Formula Student
Bentley Motors are sponsors of the 2025 Formula Student competition, to find out about opportunities to join their team, visit the Careers section of the Bentley Motors website.
Can you tell us a bit about your current role at Bentley and what you’re working on at the moment?
Niamh: I am currently in the first of my two years of the graduate scheme here at Bentley. I am working in the Vehicle Motion team within R&D, where the team focuses on the vehicle dynamic simulation aspects of the car. I am currently working on a project which is looking into how the tests that are currently do on a physical car can be conducted in the simulation world.
What was your role in your university’s Formula Student team, and what did that involve day to day?
Niamh: I joined Brunel University London’s Formula Student team on day 1 of first year as a volunteer and stayed with the team throughout my time at university right up to leading the team in my Final year as part of my Masters Group Project. I got involved in many aspects of the car from working on the fabrication of many of the Aerodynamic components and general assembly of the car in my first few years to transition into a managerial role in my later years where I was involved in preparing many of the documents that are required for the FSUK competition as well as being the manager of the Brake system as part of my masters project.
What inspired you to get involved in Formula Student during your studies?
Niamh: As a kid I had a great passion for Motorsport and when doing research in secondary school about what careers and universities would be of interest to me I learned about Formula Student and was fixated on getting involved. I made sure to apply to universities where I would be able to join Formla Student in my first year as it was something I was very keen to get involved with. I also knew that it would be a great benefit to me as I would be able to put into practice many of the theoretical aspects that would be learnt during my studies.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the competition, and how did your team overcome them?
Niamh: During the 23/24 academic year our Formula Student workshop and all other engineering workshops were closed due to the RAAC issues that the university was facing .This meant that temporary facilities had to be opened by the university which didn’t open until February 2024. This meant that the team lost much time getting hands on with the car especially with the electrical elements which were locked away in the old car in the closed workshop. We overcame these by time planning carefully to have the first half of the year focused on design and computer based work with the 2nd half the actual build and assembly of the car.
How did your Formula Student experience help prepare you for a career in the automotive industry, and at Bentley specifically?
Niamh: It helped me to learn that the automotive industry is unpredictable ever changing and new technologies are also being looked into. You can’t just do the same thing over and over again and expect better results. You have to be adaptable and always open to change to get the best results.
What skills or experiences from Formula Student do you still use in your role today?
Niamh: From Formula Student I learned a lot about time management and prioritisation skills. I also learned how to be always prepared for a meeting and to pre-empt further questions that people may have on a topic that you are discussing. Nothing every goes as smoothly as you plan for it so you always need to be adaptable to be able to overcome the challenges you are facing.
You’ll be attending Formula Student again this year with Bentley, what’s your role at the event, and what are you most looking forward to?
Niamh: I will be attending with Bently as a representative of their early careers programs. I will be there to talk to those attending FSUK where I will be happy to talk about my Early Careers journey at Bentley and answer any questions that people may have. I am most looking forward to seeing this year’s entries and to see how the universities will fare.
What advice would you give to students currently taking part in Formula Student or thinking about joining a team?
Niamh: The most important advice that I would give students is to have fun in what they are doing and not to be afraid to challenge themselves, the experience is what you make of it and by putting yourself out there you can learn so many things. Formula student can allow you to learn so much and to get involved in many aspects from design and manufacturing of the components for the car to also the business side and all the documents and presentation that are needed to show off all the work that the team has put in over the past year and why certain decisions were made.
Looking back, what’s your proudest moment from your Formula Student journey?
Niamh: My proudest moment is getting to be the team leader. Even though we didn’t have a running car at the 2024 competition due to electrical issue, it was still an achievement from the team to pass the mechanical scrutineering aspects. I had been involved with the team for all of my university years and it was an honour to lead the team.
Finally, what does it mean to you to now be supporting the competition from an industry perspective with Bentley?
Niamh: I am very proud to support the event with Bentley and from an industry perspective. When I would attend the competition I would always talk to the Industry experts at the stands and ask questions to see if the jobs would be something that I would be interested to pursue as a career. I think it is important to give back and help give the best advice to those who’s shoes I was standing in not too long ago while also representing women in STEM and women in STEM at Bentley.