Motorsport in the UK

8/17/2019 Motorsport in the UK

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MOTORSPORT IN THE UK AN INDUSTRY WITH A WINNING FORMULA


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U. K.

SCOTLAND

ENGLAND

WALES

FRANCE

N.IRELAND

BELGIUM

Motorsport is in many ways ashowcase sector for the UK,exemplifying its strengths in R&D,advanced materials and engineeringand sophisticated services.

It is constantly developing newcomponents, products and servicesfor worldwide applications, withspin-offs into the wider automotiveindustry and other related sectorssuch as aerospace.

The key strengths of the UKmotorsport industry include a highlyeducated and professional workforce,

supported by a robust andacclaimed academic network;unsurpassed advanced engineeringexpertise; a reputation for innovationand new product developmentthrough powerful and active R&Dprogrammes; and a progressive andattractive business environment.

The UK has a long track recordof success in worldwide motorracing and a true passion for thesport. Above all, the UK motorsportindustry is renowned for its“innovate to win” mentality,which sets it apart from the field.

The UK motorsport industry is a global leader.The country’s dominant role in both managingand serving the F1 and other international racingseries has led to a wealth of world-class design,precision and high-performance engineeringcompanies, as well as a comprehensive rangeof leading service firms in areas such as event

management, marketing, PR and sponsorship.

A S H O W

C A S E S E C T O R

It boasts a unique cluster ofhigh-performance engineeringcompanies, acting as a globalcentre for the production ofperformance cars, chassis,engines, brakes, suspension andtransmission systems, telemetryand a wide range of otherworld-class products, servicesand facilities.

Flexibility in the production ofleading-edge quality products is

one of Motorsport Valley’s manyselling points. Its extremely diversesupply chain incorporates dynamicSMEs and major industry leaders.

The cluster is therefore renownedfor its ability to react quickly tospecific industry requirements –

perfect for clients that needcomplex precision componentsincorporating the latesttechnology to be designed,prototyped and manufacturedon a fast-track basis.

Motorsport Valley accounts fora major proportion of the worldmotorsport industry market andis home to some of motor racing’sbiggest names. These includehigh-profile F1 and F3 teams,

globally active componentmanufacturers, an array of designand engineering experts, andseveral racing team operators.

London is also a key part of theUK motorsport cluster. The capitalis home to the rights holders and

organisers of F1 and the WorldRally Championship, with bothbeing run by the FIA from anoffice at Silverstone, togetherwith the many specialised legaland insurance companies thatare vital to global motorsport.

For all these reasons, and manymore besides, the UK isincreasingly providing innovativedesign, engineering and servicesolutions in markets worldwide,

as well as attracting furtherinward investment in an ever-more competitive industry.

MOTORSPORT VALLEY

Motorsport Valley, based largely in southernand central England, is the hub of the UK industry.

“The UK motorsport industrycontributes over £5 billionper annum to the UK economy,50 per cent of which is accountedfor by exports.The industryalso supports around 40,000jobs, including 25,000 skilledengineers.”

CONTENTS

A SHOWCASE SECTOR 1

AHEAD OF THE GAME 7

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE 15

DEVELOPING TALENT 20

COMMERCIAL SERVICES 25

GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS 29

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

AND CONTACTS 31

Manufacturers Teams/team operators

Academia/R&D institutions

Associations/Governing bodies

Venues

Fernando Alsonso (ESP) Renault R26. Formula One World Championship, 2006. Courtesy www.sutton-images.comCover page: Over 80 per cent of the Subaru World Rally Car is manufactured by Prodrive in Banbury including engine,

roll cage, bodyshell and electrical system as well as the semi-automatic transmission illustrated. Courtesy Prodrive.Darren Manning (GBR) A1 Team Great Britain. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

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CASE STUDY: XTRAC

From F1 to NASCAR, many of the world’spremier motorsport teams rely on Xtrac.

Based in Berkshire, the company provides high-performance transmission systems, drive shaftassemblies, engine gears, rack-and-pinion assemblies,differentials and remote gear-change systems.

Managing director Peter Digby, a former WilliamsGP production manager, says: “To maintain our

position as the leading supplier of high-performancetransmissions, we operate a continuous improvementpolicy. This promotes investment in the most talentedpeople, the world’s most advanced CAE systems andstate-of-the-art machine tools.

“Our approach of complete confidentiality, focus andattention to detail, combined with a forward-thinking‘can-do’ philosophy, consistently delivers on-timesolutions to the highest-possible standards.”

Proof of this is Xtrac’s extraordinary track record.The company has played a major part in 24 F1 titles,20 Champ Car titles, 14 Indy 500 victories, 20 touringcar championships, 22 WRC titles, eight Le Mans/Daytona 24-hour victories and 13 Dakar Rally wins.Small wonder then that Xtrac is regarded as one ofUK motorsport’s greatest success stories.

www.xtrac.com

Williams has its own wind tunnel, staffed by a teamof engineers who spend some 8,000 man hours aseason optimising aerodynamic improvements, aswell as a dynamic drawing office, where 40 engineersdesign and engineer everything from chassis dynamics,

composites and materials to gearbox, differential andeven software engineering.

This highly impressive infrastructure means thatWilliams F1 can produce some 90 per cent of theracecar, with the engines from Toyota from 2007.

The company has also invested in a high-specconference centre that caters for up to 200 peopleand a number of other developments to redirectincome streams into such fields as racetrack opendays, F1 experience simulators and a host of other

motorsport-related entertainments.Today, Williams F1 can be seen as a role model interms of sponsorship and strategic partnerships,having struck some world-beating deals with majorcorporations such as Accenture, Royal Bank ofScotland, Allianz and FedEx, brands that are newto F1 and are sure to encourage further global namesto invest in motorsport. In short, Williams F1 isa commercial and sporting trailblazer which isa major asset to the UK motorsport industry.

www.williamsf1.com

CASE STUDY: WILLIAMS F1

Williams F1’s operation at Grove, near Wantage, is a high-tech racing hubin which latest-generation F1 cars are designed, developed and manufactured.

Nico Roseberg learning the track before his debut British Grand Prix, 2006.Courtesy Williams F1.

Helical Gear Cluster Assembly. Courtesy Xtrac.

The Williams F1 wind tunnel 2, capable of running a 100% model of the car. Courtesy Williams F1.

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CASE STUDY: PI RESEARCH

Pi Research’s advanced electronics and software products are usedaround the world in all major motor racing categories to improve theperformance of racecars and drivers to produce champions at everylevel of the sport.

The Cambridgeshire company’spioneering data analyis and control-system technologies are widelyaccepted as the motorsport industrystandard, found as they are in racecars(including Red Bull F1 cars), pitgarages, wind tunnels, assembly linesand R&D facilities across the globe.

Their reputation is such that thephrase ‘Pi logger’ has become thegeneric term for blackbox, data-logging analysis.

