A BUDDING race engineer has secured pole position after being selected for a life-changing opportunity to work in Formula One.
Former Darlington College student Daniel Sanham, 25, has earned himself a 12 month internship with quadruple Formula One World Championship-winning team Infiniti Red Bull Racing and Infiniti Motor Company after a global competition to find the world’s best engineers.
Daniel, of Newton Aycliffe, who studied HNC electronic and electrical engineering at Darlington College, triumphed over nine other finalists from France, Sweden, Bulgaria, Italy and Great Britain in the European heat of Infiniti’s Performance Engineering Academy 2015, which attracted over 2,050 entrants worldwide.
Established in 2014, the Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy offers undergraduate engineers the opportunity to gain experience by working in automotive and Formula One engineering using some of the most advanced technology in the world.
Daniel is one of only five students handpicked from across the globe to take part in the Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy programme.
He said: “I was absolutely ecstatic when I got the call to say that I had won. The interview process was really tough as all of the candidates were extremely talented and we were put through a rigorous selection process, including a written exam, psychometric testing and two design challenges, to assess our performance potential, innovative thinking and communication skills.
“I know that this is an unbelievable opportunity and I’m really looking forward to learning alongside some of the best engineers in the world, working with some of the most advanced automotive technology and showing what I am capable of – oh and meeting the racing drivers too.”
Starting in October Daniel will spend eight months working on vehicle design at the team’s headquarters in Milton Keynes alongside fellow competition winners from Saudi Arabia, Russia, China and the USA. He will then spend four months at Infiniti’s European Technical Centre, Cranfield, working on road car development projects.
“We were really impressed with the way Daniel conducted himself throughout the whole selection process,” said David Moss, vice president of vehicle design and development Infiniti Technical Centre for Europe.
“He took the lead from the start, listened to ideas and articulated his own thoughts and designs clearly – this is now a fantastic opportunity for him to showcase his knowledge and skills over the next 12 months.
“Daniel and his counterparts will be placed to approach road car design and development challenges, particularly relating to the new Q30 Compact model. We are looking forward to welcoming Daniel and seeing how he progresses.”
