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She’s done a six-hour photo shoot for a profile in Cosmopolitan magazine, and stood alongside Formula One drivers Kimi Raïkkönen and Felipe Massa at a packed media conference. The woman described, Dr. Lisa Lilley, isn’t a world-famous celebrity, but the Shell Formula One Technology Manager for Ferrari. One of only a few technical women to work in Formula One, Lisa oversees the complex product development program for Scuderia Ferrari.While there’s a glamorous side to Lisa’s job, it’s also hugely demanding, with 14-hour days at the track, a high-pressure environment, and lots of time away from home. Lisa is accountable not only for the team of scientists working with Ferrari to design fuels and lubricants, but also for delivering products to 17 races in 16 countries and overseeing the activities of the track-side laboratory at every Grand Prix. ”Ferrari is, to my knowledge, one of the only teams with a dedicated track lab facility and technical support team,” says Lisa. “In addition to providing on-the-spot information about fuels and lubricants, the lab can provide the team with important intelligence.” With engine oil as one of the few differentiating factors still available to teams, Lisa believes Shell "intelligence" can help give Ferrari a performance edge. Lisa also ensures feedback from Formula One operations goes into the development of Shell programs for road car products. So how did Lisa land the job? A chemical engineer with a PhD in combustion chemistry, she worked in fuel development; first in research, then in jobs such as line manager for the Shell UK fuel development lab. In 2003 she was given a half-time job with the Formula One team before later succeeding Mike Copson as Shell Formula One Technology Manager for Ferrari. She reflects: “I was in the right place at the right time with the right experience – and I had a giant chunk of luck.” NEXT STORY >> |