Mark Mathieson MBE | UK Defence Journal

1 POSTS 0 COMMENTS

With a background in motorsport and automotive engineering, he has held senior roles at McLaren, Mercedes-Benz F1 and Ricardo, including Director of Innovation at McLaren Applied Technologies and Chief Engineer for Powertrain at McLaren Automotive. In 2019 he founded digital technology consultancy PurpleSector, now employing more than 60 people across multiple sectors. He led the UK Ventilator Challenge and supported the national Covid testing programme through automation, work recognised with the award of an MBE.

What Formula 1 can teach defence about wartime pace

December 24, 2025

Drawing on experience from Formula 1 and his work at PurpleSector, Mark Mathieson MBE argues that defence can learn practical lessons from high performance engineering as it seeks to operate at wartime pace in peacetime.

The UK Defence Journal is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation, which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry. We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please contact us at the email below. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk