Words: Andy Lloyd
Images: Bernice Bradley / Katie Wells / BRSCC / James Roberts
QE Motorsport, the team that races as an extra-curricular activity of Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate, will enter its fourth season in the Student Motorsport (SMo) Competition – the world’s only motorsport competition providing real-world trackside experience for the next generation of industry professionals – with a two-car entry.
Emilia Vincent will return for her second season with the North Yorkshire-based squad and is joined by her partner Alex Turner in the team’s second entry.
QE Motorsport, led by Team Principal Helen Snuggs and Deputy Team Principal Elizabeth Smith-Dodsworth, first entered the Student Motorsport Competition in 2023 with a single entry, piloted by Arthur Simondet. After a season which saw the team take two podium finishes on their way to a 4th-place in the Competition standings, QE Motorsport expanded to two cars for 2024 with young drivers Joshua Jackson and Haydn Payne. The duo set the Competition grid alight with a class win on the opening weekend and a further six podiums to finish 5th and 6th in the Competition standings at the end of the season.
QE Motorsport’s work was rewarded by winning the Student Motorsport Team Professionalism Award at the end-of-season BRSCC Awards Night.
Emilia Vincent joined the team for the 2025 season, making her return to the Student Motorsport Competition class after debuting in 2023. A season’s best result of 6th in class at Silverstone saw the driver of the team’s #174 Gen II Peugeot 108 go on to finish 10th in the SMo Competition class. But for an overheating issue at Silverstone in August, Emilia would have scored her second Competition podium finish of her career after finishing third at Brands Hatch in 2023.
Helen Snuggs is delighted that Emilia Vincent will continue to drive for QE Motorsport for the 2026 season and, for the team’s return to a two-car entry, will be joined by partner Alex Turner as he makes his racing debut. Alex is a motorsport enthusiast, keen sim racer and photographer and his skills as a mechanic have been in demand in the GB4 paddock as well as on heavy vehicle maintenance.
For Helen, the 2026 QE Motorsport driving partnership is a perfect fit for the team.
“It’s an exciting time for us because it’s really nice to have a couple driving for us,” she said. “Emilia is always working with the students and wanting to talk to them and show them things. She gets involved which is what I really like about her. Alex is so keen and such a lovely guy and he and Emilia seem very well suited. I think they are going to be just great out there and they’re already talking about having their own team tactics! They’re going to be in tune with each other and it’s really exciting for the team!”
As QE Motorsport enters its fourth year of the Student Motorsport Competition, Helen reflected on what she has learned running a successful motorsport programme as an extra-curricular school activity.
“Organisation is the key,” said Helen. “I’m quite an organised person so I think that’s been the focus for me – just organising everything. As you can imagine, as a school, we’ve had to jump through many hoops with risk assessments and all the Health and Safety guidelines which constantly change.
“I’ve had to do courses which I never thought I’d have to do and make sure all the school systems are followed so it has been full-on. Being well organised and having everything in place early on has definitely been an advantage.”
With a new cohort of students, developing the teamwork ethic will be key for Helen as she approaches the 2026 season.
“It will be a massive learning curve for our new students so I think developing the team and supporting our drivers will be key to our success this season,” she said. “The new students for this season are so good and I am very impressed with them. They can turn their hands to anything and they get on so well. We are looking forward to getting out on track at Brands Hatch for the opening weekend.”
The 2026 Student Motorsport Competition, part of the BRSCC Nankang Tyre CityCar Cup Championship gets underway for the PBS Brakes Brands Hatch Season Opener on the 11th and 12th of April.