Lewis Hamilton’s former X44 Extreme E Team Principal signed by McLaren as their F1 Business Operations Director

Stephanie Carlin, former team principal at Lewis Hamilton's X44 Extreme E venture and the Rodin Carlin outfit, is set to join McLaren in January 2024. She will take on the role of the F1 Business Operation Director for the Woking-based squad.

The former team principal of the Rodin Carlin Formula 3 and F1 Academy Teams is well-known in the motorsports world for her involvement in various racing categories.

Moving to McLaren next season, she will be overseeing various operations of the F1 squad and will be reporting directly to team principal Andrea Stella. She will also be involved in the team's participation in the 2024 F1 Academy season.

Welcoming Stephanie Carlin to the Papaya Squad, the team released a statement that read:

"We're pleased to confirm the recruitment of Stephanie Carlin as F1 Business Operations Director. Stephanie will join McLaren in January 2024 from Rodin Carlin, where she was Team Principal of their F3 and F1 Academy Teams, as well as Team Principal of Team X44 in Extreme E."

"Stephanie will report directly to Andrea Stella and will oversee a variety of activities related to F1 operations, as well as our participation in the 2024 F1 Academy season. Welcome to the team, Stephanie!"

Stephenie Carlin has experience working in press and marketing and took up the role of commercial manager at Carlin in 2011, the racing operation run by her husband Trevor.

She stepped up to the deputy team principal role across the various junior racing series the team participates in. She continued in the role when the New Zealand car manufacturer Rodin joined forces with the racing outfit. In March 2023, she was announced as the team principal of Lewis Hamilton's X44 Vida Carbon Racing team which entered a partnership with Rodin Carlin.

Star McLaren driver Lando Norris knows Carlin well, having risen through the ranks of the junior series with the team. He spent two years with the team in F3, winning the European F3 title in 2017. Norris stepped up to F2 with Carlin in 2018, finishing second in the standings.

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Lewis Hamilton reveals self-doubts amid ongoing winless streak

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has not won a race in the last couple of seasons. Mercedes continued its dry spell in the ground effects era this season, with Hamilton adding more races to the longest winless streak of his career.

Amid the rough patch, the Brit admitted self-doubts hovering in his mind about his performance.

“Ultimately, when you have difficult seasons like this, there are always going to be moments when you’re like: ‘Is it me, or is it the car? Do you still have it? Has it gone?’" Lewis Hamilton told BBC Sport.

“Because you’re missing that, you know… when the magic happens, when everything comes together, the car and you, and that spark, it’s extraordinary. And that’s what you’re in the search for,” he added.

Lewis Hamilton will continue with Mercedes until 2025, in search of the victory lane and the elusive eighth title.