Kate Reid
Formula racing // Melbourne, Australia
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Kate Reid parlayed her teenage F1 obsession into a groundbreaking aerodynamics role at Williams Racing by age 23, becoming one of the few women in Formula 1’s technical ranks.
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By the age of 25, I want to have been offered a job at Williams F1.
The reality when I finally got there was quite different to that picture that I had painted.
The design of a race car changes on a daily basis… you’re constantly tweaking and trying to improve… that’s what we’re doing at Lune as well.
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FULL BIO: Kate Reid
Kate Reid turned her childhood Formula 1 obsession into a groundbreaking career as one of the few female aerodynamicists in F1, working for Williams Racing before pivoting to become a celebrated pastry chef and entrepreneur.
EARLY YEARS
Born in Melbourne, Australia in the early 1980s, Kate grew up in a household where Formula 1 wasn’t just background noise—it was religion. Her father’s passion for motorsport became the family’s weekend ritual, with Kate and her brother glued to the couch watching races and attending the Australian Grand Prix when it moved to Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit in 1996. At 14, she made a declaration that would define her next decade: “By the age of 25, I want to have been offered a job at Williams F1.” That bold proclamation, scribbled in a Damon Hill coffee table book, wasn’t just teenage dreaming—it was a blueprint.
OTHER INTERESTS
After years of high-pressure F1 engineering, Kate discovered an unexpected passion for pastry-making that became both therapy and career pivot. What started as a method of self-care during burnout evolved into serious culinary expertise, leading to the founding of Lune Croissanterie in Melbourne. She authored the cookbook “Lune: Croissants All Day, All Night,” transforming her engineering precision into the art of perfect laminated dough. The meticulous attention to detail that once fine-tuned aerodynamics now crafts some of Australia’s most celebrated croissants.
EARLY SUCCESS
Kate’s aerospace engineering degree became her golden ticket into the male-dominated world of Formula 1. At just 23—two years ahead of her self-imposed deadline—she landed her dream job as an aerodynamicist with Williams F1 Racing. Those 16-hour days developing race car aerodynamic packages were exactly what she’d envisioned as a teenager, even if the reality proved more grueling than the fantasy. For approximately three years, she was part of the engineering team behind a multi-Grand Prix-winning operation, one of the few women in the paddock’s technical sphere.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2005: Became aerodynamicist for Williams Formula 1 team at age 23.
- 2008: Left F1 engineering to pursue pastry arts after experiencing severe burnout.
- 2012: Founded Lune Croissanterie in Melbourne.
- 2023: Published cookbook “Lune: Croissants All Day, All Night.”
- 2024: Expanded Lune Croissanterie to five international locations.
INSPIRATIONS
Damon Hill’s 1996 World Championship victory sparked Kate’s Formula 1 obsession and career trajectory. Her father’s unwavering passion for motorsport provided the foundation, creating a household where racing wasn’t just entertainment but a shared language. The precision and constant innovation required in F1 aerodynamics later translated seamlessly to pastry-making, where she found similar satisfaction in daily refinements and technical perfection.
REPUTATION
Kate earned recognition as a trailblazer in two distinctly different fields—first as one of the rare female engineers in Formula 1’s technical departments, then as an innovative pastry chef who elevated Melbourne’s bakery scene. Her story resonates as both a cautionary tale about burnout in high-pressure industries and an inspiring example of successful career reinvention. The media consistently portrays her as someone who applies engineering precision to everything she touches, whether it’s race car aerodynamics or croissant lamination.
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
Kate’s focus remains firmly planted in the culinary world, with plans to continue expanding Lune Croissanterie while maintaining the exacting standards that made it a Melbourne institution. Having successfully transitioned from F1 paddock to pastry kitchen, she shows no signs of returning to motorsport, instead channeling her technical expertise into perfecting the art of French pastry-making.
References:
Man of Many Interview
Food52 Feature Article
Jalopnik Profile
KCRW Interview
National Post Feature
Have Kate updates or corrections? Please let us know – We’d love to keep this profile current.
