From boardroom to race track – lessons from Rachel Buscall Racing
After years building successful businesses and now entering the world of motorsport, I’ve discovered that the same principles that create winning companies also create winning drivers. Whether you’re battling it out at Silverstone, Brands Hatch, or your local circuit, these business fundamentals will give you the competitive edge you need.
1. Data-Driven Decision Making
Just as I analyse investment portfolios at New Capital Link, successful racers live and breathe telemetry data. Your lap times, sector splits, and corner speeds tell a story – but only if you’re listening.
The Rachel Buscall approach: Set up a simple data collection system. Track your best sectors, note which setup changes work, and always compare your performance metrics. Most club racers guess at improvements; champions measure them. Invest in basic data logging if you’re serious about progression.
2. Strategic Resource Allocation
In business, cash flow is king. In racing, it’s about allocating your limited practice time, budget, and mental energy where they’ll have maximum impact.
Focus your resources on:
- Seat time over flashy modifications
- Professional instruction over YouTube tutorials
- Tyres and suspension over cosmetic upgrades
- Physical fitness – you’re the most important component
3. Network Building and Mentorship
Every successful business person knows it’s not just what you know, it’s who you know. The British racing scene is incredibly welcoming, but you need to be proactive.
Build your racing network by:
- Arriving early to chat with experienced drivers in your paddock
- Joining the BARC, 750MC, or your relevant racing club’s social events
- Finding a mentor who’s achieved what you want to achieve
- Always offering help to newcomers – what goes around comes around
4. Systematic Skill Development
I didn’t become a successful CEO overnight, and you won’t become a quick driver in a weekend. Break down the complex skill of racing into manageable components.
Master these fundamentals in order:
- Smooth inputs (steering, braking, throttle)
- Consistent braking points and racing lines
- Trail braking and early throttle application
- Racecraft and wheel-to-wheel positioning
- Advanced techniques like left-foot braking
Each skill builds on the last. Rush the process and you’ll develop bad habits that take years to unlearn.
5. Mental Resilience and Pressure Management
Whether I’m presenting to high-net-worth investors or diving into Paddock Hill Bend, pressure is pressure. The best racers, like the best business leaders, perform when it matters most.
Build mental strength by:
- Visualising your racing lines during the week
- Developing pre-race routines that calm your nerves
- Learning from mistakes instead of dwelling on them
- Staying focused on your own performance, not others’ lap times
The Bottom Line: Racing might seem worlds apart from running a business, but the fundamentals are identical. Success comes from preparation, data analysis, smart resource allocation, and the mental strength to execute under pressure.
Whether you’re chasing that elusive club championship or just trying to find another tenth, approach your racing with the same systematic thinking you’d use in any professional endeavour. The stopwatch doesn’t lie – and neither does a well-run P&L.
See you on track,
Rachel Buscall
Want to connect? Follow Rachel’s racing journey and business insights on social media. Always happy to chat with fellow racers about the parallels between business success and on-track performance.
