Infiniti invites 22-year-old to work with Red Bull F1 team
Thu, Aug 27 2015
Twenty-two-year-old Alex Allmandinger (pictured), a student at the University of Illinois and one of 11 US finalists, is one of those five winners. He'll head to Milton Keynes next month to settle in with the other winners from China, Europe, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Based on interviews with last year's winners, the IPEA doesn't stick the students in a corner, either – one of them said he had designed seventy parts that went into the RB11 F1 racecar. The video above speaks to some of this year's winners, the video below talks to last year's, and there's a press release below that.
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Infiniti gives one U.S. engineering student the Formula One career opportunity of a lifetime
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Aug. 20, 2015 – Infiniti has announced that an engineering student from the University of Illinois is one of five global winners of the 2015 Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy (IPEA). For one year, Infiniti will provide 22-year-old Alex Allmandinger with the opportunity to work in Formula One with the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team.
After beating 11 other finalists from around the country in an intense shootout event, Allmandinger will move to Infiniti Red Bull Racing headquarters in the UK in September to begin a 12-month placement working with the four-time Formula One World Championship Infiniti Red Bull Racing team, as well as with Infiniti.
Allmandinger will spend eight months working on Vehicle Design at the team's headquarters in Milton Keynes, UK – and four months working at Infiniti's European Technical Center in Cranfield – on road car development projects. Formula One technology is more relevant to the automotive industry than ever and will play a key role in the ongoing transfer of technical knowledge and expertise between the race team and Infiniti.
The IPEA, now in its second year, is a one-of-a-kind global search for the world's best up-and-coming engineers. For 2015, five placements were made available with one winner chosen each from Russia, Western Europe, China, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. to work in roles spanning vehicle dynamics, vehicle design, aerodynamics and electronics.
"It still hasn't sunk in, but I am incredibly excited about joining the Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy," said Allmandnger. "It really is a dream come true, and I can't wait to get started. It will be the best 12-month learning experience of my life."
Thousands of students registered their interest in this year's program, and after a series of interviews, 10 finalists in each region were selected to attend a regional final event where they were put through their paces in a structured assessment by a panel of judges from Infiniti and Infiniti Red Bull Racing.
"The caliber of entrants this year was very high, which made for a tough selection process," said Tommaso Volpe, global director, Infiniti Formula One. "If last year's winners are anything to go by, it will not be long before all of them are making a significant contribution both to us and to the race team. With F1 becoming more and more relevant to the automotive industry – and an increased focus of the placements this year being on the road car development – we are training a new generation of engineers who will play a key role in the crossover between the two industries."
Profile of Alex Allmandinger
Age: 22
School:University of Illinois
Hometown: Crystal Lake, Illinois
Biggest positive impact in life: "My family and friends. It's amazing being surrounded by people who want you to succeed just as badly as you do."
Most looking forward to about living/working in UK: "The opportunity to experience a new culture and a different way of life. It would be awesome to have the chance to travel through Europe as well."
Greatest strength: "To learn quickly and commit myself to the things that I am working on."
About Infiniti
Infiniti Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with sales operations in over 50 countries. The Infiniti brand was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, the United States and China. Production in the UK will start in 2015, bringing with it significant expansion of the brand's portfolio. Infiniti plans to also expand manufacturing into Mexico by 2017.
As the Title Partner and Vehicle Performance Partner of Infiniti Red Bull Racing, Infiniti has a far-reaching technical collaboration with the four-time FIA Formula One World Championship winning Team.
More information about Infiniti and its industry leading technologies can be found at www.infiniti.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Aug. 20, 2015 – Infiniti has announced that an engineering student from the University of Illinois is one of five global winners of the 2015 Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy (IPEA). For one year, Infiniti will provide 22-year-old Alex Allmandinger with the opportunity to work in Formula One with the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team.
After beating 11 other finalists from around the country in an intense shootout event, Allmandinger will move to Infiniti Red Bull Racing headquarters in the UK in September to begin a 12-month placement working with the four-time Formula One World Championship Infiniti Red Bull Racing team, as well as with Infiniti.
Allmandinger will spend eight months working on Vehicle Design at the team's headquarters in Milton Keynes, UK – and four months working at Infiniti's European Technical Center in Cranfield – on road car development projects. Formula One technology is more relevant to the automotive industry than ever and will play a key role in the ongoing transfer of technical knowledge and expertise between the race team and Infiniti.
The IPEA, now in its second year, is a one-of-a-kind global search for the world's best up-and-coming engineers. For 2015, five placements were made available with one winner chosen each from Russia, Western Europe, China, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. to work in roles spanning vehicle dynamics, vehicle design, aerodynamics and electronics.
"It still hasn't sunk in, but I am incredibly excited about joining the Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy," said Allmandnger. "It really is a dream come true, and I can't wait to get started. It will be the best 12-month learning experience of my life."
Thousands of students registered their interest in this year's program, and after a series of interviews, 10 finalists in each region were selected to attend a regional final event where they were put through their paces in a structured assessment by a panel of judges from Infiniti and Infiniti Red Bull Racing.
"The caliber of entrants this year was very high, which made for a tough selection process," said Tommaso Volpe, global director, Infiniti Formula One. "If last year's winners are anything to go by, it will not be long before all of them are making a significant contribution both to us and to the race team. With F1 becoming more and more relevant to the automotive industry – and an increased focus of the placements this year being on the road car development – we are training a new generation of engineers who will play a key role in the crossover between the two industries."
Profile of Alex Allmandinger
Age: 22
School:University of Illinois
Hometown: Crystal Lake, Illinois
Biggest positive impact in life: "My family and friends. It's amazing being surrounded by people who want you to succeed just as badly as you do."
Most looking forward to about living/working in UK: "The opportunity to experience a new culture and a different way of life. It would be awesome to have the chance to travel through Europe as well."
Greatest strength: "To learn quickly and commit myself to the things that I am working on."
About Infiniti
Infiniti Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with sales operations in over 50 countries. The Infiniti brand was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, the United States and China. Production in the UK will start in 2015, bringing with it significant expansion of the brand's portfolio. Infiniti plans to also expand manufacturing into Mexico by 2017.
As the Title Partner and Vehicle Performance Partner of Infiniti Red Bull Racing, Infiniti has a far-reaching technical collaboration with the four-time FIA Formula One World Championship winning Team.
More information about Infiniti and its industry leading technologies can be found at www.infiniti.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
By Jonathon Ramsey
See also: 2015 Belgian Grand Prix is a return to scheduled programming, Watch 14 hot rides take over concept car lawn at Pebble Beach, Infiniti introduces Q70 Premium Select Edition to Monterey crowds.