Undergraduates in motorsport

During the last Valencia NASCAR Fest I got the chance to interview Ander Vilariño and Borja García. But that is not all. I also met two young students volunteering for Racing Club Partners.

Volunteering happens to be one of the best paths to get into motorsport. For instance, in Williams’s Careers Advice we find that, as well as giving our best at school,

It is also important to get practical experience, so try to use your vacations or gap year etc to get some. This could be paid employment in a garage or workshop or even voluntary labour for a junior race team.

Here is a quick questions and answers with one of them.

That's me talking with one of the students. The laptop always close to him for data analysis.

That’s me talking with one of the students. The laptop always close to him for data analysis.

Could you introduce yourself in a few lines?

My name is K. P. and I am from Cyprus. I am currently in my final year at the University of Bath, UK on an MEng Mechanical Engineering with Advanced Design and Innovation.

Where does your passion for motorsport come from?

I really like the intensity of the sport and the team spirit.

What’s your field of specialization? If none, which would suit your interests?

I am a problem solver.

What’s your role within the team? Are you assisting the team only during race weekends?

I join the team only on race weekends and I am responsible for collecting data and for specifying any modifications that will improve the car’s performance.

Have you taken part in any other team and/or motorsport category?

No.

What steps did you follow till you got part in your first racing team?

Networking. Get to know people.

What can you tell us about the stock car you’ve been working in during this Valencia NASCAR fest?

New circuit, new car, new season. We are still learning.

Tune to win. How do you do it?

I will highly recommend that you have a look at Carol Smith’s “Tune to Win”. It is the heart of our operations.

During the race session, what’s your activity?

Collect lap time, any information from the driver, prepare the crew in case the driver needs to come in.

Does this live up to your expectations?

This is a hobby for me and it is much more exciting than I imagined because the team has been amazing.

Any piece of advice to undergraduates who would love to follow your steps?

Maintain a lot of energy and passion.

I hope we shall meet again in the pit lane. Good luck.

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