Oxford Brookes student takes chequered flag at prestigious motorsport awards

A talented engineering student from Oxford Brookes University has won a prestigious award, paving the way for a successful career in motorsport.

David Crespo, who is studying for an Msc in Motorsport Engineering, collected the ‘Autosport Williams Engineer of the Future Award’ at a ceremony held on 3 December at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Following his win, David will now have the opportunity to attend a Formula 1 test day with the Williams Racing trackside engineering team.

After being presented with his award, David, who is from Barcelona, said: “This is the best reward I could get after years of effort. At the same time, I know I need to keep learning from the engineers around me to one day be, not an engineer of the future, but an engineer of the present.

“My aspirations lie within performance engineering, and at least for now I can only envisage myself working on-track, where the action happens.

“Spending a year at Oxford Brookes has opened many opportunities. It is one of the most prestigious universities to study motorsport in the world, and the industry acknowledges how well prepared students from Oxford Brookes are.

“Learning from professors like Ozdemir Ozerem and Sergio Rinland has taken my knowledge in the field to the next level, and I have made friendships that will last.”

The award, launched in 2015, was open to engineering students from any UK university, and this year attracted more than 200 entries. David came first after a ten-month assessment process which involved written exams, group assessments and a presentation in front of a panel.

Sergio Rinland, Associate Lecturer on the Masters Motorsport Programmne at Oxford Brookes, and also David’s final project supervisor, was present at the ceremony to see David named as the winner.

Sergio said: “David is an enthusiastic and hard-working person who conducts himself very well.
He has a great personality and dedicated approach to motorsport engineering, and I am certain that he will achieve great things during his career.

“It was a pleasure to work with him at Oxford Brookes, and I am looking forward to seeing him succeed at the highest level.”