A student’s dream came true when he met former Formula One driver Martin Brundle.

Cambs Times: Martin Brundle with Lord Willis.Martin Brundle with Lord Willis. (Image: Stefano Cagnoni)

College of West Anglia student Joshua Gibbs, 19, of Emneth, met Brundle, who now commentates on the sport, at the House of Commons.

Gibbs is following in Brundle’s footsteps - they both studied business at the King’s Lynn campus.

Brundle was there to receive a coveted Association of Colleges gold award, while Gibbs attended after being nominated by the college as a “future star.”

Brundle studied for a Diploma in Business Studies between 1975 and 1977 and at a past visit to the college spoke of how the skills and knowledge he got from studying subjects such as economics, law, statistics and accounts all helped him when he went on to help run his father’s car dealership after leaving college and in his career ever since.

He still maintains links with his former college, most recently in 2013 when he performed the official opening of the college’s Technology Centre.

Brundle said: “I’m delighted to receive this Gold Award from the Association of Colleges, just as I’m happy to see the College of West Anglia still thriving many decades later. It was an important two years in my life.”

Brundle started his racing career in 1971 at the age of 12, driving a self-built Ford Anglia grass track car near his West Norfolk home.

In 1983, at the age of 24, he narrowly lost the Formula Three championship to Ayrton Senna before moving up to Formula One in 1984.

Over the following 12 years, he had 159 Grand Prix starts and reached the podium nine times. He also won the 1988 World Sportscar title and the 1990 Le Mans 24 Hour race.

He began his career as a Formula One TV commentator in 1997 at ITV alongside the legendary Murray Walker, before moving to the BBC in 2009 and then on to Sky Sports in 2012.

He has been on the winning team for four BAFTAs and seven Royal Television Society awards and has also published two books.