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Life on the team
No instruction manual. Real deadlines. A car that has to be on the grid on Saturday morning.
The closest thing to a race team job.
UWR students apply what they learn in lectures in a live motorsport environment where preparation, inspections, data, setup and communication all matter.
Students build, prepare, maintain and develop the cars, attend race meetings and work alongside the University’s staff race engineer and professional driver. Teams have been around 20 strong, with — in 2019 — about 70% of the F3 crew in their first year.
- Workshop access: CAD, CFD and FEA suites, engine and drivetrain testing, metal 3D printing and composites labs
- Trackside at Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Donington, Oulton Park, Snetterton and beyond
- Industry contact through 40+ partners and Autosport International
Find your seat.
Engineering roles sit alongside project management, finance, sponsorship and media — all real jobs in motorsport.
Race mechanics
Build, prepare and maintain the cars. Torque sequences, corner weights, gearbox rebuilds, pit stops.
Data & performance
Log and analyse data, compare laps, build setup recommendations and debrief the driver.
Race engineering
Own the setup sheet. Tyres, pressures, aero balance, fuel and strategy calls on the pit wall.
Design & composites
CAD, CFD, FEA, 3D printing and composite parts — from aero strakes to brackets.
Electronics & systems
Looms, sensors, dashes and diagnostics. Reliability is the first performance gain.
Operations & logistics
Transport, spares, scrutineering paperwork and making sure everything is in the truck.
Finance & sponsorship
Budgets, partner proposals and keeping 40+ sponsors informed and delighted.
Media & communications
Photography, social, race reports and the stories that keep the team in the public eye.
Thursday to Sunday.
Load & travel
Final checks, spares list, load the truck and head for the circuit.
Test & scrutineering
Unload, build the garage, pass scrutineering and run testing with a setup plan.
Qualifying
Tyres, pressures and fuel. Debrief, adjust, and prepare for the race.
Race day
Pit stops and strategy under pressure — then pack up and start the debrief.
Projects, sim racing & superbikes.
There is more to UWR than the race programmes. Students have built Formula Student “Wolf” cars, are designing the Wolf RS single-seater, prepare the Formula Renault for Foundation Year students through the Formula Foundation programme, and have run an e-sports sim-racing team. In 2026 a link with Stanford Racing took selected engineers into the British Superbike paddock.
Ready to get your hands dirty?
UWR is open to students across engineering and beyond. Register your interest and we’ll be in touch.