I want to be an F1 Aerodynamicist, which MSc should In choose in TU DELFT or MUNER?

[vmarletta]

Hi everyone! My name is Valentina, from Argentina. I have a bit of a dilemma and could use some advice. My dream is to work in Formula 1 in Aerodynamic design/performance/testing. I am an Aerospace engineering graduate and about to start a Msc. I have been accepted to TU Delft MSc in Aerospace Engineering for the Aerodynamics Track and have everything arranged to go there. However, now I have also been accepted to MSc in Advanced Automotive Engineering for the Race Car Design Track in Motorvehicle University of Emilia-Romagna in Modena, Italy.

So now what do I do? The Delft one is about the area I am most interested in working and may give me a more broad knowledge to apply not only in cars. But the one in Italy has all the attractions of a motorsports environment and may give me more opportunities in F1.

[Greg Locock]

If you wander over to the identically named reddit forum (bit cheeky) and search you should be able to find a post listing the breakdown in academic qualifications for F1 aero bods. Of the two universities I have only heard of Delft.

[jjn9128]

Aero design, aero performance and aero testing are all different careers. Design is CAD, performance you need to be strong on programming, and development/testing is a bit more jack of all trades.

My belief these days is the university you go to matters less than how you apply yourself, in the past certain teams may have hired only from 2/3 specific uni's and even now some hiring managers can be a bit funny about schooling. What's important these days, and what can set you apart from peers, are your extra curriculars, formula student or local racing, and how you present yourself at interview. Remember for every job in f1 there are 100s if not 1000s of applicants.

All that said, I have heard good things of Delft, less familiar with Muner.

[vmarletta]

Hi Greg! Yeah that post is probably mine, I am trying to get as much opinions and advice as possible!

[vmarletta]

Aero design, aero performance and aero testing are all different careers. Design is CAD, performance you need to be strong on programming, and development/testing is a bit more jack of all trades.

Yes i know is a bit broad, but i am still searching what I like most in Aero. Thanks for the advice! If you are THE aerogandalf from twitter, i am honored!

[jjn9128]

Yes i know is a bit broad, but i am still searching what I like most in Aero. Thanks for the advice! If you are THE aerogandalf from twitter, i am honored!

Keep your options open for as long as possible, imo there's nothing worse than specializing early - the best engineers are well read on many aspects of engineering both practical and theoretical. I know people who've moved from one aero-group to another because an aspect of the job didn't suit. Was just trying to give background on what each job did and what you'd need to study/learn to be suitable.

What's twitter?

[Gillian]

Aero design, aero performance and aero testing are all different careers. Design is CAD, performance you need to be strong on programming, and development/testing is a bit more jack of all trades.

My belief these days is the university you go to matters less than how you apply yourself, in the past certain teams may have hired only from 2/3 specific uni's and even now some hiring managers can be a bit funny about schooling. What's important these days, and what can set you apart from peers, are your extra curriculars, formula student or local racing, and how you present yourself at interview. Remember for every job in f1 there are 100s if not 1000s of applicants.

All that said, I have heard good things of Delft, less familiar with Muner.

Can you explain why programming is important to work on aero performance and what skillset is required?

[jjn9128]

Can you explain why programming is important to work on aero performance and what skillset is required?

Aero performance is a data analysis job really. They take wind tunnel, cfd, and track data and try to make sense of it all and improve correlation. They work with cfd to improve models, work with aeros and track to spec instrumentation on the car and in the wind tunnel. It's a cool and important job in the context of f1 aero.

[Gillian]

Can you explain why programming is important to work on aero performance and what skillset is required?

Aero performance is a data analysis job really. They take wind tunnel, cfd, and track data and try to make sense of it all and improve correlation. They work with cfd to improve models, work with aeros and track to spec instrumentation on the car and in the wind tunnel. It's a cool and important job in the context of f1 aero.

That makes sense. Never thought of it in that way. Thank you, learned something again.

[DChemTech]

Hi everyone! My name is Valentina, from Argentina. I have a bit of a dilemma and could use some advice. My dream is to work in Formula 1 in Aerodynamic design/performance/testing. I am an Aerospace engineering graduate and about to start a Msc. I have been accepted to TU Delft MSc in Aerospace Engineering for the Aerodynamics Track and have everything arranged to go there. However, now I have also been accepted to MSc in Advanced Automotive Engineering for the Race Car Design Track in Motorvehicle University of Emilia-Romagna in Modena, Italy.

So now what do I do? The Delft one is about the area I am most interested in working and may give me a more broad knowledge to apply not only in cars. But the one in Italy has all the attractions of a motorsports environment and may give me more opportunities in F1.

Personally I would go for Delft, and that's not just because - as my location identifier might suggest - I happen to be there too (albeit in a completely different specialization). I personally do not know MUNER either so I cannot compare in that sense either.
The reason I'd go for Delft is simple: the study program is a lot more generic from what you describe. As was noted before, there is a lot of competition in F1, so I would avoid a too specific program that leaves you without many other options. A study of general aerodynamics in aerospace prepares you well for automotive, but also a lot of other potential career paths. The race car design track sounds a lot more specific than that.