The Oxford Universities Motorsport Foundation… engineering excitement!

OUMF, founded in July 2005, is an independent, self funded student initiative which provides ‘hands-on’ practical experience of motorsport to the students of Oxford University and aims to bridge the increasing skills gap that is threatening all engineering and manufacturing industries in the UK.

Ding Boston, Co-ordinator at Oxford Universities Motorsport Foundation, kindly gives us insight into the core missions and successes of OUMF…

By introducing predominantly engineering students to the world of racing car preparation and component fabrication, as well as team management, OUMF aims to enhance the quality of students graduating into all manufacturing and engineering industries as well as bring new blood into the historic and contemporary racing arenas.

Be it an F1 team or a company making bearings for vacuum cleaners, by teaching students key skills and ‘good practice’ as well as having fun with a team-based sport, we aim to foster a passion for engineering and high quality manufacturing that will benefit British industry as a whole.

HOW IT ALL GOT STARTED

Many students have no practical background or experience in vehicle engineering and OUMF was formed with the aim to provide complete beginners with a  foundation of basic engineering knowledge and ‘hands-on’ practical life skills. Even now, members have only to be studying any degree in Oxford to join, and to ensure there are no barriers to access, there is no subscription fee and the workshop “shed” is open virtually 365 days a year

A ‘simple to understand’ 1965 Riley 1.5 classic car was found as a first project, and many skills were learned as it was rebuilt. It was prepared as a competition car in the hope that there might eventually be opportunities for real motorsport experience down the line. With no funding, we had to look to industry for help to complete the project, and soon found sympathetic ears in companies who support us to this day – many of whom have been delighted by the OUMF  graduates they subsequently employed.

Numbers grew very rapidly, and activities quickly encompassed design, fabrication, race preparation, even data logging, with the students teaching each other and learning on the hoof. Then in 2008, the Barbados Rally Club heard of our practical initiative, wanted to encourage it,  and invited a team of OUMF students to enter the Riley 1.5 in the SOL Rally Barbados! We got there, the Riley finished well, and the event attracted loads of publicity enabling
the OUMF student team to return for this unique rally on 5 further occasions. The great Julius Thurgood effected a sea change on the club in 2010 when he invited OUMF to take part in his newly launched HRDC race series – in the Riley rally car! It was slow of course, but it was a brilliant experience and the club was truly hooked on the excitement of historic motorsport.

RACING IS NOW IN OUR BLOOD!

a full range of motorsport events, from circuit races and international rallies to local auto tests navigational rallies and even street luging! OUMFMC is a Motorsport UK affiliated club, and, despite the huge problems faced over the past two years, the OUMF students have battled through – always the underdogs, substituting elbow grease and ingenuity for funds – and is now widely recognised as the most successful young team in historic motorsport.

Our 1965 Rally Riley 1.5 has become infamous both on top historic rallies – like the SOL Rally Barbados, the Barbados Historic Rally Carnival and the IRC GEKO Ypres Rally – but also competed on the race track in the Historic Racing Drivers Club (HRDC) ‘Touring Greats’ series. The team scored their best ever result at the Sas Pils Classic Ypres Rally in 2018, coming 14th, beating Escort’s, M3’s, Porsche’s and a stunning Lanica Stratos.

We completed the build of a second, dedicated racing Riley 1.5 in April 2014. 12 years on, and the OUMF team has hardly missed a single HRDC meeting in the Riley 1.5 racer, amassing a large number of class awards and two outright wins. It has also starred in the last three Goodwood Revivals and Jochen Mass drove the car to 11th in the St Mary’s Trophy in September 2021. The continuous development ever since has seen the team rise up the order in the HRDC which resulted in the team’s first ever class win on circuit in April 2015. The team took its first ever overall win at Thruxton in 2017, beating the mighty Jordan A40.

The team have taken several class wins and podiums since and raced the Riley at the 2018 Goodwood Revival in front of thousands at the track and watching around the world. OUMF’s ‘Inca’ Alfa Romeo Giulia GT project has appeared with the St Mary’s racers at Goodwood Revival 2011, the HRDC at Snetterton, and then achieved a sensational 34th Overall/95, and 2rd in Class on the 2014 SOL Rally Barbados after being exhibited at Race Retro and National Rally Day at Gaydon.

OUMF AIMS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE ‘REAL WORLD’

Despite still having no proper funding, OUMF provides a welcome and unique ‘real life’ alternative to those disappointed by the ubiquitous Formula Student programmes. The team aim to achieve ever greater levels of success.

The project just completed is a 1962 Sebring Sprite historic race car. The panels needed were kindly donated by British Motor Heritage and Halls Garage, the engine was built with the help of Nick Swift – plus so much other fantastic support from across the industry. The car promises to continue the OUMF success story on track, while giving the next generation of British engineers invaluable practical experience.

