M-Sport Member Spotlight​

Sam Purvis ​

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Sam Purvis, Chief Designer at M-Sport, plays a key role in the company’s design and engineering team and is currently focused on the Raptor T1+ for the Dakar Rally. Here, we find more about his background, experience at M-Sport, and what his typical day-to-day looks like.​​​

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How long have you been with M-Sport, and how did you come to work here?

I joined in February 2023, shortly after a call from a friend of a friend, who mentioned that M-Sport had a new project I would likely be interested in!

 

What does your day-to-day look like as Chief Designer and what various projects do you work on?

I spend 99% of my time on the Dakar Raptor project, but a typical day now is quite different from what it was 18 months ago. Initially, I spent a few weeks working on the fundamental layout of the new car, which involved positioning the powertrain, crew, fuel tank, spare wheels, and coolers. Now, as we approach the final stages of preparing for our first Dakar, I focus primarily on collaborating with the design team and other departments to determine the necessary small specification changes that will provide us with the most benefit, especially given our limited time.

 

How’s the work on the Dakar Project been going?

Overall, things have been going very well. I can confidently speak for the entire design department when I say that we have accomplished a significant amount in a relatively short time. We have learned a great deal about this class of car, and I’ve noticed that the same is true for the entire M-Sport team.

 

What type of skills do you need for your role?

It’s important to work with people who have abundant energy and a strong will to win, to encourage and guide that potential, and occasionally to gather the necessary information to make quick decisions.

 

What is your favourite part about your job and what has been the most rewarding project that you have worked on?

What I enjoy most is being part of a functioning team filled with people who are dedicated to success. Although I can’t single out any particular project or phase as the most rewarding, there have been several highly memorable days. The moment a new car runs at speed for the first time always leaves a lasting impression, and for the Raptor, that moment stands out for all the right reasons.

 

What were you up to before you came here?

I’ve been working in motorsport since I left school, starting with national-level single-seaters and super sports cars, then moving on to super touring cars and rallying. My experience also includes international GT endurance racing, LMP, and F1. Most recently, before joining M-Sport, I was with an IndyCar team that was aiming to achieve the Triple Crown, which involves winning the Le Mans 24 Hours, an F1 World Championship, and the Indy 500. However, a chance to take on the Dakar Rally trumped that.

 

Do you have any hobbies outside of work? Are you interested in motorsports?

I used to build and race single-seaters and motorcycles in my free time, but I found that restoring older cars was the best escape from a job in motorsport. I’ve completed two and have a third in progress, though there hasn’t been much time for that over the past year!

 

Have you got any plans for the future and are there any new skills or areas you are looking to develop or explore?

I’m looking forward to being back in rallying if and when the rally-raid project allows. When I was involved years ago, the team I worked with designed and built successful Super 1600 and F2 class cars. We were on our way to designing and building a WRC car, but that never materialised (as often happens in motorsport), so I still have ambitions in that area.