College motorsport team hits the track as the latest Scottish C1 Cup season gets underway
Edinburgh College’s motorsport team, Edina Ecosse Racing, returned to Knockhill Racing Circuit earlier this month as the latest Scottish Citroen C1 Cup season begins.
Since 2018, the College has entered a team in the competition which sees drivers compete on track in Citroen C1 cars, built and maintained by the College’s Automotive Engineering students, against teams from across the UK.
IMI Automotive Repair and Maintenance students spent a number of months working on the cars at the College’s Midlothian Campus, building one from scratch and refurbishing two from last year, to ensure they would be ready to hit the track for the start of the championship season.
This unique experience gives students an insight into the world of racing in terms of car building and design, but also in race day operations – with students providing paddock and pit lane support for the drivers on race weekends.
IMI Automotive Repair and Maintenance student Matthew Rothon said: “Its’ been great to be part of the C1 Cup team this season. I’ve really enjoyed it as it means I get to develop different skills, such as working as part of the pit team and carrying out safety checks. This experience will also be great to have on my CV when I finish college and go into working in the industry.”
Fellow automotive student and C1 team mate Hayden Novak said: “Working with the team and the guys has been really fun and it’s been good to get experience working with the drivers and how to work as part of a race team. This will be great experience for when I go out to work in garages after college as I have that experience working at competitive events.”
The College’s drivers this year are Marc Nisbet, Calum Conway, Katrina Gray and Kenny Dock. Marc Nisbet is in his second season with the College and recorded the fastest lap at last month’s race meeting at Knockhill.
Following the first competitive fixture of the championship, Marc Nisbet leads the way for the College, coming in fifth and sixth place in his two races – placing him in overall sixth place in the championship with 30 points on the board. Calum Conway is currently in 10th position with Kenny Dock and Katrina Gray in 12th and 14th position respectively.
In addition, one of this year’s cars carries the logo of SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) as part of a partnership which sees the College proudly promote the work of the charity as they race in front of crowds throughout the season.
The partnership was formed following the death of a colleague who worked within the Automotive Engineering team at the College and in recognition of the important work SAMH provide for mental health support.
Automotive Curriculum Team Manager Sandy Bruce said: “The C1 project is integrated into the IMI Certificate in Transport Maintenance SCQF 4 course and involves our learners in the building and maintenance of the race cars. The opportunity to build cars, support drivers and work as part of the C1 paddock and pit crew has brought amazing benefits and opportunities for our students.”
The next meeting takes place on Saturday 8 July, with the season coming to a close on Saturday 8 October 2023.