Autosport International 2018 continued today with the second and final trade day before the two public days get underway on Saturday.
Billy Monger, who is starring in the Live action arena show this year, took time out from his precision driving to head to the Autosport Stage to talk about his racing plans;
“I’d like to throw my hands at everything, I just need to get some budget together and get some sponsors, which is the same position all drivers find themselves in. Hopefully in April I’ll be back in the car and showing people what I can do.”
It’s still less than a year since the crash at Donington Park which changed Billy’s life. His amazing recovery has been helped by Mission Motorsport who join Billy in the Live action arena with world famous stunt driver Terry Grant. Mission Motorsport are best known for helping injured Soldiers into Motorsport and Billy Monger was full of praise;
“The Mission Motorsport team are incredible. You learn so much from them, a lot of people there share the same injuries, which most people I know don’t have.”
Terry Grant was also full of praise but for Billy Monger;
“Last Thursday, so one week and one day ago, was the first time he got in the Jaguar that he’s driving in the Live Action Arena. It was the first time of driving a supercharged V8 with nearly 600 horsepower and after two minutes, he had it sideways, he could throttle brake and trail brake. After 25 minutes, we had all of his hand controls ripped out and he was driving that car how you and I would drive the car, with his foot.”
We’ll have more about the Live action show where Billy Monger is starring in a future report.
There were more announcements today with Radical Sportscars announcing some new Global partners, their first in a decade. Hankook tyres become the manufacturers tyre partner across all of its championships. They also announced Motul as their first ever lubricant partner with their engine oil to be used across the Radical range.
2017 Mighty Mini champion Alice Hughes announced her intentions to compete in the Britcar championship in 2018. She will be using the Ford Fiesta she raced in 2016 but with a lot of modifications including a dramatic increase in engine power. She will be in the lowest power class in Britcar but due to the way the overall points are calculated, Hughes will have a chance at the overall title. Hughes is first looking for a team mate to share the car with her.
Other guests today on the Autosport Stage included Ferrari drivers Marc Gené and Jody Fannin, TT hero John McGuinness, F1 Journalist and presenter Lee Mackenzie and MSA chairman David Richards CBE.
With the Trade days and the engineering element of the show now coming to a close, the annual awards were presented to the winning stands;
Best Trade & Technical Stand at Autosport International 2018 – Vital Equipment
Best Autosport Engineering Stand at Autosport International 2018 – Xceldyne
Technical Innovation Award at Autosport International 2018 – Greaves 3D Engineering
Best Manufacturing Technology Stand at Autosport International 2018 – XYZ Machine Tools
Best Small Stand at Autosport International 2018 – Morris Lubricants
The two public days now get underway with lots of highlights still to come. The annual COYS classic car auction will take place tomorrow with everything from an historic race car to a Lamborghini Tractor going under the Hammer.
The show will be opened by Nigel Mansell CBE, 1992 F1 champion and 1993 Indycar champion. He is still the only driver to win both titles back to back.
Tickets are available on the door so if you hadn’t planned on coming you can still change your mind! By Marc Waller
