósanna breaks down the intricacies of her job, what it takes to get an F1 car from garage to grid, gives insight into what it was like when Adrian Newey joined the team and even gives her thoughts on that final lap in Abu Dhabi 2021.
Our conversation can only be described as a truly unfiltered look at what goes on away from a race weekend. Beyond the paddock she is an ambassador for promoting women in STEM roles and works diligently to inspire young girls to pursue careers in the industry.
She explains:
🟩 How a letter she sent as a 12-year-old laid out her entire career trajectory
🟩 How a conversation about lobster fishing helped land her fist F1 job with Lotus
🟩 How important good mentors are when reaching your dream
🟩 The intricacies of working with Carbon Fibre composites that we never get to see
🟩 How nobody knew if the 2026 car would run until the first race
🟩 The most beautiful part of composite design
🟩 The impact Adrian Newey had on the team
🟩 What a race day in the paddock does to the senses
🟩 Her predictions for the rest of the 2026 season
🟩 Her thoughts on boost and overtake modes
🟩 Her take on the race restart in Abu Dhabi 2021
🟩 Is Monaco really a good track for racing?
🟩 What drives her to be an ambassador for women in STEM
🟩 How becoming an F1 driver isn’t necessarily based on skill
🟩 Why she made the decision to leave Aston Martin after 12 years
Race ahead to:
(1:30) Sósanna’s letter to every F1 team that began her journey
(7:35) How Lobster Fishing helped her land a job with team Lotus
(8:28) The importance of having good mentors
(13:16) What does a composite designer actually do?
(15:37) Dealing with the pressure to perform
(19:40) The part of the car design the fans never get to see
(23:04) The impact of Adrian Newey
(25:27) Aston Martin’s 2026 struggles
(30:02) What actually goes through you head in the paddock on race day?
(32:55) Sósanna predicts the rest of the 2026 season
(33:38) Sósanna’s opinion on the new boost and overtake functions
(34:13) Sósanna’s thoughts on that Final Lap in Adu Dhabi 2021
(34:40) If every driver had the same car, who would be top 3?
(35:16) Is Monaco really a good track for racing?
(36:07) What drives Sósanna to be an ambassador for women in STEM?
(38:58) The first female F1 Driver
(42:24) Advice to anyone looking to F1 as a career
(44:43) Sósanna‘s motivation to leave Aston Martin and what’s next
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/sosanna-ni-dhubhain-239b0222/
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