Rayna waves me off. “Keep it. I got heaps of them. Everyone forgets chargers in the hotels, or they get destroyed in the pit. You know where they are if you need another one.” She shakes the box to highlight which one it is and places it back on the floor.
“Before we head down to meet everyone, are there any questions you have about your role? I am hoping our expectations and goals are clear?”
“No questions. I'm pretty clear on expectations and what I need to do. It's similar to previous roles, just slightly different content. Two-wheels instead of four and not as much dust and dirt. That's what I am most excited about. I want to challenge myself,” I reply.
“Well, I loved the PR season campaigns you did with the Azure Illume team over the last few years. I’m happy you had the courage to branch out and give us a go.” She smiles at me. “Okay, let’s go downstairs and get you introduced. Then, I’ll get you up to speed with some of the top line promo events happening the next few weeks before the races start,” Rayna says as she stands up. I follow as she leads me down to the pit box.
I'm introduced to the entire team, and Rayna makes a speech to mark the start of the season. We're mingling with the team when she gets tied up on the phone and asks me to give her a minute. I look for my phone to plug into my luggage and get it charging.
“Ohh, I was tempted by that luggage,” a voice says from behind me, scaring the crap out of me. I turn around and see Sophia Everett, Infraction32’s Technical Director. “Sorry! Didn’t mean to creep up behind you!” She raises her hands up in surrender, taking a step back. Her blonde hair sweeps around in her high ponytail.
“No, all good. It has been a morning,” I palm off.
“I'm going to pop over to the hospitality tent for a cuppa. Did you want to come with me to see where it is? We’ll walk by Rayna. She’ll be on the phone for a while,” Sophia offers.
“Coffee sounds wonderful.”
We head out the back of the pit and Rayna still has her phone to her ear, pacing up and down the back of the pits. “She does this often. If you ever need to find her, this is the first place you look. Loves getting her steps in while on the phone.”
I nod in reply. Sophia comically mimes a drink gesture to Rayna, who silently laughs but shakes her head ‘no’ and waves a ‘thank you’.
Sophia shows me to the hospitality tent. It's a huge tent that gets packed down and travels with the teams across the country to provide on-track catering needs for the teams. The food is a mix between freshly made food in bain-maries to pre-made salads and sandwiches in packages for those more time-poor team members. But, most importantly, coffee. There's a barista on hand, ready for coffee orders. Sophia and I order one, pick up some fruit and take a seat.
“What's your first impression of Infraction32?” Sophia asks, breaking open her mandarin.
“Good, so far. I really like Rayna. Is she always this nice, or is it just because it’s my first day?” Rayna gives off genuine caring vibes, and it’s abundantly clear that everyone loves and respects her after being in the pit box for only an hour.
“Yeah, she is the Paddock Mum. She will be there to support you forever. So never worry if you need her help with anything. She’ll always be there for you,” Sophia offers.
We discuss my background with Azure Illume and my motivation to go from rally racing PR to motorcycle racing PR while we drink coffee.
Sophia’s phone buzzes aggressively on the table, prompting her to pick it up and check it. “I have to head back to the pit. I’m sure Rayna is still on the phone if you wanted to stay here, or you can come sit in the pit and watch what’s happening.”
“Yeah, I’ll sit in. Might as well start getting a feel for it.”
Sophia sets me up sitting next to her while she points out the operations the team are conducting. Today is the first day back; which means testing some new mechanical improvements for the bike they worked on during last year’s end of season testing.
During any given testing, Javi takes the bike out, gets a few laps in, comes back, and reports what he feels in the bike, like some gypsy. Then they somehow understand the witchcraft, make adjustments on the bike parts and the onboard computer, and he heads out again.
A typical race weekend is full of media interviews, promo commitments, fans, time trials, and racing, racing, racing.
Rayna comes back in, exasperated after her call. “I’m sorry, Mabel. That call normally never takes that long. Let’s finish up talking about the promo events and that should take us to knock-off time.”
“Sounds great. Thanks, Sophia!” I call out as I jump off the stool sitting next to her, throwing her a smile as I trail off after Rayna up to her office.
My mind is boggled after a few hours with Rayna sharing everything I need to do before the official start of the season, and her outline for the year.
And the season! I knew this would be intense, butwow. Fourteen race weekends over the course of a seven-month season, two races per weekend, and two and a half months of testing split up by one month at the start, two weeks in the middle, and one month at the end of each season.
To limit unnecessary travel to and from tracks between race weekends, racing is held at seven different tracks. Each track hosts two race weekends with a week’s break in between—depending on how far the distance is to the next track, and if it needs some more time to get the truck convoy there and equipment unpacked. Guess I didn’t really think about the logistics of the sport travelling up and down the east and south coasts ofAustralia. Teams all travel together and stay at hotels close by the tracks. Those who want to head home when they are near their homes are free to do so. This is why my parents were so relentless for me to stay with them leading up to the first day. Break is two months at the end of the season and a fortnight in the middle of the season, and would put me too far away for an easy visit with them.
“Okay, have I completely melted your brain on the first day?” Rayna jokes as we pack up our things in her office to head to the hotel.
I laugh. “A little, but it’s ok. I'm sure I'll be fine after a night’s rest. Boy, I am looking forward to a shower, rot my brain with some TV, and hit the pillow!”
“Brilliant. Shuttle bus picks everyone up at the hotel by 9:00 a.m., other than that,” she looks at her watch, “it’s 5:00 p.m. It’s knock-off time! Shuttle should be waiting for us at the gate,” she ends with a warm smile.
I sit next to Sophia, and she gives me a quick rundown of what she’ll be doing when she gets to the hotel.
