Student Experiences: Tania Allard
Meet Tania Allard, an MA Business of Motorsport student from the National Motorsport Academy! While Tania’s passion for motorsport started relatively recently, make no mistake: her enthusiasm is as strong as any! As an international student, she was determined to study while still focusing on her personal projects. After graduation, Tania plans to pursue a career in motorsport and keep her passion alive.
Now, let’s hear from Tania herself…
Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hi everyone! I’m Tania Allard, I’m 23 years old, and I am from Brussels, Belgium. I’m currently at the end of Module 05 and Module 06 (“Motorsport Brands, Their Extensions & Future Trends” and “Change Management”).
My passion for motorsport is very recent, but I was immediately drawn to it, which is why I straight away decided to study at the NMA.
Like a lot of people, I knew the names “Schumacher” and “Senna,” but I didn’t really understand the interest of this sport. Even though every Sunday when I was little, my dad used to watch the Grand Prix and MotoGP.
It was only with the arrival of Netflix that I rediscovered this sport. It was a weekend in June and I had to study for my bachelor’s marketing exams, but I preferred to start a new Netflix series instead… I binge-watched “Drive to Survive,” and since then I’ve become a real enthusiast. As soon as the season ended, I started watching interviews, asking questions, etc. I was so excited!
As a Belgian, I thought it would be a great opportunity to watch a Grand Prix live, and a few weeks later I attended my first Grand Prix. Well, my karma wasn’t very kind, as I attended the famous shortest Grand Prix in history. But that didn’t stop me from remaining a passionate fan, and I think it was a real test for me!
What made you decide to enrol with the NMA?
To find these studies I simply did some online research and compared them with other universities offering more or less similar courses in the field. In the end, I opted for the NMA because in terms of courses and content, it was the one that most closely matched my expectations.
As an international student, what appealed to you the most about the Business of Motorsport master's degree?
The fact that I could take an online course was interesting for me because I could focus on my studies as well as on other personal projects.
How has your time with the NMA been so far?
My experience at the NMA has been very positive. The studies have enabled me to broaden my knowledge of motorsport, as well as develop my knowledge of business and marketing.
What's been your favourite module so far?
I really enjoyed Modules 01 and 02 (“History, Sporting & Commercial Structure of Motorsport” & “Ethics in Sports Management & Governance”), which provided a good grounding in motorsport and its organisation. I enjoyed developing different topics, as well as the topics of my reports, which are:
- ‘Promoting Gender Diversity in Formula 1: History, Governance, F1 Academy Impact, and Lessons from Other Sports’ ,
- ‘Beyond the pit lane – How Governance Shapes Motorsport?’
- ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together : Examining Ethical Dimensions in the Governance of the International Olympic Committee’.
I loved immersing myself in these themes, which are not only linked to motorsport but also to all sports, and what we can learn from them in order to develop motorsport. Ethical issues are also subjects that I particularly enjoy exploring.
Finally, I’m very interested in the last module, which involves writing a thesis. I’ve got lots of ideas in mind at the moment, but above all I’d like to find an internship to gain experience.
What is the biggest takeaway from the course so far?
What I learnt the most was certainly how motorsport operates and how it is structured in general. What’s more, studying 100% online isn’t always easy from a motivational and organisational point of view, but it does teach you a great deal of discipline and self-confidence.
You posted on LinkedIn about your experiences in motorsport, can you elaborate on these?
Firstly, I love LinkedIn! During my marketing studies, we had to develop ourselves on LinkedIn. We learned about its importance and also how to optimise it. Since then I’ve enjoyed sharing my career path, which has enabled me to get in touch with new people working in fields that interest me. What’s more, I like to learn from other people’s careers, so I thought why not share my journey too.
When you finish with the course, what do you want to do next?
The main aim is to find a work placement for Module 08: Executive Project, and then either get a job there or meet new people in the sector.
Do you have any advice for potential students looking to pursue a MA in Business of Motorsport?
I think that if you have a passion and have the opportunity to study in this field, you must try! It’s a real chance to study something we are passionate about!
A big thank you to Tania for speaking to us! You can stay up-to-date on her motorsport journey by following her on LinkedIn – Tania Allard.