What does electrification in motorsport mean for recruitment?

Since the adoption of energy-recovery systems in Formula 1, FIA World Endurance Championship and the inception of Formula E, electric power has become more prominent in motorsport. Electrical engineering jobs are in demand, with top teams needing the best of the best to develop and maintain their powertrains – whether full-electric or hybrid.

As carbon emissions continue to be a factor, and smaller engines are largely mandatory in both the motorsport and automotive world, batteries and electrical deployment will become a regular occurrence.

Although Formula E is not as globally popular as Formula 1, it is considered the future of motorsport, with manufacturers like Audi, Renault/Nissan, BMW, Citroen, Jaguar, Porsche and Mercedes investing heavily in the series going forwards.

Motorsport is always looking towards the future, and electrical engineering is at the centre of that development. Motorsport teams will shift their attention to electric power with more rules and regulations restricting the use of normal combustion engines.

Formula E has underlined the need for graduates and established professionals to develop new skills and adapt to the challenges that the electric power unit complexity can possess.  

The majority of mechanical engineering courses at top universities in the UK study electronics and the development of batteries and electrical units. Universities recognise the potential and benefits graduates will get from learning new skills at an early stage.

This shift towards electric power has added another demand to an already increasing complexity within the sport. The emergence of hybrid engines is here to stay whether we like it or not.

If proceedings continue to develop as they are then you can expect more developments within electrical departments. Since 2009, Formula 1 has highlighted the immense capabilities of hybrid engines, as first the MGU-K and subsequently MGU-H systems were incorporated to make these engines the most efficient on the planet. This knowledge will ultimately be transferred on to road cars.

Electrical power will one day overtake traditional internal combustion engines, but the challenge for F1, WEC and Formula E is to continue to attract talented engineers who want to work on these sophisticated power units.

Although normally-aspirated internal combustion engines – such as V8, V10 and V12s – will reign supreme among fans, as well as many aspiring motorsport engineers, the reality is that electrical energy will shift the balance within engineering and could change the process within education and beyond.