The eight talented students, supported by Mission 44 and the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Motorsport Scholarship programme, had the opportunity to sit down with Lewis for an inspiring conversation about their future careers and how the scholarship is supporting them to reach their dreams.

After this, the Scholars headed trackside for a unique look into the exciting world of F1, including a behind-the-scenes tour of the Scuderia Ferrari HP garage, a visit to F1 Onboard, and a hands-on experience at Pirelli’s tyre fitting area and Hot Laps garage.

During the weekend, as part of our formal collaboration with F1, Mission 44 also brought together key stakeholders from across the sport, including representatives from F1 teams, young people and partners, for an ‘Igniting Inclusion’ summit, exploring how to build a more diverse and inclusive motorsport industry.

After Mission 44 CEO Jason Arthur and F1’s Head of ESG Ellen Jones kicked off the event, Motorsport Scholars Gerren, Lily and Mohamed, alongside F1 Engineering Scholar Harsh, led an inspiring panel discussion titled ‘From Barriers to Blueprints: Our Road into Motorsports’ chaired by Mission 44 Youth Advisory Board member Amber.

Aston Martin F1 Team then shared their own successful case studies that are opening pathways for talented students from underrepresented backgrounds into F1 careers. The summit concluded with an insightful discussion between all attendees reflecting on what the main barriers are to a more diverse motorsport and the best solutions to remove those barriers.

Alongside the weekend’s activities, Mission 44 released new research, carried out by Opinium, highlighting a disconnect between the growing interest in motorsport and an understanding of the career opportunities that exist within it.

The data revealed that women make up almost 41% of Formula 1’s global fanbase, and those aged 16-25 represent the fastest-growing demographic of fans. However, nearly half (46%) of young women say they know nothing about the different types of roles available in motorsport.

Perceptions of motorsport as male-dominated continue to deter women from pursuing careers in the sport, with up to 40% of young people believing that men are better suited for roles such as engineers, mechanics and pit crew.

The perceived lack of visibility is also a barrier for young people from ethnic minority backgrounds, with 85% saying it’s important to see someone who looks like them in their dream job. Yet a quarter of ethnic minority youth still feel they wouldn’t fit into motorsport as it currently stands, and one in ten (12%) have been directly told that the industry “isn’t for them.”

Through programmes like the Motorsport Scholarship and our work with partners such as the Association for Black & Minority Ethnic Engineers, Driven By Us, Girls on Track, Race for Diversity and upReach, Mission 44 is continuing to drive change and is committed to building a more diverse and inclusive motorsport sector so that every young person has access to great careers in STEM.

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