Motorsport team celebrate double podium at final race weekend

The University of Wolverhampton Race Team (UWR) secured a double podium at the final race weekend of the ZEO Prototype Series.   

Taking place at Oulton Park, Cheshire, on 26 October, Shane Kelly, racing driver and Team Manager for UWR, took the UWR Praga to two third place finishes in both races at the circuit.   

Shane qualified on pole for both races in damp conditions and finished second in their class and third overall.  

In their tenth season of racing, UWR finished on the podium nine times this year, with eight of those podiums in the UK and one in Belgium. One of the highlights of the season was a second-place finish at the Supercar Challenge held at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit.   

Reflecting on the 2024 season , Shane said: “For me the season has been demanding on and off track with both Praga and Morgan teams. I’m so proud of all the students involved in UWR, as always they have overachieved with an impressive work rate.  

“It’s hard to believe its UWR’s tenth year, in that time things have changed a lot, with such a big skills gap in the engineering industry.  

“The next ten years of UWR will continue to produce graduates ready for the industry, support careers and make motorsport accessible to all ages. 

“The support we have received from sponsors, friends and colleagues has been unbelievable. 

“I’m looking forward to next season with lots of change coming and it’s an exciting time.”  

Our Engineering students, (Motorsport, Automotive, Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical Engineering), have spent the race season working behind the scenes to test, engineer and address any challenges presented on the racetrack.   

The University is committed to producing graduates who can apply both theory and practice in the industry, offering them hands-on experience to equip them with real-world skills to boost their employability.  

Our graduates have gone onto to secure places in F1 teams, working with the likes of Lewis Hamilton, or managers in high value manufacturing firms such as Rolls Royce.      

For more information about courses at the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences, check out the University of Wolverhampton website or visit one of our forthcoming Open Days.  

*Photo credit - Louise Wilkes/Andi Rusyn