How to get in Formula 1...

[knighty]

heres my 2-pence worth.......speaking from personal experience of the race engine industry.......Get a degree in Mechanical or Electronic Engineering…….or now mechatronics as its called…..add University of Hertfordshire to your shopping list......formula student is great to do..…learn how to use a CAD package, Autocad as a minimum, but something 3D will be great…..if you get the chance to learn an FEA stress simulation package – go for it …get hands on race experience with a team…….dont expect to get into F1 straight away, plan for the longterm…….dont be afraid to get suited up, visit factories/teams, and “doorstep” them with your covering letter and CV…….and beg to work for free/nominal wage

have a portfolio with plenty of pictures of your CAD drawings, FEA simulations, uni and race projects…….never go to an interview empty handed!

I managed to get to the level where I was working for TWR race engines on the design of Infiniti IRL V8engines, prior to that I was a design engineer at Mountune, have done engines for Le-mans, BTCC, WRC, S1600 etc……prior to that I worked for Webcon (Webber UK)…….hence to get to a high level, you need to do your ground work at what could be termed smaller companies.

do NOT go to an interview telling the boss you want to be a "race engineer" - they will bin you for sure.......you want to be a designer or development engineer......all graduates seem to want to be "race engineers" and it pi55es people off.......bit of a joke in the industry.......F1 race engineering (like working with the driver) is a highly skilled area that is not for spotty nosed fresh graduates

[coen89]

thank you for this info, this helps much. Isn't it possible to become a assistent race engineer, if you have enough experience and gualifications?

Well that's up to the team but that's possible isn't it?

[Rubinho]

Adding to what knighty said:

Definitely add University of Hertfordshire to your list. You want a good (accredited BEng) engineering degree in mechanical, automotive, electronic or aerospace. Don't bother with a BSc with a grand name (Motorsport Engineering or similar) as they won't help you further than a technician level in a team.

As a list of possible careers, if you really want to get trackside and you're good with computers, look at data engineer positions. I've got a degree in Computer Science as well as one in Automotive Engineering and that's where I'm headed.

[coen89]

ofcourse I want to get trackside, I'm already working at a local team on raceweekends so I'm getting experience, next I will follow a course mechanical engineering, I believe in england on college niveau. After that I want to go to England to get a race engineer degree and the best university to do that is...?

[ss_collins]

oxford brookes I think has the best employment to motorsport rate. But do heed the comment about saying you wanna be a race engineer.

[coen89]

I want to try to become a race engineer; I'm doing everything I can to get there. I know it's hard etcetera etcetera but I if I want it I'll do it, just working my guts out for it

what's wrong with the comment? Do I have to say; ah well dunno what I wanna be?? I will get there so whats the problem?

[knighty]

If you want a well recognised degree, look at who runs in say the top 5 formula student teams......this will help narrow down your search, formula student is very well recognised by race/motorsport employers......I'm biased about University of Hertfordshire, as I graduated from there in 1999, all the unis mentioned so far are well respected, so dont get too picky......

I honestly believe that to be a well respected race engineer you must have intimate knowledge of race car design and development before you can even start to think about pi55ing around in a race team with a sunglasses and a lap-top in the pit-lane....."just like on telly" ...... hence thats where you should start - design and development at a factory......you will quite likley fall flat on your face if let loose into a pro race team not knowing the basics like tyre construction & dynamics, roll centre layout, chassis stiffness, camber change, ackerman, damper design, aero development bla bla bla...... you have been warned

[ubrben]

Originally Posted by coen89

I want to try to become a race engineer; I'm doing everything I can to get there. I know it's hard etcetera etcetera but I if I want it I'll do it, just working my guts out for it

what's wrong with the comment? Do I have to say; ah well dunno what I wanna be?? I will get there so whats the problem?

The problem - as Knighty has pointed out is that Race Engineering is not a starting job within motorsport.

Have the common sense to listen to people with more experience when they offer you advice - what's the point in asking otherwise?

There are probably less than 100 people in the world making good money at race engineering - if that. Just saying "I'll do it" is determined but ultimately naive.

