Is William a future F1 star?

A student from the University of Exeter is on track to become the next star of Formula One engineering, after being short-listed for a prestigious worldwide competition.

Mechanical Engineering student William Priest (pictured) has secured a place in the world finals of the elite Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy.

William, 23, beat fierce competition from 1,500 top Engineering students, from more than 100 universities worldwide, to secure his place as the only British student in the final 12.

He will now compete to win the work placement of a lifetime - a 12-month engineering role with Infiniti Red Bull Racing.

The fourth-year student is no stranger to the world of motorsport, having raced in karts and worked in British touring cars before coming to Exeter.

He said: “Working with such an illustrious team really would be a dream job, and I am absolutely thrilled to make it to the final 12.

“As part of the selection process, we had to submit a 500-word essay about what future technology should Formula One incorporate to keep road-relevant, and I was able to draw on my dissertation project.

“In fact, my experiences and studying at Exeter really helped with the process. As well as the technical side, we also learn about putting together presentations, interpersonal skills and selecting the most important information, all of which helped with the interview process for the event.

“Being selected for the final shortlist is something I am really proud of, and I hope that I can take it one step further and win the competition outright.”

William will now attend a three-day event in the UK before the British Grand Prix, taking place at Infiniti’s European Technical Centre at Cranfield and at Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s factory in Milton Keynes.

Over the three days they will face a series of intensive interviews, practical tests and technical challenges, closely assessed by leading technical figures from Infiniti and Infiniti Red Bull Racing. The three winners will be unveiled by Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey on 3 July.

William added: “Formula One is perhaps the most prestigious area of the motorsport world, and as an engineer I can’t think of anywhere more exciting, more challenging and more thrilling to work.”

Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer, Infiniti Red Bull Racing, added: “The Infiniti Performance Engineering Academy is an exciting initiative for young engineering students to become inspired and realize their dream of working in the pinnacle of motorsport, Formula One. Judging by the applications submitted, it is great to see so much passion and enthusiasm from our engineers of the future.”