LAURA PAYNE PREPARES FOR CITYCAR CUP RACING DEBUT WITH THE MOTORSPORTS SCHOOL

BRSCC Fiesta Junior Championship coordinator Laura Payne will make the switch from trackside to on track in 2021, as she gets set to embark on her first-ever weekend of racing in a few weeks’ time in the Nankang Tyre CityCar Cup on the support package for the British GT Championship at Donington Park on July 10/11 2021, courtesy of support and guidance from The Motorsports School.

The Motorsports School is based at the Mallory Park circuit in Leicestershire, just half an hour away from Donington Park where Laura is set to make her racing debut, and undertakes both Adult and Junior ARDS courses, as well as offering professional race tuition throughout the UK. With their extensive experience and knowledge of all the Motorsport UK licenced race venues, The Motorsports School only uses the best “A” & “S” grade instructors, all with years of racing experience and all with substantial experience of winning races and championships in their careers. It is also the official registered ARDS school for both Mallory Park and Lydden Hill, as well as being able to provide tuition at Donington Park too.

Laura sampled her Citroen C1 race car for the first time at Mallory Park on the Friday test day before the BRSCC race meeting the following day and put in an impressive first effort despite the wet weather conditions doing their best to make track conditions as tricky as possible. With guidance from The Motorsports School’s Pete Edwards and top racing and precision driver Sam Maher-Loughnan and car support from JamSport, Laura took to the track in four sessions and gained speed and confidence with every lap she drove. For the final session, she drove solo for the first time and used everything she’d learned on the day to successfully complete her inaugural test day and despite her initial nerves at the beginning, she was all smiles and desperate to get back out on track by the end!

Pete Edwards praised Laura’s first day of track driving, saying “Being Laura’s first time in the car, at the venue and on a test day, any nerves were to be expected, but she brilliantly used the first two sessions to learn the correct lines, braking points, turn-in and exit points and then to build her confidence and pace. By the third session, she was listening to and following Sam’s instructions to get the car moving underneath her in a great controlled style. In her final solo drive, she started steady before picking up more and more speed each lap until she was driving just the way we wanted.

All involved made it a great day, and my thanks go to BRSCC for putting on the day, Sam for his guidance and support as the instructor, JamSport for delivering and looking after the car all day to ensure it ran faultlessly, and of course Laura for her efforts behind the wheel and bringing the car and Instructor back in one piece in less than ideal conditions. A job well done and a great effort! I would also like to praise Laura for the job she is doing promoting and overseeing the Fiesta Junior Championship, which is going from strength to strength with continuously growing grids. We are looking forward to following her and supporting her in the Nankang Tyre CityCar Cup.”

Laura herself also commented on her first day in her new race car, adding “I feel extremely lucky to have had the tuition and guidance from Pete and his team at the Motorsports School. To say I am nervous about my first race in the CityCar Cup at the British GT meeting in July is an understatement, yet Pete and his team have left me feeling prepared. The nerves are still there, but I feel more prepared both technically and mentally as a result. Thank you to Pete, Sam, JamSport, The Motorsports School and the BRSCC for all their support and I’m really looking forward to joining the grid at Donington Park!”

To find out how The Motorsports School can assist in helping you become a better racing driver with their professional race tuition or how they can help you take your Adult or Junior ARDS test, then get in touch with Pete and his team by phone on 01455 502412, by e-mail at themotorsportsschool@hotmail.co.uk or via the website at themotorsportsschool.co.uk.