A big name in motorsport, thecompany has also successfullyspread its expertise to many otherknowledge-based sectors.

As well as its UK facilities, Pi Researchalso boasts state-of-the-art officesand R&D operations in Indianapolisand Charlotte in the US, and agentsin Japan, Italy, Brazil and Denmark.A true example of a UK firm “bornglobal” in Motorsport Valley.

www.piresearch.com

Coventry-based Visioneering suppliedthe engineering capability to designand build the innovative, nine-metrelong streamlined car, which reacheda speed of 350mph over the courseat Bonneville Flats in Utah, USA.

Engine and gearbox development

was undertaken by Ricardo, oneof the UK’s largest motorsportengineering consultancies, whichundertakes projects for many of theworld’s leading performance carmanufacturers, including the DB9for Aston Martin and the new250mph Bugatti Veyron.

Visioneering has also been chosento provide engineering servicesto Project Kimber, which plans toresurrect the famous AC sports carrange for launch into the Europeanmarket during 2007.

www.visuk.co.uk

www.ricardo.com

CASE STUDY: VISIONEERING/RICARDO

The record-breaking JCB Dieselmax attributed its smashing ofthe world diesel-powered speed record in 2006 to the engineeringexpertise of two leading Motorsport Valley companies.

CASE STUDY: BERLIN PROJECT LIMITED (BPL)

Cheltenham company BPL recently signed a rolling 12-month contract withJapan’s Honda F1 to provide logistics services for its F1 race and test team.

The firm will supply LGV C+ E drivers for Honda’sTest Team vehicles. In addition, it has won a major

contract in the US to transport carbon fibre,resins and temperature-sensitive materials usedin the manufacture of motor racing cars. Orderswill be worth up to £400,000.

BPL, which regularly uses UK Trade & Investmentservices as part of an ongoing export strategy,is thrilled with its wins. Managing director SteveWhite says: “The size of our expected business inthe US is even bigger that we expected, so we’reabsolutely delighted.

“Similarly, whilst we have worked with Honda inthe past, this is the first time we’ve signed a 12-month contract with them, which is great news.”

www.berlinproject.co.uk

JCB Dieselmax breaks the world land speed record for a diesel-powered vehicle on the Utah salt flats. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

Motorsport Academy programmes are establishingtraining standards and sector-specific qualifications.

Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

Ricardo engineers develop the two JCB444-LSR engines of theDieselmax vehicle. Courtesy Ricardo.

Honda F1 racing team. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

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From the early days of F1, a largeproportion of the dramatic technicalinnovations that have taken motorracing by storm originated in the UK.These include the rear-enginedracecar configurations of the 1950s,and major aerodynamic developmentssuch as aerofoils, under-body profiles

and carbon-fibre chassis.

Today, the UK motorsport industryis widely regarded around the worldas a technological trailblazer, whosesteady flow of fresh ideas continuallypushes the boundaries of globalmotor racing. It is part of a widerUK infrastructure that is at theleading edge of key technologies

for the future, including low-carbonvehicles, intelligent transportsystems and new materials.

The UK motorsport industry is built firmly ona culture of innovation. Leading-edge R&D,investments in new technologies and a voraciousappetite to try out new ideas are commonplace

traits in the companies that operate withinMotorsport Valley and other key locations.

A H E A D

O F T H E G A M E

The revolutionary McLaren MP4/1, with motorsport’s first composite chassis. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

“The UKmotorsportindustry stands to benefitconsiderablyby adopting

EEMS conceptsand takinga leadingglobal role.”

The concept of EEMS has been growingsince 2001 and quickly built support.The ACO (organisers of Le Mans)changed their regulations to allowdiesel and bioethanol-fuelled carsto compete in 2003.

On June 18 2006, a diesel-poweredAudi R10 won the Le Mans 24-hourrace with an engine designed byUlrich Baretzky, the head of enginetechnology at Audi Sport.

He had forecast a diesel victory atLe Mans at a ‘ Clean Racing’ seminarin 2003, but it was the highlyinnovative engineering and designskills of several UK motorsportcompanies that turned his predictioninto reality. Xtrac, for example,designed a gearbox to suit theBaretzky-designed engine, whichperformed perfectly using the Shell

V-Power diesel fuel, newly introducedby Shell Racing Solutions, from itstechnology facilities in Cheshire.

Bioethanol, LPG and dieselfuels have now been introducedinto several motor racing arenas,while new lightweight compositematerials have been incorporatedin the manufacture of chassis,suspension components, brakingsystems, engine and transmissionsto give more efficient use of fueland improve performance at thesame time. This demonstration

of the use of alternative fuelsand engine techniques can beexpected to deliver part of thefuture transport solution.

Crompton Technology Group (CTG)provides an excellent exampleof how brilliant innovationssoon become the norm. Theircarbon-fibre filament lightweightpropshafts were revolutionaryin 2000, but by mid-2005 wereessential for racecars worldwide.This success has helped CTGto apply its technology to theenergy and aerospace industries.

www.eemsonline.co.uk

ENERGY EFFICIENT MOTORSPORT (EEMS)

The UK is a pioneer in greener, environmentallysensitive racing, through such initiatives as EEMSand the adoption of bioethanol, diesel and LPG fuels.

The Oaktec Insight has three factorsthat make it unique in the worldof special-stage rallying. Firstly, ituses an electrical hybrid system to

capture energy that would be wastedduring braking and retardation,and re-uses it to help acceleratethe car by providing current to anelectric assist motor. Secondly, it hasbeen developed to use renewableE85 bio-ethanol fuel in place ofconventional unleaded petrol. Thisfuel gives strong power combinedwith ultra-low emissions. The thirdfactor that makes this car highlyunusual in motorsport is that itshybrid power system drives througha continually variable automatictransmission, which gives the carbetter performance and driveability.

Driver and project engineer PaulAndrews explains: “This projectwould have less significance if wecheated with the emissions and

vehicle efficiency. It would be veryeasy to get more horsepower fromthe lightweight three cylinder Insightengine by running richer mixtures

at higher revs and removing thecatalytic converters, but this woulddestroy the carbon dioxide emissionsrecord of the car, which is currentlythe lowest recorded by a UK marketproduction car at 85g/km. We believeour car to be even below this figurewhen using the bio-ethanol fuelblend and we will be doing teststo prove this soon.”

In 2007, Oaktec and technicalpartners IARC (InternationalAutomotive Research Centre) andWarwick University will work ongaining further performance throughmore effective recycling of wastedenergy and further unlockingthe performance potential ofrenewable fuels.

CASE STUDY: OAKTEC

The EEMS-supported Oaktec Honda insight hybrid rally car, consideredto be the first ultra-low emission rally car in Europe, won Class A ofthe fiercely contested 2006 Formula 1000 rally championship at thefirst attempt.

The Insight was built, developed and crewed by Oaktec partnersPaul Andrews and Bill Meeson.

