Creative Access x McLaren Racing mentoring programme 2025

Closing date for applications: Friday 7th February at 12pm Midday

Duration: March to October 2025

Creative Access and McLaren Racing are thrilled to continue their mentoring programme for women at a mid-career level from groups that are historically under-represented in the creative industries.

Following on from our first pilot cohort of the mentoring programme in 2024, and our Creative Access x McLaren Racing Career Development Bursary fund, the Creative Access x McLaren Racing mentoring programme underlines McLaren Racing’s commitment to increasing diversity in motorsport, and further continues the legacy of its Engage programme. 

In 2021, Creative Access partnered with McLaren Racing as part of the team’s flagship DE&I programme, McLaren Racing Engage, which was launched to open pathways into motorsport careers. As part of the McLaren Racing Engage programme, the first programme of its kind in F1, McLaren Engage represents McLaren Racing’s strategic aim to diversify talent in motorsport through multi-year investments in grassroots-level initiatives, funding and mentorship programmes.

The alliance has been envisioned to drive a shared agenda to encourage STEM and F1 as an accessible vocation to under-represented and under-privileged groups to those with an interest and passion to work in the motorsport industry. Equally, the programme is to promote a diverse and inclusive culture within McLaren Racing’s workforce and communities by providing accessibility to young people and under-represented groups. While the programme also reinforces McLaren Racing’s commitment to meaningful and sustained changes as an employer, and F1 as a sport and industry.

Successful applicants to this mentoring programme will be mentored by senior staff working within McLaren Racing from creative and commercial teams. This programme is designed to be an equal partnership between mentors and mentees and mutually beneficial to both. 

Mentees will have access to expertise and the opportunity to discuss their personal and professional development goals. Mentors will have the opportunity to learn from the fresh perspectives of their mentees and challenge their existing ways of thinking.  

To help set the new relationships up for success, Creative Access will offer training at an initial in-person meet and greet session to both mentors and mentees.  

How does the programme work? 

Through the programme, Creative Access will find and match five mentees with mentors working within McLaren Racing. Where possible, mentees will be matched with a mentor working in the area in which they would like to progress their career.  

The mentoring partnerships will run from March to October 2025 for eight months, with an initial in-person meet and greet session facilitated by Creative Access & McLaren Racing to launch the programme, and monthly virtual meetings thereafter.  

In order to participate in the mentoring programme, applicants must be able to guarantee in-person availability in the week beginning 24th March for the programme's launch session.

The mentoring programme is designed for women at a mid-career stage who identify as being from a group that's historically under-represented in the creative economy, and are looking to pursue or progress a career within motorsport and/or creative and commercial teams (e.g. events, comms, partnerships, licensing & merchandise). 

This programme is designed for those who:  

• Have a keen interest in progressing their career within creative and commercial teams, including events, comms, partnerships and licensing & merchandise
• Have at least a few years of experience working in the creative industries, and identify as being at mid-level career stage  
• Have an interest and passion to work in the motorsport industry
• Are interested in developing new skills and insights to help progress their career  
• Are willing to engage positively with a mentor monthly for eight months 
• Are available to participate between March to October 2025
• Are available for an in-person launch session in the week beginning 24th March
• Identify as being a woman from an under-represented group in the creative industries. This includes, but is not limited to Black, Asian and ethnically diverse candidates, disabled people, those undergoing gender reassignment / transitioning and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. 

To apply 

• Log in to your Creative Access account or  register today to apply for this opportunity 
• Click the 'apply' button at the top right to fill out the application form 
• Once submitted, applications are final so please review carefully. 

If you require any access support while completing the application form, or would prefer to submit your application in an alternative format (e.g. video or audio recording), please email  richard@creativeaccess.org.uk to discuss further.   
 

Questions?   

For any queries or for further information, please contact Richard Clarke on  richard@creativeaccess.org.uk.