“We need to do something different” - why Hexagon is teaming up with Red Bull Racing to address manufacturing skills shortage

Sim racing at Red Bull HQ.

Despite Formula 1 becoming an increasingly popular sport, even six-time Constructors’ Champions Oracle Red Bull Racing (ORBR) says it is quietly struggling to fill technical skills roles amidst a steady decline in the UK’s manufacturing industry.

Back in the 1990s, the manufacturing share of the UK’s GDP was around 17%, a healthy portion of industry with a steady stream of apprentices filling entry-level roles. Now though, apprenticeship rates have plummeted 66% since the pandemic, and the manufacturing industry sat at 9% in 2024.