Hey guys,

Just after a bit of infomation and figures really.

Whats it like to work as a race technician for a race team? Whats the money like? Any chance of progression possibly to F1?

Cheers

Drew

 

Most F1 Engineers are direct applicants with little or no experience with other teams ( unless swapping between F1 teams ) from what I know. I dont think that there is a clear progression path to F1 from working for smaller teams in the lesser formulae from what I have read.

Not to say there wouldnt be a fulfilling career in working your way up the ranks, but if F1 is a specific goal then I dont think it benefits you trying to do it. I'm sure there's a few peeps on here who've worked in an F1 environment who can help

 

I work for a clio cup team as a mechanic, the money's crap, the hours are long and your usually outside in the pouring rain but I absolutely love it, theres plenty of opportunities around and you can usually get into touring cars and gt's etc if you want but F1 is probably abit of a long shot.

 

Well, from when i did my apprenticeship in F1 - i can confirm that the divorce rate is higher in F1 than the forces due to the amount of time the lads were out the country

The hours were massive and there was an enormous amount of "we've changed our mind, all the work you did the morning, we need you to undo and redo slightly differently...".

As a rule, you do the job for the love of it, not for the money - and the F1 money was a LOT better than a lot of other places.

I worked it out once, (admittedly i wasn't in F1 at this point) i did a race support weekend where i drove over 600 miles in 48 hrs, did 2 seperate race events at different venues, had less than 4 hrs sleep across 3 days and pro-rota earnt less than Ł2 an hour

However, on a brighter note, you will make some of the most genuine friends ever through it and the experiences and race win satisfaction are like nothing else on earth!

 

Agree with Will about the divorce rate. When I was at Uni, a guy in my class that worked for Ilmor asked me if I was interested in a job as a test team Engineer at McLaren. I asked about the hours and days away testing, as my wife was 5 months pregnant. I never even applied for the job. I got an Engineering position at Cosworth responsible for the V6 RS4 Audi engine build. Two of the engine builders I had working under me had F1 jobs, both were divorced. I worked very long hours, but was home nearly every evening, and lived close by. My mate Luke was involved in sensors and wiring systems at Jaguar F1. He took a Sunday off, first day off in 32 days, and his boss was bitching. It's a brilliant career if you are willing to pay the price.

John

 

have to agree i spanner for the 888 Honda team in the britcar production series and you do it for the love of motorsport not the money, the night time pissups are great especially if the team wins

 

only the other week i saw my old mate sitting next to jenson button on a BBC interview..seems he's now some kind of performance manager strategist type thingy for Brawn GP........nice to see an old mate doing well!

 

So roughly when people say the money isnt great, what sort of figures are we talking yearly?

I mean I do love Motorsport with a passion, but I dont think I wanna be doing myself out of money and relationship because of it.

 

Also why how did you get your apprenticeship? and who with?

And why did you leave the sport?

 

Ive gone for it!!!!!!!

And im loving it!!!!!!!

 

Glad you're enjoying it Drew

 

How did you get into it? I'd love to do this.

 

So what team and how is the money?

 

+1

Glad your enjoying it!

Didn't see this thread 1st time round.

I decided not to go for F1... too much stress and little fun.

 

It'll be Renault..............

.

 

Just met an F3 engineer - doing data and electronics. €2800 a month and rent paid on his flat. Lots of travel. Based in Italy. Loves the job. Some busy periods. Difficult to get into but clearly a satisfying job.

Charlie

 

Awww mate it is fapping brilliant! best decision ive made!

http://www.tresham.ac.uk/nc4m

Im just at college at the moment, but currently talking to CRS Racing for a placement!


http://www.crscuderia.com/

 

Drew - Did you look at the other colleges that make up the National College for Motorsport?

When i went there were Milton Keynes, Tresham & Rycotewood (which then moved to Bicester).

I looked at MK & Rycotewood but didn't get chance to look at Tresham.

Was just curious to see if you'd had chance to compare them?

 

Will how are you finding Blackpool? Good or bad decision at mo?

 

Seems good so far. Obviously it's tip of the iceberg stuff as we're in week 2 of year 1

Definitely going to be stuff i can get my teeth into though

 

You guys have a college of motorsport!? Jeezus. I can only take bear trapping and pelt tanning.

Lucky bastards.

 

Good to see you'll still be learning something then.

 

No I didnt, I just looked the Silverstone college along with some uni courses