A key area of the UK automotive sector is motorsport, which contributes over £5 billion per annum to the UK economy. The UK motorsport sector is a global leader, thanks to its dominant role in both managing and serving the Formula 1 and other international racing series. This has led to a wealth of world-class design, precision and high-performance engineering companies, as well as a comprehensive range of leading service firms in areas such as event management, marketing, PR and sponsorship.

Eight out of twelve Formula 1 teams - McLaren, Williams, Red Bull, Force India, Lotus, Virgin, Mercedes and Renault - are based in the UK.

The UK’s “Motorsport Valley”, employs over 2,500 world-class engineers, while more than 15 UK universities offer motorsport engineering and management degrees. More than five also offer post-graduate courses.

Our “Motorsport in the UK” brochure gives an overview of the industry.

Case studies

Read how UKTI’s Tradeshow Access Programme has helped Silverstone motorsport firm Flybrid Systems develop its business in Italy.

UKTI supported events

UK Trade & Investment helps to arrange groups of UK companies to attend a comprehensive choice of tradeshows worldwide, or take part in the British trade missions that visit overseas markets each year.

Taking part in overseas events such as trade fairs or missions is an effective way for you to test markets, attract customers, appoint agents or distributors and make sales. Travelling as a group with other UK businesses you will get advice to help prepare for your visit before you go as well as support from trade development staff on the ground.

UKTI's programme includes a range of motorsport events worldwide, some of these via the Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP). The list below indicates major forthcoming events including those with TAP funding.

Motorsport technology

The UK is increasingly providing design, engineering and service solutions in markets worldwide as a result of its position as a global motorsport cluster. London as the base of F1 and World Rally Championship, the availability of legal and insurance specialists, and also the Motorsport Industry Assocation's (MIA) promotion of 'Motorsport Valley' as a centre of excellence help ensure motorsport remains one of the UK's most successful industries.

Motorsport is unique in combining sport, high performance engineering and innovation. Motorsport regulators are increasingly looking at how the rules of their sport can be changed to ensure that the sport remains as a proving ground for innovative new technologies for road cars.

Skills and technologies developed in the motorsport sector are increasingly finding their way into the automotive industry with many companies directly transferring innovative ideas into usable products for road vehicles. Examples include ATD (Active Torque Dynamics) and automated manual transmission systems developed by Prodrive, one of the world’s leading motorsport companies.

Although motorsport is often seen as environmentally unfriendly it is going green with, for example F1 adopting hybrid technology from next season. A number of teams are being assisted in this by transmission technology specialist Xtrac, a UK-based company, which is currently looking to exploit the new KERS or Kinetic energy recovery systems technology. The KERS systems can help reduce transport-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Whilst British automotive technology and engineering company Ricardo are providing advice to the FIA on future regulations for F1 with particular emphasis on energy-saving and environmentally efficient technologies.

British companies are also involved in bringing alternative fuels and hybrid technologies into other race classes. Oaktec, a small race team based in Lancashire was the first team to compete in a petrol/hybrid by optimising a Honda Insight hybrid to compete in the Formula 1000 Special Stage Rally Championship. Competing successfully throughout 2005 – 2007, Other teams have shown similar flare in other series.

The skills developed by UK companies in the motorsport sector are also finding applications entirely outside of the automotive sphere with many now actively involved in areas such as aerospace, marine and defence.

Contacts

If you are part of this sector and are seeking to develop your business overseas please contact:

Ian Lockhart

UKTI Advanced Engineering Team

Tel: +_44 (0)141 228 3654

Email: ian.lockhart@ukti.gsi.gov.uk

If you are an overseas advanced engineering company looking to invest in the UK please contact:

Stefano Hoyland

UKTI Business Group - Advanced Engineering

Tel: +_44 (0)20 7215 1754

Email: stefano.hoyland@ukti.gsi.gov.uk