You can see at first glance that Tomas is a true rally heartthrob. He says that his work is a hobby for him. He fell into the world of fast bikes as a young boy, so it's no wonder he chose the Brno University of Technology to study, where he joined the local Formula Student team.
You can see at first glance that Tomas is a true rally heartthrob. He says that his work is a hobby for him. He fell into the world of fast bikes as a young boy, so it's no wonder he chose the Brno University of Technology to study, where he joined the local Formula Student team. He is now applying the experience gained in this team at DEVINN as a technical engineer on a project for ŠKODA Motorsport.
Tomas, tell me how did you get from Brno to DEVINN?
The initial impetus came from DEVINN, who approached me to see if I would be interested in working with them on the ŠKODA Motorsport project. Because motorsport is a great hobby of mine and I have been going to rally races since I was very young, even world rally races. I was very interested in the offer. A series of interviews followed, after which we gave each other high fives, and nothing prevented me from joining.
Didn't distance deter you from accepting the offer? After all, from Brno, where you studied, it's a long way to Mlada Boleslav.
It's out of hand, I admit it. I'm originally from Wallachia Bystřice, which is about five hours by train to Mladá Boleslav. But I have to say that rallying has become my passion and working near rally was my childhood dream. Specifically to be a rally driver. But that later turned out not to be very realistic :) That's also why I was willing to take this step. I also saw it as an advantage that DEVINN offers shared house living, so at least that worry was removed.
Could you please elaborate on your current job description?
I work as a designer on the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo project, where I am responsible for the aerodynamic parts. In addition, over time, I have also gained responsibility for parts that are used as chassis protection called slats, body protection, thermal protection and certain parts that belong to the interior of the car.
My workload could be divided into two parts. The first one is the development part, which means that I develop parts and then ensure the production of prototypes and their testing. The second is the technical part, which involves creating production documents, technical documentation and also ensuring the production of the parts themselves. Basically, I'm the link between the sales department and the workshop. These two parts go hand in hand and are very close to each other.
During your studies you were part of the Formula Student team in Brno, what was your specific role in the team?
I joined Formula Student in the 1st year of my Master's degree, but not until around December. You could say that I had already boarded the train, because the advanced stage of development was underway and the parts were being finished and the production of the monopost had begun. I was working on the aerodynamics of the project. That is, I was developing the necessary parts, which involved calculations using a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) environment to calculate airflow.
Tomas (first from left) and his teammates from TU Brno Racing
How did that tenure prepare you for your current position?
Firstly, you get a chance to try working in a team, where you need to communicate effectively and divide up the work. However, I also perceive a great benefit in the fact that I was responsible for a specific part, which of course has a price, so in case of a bad procedure there is a risk of financial losses. This is different from school, where projects are done only on paper. So I had to learn to take responsibility for my decisions.
If you compare the development work on the Formula Student project and the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo, in which areas is the development similar and where are the biggest differences?
The principle and philosophy of development remains the same. Everything starts with the brief, followed by the development itself, which involves drawing the model, calculating CFD, creating a prototype, testing and then ensuring the production of the part. So the process itself is not much different. In both cases, there are rules that need to be taken into account during development. As for the FIA (International Automobile Federation) rules that apply to the Rally2 group, I would say they are a bit more stringent. The formula has more benevolent ones, for example in terms of the rear wing, so it can contain more profiles and be much more efficiently placed. Also, the homologation of the Formula Student is different from the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 project. Many more racing specials will also be produced and this fact must not be forgotten during development.
You have been working on the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo project for more than a year now, what has been the biggest challenge you have faced so far and how have you dealt with it?
Ireally like the progressiveness here. What happens is that I get a job in the morning, I have to put together the data in the morning, I send the part to production in the afternoon, and by the evening I can have a finished part. Which, in turn, means that there's a certain amount of pressure to perform. But that's something you have to take into account in this business.
During the year I took over a new job from a departing colleague - slating. It was at the time when the preparation for the rally was underway and I had to ensure the preparation of the skids in order to finish the components in time. I must admit that it was hard for me to understand the system of preparing the skids. So it was a real challenge for me.
Do you have the opportunity to look at tests and rallies as part of your job?
I have hadthe opportunity to participate in world testing four times and rally twice. One of the most emotional experiences of my life was during the test in Finland, when I had the opportunity to sit in the co-driver's seat of Kalle Rovanpera and complete part of the famous Ouninpohja stage (part of Rally Finland). The primary purpose was to be able to see how the roof ventilation and the car works in real life conditions. But of course it was also an unforgettable experience. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity. I love going to the tests, even though they are very demanding in terms of work. I'm glad that I can see things in practice and take a break from the office.
You have a really varied workload, but what do you like best about your job?
I love itwhen I hear someone starting and loading the FABIA Rally2. Every time it gives me a feeling of excitement and passion.
Does your passion for motorsport translate to your fleet? Tell me, what car does the developer of the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo drive?
Now, I probably won't please the gawkers too much, but I have a Volvo V70 and the other one is a Honda Civic, which is a little 1998 vintage car, and I have it mainly for recreation. But I also have a KZ2 Motocar in my collection, which is one of the highest class of karts. I mustn't forget my quad bike, which I like to ride off-road.
-LB-
Photo source: TU Brno Racing
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