Industrial Placement - Vehicle Dynamics Review

Currently working on improving the existing simulation toolset by refining and enhancing its current capabilities. Also involved in the development of new simulation tools to expand functionality. This includes analysing how closely simulations align with real-world outcomes to ensure accuracy and reliability.
The placement began with a focus on event support, where the main responsibility was running simulations for each event. This involved regular communication with race engineers.

Throughout my placement, I was given a significant amount of responsibility, especially when it came to running simulations that directly influenced setup decisions for events. Over time, as I gained experience and proved my reliability, I was trusted with even more independence. By the end of the placement, I was no longer closely monitored, but instead expected to take initiative and complete tasks on my own. This level of trust was both motivating and a key part of my development.

During my placement, I gained a lot of valuable experience that helped me grow both professionally and personally. It was my first proper job outside of volunteering, so learning how to work in a team was a big step. The fast-paced nature of the industry pushed me to become more productive and efficient with my time. I also got better at multitasking, often running simulations while working on other tasks, and I learned a great deal about how an F1 car works and the basics of vehicle dynamics.

The handover process at the beginning of my placement was a bit challenging, as the person who had previously done my role was no longer available, which made it harder to get up to speed initially. However, once I settled in, the support and guidance I received from the team were excellent. Apart from the initial handover, I have nothing negative to say about the experience.

The team culture was genuinely good. Everyone was friendly, supportive, and easy to get along with, which made the workdays enjoyable. Outside of work, though, I mostly spent time online with friends from back home. I didn’t really socialise much with the team after hours, but that was more down to personal choice than anything else. I was happy with the balance and felt comfortable throughout the placement.

I really enjoyed the placement and learned a huge amount throughout my time there. It was definitely stressful at times, especially coming from a student background where your work doesn’t usually have real consequences. Knowing that what I was doing could directly affect people and decisions added a lot of pressure, but also made it more rewarding. It was also incredibly cool to get such an in depth look into the F1 industry and see how things work behind the scenes.

Yes