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British Tamil engineer Arun Rajkumar became an unexpected face of Mercedes’ Austrian Grand Prix celebrations after stepping onto the Formula 1 podium and lifting the race-winning constructors’ trophy for the team.
Rajkumar, who was born into an Eelam Tamil family, is a trackside power unit engineer for Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, the Brixworth-based division that designs, manufactures and tests Formula 1 power units for Mercedes and its customer teams.
His podium appearance came after George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg on Sunday, with Max Verstappen finishing second for Red Bull and Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli taking third.
For Mercedes, it was a strong team result. Russell converted pole position into victory, while Antonelli’s podium finish helped the team extend its lead in the Constructors’ Championship.
But away from the drivers, Rajkumar’s moment drew attention online because it placed one of the engineers behind the car’s performance at the centre of the celebrations.
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At each Grand Prix, the winning constructor is represented on the podium by a member of the team, who receives the constructors’ trophy on behalf of the wider operation. In Austria, that honour went to Rajkumar.
The moment resonated with Tamil fans around the world, many of whom shared images of Rajkumar standing alongside Russell, Verstappen and Antonelli as Mercedes celebrated its victory.
While Formula 1 is often seen through the achievements of its drivers, the constructors’ trophy reflects the work of the wider team, from engineers and mechanics to strategists, analysts and technicians.
That made Rajkumar’s appearance especially meaningful. It highlighted the behind-the-scenes expertise that powers success in one of the world’s most technically demanding sports.
Rajkumar’s route into Formula 1 began long before his Austrian Grand Prix podium moment.
He studied mechanical engineering at the University of Birmingham and joined Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains as a placement student between his third and fourth years.
During that placement, he worked across Product Engineering and Test Engineering, gaining experience in power unit design, reliability and testing. His early work included exposure to internal combustion engine components, structural analysis and telemetry used in failure investigations.
He later continued his career with Mercedes HPP, progressing through engineering roles before becoming a trackside power unit engineer.
In that role, Rajkumar is part of the team responsible for monitoring, supporting and optimising the performance and reliability of Mercedes power units during race weekends. Trackside engineers work in a high-speed environment where decisions, data and reliability can shape the outcome of a race.
For Mercedes, the power unit is a central part of its Formula 1 identity. The team at Brixworth has been responsible for every Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 engine since 1995 and has played a major role in the marque’s modern success in the sport.
That history includes the hybrid era, when Mercedes dominated Formula 1 with a run of Constructors’ Championships between 2014 and 2021.
Rajkumar’s journey from engineering student to Formula 1 podium representative now adds a new chapter to that story.
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Photographs: Mercedes AMG F1/ Instagram