INFINITI Engineering Academy 2018 Canadian winner crowned after an exciting trackside final at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve

• INFINITI names Chase Pelletier a student from University Ontario Institute Technology (UOIT), Oshawa as the 2018 Canadian winner of its acclaimed INFINITI Engineering Academy, following an intense trackside final at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve ahead of this weekend's Grand Prixtm
  
• Chase will begin his 12-month placement with INFINITI and Renault Sport Formula Onetm Team in January 2019
• Chase is one of the only seven winners chosen by an esteemed panel of judges from INFINITI, Renault Sport Formula Onetm Team and Harvard University

MONTREAL, June 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Engineering student Chase Pelletier earned his title as the Canadian final winner of the 2018 INFINITI Engineering Academy, securing a highly-coveted and exclusive opportunity to work in automotive and Formula Onetm with INFINITI and Renault Sport Formula Onetm Team.

The 22-year-old UOIT student from Brampton, Ontario was selected from thousands of applications.

The INFINITI Engineering Academy is INFINITI's global search for bright engineering talent to work across automotive and Formula Onetm. It is the only recruitment program of its kind in the world, bringing an array of young, diverse and fresh thinking engineering talent who will gain first-hand knowledge and experience working alongside seasoned automotive and racetrack engineers in the exciting world of Formula Onetm.

After an action-packed event held trackside at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal ahead of the 2018 Canadian Formula Onetm Grand Prix this weekend, a panel including judges from INFINITI, Renault Sport Formula Onetm Team and decision science experts from Harvard University declared Chase Pelletier the winner.

Competing against nine other finalists from all over Canada, Pelletier demonstrated to be a worthy winner as he tackled the numerous tests involved in the final event, including an engineering exam, one-on-one interviews with the judges, a dragster car build, challenges especially designed for the occasion by a team from Harvard University and by Renault Sport Formula Onetm Team and facing the media in a tough Q&A session where journalists from different industries evaluated his communication skills.

Pelletier will relocate to the U.K. in January 2019 and will be provided with a competitive salary, an INFINITI company car, travel and accommodations for one year. The automotive engineering student at UOIT will spend six-months working at the Renault Formula Onetm Team's Technical Center in Enstone, U.K. and six-months at INFINITI's European Technical Center in Cranfield, U.K. He will play a key role in the ongoing transfer of technical knowledge and expertise between Renault Sport Formula Onetm Team and INFINITI.

Tommaso Volpe, director, INFINITI Global Motorsport and Performance Projects, said, "The INFINITI Engineering Academy has grown every year, and now in our fifth year, competition for our limited number of slots is intense. Our partners at Renault Sport Formula Onetm Team and Harvard University have helped us select the brightest engineering students from around the globe who will contribute to the future of the sport and the automotive industry."

Cyril Abiteboul, managing director, Renault Sport Racing, also commented, "Attracting top new talent is crucial for success in Formula Onetm, so we want to make sure that together, with INFINITI, we select the best engineers to work for this program. Each one of these young engineers brings fresh perspectives and new ideas to the race team, which are vital."

Commenting on his win, Pelletier said, "It feels incredible to be selected as the Canadian winner. It was very competitive again this year ? the other contestants were very strong, so it is very rewarding for me to win this competition. I am looking forward to working for Renault Sport and INFINITI starting in January."

For the 2018 edition of the Academy, INFINITI partnered with Harvard University Professor Dr. Julia Minson, who specializes in decision science. Dr. Minson is working with the INFINITI Engineering Academy to conduct ground-breaking research into decision making in engineering, and how the very best engineers perform under pressure to make decisions when faced with vast amounts of complex data. The learnings from the research will then be incorporated by both the INFINITI engineering and motorsport teams to optimize their decision-making processes.


For more information on the INFINITI Engineering Academy, please visit academy.infiniti.com.

-ENDS-

For more media information, please visit INFINITInews.com.  

About INFINITI

INFINITI Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with representations in 50 markets around the world. The INFINITI brand was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, the United States, United Kingdom and China. INFINITI design studios are located in Atsugi-Shi near Yokohama, London, San Diego and Beijing. INFINITI is in the middle of a major product offensive. The brand has been widely acclaimed for its daring design and innovative driver-assistance technologies. From the 2016 season, INFINITI is a technical partner of the Renault Sport Formula One team, contributing its expertise in hybrid performance.

More information about INFINITI and its industry leading technologies can be found at INFINITI.ca.

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Media contacts:

Didier Marsaud
Director, Corporate Communications
INFINITI Motor Company - Canada
Telephone: 905-629-6400
Email: [email protected]

Jenn McCarthy
Manager, Product Communications
INFINITI Motor Company - Canada
Telephone: 905-629-6350
Email: [email protected] 

Roxane Barry
Specialist, Corporate Communications
INFINITI Motor Company - Canada
Telephone: 905-629-6461
Email: [email protected]

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