The British Touring Car Championship’s new community initiative, led by Driven by Sport presented by Kwik Fit, made its debut at Brands Hatch last weekend, delivering an engaging and inspiring experience for local school children.

At the first event of the year, children from nearby Anthony Roper Primary School visited the iconic Kent circuit to take part in a wide range of STEM-based and interactive activities, while also meeting BTCC drivers and getting up close to some of the BTCC racing cars. 

Activities on the day included engineering, first aid, car design, tyre technology and TV presenting. Students also had the opportunity to put questions to BTCC drivers Ash Sutton and Tom Chilton before visiting the garages of NAPA Racing UK and Speedworks Corolla Motorsport.

Driven by Sport – led by co-founder Anna Gow and BTCC Communications Director Simon Melluish – is a hands-on career discovery programme designed for school-age students, combining education and entertainment through immersive, motorsport-themed experiences led by industry professionals. 

The initiative is designed to inspire young people by showcasing the UK’s highest profile motorsport championship and highlighting the many pathways available for future involvement in the sport.

Anna Gow, co-founder of Driven by Sport, said: “It has been a wonderful first event for Driven by Sport. To see the smiles on the faces of the children and their interaction has been so rewarding and we look forward to running many more of these community-based initiatives in the future.”

The Brands Hatch event marks the first of a series of community-focused activities planned by BTCC organisers, with future initiatives set to include school and hospice visits and charity events, as the championship continues to strengthen its connection with communities across the UK.

Simon Melluish, BTCC Communications Director, added: “It’s a proud day for everyone involved, and especially rewarding to see how much everyone enjoyed the event. 

“The BTCC has a strong connection and relationship with people, but it’s imperative that we continue to strive forward and take the sport further into the local community. Driven by Sport and our other community initiatives are extremely important to us, and we look forward to building on these further in the future.”

Next on the agenda is a hospital visit ahead of the Oulton Park race weekend before another Driven by Sport event at Thruxton in late July.