APPEALING TO THE NEXT GENERATION
For anybody involved in the motorsport industry, it can be all too easy to see Autosport International simply as a workplace or a business opportunity. But in doing so we often miss seeing what a powerful tool it can be for our sport in the wider world.
This year I spent a few hours showing my eight-year-old cousin, Lincoln Goodson, and his grandparents around.
Now, Lincoln knows his stuff about cars. Be it a Koenigsegg, Pagani or Lamborghini – he knows the lot. But he’d yet to really discover motorsport.
After viewing supercars at the Performance Car Show, I introduced him to some racing machines. A whistle-stop tour of Le Mans prototypes, touring cars and Formula 1 proved a real hit. As did factory Ginetta racer Mike Simpson plonking him inside the firm’s new £1.3 million LMP1 machine!
Then to the Live Action Arena where the sights and pure noise of the sport really won him over. Drift cars excited, autograssers amazed and NASCARS literally took your breath away.
After his first show visit, Lincoln’s mind changed a bit. All the pre-show talk of Audis and Mclarens was now mixed with Ligiers, touring cars and, particularly, Ginettas – the P1 car now being his overall favourite, although failing that the G58 would do…
Autosport International is one of the best ways to introduce new people to the sport, and it certainly had a positive effect on Lincoln, who left the show pointing at karts and asking when he could have a go.
To his grandparents, and parents, I can only apologise…