More than 60 students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) Motorsport and Motorcycle Engineering programmes took part in an exclusive test day at Pembrey Circuit, gaining hands-on experience in a live motorsport environment while collecting essential data for both second‑year and final‑year academic projects.
Throughout the full-day event, students worked with a range of vehicles including a Sports 2000 race car, a Citroën C1 race car, and three motorcycles. The testing sessions provided an opportunity for learners to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, using industry-standard methods and equipment.
Students gathered a wide array of performance and engineering data, such as pressure tap and Kiel probe arrays for aerodynamic correlation, and suspension load measurements for dynamic characterisation of key suspension components. This practical data will feed directly into project work focusing on aerodynamics, chassis development, vehicle dynamics, and race engineering.
“These test days are an essential part of our teaching approach,” said senior lecturer Tim Tudor. “They give students the ability to translate classroom learning into practical skills, while experiencing the realities and pressures of running vehicles in a live circuit environment. It’s these experiences that help prepare our graduates for careers in motorsport, automotive engineering, and beyond.”
UWTSD was also joined by students from Gower College Swansea, who participated in the day’s activities with support from the university team. UWTSD staff assisted in running Gower College’s Citroën C1 on circuit while gathering performance data, providing valuable insight for the college students and helping strengthen outreach and collaboration between the institutions.
The event at Pembrey Circuit forms part of UWTSD’s commitment to providing immersive, industry-linked learning opportunities. By working directly with race vehicles under authentic conditions, students gain critical competencies in testing procedures, data analysis, teamwork, and engineering problem-solving.
