WILTSHIRE College & University Centre Motorsport lecturer Sam Williams has been crowned Castle Combe Racing Club Hot Hatch Champion for the second year running, with College students playing a key role in his success.

Sam secured the title on Saturday 3 October after finishing first in Class D in both races at the final meeting of the season.

Driving the College’s Honda Civic EF, he successfully defended his 2025 championship title despite moving up a class for 2026.

“It’s amazing to win another championship. I really wasn’t expecting it this year, but I got lucky when other competitors had issues,” said Sam.

“The reliability and consistency of the car is what allowed us to pull it off again.

“It’s also great to see so many students at Castle Combe, whether they’re working on the cars or watching the racing. Seeing how enthusiastic they are about motorsport makes it even more special.”

Hands-on experience on and off the track

Behind the scenes, Motorsport Engineering degree students from the College’s Castle Combe centre have been helping to prepare and maintain the race car throughout the season, putting their engineering skills into practice in a competitive motorsport environment.

Sam, who is a former Motorsport student at the College himself, said the experience gives students a valuable insight into the demands of race-day preparation.

“The students have done all the preparation on the car over the last week, including bleeding the brakes to make sure the fluid is fresh, carrying out compression checks on the engine and completing general spanner checks.

“They do this sort of work during their degree workshop sessions, preparing the cars over the winter. Then, during the racing season, they come along to the events and work on the cars, gaining valuable experience of what happens on a race day.”

With two College cars competing at the final race meeting, students were able to experience the fast-paced demands of keeping race cars ready for qualifying and competition.

From the workshop to the race track

Among those involved was 21-year-old James Cox, who is in the final year of his BEng (Hons) Motorsport Engineering degree at Castle Combe.

For James, working trackside has been one of the highlights of his studies.

“Doing the race days has definitely been a highlight, along with the workshop sessions and learning new skills working on the cars,” he said.

“On a race day, we get here at about 6am, unload the trucks, set everything up and get the cars ready. We then have qualifying and two races, so we’re constantly checking things like fuel, tyre pressures and making sure everything is secure and the drivers are happy with the cars.

“In the first year of the degree, you spend one day a week in the workshop working on the race cars. Over the last couple of years, I’ve chosen to come in during my own time as well, to keep developing my skills and gaining more experience.”

James hopes to build a career in the classic car industry, specialising in historic racing and the restoration of classic race cars.

“I’ve really enjoyed the course and learnt so much. Hopefully, I’ll be able to take everything I’ve learnt into a career in motorsport, particularly working with classic racing cars,” he added.

Discover Motorsport Engineering at Castle Combe

The Motorsport Engineering degree at Wiltshire College & University Centre’s Castle Combe centre combines academic study with practical experience, giving students opportunities to develop their skills in workshops and at live racing events.

Interested in studying Motorsport Engineering?

Come along to the College’s Castle Combe Open Event on Saturday 14 November, from 12pm to 3pm, to explore the workshops, meet lecturers and find out more about the higher education courses on offer.

Photo credit: Jake Ozzy.