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UK motorsport boasts a first-classR&D infrastructure, incorporating

full-size wind tunnels, circuits andextensive testing venues, suchas those on offer at Millbrook inBedfordshire and Warwickshire-based MIRA. In addition, it enjoysever-closer links with leading UKuniversities and colleges, such asCranfield, Brunel and Oxford Brookes,which are continually striving todevelop and invest in educationaland research programmes for themotorsport industry. Consequently,there is a constant flow of new bloodinto the industry, which serves toenhance UK motorsport’s know-howand maintain its competitivenessin an ever-more demandingworldwide arena.

UK-based companies are also ableto take advantage of the DTI’sTechnology Programme, whichconsists of the Knowledge TransferNetworks (KTNs) and collaborativeR&D programmes. KTNs encourage

the flow of knowledge, people andexperience between industry andthe science base, with the aimof delivering improved industrialperformance. Examples include theLow Carbon and Fuel Cell TechnologyKTN, which was set up and run byCenex; SMMT Foresight Vehicle;Fuel Cells Today and Fuel Cells UK.

There is also the Intelligent TransportSystems KTN, set up by innovITS,

a centre of excellence whichstrives to seek out inventivetelematics technology.

Collaborative R&D schemes aresupported with funding from theTechnology Programme to generatewealth for the UK economy. Sincethis programme was launched inFebruary 2004, more than 500projects have been supported, witha value in excess of £750 million.

Moreover, significant tax breaksare enhancing the technologicalhothouse that is UK motorsport.Since the end of 2005, UK-basedmotorsport companies have beenthe beneficiaries of a new tax-creditscheme which allows tax credits tobe set against R&D costs. Rebatescan be as much as up to 37.5 per centof the initial R&D spend.

The advantages are being seen atall levels; from F1 companies such

as Renault, Williams and Red Bullto the myriad smaller, independent,technology-driven engineering firmsthat survive on innovation andinvention and for whom R&D isthe lifeblood.

R&D INVESTMENT

UK motorsport’s unwavering commitment toresearch and development is a key reason forits excellence in innovation. Over 30 per cent of

the industry’s engineering sales are reinvestedin continuous R&D programmes and facilities,compared to a wider engineering average ofjust two per cent. The result is a technologicallyadvanced environment full of fresh, market-orientated ideas.

The new Motorsport Academy, hard at work trainingthe next generation of motorsport engineers.


Why is the UK the best placeto invest in high-performance

engineering R&D?

• Motorsport Valley is the globalhome of motorsport and high-performance engineering andis the location for the mostcost-effective R&D

• Leading-edge strengths and activeknowledge transfer networks inkey future technologies

• Easy access to world-renowneduniversities dedicated to securingcommercial partnerships tosupport the exploitation of R&D

• DTI Technology Programme

• Supportive R&D tax credit scheme

• Support available fromUK Trade & Investment andpartner organisations, whichcan help you find the rightpartner or supplier for your

company, or the best locationfor your own operation Thanks to its large testing track, full support facilities andthe company’s 100 years of knowledge-based expertise,MIRA is renowned for delivering the best engineeringsolutions. Recent successes have included its technicalpartnership with independent operators Team Halfords.Using MIRA’s full-scale wind tunnels, their HondaIntegras were improved to such an extent that TeamHalfords won the 2005 and 2006 British Touring CarChampionship in both the driver and team categories.

MIRA also carried out an innovative passive safetyprogramme in Europe and the US for the MercedesMcLaren SLR, as well as many key design and technicaldevelopments for major OEMs and Tier 1s in the widerautomotive industry and related sectors.

www.mira.co.uk

CASE STUDY: MIRA

Warwickshire-based MIRA is at the forefrontof motorsport R&D, helping clients worldwideto design and develop innovative products, bethey faster, greener, cleaner, safer, cheaper ormore reliable.

Gareth Howell (GBR) Team Halfords celebrates winning race 1. British TouringCar Championship, Rd 10, Silverstone, England 14th -15th Oct 2006.


MIRA provides a range of world-class testing and analysis services. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

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The company has established an impressive reputation fordelivering Integrated Powertrain Solutions (IPS) for a widerange of motorsport applications. Today, its engines power

cars participating in numerous championships, includingSpeed GT and the World Touring Car Championship.

MAHLE employs some 1,000 highly skilled people at extensivemodern facilities in the UK and the US. An in-house foundrymaking lightweight, precision aluminium castings andproduction lines for machining and engine assembly are justpart of the company’s continuing investment in infrastructure.

It constantly researches potential future technologies, sothat each innovative development is market-ready in thequickest possible time.

Although highly focused on the development of gasolinetechnologies and high-performance and high-techdiagnostics systems, MAHLE also works with fuels suchas diesel, hydrogen, natural gas, alcohols and bio-fuels.

www.mahle-powertrain.com

James Thompson (GBR) seat on the grid. British Touring Car Championship.Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

CASE STUDY: MAHLE POWERTRAIN

From components to complete powertrain assemblies,prototypes or production, race-engine solutionsengineered by MAHLE Powertrain (formerly CosworthTechnology) offer customers worldwide the very latesthigh-tech innovations.

Recognising the importance ofsynergies between motorsport and

aerospace, in 2004 the MIA launchedits “Motorsport2Aerospace” (M2A)technology transfer programme atthe Farnborough International AirShow. Aiming to develop cross-pollination of innovations andtechnologies between the twocomplementary sectors, M2A hasalready enjoyed considerable success.

Lola Cars, based in Cambridgeshire,is a key example, having worked onthe development of unmanned aerialvehicles (UAVs) in conjunction withMeggit Defence Systems. Moreover,Surrey firm DPS Composites, one of

the trailblazers of carbon fibre inmotorsport, counts British Airways and

Qantas amongst its customers, whileCrompton Technology Group (CTG),renowned for its carbon-fibre filamentlightweight propshafts, has deliveredsynergetic applications in both theenergy and aerospace industries.

“The biggest shock that aerospacepeople experience when first talkingto the motorsport fraternity is howfast we can turn round ideas,” saysProdrive’s Ben Sayer. “They cannotbelieve how quickly we can take abrief and produce a finished article.”

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Thanks to its innovative nature, UK motorsport’scapabilities are now increasingly being applied toother industries, as well as the wider automotivesector. Relationships have been initiated withother high-performance engineering-basedindustries like aerospace and marine.

The Powerboat P1 World Championship Series, a rapidly growing new form of motorsport. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

“The UK boastssome 2,400companies in the motorsportindustry.”

Motorsport Valley is winning the race for new technologies andnew markets. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

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CASE STUDY: BERU F1 SYSTEMS

Norfolk motorsport engineering specialistsBERU F1 Systems has developed an innovativeWire in Composite (WiC), which offers aperformance and reliability advantage toa range of vehicles, both within motorsportand in other non-automotive sectors suchas aerospace and marine.

