How is Marc Priestley from Wheeler Dealers going today?

 

Ever since its premiere in 2003, “Wheeler Dealers” has undeniably become one of the most iconic and entertaining shows in the genre of car-centered TV. By featuring repair and improvement jobs, experiments, and everything automotive, “Wheeler Dealers” projects have always brought lots of innovation and fresh ideas to the table.

It all started with a dream! 💭 Stream the 2-episode Season Finale of @WheelerDealers: Dream Car NOW on MotorTrend+ ➡️ https://t.co/4gh5A0sp6l pic.twitter.com/rTaQq03XqV

— MotorTrend+ (@MotorTrendPlus) September 20, 2022

The changes the show has been through go beyond cars, and also include its hosts, having Marc “Elvis” Priestley as the latest man to take the responsibility of fronting “Wheeler Dealers”, alongside the legendary Mike Brewer.

That being said, there’s still a lot to learn about Marc, who he is when he’s not in the show, his past career in Formula 1, and his future projects. So what is Marc Priestley doing now? Stay here to discover all!

What’s Going On With Marc Priestley?

With a career of almost two decades in the car industry, Marc “Elvis” Priestly has gained wide recognition both as an automotive expert and TV host, and that doesn’t seem likely to change any time soon.

These days Marc keeps quite busy with his many projects, which most remarkably include hosting the hugely popular show “Wheeler Dealers”, premiering his second season with the show in early 2023. Since Marc took the position of the show’s host and mechanic in 2021, the audience has warmed to him quite well, gaining him quite a big following on social media, and opening other professional doors for him.

That being said, these days Marc is known to be more than just a TV personality, as he’s also a speaker on motivation and business topics, and hosts his podcast Pit Lane Life Lessons, the goal of which is to channel the mindset of the big names in Formula 1 (F1) and apply it to other aspects of life and business. Marc has also been sharing original content on his YouTube channel, showing everything from his insights into the racing industry, to sharing his knowledge on mechanical-related topics.

Although details about Mark’s personal life haven’t been revealed, just knowing that he’s doing well in the professional aspects is more than enough to make us happy!

Who Is Marc Priestley?

Even though people unfamiliar with Formula 1 only got to know about Marc Priestly when he debuted as a “Wheeler Dealers” host, his career extends far beyond that.

Marc’s beginnings in the automotive industry could be traced back to 1995, when he graduated with a Motor Vehicle Engineering specialization from Kent College, based in Canterbury, United Kingdom. It was back at his time in school that he gained the nickname “Elvis”, due to how similar his surname sounded to Elvis Presley’s.

Right after obtaining his specialization, Marc was employed by several London-based motorsports companies. It wasn’t until 1999 that he was hired as the main mechanic for the Speedports team in Formula 3, also as a mechanic for the Formula 3000 of Orbit Motorsport. Nonetheless, the job position which leveled up his professional profile was joining the McLaren F1 team, making his grand debut as a team number two mechanic in 2001.

Later in 2007, Marc became part of McLaren’s number-one F1 team, first as a mechanic and then as a team chief, gaining recognition for being part of Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 World Drivers’ Championship victory.

In 2009 Marc took McLaren’s team Co-ordinator and Project leader spots, but eventually left to join Motor Sport Vision, marking the distance from his previous mechanical roles to take more management-driven job positions.

Media & TV

Working for an F1 team is a dream come true for everyone, but things don’t always play out as expected. That’s what happened to Marc Priestley, who decided to leave the chapter of his career as an F1 mechanic to the enduring work schedules that his job position at McLaren’s team demanded from him: ‘It’s easy to become totally immersed in the Formula 1 ‘bubble’, a fast-paced world of pretentiousness and fairytale finances, and lose touch, ever so slightly, with reality.’ Marc admitted in an interview with GrandPrix247.com, adding that his decision was driven by his desire to take care of his family, on top of also exploring new and different career opportunities.

Though leaving McLaren was a difficult decision for Marc, he wasn’t ready to leave the motorsports industry yet. Right afterwards, Marc started building a path of his own in the automotive-related entertainment industry, starting a blog and then having his start as a TV personality in 2013, with the motorsports-centered channel Sky Sports F1. From then on, Marc also became a recurring guest on online racing-centered platforms, on top of premiering his Discovery series “Driving Wild” in 2016.

From those early years between the overwhelming adrenaline of F1 and the more flexible TV industry, Marc can proudly say that he’s worked with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, besides covering important events such as Formula E championships.

Business

Besides his involvement with motorsports, the entertainment industry, and content creation, Marc Priestley is also a business advisor. Although this might seem an unlikely profession seeing his previous job positions at McLaren and other motorsports companies, the truth is that Marc’s experience working with big-name companies has taught him many things about the business world.

In his mission to share this knowledge with the world, Marc successfully mixed his two passions and turned them into a business. His public speaking appearances and business services are quite special, as not only does Marc encourage his customers to think like an F1 technician in keeping their goals in sight and not lose focus, but also to learn about what makes motorsports companies so great and apply those same strategies to business in other fields.

Marc’s understanding of the motorsports industry also drove him to find his path in media, affirming that the F1 ‘doesn’t portray itself well enough to the fans and viewing public’ and wants to change that, as he told GrandPrix247.com in 2012.

When Did Marc Join “Wheeler Dealers”?

Before Marc Priestley joined “Wheeler Dealers” during its 17th season in 2021, the show had already changed its host twice in a matter of a couple of years. Back when the show first aired in 2003, it was hosted by Edd China and Mike Brewer, widely recognized for not only taking “Wheeler Dealers” from the ground and turning it into an international success, but also for becoming big names in the automotive-centered entertainment industry.

Nonetheless, the China and Brewer team broke-up in 2017, when several disputes between the pair added to China’s unhappiness with the recent format changes done to the show led to his exit. Ant Anstead took China’s spot, and worked alongside Brewer from the season 14th to 16th, when he left the show after the production moved back to the UK.

Marc was the first one considered to take the role of Anstead, as he’d previously worked with Brewer in the spin-off “Wheeler Dealers: Dream Car”. The good relationship between the co-hosts also played a role in him becoming the host, and time has proved that he was the perfect addition to “Wheeler Dealers”.

Wherever life takes Marc “Elvis” Prestley from now on, so far he’s built a remarkable career in F1, on TV, and as an independent business advisor, making him quite unforgettable.