Motorsport Experience

[MotorsportTom]

Hi Everyone this is my first post on here so sorry of its in slightly the wrong place.

I've studied a BTEC ND in motorsport engineering and taken a gap year and thinking of motorsport engineering at uni next sept.

Has any one done this kinda course and where? what was it like etc.

Also i've helped out with a race team before but due to them being based in silverstone and me in coventry it ended a little sooner then hoped so if anyone is based in around or remotely near coventry and want free labour for motorsport/Vehicle tuning etc let me know

Thanks in advance,

Tom.

[PabloTeK]

I maintain this; go to a university that has a Formula Student programme, preferably a class 1 entry. Not only is it a great experience but a few famous faces have turned up before such as Ross Brawn and Andrew Shovelin! Really a good way to get noticed by some top bods...

[MotorsportTom]

PabloTeK said:

I maintain this; go to a university that has a Formula Student programme, preferably a class 1 entry. Not only is it a great experience but a few famous faces have turned up before such as Ross Brawn and Andrew Shovelin! Really a good way to get noticed by some top bods...

Hey thanks for the reply, im about 75% sure of going to uni at the moment just finishing off my application etc.

did you go to university? if so where did you go?

[F1dude]

Andrew Shovlin(no e :-) did indeed study, but F1 is alot about right place right time as there are so many people trying to get into a position within the sport. It really depends what you want to do, as well over half of the positions don't need any Motorsport experience - it helps though.
Its definately not true that you need to spend years and years in lower formula, and then take all sorts of motorsports courses. Many people are from Aerospace for example. Shovlin didn't do alot before F1, other than his PHD in Vehicle dynamics of course

[RB Will]

A friend of mine did the motorsport eng at cranfield/clanfield and went straight into McLaren

[Cragglea1]

I went to Brookes and I can vouch that their dept is awesome. The Formula Student project is massive and a very key aspect of getting one of the better formula one jobs. Also Brookes has a great Motorsport society if you like doing stuff outside of the class room.

[F1dude]

Cragglea1 said:

I went to Brookes and I can vouch that their dept is awesome. The Formula Student project is massive and a very key aspect of getting one of the better formula one jobs. Also Brookes has a great Motorsport society if you like doing stuff outside of the class room.

It never hurts, but if you are good at what you do, then its not always a requirement, the team just like to say that in all the careers advice :-)

[RC racer]

Hi

I am currently at Coventry University. 1st year Motorsport. The course is very good and would reccomend it.

I did a National Diploma before this and got a DDM and I struggling with the maths but the tutors are helpful.

James

[MotorsportTom]

Cheers everyone for your replies.

The one thing im worried about is my grades as i only got PPP which obviously means my ucas points are down etc so limiting my places to apply.

Im still definately planning on going to uni even if i have to do a foundation degree then a top up after.

Tom.

[anonymous-user]

My advice is to take a degree in straight Mechanical Engineering (not motorsport specific). What you need at this stage is a general grounding in all aspects of engineering. I studied engineering at Leeds Uni and got into motorsport on graduation. FWIW Andrew Shovlin was also an ex Leeds Uni graduate, but that's just coincidence. There are many Uni's with equally strong engineering departments.

[anonymous-user]

F1dude said:

Cragglea1 said:

I went to Brookes and I can vouch that their dept is awesome. The Formula Student project is massive and a very key aspect of getting one of the better formula one jobs. Also Brookes has a great Motorsport society if you like doing stuff outside of the class room.

It never hurts, but if you are good at what you do, then its not always a requirement, the team just like to say that in all the careers advice :-)

25 years ago maybe. But today, you'd never get a professional engineering job in an F1 team without a degree. Not a chance in hell.

[JontyR]

RB Will said:

A friend of mine did the motorsport eng at cranfield/clanfield and went straight into McLaren

Dont lie....you havent got any friends!

Edited by JontyR on Friday 19th November 17:24

[MotorsportTom]

uktrailmonster said:

My advice is to take a degree in straight Mechanical Engineering (not motorsport specific). What you need at this stage is a general grounding in all aspects of engineering. I studied engineering at Leeds Uni and got into motorsport on graduation. FWIW Andrew Shovlin was also an ex Leeds Uni graduate, but that's just coincidence. There are many Uni's with equally strong engineering departments.

What is entailed mechanical engineering then?
Really i want motorsport engineering as i already have a bit of a grounding it in and i assumed it would follow a natural progression and just become a lot more in depth at university.

[anonymous-user]

MotorsportTom said:

uktrailmonster said:

My advice is to take a degree in straight Mechanical Engineering (not motorsport specific). What you need at this stage is a general grounding in all aspects of engineering. I studied engineering at Leeds Uni and got into motorsport on graduation. FWIW Andrew Shovlin was also an ex Leeds Uni graduate, but that's just coincidence. There are many Uni's with equally strong engineering departments.

