TGR Haas F1 Team performance engineer Daniela Klausser has detailed her unconventional path from studying mathematics to working trackside in Formula 1, in an interview published by the team to mark International Women in Engineering Day.
Klausser, who previously won the FIA Formula E World Championship with the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, described her current role as one built on collaboration and rapid decision-making under pressure. “It involves a lot of collaboration with the race engineer, primarily focused on the setup of the car and how that interacts with the driver,” Klausser said. “As a performance engineer, you’re heavily involved in data analysis, providing options to the race engineer, who then decides what direction to take.”
Her responsibilities also extend to analyzing simulations, preparing reports, and ensuring the car meets both performance targets and regulatory requirements before it hits the track. Klausser drew a clear distinction between her role and that of the race engineer, noting that the race engineer serves as “the head of the ship,” coordinating systems engineers, controls, and strategy while acting as the primary contact with the driver. “My job as performance engineer is to provide information in a clear way that simplifies the decisions they need to make,” she said.
Klausser’s route into motorsport engineering was far from linear. She originally studied mathematics at university with no intention of becoming an engineer. “I originally didn’t want to become an engineer. I studied mathematics because I really liked numbers and I saw it as a foundation,” she said. When her coursework shifted toward insurance mathematics in her second year, she realized the field was not for her. A strategy engineering internship at HWA in Germany proved to be the turning point. “That’s where I felt I’d found something I really enjoyed. It introduced me to motorsport from an engineering angle, and I had to learn a lot of the engineering aspects on the job,” Klausser said.
She encouraged others not to fear changing direction. “You shouldn’t be afraid to make changes. Just because you start on one path, it doesn’t mean you have to stay on it,” she said. Klausser identified situational awareness as the most critical skill for her role. “Trackside isn’t an environment where you can spend a long time discussing things - if the car needs to be on track in 10 minutes, it has to be ready in 10 minutes,” she said. She also emphasized analytical thinking: “Every change has a consequence - nothing happens by chance. You need to understand why something has happened and be part of finding that answer.”
One of her most formative experiences came during her time in Formula E, when she was asked to run a simulator session with a driver despite never having worked directly with one before. “That initial learning curve is always the biggest. It’s like learning to read at school - it’s one of the most important steps,” Klausser said. She cited winning the Formula E World Championship as the most rewarding moment of her career, calling it “a team effort and something we built together.”
On the significance of International Women in Engineering Day, Klausser said the initiative helps make engineering roles more visible. “If my experience can encourage someone else to take that step into STEM, then I’m really happy,” she said.