WiC isolates wires from physical and chemical damage

in a bespoke composite sleeve, permitting designers toimprove packaging by laying wires securely side-by-side as opposed to in a traditional bundle. WiC can beformed to virtually any shape, offering the ability toincorporate sharp bend radii without the straining orchafing of a conventional harness.

Originally designed for motorsport applications, inwhich wiring harnesses must be mounted as low aspossible to improve the centre of gravity, WiC hasrecently been supplied to non-racecar vehicles,thus boosting BERU F1 System’s growth prospects.In 2006, the MIA recognised the company’sachievement and awarded it its prestigiousTechnology and Innovation Award.

www.f1systems.com

CASE STUDY: GB SOLO

Innovative, state-of-the-art protective fire-fightinghelmets are winning customers worldwide forScunthorpe-based firm GB Solo. It supplies UK-based F1 pit crews, as well as Ferrari in Italy andToyota in Germany.

SOLOtic is one of the most sought-after products fromthe company’s range. The helmet provides hands-freethermal imaging and complete protection, combined

with an air supply and communications system.This enables operatives to navigate unfamiliar territoryand smoke-filled environments, while locating victimsor identifying exit routes.

The company, which won the 2004 Exporter of the Year Award, has worked closely with UK Trade &Investment as part of its international trade efforts.Marketing director James Brooks says: “UK Trade &Investment helps to point us in the right directionwith certain clients. It is especially good at providingadvice on customs issues.”

www.gbsolo.com

“The 12th team position on theF1 grid for 2008 has recentlybeen awarded to Prodrive,another leading Motorsport Valleyengineering and design innovator.”

Wire In Composite (WIC) technology, developed by BERU F1 systems, has vast potential for the motorsport sector.Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

2006 British Grand Prix. Silverstone, England. 8th-11th June. Nico Rosberg, Williams FW28 Coworth. Courtesy Williams F1.

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E N G I N E E R I N

G E X C E L L E N C E

When it comes to motorsport-orientated technologies, the UKqualifies in pole position, witha large proportion of its precisionengineering firms enjoyingunrivalled reputations acrossworldwide markets.

Over the last 30 years, for example,UK-built cars have won the majorityof F1 World Championship racesand, over its long history, mostWorld Rally Championship cars have

been designed and manufacturedin the UK. Today, a large proportionof the world’s single-seater racingcars are produced here.

In part, Motorsport Valley is thenatural modern-day extension ofthe UK’s long-held dominance inthe dynamic world of high-specautomotive design and engineering.Today it boasts a unique diversityof world-class design and high-performance engineering companies.

UK companies conceive, develop,design and manufacture everythingfrom high-tech chassis, seats,cockpits, seatbelts and helmets, tomarket-leading engines, gearboxes,brakes, transmissions, clutches,suspension systems, telemetry and aseemingly limitless range of precisioncomponents. This diversity explainswhy the UK motorsport industry isso exciting. Its global potentialis enormous.

One of the most recent successstories for UK motorsport engineersis the new A1 Grand Prix (A1GP)series. The key elements of theA1GP racecar all have the “Made inMotorsport Valley” signature. Theseinclude the chassis and suspensionsystem (manufactured by Lola),the all-aluminium engine and EGSpaddle-shift gearing system (Zytek),the high-tech brakes and clutches(AP Racing), the dash-unit control(Pi Research) and extra-narrow tyres(Cooper Avon, through the AvonTyres Motorsport Brand). A1GP teamAustralia is run by Alan Dockingracing at Silverstone. AnotherUK company, West Surrey Racing,supports both Team Singapore andTeam USA.

Thanks to its first-class innovation strategies,UK motorsport companies are world leadersin high-performance and design engineering.

Apart from the specialist technical know-how providedby UK design engineering companies and consultancies,they also boast first-class research facilities such asemissions laboratories and other testing grounds,supported by a range of advanced technology.

This is illustrated by the services being successfully

offered by UK design engineering companies to countrieswith developing automotive industries which are focusedon raising their quality to global standards. One of thesekey emerging markets is China – where UK firms suchas Lotus Engineering, Ricardo, MIRA, Prodrive, ConceptGroup International and Arup have an ever-increasingpresence, and have all recently opened in-country offices.

The quality of the UK’s innovative design engineeringcapability is amply demonstrated by sales almostdoubling over five years and continuing to grow strongly.The broad base of these specialist companies, which alsoinclude the likes of Millbrook, Roush and TWI, providesinternational motorsport and mainstream vehicle

manufacturers with the ability not merely to cope withmodel changes and range expansion, but to meet ever-more complex and stringent legislative demands in areassuch as safety and emissions.

DESIGN ENGINEERING

The internationally recognised UK design engineering sector offersindependent expertise to customers around the world. It is expertat creating solutions to the myriad challenges generated by theexpanding needs of OEMs and their global suppliers, while alsoreducing their workload, keeping programmes on schedule andforming lasting partnerships.

Race 1: Greg Mansell (GBR) Team SWR Formula BMW. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com Launch of the P1 at the 2006 Autosport Show. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

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CASE STUDY: GTM CARS

Thanks to its excellence in engineering, Coventry-based GTM Cars has exportedits range of specialist sports cars all over the world.

After receiving advice fromUK Trade & Investment, andenrolling on its Passport toExport programme, GTM has soldvehicles to Australia, Belgium,Germany, South Africa, theNetherlands and the US. Exportsales currently represent about40 per cent of the turnover of

the company, which recentlywon a UK Trade & InvestmentBest New Exporter Award.

GTM’s composite manufacturingfacility produces all of the bodycomponents for its vehicles.

A highly skilled team manufactureseach composite body to exactingstandards, ensuring strength, safetyand superb surface finish. The bodyis hand laminated with substantiallayers of gel coat for great colourdepth and long-term durability.

All bodyshells are hand de-seamedand polished to a superb standardand each body can be made ina wide range of colours tocustomer specification.

General Manager Lloyd Taylorsays: “GTM has made considerableefforts over the past few yearsto sell our vehicles abroad andthanks to UK Trade & Investmentwe have achieved an outstanding40 per cent of our turnover fromexporting. This really is an exampleof the help that is available to

small and growing companiesto excel on a worldwide scale.”

www.gtmcars.com

CASE STUDY: FORD/M-SPORT

In 1996, US giant Ford chose Lake District firm M-Sport to mastermind its assaulton the World Rally Championship (WRC) by channelling race technologies intoits high-performance cars. Today, M-Sport runs the WRC campaigns for boththe BP-Ford and Stobart BK F ord M-Sport teams.

The company now specialises in fully developed hightorque friction disc brake pad materials formulatedfor high to low downforce racecar applications. Usedextensively by NASCAR, Champ Car and Late ModelRacing Teams in the US and by FIA GT, International Raceand Rally Teams in Europe, these friction materials havealready had major successes. Mintex, for example, wasthe pad of choice for over 60 per cent of cars running inthe inaugural NASCAR BUSCH Race at the AutodrómoHermanos Rodriguez in Mexico in 2005.

