15 December 2022

Livia Pasta, from Cheadle, Staffordshire, was awarded the Arkwright Engineering Scholarship at McLaren's headquarters on Tuesday.

The 16-year-old will be given a mentor from McLaren during her two-year study.

"I'm amazed that this is such a big opportunity that could genuinely help me," said Livia.

She said she always thought she would be an aerodynamics engineer first and Formula 1 would come later.

"At first, Formula 1 was like a really distant dream... but now that I'm sponsored by McLaren, it's just a bit more real and I've got to put a tonne of work into it," Livia said.

^{Livia was one of seven students awarded the scholarship at McLaren's headquarters in Surrey.}

In 2001, the Arkwright Engineering Scholarship was transferred to The Smallpeice Trust, an educational charity that helps young people pursue a career in engineering.

As well as a McLaren mentor, the British motor racing team said they will give financial support to the students and their schools as well as a week of work experience in the summer.

^{IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES}

^{Livia said her father is an engineer and also loves formula 1.}

Livia said it was her father, also an engineer, who inspired her to get into the profession.

"He was so proud of me, it was incredible [when he found out], it was such a great moment," the teenager said.

Livia was one of seven teenagers who were awarded the scholarship at McLaren's headquarters in Surrey.

Link to the original article featured in the BBC News Website: 24th November 2022 - Cheadle teenager gets F1 McLaren engineering scholarship - BBC News

UPDATE: Livia also spoke to Susan Hanks on BBC Radio Stoke over the Christmas period, talking about how excited she is to get started! Listen from 2.23.28 on this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0dklgxr or listen here: