Are friends electric?

Goodwood.

Whenever I think of the motor circuit, I smile. My mind drifts to images of grand prix cars of yesteryear, beautiful burbling Bugattis, melodious Maseratis, and the smell of oil, engines, fuel and rubber from burnouts on the track. Memories of the Festival of Speed and most recently, the Revival. Last weekend I witnessed a wholly different event at Goodwood. 75 entrants on the grid, a national title at stake, there were spins, tussles on the track, rivalry, unfettering comradery, car breakages and heaps of drama. But not the roar of an engine could be heard. This was a six hour endurance race, unlike anything I’d seen previously, it was truly compelling. The atmosphere was simply electric…literally.

I had been invited to attend the Greenpower 2005 national final by a motorsport friend of mine; it’s a race series with a very special difference. Greenpower is a not for profit company, funded by a number of sponsors, that is dedicated to promoting engineering and technology as careers in both secondary and primary schools in the UK. In recent years there has been a distinct demise in school leavers taking up engineering careers. To try to redress the balance and to capture the children’s imagination and enthusiasm for engineering Greenpower uses a unique medium in the form of electric car racing projects. It also promotes the importance electrically powered vehicles will have upon the future of motoring and focuses upon the environmental benefits.

A technical specification is issued to the schools along with the all important 24 volt electric motor and 4, 12 volt lead/acid batteries, just like those you'd find in your car. The children then get down to the nitty gritty of designing and building their cars with the help of teachers, parents and sponsors. The cars are then used to compete in Greenpower formula marathon and sprint events nationally at some of the country's most prestigious circuits.

Back at Goodwood, the race had reached the half way point and there was drama when the heavens opened to tip rain of monsoonical proportions on to the track turning it quickly into a skid pan. Cars spun off, there were near misses, the teams were running about to call their cars in. The drama continued throughout the race as cars that broke down were ferried back to the pits on the back of trailers for the children and their teams to commence all too urgent repairs to get their car back out on the track. Teams were connected up via tandems to dynamos to recharge batteries, pedalling for all their worth to get the batteries ready for the next pit stop, tactics were discussed and changed minute by minute. This was possibly the most exciting form of motorsport I'd witnessed all year.

There was a storming victory for the 2nd year running from the bubble like car entered by Furze Platt School in Maidenhead, 'Turbo Tortoise'. It can top speeds of 42mph and achieved the fastest lap time in the Greenpower formula last year. It's futuristic design proving aerodynamically efficient and their engineering design making suberb use of the motors provided.

If there had been an intiative like Greenpower around when I'd been at school I most certainly would have wanted to get involved. It's a fantastic opportunity for children and as well as the engineering experience there's a whole wealth of benefits from team working to just having a good old giggle.

I'll be following next year's series with great interest.

For more information visit: the Greenpower website