The University of Wolverhampton Race Team (UWR) is the only student race team in the UK competing in professional motorsport competitions.
After a successful year of racing in 2021 that saw the team crowned Formula 3 Cup Class champions, they will now be the only University race team competing in the new 2022 Praga Cup following a substantial £200k investment in a new Praga car and branded infrastructure from Midlands-based firm, Highclear Investments, led by local businessman and philanthropic entrepreneur, Walter Gleeson.
Walter’s driving ambition is to get more diversity into the sport including women.
The team is all set to unveil its exciting new livery in the company of Johnny Herbert (ex F1 driver), Alex Bishop (former CEO, Williams F1), Walter Gleeson (UWR Title Partner and CEO Highclear Investments), the Interim Vice-Chancellor at the University, Professor Ian Campbell, plus additional sponsors, our UWR students and our two professional racing drivers, Shane Kelly and George Line. The unveiling is taking place on Wednesday 2 March and you are invited to send someone along to cover the story if you think it may be of interest to your audience:
Walter, who co-founded musicMagpie with Steve Oliver in 2007, set-up Highclear Investments in mid-2021 with his wife, Alexa Gleeson, as a private commercial vehicle to invest in business opportunities within the Midlands & Shropshire regions and across the UK as well as to support various philanthropic causes for which they both share a deep passion.
UWR is made up of students undertaking a variety of degrees including Motorsport, Automotive, Mechatronics, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Mechanical and Chemical Engineering in the School of Engineering at the Telford Innovation Campus based in Priorslee. It is part of the University’s commitment 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.
The Praga Cup is the first series of its kind, launching its maiden race weekend at Silverstone in March 2022. The championship is a single class competition, with each team driving in the Praga R1 race car. Across the year, the competition will be racing at the following circuits: Silverstone Grand Prix (March 12-13), Oulton Park Full (April 2), Snetterton 300 (May 14-15), Silverstone National (June 4-5), Donington National (August 20-21) and Donington Grand Prix (October 22-23).
The new Praga R1 car, purchased by the University with the sponsorship from Highclear Investments, is a single seater, mid-engine race car powered by a 4-cylinder R-A Praga T Engine – producing 365BHP and 395NM of torque. The car’s bespoke carbon fibre chassis is accompanied by an advanced aerodynamic package capable of producing 3G’s of lateral cornering forces.
The unveiling takes place at the Campus Lounge and Refectory at the Telford Innovation Campus - Angad Paul Building.