The Royal Academy of Engineering, working with Sir Lewis Hamilton’s charitable foundation Mission 44, has awarded Masters in Motorsport Scholarships to eight talented engineering graduates hoping to work in motorsport.
The eight scholars include three women and five men and are the second cohort of students to receive financial and careers support under an innovative programme to help increase diversity in Formula 1 and the wider motorsport sector. The programme was launched in June 2022 to address a specific recommendation from The Hamilton Commission that Sir Lewis Hamilton MBE HonFREng set up to investigate the underrepresentation of Black people in UK motorsport and the STEM sector.
Mission 44 and the Academy welcomed the new awardees to the programme at a special event on 11 November at the Formula 1® Exhibition at Excel London hosted by Ariana Bravo, Formula 1 presenter for Channel 4 and F1 TV. The latest scholars had a Q&A session with engineers from Formula 1® and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team at which they also met some of the five scholars from the first year of the programme who have graduated and successfully secured jobs in F1 and wider sector. The event also included a tour of the exhibition and a session on the simulator.
Our eight new Masters in Motorsport Scholars are:
- Mohamed Elnadi, studying for an MSc in Aerodynamics and Computation at the University of Southampton
- Wesley Massumbukolt, studying for an MSc in Motorsport Engineering at Oxford Brookes University
- Steven Naaba, studying for an MSc in Motorsport Engineering at Oxford Brookes University
- Gerren Ntiri, studying for an MSc in Motorsport Engineering at Oxford Brookes University
- Tori Omamogho, studying for an MSc in Automotive Engineering with Electric Propulsion at the University of Bath
- Lily Owuye, studying for an MSc in Automotive Engineering at the University of Leeds
- Chris Tagnon, studying for an MPhil in Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management at the University of Cambridge
- Mustafa Awadalla Youssef, studying for an MSc in Mechanical Engineering Design at the University of Manchester
Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this new cohort of brilliant young engineers. This programme will give them incredible opportunities to meet representatives of many F1 and motorsport employers and we’ve already seen the success of the programme with last year’s graduates finding employment in the motorsport sector. We are grateful to Sir Lewis and Mission 44 for their support with this programme, which we hope will catalyse a step change in the employment of Black people in the UK motorsport sector.”
Jason Arthur, CEO Mission 44, said: “Mission 44 is proud to support the MSc Motorsport Scholarship programme which has already resulted in talented young engineers from Black and mixed Black backgrounds securing jobs in Formula 1. Programmes like these are vital if we are to see real change in the industry, and we’re looking forward to working with the Royal Academy of Engineering to empower the students announced today, to succeed in their dream careers.”
Recipients of 2024 MSc Motorsport Scholarships. L to R: Gerren Ntiri; Wesley Massumbukolt; Tori Omamogho; Mustafa Awadalla Youssef; Steven Naaba; Mohamed Elnadi; Lily Owuye, and Chris Tagnon.
Notes for editors
1. Masters in Motorsport Scholarships programme was created with the support of Mission 44 to support individuals from Black or mixed Black ethnic backgrounds in the final year of an undergraduate engineering degree or who have graduated within the last 3 years and who wish to study a master’s degree in motorsport (or a related eligible course).
2. Mission 44 Launched by Seven Time Formula One World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton in 2021, Mission 44 is a charity that is working to build a fairer, more inclusive future for young people around the world. The charity invests in solutions that empower young people to overcome social injustice and succeed. It has a particular focus on developing an inclusive education system, creating employment opportunities in STEM and motorsport, and empowering young people to shape the world they live in.
3. The Hamilton Commission reported in 2021, identifying three strands of action to address the barriers to Black students entering not just the motorsport industry but also the wider engineering profession:
- Support and empowerment – engendering a sense of agency among young Black people and supporting progression to engineering careers;
- Accountability and measurement – accountability of those in authority, evidenced through consistent collection and sharing of data;
- Inspiration and engagement – enabling young Black people to visualise what these careers involve and see themselves in these roles.
The Commission put forward ten recommendations that it believed would have a long-lasting and positive impact on the motorsport industry and encourage more young Black students to pursue subjects which lead to careers in engineering. One of these was the commitment to a Master’s scholarship for Black motorsports students in the UK: “We support the creation of scholarship programmes to enable Black graduates from degrees in engineering and allied subjects to progress into specialist motorsport roles” (Hamilton Commission Recommendation #5).
4. The Formula 1® Exhibition is an immersive exhibition that takes visitors on a journey through the world of Formula 1® across six specially designed rooms. Packed with extensive contributions from F1’s greatest teams and drivers, the exhibition lifts the curtain on one of sport’s greatest stories and covers its nearly 75-year history. Tracing the influences of Enzo Ferrari and Ayrton Senna to the unprecedented impact of Netflix’s Drive To Survive series, the exhibition combines an unprecedented mix of historic and modern-day race cars, previously unseen film and interviews, artefacts and interactive elements including racing simulators. The Formula 1® Exhibition is now open at Excel London (Immerses LDN) with tickets on sale until 2 March 2025.
5. The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone. In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public. Together we’re working to tackle the greatest challenges of our age.
6. Formula 1® racing began in 1950 and is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world’s most popular annual sporting series. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1® and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™. Formula 1® is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, FWONA, FWONK, LLYVA, LLVYK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock. The F1 logo, F1 FORMULA 1 logo, FORMULA 1, F1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX, PADDOCK CLUB and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. All rights reserved.