As the US is a very important market, TMD Frictionregularly exhibits at the country’s annual PerformanceRacing Industry (PRI) trade show. Group motorsportmanager Terry Armstead says: “If you are serious aboutselling into professional US motorsport, PRI is the onlyevent in the calendar which brings together all of thecustomers and suppliers from the whole industry. It is

the most cost-effective medium to communicate ourproduct to the race fraternity.”

Every year, UK Trade & Investment consequently supportsa MIA-led mission and UK exhibiting group at this keyshow – the largest individual country grouping fromanywhere in the world.

As well as frequently attending race shows such as PRI,TMD Friction has also formed close relationships with USengineers to maintain their competitive edge, illustrativeof the global partnerships at the heart of this industry.

“UK companies should never assume that just becausethey have been a success domestically or in othermarkets they know best what US racers will want,”explains Armstead. “US racing is different - culturallyas well as technically.

“Our product worked well for Europe, but it took a USrace specialist to tweak, tune and refine it specificallyfor US stock car racing and finally make it the brake padof choice for US high-level stock car racers.”

TMD Friction, which has regularly commissioned overseasmarket research reports from UK Trade & Investment,recently established a local presence in the US to providean additional boost to its stateside strategy. “It didn’ttake long for us to realise that American racers aremore comfortable dealing with other Americans whohave similar experiences and attitudes,” says Armstead.“We employed a US race manager from about 2001 andgradually our US sister company (handily placed within100 miles of Mooresville, North Carolina, the US centrefor stock car teams) assumed more responsibility forthe business. At the end of 2005, it took over fullrace-business responsibility.”

www.mintexracing.com

CASE STUDY: TMD FRICTION - MINTEX BRAKES

TMD Friction has been producing racing friction from the earliest days of the automobile andhas a rich history and pedigree. In 1960, for example, Jack Brabham won the F1 WorldChampionship driving a Cooper fitted with the company’s Mintex brakes.

From the company’s £1 million R&D facility,M-Sport engineers and designers work closelywith the technical teams building the FocusRS WRC car and their Ford colleagues.

Ford’s Jost Capito says: “We have noticed clearbenefits from feeding motorsport knowledge andsuccess in rallying directly into our road-goingperformance products.”

This investment by Ford reaffirms the UK’s statusas the best location for global automotivecompanies who want to achieve a competitiveadvantage, both on and off the track.

www.m-sport.co.uk

2006 Ford WRC line up Marcus Gronholm (FIN) and Mikko Hirvonen (FIN). Autosport InternationalShow 2006, NEC, Birmingham. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

ENCOURAGING ENTERPRISE

The UK’s enormous contribution to the manufacturing and high-performanceautomotive sectors has established extremely positive conditions for bothinward and outward investment and trade and international partnerships.

An increasingly significant number of overseas-basedmass-market car manufacturers, for example, are nowusing UK race and design engineering to enhance theirroad-going vehicles.

Locating to and/or investing in the Motorsport Valley cluster allows engineering companies to worktogether, innovate, develop products and form lucrativepartnerships in a world-class international environment.

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CASE STUDY: TOKYO R&D CO. LTD

This high-tech Japanese engineering firm was so impressed with theexpertise of the UK motorsport workforce that it established asubsidiary in Chigwell, Essex. The Vemac Car Company assemblessmall numbers of Tokyo R&D’s cutting-edge low-volume sports cars.

D E V E L O P I N G T A L E N T The UK motorsport industry owes much of its success to

the quality of its workforce. UK engineers and techniciansare among the best in the world, and many of them are nowemployed in motorsport-related companies.

Such courses include MotorsportElectronic Systems, MotorsportEngineering and Design andMotorsport Management. Key tothis has been the strong collaborationbetween the motorsport industryand academia.

Since 2000, the UK’s MotorsportIndustry Association (MIA) hasforged close working relationshipswith schools and universities tohelp deliver high-quality studentsinto the workplace.

Britons are now encouraged toenjoy engineering and motorsportfrom an early age. The LearningGrid (www.learninggrid.co.uk), forexample, is a range of motorsportengineering programmes, linkedto engineering, science, design,technology or mathematics.

They include Primary Engineer,which teaches the basic principlesof engineering to children from fouryears of age upwards, and FormulaStudent, which tasks undergraduates

to design and fabricate aprototype vehicle to specific costand performance criteria. Otherprogrammes include Formula Schools,Greenpower, Shell Ecomarathon, F1in Schools and the Youth EngineeringSummit. Such projects will ensurethat the UK students of today becomethe leading motorsport engineers,designers and managers of tomorrow.

ENCOURAGING EDUCATION

Twenty UK universities and 120 colleges of furthereducation now offer a wide variety of programmesdirectly relating to motorsport, at NVQ, HNC and post-

graduate levels, ensuring the future supply of skilledengineers and the continuing success of the industry.

CASE STUDY: PRODRIVE

Such is the worldwide success of Banbury-basedmotorsport technology specialist Prodrive that ithas opened its first office in the rapidly growingmarket of China.

The new office, situated in Shanghai, in the heart ofthe Chinese automotive industry, is part of Prodrive’sAsia-Pacific operations, which already include a designfacility with 80 engineers in Bangkok, and furtherfacilities in Melbourne.

For more than 20 years, Prodrive has been running race

and rallying programmes for some of the biggest names inmotorsport, including Subaru, Aston Martin, Ford, Porsche,Honda and BMW. Nearly 80 per cent of the componentsand systems for Subaru’s World Rally ChampionshipImpreza car, for example, are made at Prodrive’s UK site.

Dr Alastair Bacon, who heads up Prodrive’s Chineseoperation, says: “There are many innovative technologiesand a huge range of technical resources and skills wecan bring to the Chinese automotive industry. In thelonger term, our aim is to have a design and engineeringcapability in China.”

www.prodrive.com

The Japanese enterprise saw the UK as a logical locationfor its subsidiary, due to its world-leading position inracing-car manufacture and technology and its richhistory in sports-car building and low-volume production.

Tokyo R&D’s president and CEO Masao Ono says: “Formotorsports-related companies, the UK is a very good

location for investment, because of the availability oftechnology and information.

“UK Trade & Investment helped us to locate companieswith advanced technology expertise and also assistedwith the training of our engineers. We are now hopefulthat Vemac’s success with racing cars will lead to theexpansion of our road-going sports cars.”

www.r-d.co.jp

“The 12th team positionon the F1 grid for 2008 hasrecently been awarded toProdrive, another leadingMotorsport Valleyengineering and designinnovator.”

Students optimising racing car aerodynamics in the Universityof Southampton. Courtesy www.southamptonF1.com

Prodrive design office. Courtesy Prodrive.

