The parts that make a difference to our cars on race day have already been through countless skilled hands long before reaching the track. Each part has been machined, checked, refined, and reviewed to make sure it’s ready to do its job. That’s how pattern shop roles help to create the winning formula.
To get a picture of the ins and out of the pattern shop, we spoke to Adam Devonport, Pattern Shop Supervisor, to understand his role.
What do pattern shop jobs in Formula 1 involve?
Pattern shop jobs are about making sure parts are produced properly, on time and to the level Formula 1 demands. With tight FIA regulations to meet, precision is an essential part of all manufacturing roles.
Pattern shop teams sit within a bigger manufacturing picture, and work closely with programme management, planners and production teams to get ready for race day.
Adam explains that link to the wider business:
“My team has a massive impact across the business. Ultimately, we drive what they see on the shop floor and what they should be working on, which is quite a key point in the manufacturing process. The works list downstairs will be a direct reflection of what we’ve put on there, based on input from programme management and operations planners.”
How pattern shop roles contribute to performance
In Formula 1, nothing operates in isolation. Engineering, mechanics, and technical teams all rely on our pattern shop to create effective components which can help us to drive performance on track.
That also means these roles reflect the team’s values in a real way. Innovation is there in the push to improve processes and find better ways to work. Teamwork shows up in every shared priority and every conversation across departments while Accountability matters too.
Adam explains making real impact in practice:
“To help the car go faster, we give the shop floor a list of parts they need to make in a certain order. This helps drive priorities and gives each department a good idea of what they’re delivering to the track. This means that everyone gets what they need to work efficiently.”
What is life like in the pattern shop?
Life in the pattern shop is fast-paced and highly collaborative. There’s always something moving, whether that’s a new opportunity or a conversation happening between our teams to keep work on track. Adam reflects on the culture and his own time at Williams:
“The culture here feels like a family and definitely like you’re part of a team. You never feel like you’re just left on your own to fend for yourself. There’s always an open door somewhere to go speak to someone, and that’s not limited to your line manager, you can have quite open conversations with directors.”
“Williams has got so much heritage behind it as a team, and there’s no other team on the grid that’s doing what we’re trying to do at the moment. It’s a really exciting and appealing project to be part of.”
What skills stand out in the pattern shop?
The technical side matters, of course. Pattern shop jobs require the ability to read engineering drawings, work with precision, understand materials and operate with real attention to detail. But what also makes someone strong in these roles is how they gel with others.
The best fit in these roles are those who seek information, think flexibly, drive action when it counts and collaborate with purpose, as Adam shares:
“To be successful here, you need very good time management. Communication is very key across the business and being concise in how you share updates.”
Explore pattern shop and F1 spares jobs
Pattern shop jobs at Atlassian Williams F1 Team are perfect for people who care about doing things properly. If you want to help create race-ready parts and spares for our cars, make real impact in a fast-moving environment and find your place in a team moving forward together, explore our current pattern shop jobs today.