Project cars are chosen which inspire, provide plenty of learning opportunities, and give the widest possible end use – from grassroots local events to IRC/FIA  international rallies. Coupled with informed learning, which includes factory visits, seminars, shows and talks from some of the heroes and gurus of  motorsport, OUMF provides a varied and exciting platform for young enthusiasts to build a solid practical knowledge base.

What’s more, OUMF provides a unique arena for students to develop the key teamwork and leadership skills that can only be gained through the crucible of motorsport competition. Academic institutions continue to reduce or abandon the practical elements of engineering & mechanical courses, thereby short-changing graduates and frustrating those who employ them. All the while the UK motorsport industry – and especially historic racing – goes from strength to strength, but many of the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable players are reaching retirement age. Consequently, much of their knowledge is being lost
forever, along with many vital ‘old school’ skills, and without keen youngsters to run on with the baton, the age gap is already a big concern, and it is widening fast.

OUMF’s long campaign to better prepare students – and especially engineers – for the real world, is well known and widely admired across an industry  increasingly disillusioned and frustrated with our broken educational system. Too many graduate engineers leave with a degree and ‘tick box’ Formula Student credentials, and are found to have no practical ‘hours’ or race experience of any value, risible ‘hands on’ skills, little idea of team working, and a lack of the knowledge or ability to apply theories learned in class to real world practice.

OUMF listens to its industry sponsors, and its mission is to try to ensure its members have the fundamental qualities looked for – in work placements or for  jobs – to meet or exceed expectations. This is a highly valued aspect of what OUMF does and in recognition of this, we are delighted to be supported with the goods and services of many of the most highly respected companies in the UK.

WITHAM PROUD TO SUPPORT OUMF

One of these is the highly successful Witham Group, led by MD Nigel Bottom, the industry leader in paints and lubricants, with MOTUL being their flagship  motorsport brand of lubricants. At chance meeting at the Goodwood Revival a few years ago, he became aware of the OUMF initiative and immediately offered his support. Since that happy day, his generous help has enabled the students to totally transform their rustic workspace. The WOCO two pack epoxy floor  paint seems to resist all wear, and has proved to be a bulletproof seal against the dust that previously compromised the assembly of engines and similar components, bringing the added benefits of increased reflected light and almost effortless cleaning.

Various other WOCO paints and wood preservatives have also proved invaluable in proofing the exposed old beams and exterior timber cladding of the building,  stopping any further flaky deterioration and falling debris, and the need for frequent regular repainting. What a joy!

It is a universally accepted fact, well understood by OUMF students, that a clean, dust free environment is of paramount importance in the building of a  reliable race engine, gearbox or similar unit. Prior to Nigel’s kind support with these paints, the team was constantly beset with depressing dirt-related  failures. In the period since he came aboard, the team has enjoyed an exponentially improved reliability record, won many trophies, DNF’s are extremely rare, and team morale is now on an altogether higher plane.

We have come to the inescapable conclusion that the OUMF team owes a major part of its recent and any future success to Nigel and the Witham Group! As such, we are extremely grateful to him, and profoundly reassured by the mutual interest we share in the better future of the UK engineering industry, coupled with the youthful good health and growth of historic motorsport.

To illustrate this, the latest (and longest, due to COVID) OUMF practical project is the Sebring Sprite historic race car, nicknamed ‘Little Bewt’ – after its number plate, 838 BWT. It was completed in autumn 2021 after a 6 year build and made its debut at Silverstone GP circuit to great acclaim in the final race of the exciting HRDC ‘Allstars’ season. It finished 15th Overall and 5th in Class – straight out of the box, and without any track testing. Its performance and stunning looks gained it a column in Autosport magazine, and the students were further delighted to be awarded the annual ‘Sebring Sprite Trophy’ for best presented car at the National Classic Motor Show at the NEC in November. This accolade was then followed by a great Christmas surprise – an invitation to race the car in the Weslake Cup at the 79th Goodwood Members Meeting in April. The team were stunned when the Sebring qualified 20th, and finished 11th in its first dry race.

MOTUL is a major sponsor of motor racing, including the great events staged at Goodwood. The OUMF students thank Nigel and the Witham Motorsport team with MOTUL for their support in the Weslake Cup, and for his continued enthusiasm and help for OUMF’s core mission to enhance the quality of students graduating into all manufacturing and engineering industries, while bringing talented, enthusiastic new blood into the historic and modern racing arenas.

For more information, please visit OUMF’s website or email main@oumf.org.

To find out more about Witham Motorsport, visit withammotorsport.co.uk.