I want to be Ron Dennis.?

Question

Hey guys, sorry for another one of these questions, it seems to be rather popular in the F1 section at the moment but my uni selections are coming up soon and I want to be head of McLaren. I am willing to do anything, I cannot express my obsession with McLaren :D... I'm even going to the birthplace of Bruce McLaren the day after I graduate so yeah...

But I just need some help, how should I get to be the top? I was considering a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering but is that too focused on large machines rather than the intracities of a F1 engine? Or should I do something like Business, personally I don't think business would help me that much because of the type of company McLaren is, and because I'm concentrating on the McLaren racing side not McLaren Automotive.

Please help I really have no clue, except to do what Martin Whitmarsh did (engineering)...

Thanks

Aaron

Answer 1

Peter Windsor wrote an article in the F1 Racing magazine (Australian edition) in April this year about a friend of his who, ever since he was 16, had always wanted to work as an F1 engineer. He did his own research, and figured out that the University of Loughborough in UK produced more F1 engineers than any other, so off he went to the Uni of L to do engineering. He did well, he got his Masters, then wrote to every single F1 team asking for a job. Not one replied. So he never got a job in F1. It was not that he wasn't good enough. He is apparently in the Aerospace industry in USA now and moving up the ladder rapidly, so there's no question of his ability.

I guess you have to be lucky and be at the right place at the right time AND have loads of talent to be noticed. You would also have to be able to sell yourself and impress your future boss in order to get what you want, I suppose.

You don't necessarily have to start at McLaren. You could work as an engineer at Mercedes, perhaps. If you're good, they'll spot you and will want you in the team. You could go get a job at Toyota, or Renault, or Honda in the roadcar section. You may be offered a job to work as an engineer at Toro Rosso, and move your way up the F1 ladder and eventually end up at McLaren. Or work for Boeing, or NASA, or Shell or Bridgestone.

You're still young and it's good to dream and aim high. But you've gotta work hard to get there. It's a long road , there'll be ups and downs, failures and rejections, exams to pass, assignments to hand in, lectures to go to, and lots of distractions along the way. Girls, s*x, cars, money, drugs, music and alcohol. Maybe in a few years time, you may have other interests or lost interest in F1. Even if you do make it to F1 maybe you might find it's not what you'd expected or been looking for and become disillusiond with your job. But hey, that's life. You will never know what you are going to get. The fun bit is chasing your dream. If you did your best and failed, well, atleast you tried. Good luck.

Answer 2

Crumbs! What a scary question...lol

As Rosbif has mentioned most of the old school enginers started off as mechanics. Colin Chapman used to buid and race Austin 7 specials before borrowing £5 from the wife to rent a lock up garage to start Lotus, ( true)!

Not really possible theese days, though a Master of science in aeronautics would start you off a treat, if I could go back 10 years, its what I would of worked towards, to give you an idea,

http://www.erau.edu/db/degrees/ma-aerosc...

Answer 3

I'd write to RD and tell him.  See what he recommends you do.  I'd make sure you have no typos in your letter to him.  You should understand that with large complex companies, no amount of hard work will necessarily get you to the top; you have to work hard, be smart and also get some great breaks.  Then you might have a slim chance.

Answer 4

Ron was a mechanic at Cooper and Brabham, and worked his way up. He founded his own team, Project 4, and ended up doing a reverse buy-out of McLaren. Frank Williams was also, briefly, a mechanic and travelling grocery salesman before he founded his own team too and worked his way up through the formulas.

If you want SPECIFICALLY to work for McLaren, then you'd be best off having an education that will get you into McLaren International in any old job, including starting in the road car division if you have to - talent will always gravitate to the F1 team. Engineering is the obvious choice, and you shouldn't be put off by what your BA contains, as long as it leaves the door open to you doing a more specialised MA and/or Phd afterwards. If you feel that Mech Eng is not right, then look at aeronautical engineering too - that may be a closer relation to F1 work.