Engineering students from City of Bristol College have been putting their design and teamwork skills to the test after taking part in a high-speed electric car racing competition at Aerospace Bristol.
The day was filmed for a feature on ITV News, marking the first broadcast coverage of the growing UK student RC motorsport series.
The students designed, built and raced their own small-scale, remote-controlled Formula 1-style cars over several months, reaching speeds of up to 31mph. The event formed part of the growing S-RC Cup, which recently launched its 2026 season beneath Concorde with a competitive pre-season test at the same venue.
The S-RC Cup challenges teams to develop electric RC cars from the ground up, combining engineering precision with strategy, branding and race-day performance. The 2026 season launch marked an exciting milestone for the competition, as teams gathered under the iconic aircraft for timed test sessions ahead of a national series of races. Organisers have also announced plans to take race events into schools across the country, widening access and inspiring the next generation of engineers.
Speaking to ITV News, student Evangeline Clark said: “I know absolutely nothing about Formula 1 so it’s really interesting to see it from an engineering point of view but also to see it as a community that so many people have a love for.”
The competition offers students the chance to step into a variety of motorsport-inspired roles, including drivers, mechanics and even team principals. Race marshals at the Bristol event were mainly students from the University of Bristol, helping to create a race-day atmosphere.
Student Enrichment Co-ordinator at City of Bristol College, Anne Draper, praised the wider benefits of the experience, saying: “They can learn additional things that aren’t necessarily part of their course, so things like marketing skills, communication, team work skills – all these things that we know employers really want people to be able to do and it looks really good on their CVs.”
Founder & CEO of S-RC Cup, Peter Hewage, commented: “We saw teams actively tweaking their cars to unlock performance. That’s exactly what we want. This isn’t just about who can drive the fastest lap, it’s about who can engineer the best overall package.”
Beyond the thrill of race day, the project has given students valuable hands-on experience in engineering design, testing and performance analysis, while also developing the softer skills essential for industry.
With the 2026 S-RC Cup season now underway, the college’s aspiring engineers are hoping their months of hard work will give them a competitive edge as they prepare to take on teams from across the country.
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