Our websites

West Nottinghamshire College Group operates a number of websites that support our growing business.

The Corporation

Posted: 17/12/24

Students learning in the fast lane

Students learning in the fast lane

Automotive students enjoyed the thrills and spills of pre-race day testing at the home of British motorsport.

Donington Park provided the backdrop to a gripping penultimate event of the season for the British Automobile Racing Club, as both Caterham Motorsport and the Caterham Graduates Racing Club closed out their 2024 campaigns in thrilling fashion.

A full weekend of slipstreaming and close-quarters racing came courtesy of Caterham Race weekend on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 October, when five factory championships raced on the national circuit, with experience levels ranging from novice to expert.

Ahead of this, almost 50 students on the Level 1 Beginners Award in Motor Vehicle and Level 1 Beginners Certificate in Motor Vehicle courses attended the pre-race day, with the paddock open for the whole event – allowing learners to get a closer look at the cars and speak with the drivers and racing teams.

Pete Brochocki, head of motor vehicle and fabrication and welding, said: “The visit introduced students to the world of motorsport and allowed them to see the support given by the racing teams to performance-driven athletes in a safe, traffic-free environment.

“Donington Park offers tailored experiences and guided tours to make the visit memorable and engaging, whether you’re a motorsport enthusiast or just want to enhance your knowledge of the sport.

“All learners had the opportunity to experience Caterhams being test driven around the racetrack whilst the teams configured the cars ready for race weekend. They were able to walk around the pits and experience vehicles being worked on for refuelling, new tyres, general repairs, mechanical adjustments, or a driver change.

“It was great to see students gain first-hand experience of motorsport and have a chance to talk to race teams and share their experiences of race driving.”

Pete and the students were joined on the trip by principal and chief executive Andrew Cropley and staff members Adam Willis, Damien Goodman, James Duncan, Vaughan Leaworthy, Ben Toule, Liam Albert and Kirsty McQueen.

Donington Park Race Circuit hosts the biggest car and motorbike racing series in the UK and is a popular choice for track day drivers.

Also taking place at the Leicestershire venue on pre-race testing day was the SIM Motorsport Caterham Graduates Championship, the Caterham Academy Championship, the Caterham Roadsport Championship, Caterham Seven 270R Championship, Caterham Seven 310R Championship and Caterham Seven UK Championships, with teams making their final preparations for the weekend, which saw the highest level of kit-car racing in the country, with packed grids all competing for silverware.