Sussex Motorsports, led by Shiv Bhagnari and Nathan Lee and crewed by students from the University of Sussex and the Brighton area, is making final preparations for its Student Motorsport Challenge debut at Oulton Park on May the 25th.
The team was formed after a meeting with series organiser John Paul \’JP\’ Latham at Silverstone in November 2023 and, with essential support from Seismic Motorsport, Student Motorsport Challenge\’s JP Latham and driver Colin Dunn, competed as a guest entry in the BRSCC Nankang Tyre CityCar Cup Championship at its season-opening weekend at Snetterton in April.
Since the first three rounds, Shiv, Nathan and the team have worked hard to develop an in-depth understanding of running a car over a race weekend and have also brought their first sponsor on board. Sussex Motorsports will be carrying the logos of VRROOM, the virtual race room based at the Waterfront in Brighton Marina, on the #319 Citroen C1 at Oulton Park.
\”Preparation for the team\’s debut in the Student Motorsport Challenge is going really well,\” said Team Principal Shiv Bhagnari. \”With the first race weekend under our belts, we understand the scope of what we need to do a lot better than we did at Snetterton. We have team kit and stickers for the car arriving shortly and we are very pleased and proud to announce VRROOM as our new sponsor. We have just finalised that agreement which is fantastic so we are a lot more prepared and a lot calmer than we were for our first race weekend!\”
VRROOM opened just over a year ago and very much regards itself as a family entertainment venue even though they use professional grade driving simulators and esports equipment. The company offers a broad range of driving experiences, easy online booking, and advanced race management software that sends lap times straight to the driver\’s phone.
John Parvin, VRROOM Co-Founder, is excited about the opportunities that a partnership with Sussex Motorsports will bring to the business.
\”When we first sketched out our ideas for VRROOM, we envisaged a venue that could bridge the gap between \’arcade\’ and \’driver training\’. We set out to build a grassroots esports venue that would become a revolving door between the virtual and real racing worlds, merging the two.
\”We regularly welcome track day enthusiasts and privateer race car owners who come to prepare for their upcoming race calendars, but the vast majority of visitors are car and motorsport enthusiasts in search of some \’competitive socialising\’. Our goal is to bring the thrill of racing to everyone.
\”Shiv Bhagnari was one of the first people to attend and drive at VRROOM as part of our pre-launch test programme and, as Sussex Motorsports is a new and local team, we were intrigued by their project and feel a connection to the team.
\”What makes Sussex Motorsports our sole choice for sponsorship is their professional and innovative approach to grassroots motorsport. We share a similar vision and are excited to see their season unfold.\”
For Sussex Motorsports, the partnership with VRROOM is a \’perfect alignment\’ with the team\’s goals.
\”We\’ve had the pleasure of knowing the VRROOM team since they opened in 2023,\” said Shiv Bhagnari. \”They want to build a grassroots motorsport community in Brighton and for them to be part of our project is the perfect alignment of their goals and those of Sussex Motorsports. We are delighted to welcome VRROOM on board for the 2024 season.\”
With the VRROOM sponsorship finalised, Sussex Motorsports is looking forward to competing at Oulton Park.
\”Our driver Colin Dunn now has some experience of our car and we understand better what he likes and doesn\’t like in a car so I think understanding within the team advanced tremendously at Snetterton. Armed with that experience, we hope that Oulton Park will be a happy hunting ground for Sussex Motorsports.\”
Track action for the second weekend of the 2024 Student Motorsport Challenge, part of the BRSCC Nankang Tyre CityCar Cup Championship, gets underway at Oulton Park with qualifying at 9:55 followed by the first of two 15-minute contests at 11.55.
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