Matt Barham: Engineering on the Edge

As Engineering Lead at Paddon Racing Group, Matt Barham’s responsible for keeping New Zealand’s top rally cars race-ready. He joins us to chat about life at the front line of New Zealand motorsport, problem-solving under pressure, and the value of teamwork.

If there’s anyone who knows a thing or two about living life at full throttle, it’s Matt Barham.

The Otago-based engineer holds the coveted title of Engineering Lead at Paddon Racing Group, and when we speak over the phone, he’s just returned to New Zealand after several weeks shuttling back and forth across the Tasman for events.

It’s all part of the job when you’re part of New Zealand’s leading motorsport team (founded, of course, by Hayden Paddon - New Zealand’s most successful rally driver on both the national and international stage). And within minutes of talking to Matt, it’s clear that, despite the chaos, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s pretty busy,” he laughs before explaining how much behind-the-scenes engineering goes into keeping a rally car at peak performance.

First, there’s the prep.

“Before a car goes away, I’ll be doing lots of work on the computer,” Matt explains. “I’m usually writing software, simulating algorithms, making sure all control systems are working, and checking that all the bits are electrically tuned. It’s a team effort - everyone’s specialised in a variety of different jobs, and all of our parts have to work together seamlessly.”

Then, there’s the rally itself.

“When you’re at an event, anything can happen,” Matt shares, recalling a recent rally where a steering component failed. “When something goes wrong, you have maybe an hour to figure out the solution while the car is still competing, and then 20 minutes to implement it. It’s fast-paced - you have to prioritise what you’re gonna look at, consider the most-likely issue, and have all of your tools ready. In the moment, you’re relying on your experience, but you also have to trust your gut and act straight away.”

And finally, there’s the aftermath.

“A lot of the things we implement during an event are work-arounds,” Matt admits. “You’ve just got to get it working - even if it’s patched up and not pretty, you can sort it out properly later. Once the cars are back, that’s when we make proper, permanent fixes.”

And while Matt certainly values the prestige of working with New Zealand’s top motorsport team - and thrives on the pace and scale of the challenges that come with it - few moments have matched the significance of project managing the build of the Hyundai Kona EV, one of the world’s first electric rally cars capable of completing a full day of competition.

“That was massive,” Matt shares with a laugh. “It was my first project with Hayden, and other than watching it, I’d had no experience with rallying before. I was thrown into 8-9 months of working long hours every single day, helping create this purpose-built vehicle from the ground up.”

And unlike traditional builds, where engineers can adapt or borrow from existing designs, there was no blueprint to follow. No wonder, then, that Matt describes the experience as a real “crash course.”

“Take suspension design, for example - that was one of the first things I had to do. I’d never done it before, but we needed it, and I was the one who had to figure it out,” Matt explains. “Everything had to be learned as we went. But it was so worth it. We took it to a national forest rally sprint just outside of Rangiora - historically, it’s one of the most popular hill climb rally sprints in the country, and has been running for 30 years. People bring along really impressive cars, and we competed with the EV as our only car. It was a David and Goliath battle, but we won, and it made everything worthwhile.”

So, what has Matt taken from experiences as unparalleled as these? That you don’t need to be brilliant at everything. What matters most, he says, is the willingness to learn and to understand the roles of those around you - and that’s the message he wants anyone following in his footsteps to take with them.

“With these kind of projects, it’s often about taking all of the things that are happening, and piecing them together like a puzzle. If you’re in your own world and don’t understand how everything is piecing together, it’s going to be a struggle - for you, and the team.”

And in an environment like this, a “team” can look a little different from what most would expect, often extending far beyond the people in the garage.

“You’re solving problems all the time - and sometimes that’s with suppliers, manufacturers, or engineering companies overseas. That might mean you’re awake at midnight trying to troubleshoot, or sitting by your laptop waiting for an email that confirms a diagnosis.”

But, as far as Matt’s concerned, it’s these kind of experiences - in combination with the opportunity to apply the software, CAD, and electrical skills (that many EVolocity students will be familiar with!) that he’s worked so hard to nurture that make his mahi so memorable, especially when applied in such high-pressure, high-stakes situations.

Matt's advice for young people interested in STEM:

“Learn software! To be an engineer, no matter what discipline, you need to understand the basics of software, and I definitely regret not learning that earlier. And if you’re interested in motorsport, look into joining a race team, volunteering your time, or getting involved in Formula SAE - it’s an invaluable stepping stone into a career.”