HOW TO BECOME A RACE MECHANIC

In a previous feature by A1 Team Malaysia, we studied the route to racing stardom inside the cockpit, with advice on how to become a racing driver. The driver is only one cog in the machine which runs the Malaysian A1GP Team and without the integral parts, which are the mechanics and engineers, the car couldn't possibly run. Here we take a look at some of the best routes to becoming a race team mechanic. One of A1 Team Malaysia's strengths is the excellence of the team work, and that's down to having a highly professional, skilled group of people. We pride ourselves on our team work and dedication to representing our nation at the top level of single seater racing. A winning mentality is upheld throughout the team and each team member is as important to the workings of the team, and to its success. So how do you become involved as a mechanic on a racing team of the stature of A1 Team Malaysia? It's a simple answer - through years of experience and hard work. Being a part of a crew within motor racing is a specialised form of work undertaken by fully trained and experienced mechanics who have worked their way up from junior formulae to make it into the top ranks such as A1GP. Do you think you have what it takes to become a top level racing mechanic? Sometimes it is easy to tell if it is in your nature, many people are born with an inquisitive nature, they like to know how things work, how they are put together, and frequently spend their time taking things apart and rebuilding. Often these types of people turn to a career such as a mechanic. A meticulous approach to problem solving, a good level of team work and a passion for motor sport are also good traits to have for the automotive industry. So where do you start? Well, dull as it may seem, books are probably the best way to start learning about what's underneath a car (not to mention the safest place to start, after all I doubt parents would be impressed to see you pulling bits and bobs from their road cars without any knowledge of what you're doing!). You'll find a comprehensive selection of reference books, which will have detailed diagrams as well as definitions of commonly used terms, so you can learn your 'pinion' from your 'piston' and your 'differential' from your 'dampers', and where you might find them within a car. Then to find out if you enjoy 'getting your hands dirty', it would probably be wise to start spending some time tinkering with a car. Whether you spend time at a local car garage or in your own garage, you need to start becoming familiar with the workings of a car. If you can work alongside somebody who is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about cars, they will be the type of person who will relish passing on their know-how and will be willing to give you their time developing your skills. One way to improve your knowledge of a racing machine would be to spend time working on a kart, whether it be yours or someone else's, as this is a good environment for meeting new people involved in the industry. Your local karting track may be keen to accept a free pair of helping hands and with the help of other, more experienced, staff, you will be able to learn the basics of how a racing car works. You could also try your hand at driving karts too. This experience will give you a better understanding of how a car works from a performance perspective. At school leaving age there are numerous options for you to consider as a starting point for a career as a racing mechanic. You could approach a local garage for employment as a trainee, apply for an apprenticeship or enrol on a college course. The Otomotif College (TOC) is an established training institution specialising in automotive education and skills training for the retail automotive sector. It provides training programmes with internationally recognised qualifications and these will certainly be valuable when you apply for jobs after your course. The hard work begins when you start your course. The work will be tough but rewarding, and you will need to be dedicated to your revision and attending your classes if you are to succeed. And, of course, you'll need to pass your course to be able to move on to the next level. Once you have a recognised qualification, then you can start applying for your first jobs in the automotive industry. There are many career routes you can take and motorsport isn't the only avenue for you to follow, in fact, in most cases motorsport mechanics begin by working with road cars. Choosing this path will give you a broad and in depth understanding of the workings of a car - whether it is a kart or a single seater racing car, the build and technical principles are the same. Proton cars run very popular apprenticeship programmes, with trainees being given the opportunity to work for the national manufacturer, and to be given a very thorough grounding as a technician. Training in a military environment is another option which will provide the foundations for a career in motorsport. No.2 Mechanic with A1 Team Malaysia, Shanker Ramachandran, explains how he became involved in motor racing: I started watching racing when I was really young, my whole family enjoys motor sport and most of them work as mechanics themselves. They mostly work on heavy machinery in Malaysia, but I followed them into the industry too. I took a different route and studied automobile mechanics course for five years in Kuala Lumpur WIT (Workers Institute Technology College). After that I worked at TVR road cars, I trained for a few months in the UK in Blackpool, and then I went back to Malaysia to work at the TVR factory in Kuala Lumpur, where I stayed for nine years. "I then moved on to Formula BMW in Asia, which was my first job with a motor racing team. I was with the Minardi Asia team, and it was a continuation of my training, just working on racing cars. and then I moved onto the Eurasia BMW team. I always wanted to work in motor racing and here I am doing it in A1GP for my country." Often students become 'truckies' or 'gofers' as a vacation or part time position for a race team whilst they are studying and this can be used a stepping stone after completing a further education course. Their role in the team is to help things run smoothly, assisting with any job which needs doing such as tyre preparation, fuelling up the car and keeping the garage tidy during a race weekend. They will be given some practical work with the car and the