Finalists chosen for 2017 Autosport Williams Engineer of the Future Award

The annual award, introduced last year, brings an engineering student into the Williams Formula 1 team for an accelerated career development programme.

Eight leading UK universities were invited to nominate students for consideration.

University of Bath trio Mark Ascott, Robert Beynon and Oliver Cartlidge, Oxford Brookes student Jonathan Fernandez Hee and Imperial College London's Sam O'Neill made the shortlist and will take part in an assessment workshop at Williams's Grove headquarters on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

They will be judged by a panel comprising Williams's chief technical officer Pat Symonds and HR director Nicola Salter, Autosport editor-in-chief Edd Straw, former Jaguar F1 team boss Tony Purnell and former leading Ford figure Richard Parry-Jones CBE.

"Last year we introduced this award to identify the UK's brightest and best engineering students and give them a head start towards a career in Formula 1," said Symonds.

"Once again, the calibre of applications we received has been remarkable and it hasn't been easy to select just five students.

"The bright and motivated students coming to Williams in the coming weeks will be completing a number of hands-on tasks to demonstrate that they have the raw skills to become a future Formula 1 engineering star.

"Many of the sport's legendary engineering figures began their career at Williams and, with this scheme, we are confident that many more will learn and hone their craft with us."

The award winner will be announced at the Autosport Awards on December 4.

The inaugural award in 2015 was won by Oxford Engineering Science masters student Elizabeth Thompson.