Having previously worked for the Mercedes Formula 1 Team and having now switched over to Williams at the start of 2026, Sacha Smith doesn’t just work on one frontier. Smith also works with a number of drivers across motorsport - including the recently crowned Indy NXT Champion Nikita Johnson, as well as on the front line of electric motorsport, helping the Cupra Kiro Team as well as its drivers achieve their best over the course of a race weekend.
Part of the team since December 2025, Sacha has now experienced a full season of Formula E in her role as Head Performance Coach and the wide variety that this role can entail. It’s Race Week! got the chance to speak with Sacha at the Formula E Season 12 Finale in London back in August and from that, we’re now able to put a spotlight on Sacha in the first part of our Formula E Spotlight Series.
What does your role involve over a race weekend like this?
“So, at a race weekend, primarily I look after our drivers, making sure they’re fed, they’re watered, they’ve slept well, they have their kit ready, they’re on time to meetings, which, as I’m sure you can imagine, can be difficult sometimes!”
I’m not saying anything!
“Yeah, I’m not going to say names, but…! And then I also look after the wider team, so kind of filling up water bottles, making sure if there’s any injuries, I can look after them, I can tape up necks, tape up arms, especially the mechanics, if they’ve got bad knees or whatnot, just looking after that. And generally just trying to be a bit of positive energy in the space, to be honest. But, yeah, I’d say that’s the general kind of part of the role, but picking up bits here and there, if someone needs a coffee, if someone needs a pass…”
You’re Superwoman.
“Well, you could say that!”
I can say it! What does that look like, then, in terms of a race weekend? Do you have an average number of injuries, shall we say, to deal with, or what is it like?
“It’s just kind of monitoring. For example, if someone’s complaining of some aches and pains, just giving them the correct medical assistance, so whether that means taping them up, whether that means giving them some medicine or telling them to rest, or giving them a rehab programme for a race weekend, then that’s sometimes what I do. But, yeah, it’s not really like we have X number of injuries, it’s just, fingers crossed, nobody has injuries for me!”
If one of the drivers has a crash, how involved are you in looking after that after the initial checks by the medical team?
“Yeah, so after the initial checks by the medical team, I’ll then be the next port of call, so we’ll just check, you know, how are they feeling, are they ready for the next session, do we need to do anything in the interim to allow them to facilitate the next session. Yeah, I’d say I’m probably after medical assistance, who they come to next, and then if they need any rehab outside of a race weekend again, I’ll be the port of call. So yeah, it’s pretty, like, it’s a nice role. I’m quite involved at race weekends, they can reach out to me as and when, away from a race weekend, it’s just nice for them to know that there’s someone they can go to if they need it.”
Standout moment of the season for you so far?
“Ooh. That’s really hard, because honestly, I mean, I’ve worked in a lot of race series and a lot of
different teams, whether that’s individuals, drivers, for a whole team. And honestly, I’ve had probably some of the funniest moments of my career so far. Standout moment, obviously, on track, would have to be the Pepe podium in Monaco. Obviously, that was a bit of a bittersweet moment with Dan’s situation, but I think just seeing him from the start of the season with what happened and then that, it was massive, it was amazing. And also Dan’s double pole, I think for us, it was a massive turning point for him and made him feel positive about his championship this year.”
And last one, any advice you’d have for any young women looking to follow in the same role as you?
“Oh yeah, absolutely. I think the main thing would be to ensure that you’re looking for opportunities wherever they are. I was quite set on, I want to work in F1, and then I got to the point where I was understanding you don’t just jump into a situation like that. You really do have to work your way up through the ranks. And if anything, that’s taught me so much more because I feel like as a performance coach, you can really make an impact with younger drivers and developmental drivers. When you’re stepping into the world of F1, they are already at the peak of their performance. You know, I can make tiny little minuscule changes, but for someone in GB4 or Ginetta Juniors, for example, I can make such a huge impact on their career. And that’s really, really fulfilling, yeah. So anyone trying to get into the sport, obviously reach out to people like myself that are in the roles that you want to be in. Ask them what their pathway work was. Especially in the performance coach sector, we all have very different backgrounds. Some people are physiotherapists, some people are sports scientists like myself. And then some people have come from being an athlete and then transitioned into that role. So on the whole, I would say, yeah, just make your network as big as possible. Get your face seen, whether that’s volunteering, whether that’s shadowing. And then you’ll be able to, yeah, get your face out there and people will know who you are.”
*
Check back here on It’s Race Week! soon for more spotlights from the Formula E Season 12 Finale in London.