What is entailed mechanical engineering then?
Really i want motorsport engineering as i already have a bit of a grounding it in and i assumed it would follow a natural progression and just become a lot more in depth at university.

Mechanical Engineering includes everything you need to be a motorsport engineer. Motorsport engineering is just a specific application and IMO too specialised for someone at your level of education. Basically you're narrowing your future career choices unnecessarily. But it's up to you at the end of the day. I can only advise as someone who went through all this 18 years ago and finished up as an F1 race engineer. If you are 100% certain that you want to work in motorsport then there isn't anything wrong with a motorsport engineering degree. But then there's nothing wrong with a Mech Eng degree either. It's what you do with it that really counts and gaining practical experience as you have done already is a key element.

Good luck!

[PabloTeK]

MotorsportTom said:

PabloTeK said:

I maintain this; go to a university that has a Formula Student programme, preferably a class 1 entry. Not only is it a great experience but a few famous faces have turned up before such as Ross Brawn and Andrew Shovelin! Really a good way to get noticed by some top bods...

Hey thanks for the reply, im about 75% sure of going to uni at the moment just finishing off my application etc.

did you go to university? if so where did you go?

I've not actually been a competitor, I just marshal it and it's a great event for experience and trying to get "seen".

[North West Tom]

I went to a UCLan taster day on wedenesday an had a gander at the motorsport section. Looks very good. They have their own Formula Ford team and that's all I know unfortunately. Looked like a good place to spend 3 years though.

[MotorsportTom]

uktrailmonster said:

MotorsportTom said:

uktrailmonster said:

My advice is to take a degree in straight Mechanical Engineering (not motorsport specific). What you need at this stage is a general grounding in all aspects of engineering. I studied engineering at Leeds Uni and got into motorsport on graduation. FWIW Andrew Shovlin was also an ex Leeds Uni graduate, but that's just coincidence. There are many Uni's with equally strong engineering departments.

What is entailed mechanical engineering then?
Really i want motorsport engineering as i already have a bit of a grounding it in and i assumed it would follow a natural progression and just become a lot more in depth at university.

Mechanical Engineering includes everything you need to be a motorsport engineer. Motorsport engineering is just a specific application and IMO too specialised for someone at your level of education. Basically you're narrowing your future career choices unnecessarily. But it's up to you at the end of the day. I can only advise as someone who went through all this 18 years ago and finished up as an F1 race engineer. If you are 100% certain that you want to work in motorsport then there isn't anything wrong with a motorsport engineering degree. But then there's nothing wrong with a Mech Eng degree either. It's what you do with it that really counts and gaining practical experience as you have done already is a key element.

Good luck!

Thanks alot its definately given me a lot of food for thought, and at current i can't see me being anywhere but in and around race cars purely because of the buzz i get from it and i don't want to settle for anything less. Although on the other hand whose to say 15 years down the line i don't want a change.
I'll definately look into mechanical engineering and thanks again to everyone replying

[anonymous-user]

MotorsportTom said:

uktrailmonster said:

MotorsportTom said:

uktrailmonster said:

My advice is to take a degree in straight Mechanical Engineering (not motorsport specific). What you need at this stage is a general grounding in all aspects of engineering. I studied engineering at Leeds Uni and got into motorsport on graduation. FWIW Andrew Shovlin was also an ex Leeds Uni graduate, but that's just coincidence. There are many Uni's with equally strong engineering departments.

What is entailed mechanical engineering then?
Really i want motorsport engineering as i already have a bit of a grounding it in and i assumed it would follow a natural progression and just become a lot more in depth at university.

Mechanical Engineering includes everything you need to be a motorsport engineer. Motorsport engineering is just a specific application and IMO too specialised for someone at your level of education. Basically you're narrowing your future career choices unnecessarily. But it's up to you at the end of the day. I can only advise as someone who went through all this 18 years ago and finished up as an F1 race engineer. If you are 100% certain that you want to work in motorsport then there isn't anything wrong with a motorsport engineering degree. But then there's nothing wrong with a Mech Eng degree either. It's what you do with it that really counts and gaining practical experience as you have done already is a key element.

Good luck!

Thanks alot its definately given me a lot of food for thought, and at current i can't see me being anywhere but in and around race cars purely because of the buzz i get from it and i don't want to settle for anything less. Although on the other hand whose to say 15 years down the line i don't want a change.
I'll definately look into mechanical engineering and thanks again to everyone replying

No worries, keep your options open as much as possible at this stage. If you take an accredited mechanical engineering degree (or aeronautical engineering) and keep working for a racing team in your spare time then your chances of becoming an F1 engineer will not be adversely affected. But if you decide to take a different engineering career path you'll be better off with a less specialised degree.