Degree in motorsport -Advice please?

[Oistarn]

Hi,

I'm 17, currently doing A-levels and have come for a bit of advice!!

This is the course i am thinking of doing is the below...:

http://www.bridgwater.ac.uk/sec4.php?sec4ID=773&secID=2

I'm looking to get some sort of experience in motorsport, which will hopefully give me some sort of advantage when applying later in the year.

I was wondering what is offered, or available to 17 year olds to get involved with some sort of motorsport.

Any advice is greatly appreciated :)

TIA

[Mark]

Sounds pretty good. I would bet not many of the people involved in top level motorsport have a degree in motorsport specifically, but then that's probably more because they are quite rare.

As for experience, it's a very good idea, any race team you apply to is going to mostly be asking what you've done, and secondly what you know from your course! And the most important reason is the old adage, it's not what you know, it's who you know! The more connections you can make and the more you get your face known, the better.

There isn't really anything that's 'offered' to 17 year olds, you have to go out and get it for yourself! Writing to and phoning teams is a good way to start. But may I make the suggestion that even if you are looking to get into track based motorsport, that you first try to get yourself involved with rallying, for the simple reason that there are way more rally drivers / cars in the UK and as such you are much more likely to get work that doesn't just involve sweeping the floor and making the tea.

Oh, and don't expect any pay. In fact expect to have to spend money!

[Oistarn]

I know, im not expecting pay, i'm not looking for money from it, purely experience....

I had a look at the british marshalls club, but it reads as if you must have a parent with you, untill the age of 18 :(

What sort of things do you mean by get involved with rallying?

Thanks :)

[Mark]

What sort of things do you mean by get involved with rallying?


I'm no expert here, but there are lots of people who can advise you much better than I can. But I mean generally helping out a team / driver during a rally. As a lot of these teams are run on a shoestring they may well be grateful for some free help!

Marshalling is also a very good idea, both for race and rallying, shows you are prepared to give something back to the sport.

[MrJan]

Bridgewater College must have a fair bit of money. I was doing a sprint at Castle Combe last season and the BC lads turned up with a Radical. They had about 12 of them buzzing around it and being a pit crew but seems like the course gives a good opportunity.

Try contacting your local motor club and seeing if you can get a little piece in the club magazine (they'll probably want you to be a member). Most people are happy to help out. There is a list of clubs on the MSA website http://www.msauk.org/site/cms/localGroupFinder.asp?category=469

It's also a good idea to have a look around the site as the MSA are trying to get more people interested.

[wedge]

Get yourself in a race team even if it means making cups of tea.

Best thing I can advise is to turn up at the Silverstone 24hrs and ask if anyone in the garage wants an extra pair of hands and tell your sob story of how you want to get into the sport and doing a related degree etc, etc.