I'm in R&D for a motorsport tyre supplier and do data engineering for this company in MotoGP. I have two years of dynamic modelling (ADAMS) experience in aerospace backed up by a masters degree in mechanical engineering. I also do data engineering in British GT on my weekends off. I would still feeling F-ing stupid going to an F1 team and asking if I can be a race engineer.

You need to understand the car beforehand - this means that there will be any number of vehicle dynamics engineers within teams who aren't race engineers yet who are better qualified to race engineer than anyone outside the team. The reality is that you need to find the stepping stone and stop worrying about the bank on the other side...

Ben

[TEAM78]

Dont become tunnel visioned mate, keep options open, a good number of people have gone in motorsport through unusual doors

[littlefarny]

Look mate, there are thousands of us that wish to be race engineers and are willing to work 24/7 if it was humanly possible.
I know I am, and will work f------ hard at whatever discipline I get into, don't say "race engineer" like its a be all and end all.
You need to specialise at some point, I'm aiming to do that at post grad (hopefully a B/Meng at Brunel), probably composite materials.

You need to be intelligent, you might work hard and be dedicated, you need the foundings to make sure you're getting the best from your working time.

Also as TEAM78 said, there are plenty of weird and wonderful jobs in F1 and motorsport in general (I'm watching the Sticker + Bodywork Technician jobs ), so look around and make contacts within the industry.

[R59]

There are also some positions around like "Test Team Electronics Technician" which are a good start too.. Ideally they like you to have some experience, as in this game, sometimes no amount of classroom work can prepare you for the wierd and wonderful faults that can occur in the electronic systems, based on the environment that the cars create and work in.

Some teams lump the radio communications in with the other electronics, and that's another can of worms. The "black art" of wireless......

Like littlefarny said, there are pleny of wierd and wonderful jobs.

Been there, done that. Now have a family, and F1 is just a memory!

Rob.

[Garp]

But Bleekemolen is a nice team to start with. You can learn the basic basics from Erik Albersma and Mark if he is still there.

From there on try to work in F3 -> Renault v6 -> Gp2 and so on.

[Al Weyman]

If F1 don't pull its socks up and pretty soon there won't be any jobs going for anyone.:-)

Seriously though back in the 60's I weedled my way into a small race team (well big enough to do Le Mans and build their own GT cars) by applying to an ad in the Evening News. I had skills to offer although only 18 I was a car mechanic and could weld but never had any formal training. Anyhow at the complex there were several race teams there and the point I am making if I went in there just to make the tea and sweep the floor (was'nt Jon Todt a security guard) so what I was in and I am sure I could have talked my way into a job in one of the other teams if I had a mind to but by then I just wanted to be self employed and have been ever since. There is nothing wrong with having high aims and equally nothing wrong with being humble enough to do anything to get in and work your way up.

[coen89]

Originally Posted by Garp

But Bleekemolen is a nice team to start with. You can learn the basic basics from Erik Albersma and Mark if he is still there.

From there on try to work in F3 -> Renault v6 -> Gp2 and so on.

erik still works there so hes a great help

I hope you all get that I;m getting experience and education, to point for you out again; I'm still only 16 years old so I have many years to come, this topic I started to get some basics about racecar engineering and what I get is what I already know, you can't become a race engineer (IN THE F1) at once but so what? I'm trying to get info about the job not about that I'm acting stupid or what ever you are thinking!

I thank the ones who have given me a very helping answers and the ones who don't like the fact of me becoming a race engineer a very nice day

[ubrben]

Originally Posted by coen89

erik still works there so hes a great help

I hope you all get that I;m getting experience and education, to point for you out again; I'm still only 16 years old so I have many years to come, this topic I started to get some basics about racecar engineering and what I get is what I already know, you can't become a race engineer (IN THE F1) at once but so what? I'm trying to get info about the job not about that I'm acting stupid or what ever you are thinking!

I thank the ones who have given me a very helping answers and the ones who don't like the fact of me becoming a race engineer a very nice day

It has nothing to with liking or not liking you being a race engineer. You can tell you're about 16 BTW without you needing to spell it out :-p

In your first post you talk about a course in aviation operations as a back up? With all due respect, if you want to engineer in F1 you must do an engineering degree. Do you plan to?

