getting a job in top motorsport designing or in aerodynamics

[ashf1mclaren]

hi i am currently in high school in the UK i am staying on to study A-levels next year i have been intrested in a career in formula 1 or top motorsport from the age of 3 years old, i have read many hundreds of articles and heard the same amount of video and audio broadcasts about advice, famously eddie jordans cheap labour, mike gascoyne saying just keep sending letters because he usually will not take much attention to the first, as he gets many, so the more a person wants it the more they will prove themselves. i am looking for anymore advice that is available to help me achieve what i have dreamt of for 13 years. i have also set up for next year to enter the formula one in schools championship in which i am team manager and car designer, i have organised a whole team of specialists from my school who can help the team win! so with hope our 2 year development program will see results.

[Jersey Tom]

Step 1 - Go to college.

[ashf1mclaren]

i am thats what A-levels are then to uni to study aerodynamics and astronautics but what advice for getting into top motorsport

[Mystery Steve]

While at school, get involved with FSAE/FS. If you don't have a program, either start one, or look for some low-level racing outfit that is close to you and get involved with them. A big thing is experience. I wouldn't get my mind set on working in F1 right out of school either. If you get lucky and find a good job in motorsport right out of school, it will probably be with a lower series.

Of course, having a higher degree (Master's/Ph.D) and writing a thesis and/or dissertation on a topic relevant to a racing team would be a huge leg up. Personally, I would think it would be better to avoid degrees in "motorsport," though. I would go for a general mechanical or aeronautical engineering degree and just make sure my research is relevant. This way if you decide you hate the nonstop work schedule you'll have something that is easily applicable to other fields.

[RacingManiac]

While I think FSAE/FS is awesome(and definitely helped getting my job), I think in UK they don't embrace the concept as much.....Although they tend to have better chances of lending motorsport jobs in their local domain(ie, F1, Touring Car, GT) just because of the teams and companies that are based there.

[Mystery Steve]

Although, it certainly doesn't hurt, right? Bottomline... experience and relevance are what a "high level" racing team would be looking for in a new hire.

[johnny99]

i am thats what A-levels are then to uni to study aerodynamics and astronautics but what advice for getting into top motorsport

First, lesson 1. In your post, you have missed a capital I, University is spelt with a capital U. Everything is in the detail, and if you send in a CV with spelling like that it will end up in the bin, like 98% of all CV's.

Go to University and do a Master's in Mechanical or Aeronautical Engineering.
Get involved in FSAE as Steve said.
Voulenteer for any work in a race team, or start with a local small garage. It you only make tea, someday somebody will give you a more responsible job.

Pulications like Race Car Engineering and Race Engine Technology are very good reading, and this Forum is excellent study. Books from Carrol Smith, Joseph Katz and Milliken are very good.

Keep sending CV's, don't stop. Remember, this is not 9 to 5, the hours are relentless, but it is a most rewarding life, best of luck.

John

[mep]

Btw. we had a almost similar topic here before:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6852

It got a little bit stuck but it would have been nice when you post there.

[mike_dangerous]

You are definitely going about it the right way. Although a lot of people say employers don't look at where your degree is from etc. when it comes to high end engineering like Formula 1 it definitely has some bearing. Another part is getting yourself known, even at University. One of my lecturers said to us that Formula 1 teams, among others, come to him and say we're looking for a student with first class results. So you really have to put yourself out there and make sure you are known.

However, I would say there is no formula for getting in F1 (forgive the pun), you just have to work hard and take opportunities and these should be the sorts of things you would do to get into any competitive profession and I don't think there is anything you can learn about it by asking questions in an online thread.

[ashf1mclaren]

i would like to thank all for there comments! sorry this post was mix originally with another

[mep]

I don't think there is anything you can learn about it by asking questions in an online thread.

Hm, I think you can learn alot from asking questions on the internet.
It just depends on the quality of the answers.

[mike_dangerous]

I meant on this subject, not in general.

[mep]

Oh maybe I wasn't that specific with my post.
I meant that topic including too.

Just talking about my experience the people on this thread
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6852
convinced me that it might be good to make a Master in Cranfield.
This really helped me because I didn't know about such courses before.
Now, I wonder how to get in there. For example what grades do you need to get accepted.
It is always good to go out and talk with others, ask them questions and offer them help even when it is not always leading to the target you will get something back.

[mike_dangerous]

I think Cranfield is predominantly if not wholly a postgraduate university so you need to have a degree beforehand in the relevant subject that you want to study.

[marcush.]

to me ,the key is :
GET involved in Motorsport NOW .It does not matter what job you take ,be the tyre guy that is the most interesting job where you really can learn an awful lot about motorsport.Look and learn.Let others waste their money to teach you how it is done and how it is not done.
the small teams need people who don´t shy away from getting hands dirty and are dedicated to get the job done .If you have what it takes in motorsport you will very soon be a moving up as you will be able to contribute to the success. Add to this the ability to work out the numbers and you get close.
I think a good move would be to book a 3 day seminar with Claude Rouelle..this was one of the better investments I did in my racing career..
This will ineveitably pave the ground to top teams as soon as you have the theoretical background and a degree or master ..
You then got a degree AND you are experienced in Racing .You know what it is all about ,very very rarely seen and much appreciated that is for sure.

the FSAE thing ..I think the basic idea is brilliant.. but honestly speaking looking at the results it is well ... there is light ,yes but there is a lot of shadow too.
so the question is ,why should it be useful to mix a bunch of students with no real practical experience and hope to find the optimum solution for racing...
Racing is exactly the opposite.It is a bunch of experienced people working together in a very effective way using theoretical knowledge and talent only to gain an advantage .
Never ever an outfit consists of a bunch of boffins with no idea what is the name of the game.
so please forgive me -all those who took part in FSAE - I would have loved to do something like that really ,but thats the way I see it.