Leeds student Lily Owuye awarded prestigious F1 motorsport scholarship
Lily Owuye, a master’s student in Automotive Engineering at Leeds, has been named one of eight recipients of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Masters in Motorsport Scholarship.
The program, created in partnership with Sir Lewis Hamilton’s charitable foundation Mission 44, aims to increase diversity in motorsport, particularly in Formula 1, and the wider STEM sector.
The scholarship, launched in 2022 following recommendations from The Hamilton Commission, offers financial and career support to students from underrepresented backgrounds pursuing advanced degrees in motorsport-related fields. Owuye (pictured, second from right), studying with the School of Mechanical Engineering, is part of the second cohort of awardees and one of three women selected this year.
The scholars were officially welcomed into the program in November during an event at the Formula 1 Exhibition at Excel London, which featured a Q&A session with engineers from Formula 1 and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. Scholars also met graduates from the program’s first cohort, who have since secured roles in Formula 1 and related industries.
The scholarship reflects a broader push to diversify the motorsport sector, a key goal for Mission 44 and the Royal Academy of Engineering. By supporting students like Owuye, the initiative seeks to address barriers and provide pathways for underrepresented talent.
The full list of Masters in Motorsport Scholarship recipients includes:
- Mohamed Elnadi, MSc in Aerodynamics and Computation, University of Southampton
- Wesley Massumbukolt, MSc in Motorsport Engineering, Oxford Brookes University
- Steven Naaba, MSc in Motorsport Engineering, Oxford Brookes University
- Gerren Ntiri, MSc in Motorsport Engineering, Oxford Brookes University
- Tori Omamogho, MSc in Automotive Engineering with Electric Propulsion, University of Bath
- Lily Owuye, MSc in Automotive Engineering, University of Leeds
- Chris Tagnon, MPhil in Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management, University of Cambridge
- Mustafa Awadalla Youssef, MSc in Mechanical Engineering Design, University of Manchester