Ben

[coen89]

yes,
I've switched courses. Next year i'll be studying mechanical engineering, much better option

[Al Weyman]

Good luck, you will need it.

[coen89]

thanks, indeed I will need all the luck I can get

[johanbrus]

Why Mechanical engineering when you also have the option to do Automotive engineering at the "HTS Autotechniek" in Arnhem?. They also have 3 teams which you can join as a student, a motorbike racing team, a ralley team and a drag racing team. Not quite Formula 1 student but at least it is something...

Well done by the way, I wish I knew at 16 that I wanted to go in racing!. I just realised at the age of 28 but as I have done Automotive engineering and now have 2 years experience in Embedded electronics, I might still have a chance. ;-)

[studentlife]

Hello jus joined up!! wish i knew about this when i was first thinkin about my edu. i new i wanted to go into the motorsport industry but had no idea how or what path to take!! so i fumbled my way through college and then went to uni. Im currently at the university of herts doing the dreaded Motorsport Technology BSc Hons.
Now this is a rather basic course and tidious but i hav to see it through now. i was offered this course without full knowledge of the others available ie the BEng courses. 3 months into the course i tried to move over to a BEng course but missed the "deadline" by a week, although i was totally unaware of the deadline. well neway how ever much i asked and pleaded with the tutors they would not allow me to move course which was to say the least gutting.

so now my plan is to finish this BSc degree with at least a 2.1 but aiming for a 1st and move to the MSc in Motorsport at cranfield. My personal views on herts uni is very unorganised.

I think wen first tryin to break into motorsport industry its not really wot you its who u know, the what you know can come after.

btw im lookin for a summer job :> based in luton/beds so if any can help with that ..... worth a try aint it

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by coen89

yes,
I've switched courses. Next year i'll be studying mechanical engineering, much better option

Good Man. Many more option with a degree in mechanical engineering.

I use to know quite a few ppl in motorsports engineering or mechanics. They all got out with in three years and moved on to other areas of employment.

Not that the money or the jobs wern't there. just the 100 hour work weeks, constant travel and 40 week race seasons does have its toll on a 'normal' life.

[Monstrobolaxa]

Well...from my own experience...I'm in aeronautical engineering...will be finishing the degree next year (5 year degree) and wll probably go to Cranfield for a Msc in Racecar Management & Engineering.

Try getting the maximum experience you can...I participated on my own 3 times in the Shell Eco Marathon with prototypes I built at home, by myself.

I've learned to weld, composite construction and a lot of mechanics.

Since January this year I've been working for a sports car team here in Portugal. Being a small team I do quite a few things:

- composite repair and construction;
- part and equipment design;
- car preparation;
and also the dirty work...washing the parts, wheels and vacuming!

I've even done sponsor negotiations!

Besides this I'm the technical director for a 3 year project, within the team....

Also I took a CATIA course....I work with FEA and with Fluent. And I'm learning at the moment to work with the Lotus Engineering suspension software.

Though I do have the dream of reaching F1...I'll probably open a consultancy company motorsport orientated (it's already being taken care of).

Basicly get as much experience as you can get!

Here's the car I work with:

www.rodrive.com/noticias/070428DM0794.jpg
www.rodrive.com/noticias/070428DM0836.jpg

[littlefarny]

Starting at Brunel in September and am mightily looking forward to it - the BEng should be perfect to learn the engineering side, and I'm hoping to hone my other skills in motorsport with a post-grad at Cranfield (really depends on if I have a job lined up for when I leave).

I've tried my hand at researching new technologies, and am hoping to gain enough info over the next few years to even get some technical ideas published somewhere.

Its a real pity that I live so far from motorsport-valley, as the nearest track is Thruxton (even then its freaking ages away), otherwise I'd have loved to get my hands dirty at some things like Vee/750MC events and the like.
Still, got my Honda 125 engine to play about with until then - and if I have the money perhaps a Locost is on the cards

I digress. Good luck to those of you looking to get into F1, but not so much luck as I will be fighting for the same jobs you will be

[ss_collins]

Once you start at Brunel then you can hook up with plenty of 750MC racers.

[GORDON STREETER]

No problem getting into F1, just win £10 million on the lottery and put your name on a one inch sticker on the under tray of one of the tail end cars