WORLD MOTORSPORT SYMPOSIUM 2009 

The fifth RACE TECH World Motorsport Symposium  - the only one of its kind specifically organised for ENGINEERS in the MOTORSPORT INDUSTRY - was hailed as the best one yet!  In it's fifth year, once again it attracted the creme de la creme of the industry.

 Senior motorsport engineers and executives attended both days of the World Motorsport Symposium organised by RACE TECH magazine on Thursday 19th and Friday 20th November 2009, at The Motorsport Engineering Centre at Oxford Brookes University.

Lord Drayson, team owner of Drayson Racing and the UK's Minister for Science and Technology, formed a welcome addition to the line up of speakers this year. His keynote speech at the beginning of the RACE ENGINE DAY highlighted the role that motorsport can play in motor industry R&D and issued a stark warning about the challenge of reducing carbon emissions.

The RACE ENGINE DAY was chaired by Ulrich Baretzky, the Head of Engine Technology  at AUDI SPORT. The speakers included FIA Technical Consultant, Tony Purnell, who gave an excellent review of the past year's rule changes and Pete May, Race Systems Development Engineer at Zytek Engineering, who gave the first ever presentation on their Q10 hybrid powertrain.  Other eminent speakers of the day included Thomas Laudenbach, Head of Motorsport Development/Powertrain at PORSCHE, Donatus Wichelhaus, Head of Engine Development at VOLKSWAGEN MOTORSPORT, Wolfgange Warnecke, Global Retail & Automotive Fuels Technology at SHELL GLOBAL SOLUTIONS (Deutschland), Bruce Cawley, Motorsport Technology Manager at EXXONMOBIL LUBRICANTS & SPECIALTIES, Bruce Wood, Technical Director at COSWORTH RACING, Francois Coudrain, Engine Chief Engineer at PEUGEOT SPORT and Jason Hill, Chief Engineer at ASTON MARTIN RACING/PRODRIVE.

The AERODYNAMICS / VEHICLE DYNAMICS DAY was chaired by John Iley, former Head of Aerodynamics at SCUDERIA FERRARI whilst the key note speaker was  Sergio Rinland, Technical Director of EPSILON EUSKADI. The day was just as successful as the RACE ENGINE DAY the previous day with speakers including Willem Toet, Head of Aerodynamics, SAUBER F1, Dr Robin Tuluie, Head of Research and Development at RENAULT F1, David Floury, ORECA'S Technical Director, noted aerodynamicist Professor Joe Katz, of San Diego State University and author of RACECAR AERODYNAMICS, Dialma Zinelli, Head of Aerodynamics at DALLARA AUTOMOBIL, Professor Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, of  the University of Texas at Dallas and author of THE PHYSICS OF NASCAR, Claude Rouelle, President of OPTIMUM G and Jeffrey Bordner, Site Manager of WINDSHEAR. Another highlight of the day was also Dr Ben Evan's fascinating presentation on the BLOODHOUND SSC project.

The Symposium also offered an unmissable networking opportuntiy, with a lavish awards dinner attended by many of the industry's top figures in a friendly and informal atmosphere. It also saw the winners of the coveted RACE TECH awards announced.

Francois Coudrain of PEUGEOT SPORT scooped the RACE ENGINE DESIGNER of 2009 prize for his contribution to the Le Mans winning 908 HDi FAP, presented by the Publishing Director and Editor of RACE TECH, Soheila and William Kimberley.

Loic Bigois of BRAWN GP clinched the Dino Toso award for the RACECAR AERODYNAMICIST of the year.

Technical Director Maryn Mann and Finance Director Nevil Hall of MILLERS OIL were also presented the award for the MOST INNOVATIVE NEW MOTORSPORT PRODUCT category for their fantastic groundbreaking nanotechnology range of transmission oils.