Formula Student
The 25 year-old UAS student from Mutlangen, Germany was selected from thousands of applications.
The INFINITI Engineering Academy is INFINITI’s global search for bright engineering talent to work across automotive and Formula One. It is the only recruitment program of its kind in the world, bringing an array of young, diverse and fresh thinking engineering talent who will gain first-hand knowledge and experience working alongside seasoned automotive and racetrack engineers in the exciting world of Formula One.
After an action-packed event held trackside at Silverstone ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix last weekend, a panel including judges from INFINITI, Renault Sport Formula One Team and decision science experts from Harvard University proclaimed Helling as the winner.
Competing against nine other finalists from around Europe, Helling demonstrated to be a worthy winner as he tackled the numerous tests involved in the final event, including an engineering exam, one-to-one interviews with the judges, a dragster car build, challenges especially designed for the occasion by a team from Harvard University and by Renault Sport Formula One Team, and facing the media in a tough Q&A session where journalists from different industries evaluated his communication skills.
Helling will relocate to the UK in January 2019 and be provided with a competitive salary, an INFINITI company car, travel and accommodations for one year. The Automotive Engineering student at Munich University of Applied Sciences, will spend six months working at the Renault Formula One Team’s Technical Center in the UK (Enstone) and six months at INFINITI’s European Technical Center (Cranfield). He will play a key role in the ongoing transfer of technical knowledge and expertise between Renault Sport Formula One Team and INFINITI.
Tommaso Volpe, Director, INFINITI Global Motorsport and Performance Projects, said: “The INFINITI Engineering Academy has grown every year, and now in our fifth year, competition for our limited number of slots is intense. Our partners at Renault Sport Formula One Team and Harvard University have helped us select the brightest engineering students from around the globe who will contribute to the future of the sport and the automotive industry.”
Cyril Abiteboul, Managing Director, Renault Sport Racing, also commented: “Attracting top new talent is crucial for success in Formula One, so we want to make sure that together with INFINITI we select the best engineers to work with us. Each one of these young engineers brings fresh perspectives and new ideas to the race team, which are vital for our development and success.”
Commenting on his win, Helling said: “It’s unbelievable – it’s so crazy that I have won! I will be working with leading automotive and motorsport engineers, it is a dream come true!”
For the 2018 edition of the Academy, INFINITI has partnered with Harvard University Professor Dr. Julia Minson, who specializes in decision science. Dr. Minson is working with the INFINITI Engineering Academy to conduct ground-breaking research into decision making in engineering, and how the very best engineers perform under pressure to make decisions when faced with vast amounts of complex data. The learnings from the research will then be incorporated by both the INFINITI engineering and motorsport teams to optimize their decision-making processes.
To register for the 2019 INFINITI Engineering Academy, please visit academy.infiniti.com