Team Nescot is all set for the Student Motorsport Competition this weekend at one of the UK’s premier motor racing circuits. The 2025 Student Motorsport series, part of the British Racing & Sports Car Club (BRSCC) Nankang Tyres City Car Cup Championship, gets underway at Snetterton in Norfolk on 5 and 6 April.
Students attending the competition are part of the first cohort of Nescot’s new Motorsport Vehicle Maintenance and Repair course that commenced in September 2024. An element of the course involves the preparation and inspection of a real-life Nescot racing car that will be attending high profile racing events around the UK.
George Keith, Curriculum Manager, Automotive and Engineering at Nescot said, “Our students are looking forward to attending their first trackside event to experience motorsport in action. They’ve had hands-on experience in the workshop, making the Nescot race car the best it can be, and they’ll now experience the racetrack. Thank you to our sponsors, LKQ Euro Car Parts who donated new vehicle parts for the build, and Bossdog for the eye-catching wrapping.”
We spoke to some of the students who worked on the Nescot race car in preparation for their first motorsport challenge:
Oliver said, “It’s been so interesting working on the Nescot race car, we’ve all worked on it as a team. You get to learn everything that’s involved in making a race car and how it works including the regulations. We’re a great team, I’m looking forward to us winning!”
Jess added, “I can’t wait to experience the race with my fellow class mates. I worked on the suspension and lots of other aspects like the wiring along with my team mates.”
Callum commented, “It’s been great working on the Nescot race car, I enjoyed working on the roll cage. I’m looking forward to the experience of being trackside in an actual race event and seeing how it all works and Team Nescot winning the race.”
And Samuel and Thomas are looking forward to putting into practice what they’ve learnt.
Paul who will be driving the Nescot race car has considerable experience in engineering and motorsport. He said, “This is my first season partnering with Nescot. As well as driving race cars, I’ve also built and worked on them as a mechanic, so it’s great to pass on my experience and skills to young people. I’ve enjoyed meeting and working with the Nescot students and I’m looking forward to attending the first race weekend with them.”
George Keith added, “We’re really looking forward to seeing the Nescot race car in action at Snetterton, knowing that our students got it to the start line, with their new skills, knowledge and hard work. Fingers crossed for a win!”
The Student Motorsport Competition is embedded into the BRSCC Nankang Tyres City Car Cup. The season typically consists of 7 race weekends at some of the UK’s most iconic circuits, including Brands Hatch, Donnington Park and Silverstone. Students race against other schools, colleges and universities in the Challenge and also compete against the professional teams and drivers in the City Car Cup. They are responsible for the smooth running of the car and attend track days at racing circuits to experience motorsport, learn on the job and network. For more information visit www.studentmotorsport.com
UPDATE! Snetterton race weekend: Team Nescot enjoyed their first race weekend. As the new team on the circuit, our Level 2 Motorsport students successfully settled into ‘track life’. They worked well as a team, maintaining the car between the qualifying round and the three races.
The Nescot race car looked fantastic and earned many admiring smiles and comments. Driver Paul Mellor commented, “The car handled well, and the team should be proud of passing scrutineering without major issues.”
George Keith, Curriculum Manager said, “The students are a great team, it was a pleasure to watch how well they all worked together at their first major trackside event. This was a valuable learning opportunity and we plan to make some slight adjustments to enhance the car’s handling and performance. Going forward we can only get better and stronger!” Catch Team Nescot next at Oulton Park International on 10 May!
Nescot’s IMI Diploma in Motorsport Vehicle Maintenance and Repair course is a full-time one-year qualification which involves a combination of practical experience and theory. Students learn on several vehicles in the college workshop including the race car, and study systems such as the brakes, engine and suspension. The course has been developed by a teaching team with a track record of success in national motorsport competitions, and is in addition to Nescot’s well-established Motor Vehicle Department. Find out more on our website here.
