British F1 driver Lewis Hamilton in action at Goodwood
2012's official National Motorsport Week, taking place between 30th June and 8th July, will feature two of the most popular events on the UK Motorsport calendar, the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Santander British Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix at Silverstone has been confirmed as taking place over the weekend of the 6th to 8th July, while the Festival of Speed is provisionally scheduled for the weekend before, the 29th June to 1st July.
National Motorsport Week is jointly organised by the Motor Sports Association (MSA) and the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) to celebrate the success of British competitors, teams and companies in motorsport, as well as increasing exposure for the less well-publicised areas of the sport, to try and generate increased participation.
MSA Chief Executive Colin Hilton said: “We couldn't have hoped for a better platform from which to promote UK motor sport. Between them the Festival of Speed and British Grand Prix attract more than 300,000 fans and millions more followers via television and other media.”
“While these two high profile events will help us to put the spotlight on the UK's world-leading achievements, it's essential that we maximise the opportunity to engage with more people and encourage them to get involved. Whether it's as a competitor at grass roots level, an active member of a local motor club, or a trackside volunteer – motor sport has so much to offer. There are lots of opportunities in so many different disciplines for those inspired and excited by these major events – and that's what National Motorsport Week is all about.”
Chris Aylett, MIA Chief Executive, added: “National Motorsport Week is building the momentum deserved by both our world class UK motor sport industry and sport. Right now, the UK needs good news from business and our industry beats the world in high performance engineering. We export more than 65 per cent of all we make, underlining our vital importance to this country's revival and international standing. We sell nearly £10 billion of services and engineering each year, which underpins no fewer than 40,000 jobs.
“What's more the high-performance engineering and motor sport sector inspires the next generation of world-class engineers, which is good news for the future of British industry. And, of course, UK motor sport success continues to promote the UK's image for the best quality right around the globe.”
