Beyond the Grid: Jennie Gow's Journey in Motorsport
Jennie Gow is a renowned motorsport journalist, known for her insightful analysis, engaging storytelling, and trailblazing presence in a traditionally male-dominated field. Siddharth Limaye catches up with Jennie to talk about her career and next steps.
Early Life and Career
Born in Southampton, Jennie’s passion for Formula 1 originated through her interest in cars, “I had posters of Lamborghinis on my wall, and I just loved driving.” While finishing her degree in Media and Communication Studies, she also worked on the BBC radio covering mainly football. She then took the big step of leaving the BBC - moving into commercial radio long-track motorcycle racing, “In my career, I have always said yes to everything.” After long track, the coverage of motorcross and rallying beckoned, after which she got the call to return to the BBC, to cover Moto GP, and subsequently Formula 1 - the pinnacle of motorsport.
Jennie Gow interviewing David Beckham and Bernie Ecclestone
Prep and Challenges
Jennie has a very unique way of keeping track of drivers and teams in Formula 1. She has a tiny book for each year, decorated with highlighted text and grids to keep on top of all finishing positions and what happens on track each day. “The more information you have at your disposal, the better you can be as a journalist.”
Formula 1 is a brutal sport, not only for the drivers but also for everybody involved in making content. Journalists must work an extra day on Media Day on Thursday, covering breaking news stories, drivers’ birthdays and circuit statistics. Jennie confirms, “Mercedes is really good with their press releases. Our day usually consists of going from the airport to the hotel and to the track, and then in reverse after four days.”
Jennie believes that it is sometimes difficult to report on Formula 1, “If you are going to these places week in week out, you have to build a ‘repo’ with them (drivers), but you are also trying to find things that will expose them. It is a very fine line knowing where you are morally, and I don’t think you have that in every sport. F1 is quite different.”
Formula 1 Diversity
Jennie has been an advocate for diversity in the sport since she joined, “Being a female in motorsport, I never really thought about it until I was actually there, you realise you are one of very few females in the paddock.” However, this never stopped the BBC’s correspondent from being one of the most successful radio presenters in Formula 1, “You carve your own track, you don’t let that define you. You let your work stand out. The door may have opened because I was female, it stayed open because I worked hard, and I was the best I could be.”
She is hopeful for the future, with people from different ethnicities and backgrounds joining the sport each year, “The rate of development is huge at the moment, seeing different fan bases, (but) more can always be done. The more people see change, the more normal it will be. It won’t be a question of you being one of the only females in the sport, but a case of you being one of many females and you just doing your job.”
Drive to Survive
Drive to Survive (DTS) has been monumental in inviting new fanbases into the sport, especially in the US. Jennie has been a part of the show on numerous occasions, to provide her insights. DTS is often criticised by long-standing F1 fans for introducing fake drama between drivers, however Jennie disagrees,
“DTS is great for the sport, the cameras are always rolling, the editing of it is interesting and sometimes rams home a point that you wouldn’t see if the cameras weren’t there, but they aren’t asking anyone to fake anything. It reflects the views of what's happening, it happens to pick up on some of the more entertaining and interesting storylines.”
Jennie Gow on Netflix’s Drive To survive
Advice for aspiring motorsport journalists
“It always important to have a dream job, something to work towards” was Jennie’s suggestion for anybody who dreams of working in the Formula 1 paddock one day. She also stressed the importance of networking and building contacts with the right people to get that first foot in the door in this highly competitive and saturated field.
Speaking to Jennie was an eye-opening experience, not only because of her influence on the sport, but also because of her work ethic and dedication, proving that working in Formula in is definitely an attainable goal for many. Despite being one of the few women in the sport, Jennie remains as one of the most influential journalists in the paddock. She looks forward to covering the 2025 Formula 1 season, which has been hyped up to be one of the most enthralling seasons of the last few years. If you like deep dives into inspiring stories in the entertainment and lifestyle industry, follow CovFeed on Instagram and TikTok for more.