Rob then went on to work in F3000 and the Williams Touring Car team before making his first foray into Formula 1 with the Jordan Team. Initially at Jordan, Rob worked as a data acquisition engineer over viewing all of the telemetric data that is used by the team’s race engineer to support the racing driver. Back in 2001 this was a very hands on job where the engineers could engage in pioneering work on car control systems (such as traction control, launch control etc) and something that Rob enjoyed immensely.
He later went on during 2002 and 2003 to be a track engineer for Jordan, before moving to the Ferrari test team at the end of the 2003 season. Rob initially chose to work on the Ferrari test team because of the possibility to make more technical input, something which is more limited in the race team. Rob then went on to become Felipe Massa’s Race Engineer in 2006.
Being a race engineer according to Rob involves more psychology. At a race weekend you don’t have time to make improvements to the car, so you have to try and find the right balance and hope to make the right decisions for the race weekend and see where you end up. Rob tells us that being a race engineer involves bringing a sense of calm to what his driver is doing, as well as managing the technical side of things to an optimum level.
Felipe has said on more than one occasion that he wouldn’t part with Rob as his race engineer for all the money in the world and that he is worth his weight in gold.
It’s also pretty evident from the transmitted radio messages when Felipe wins that Rob has a lot of affection for Felipe too nicknaming him Sunshine! Rob’s chirpy radio transmissions this year have even achieved cult status, with many Ferrari fans putting his messages on their mobile phones as ringtones!
Suffice to say Rob is a very popular member of the Ferrari team and with the tifosi as well.
Profile thanks to - MrsBaldo and FerrariFan
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