MOTORSPORT students at the College of West Anglia in Wisbech enjoyed a successful weekend of racing at Lydden Hill in Kent.

The College’s Formula Ford car competed at the South East Motor Sport Enthusiasts Club’s Open Single Seater Championship round and, despite technical difficulties, the team finished fifth overall and second in class.

The car sprang a serious oil leak during qualifying but the students worked to get it fixed in time for the first race. It was running well until lap seven when a spark plug lead melted, forcing driver Innes Hickman to retire.

Students again repaird the car in time for the second race and Hickman was able to move up from his starting place of sevent to finish fifth overall and second in class.

The car is based at the college’s Isle Campus in Ramnoth Road, where the motorsport students studying for their National Diploma work on it. They spend their weekends and evenings going to track meetings and were pleased with the Lydden Hill result.

Course director Chris Middleton said: “It was a brilliant effort. The car is still around two seconds off its class pace but we need extra finances to help improve our performance.

“If anyone could help us out, that would be great. We still have room on the car for extra sponsorship.”

The next Lydden Hill meeting is on July 10 and the students are working hard to ensure the car is ready.