Race day in Formula 1 may look like pure glamour from the outside, but for Naomi Schiff, it begins much like any demanding job: with an alarm clock that rings far too early and a constant race against time.
A former racing driver turned broadcaster and one of the sport’s most recognisable analysts, Schiff now experiences Grand Prix weekends from the other side of the pit wall. And while the cars may take centre stage, her own routine is a carefully choreographed operation behind the scenes.
“For us, the weekend actually starts on Thursday,” she explains. “That’s media day, followed by practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday, and the race on Sunday. Each day is different, but the rhythm becomes familiar very quickly.”
Sunday mornings, however, are all about efficiency. Sleep, she admits, usually wins over breakfast. “I’ll take every extra minute I can get,” she laughs. Soon after, she joins fellow broadcasters on the shuttle to the circuit, heading not to luxury suites but to the far more modest reality of the TV compound.
“Our offices are actually containers next to the paddock,” she says, dispelling the illusion of constant glamour. The day begins with production meetings, where the broadcast team aligns on storylines, timings, and key talking points. In Formula 1, precision is everything – schedules run down to the second.
Once plans are set, the real work begins. Schiff heads into the paddock armed with what she calls the most valuable currency in the sport: information.
“You go out, speak to your contacts – teams, engineers, drivers, anyone you know. You gather insight and try to understand what’s really happening behind the scenes,” she explains. That knowledge is then translated for millions of viewers watching at home, helping them understand the nuances shaping the race before a single light goes out.
From there, it’s straight into broadcast mode. Live hits, interviews, analysis, and constant movement between locations fill the hours leading up to lights out. When the race ends, the work continues with post-race coverage before the cycle resets for the next destination.
Despite the long days and constant travel, Schiff still feels a sense of privilege walking into the paddock each weekend.
“I dreamed of being part of Formula 1 when I was younger,” she says. “Now I’m here with a microphone in my hand, surrounded by some of the smartest and most innovative minds in the world. It’s intense, exhausting, but it’s also incredible.”
And then, as she sums it up simply: sleep, wake up, and do it all again.