Haas has made a small piece of history by appointing the very first female race engineer in Formula 1. Laura Mueller, who previously worked as a Performance Engineer for the team, is the new race engineer for Haas’s latest recruit, Esteban Ocon.
Haas announced last July that Esteban Ocon would be moving from Alpine to the American racing team. The Frenchman is currently preparing for his debut with the American team, and with the appointment of Mueller as his race engineer, the next step has been taken.
“She has a quite determined character,” team boss Ayao Komatsu tells The Race. “Esteban also has a determined character, so I think the driving force is that the personalities match well.”
The Japanese team boss also praises the newly appointed race engineer for her work ethic. “What she’s really good at is that when she sees a problem, she digs deep and doesn’t stop at the first answer,” continues Komatsu. “Her determination impresses me the most. Of course, she’s still quite young, quite inexperienced, so she really needs a lot of guidance and support. But with such a work ethic, I think she can make rapid progress.”
Making History
With the appointment of Mueller as Kevin Magnussen’s race engineer, Haas is making a small piece of Formula 1 history. Never before has there been a female race engineer in the premier class. “But it’s not that I chose Laura because she’s a woman. You simply don’t care about nationality, nor gender, it really doesn’t matter. What counts is what you have to offer, how you fit into the team, and how you can maximize performance,” concludes Komatsu.
Haas has also revealed that their 2025 car will be seen on the racetrack for the first time on February 16 during a filming day at Silverstone.
