7 July 2022

F1® in Schools revs up student careers
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F1® in Schools, the biggest global STEM challenge, is a proven route to motorsport and automotive careers and the Aramco F1® in Schools World Finals 2022 next month will showcase the work of over 280 talented students, with many of them aiming to join former competitors in the motorsport industry, and the ultimate goal, Formula 1®.  

George Britton, 2015 World Champion and member of USA team, Union Racing International, now works trackside as a Performance Engineer at Williams Racing, with F1® in Schools playing a key role in his success. George says: 

“Winning the F1 in Schools World Champions 2015 title and securing a place in the Williams Engineering Academy was a pivotal moment in my career. I started doing F1 in Schools in High School in the States as a fun way to learn more about Formula 1, which was one of my interests. I dreamed of being part of a Formula 1 team and had set my heart on being an engineer, but I didn’t know how I was going to achieve that ambition. 
 
“I had no idea that doing F1 in Schools would be the first step of my journey that has led to being trackside at Formula 1 Grands Prix with Williams.  I can credit Williams Engineering Academy for mentoring me through my university degree and giving me the opportunity to join the team, but if it hadn’t been for F1 in Schools I wouldn’t have been in the Academy, so the programme has a special place in my heart.” 

Red Bull Racing Aerodynamics Engineer, Paul Cumner, was a team member of the 2014 World Finals winning team, Colossus F1, from the UK. Paul competed in F1® in Schools for three years, setting him on a path to working for the four-time F1® Constructors’ World Championship winners in Milton Keynes. 
 
“F1 in Schools was an amazing experience which first introduced me to real world engineering, enabling me to develop key skills that I’ve used throughout my studies and now in my career. It not only developed my technical engineering skills, but also helped build confidence in public speaking and showed how hard work and dedication can really pay off.
 
 “The competition opened lots of doors, including traveling to Abu Dhabi and touring F1 factories. It inspired me to study engineering at university which has culminated in my job as an Aerodynamics Engineer at Red Bull Racing. F1 in schools is a really exciting opportunity, which provides you with so many skills for the future, and I would recommend it to everyone.”

F1® in Schools ignited the passion of the sport for Mary Aldersley, now a Transmission and Component Assembly Lifing Engineer at McLaren Racing. Mary competed at the national level in the UK, before earning a Motorsport Engineering degree and securing her role at the multiple World Championship winning Formula 1® team.
 
Mary said: “Getting involved with F1 in Schools when I was younger opened my eyes to the careers behind the sport and the opportunities it offered to someone like me, who was interested in Formula 1. I’d recommend any student who is interested in motorsport to take on the challenge of F1 in Schools and who knows where it can take you. It was the first step for me and set me on my path to F1”

Bilal Yildirim competed in F1® in Schools Germany and his success in the competition led him to pursue a career in Formula 1. He now works as a Digital Performance Engineer at Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN. 

“I have had a passion for fast cars, motor racing and especially Formula 1, since a young age, so F1 in Schools was a great opportunity for me to explore the technical side of racing cars and gain important skills, which I still use today. It was a great competition and taught me so much, from public speaking to working with CAD, introducing me to a career path which could lead me to a job in Formula 1. It certainly opened doors for me and started me on the road to my current role at Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN”.

Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1® in Schools is proud of the springboard that the challenge gives to young STEM talent. 
 
“Seeing our alumni working in the F1 pitlane and factories makes me immensely proud and proves just how valuable and influential our programme can be for students who have the passion and determination to reach the pinnacle of motorsport. 
 
“George, Paul, Mary and Bilal put in the hard work and dedication that is needed to secure coveted job roles in the Formula 1 industry and there are many more students who have competed in F1 in Schools who have gone on to achieve their ambitions, whether this is within finance, management, science, or many other different careers. The programme is all about self-discovery, unearthing talent, nurturing and developing life skills, as well as rewarding exceptional STEM talent. I know that every student who participates in F1 in Schools will have benefited and use their learning in later life. 
 
“I’m looking forward to meeting our Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals 2022 students and following their careers in the future. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more Formula 1 stars of the future.”
 
The Aramco F1® in Schools World Finals 2022 is held with the support of a host of sponsors including Formula 1®, Aramco, Denford, Autodesk, FIA Women in Motorsport, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, UCL Mechanical Engineering, Project Management Institute Educational Foundation, FIA Action for Road Safety and F1® Manager 22.