The Student Motorsport Challenge is delighted to announce that it will be returning to Autosport International between the 9th and 12th of January, the first appearance for Student Motorsport at the world’s leading motorsport visitor and trade experience for five years.
Autosport International, held annually at the Birmingham NEC, is the traditional start to the motor racing year for thousands of fans, industry professionals and automotive enthusiasts. The event provides an internationally renowned showcase for race engineering products and services as well the opportunity for fans to gain a unique perspective on motorsport personalities and race cars.
For its return to Autosport International, the Student Motorsport Challenge, in addition to displaying on its own stand, has been invited to join Motorsport UK as the UK’s governing body for four-wheeled motorsport presents a new initiative for inclusivity and diversity.
Motorsport UK will be launching its Inclusion Hub at ASI 25 with the objective of providing a dedicated on-line space to showcase the wide range of opportunities within the motorsport industry. The Inclusion Hub brings together complimentary organisations within the STEM and EDI space under one umbrella within a Motorsport UK-branded zone.
Focused initially on young people aged between 14-24 years, the Hub is a website created in collaboration with, and commissioned by, Sir Lewis Hamilton’s Mission 44 and includes organisations such as Formula Student, Girls Across the Grid, Greenpower, Girls on Track UK and the Student Motorsport Challenge.
Perfectly aligned with the vision of the Student Motorsport Challenge, the goal of the Motorsport UK Inclusion Hub is to provide aspiring professionals and enthusiasts with valuable insights into the diverse career pathways available in motorsport.
Attending the show to represent the Student Motorsport Challenge will be Founder and Series Organiser John Paul ‘JP’ Latham and Head of Media Andy Lloyd. In addition to the Challenge’s presence on the Motorsport UK stand (3160), West Suffolk College, led by Head of Motorsport Alan Barrett and supported by selected students, will be manning stand 3170 and displaying their #12 car Toyota Aygo which was driven to 2nd place in the 2024 Student Motorsport Challenge and 3rd place in the overall BRSCC Nankang Tyre CityCar Cup Championship by Brady Pollock.
John Paul ‘JP’ Latham is delighted to be returning to Autosport International to present the Student Motorsport Challenge to the widest possible audience.
“I am very excited to be bringing the Student Motorsport Challenge to Autosport International 2025 and I want to express my sincere gratitude to Motorsport UK for inviting us to participate in their launch of their new Inclusion Hub,” he said. “The values and objectives of Motorsport UK match perfectly with those of the Challenge and we are proud to be part of the launch of their initiative. I also want to thank the BRSCC, Nankang Tyres and the CityCar Cup Championship for their continued support of the Challenge and all their help in 2024.
“I am delighted that we are joined at the Birmingham NEC by Alan Barrett and his team from West Suffolk College. The success of WSC, with their drivers Brady Pollock and Andrew Payne, were one of the many highlights of our 2024 season and it is fantastic that they can join us for one of the world’s biggest motorsport showcases.
“Our aim at Autosport International 2025 is to encourage more schools, colleges and universities to take part in the UK’s only motorsport series that offers real-life trackside experience for learners in all aspects of racing. We are also seeking additional sponsors and partners for both the series and race weekends and we will be presenting the benefits of becoming involved with the Challenge throughout the weekend.”
Jessica Runicles, Head of Sustainability at Motorsport UK, is delighted to be launching the Inclusion Hub at Autosport International 2025.
“Motorsport is increasingly becoming the career path of choice for young people,” she said. “However, finding these opportunities and even understanding where to start, can be tricky, with information difficult to navigate.
“It is thanks to Mission 44 that we were able to collaborate and create a Hub that expands engagement and participation and seeks to strengthen these networks within our motorsport community, promoting diversity and inclusion and ensuring that young people have access to this information.”
Autosport International 2025 runs from Thursday the 9th through to Sunday the 12th of January at the Birmingham NEC. The Student Motorsport Challenge can be found in Hall 3 on Stand 3160 (in partnership with Motorsport UK) and on Stand 3170 where visitors can meet team members from West Suffolk College to hear about their breakthrough year in 2024.