Naomi Schiff sheds light on family sacrifices behind every racing career

Former W Series driver and Sky Sports pundit Naomi Schiff has shed light on the family sacrifices behind every successful racing career.

While reflecting on her own ascent through the junior ranks, Schiff noted the burden that her racing put on her whole family.

The 31-year-old began her single-seater career in 2010 in the South African Formula Volkswagen Championship when she was 16, and subsequently competed in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, the Clio Cup China Series, the 24 Hours of Zolder, the GT4 European Series Northern Cup and the W Series.

"I think every driver's got a different story and but I think as David [Coulthard] correctly pointed out is that at the heart of it at the beginning, you need that support from your parents, from your family," she explained on the Up To Speed podcast. 

"We talk a lot about racing dads. In some cases, there are mums like Isack Hadjar's mum is his manager, which is more of an anomaly, but it is really a family initiative.

"My dad obviously was really passionate about motorsport. If he hadn't been there to support me and also say, 'Yes, let's do this,' I wouldn't be where I am today. And he used to get up with me at the crack of dawn, take me to the racetrack, be there all day.

"In the beginning, he was actually my mechanic, my coach, you name it. Obviously, eventually, a little bit like Ollie [Bearman] was saying, my experience surpassed what he'd done. And we also just needed someone else to be the coach because you take that home with you as well, and that was getting to be a tricky dynamic.

Naomi Schiff, Sky F1

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

"But it's not just the dads. The dads obviously put a lot into it as well. But it's also the whole family. My mum used to rock up to every race weekend, which there were so many of them, with the lunchbox, she'd be washing my race suits at home, making sure everything was ready. 

"It takes the whole family. My sister, who didn't like motorsport, used to have to spend her weekends at the racetrack as well during her teenage years, which is not what she wanted to do.

"The whole family really does commit to this dream that you have. And that's why when they get to F1, if you can get to F1, you're going to bring your parents to work. I know there's a lot of debate around whether it's normal to bring your parents. But you, in a sense, owe it to them, but also you've gotten so used to having them there, and you want to have someone to share those moments with."

Following her racing career, Schiff moved into a broadcast role with Sky Sports F1.