Marc Priestley Keynote Speaker

Marc Priestley is a successful speaker, broadcaster and author who spent a decade working at the forefront of Formula 1 as a senior mechanic for the highly successful McLaren team. As a member of the team’s pit crew he operated at the sharp end of a sport known for its speed, precision, and teamwork.

Today he co-presents the widely acclaimed Wheeler Dealers television show, well known to car enthusiasts world-wide, and is an expert commentator and pundit on Formula 1, Formula E, and the wider motorsport industry.

He also hosts his own podcast Pitlane Life Lessons detailing the lessons to be learned from the elite world of Formula 1. Marc has built a loyal fanbase, bringing first-hand insights into what it takes to develop a Formula 1 mindset in order to overcome challenges and achieve ambitious goals.

His book ‘The Mechanic – The Secret World of the F1 Pitlane’ was published in 2017, revealing his experiences of working in the high pressure, high performance environment of a Formula 1 team. This included being part of the pit crew responsible for seamlessly delivering the high speed pit stops which form a key part of F1’s spectacle, their split-second timing making the difference between winning and losing.

Working directly with drivers including World Champions Lewis Hamilton, Mika Hakkinen, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button, Marc experienced the highs and lows of working in the most technically sophisticated sport in the world. One in which the very best human qualities and examples of leadership and team work come to the fore.

Marc is ideally placed to speak about the values and behaviours which enable successful Formula 1 teams to achieve and sustain peak performance. He also speaks about the fully connected, data-driven environment of the sport and the way in which teams use marginal gains to help ensure continuous improvement day to day, race to race.

His insights into how high quality decisions are made in this intensely competitive environment are combined with an explanation as to how Formula 1 teams operate, with clear lines of communication supported by well defined roles and responsibilities.

As part of ITV’s commentary team covering Formula E, commencing in 2014, Marc can also speak about the rise of electric vehicle technology in motorsport, the disruptive nature of Formula E helping the industry to move away from its reliance on fossil fuels. With Formula 1 targeting net zero carbon emissions by 2030, Marc can explain the ways in which the industry is set to undergo a radical shift during the current decade.

He has also been part of BBC 5 Live Radio’s commentary team, bringing his pit lane experience to bear in providing analysis and insights for both the UK radio audience and audio channel on the official F1 App.