Why WRC mechanics deserve more respect

The drivers get the glare of attention, but it’s the mechanics who are key to the operation of any World Rally Championship car. Motorsport.com donned a set of overalls and joined M-Sport on a Belgian national rally event to get an inside look into the life of a rally mechanic.

Wherever you are in the world, a group of mechanics accompanies every race or rally car. Without them, motorsport simply cannot function. While the drivers are thrust into the spotlight, it’s these hardy spanner-wielding souls, often the first to arrive and the last to leave, who build, maintain and repair the machines that allow drivers to succeed across all disciplines.

When it comes to those who work out of a toolbox for a living, World Rally Championship mechanics are regarded among the elite. Their Formula 1 counterparts are required to perform blink-and-you-miss-it pitstops and sometimes huge rebuilds, but those who work in the WRC are a different breed.