time to learn from the experienced mechanics and once the necessary skills have been learned to the standards required within a team, the opportunities to move into a mechanics position will be open. Tomy Mathen George, one of the No.2 Mechanics with A1 Team Malaysia joined Proton as a foundation for his career. He started as a trainee after completing his O levels and was then given on-the-job training, working in the Quality Audit department. He says of being a motorsport mechanic, "If you want to be a mechanic in motor racing you need to be brave. The challenges you face are hard, it's long hours, working tirelessly to prepare the car, so you need lots of dedication. You also need to be very fit and alert to be able to handle the pressure, especially during a race weekend. I think you need many special qualities to work at a high level such as in A1GP - dedication, determination, attention to detail and high standards, good team spirit and a polite manner with your colleagues, superiors and team partners." The various junior formulae of motorsport, both single seater and saloon cars, offers the first step from a road car mechanic position into the specialised racing environment. The lower rungs of the motorsport ladder, with the fairly simple technology employed on the car will be an appropriate introduction. There are a number of local series which will require personnel, such as the Malaysian Super Series, Asian Formula BMW, and Formula V6Asia and Asian Touring cars. All of these will enable you to develop you skills whilst teaching the basic characteristics of a racing car. Hairul Ezwan joins A1 Team Malaysia this season. Ezwan says, "I started at a workshop called GT Racing and have been trained as a mechanic for 3 years. I am lucky because I was involved in motorsport events such as Go-kart and rally. I chose this career as I've always loved racing and have a passion for motorsport. It gives me the chance to work in different environments, always gaining new knowledge and experience." His advice to youngsters considering a career as a motorsport mechanic is, "you should have a real interest in the sport, but it is best to start at the bottom working with motorbikes or as a go-kart mechanic. You need to be a good team player and hard working." The mechanic's role in a racing team is varied. Whether you work for a Formula One team, An A1GP nation or a Formula BMW outfit, many of the tasks are the same. Arriving at a circuit for a race weekend, the first job is to set up the garage, transporting the cars and equipment from the delivery vehicles to the area designated for the team, whether that is an awning at the side of a truck or a trackside garage. Once this has been completed, the race car or cars - there may be more than one car for the team - are prepared for racing. The majority of the preparation will have taken place in the workshop or race team base, but there are always tasks to be done trackside, from firing up the engine to polishing the bodywork. During the race weekend there's always plenty of work for the mechanics, whether it is making repairs after a driver has had an 'off course excursion' or the car has suffered technical problems, as well as checking over the car thoroughly between each session that it has run on track. A key role for all mechanics in racing is being part of a pit stop crew. Here it's a high pressure environment with a cool head and calm work coming to the fore. In sweltering 36ºC heat, fully clothed in fire resistant clothing, the pressure is on for a team to perform during the pit stops. Races have been won and lost by mistakes during the stops and each member of the pit crew has an important role to play in ensuring everything runs smoothly. Fitness is paramount for mechanics as well as drivers, as they need quick responses and to be able to carry the heavy tyres and air guns during the pit stops. A mechanic's work doesn't finish when the chequered flag falls, so once the celebrations are over it's back to the garage for 'pack up'. It may be glamorous from the spectator or TV viewer's perspective, but it's just another 'day in the office' for the mechanics. Once the race car has returned from scrutineering after a race, there are routine tasks to perform before the car is rolled onto a transporter, but there could be major work to do before it leaves the track and mechanics can sometimes be seen working late into the night after a race, particularly in a series such as A1GP, as the team cars are freighted between races, so any preparation work is limited to the race weekend. In other series the race cars will return to the team's base and the mechanics will be back at work preparing for the next event. This will involve the mechanics stripping the car down, removing all the mechanical parts, checking them for damage and assessing their suitability for another race, before the car is rebuilt ready to run on track again. Often the time is tight between events, so the hard work continues whether it is at the racetrack or in the workshop. Skill is not the only necessity to become a team mechanic. You also need to have the commitment, passion and dedication to cope with the high pressured environment. A desire to win is important, along with a strong positive outlook, because when things aren't going well you need to be able to pick up the team and move forward. The reward for this level of dedication is the achievement and this can be trophies, a quick pit stop or an award for best team. But it's often the camaraderie, the teamwork and the passion for motorsport that drives on mechanics and brings them the enjoyment of a career in motor racing. Ramachandran says of considering a career as a racing mechanic, "I would advise any young Malaysian who wants to work as a mechanic, to go to college and study an automotive mechanics course and go on from there. If you work hard then you will achieve your goal. A1 Team Malaysia is an official partner to a college in Kuala Lumpur and that's a fantastic start for a young hopeful mechanic. "You need certain qualities to be good at this job, for example you need to be passionate, be reasonably fit and have plenty of patience for working on the car." Have we tempted you to follow a career as a motorsport mechanic? We love the challenge of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport and we hope that we have inspired you to work towards a role with the team. We're sure you'll love it! Source: A1 Team Features