Two jobs, one aim
“Half my day is pure engineering: write the software, work out the technical challenge”, Vadim says. “The other half is spotting gaps, shaping plans, pushing teams forward.” Living in both worlds lets him see how a single line of code can ripple up to race-week impact.
Stepping Inside Formula One
His first walk through a Formula One paddock sealed the deal. “It hit me that this is engineering in its most extreme form: hundreds of specialists, real-time simulation, relentless optimization,” he says. Back home he experiments with live F1 APIs, analyzes race datasets, and started building side projects just to keep a constant pulse on that world.
Quiet starts, loud ideas
Vadim gets up early while the inbox is almost empty. One coffee, headphones in, editor open. Radiohead’s OK Computer OKNOTOK keeps a steady beat, complex enough to hold interest, calm enough to stay focused.
First look inside the VCARB base
“The scale stunned me. Hundreds of specialists, tight secrecy, everything tuned to make two cars fast. I’ve never seen focus like that.”
How he explains the job
“I work in the simulation,” he tells friends: Wind-tunnel data, virtual models, digital tweaks, everything perfected in pixels before it reaches carbon fiber.
Desk essential
Earbuds. “They shut out the room and lock me into flow. I don’t leave home without them.”
Reset routine
Short walks, during calls if possible, between meetings if not. “Moving clears the head and keeps ideas moving.”
Off-duty in Cluj
Evenings usually end at home with a film or a book. After days on the road, a quiet sofa is perfect.
Fuel for late sessions
Coffee powers the daytime coding runs; plain water carries him through any late planning.
Track that feels right
Zandvoort. “Personal memories from a family trip, plus a circuit that keeps you on your toes. Fits me.”
Day-one advice
“There’s a reason for every choice. Ask why first, judge later.”
A season’s payoff
“If our work makes the car even one percent quicker by the final race, that’s enormous. Small gains decide results.”
Vadim splits his week between deep tech and strategic steering, letting each side sharpen the other.
Rebels at Speed brings another story from the crew soon. Stay tuned.
