RMIT drives motorsport engineering
23rd February 2026
RMIT University has strengthened its position in motorsport engineering through a new three-year partnership with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC), designed to immerse STEM students in the technical realities of elite racing.
Under the agreement, RMIT becomes an official Event Supporter of the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix 2026, with a continued presence through 2027 and 2028. The partnership positions the Grand Prix not just as a sporting spectacle, but as a live engineering laboratory where students can engage directly with the technologies that underpin modern motorsport.
At the centre of the collaboration is RMIT’s activation within the AGPC Innovation Hub. The university will showcase nine high-tech stations featuring robotics, virtual reality systems and high-performance vehicle technology. The display is designed to demonstrate how disciplines such as mechanical engineering, mechatronics, data analytics and advanced manufacturing converge in race car development and event operations.
By aligning with the ‘Team of Tomorrow’ program, supported by Karting Australia, RMIT also connects emerging driving talent with the broader technical ecosystem required to support professional racing. The initiative highlights that motorsport success relies as much on aerodynamics, powertrain optimisation, materials engineering and simulation as it does on driver skill.
The agreement will explore structured internships, collaborative research opportunities and industry-linked student projects focused on motorsport applications. Potential areas include vehicle dynamics modelling, energy management systems, composite materials, and data-driven performance optimisation.
RMIT Deputy Vice-Chancellor STEM College and Vice-President Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos said the partnership builds on years of engagement with the Grand Prix, where the university has previously showcased STEM programs to more than 465,000 attendees, including over 20,000 students.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chief Commercial Officer Emma Pinwill said integrating students into the Innovation Hub demonstrates the real-world career pathways that exist beyond the cockpit, from trackside engineering and telemetry analysis to logistics and advanced systems management.
By embedding engineering education within Australia’s premier motorsport event, the partnership creates a direct link between academic study and high-performance application – reinforcing the Grand Prix as both a sporting and technological showcase.