Every team manager knows the phone call: someone's ill, two series clash, or you've added a car. The weekend is days away and you need another mechanic you can trust. Here's how to fill the gap quickly without gambling on the wrong person.
Write down exactly what you need
Before you ring anyone, be specific. It saves you ten calls.
- The role. Number one, number two, tyres, fuel, truckie, data engineer.
- The dates. Include build, travel and pack-down days, not just the race days.
- The location. Circuit or workshop, and whether you'll cover a hotel.
- The day rate you can pay, and what it covers: hours, travel, expenses.
- Must-haves. Series or car experience, licences such as HGV C+E, tools they need to bring.
Look beyond your own phone book
Your usual freelancers are your first call for good reason, but they're also everyone else's. Widen the net:
- Freelancers who worked on similar cars in your series last season.
- People your crew have worked with elsewhere and would vouch for.
- Engineers and mechanics who live close to the circuit, which saves on travel and hotels.
Check the things that matter
With a new freelancer you can't check everything, so check what predicts a good weekend:
- Do their dates cover the whole event? Half-available people cause more problems than they solve.
- Have they done this role on a similar car? Series and car experience is the quickest filter.
- Who vouches for them? A confirmed job with another team is worth more than a CV.
- Licences and right to work. Ask to see anything the role depends on.
Agree it in writing
A short message covering dates, hours, day rate, travel, expenses, cancellation and when they'll be paid prevents almost every freelancer dispute. Send it before they set off.
Doing it on Racefolk
Racefolk was built for this exact call. Post the job with the role, dates, location and day rate, and crew in that role who are free get told straight away. Search the Crew board by date, series, skill and distance, see who's free for your whole event, and read the jobs other teams have confirmed and the medals they've given. When someone taps "I'm in", you get a message; book them in the conversation, and confirm the work afterwards.
Posting jobs and searching crew are always free. Teams get 7 days free to message and hire crew, then membership is £49 a month.
Find crew for your next race
Post a job and search crew by date, series and distance, free. Teams get 7 days free to message and hire crew, then £49 a month.
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