Ross Paterson wants to know: "I am 19 and currently about to finish a foundation degree at Myerscough College, do you have any advice on how to go about getting a job and what sort of level I should be looking to step in at?"

Tiff Needell said:

If you speak to your lecturers they will know where your skills are and hopefully guide you to where the jobs are.

Suchit Gopalpur wants to know: "Are electronics and aerodynamics, in your opinion, overshadowing or detrimental to mechanical and material innovations in motorsport?"

Tiff Needell said:

Sadly yes, I don't want to make half the Motor Sport industry redundant but I do feel holding back on some of the modern technology available would make the racing better.

Pradeep Murali asks another course related question: "Hi, I am a Computer Engineer with specialisation in system software. I have worked on a lot of interfacing projects that are tailored towards controlling interfaced machines through software. I am passionate about F1 motorsport racing and my enthusiasm for the sport has no limits. I would like to know where a software engineer like me could fit into Formula-1 racing."

Tiff Needell said:

Again, look at the Foundation Degree courses available. If you go to www.foundationdegree.org.uk for more information but certainly every Grand Prix team needs a growing number of software engineers.

Paul wants to know: "How does one get into competitive driving?"

Tiff Needell said:

Obviously, if you can't afford to buy your own car or kart it's not easy, until now the only option was to go to a racing school, but one of the new Foundation Degrees is for Sports Performance Motor Sport Driving at The University of Bath. So go for it!

Following on from Paul's question about getting into the sport, Samuel Bennett asks: "Tiff, how did you start in motorsport"

Tiff Needell said:

The hard way of course. Nowadays with Motorsport Degree courses you are spoilt. I worked as a civil engineer and went to racing schools at weekends before a dream came true and I won a Formula Ford Racing Car in a magazine competition.

Wendy wants to know: "I'd like to ask, how old were you when you first started racing, and what type of car was it?"

Tiff Needell said:

I first went to a racing school at 17 as soon as I left school and started racing properly when I won the Formula Ford at the age of 19...and 9 years later I was a Grand Prix driver.

Paul wants to know: "What's the best car you have ever driven?"

Tiff Needell said:

Oh the McLaren F1 Supercar of course!

Wendy also asks: "What did your parents think when you told them you were going to be a racing driver?"

Tiff Needell said:

As it was my father who dragged me to watch racing as soon as I could walk they could only blame themselves!

Samuel Bennett has come back with another question: "I have just been give a conditional offer at Brunel Uni for an MEng in Motorsport Engineering and I am currently doing a HND Motorsport engineering at Oxford Brookes Uni/ Brooklands College for this course. For the MEng I have to do a major Project for the HND - I am doing a gear manufacture in Carbon fibre with screw attachment to a drive shaft. What do you think about my interesting project for the MEng and can I invite you to our presentation on the 18th May at Brooklands museum?"

Tiff Needell said:

I'm afraid technically you are way over my head already! But, as a trustee of the Brooklands Museum, if I can't make the 18th at least I will be there in spirit.

Sarah wants to know: "What is your view on the FIA/Ferrari conspiracy theories? Do Ferrari have so much power the FIA are scared to bring in changes that wouldn’t favour them?"

Tiff Needell said:

I think all these conspiracy theories are a bit over the top. They're not the best team because the rules have been bent in their direction. They're the best because they have worked hard to build the best car and attract the best driver.

Sticking with Formula 1, Anna wants to know: "Who do you think will win F1?"

Tiff Needell said:

I'm afraid I will still have to go for Schumacher, partly because the other teams still opt for two number one drivers who will take points off each other. But I look at Montoya as the only option or perhaps Alonso.

On the subject of potential, winners, Sarah wants to know: "Who do you think could be the next British world champion? Do you think Jenson Button will ever make it, and if not, who is our next F1 talent and where are they now?"

Tiff Needell said:

Button will definitely get there somehow. Maybe not in a BAR but perhaps in a little red Ferrari - Michael has got to retire someday! Otherwise, I'd still like to see Justin Wilson get another shot.

Loughy wants to know: "Which do you prefer F1 or GT racing?"

Tiff Needell said:

GT racing is more of a driver involvement formula so I love doing it, but F1 is still every drivers dream.

Finishing on the F1 theme for the minute, Sheila wants to know: "Do you think there is an equal chance for females in Formula 1?"

Tiff Needell said:

The equal opportunity is definitely there. I don't think there is any bias against women racing drivers. But I do feel as with 99% of sports Motor Racing at the highest level is so physically demanding that women will find it a tough challenge.

