MGP to Support Zero Gravity STEM Scholarship Programme

Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix powers 146 STEM scholars through university via Zero Gravity’s scholarship programme.

Formula One should be open to all. A key part of our Accelerate 25 campaign has been to make the sport that we love so much more accessible to a wider range of talent.

Since 2020 we have had the pleasure of welcoming under-represented groups into motorsport through unique work experiences and career insight days.

Now, Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix (MGP) is delighted to announce its support for Zero Gravity and their bespoke scholarships programme, aimed at providing opportunity to high-achieving STEM students.

Over the course of the next two years, 146 recipients from low socio-economic backgrounds will be supported by the scholarship created by MGP.

In total, MGP has pledged £438,000 to help students take their next steps in STEM.

About Zero Gravity

Recognising that talent is spread evenly, but opportunity is not, Zero Gravity is a leading force in improving the balance of opportunity across the UK’s society. Their innovative platform aims to improve social mobility in the UK by supporting those who were told that reaching the top was unthinkable.

With over 15,000 members (incorporating 35% of UK state schools) and 8,000 students from low-opportunity backgrounds now studying at the UK’s leading universities, the impact of the platform speaks for itself. The Zero Gravity Scholarships programme has seen an equal amount of success. £1.55 million of scholarship funding has been deployed to 471 students (of which 26% are from Black ethnic group and 67% female), powering their potential at university.

What is Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix doing with Zero Gravity?

Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix wants to trailblaze the future of talent by removing the barriers that prevent scholars from achieving their potential at the country’s top universities.

Our commitment to the Zero Gravity Scholarships programme means that 146 scholars will receive £3,000 (£1,000 per academic year) directly into their pockets through a virtual Zero Gravity card. There are no two ways about it - university is difficult without financial support. An extra £1,000 can be the difference between the additional hours of a part-time job needed to fund a degree, and being able to focus on studying or embracing the university experience. Using the Zero Gravity card, scholars decide for themselves how to spend the money - they know how to make it work hardest to break into their dream career and realise their academic potential.

Critically, Zero Gravity Scholars receive more than just financial support. As well as financially powering them through university, Zero Gravity up-skills scholars with career mentoring and masterclasses. Zero Gravity scholars also get direct access to exciting career opportunities, directly plugging the opportunity gap for low-opportunity students and building the pipeline of diverse backgrounds in to STEM.

Where does Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix drive to fund socially mobile talent come from?

We strongly believe that a more diverse and inclusive team will not only make us faster on the track, but also inspire others in our industry and beyond. Through our Accelerate 25 programme, we provide education, careers support, and mentoring to a wide range of students, with the hope of building motivation and aspiration to achieve the results needed to access Formula One.

The scholarships that MGP will fund are strategically targeted at students pursuing STEM-based subjects, aiming to bridge the education gap and create opportunities for those who might otherwise face barriers to higher education. To date, 471 students have benefited from a Zero Gravity Scholarship (of which 26% are from Black ethnic group and 67% female).

STEM students often require advanced tech, expensive courses, and money for internships and placements. By powering Zero Gravity scholarships, 146 students will be able to fully immerse themselves in their course and career. MGP’s commitment isn’t about philanthropy - it’s an investment in talent. By powering Zero Gravity scholarships, MGP wants to break down barriers and provide opportunities for socially mobile talent to flourish in STEM and F1.

Why Zero Gravity?

Observing who is benefitting from Zero Gravity’s support, it is clear why they set out on a mission to balance the availability of talent versus the access to opportunity across the UK. 100% of Zero Gravity’s community come from low-opportunity backgrounds. 65% are female and 55% are from minority ethnic backgrounds. These statistics highlighted to MGP a huge pool of talent that has been hidden from the sport until now. Alongside Zero Gravity, we want to do all that we can to remove the barriers which are holding these demographic groups back from achieving what their talent deserves.

What makes this donation from Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix to Zero Gravity so special?

“We are pleased to announce our donation and our commitment to helping the UK become a more equitable society in which everyone can thrive and reach their potential.

“Through this donation, we are excited to support the extraordinary and diverse talent that exists across the UK’s population and motivate this talent towards STEM careers.

“At a time when the team’s EDI programme, Accelerate 25, is going from strength to strength, we want to continue to back the best of the best and nurture a more diverse and inclusive team. An investment like this reinforces our long-term commitment to build diversity in STEM, in Motorsport and at Mercedes.”

Anca Raines, Chief People Officer

Find Out More About Our Accelerate 25 Programme

Notes

About Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd (MGP) is the company which runs the works team of Mercedes-AMG F1 that competes in the FIA Formula One™ World Championship. Based at Brackley in the United Kingdom, MGP brings together over 1,200 dedicated and determined people that design, develop, manufacture and race the cars driven by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton and Grand Prix winner, George Russell.

MGP also operates Applied Science, a business division which provides bespoke engineering services combining world-class talent and a high-performance culture with cutting-edge technical capability.

Between returning as a Constructor in 2010 and the end of the 2023 season, the Mercedes-AMG F1 works team has scored 116 wins, 272 podium finishes, 129 pole positions, 96 fastest laps and 54 one-two finishes from 284 race starts.

About Accelerate 25

Launched in December 2020, the team’s Accelerate 25 programme expresses a determination to do better and embed equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of the team. As a team we strongly believe that a more diverse and inclusive team will not only make us faster on the track, but also inspire others in our industry and beyond.

As part of the programme, we undertook an in-depth analysis of our recruitment and development processes and launched mandatory Diversity and Inclusion training for all our team members. We also pledged to continuously improve our efforts to attract and retain diverse talent and set an ambition to exceed 25% of all new team members coming from under-represented groups (female team members and team members from minority ethnic backgrounds) every year until the end of 2025.

As of August 2023, 17% of our workforce was female and 9% of our workforce were from minority ethnic backgrounds. 37% of our team members who joined in the first six months of 2023 were from under-represented groups.

Although we are pleased that our positive action initiatives and partnerships through Accelerate 25 are having a sustainable impact on our demographics and culture, we remain committed to increasing diversity and inclusion to bring greater performance within our team and the wider industry.