This Award is designed to encourage and inspire Institution of Mechanical Engineers Formula Student teams to think about how they can play their part in creating a more diverse and inclusive sport and industry for the future.
We’re thrilled that our Sheffield Formula Racing team has been recognised as the inclusive team that it is. The team strongly believes in the benefits and advantages a diverse workforce can provide and actively tries to overcome and find solutions to the barriers faced by under-represented and minority groups to increase the team’s diversity.
Initiatives implemented within the team include:
- Welfare system with a Welfare Officer who champions wellbeing; and an agreement which all members sign to ensure a positive teamwork environment and maintain a professional and compassionate community
- Outreach events to support and promote participation in STEM activities across a diverse range of groups
- Intrateam socials covering a range of activities, but with a focus on sober socials, so that team members can avoid feeling marginalised and left out if they don’t drink alcohol
The Award was presented at the Formula Student finals at Silverstone by Racing Pride Co-Founder, Richard Morris, together with Aston Martin Formula One Team’s Eleanor Rajaratnam and Carys Conlon.
Carys Conlon, Aston Martin Formula One Team Lead Composites Engineer and Racing Pride Industry Ambassador, said: “It was a privilege for me to present this Award to Sheffield Formula Racing representing Aston Martin Formula One Team and Racing Pride.
“The Sheffield Formula Student team’s diverse representation, impactful outreach, and advocacy sets an inspiring example for how teams at all levels can support those in underrepresented, and often marginalised, communities aspiring to pursue a career in motorsport. Their progression towards a more accepting culture reflects our own efforts to promote greater diversity and belonging at AMF1. All In. All Welcome. All Celebrated.”
Following their win, the team was treated to an exclusive tour of the brand new Aston Martin F1 Campus and a full day at Base Performance Simulators – a state-of-the-art facility featuring an Aston Martin GT simulator – courtesy of Aston Martin Lagonda.
Through the factory tour the group was given a behind-the-scenes insight into how Formula One cars are designed, developed, and manufactured using the latest technologies, as well as the opportunity to meet with Aston Martin team members across departments and gain advice from them. At Base Performance, the students had the opportunity to test their driving skills and get expert coaching, within a fun environment, but also to study and practice interpreting telemetry data from the simulator.