Motorsport

When it comes to motorsport, we are the authority on recruitment within Formula One, F1, Formula E, MotoGP, WRC, IndyCar, F2, WRC, Le Mans and many other forms of motorsport.

Motorsport reaches nearly 200 countries; aside from the Olympics, no other sport transcends that many countries.  By 2025 almost $9bn will be added to the world economy from motorsport alone.  We are embedded as one of the 4,500 companies associated with the UK's motorsport and high-performance engineering industry.  However, within recruitment, we are the go-to experts globally. 

Whether you need permanent, contract or interim support, we are able to offer this internationally in any motorsport.  It also helps that we are also motorsport fans.

R&D and Advanced Engineering

There is never a finishing line in Motorsport when it comes to R&D. The Motorsport industry is the pinnacle for prototype racing; the engineers use technology in motorsport that when proven as being successful, become vital for the Automotive industry. On the roads today we are currently extracting technology used in Formula 1 and prototype racing to improve CO2 emissions and reliability.

The pursuit of optimal materials is constant.  Whilst composite materials account for almost 85% of most F1 cars, they only make up 20% of the weight.  But these boundaries are being pushed every day.

Every nanosecond makes a difference and so budgets are spent on R&D and advanced engineering.  It means that there is a constant need for professionals.    From the initial R&D back at the factories and labs, through to simulation and finally race day. Data Engineering and Race Strategy roles are recruited regularly across suspension, chassis structures and engine systems.

Over recent years the wind tunnel has become a focus for enhancing performance, and we have been placing experts into teams who are testing configurations to reduce wind tunnel interference and design the best possible aerodynamic solutions, as well as looking at the underbody effects from rolling road systems with integrated force measurement.

Hardware, Software, Systems and Electronics

In F1, between measurements of G-forces, temperature fluctuations, engine RPMs, and other minutiae of car performance and race conditions, about two terabytes of data are generated per car per race per weekend.

Increasingly, the very design of cars is shaped by data collection concerns. One source estimated that every F1 car contains a kilometre of wiring and upwards of 150 sensors. All of these feed into a central Electronic Control Unit, where they are then broadcast to the pits and the team’s HQ by a telemetry antenna. With cloud computing, each member of the crew can receive an informational feed relevant to their own specific job.

The systems measure g-forces and how they affect the car and driver (at top speed, an F1 car can experience up to 6 Gs--double what astronauts experience during lift-off), the temperature of key components such as the exhaust and brakes, the driver’s biometrics, and oil and water levels, among other details.

Pit mechanics can use telemetric data to interpret what types of tyres and nose cones are appropriate for each track. Team engineers can improve the performance of all of their cars’ systems using information about the racing conditions--everything from the weather to the way the racecourse is built.

The design and development of electrical and electronic systems and hardware equipment are crucial within any motorsport arena. Many of the people we place have both analogue and digital experience but may also have come from outside of the motorsport industry, particularly the wider automotive industry and also aerospace.  But the vast majority take a hands-on approach.  

Software and hardware, alongside electronics and wider systems, are embedded into the design process, from concept, through design, manufacturing and testing, to finally race day itself.

Whilst all areas are seeing an increase, this is particularly pronounced within high-speed data acquisition systems and sensor signal conditioning design.

Safety, Quality and Test

Safety has always been of paramount importance, but as speeds become consistently faster, new materials are being used and every ounce of efficiency is being squeezed, safety considerations continue to be at the fore.

Whilst all manufacturers will look to push efficiency gains of any safety protocols, the FIA rules and regulations must be adhered to.  An understanding of these is essential for anybody wishing to make a career in the Quality and Test sector. 

Test and development, alongside systems and safety, are steady in their demand for highly efficient, commercially focussed, yet independently-minded engineers.  The industry moves at a faster pace than the cars do, so there is a lot of pressure to keep up.  The challenge, therefore, is to meet the accuracy and quality requirements head-on done whilst also supporting efficiency gains required for a race day.

Manufacturing

Whether as individual elements or as complete turn-key solutions, the manufacture of composites and electronics design is essential to the success of the motorsport industry. 

The Motorsport industry has always adopted emerging and original technology in its manufacturing, and the industry remains committed to developing new composite solutions. Increasingly composite development in manufacturing has centred upon elements produced using additive manufacturing or rapid prototyping processes.  Manufacturers are racing to harness the benefit from these, and the demands for those working in this area outstrip the availability. 

Electronics fill almost every part of a motorsport vehicle.  Manufacturing of these is a highly specialised and intensely competitive business, which requires highly skilled engineers and electricians.  Whether it be lighting fixtures, batteries, electronic motors or fuel flow systems, each element is important.

But electronics are also important for making measurements to aid development.  In both engine testbed instrumentation and in-vehicle measurements, performance can be enhanced where engines respond to software and hardware developments.

Race Engineers

Race engineers are adept at quickly understanding and explaining data traces from multiple inputs and sensors. But moreover, can then clearly and concisely provide feedback and guidance to drivers so that performance can be improved and set-up optimised. 

Track engineers will also be adepts at using data logging software. However, the sole responsibility is to force maximum performance from the vehicle during the race.

A race team is more than what you see.  Whilst the race is won on the circuit or track, a championship or campaign is only successful if it is won back at the factory.

Race engineers will therefore manage and optimise each element of a vehicle at race and test events.  Someone working in this role is consequently in high demand if they have the ability to communicate with drivers, develop performance, plan test runs, prepare a car in a legal and reliable way, and coordinate with fellow race day engineers.

 

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