Cutting-edge R&D requires the most modern and well-equipped facilities.This is Prodrive’s new composites factory. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

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Charged with co-ordinating andimproving the quality of educationand training provision, theacademy, a partnership betweenthe MIA and Carter & CarterGroup, aims to ensure that theindustry has the know-how thatit needs to remain the hub ofglobal motorsport.

Over the next three years, morethan 12,000 people are expected toimprove their skills and knowledgethrough Motorsport Academy-approved programmes, whichwill establish training standards,sector-specific qualifications andthe sharing of best practice.

The academy will form a strongbridge between education andindustry, promote collaborationbetween researchers and businessand support the most talentedindividuals throughout theirmotorsport careers.

www.motorsportacademy.org

MOTORSPORT ACADEMY

The Motorsport Academy is the forefront of UK motorsport’s efforts to enhance the skills of its workforce. It has recently been establishedwith the support of Motorsport Development UK.

TRAINING CENTRES

Cranfield University

Cranfield University offers graduates an MSc inMotorsport Engineering and Management. Its new£2.45 million Lightweight Structures Laboratoriesprovide students with state-of-the-art composites,crash and impact research facilities and focuson safety-related research within motorsport.In addition, Cranfield operates wind tunnels, vehicledynamics and other motorsport-related facilities.

Cranfield’s postgraduates, which come not justfrom the UK but also from countries such asBelgium, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands,Portugal, Spain and the US, go on to employmentwith many of the world’s leading motorsportcompanies. The university’s Motorsport AlumniAssociation has become a highly influentialworldwide network.

“We normally look at recruiting approximately20 full-time MSc students onto the IMechEaccredited programme each year,” says Cranfield’sClive Temple. “We seek to attract students whowill secure employment in motorsport and ourtrack record speaks for itself.

“We also support PhDs in relation to motorsportand these can be in conjunction with F1, leadingteams and tier-one companies. If a non-EU studentbrings funding we will give serious considerationto their undertaking research here at Cranfield.

Warwickshire College

Warwickshire College’s prospectus includes one-year courses such as anIntroduction to Motorsport and Racecar Body Preparation & Fabrication, aswell as a two-year foundation diploma in Motorsport Engineering. This providesstudents with the necessary skills and knowledge to work at an advancedtechnician level within the industry.

www.warkscol.ac.uk

The University of Southampton

The University of Southampton runs the UK’s only postgraduate course in RacecarAerodynamics, taking eight students, from the UK and overseas, each year. Overthe years, a number of race teams, such as BAR, Benetton, Penske, Prost, Sauberand Tyrrell, have tested cars in its wind tunnels. The university’s commitment to

providing motorsports-relevant R&D courses and infrastructure is second to none.www.soton.ac.uk

Swansea Institute

Swansea Institute, through its dedicated School of Automotive Engineering,has an increasingly strong relationship with its local racetrack, Pembrey Circuit,Llanelli, regarded as the home of Welsh motorsport. The institute offersprogrammes in Motorsport Engineering, Motorsport Electronics and MotorsportEngineering & Design. Swansea shortly intends to have its own exclusivededicated testing facilities at Pembrey, including a skid-pan and fullyequipped workshops.

www.sihe.ac.uk

Oxford Brookes

Oxford Brookes has a reputation for high-quality education and research.It has a wide motorsport/automotive portfolio, strong links with companiessuch as Williams F1, Renault F1, Xtrac and Prodrive, and outstanding studentemployability. Its School of Technology is a renowned centre of excellence formotorsport, while a brand new, purpose-built Motorsport Engineering Centreprovides state-of-the-art teaching, research, consultancy and testing facilities.

www.brookes.ac.uk“Former students have gone onto companiessuch as Williams F1, Honda Racing F1,

McLaren Racing, Ferrari, Red Bull Racing,Spyker F1, Renault F1, Toyota F1, Super Aguri F1,M-Sport, Prodrive, Xtrac, Chip Ganassi Racing,Hitech Racing, Triple Eight, PerformanceFriction, Promatecme, Team Australia, T-Sport,Alan Docking Racing, Rocketsports Racing,Racing Engineering, Mygale, G-Force, RichardChildress Racing, Performance Racing, FluidMotorsport Development, EM Motorsport, MenardCompetition Technologies and Scuderia Ecosse.”

www.motorsport.cranfield.ac.uk oremail [email protected]

Alcon’s patented brake calipers are installed in every Honda F1 Racing car. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

Cranfield University student. Courtesy Cranfield University.

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The University of Hertfordshire

The University of Hertfordshire (UH) has oneof the largest, oldest and most successfulautomotive and motorsport teaching schools inthe UK. Over 500 students currently study onautomotive and motorsport-related BSc, BEngand MEng degree courses.

The university places a specific focus onproducing ‘job-ready’ engineers through acombination of academic excellence blendedwith real-world project experience. In FormulaStudent, UH Racing has achieved top UKClass 1 team twice in the last five years, haswon Class 1-200 outright on two occasions

and has competed in Australia and Detroit.www.herts.ac.uk

The National College of Motorsport

Fernando Alonso (EPS) Renault R26. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

The National College of Motorsport is apartnership of three further education collegesbased in the heart of Motorsport Valley, ledby Tresham Institute of Further & HigherEducation. It was the first vocational centrefor motorsport and performance engineeringto tackle the decline and shortage of crafttechnicians’ skills within the motorsportindustry. Tresham Institute, based at Silverstonecircuit, provides training for students enteringmotorsport as race technicians.

www.nc4m.ac.uk

Other UK colleges and universities thatoffer motorsport engineering courses includeBrunel University, Kingston University andMyerscough College.

“No less than seven of thecurrent 11 F1 teams havechosen to operate frombases in Motorsport Valley.”

Johann Gibson receiving her BRDC trophy from Sir Jackie Stewart.

Courtesy Cranfield University.

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The UK, and particularly London, is a world centre for motorsport support andservice activities. These include event management, public relations, media,marketing, advertising, merchandising, sponsorship, insurance, accountancyand legal services. The many specialists in these areas contribute to the UKmotorsport industry’s brand, performance and opportunities and enhance itsappeal to overseas investors.

C O M M E R C

I A L S E R V I C E S

CASE STUDY: RAWLINSON & HUNTER

Internationally renowned chartered accountants Rawlinson & Hunterhave headquarters in London, which is the hub of a network of offices

worldwide, from New Zealand to the Caribbean.

The firm advises and navigates its motorsport clientsthrough the complexities of UK and internationalfinancial and tax legislation.

It has particular expertise in advising individuals andcompanies on VAT regulations, employment contractsand share schemes, transfer pricing and how to takeadvantage of the enhanced R&D tax credits on offerto the UK motorsport industry.

Corporate services partner James Kelly says:“We undertake a significant amount of high-profilemotorsport work, advising overseas individuals andcompanies trying to set up here in the UK.

“Recent clients have included an overseas World Rallyteam, whom we helped make a successful R&D tax creditclaim. We are now targeting a new Japanese client.”

