F1 mechanic reveals BRUTAL reality of working in motorsport

Calum Nicholas, Red Bull Racing, generic, 2023, Zandvoort — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 mechanic reveals BRUTAL reality of working in motorsport

Calum Nicholas was the face of Red Bull's F1 garage

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Thursday 11 September 2025 21:56

Calum Nicholas has taken to social media to give fans a reality check over the exhausting life of an F1 mechanic.

Nicholas was formerly the most well known face in the Red Bull garage after featuring partially in Drive to Survive and gaining a following on social media.

Ahead of the 2025 F1 campaign, the 36-year-old revealed that he would be hanging up his race suit for good, leaving the role he had held with Red Bull for 13 seasons.

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Instead, Nicholas was announced as a Red Bull Racing ambassador, stepping away from the demanding life on the road, focusing on his personal brand and even releasing a book.

But following a controversial race weekend in F1, the Red Bull star took to social media to remind fans just how hard mechanics work in the sport.

Red Bull ambassador reveals 70 hour F1 working week

At last weekend's Italian Grand Prix, Lando Norris lost second place to team-mate Oscar Piastri after the McLaren mechanic working on his front left tyre initially failed to fit it correctly.

The mistake meant the British racer took 5.9 seconds in the pits instead of the hitting the desired target of under 2 seconds.

Norris was simply struck down by bad luck, but the incident prompted McLaren to issue team orders, meaning Piastri had to back down and settle for P3 in Monza on Sunday.

His team-mate was faced with boos on the podium as a result and a toxic debate on social media ensued.

After an F1 fan crassly suggested that Norris's mistake was down to an F1 mechanic who 'earns £350,000 for two seconds work', Nicholas took to his own 'X' account on Monday following the Italian GP, revealing the harsh reality of being an F1 mechanic.

"This is why so few people in the paddock interact on here by the way. Bs opinions like this. It’s embarrassing.

"Average salary for an F1 Tech is closer to £60k by the way.

"The average working week is about 70 hours.

"Most fly economy, and nobody gets paid more for being on the pit crew."

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