Working in F1

[Pierre6]

Hi everybody!

I like to gain some knowledge about what it takes to get
a job in Formula 1.

Are there people on this forum who work, worked or are going
to work in F1?

What are your skills have to be,...

Thanks!

[TheMinister]

You will need: a degree.

I'm on a gap year at the moment, going to university next year. I called a bunch of the teams last month to ask for internships this year, but they all said that you need to have a degree (or 2 years of an engineering course and take a year out of it) to be considered.

But don't be afraid to call and ask them these things. The websites might not give out the phone numbers, but a quick google can find them. Also the receptionists are trying to get rid of millions of hopeless fanboys but if you ask nicely (or if you can get hold of an actual name) you can get put through to the HR manager or whatever. All the HR people I spoke to were very helpful and nice, even if they didn't want me.

Give us more details if you want more specific advice.

[Pierre6]

Hi!

Alright, i got a degree, MSc Electronics/ICT - Automotive Engineering.

I graduated this year in June and i am currently working for the R&D
department in my University.

I always thought you'd have to got a lot of experience before
you make a chance to work for an F1 team.

I'll google around a bit...
Thanks for the input!

[compo]

[newbie]

One tip: if you want to send an email to a team about internship and placement enquiries...DONT! its better to send physical mail, they actually read that. and look around in specialist magazines like autosport, they always advertise positions there. You dont necessarily need tonnes of experience, teams are often looking for people to fill junior roles where they expect to hire people just graduating from university.

[ringo]

Mclaren website lays out the kind of Jobs that you can obtain and they have a few descriptions of what the job entails. They even want fitness trainers and truck drivers.
I wonder if they will take anybody in the western hemisphere? Or someone fresh out of university with a degree?

[Scuderia_Russ]

You don't need a degree for every job in F1. What do you want to do?

[pedrocoutoferrari]

Goony do you really work on Mclaren?

I am finishing my Msc in mechanical engineering and i am about to do my master thesis in imperial college about composites...

How can i get into F1?

Regards;

[tahadar]

Imperial has many links with F1, use them! I am quite familiar with the Aero department there

[Jersey Tom]

Want to work directly in pro motorsport?

Be the best at what you do. Have heaps of qualifications.

Have a reputation. Start in a lower series. Prove that you want to work long hours in an extremely competitive, sometimes exhaustive environment, for pay that may not be spectacular.

Even on FSAE teams, lots of people show up "Oh this is awesome, I wanna work on the car!" but few man up to put in 70+ hours a week, including weekends.

Even as a motorsport supplier.. there are some things that are fun and rewarding, but there are a lot of things that are a huge pain in the ass.

I don't understand why so many people want to jump to F1, particularly immediately out of college. Why not GP2? Why not F3? You've got to prove yourself. A university degree with no REAL experience is a long shot.

[Giblet]

Some people think that aligning yourself with a company that supplies F1 is the best way in the door. Or at least into the paddock.

Maybe working with Hitco, AP, Brembro, Mahle, Shell, Bridgestone, etc would be a faster way in to say "I work in F1".

Nigel Mansel was a truck driver for Williams for a long time. When he talked of the Honda looking and driving like a truck he knew what he was talking about.

[Jersey Tom]

I still don't understand the obsession with "working in F1." Sounds contrived. Is just BEING in F1 what would make someone happy? Or is it your actual JOB function. Ie

"I'd like to learn and be a vehicle dynamics engineer."
"I want to be a data acquisition specialist."
"I enjoy working in aerodynamics, how can I be an airfoil analyst?"

The series you work in shouldn't really matter.

[compo]

[Pierre6]

Hey guys,

thanks for the great tips!

@Jerry Tom: it's not that i especially want to
work in F1, just something in racing with what i can
make a living. Thanks for the great tips!

Regards,

Pieter