Not all Singaporeans are confined to the track; some are emerging as Formula 1 players but not as drivers. He is Gautham Ramesh who got hooked to F1 races at the age of 11 watching legends like Michael Schumacher. Although he knew that he was too tall to be a driver, he never gave up on his desire to work in the motorsport field but concentrate on the engineering aspect.
Gautham did his under graduation in Mechanical and Aeronautical engineering from National University of Singapore and post graduate from Imperial College London. He even engaged in automotive clubs and racing competitions, wherein he applied knowledge in constructing race cars.
His determination saw him working with four F1 teams among them Williams Racing and Lotus (currently known as Alpine), and he currently works from Singapore as a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology engineer. His work is the application of physics and mathematics to come up with a better car aerodynamics, to make F1 teams perform better.
F1 Jobs Beyond the Track
Formula 1 is not only the drivers. As for Gautham and many other Singaporeans, there are great job prospects away from the racing track. For instance, Heng Yi-Hsin was interning at Red Bull Racing and he was working as a fan engagement and events coordinator. She got her two months internship in different European cities where she had practical experience in organizing F1 events and even on the track.
Heng revealed that there is more to F1 than fame and racing, of course. It creates avenues for marketing, media, technology, and many other fields. F1 Tech also has an impact on other sectors such as health and automobiles, as Gautham also noted.
Nurturing Young Talent
The F1 in Schools programme is also playing a part in getting young Singaporeans interested in motorsports. As organized by the Mastereign Group, this program allows the students to experience what it is like to live the F1 lifestyle through a number of exhibitions, displays, as well as presentations by local drivers. This exposure makes the students to think of pursuing a course in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) area.
F1, as described by Amanda Rachael De Souza a teacher involved in the programme,
F1’s Contribution to Singapore’s Economy
Formula 1 is not only a sport but also a show that creates income for Singapore and affects many sectors. From performing on the stage during concerts to selling products as vendors, the F1 Singapore Grand Prix is a massive event that provides jobs in many fields.
The Singapore Grand Prix for 2024 will take place from September 20th to September 22nd at the Marina Bay Street Circuit to bring together fans and job seekers in the F1 community.
