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[jim.94.McLaren]

hey , im 14 years old and i want to be a F1 mechanic, i have been wanting to do somthing in F1 for a long time but my family dosent have the money for me to start karts so i desided to be a mechanic insteed so i was wondering if you would tell me the grades i need for G.C.S.E to achieve my goal.
thanks
jim

[texasmr2]

This subject is being discussed here already so check it out maybe it will help alittle and good luck.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4422

[jim.94.McLaren]

thanks although it didnt help a great deal.
but if u find anything else please contact me
thanks
jim

[texasmr2]

thanks although it didnt help a great deal.
but if u find anything else please contact me
thanks
jim

Sorry Jim but you need to contact the F1 team's directly instead of asking us here because there is really no member that I am aware of that is affiliated or employed by a F1 team. There is one member though who said he used to work for McLaren so maybe he will chime in sooner or later.

Good luck and I would start emailing/mailing F1 team's directly as that would be your best chance for the info/input you are seeking.

[Selcouth_Feline]

hey , im 14 years old and i want to be a F1 mechanic, i have been wanting to do somthing in F1 for a long time but my family dosent have the money for me to start karts so i desided to be a mechanic insteed so i was wondering if you would tell me the grades i need for G.C.S.E to achieve my goal.

Hi Jim,

Although grades aren't always the be-all and end-all, if you get good grades in whatever exams you take (GCSEs, A-Levels etc), it should hold you in good stead for the first few jobs you apply for. So I would say aim for As wherever possible! Having said that, it also depends on what GCSEs you are taking - good grades in core subjects such as mathematics, english and science will probably be worth more in your field than, say, art or geography. I'm not saying ignore these other GCSEs, but definitely push for good grades in the subjects you feel will help your career.

I would also try seeing if you can get some work experience with any sort of team, be it karting, rallying or whatever. Although paid is good, unpaid will also look good on your CV If you don't have a track near you, I would think that having at least some experience in mechanics would be a good thing, so even helping out at a local garage would be a good start.

Good luck

[jim.94.McLaren]

thanks guys ill get to work on it now
cheers
jim

[texasmr2]

That is good advice from Selcouth_Feline, git 'er done!

[burt estep]

do the very best you can in school.read steve machett's book about the 94 gp season when he was a rear jackman/mechanic at benetton f1.read all you can on automotive enginnering.autosport magazine posts job openings in their classified section at the back of the mag.but you will not step directly into a f1 job these day's.so start small/at a race school.i've worked at skip barber[saab]-indy porsche teams-the factory porsche le mans team/for roger penske/callaway etc/ be prep/for very long hours no sleep and a travel sched.that will kill you.be real careful about burn-out/be a absolute team player/asume no ego. best of luck to you.nothing like the joy of "your" car winning the race. burt.

[welshie]

Hey Jim,

So you want to be an F1 mechanic?! Good on ya mate.
As for GCSE don't worry too much my friend, just try for the best grades you can A-C in english, maths is a good start . . . and if your school offers it go for separate science rather than double award grab that straight away. Step 1 complete

Ok now for A levels. As you can imagine these are harder . . . but not as much as you think. Go for technical subjects, physics and maths are good but we're not all blessed with a calculator of a brain, so Design Technology is a useful subject! Also pick a non-related subject that your good at, could be art or sports or French or whatever you fancy! A levels is all about UCAS points and two B's and a C is ample to get you in to most British Uni's!

So now to choose a uni course. Motorsport technology will do nicely! Go for a sandwich course (2 yrs study, 1 yr work placement, 1 yr study). Now, uni is not hard and you don't need to be clever, just remember time&effort made = better results!! And you want good results.

So that is the academic route. Here are some tips.
1. As soon as you can afford an old car that runs (£50 max!) buy it! Take it to pieces and put is back together again, understand what everything is and what it does, and don't be scared just dive straight in.
2. Choosing a good Uni is important. Most courses are similar, but go for a Uni in a big city for a better social life . . . you'll thank me later!
3. For your year work placement try a lower formula race team, GP2 or even Rally!

I know that is a lot to take in, but its not set in stone, it's just one route in.
Here is my moto and my final gift:-

Whatever you vividly imagine,
ardently desire, sincerely believe,
and enthusiastically act upon,
must inevitably come to pass

Good luck, Welshie

[kerc]

There's something about this thread that I find very cool. Go Jim!

[jim.94.McLaren]

thanks all.
I have just got my wok placment sorted and its at a local race team / garage

[Selcouth_Feline]

thanks all.
I have just got my wok placment sorted and its at a local race team / garage

That's fantastic news
Let us know how you get on

[Sam-KK24]

There are a massive amount of Uni's that do Motorsport now, although if you want to be a mechanic I'd be more inclined to sway towards "Motorsport Engineering" rather than Motorsport Technology.

On a different note, you really can do karting on a very reasonable and honest budget, trust me! I'm from a working class background and I've been doing it for 6 years now. Also, if you're getting work placement etc you can look to these companies for sponsorship.

If you want to be a race driver at heart, then do everything you can to be a race driver.. I've learned that over the last few months Anyway, if you ever do look at getting into karts, fire me a PM.. I would be happy to help

[Robert182]

hey , im 14 years old and i want to be a F1 mechanic, i have been wanting to do somthing in F1 for a long time but my family dosent have the money for me to start karts so i desided to be a mechanic insteed so i was wondering if you would tell me the grades i need for G.C.S.E to achieve my goal.
thanks
jim

alright mate , well we both have the same dream lol haha ive worked on car since i was old enough to hold a spanner (which was about 10/11) lol i did my g.c.s.e. and then went to college / a levels to do mechanical engineering and done that and ive worked as a mechaic and now im in the national college of motorsport at silverstone doing motorsport engineering and working with Fortec Motorsport.....but after loads of emails and phone calls i have work experiance with force india next year hopefully another 2 years or 3 years so and il get to either formula 1 so all the best mate

[mrp101]

good luck jim

just to let you know, to get some real good hands on experience in open-wheel you can try to get on a Formula Student team when you further your studies. Or Formula SAE over here in the US. Teams like it.

Good luck!