Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

‘Like being asked to draw the Mona Lisa’ – Russell explains how he is struggling to match Antonelli

Formula 1
Belgian GP
‘Like being asked to draw the Mona Lisa’ – Russell explains how he is struggling to match Antonelli

What Verstappen did – and didn't – say about his F1 future and McLaren at Spa

Formula 1
Belgian GP
What Verstappen did – and didn't – say about his F1 future and McLaren at Spa

“A shock to the system” – Why teams fear the worst with F1’s 2026 cars at Spa

Feature
Formula 1
Belgian GP
“A shock to the system” – Why teams fear the worst with F1’s 2026 cars at Spa

Red Bull parks 'Macarena' rear wing for Belgian GP after Verstappen crashes

Formula 1
Belgian GP
Red Bull parks 'Macarena' rear wing for Belgian GP after Verstappen crashes

Norris given Belgium GP grid penalty as McLaren takes new Mercedes power unit parts

Formula 1
Belgian GP
Norris given Belgium GP grid penalty as McLaren takes new Mercedes power unit parts

Aston Martin "flat out" on Hungary updates but has concerns over spare parts being ready

Formula 1
Belgian GP
Aston Martin "flat out" on Hungary updates but has concerns over spare parts being ready

Is this the luckiest F1 fan on the planet?

Sponsored
Belgian GP
Is this the luckiest F1 fan on the planet?

Smith becomes latest to top Autosport National Rankings

National
Smith becomes latest to top Autosport National Rankings
Podcast

JA on F1 podcast: Why exit clauses in F1 contracts are more important than money

This week as F1 starts its summer shutdown we look in detail at how driver contracts work and why this period of the season is critical for options being triggered (or not), renewals being signed and decisions being taken by drivers and teams about next season

Julian Jakobi, CSS Stellar Management talks with Juan Pablo Montoya, McLaren

Julian Jakobi, GP Sports Management, talks with Juan Pablo Montoya, McLaren

Photo by: Sutton Images

To help James Allen go deep into F1 driver contracts is one of the best known and most successful driver managers in F1 history.

Julian Jakobi has managed dozens of great names like Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Jacques Villeneuve, Juan Pablo Montoya and more recently Sergio Perez. He continues to manage a stable of drivers across multiple race series.

What does a driver manager do? What is in the scope of the role? What kinds of considerations do teams have around drivers during the summer shutdown?

And what was it like to manage Senna and Prost at the same time, while they were in open conflict?

Previous article FIA explains why controversial two-stop Monaco GP rule remains for 2026 – for now
Next article How McLaren compares with Ferrari's early 2000s F1 dominance

Top Comments