PREMIAIR RACING AND ROMY MAYER HOST ASPIRING FEMALE ENGINEERS AHEAD OF BATHURST 1000
As it gets ready for the biggest event of the year, PremiAir Racing is proudly providing a valuable opportunity for two aspiring female engineers in its Arundel-based workshop this week as part of its partnership with the St Hilda’s Foundation.
As a trailblazer who was the first full-time female race engineer in Supercars to claim a podium, and a Girls on Track ambassador for Motorsport Australia, PremiAir Racing’s Romy Mayer is the perfect person to lead this experience for St Hilda’s School Year 12 Student Grace and Year 11 Student Tiffany.
Mayer was on maternity leave for the first half of this year but recently returned to the workshop three days a week in August, with a date for her return trackside a closely guarded secret – for now.
“I have been extensively engaged in back-end work with our simulation software and engineering and strategy tools, providing support to the engineering team as we entering the endurance rounds. There is considerably more involved compared to the sprint rounds,” explained Mayer, who responded with a subtle smile when asked about her return to the track.
“With the school holidays underway, we are delighted to welcome the students from St. Hilda’s. It is a particularly fitting week for their visit, as it marks our final preparation week at Bathurst. This gives them an excellent opportunity to observe not only the process of getting the cars ready but also to gain insight into all the behind-the-scenes work, including our equipment and systems that are not visible on television.
“They will witness first-hand the work of the mechanics, as well as the crucial role the engineers play in preparing us for a week of intense racing at Bathurst. They will follow me through various aspects of our operation—examining the engineering processes, our office workflow, data analysis, simulations, calibration on the cars, setup procedures, and the comprehensive checklists we use to ensure everything is in order before the race cars hit the road on Friday.”
For Grace and Tiffany, this week will allow them to gain unique insights to help them with important decisions on their future careers.
“I am looking forward to understanding what happens behind the scenes of a Supercar race and understanding what an engineer actually does in their job day to day,” Grace said.
“I have always been into motorsport – my dad and his company used to sponsor a lot of motorsport so I would watch a lot, from Supercars to Motorcross to F1, pretty much everything.
“At this stage I don’t really know too much about the different aspects and roles, so I really want to discover what parts I like, as I am definitely hoping to have engineering and motorsport somewhere in my life.”
Like Grace, Tiffany is hoping to build her knowledge of engineering through this week-long experience.
“I want to see the behind the scenes of how everything runs and how the team comes together and works together coming into race day,” Tiffany said.
“I am not too sure at the moment (what specialisation exactly she wants to focus on in the future), so I want to see all of the different components, see the behind the scenes of everything, and hopefully put that into my life somewhere in the future.
“We live on the Gold Coast 500 track so we watch that every year, and I think the pit stop stuff is pretty cool. I am looking forward to looking at all the different areas and seeing what I like.”
The St Hilda’s Foundation was established to bring life-changing opportunities to young women, their families and the community. Grants and internships are available to students entering Year 11 at the St Hilda’s School on the Gold Coast.
Each grant offers recipients the opportunity to complete an internship, providing valuable experience and the potential to establish relationships or secure positions with the corresponding businesses upon graduation. Notably, each grant also includes financial support, thanks to the generosity of donors to the St Hilda’s Foundation. This financial backing aids students in their endeavours, ensuring that the path to a successful future is as smooth as possible.
To learn more about the St Hilda’s Foundation, please visit www.sthildas.qld.edu.au/sthildasfoundation
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