max Poulter: Mechanical Design Engineer - Internal Combustion Engine at Red Bull Powertrains
Key Facts
Max Poulter attending a STEM Racing event
Current role: Mechanical Design Engineer - Internal Combustion Engine
Company: Red Bull Powertrains
Country: F1® in Schools UK
Years competing: 2013
School: Bradfield School
an Exciting Opportunity
“I always had a fascination with STEM subjects during my time at secondary school. When I heard about STEM r as a potential project to do alongside my chosen Engineering GCSE subject option, I snapped at the opportunity. The project allowed me to apply my academic knowledge in a real-world application, as well as utilise a vast variety of tools and machines in the school workshops.”
regional champions
“Alongside my brother, George Poulter, who also now works within Formula 1 as a Mechanical Structural Analysis Engineer with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, we formed a five-person team called Steel City Racing. First competing in the Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Final, we picked up numerous awards, including Regional Champions and Best Engineered Car. We went on to take part in the National Finals, where we were awarded Best Pit Display.”
2013 Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Champions
CFD analysis of Steel City Racing’s car
collaboration is key
“One of the most important aspects the competition taught me was that by working together as a team, you are capable of doing things that would have been extraordinarily difficult to do if you were working alone. The competition is the perfect proving ground to showcase the need for collective effort, and not a single person’s technical ability to succeed. This has never been so true in Formula One, with the vehicles being a complex development of over 1000 employees’ ideas. Each one being just a few milliseconds can combine to an insurmountable sum. This can’t be done without teamwork, clear communication, determination and desire to push to the limit.”
Max at work at Red Bull Powertrains
The Journey to f1
“I went on to showcase the academic and practical skills utilised in STEM Racing for my 6th form and Sheffield University applications, helping me stand out among the crowds. While studying towards my Masters in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Sheffield I discovered Formula Student. I instantly recognised the similarity to the STEM Racing project and jumped at the opportunity to further develop my engineering skills alongside my studies. At this point I knew exactly where I wanted my career to begin and used all my prior experiences to secure a year in industry placement as a Mechanical Engineer at Mercedes AMG HPP.
After graduating I took the ambitious decision to join Red Bull Powertrains in their early inception to develop their own Formula One Power Unit. I started as a Junior Mechanical Design Engineer in Sep 2021. Over the past 2 and half years I have been thrown into the deep end, designing their first V6 Internal Combustion Engine Cranktrain, Electric Motor Rotor and so much more!”
“STEM Racing opened my eyes to the world of motorsport engineering as a career. Soon after competing I used the skills and passion from the project to secure numerous work experience placements at the likes of Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin. These week-long placements gave rotations throughout the various engineering disciplines in the automotive sector, and backed up my inspiration to pursue a career in vehicle design.”