He adds: “Rawlinson & Hunter is aware of the workof UK Trade & Investment and has used some of itsservices. Recent overseas marketing trips have includeda visit to a number of the organisation’s offices inSan Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, and I wasimpressed by their operation. I have also been on aUK Trade & Investment-assisted visit to China, whichwas supported by the MIA.”

www.rawlinson-hunter.com

CASE STUDY: INTERNATIONAL SPORTSWORLDCOMMUNICATORS (ISC)

London-based ISC, the broadcasting partner of theWorld Rally Championship (WRC), has transformed

the profile of the sport, helping it to attract theattention of a greater dedicated global audience.

Intent on making the WRC accessible to millionsof established and new viewers around the world, ISChas fostered an unprecedented level of commercialand marketing interest by negotiating several keypartnerships to boost the competition’s mass-marketappeal. Such initiatives include a Sony WRC Playstation 2game, contracts for TV prime-time slots with a host ofinternational broadcasters, and uploading races in real-time on the web.

To ensure greater penetration in the vast Asian market,ISC recently concluded a three-year agreement with Total

Sports Asia (TSA), with the latter taking responsibility forWRC media distribution in the key territories of China,south-east Asia and India. Managed and controlledcommercially from the UK, the WRC is set for greatermarket dominance, with ISC at the helm.

www.wrc.com

FIA President Max Mosely is interviewed by journalists at the F1 Italian Grand Prix.Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

“The UK provides the bestenvironment for the motorsportsindustry. It offers a uniquegateway of internationalconnections and is a recognisedglobal leader in the fields ofinnovation, design engineeringand product development.”

F1 fever hits Bahrain. Courtesy www.crashpa.net

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CASE STUDY: KHP CONSULTING

KHP is an international marketing and communications agency specialising in F1 and other motorsports.With headquarters in London and overseas offices in Paris, Munich and Bahrain, the company focuseson PR and communication, event management, in-market exploitation and sponsorship strategy.

In F1, KHP has recently concluded the first phase of amulti-year exclusive contract with the BahrainInternational Circuit. The role is wide-ranging, includingmarketing, event management, year-round PR, as well assetting up and managing all the extensive media facilities.Other major clients have included Shell, Nortel Networks,Ford, BMW and Porsche.

“Motorsport is our primary focus,” explains KHP’s JamesFraser. “Our services range from strategic PR campaignsto event management/hospitality, sponsorship and generalmarketing. The service we provide is unparalleled as wework with teams, sponsors and promoters, as well asenjoying a successful relationship with the sport’sgoverning bodies and commercial partners, allowing usto guide our clients carefully through the minefield ofFormula One. Put quite simply, we are the only agencyin the world which works for the rights holders, promoters,teams and sponsors. We successfully maintain and retainthe longest promotion contract within F1 with the GermanGrand Prix, which started in 1985.

“KHP has been involved in F1 over the last 20 years in12 different countries, totalling 67 Grand Prix. We playedan integral part in the process of taking F1 to Bahrain in2004 and have now worked on all three Grand Prix there.In 2006, we conceived the ‘Yallah! Bahrain’ range ofevents, which we will continue in 2007.

“These have helped to entertain, educate and bring F1closer to the general public in Bahrain and in the Gulfstates as a whole.

“Notable sponsorship deals include Ford, BP, Castrol andMastercard and other global brands for a range of teamswithin motorsport. We have recently brought newsponsors into F1, including PVAXX, which is the first

long-term deal for a Middle Eastern-based company in F1.“We are also heavily involved in celebrity-endorsementbrokering deals between personalities and properties,an example being Jenson Button and Durrat al Bahrain.”

Bernie Ecclestone, CEO and president of Formula OneManagement Ltd, is a big fan of KHP, stating: “Operatingin F1’s very tough environment, KHP has proved over andover again that they can deliver beyond their client’sexpectations. I would have no difficulty in recommendingKHP as a company with which to do business.”

www.khpconsulting.com

David Coulthard (GBR) Red Bull Racing the race Sk y One TV show. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

The appointed broker to the main governing bodies fortwo, three and four-wheel motorsport, Alexander ForbesMotor Sport Risk Services has formed close workingrelationships with motorsports teams, manufacturersand suppliers, advising on all aspects of risk managementand insurance programme design, as well as providingadvice for acquisitions and disposals.

The firm’s wide range of expertise and experience includes:engineering firms; parts and equipment suppliers; enginebuilders/tuners; circuit owners/managers; vehicletransporters; classic cars; clubs; personal accident; travel;storage and transit; event cancellation; prize indemnity;and race and rally schools.

www.uk.lockton.com

CASE STUDY: ALEXANDER FORBES

UK insurance brokers like Manchester-based Alexander Forbes work with many of the leading names ininternational motorsport, providing vital niches of insurance cover in a complex and demanding marketplace.

CASE STUDY: WRAGGE & CO.

Wragge & Co., which was recently named one of the UK’s most innovative law firms,uses its considerable experience of the motorsport and wider automotive industry toprovide legal advice to multinational original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) andtier one and two component manufacturers, many of whom are internationally owned.

Its team of lawyers, based in Birmingham, Londonand Brussels, comprises members of the UK MotorsportIndustry Association (MIA) and the Society of MotorManufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Partner Stuart Young says: “The unusual complexityand volatility of the motor industry calls for anexceptional breed of legal adviser. Working fromthe heartland of UK car manufacturing, we’re livingand breathing the same commercial environmentin which vehicle and component manufacturers,suppliers and distributors all have to work - sowe’re geared to providing a high quality of serviceto every level in the chain of production and sale.

“We have worked closely with the MIA to provideadvice to many of its members. We also workedintensively on the sale of the Jaguar F1 team toRed Bull, which marked its entry into Formula One.Other clients have included Prodrive and Cosworth -key players in international motorsport.

“At a time of unending change, Wragge & Cooffers continuity and a real insight into theindustry, based on years of first-hand experienceboth in the UK and worldwide.”

www.wragge.com

Subaru World Rally Championship team. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

“Motorsport Valley in the UK: the ideal location for yourEuropean-based business.”

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CASE STUDY: HONDA F1

Japanese car maker Honda has developed a closerelationship with the UK that stretches back some40 years.

G L O B A L P A

R T N E R S H I P S UK motorsport is a perfect example of how domestic

and overseas firms can work together successfully ona global stage. Most overseas-based original equipmentmanufacturers (OEMs) have partnerships with UKmotorsport companies to harness their race-bredR&D and prototyping capabilities, high-performanceengineering skills and next-generation technologyfor the development of modern road vehicles.

Such major players as Honda, Renault, Subaru and Ford are taking advantageof the unique skills and expertise on offer in the UK. A large proportion of UKmotorsport-related business is either “born global”, supplying the global market,

or is leading innovation in multinational enterprises.The membership base of the UK’s Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), thetrade association for the motorsport industry, now includes an ever-increasingnumber of international companies. Opportunities for overseas companies tobenefit from the capabilities of the UK motorsport industry in developing theirglobal business have never been more open or plentiful.

