Gabriel Elias

Before I came to Brookes I studied at the University of Miami, Florida, USA, where I studied BSc Mechanical Engineering. After graduation I was working for Honda R&D as an engine design engineer when I decided to come this way. I saw a clear, consistent path into Formula 1, following other well-known American and Canadian Brookes graduates all over the grid.

I found the course different to studying in the USA, in that the work was very hands on and complemented with Formula Student activities, this in turn allowed me to put my studies to work. I quite enjoyed my dissertation project, which allowed me to have a free-thinking approach to a problem which had clear applicability to the motorsport industry. It directly contributed to my hiring at Mercedes. The networking with industry and alumni is invaluable. You don’t just walk into F1. The landscape for F1 is quite volatile, you need to be good in your studies, have tons of practical experience (either at Brookes or prior to coming here) and really be the cream of the crop.

It is seriously hard work to get good grades, participate in Formula Student and leverage the alumni network to locate suitable industrial assistance and even jobs. The best part is it is not impossible, and the alumni network scattered across the industry further validates that. My best moments were winning the 2014 World Championship and then starting the 2015 season in dominating fashion with a car that I designed parts for and worked on. I am currently a Graduate Concept Design Engineer at Mercedes-Benz AMG F1 team.