Through attending the races for three seasons, I have always noticed the presence of the officials. They patrol the area in between races, are always around if you need something for your team, and have always been pleasant and diplomatic to my team and me. They stay late at night, are there early in the morning with a smile and help racers and teams with dedication. I decided this year to interview the officials and get the scoop on what they do during the race season. In this entry, I was able to get in touch with Caroline Biron, who is the administrative manager of the Formula 1600 tour.
Me: What are some of the mandatory steps that go in to the race weekend?
Caroline: In my task, first, it is to reunite all the inscriptions that we have received. Then, I have to make an envelope for each racer with the following items:
- Passes for the site (one for the driver, four for the crews)
- Waivers : a renunciation document which is a release of liability, waiver of claims, assumption of risks and indemnity agreement. By signing this document, the racer will waive certain legal rights, including the right to sue.
Then, a day or two before the event, I proceed to the registration of all racers, I make sure that all of them are in good standing to be a competitor (prove of a their license). During the event, I'm the assistant of the series director, the Chief-steward and the Chief-technical inspector.
Me: What is your job?
Caroline: Technically, I'm the assistant of the manager of the series and my task is all about administration support.
Me: What happens after the weekend ends?
Caroline: From my part, it's to be sure that the Chief-steward and the series' director have all the results and the documents they need if they have to take a decision. It's also to respond to the needs of the teams and the racers.
Me: What happens when you encounter a difficult person/team? How do the officials deal with them?
Caroline: I leave this to Érick and Alain.
Me: What is the ideal race weekend?
Caroline: For me, the ideal race is a race where everyone have fun, no mechanical problem and no accident!
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