CO-DRIVING

"Nobody said it was easy"

ROLE OF A CO-DRIVER

Whilst the role of a co-driver can be summed up in a few sentences it certainly involves slightly more than just the high profile job of reading pace notes to the driver in car.

As a co-driver your role is to help your driver to win rallies.

Often referred to as the "Office Manager" dealing with all the paperwork, the co-driver will also be involved in close liaison with the team and event organisers. The co-driver will prepare recce, service and movement schedules, and with the driver will write and amend pace notes on the recce. Responsibility for timing on the stages, road sections between stages, and keeping an eye on things in service all fall to the co-driver, and there are major penalties for being even a minute early or late at any control. The co-driver reads the pace notes back on the stages giving the driver advance information, and therefore confidence, about the road she/he can't yet see.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD CO-DRIVER?

The ability to:

- Work as part of a team, but be able to take charge whenever necessary
- Give clear instructions
- Remain calm under pressure

Basically 3 C's...Confidence, Competence and Composure. (The 3 C's apply to drivers too).

WHAT MAKES A GOOD CREW?

- Trust
- Confidence in each other's ability
- Working together as a team, recognising each other's worth

FACTS OF LIFE

- Nobody said it was easy
- Drivers are allowed to make mistakes, co-drivers are not
- You can't win a rally (drivers do that!), but you certainly can lose it

A TONGUE IN CHEEK CO-DRIVER JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Purpose: To win rallies!

Key Tasks:
- Motivate your driver
- Manage team (driver, service crew)
- Keep everyone calm/happy
- Ensure driver and car are where they should be, and at the precise minute
- Plan team logistics
- Keep everyone calm/happy
- Admin - dealing with all the paperwork
- Liase with marshals/event organisers
- Write and amend pace notes on recce
- Keep hold of spare rally car keys
- Continue to keep everyone calm/happy
- Read notes back on stage
- Keep driver/car on the road and out of the scenery
- Ensure regular supply of drinks/sweets for driver
- Facilitate anything
- Facilitate everything
- Any other duties which fall loosely within the scope of the post

Regular contacts:

Driver, service crew, sponsors, event organisers, bank manager, map shop staff

Supervision received:

Postholder will be expected to work with a high degree of autonomy (pre-empt problems, and conjure up solutions out of thin air)

Qualifications / experience required:

- Essential Solution tuition package
- Experience gained in car / on the job
- Understand regulations specific to each event
- Articulate in unrelated words of verbal shorthand (pace notes)
- Lived a little (and want to live a bit more)

Personal skills:

- Intuitive
- Diplomat
- Keep all balls in the air
- Psychologist
- Multi task
- Able to chill
- Get worms back in can once opened
- Realising there's always more to learn
- Creative (solutions / thin air specialism)
- Not take yourself too seriously
- Able to cope with Bad Hair Days
- Enjoy life (essential)

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