UK Trade & Investment can help every step of the way, whether the interest isin identifying potential partners or suppliers, or setting up in the UK. Servicesoffered by UK Trade & Investment include making arrangements for investors tovisit target locations and meet with key contacts, as well as providing national,regional and local information.

It currently employs a total of 5,500 people in the UKin an investment worth £1.3 billion. When Honda F1 waslooking to invest £30 million in a state-of-the-art windtunnel and aerodynamic centre, it was therefore onlynatural that its partner of choice would be Motorsport

Valley. Installed in Brackley, six miles from the SilverstoneGrand Prix circuit, the fully automated wind tunnel cangenerate and direct wind speeds of up to 180mph ata full-size Honda F1 racecar.

Commenting on the decision to invest in the UK,Shigeru Takagi, president of Honda Motor Europe,said: “Our desire to become Formula One championsrequires a very strong infrastructure and it is with thisin mind that we have invested in our new wind tunnelat Brackley. This facility is a demonstration of ourstrong commitment to the UK.”

Alistair Darling, UK Secretary of State for Trade andIndustry, added: “This impressive facility shows thatthe UK is still attracting the best engineering andmanufacturing in the world. The wind tunnel is anotherexcellent example of partnership between the best ofBritish and the best of Japanese know-how.”

www.hondaracingf1.com

Visitors to the Honda Racing F1 team wind tunnel. Courtesy www.sutton-images.com

CASE STUDY: ROUSH TECHNOLOGIES

US companies have been making substantial investments into theUK motorsport industry over recent years. A recent example of this isRoush Technologies, which opened its engineering services divisionin Brentwood in 1995 as part of its global strategy.

The company saw the UK as its logical entry point into Europe, while theBrentwood location was close to the UK home of Ford, one of its majorcustomers. In late 2003, Roush acquired Essex race-engine manufacturerMountune in order to develop the motorsport side of the business. “Itcomplemented our activities in the UK,” explains Roush’s John Tampkins.“Motorsport is a key Roush activity in North America and it was logical todo the same in the UK, the centre of motorsport engineering in Europe, ifnot the world. It also provided synergies with our existing activities in thearea of prototype engine building. Mountune builds engines for many formsof motorsport, including saloons, single seaters and rally cars. The investmentis proving increasingly successful, with several new projects about to kick off.

www.roush.co.uk

CASE STUDY: RENAULT F1

Established in 1992, the Whiteways TechnicalCentre has more than 500 technicians andengineers, working on everything from advancedR&D and design to manufacturing the chassisand transmission systems.

The UK and French sites enjoy a smooth andcomplementary relationship: the general management,testing and racing operations are handled from Enstone;while the engines are manufactured across the channeland supplied from there for general assembly.

A winning partnership – as Renault’s 2006 F1Championship triumph clearly demonstrated.

www.renaultf1.comThe entrance to Renault F1’s Whiteways Technical Centre at Enstone


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U K T R A D E &

I N V E S T M E N T

S U P P O R T I N G M O T O R S P O R T I N T H E U K UK TRADE & INVESTMENT –

THE GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION HELPINGCOMPANIES REALISE THEIR TRUE POTENTIAL

CONTACTS

MOTORSPORT DEVELOPMENT UK

Motorsport Development UK is the public-private partnershipleading a five-year investment programme to sustain and

develop UK motorsport. Its programmes – Motorsport Academy,Learning Grid, Widening Participation, Business Developmentand Energy Efficient Motorsport (EEMS) – all aim to improvethe competitiveness of the industry.

Motorsport Development UK, Silverstone Innovation Centre,Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire, NN12 8GX

Tel: +44 (0)1327 856020Email: [email protected]

SOCIETY OF MOTOR MANUFACTURERSAND TRADERS (SMMT)

The SMMT encourages and promotes the motor industryin the UK and abroad, seeking to sustain the environment,improve competitiveness, shape legislation, meet customerdemand, facilitate new technology, maximise globalisation,improve market place delivery and positively inform.

Forbes House, Halkin Street, London, SW1X 7DS

Tel: +44 (0)20 7344 9260Email: [email protected]

MOTORSPORT INDUSTRYASSOCIATION (MIA)

Founded in 1994 and now representing over 300 membercompanies that transact over £3 billion of motorsport business.Working closely with UK Trade & Investment and other privateand public stakeholders, the MIA represents, promotes andprotects the interests of the UK motorsport industry. Missions,group attendance at trade shows, business conferences,workshops, support for technology and furthering educationare just some of the activities the MIA carries out to benefitmotorsport worldwide.

Federation HouseStoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2RFTel: +44 (0)2476 692 600www.the-mia.com

UK TRADE & INVESTMENT

Headquarters: London and Glasgow

Tel: +44 (0)20 7215 8000www.uktradeinvest.gov.ukUK Trade & Investment’s role is a proactive

one of facilitating overseas investment in theUK and enabling domestic business to expandconfidently overseas.

As the UK Government’s internationalbusiness development organisation, we helpcompanies internationalise. The servicesoffered by UK Trade & Investment bringtogether a network of business sectorspecialists and support teams around theUK and in British diplomatic posts allaround the world.

We give overseas companies advice onsetting up in the UK; bespoke clientaccount management and introductions toprofessional advisers; support with exportingfrom the UK; and help with visits to suitablelocations, finding business partners andaccessing financial incentives.

We also help UK companies expandglobally by providing advice and training,market information, and practical helpfor market visits.

To help promote internationally theUK’s world-renowned capabilities in themotorsport industry and ensure thatit remains a global centre of excellence,UK Trade & Investment has dedicated teams,covering both inward investment and tradedevelopment in the motorsport industry.

With headquarters in London and Glasgow,but present worldwide in the UK’s networkof embassies, high commissions, consulatesand trade offices, UK Trade & Investment,working with its national and regional

partners, provides a range of bespokeinformation, research and support tocompanies in motorsport and advancedengineering industries interested in takingadvantage of what the UK has to offer.

UK Trade & Investment assists UK companies to showcase their R&Dexcellence at motorsport trade shows in the UK and around the world.

MOTORSPORT TITLES PUBLISHED FROM THE UK

Autosport (The world’s best-selling motorsport weekly)

www.autosport.com

BusinessF1

www.businessf1.com

Racecar Engineeringwww.racecar-engineering.com

Race Tech www.racetechmag.com

Professional Motorsport Worldwww.ukintpress.com/mag_motorsport.htm

Motorsport Valley®

The business of winningProduced bi-annually by the Motorsport Industry Association

(MIA) and supported by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)

www.the-mia.com

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Andrew Cahn – UK Trade & Investment Chief Executive.


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Motorsport in the UK

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