Imperial announces engineering scholarships to widen participation in motorsport

Department of Mechanical Engineering undergraduates work on a vehicle in Imperial's Pit Garage

Imperial and Formula 1 have announced a new series of scholarships, designed to encourage more young people to pursue careers in the sport.

Formula 1 will fund three scholarships for female students and students from minority ethnic backgrounds.

The Formula 1 Engineering Scholarships will be in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and will help nurture the next generation of engineers and technicians in motorsport, helping to improve diversity and opportunities in the sport.

About the scholarships

The Formula 1 Engineering Scholarships will be open to outstanding female students and students from minority ethnic groups which are underrepresented at the College, who are taking undergraduate courses in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

The scholarships will cover the full cost of student’s tuition throughout their degree and living expenses. This support will ensure that students are able to focus fully on their studies, free from financial stress or the burden of having to take on part-time work alongside their course load.

The first scholarship will be awarded this year, with the scholar due to commence their studies in October 2023. One Mechanical Engineering student will be awarded the Formula 1 Engineering Scholarship each year until 2025-26.

"We hope the next generation of young people will see the Formula 1 Engineering Scholars’ contributions and be inspired in turn." Professor Mike Lowe Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London

Professor Mike Lowe, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial said: “We are delighted that Formula 1 are creating scholarships within the Department of Mechanical Engineering and helping talented young people from all backgrounds to pursue a fulfilling career in motorsport, a dynamic field which gives engineers a wide range of opportunities, experiences and training.

“These scholarships represent an important contribution to our aim to widen participation on our degree programme and are a significant step in making women and people from minority ethnic groups more visible within Formula 1. We hope the next generation of young people will see the Formula 1 Engineering Scholars’ contributions and be inspired in turn.”

The Department of Mechanical Engineering strives to encourage equality and diversity within Imperial and the field of engineering more widely, beginning with admissions and recruitment all the way up to supporting students and staff in their studies and career ambitions.

Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1 said: “We are incredibly pleased that F1 will continue to offer the Formula 1 Engineering Scholarship to promising students from underrepresented groups. Formula 1 is all about taking direct action to make lasting change. Since Chase Carey’s generous donation in 2020, we have expanded the scholarship programme and now provide financial and career support to 20 students. We will continue to honour our commitment to increasing diversity within our incredible sport and providing opportunities to the next generation of talented students.”

Widening participation in motorsport

The Formula 1 Engineering Scholarships are part of F1’s continued commitment to increase diversity in motorsport and make the sport more accessible for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and underrepresented groups, including women and people from minority ethnic groups who may be interested in pursuing a career in motorsport.

Formula 1 has established scholarships for 20 students at a range of leading universities in the UK and Italy.