MOTORSPORT students from Wiltshire College & University Centre have played a major part in a championship-winning season at Castle Combe Circuit – supporting their lecturer both on and off the track.
A team of Motorsport Engineering Degree students, based at the College’s Castle Combe University Centre, spent the racing season working on two competition cars under the guidance of lecturers Sam Williams and David Campion, along with technicians Ethan Walsh and Sid Jagdeo.
Their hard work paid off in early October when Sam, 26, from Melksham, was crowned Hot Hatch Champion following the final weekend of racing at the circuit.
Throughout the year, students were responsible for preparing and maintaining the College’s two cars to competition standard, gaining first-hand experience in motorsport engineering, teamwork and problem-solving.
From checking over both cars to fixing brake issues between races, students played an active role in keeping the team on track and race-ready.
“It’s been a fantastic season for our student team, working hard on both of our cars,” said Motorsport Lecturer David Campion. “Sam’s championship win at the Castle Combe Hot Hatch series is a true testament to the students’ ability to develop a reliable and competitive car. With their dedication and the support of the whole team, we’ve achieved something really special.”
Some Level 3 Motorsport students also attended the final race weekend, watching the team in action and finding out more about what it takes to compete at this level.
“It was great to see some of our Level 3 students watching,” Sam said. “And the students running the cars with the rest of the team were fantastic. I never planned on winning the championship this year, but the best part was seeing them enjoy having a result to show for the hard work they’ve put in all season.”
Sam’s journey with Wiltshire College & University Centre began as a student himself. After completing a Motorsport Level 3 course at the Chippenham campus in 2016, he progressed to the Motorsport Engineering Degree at Castle Combe, graduating with a 2:1 in 2020.
Soon after graduating, he was invited to join the College’s teaching team, initially teaching Motor Vehicle before moving across to Motorsport full-time in 2023.
“From a young age I was fascinated by how things worked – playing racing games, taking things apart and always wanting to understand more,” said Sam. “Driving a real race car always felt like an unrealistic dream, but last year I was offered the chance to race and decided to give it a go. It’s been an incredible experience – and even better to share it with our students.”
The College’s Motorsport Engineering Degree is delivered entirely from Castle Combe Circuit in partnership with Oxford Brookes University, giving students a unique trackside environment to develop their skills in race car preparation, vehicle dynamics, data analysis and more.
