MOTORSPORT WEEK A NATIONAL HIT

The 2009 National Motorsport Week was launched at Autosport International in January and once again it proved to be a great driver for a new wave of interest in the sport and the business.

The theory behind the event is to further increase the national and local media awareness of UK motorsport and its industry and attract new people into the sport, be they spectators, competitors, marshals or industry professionals.

There are already 34,000 license holders and 10,000 volunteers and officials involved in motorsport in the UK, with around 5,000 events taking place each year, and the more interest there is the more potential business opportunities the sport can create for the industry.

Chris Aylett, Chief Executive of the MIA, said: “Motorsport on TV is just the tip of the iceberg. Every weekend there are thousands of motorsport events around the UK that people can watch live or get involved in. Each year, this week has opened many peoples’ eyes to the huge range of activities available to them.”

The week saw activities on both international and local levels, with the highest profile event involving the Renault F1 team’s factory doors being opened to the public for one day only. “We knew fans would want access to the mysteries of Formula One,” added Aylett. “Within less than an hour, the event was over subscribed; Renault’s popularity remains undimmed. This first event, we hope, will be one of many in the future, allowing fans to get close to Formula One teams in the UK, and help the Motorsport Foundation.”

“Without the fans and new blood entering the sport, both from a competing and constructing point of view, the health of the industry could not be sustained,” said Ian France, Haymarket Exhibitions Show Director. “Autosport International is proud to have been involved with the launch and continuing success of National Motorsport Week; long may it continue, with the support of both the show and its exhibitors from across the whole of the UK.”