Claire Dubbelman – Pioneering Force in Formula 1 Race Control
From enthusiastic racing spectator to the first woman awarded the FIA Race Director Super‑Licence and Deputy Race Director of Formula 1
From the moment she was a young girl, sitting alongside her father at early‑morning television broadcasts of the Australian Grand Prix, Claire Dubbelman’s fascination with motorsport ran deep. Born in the Netherlands in 1985 or 1986, her upbringing was steeped in the automotive world—not just as a fan, but through her father’s work in automotive journalism and public relations for Mercedes‑Benz in the Netherlands. It was at age five that she first watched Formula 1; returning to the races as a spectator at Zandvoort became a regular occurrence and a source of inspiration for Claire’s career ambitions.
After completing a bachelor’s degree in international communication at the age of 21, Claire realised that her future needed to be in something she truly loved. She began working in motor racing—not as a driver but in the organisational side—starting at an agency representing Renault Sport in Northern Europe, then as media delegate and race‑control operator in Formula Renault and Formula 3. In these early roles, she did “everything that didn’t involve a screwdriver”—from arranging trophies, writing press releases and entry lists, to sitting next to the Race Director and communicating decisions to teams over the radio. These multi‑tasking, behind‑the‑scenes experiences laid a rock‑solid foundation in regulation, logistics and decision‑making under pressure.
Her big step arrived when she joined the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) full‑time in 2017 as Championship Manager, overseeing junior series such as F2 and F3. Building on her track‑side credentials, she transitioned to Race Control in F1 in the second half of 2022 and fulfilled a full season in 2023 in that role. In 2024‑2025, Claire was promoted to Deputy Race Director of Formula 1, and in 2025 she became the first woman—and the youngest person at the time—to be awarded the FIA Race Director Super‑Licence. This licence qualifies her to assume the role of Race Director during Grands Prix if required. As deputy she supports race‑direction decisions, safety car deployment, medical response and all facets of race governance that ensure each event runs smoothly and safely.
Now occupying one of the most critical positions in the F1 paddock, Claire is responsible for supervising the entire sporting and regulatory dimension of the world’s premier racing series. Her role has global visibility, yet it demands calm, precision, neutrality and a constant readiness to act. She often finds herself the only woman in the briefing room of fifty or more men—but rather than shy away, she uses that platform to highlight the need for greater female representation in motorsport governance. Her trajectory stands as a testament to perseverance, expertise and the breaking of long‑standing gender barriers. As she herself states with quiet determination: “I’m not the exception; you can do it too.”