Laura Winter is one of the lead presenters for F1 TV, presenting Grands Prix from all over the world to audiences of over 100m people.
She was the onsite presenter for the pioneering championship Extreme E which takes place in a variety of challenging terrains across the globe and promotes gender equality alongside its environmental message. In addition to motorsports, Laura has also worked for ITV Sport, reporting from the snooker at the Players Championship and Tour Championship, and works with Prime Video Sport, reporting on Premiership and British rugby. As a former rower and a keen cyclist, she has reported extensively on these for a variety of broadcasters, including the BBC and BT Sport, and was the presenter, reporter, and voiceover for the Voxwomen Cycling Show, scripting and producing at the biggest cycling races in the world.
She also has her own podcast, Lessons Learned, interviewing star sportsmen and women about the key lessons life has taught them.
We wanted to find out, what makes Laura…
Happy
The simple things in life. Life on the road as a sports presenter is amazing, but very hectic. So, when I’m home some of the simplest things are what make me happiest. That could be having a beer in the pub with my boyfriend Louie and playing cards, or watching a box set on the sofa at home. I also love watching sport in the pub with a load of mates and there’s nothing like a great coffee in the morning. I like an oat milk flat white or a good cafetiere long black, depending on how bougie I’m feeling.
Sad
I always cry at animal cruelty, but that also makes me angry. I think one thing that also makes me said is when you hear people’s stories and they have regrets, or they’ve lost time or opportunities. That can be desperately sad.
Reflective
I tend to reflect at the end of a milestone that I’ve hit or a job I’ve wanted. When I was asked to become host of F1TV that was a huge moment and I remember reflecting on the years of freelance work that I’d grafted and hustled through and all of the rejections. Moments like that make you look back and think of all the little things that you’ve done to get to a point.
Confident
It’s a bit of a symbiotic relationship. I need confidence to do my job well, but I feel confident from having done it well, so one feeds the other. When I’ve done the preparation, I know what I’m doing and I execute the job, that makes me feel very powerful. Nailing sports broadcasting is a great feeling.
Angry
There are two levels to this. On a day-to-day basis inefficiency or things like queuing make me irritable. I don’t like a ‘computer says no’ mentality. But then at the other end of the scale, the injustices in the world make me very angry. War, violence against women, racism, sexism and the incel culture. We’re not talking enough about how dangerous incel culture is and how it is allowed to breed online which then feeds into misogyny and violence against women.
Relaxed
Exercise, which might sound a bit weird. But I’m somebody that needs to do some exercise most days to remain relatively calm. Going for a bike ride with my mum makes me very relaxed, it’s almost meditative for me. Similarly, when I’ve finished lifting weights I feel great. Also I love a relaxing walk with the dogs in the countryside.
Proud
The fantastic British sporting landscape that we currently enjoy and that we’ve seen for several decades now. Particular highlights for me are looking at the Rugby World Cup and the growth of women’s sport. Britain and its culture is a hugely encouraging nation for women’s sport and that makes me proud. It’s an honour to play my part in it.
