Field Notes: The Bump at Formula One

Most people picture intelligence work happening in quiet back rooms or dimly lit bars. Sometimes it does. Other times, it happens at a Formula One race in Florida, surrounded by fast cars, champagne, and people in sunglasses who look like they belong in magazines.

The Target

The man I had my eye on was a former executive at a state controlled corporation in Russia. He had recently left both the company and Russia, settling in Western Europe with his family. On paper, he was interesting. He had been close enough to major decisions and money flows that I believed he might know something useful. Maybe even something actionable.

When you look at someone as a potential source, you weigh a few things: placement, access, and motivation. Do they know anything worth sharing? Can they reach the people who do? And do they have a reason to talk? With this guy, the answers seemed promising. His kids were in private schools, he traveled often to the U.S., and publicly he came across as pro Western.

I began pulling together a dossier. Travel habits, hobbies, open source details about his family, the kinds of places they liked. Nothing secret, just the sort of thing you find if you are willing to dig.

Then came a break. Word came in that he was traveling alone to Florida that weekend for a Formula One race. That was a rare opportunity.

The Prep

I had a couple of days to prepare, which is not much when you are weighing a decision like this. Do I make the approach now, or wait for another time? Most of the time he traveled with his family, which complicates things. Here he was, solo, at a huge public event where a chance encounter would not look unusual.

I also had to decide how much of myself to show. Do I tell him I am with the Bureau? Do I keep that close? If you are not upfront and it comes out later, you risk losing credibility. If you are too upfront, you can shut the door before it even opens. I usually tried to strike a balance. Casual, like it was not planned, even though plenty of planning had gone into it.

The Bump

Race day came. The place was buzzing. Crowds everywhere, engines screaming, the kind of noise you feel in your chest. I coordinated with the local field office, who had eyes on him from the hotel to the track. All I needed was the right opening.

And then it happened. I was talking with a guy about sailing when he said, “You should meet him. He is planning a big trip in the Mediterranean.” He turned, and there he was. The man I had been reading about for weeks. Just like that, we were introduced.

Those moments always come with a jolt. You have done the research, you know their background, you even know what coffee shop their wife likes. But standing face to face, shaking hands, there is still a rush.

The Conversation

We started light. Sailing, Europe, family travel. I always tried to mix in my real interests, because it made rapport easier. You do not have to fake it when you actually care, and people can sense that.

We spent most of the day moving through the paddock together. He was there as a guest of one of the sponsors and even introduced me to some of the drivers. Not a bad day at the office.

Eventually the subject of work came up. I told him I was with the Bureau, but that I worked child crimes. That was a small fib, but it kept the cover light and struck a chord. We ended up talking about being fathers, about the things that keep you awake at night as a parent, about how the world is not as safe as you want it to be for your kids. Those conversations matter in human intelligence. The human part is where trust begins.

When the topic turned to his time in Russia, he did not go into detail, but he made it clear that leaving had been about principle. He was tired of where things were headed, and there was relief in his voice when he said it.

Before we parted ways, we exchanged contact information. He told me to reach out if I was ever in Europe, and said he would get in touch next time he came back to the States. A few months later we met again, and the conversation went even deeper.

The Lesson

The point of this story is not whether he was recruited or not. It is about the process. The prep, the bump, and the conversation. The way luck and preparation weave together.

What I learned, and what I still carry into my work today, is that the real skill is not about clever lines or tricks. It is about being genuine, listening more than you talk, and giving people space to open up.

That is the same whether you are meeting a source overseas or interviewing a witness in Florida. Know your person, plan your approach, be real, and be ready when the moment comes. Most of the time it is not glamorous, but if you do it right, it works.