Recognised as one of Motorsport Australia’s brightest up and comers, Carly Wardell’s love of motorsport has spurred her on to become a regarded advocate of the national officials cohort.
Serving as the Assistant Secretary of the Event at the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2026, Wardell plays a pivotal part in ensuring key administrative responsibilities before and during a race meeting.
Under the leadership of Secretary of the Event Kimberly Hughes, Wardell helps with oversight of the administration team, ensuring competitor licenses are valid and handles event paperwork to maintain compliance with Motorsport Australia regulations.
Wardell is proud to be a crucial part of the Australian Grand Prix, with the 2026 edition her third she has attended.
“I’ve met so many friends through this event, it’s the pinnacle of what we do in terms of motorsport in this country,” Wardell said.
“We’ve also received great feedback on how the event is conducted from an officials perspective. It’s a great feeling knowing that we are doing our jobs well, and it’s even better when we hear officials want to keep coming back.”
Wardell also represented Motorsport Australia overseas through the FIA Immersion Programme in 2025, travelling to the FIA’s Paris, Geneva and Valleiry offices.
The programme provided 10 days of training and a chance to establish better connections with the overarching governing body of motorsport, creating a useful channel for Australia’s motorsport body to exchange future ideas with the FIA.
Wardell has been a motorsport enthusiast since day dot, being a part of a family that considers itself a collection of passionate motorsport fans.
“I always grew up around motorsport, so I always had a feeling of forging some type of path in motorsport,” Wardell added.
“I studied at Deakin University with a degree in Sports Management, and throughout that time I volunteered at as many sporting events as possible, including Supercars and MotoGP, to gain extra industry experience.
“In 2022, I then began an internship at Motorsport Australia which helped lay the foundation for a lot of the skills I have today in motorsport.
“I was able to gain employment with the governing body as a casual employee before eventually transitioning to full-time employment and my current role as Motorsport Operations Manager throughout the year.”
In 2026, Wardell will become the Secretary of the Event for the 2026 Shannons SpeedSeries, another step up in Wardell’s motorsport experience, an opportunity she states is an exciting one with the opening round just a few weeks away in Phillip Island.
