Coleg Menai learners to compete in Student Motorsport Challenge at Trac Môn

Coleg Menai learners will take part in the Student Motorsport Challenge at Trac Môn on Anglesey this weekend.

Motorsport students at the Llangefni campus will provide the pit crew for a Peugeot 107 which they have themselves transformed into a race-ready vehicle to compete against seven other colleges.

The car will be raced by Hywel Rosenthal, the owner of Star Auto Care garage in Gaerwen, Anglesey.

He will compete against a host of other experienced drivers, as the Student Motorsport Challenge forms part of the CityCar Cup Championship, which takes place over four races at Trac Môn.

There will be a qualifying race on Saturday, followed by another race the same day and two more on Sunday at the Tŷ Croes circuit.

The BTEC Level 3 in Motorsport Engineering students have already enjoyed a track day at the Tŷ Croes circuit as part of the project. They will spend Friday at the track setting up for the event, returning on Saturday and Sunday to put their engineering and mechanical skills to the test and keep the car in top shape.

Their tutor Arron Peel said: “They’re putting their practical skills to use, building a vehicle that’s going to be used in an actual event.

“It’s kept the learners engaged and focused, and attendance has been fantastic. They’re learning vocational skills with an academic qualification which can help them progress onto university.”

Arron said the plan is to compete in the Student Motorsport Challenge again next year, but to also involve other subject areas such as sports, hospitality and business, for aspects such as conditioning and fitness, event catering and marketing.

Coleg Menai’s Llangefni site runs the only BTEC Level 3 in Motorsport Engineering in North Wales. For more information about the course, click here.