Created in memory of Tyler James Alexander (TJA), one of the key founding fathers, in 1963, of the McLaren F1 team, the TJA Scholarship is open to all bright engineering students who through disadvantage, would not have the opportunity to embark on a career in the world of motor racing engineering.
By ‘looking back to go forward’ the TJA Scholarship will influence the future of next gen racing, while embracing the best of hands-on racing of previous generations.
23 year old Daniyaal Irfan, who graduated this summer with a 1st Class BSc (Hons) in Aerospace Engineering, is receiving funding towards his MSc in Advanced Motorsport Engineering at world leading Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, which he is starting this Autumn.
The 1 year postgraduate degree will then lead to two career and life-enhancing internships – 3 months with McLaren Racing in their Heritage and TPC (The Previous Car) Team at their HQ in Woking, and 3 months in the USA, with Team Penske at their Racing HQ in Mooresville, North Carolina.
In addition, there is a mentoring programme for the Scholar to help guide and advise as they navigate the challenging terrain towards a successful and fulfilling career. The mentoring programme is led by Paul Barnes, Director, Support and Logistics at Mclaren Racing, who is also a leadership mentor and a close friend of Tyler’s.
Tim Mayer, Chair of the TJA Scholarship said: “What made Tyler remarkable was his ability to adapt to new challenges. He was always looking forward. That’s why we are proud that the scholarship is all about looking forward to a new generation of engineers, who have faced and overcome societies challenges and barriers along their path. Daniyaal epitomizes this spirit, and we are very proud to support his journey.”
Walter Czarnecki, Vice Chairman Team Penske added: “Tyler was a long standing friend of Roger’s, and all of us here at Team Penske. His professional approach, dedication to innovation and ability to make a race and championship winning car was always, without exception, deeply impressive. One of Tyler’s greatest attributes was his ability to move with the times, he never stayed still and moved from working with sheet metal in the early decades of McLaren, to working on computers in the 21st Century. As McLaren Team Leader, he brought victory to McLaren in the 1974 and 1976 Indy 500 races, with Johnny Rutherford as his driver. We at Team Penske are honoured to be a partner of the newly created TJA Scholarship, and to support bright but disadvantaged young engineering students to fully embrace the opportunities open to them. We look forward, in due course, to welcoming Daniyaal to Team Penske for his 3 month Internship.”
Paul Barnes, McLaren Racing, and Director of Support and Logistics said: “Without Tyler I wouldn’t be where I am today. He mentored me when I was a young man prone to misjudging my priorities which would have been detrimental to my career, and he took his own time and personality to steer me in the right direction. Tyler was a pioneer in having the correct mindset to compete in Formula 1, and this still helps me in my career today. He was a giant of a human being, influential both in his engineering skills and as a mentor to many within the industry. It is my privilege to continue his love of mentoring to help others.”
TJA Scholarship Founder and Tyler’s partner, Jane Nottage, commented: “We are all very proud to welcome Daniyaal, as our first Scholar. Daniyaal is an exceptional young man, who has overcome many challenges. Tyler would be very happy to see his name live on and help others to lead fulfilling lives within the world of motor sport.”
Daniyaal Irfan, the 2024 Scholar said: “Despite many setbacks along the journey and taking a leap leaving industry to pursue higher education, the past few years of dedication to the journey embodying Tyler’s’ values of optimism and courage have culminated to being chosen as the inaugural scholar for such a unique, life changing opportunity.”
James Brighton, Professor of Automotive Engineering, Advanced Vehicle Engineering Centre, Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, added: "Tyler's passion and the enormous influence he had on the industry made him one of the legends of racing. It is an honour for us to continue his legacy with this exceptional scholarship, which will open up a career for the next generation of engineers. We are looking forward to Daniyaal joining us soon to start his Advanced Motorsport Engineering MSc and to continue the ongoing partnerships with McLaren and Penske.”
