We are now back in full flow at college and have just been validated by Oxford Brookes University to run their BSc(Hons) Motorsport Technology course here at Bridgwater College in which we will now offer students potentially 5 years of Motorsport qualifications.
The workshop has been busy and we are off to RPE (Radical Performance Engines) at the start of February to have the Radicals new engine set up, none of which would have been possible without the support of our title sponsor, Nelson Thornes.

We are also expecting another Radical to arrive for some work along with the expected delivery of a Mallock race car which we plan to prepare and support for the whole season alongside us at Castle Combe.

Our new awning has been collected (pictures to follow next month) for the race team which has been part sponsored by Nelson Thornes, building on our current relationship and adding to their presence at race circuits and college events.

With the racing fast approaching, we also have students beginning their work placements at various race teams and this year sees us continue with Wiltshire based Radical team, Corinium Motorsport and a new partnership with F3 and gearbox specialist, Mark Bailey Racing.

Work experience and placements are a must alongside a motorsport qualification due to the masses of students studying the subject at various universities and colleges across the country. As a student you should strive to spend as much time as you can around race circuits and teams in order to not only learn and gain knowledge, but to also network with people in the industry.

The F1 scene has also now kicked off, with most teams unveiling their cars in early February before the first round of test events starts at Jerez in Spain on February 5th. It will be interesting to see how the cars compare with each other although it will be too early to predict the performance of each team until we get to the first race.