I have been exposed to the racing world my whole life, from Formula 1 to MotoGP, all thanks to my dad who is the biggest fanatic out there. Therefore, it comes to no surprise that as I grew older I, myself, started to become a fan, to the point where I want to pursue a career in the industry.
I am currently finishing my Master’s degree in international marketing at Heriot Watt, so I had been desperate to find any experience to add to my CV. I first contacted the organisation back in December 2022, asking if there were any opportunities available. Stuart Gray offered for me to come up for their first event of the year and observe how the organisation works and what it takes to run a racing event. I was also given the opportunity to shoot some pictures of the cars, which was great content creation practice for my career in Media/Marketing.
The event On the 15th of April I attended Knockhill Racing Circuit’s “Best of Scottish Motorsport” Event. This was a first-time experience for me and let me tell you, I was not let down! Stuart was so helpful and was incredibly supportive during any free period he had. From coming to welcome me in the morning, to sitting down with me and discussing things after the lunch break. It was such a packed day, with the practice sessions, qualifying and races. The morning sessions were all testing, so this was an opportunity for the drivers to get a taste of the cars since, as I was informed, no one had been competing in the last few months. The atmosphere was very pleasant but also highly competitive, the drivers were eager to get out on track and show their abilities. There were a few red flags throughout the day as nerves were at high and some mistakes were made. After the lunch break were the last few tests and then it was onto the qualifying sessions and races. The cars were rumbling, the experience of hearing them in person for the first time was something unbelievable and unforgettable.
The event itself lasted Saturday and Sunday but I only attended one of the days. However, now that I got a taste of it, I have to experience a whole weekend of it. The sessions The categories I saw in action were the Scottish Fiesta Championship, Scottish Mini Cooper Cup, Scottish C1 Cup, Scottish Classic & Saloon Championship, Scottish Legends and Modsports. I missed seeing the Super Lap Scotland, as it was on the Sunday only, but I will make sure to put it on my bucket list of things to see at the next possible opportunity! However, my personal favourites were the Radicals in the Modsports category. They were incredibly fast and amazing to watch. On the day, apart from the racing, there also was a Supercar parade, accompanied by representatives from the Army and the RAF.
This was a free event for those who are or have been part of the Army, Navy, Air Forces or the NHS, which I thought it was a nice gesture from the organisation as a ‘thank you’ to those who have given and continue to give their best for the country. Overall, I could not have had a better day, and am so thankful for such an opportunity and hopefully one to repeat soon!
I attach the link of events happening at Knockhill this year because I cannot recommend it enough, go up and experience the best day of your life! https://www.knockhill.com/events/
Mahia Alarcon