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Student athlete Aidan Read is a man of many talents.

At the University of Western Australia, Aidan is a busy second-year Mechanical Engineering student who loves spending time with his dog and catching up with mates.

Out of the classroom, you might catch Aidan in a Lamborghini Huracan or a Porsche 911, just two of the supercars the 19-year-old has raced professionally on tracks across Asia.

Racing go-karts from age 9, he has always had a passion for machines, and after three years progressed to racing junior formula cars.

It was then that Aidan realised he had the talent and drive to make a name for himself in the sport.

“At that point my family and I decided to take racing seriously as a career opportunity,” he says, “and from then on I have always been focussed on that goal.”

As he progressed through school, Aidan’s passion for motors and machines sparked his decision to study Mechanical Engineering at UWA.

He is able to see a direct connection between his efforts on the track and the innovative concepts he is studying.

“Motorsports is a cutting-edge application of engineering, so all the concepts I’m taking in as a student can be related back to racing. The materials used to build a race car, motion, aerodynamics, data analysis, it’s all related.”

Although it may seem a challenge to balance study and sport, Aidan, at only 19, is already a season pro, having done so since Year 11.

The challenges he faces on the track have led to him to become more confident, resilient and focused, which is an incredibly useful attribute to have as an Engineering student.

“I have been pushing hard with the studies recently,” he says. “My results to date in Uni have been good, but engineering is a real test of your understanding, so the exams are tough. I gave it my best throughout the semester in all the assessments to accumulate the marks so hopefully I’ve had another semester of solid results.”

Aidan is in close contact with the Faculty of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and relies on the UWA Sport Student Athlete Development Program for support when traveling around Asia.

“It takes a lot of effort to either try to catch up or get ahead while at home, but it pays off when you get the balance right and can experience a sporting career in parallel with studies.”

Rising up the ranks of a variety of motorsport events, Aidan is currently focused on racing for Craft Bamboo Racing in the Blancpain GT Series Asia.

He recently finished on the podium in Buriram, Thailand, and has been noted as a rising star with his smart driving and determination.

Meanwhile, back in Perth, Aidan has just finished his exams, bringing the busy semester to an end.

A full-time student in his second year, next semester he is doing a combination of Advanced Maths, Engineering and Sports Science units.

Being in between races, Aidan is focusing on preparation for his next race, which includes a mixture of weight training and aerobic exercise at the UWA Fitness Centre.

“I do a lot of preparation analytically between races, looking at video and data of my driving, reflecting and identifying areas to improve. I am also coaching locally and internationally, which is a project that supplements my racing.”

Aidan says that sport and study play a major role in his life, which means he’s always got something to work towards.

His ultimate goal is to combine higher education in engineering with my racing career as it offers an advantage analytically and when problem solving or developing a car.

Media references

Louis Humberstone

Graduate Officer, UWA Sport Marketing, Communication and Events

[email protected]

6488 3768