Principal F1 Aerodynamicist speaks to pupils at West Sussex school
He loves his job. He works in a futuristic factory. He’s been part of the winning Formula 1 team 36 times! A huge thank you to Dr Jonathan Pegrum, Principal Aerodynamicist for McLaren Racing and Westbourne House parent, for his truly inspirational talk on aerodynamics in Formula 1.
We learnt about reducing drag, creating down force and cooling the brakes and engine. The children put together a car using the McLaren parts Dr Pegrum had borrowed from work, figuring out how to make the car more aerodynamic through the shape and position of the foils, suspension and even driver and helmet.
Logan, in Year 8, put on Lando Norris’s driving suit and helmet, and it fitted perfectly! By observing this, we also learnt that even the size of a driver can affect how the car performs.
What should the children do if they want to follow in Dr Pegrum’s footsteps and become an F1 engineer? Dr Pegrum reminded everyone that maths and physics are key subjects and that what they are learning now will be useful in the future. And that hard work and passion are equally key ingredients.
Thank you Dr Pegrum!
