emigrating to australia in search of a motorsport career

[supraboy]

Hi all,

looking for some advice, ima final year motorsport student and am looking to start my career in australia. this is something ive always wanted to do and can now begin to realistically look at it being in my final year.

Just looking for any advice, on the off chance maybe somebody from the UK has done this before?

My degree is a management and logistics degree, but also have experience in the mechanics side of things. i would be looking at any job in the motorsport industry, other then materials, aerodynamics and manufacturing ( we have been taught pretty much everything apart from these subjects.)

look forward to reading some replies
(i have also posted this in US section as i would consider moving out there too .)

[Colonial]

V8 supercars?

TBH the motorsport industry is pretty small in Australia and very much at the cottage industry level.

[supraboy]

I would hope for v8 supercars / v8 utes yes .

[Mattt]

I don't fancy your chances.

Get some good experience first in the UK then look overseas.

[Hitch78]

Industries such as motorsport are small and tight-knit with lots of competition for very few openings.

Unless you're the next Adrian Newey you'll be starting at the bottom and proving yourself so getting actual work experience and building a network of respected people who'll vouch that you're not a bad bloke is what you should be doing now. Pitching up in a foreign country with no experience and just a degree sounds like a hard way to go about it.

Apologies if you have experience but you don't mention it.

[Talk2Dave]

WeirdNeville said:

There's loads of work in australia, I'm sure you could make your degree pay, but I'm not sure Motorsport is the way to do it.

Agreed, if there's a particular reason you want to move to Australia, then you will have to apply your degree to a different field (like i will be doing), such as the mining industry, but if you're set on motorsport, then stay in the UK, we are the home of motorsport.

[MontyC]

I think you need to get some serious money behind you first. My brother moved out to Australia and worked down the mines he saved up and bought a porsche 911. He now does rally sprint and has sponsorship, but this is just a hobby for him. Im off out to Perth next week to be his co driver in a couple of events. As previously mentioned the Motorsport industry is a lot smaller then the uk's, cars are more expensive as are parts. And he has spent a fortune trying to get his citizenship, employers have to be setup to sponsor you as well or after 6 months its bye bye, but it depends how badly you want something.

Edited by MontyC on Tuesday 15th January 15:44

[james280779]

yep, I am involved in the motorsport in the NT (Speedway/ Drag/ Karts/ track) and every driver does it as a hobby and it costs them a small fortune. It will not pay you to do it, you pay to do it.

worry about a job first then get into motorsport - unless your on over 150k a year dont do it as it will ruin you.

Even the Karts cost a small fortune, My mates was over $80k by the time he finished building it then same again for a season racing it - mind you he does currently hold every local track record and the kart (not him driving due to work commitments) won the Australian championship

[supraboy]

Thanks for the replies.

I know that it can be done, as I've seen a few v8 supercar teams in the last 12 months advertise jobs on uk sites for race team staff.

Experience wise I do have some, around 3 seasons overall highest position as a no1 in British Formula Ford, not massive bit better then no experience at all!

Sorry to poster above, this is to work in the industry, as a mechanic, sponsor liaison, team manager etc, not to drive

[Hitch78]

Fair play mate and do give it a crack - at worst you'll spend some time living in Aus and building life experience which is no bad thing.

[james280779]

wait for one of the advertised posts and take it- you will get sponsorship that way and bypass heaps of paperwork and expenses.

Thats what I would do knowing what I know now.

[Burnedout]

Most jobs in Motor Sport here are 'word of mouth'. I agree with most comments here /\. I have a mate on the tools at 888 Engineering, which is owned by Roland Dane.

[Vipers]

Regardless, if you can get into Australia, go for it. We are going down the tubes fast, having been to Australia, it's a much better place to live, go for it and good luck.

[supraboy]

Well I have a slight update on this.

I am now looking to go out to Perth on a 6 month working visa in around November/Decemeber time. My sister is out there and I can live with her rent free, with a labouring job on offer if I want it.

Started doing a bit of research tonight, there doesn't seem to be much motorsport activity in Perth, theres barbagallo circuit, which looks to be ran be WASCC? Can't find any teams in the area so far which is worrying. ( I would like to stay in Perth at first as I have family and cheap living there)

I would like to go out with some kind of voluntery role lined up at a team for 2 weeks or whatever, gain experience and hope it turns into a short term role until my visa is up, or it turns into a sponsorship and I get residency.

If all goes badly - I don't find any motorsport positions, paid or unpaid, I do not like living there and I come back to England early, still having had a short holiday and gained some life experience.

If all goes well - I find a motorsport related job, i really enjoy it and I end up with residency.

If I don't do it - I will spend the rest of my life thinking "I wonder what would of happened if I went to oz when I left uni".

So, can any Perth people give me any info on the motorsport scene in the area? Because after a few hours of searching I've not came up with much . (I'm aware there is a lot more I need to do then 'just fly out there and see', by the way )

Thanks

Chris

Edited by supraboy on Wednesday 27th February 00:50

[Bibbs]

supraboy said:

Perth on a 6 month working visa in around November/Decemeber time. My sister is out there and I can live with her rent free, with a labouring job on offer if I want it.

Good stuff, be warned that Nov is rolling into summer. So it'll be hot.

supraboy said:

there doesn't seem to be much motorsport activity in Perth. Can't find any teams in the area so far which is worrying.

I don't know of any. At all. All the V8s (for example) are run from over east.

Is it the V8s you are interested in?

supraboy said:

cheap living there

It isn't unfortunatly.

Probably nothing you've already not found but

A list of the teams is here, most/all will be East coast :-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_International_V8...

[supraboy]

At the moment I would be happy with literally anything in the motorsport industry. There seems to be a couple of experience day companies running from barbagallo, I would happily take a job with them in marketing, dealing with customers etc. v8's would be fantastic, but I think it would be a struggle, definitely from Perth by the looks of it.

Sorry by cheap living I meant that I have a home to stay in, access to a car etc for very cheap or maybe even nothing depending how generous my sister is feeling!, I know it's very expensive to live there

[Bibbs]

I'm sure there must be a few low level motorsport companies around, as well as tuners.

If it's the racing side, I recon Barbagallo would be a good start. Even if it was just turing up on a race day with your CV and wandering the pits.

Maybe look at the events/results section. Look for a WA type event, find the winning team name, then look for them? Long winded I know.

There is also a site south of Perth, Rockingham raceway. It's more stock cars, and drag racers. Maybe worth a look?

http://www.motorplex.com.au/drag-racing

Edited by Bibbs on Wednesday 27th February 02:00

[ezakimak]

interesting question, i currently work in a compleatly un related feild but had always though that if i got the tap on the shoulder i would consider changing and going into motorsport. start at the bottom....

have you tried here
http://jobs.speedcafe.com/

[Hitch78]

ezakimak said:

if i got the tap on the shoulder

Not exactly sure that's how things work!

[supraboy]

ezakimak said:

interesting question, i currently work in a compleatly un related feild but had always though that if i got the tap on the shoulder i would consider changing and going into motorsport. start at the bottom....

have you tried here
http://jobs.speedcafe.com/

If it is an industry you want to get into as a career, getting experience is worth it's weight in gold I've found so far, volunteer for some club racers or a club team if to have to time to spare .