Moving away from F1 for the minute, Paul wants to know: "What are your thoughts on future for hybrid cars, hydrogen power/electric power?"

Tiff Needell said:

Yes, certainly I see hydrogen as a viable option for the future. But, everything you use with batteries always seems to let you down just when you need them the most.

Suchit Gopalpur wants to know: "Tiff, is Jeremy Clarkson as blunt and forthright in real life as he is on Topgear?"

Tiff Needell said:

Absolutely! And he is just as fat as well!

The last question leads us nicely on to loughy who asks,: "How did you get into the TV side of your career?"

Tiff Needell said:

Top Gear were looking for a racing specialist at a time when my voice was on television co-commentating with Murray Walker as the expert analyst for Formula 2 & 3 races when James Hunt was doing the Grand Prix's. I was also writing track tests for Autosport Magazine - so obviously I was the man for the job!

Imogen wants to know: "Do you miss the race track?"

Tiff Needell said:

Fortunately I am still racing, not as much as I used to, but I actually won my last race at Brands Hatch in an Aston Martin DBR4 - but I still want to do more.

Imogen also asks: "Would you have benefitted from a degree in motor racing and would you like your children to do a motorsport degree?"

Tiff Needell said:

It definitely would have been more useful than the Civil Engineering degree I did and undoubtedly taught me things which I had to discover by trial and error. As for my boys, if they show the same interest I did... why not?

Sarah's back with another question: "The new regulations are designed to slow the cars and increase overtaking but this wasn’t the case at Melbourne. What regulation changes would you make to bring back racing to F1?"

Tiff Needell said:

Aerodynamic ones! Everyone knows this is the real problem that all these tinkering rules are trying to cover up, but the team owners with all their powers want to keep the car design as free as possible so they can never agree on any changes.

Sarah also asks: "Do you think the GPWC will succeed in producing a breakaway series, leaving Ferrari out in the cold?"

Tiff Needell said:

Now that's a tricky one, but I can't help feel that as long as Bernie remains fit and healthy he'll eventually maneuver everyone into his way of thinking.

MS wants to know: "How about PR for formula 1? Are there opportunities here?"

Tiff Needell said:

Not sure about that MS. The only way to find out is to log on to www.foundationdegree.org.uk

In response to the GPWC answer, Suchit Gopalpur wants to know: "Is the F1-GPWC spat heading towards something like the CART-IRL scenario from about a decade ago, over in the States?"

Tiff Needell said:

That's the ultimate danger but I really don't think it will go that far.

loughy wants to know: "Would you suggest that young drivers try as many different formulas or stick to single-seaters?"

Tiff Needell said:

That all depends if you are obsessed with becoming a Grand Prix driver or realistic enough to just enjoy whatever you can do whenever you can do it - there is life outside of the fickle world of Formula One.

Bringing back to the topic of studying, Lol wants to know: "You can do degrees in anything now like pop music...are they really worth doing?"

Tiff Needell said:

These Foundation Degree courses really are vocational. They're created in conjunction with the Motor Sport Industry so you will be learning things that are relevant to a job in Motor Sport.

Suchit wants to know: "What is the inspiration behind your all-orange helmet paint scheme?"

Tiff Needell said:

Now there's a real fan! It's actually because I raced junior powerboats as a teenager and of course boat racers all have to wear... orange helmets!

We'll take one more on Formula 1 from Sarah before we finish off: "Qualifying is a disaster! I think we should revert to the old system of 12 laps each in an hour. The new system is meant to provide more TV coverage for the sponsors of the smaller teams, but I find it so boring, I video it and then fast forward to the teams I am interested in! I see less of the smaller teams sponsors now than before. What do you think about the current system and what, if any, changes would you make?"

Tiff Needell said:

Personally, I like the purity of single lap qualifying. The problem is it all goes wrong because we are trying to make qualifying a television show and that's never going to work to everyone's satisfaction. So lets keep it behind closed doors and have more free time on Saturdays.

And finally, back to the topic of studying to get into the motorsport industry, Utkarsh Pandit asks: "I am a 3rd year Mechanical Eng Student finishing this June. I would like to pursue a career in Motorsport Eng. Would it possible for you tell me which Universities are good for the course? I am currently in UK."

Tiff Needell said:

I think that's back to www.foundationdegree.org.uk

Thanks for all your questions. Don't forget Fifth Gear is back on Monday 21st March... see ya there!!!