How Oxfordshire became part of Motorsport Valley

"This is the Silicon Valley of motoring."

It started on modest industrial estates but Oxfordshire's motorsport industry is now estimated to be worth at least three-quarters of a billion pounds annually.

Four of the 11 Formula One teams have a facility in the county and the sport is preparing to return to its spiritual home at Silverstone over the weekend.

This is how the county drove into the heart of Formula 1, rising from carpet warehouses to the classic circuits and beyond.

The world-leading technology created here is part of a powerhouse cluster of businesses referred to as "Motorsport Valley", majority of which are located within a 50-mile radius of Oxford.

An example of how the industry sparked into life can be traced to 1977 when the William's F1 Racing team was founded by Sir Frank Williams and legendary designer Sir Patrick Head.

The pair had left a former firm which eventually closed after their departure.

Even though their venture's first home was above a carpet warehouse in Didcot, they eventually secured iconic drivers such as Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill, and silverware followed.

Their trophy cabinet boasts 7 drivers' championships and 9 Constructors' titles.

Today, Williams F1 employ about 1,200 staff directly and at the 2024 British Grand Prix they commissioned a livery which had the name of every staff member on the side of the car.

"Everyone is working diligently every moment of the day," team principal James Vowles says

The factory in Grove was used as one of the filming locations for Brad Pitt's movie depiction of the sport.

"If you want expertise in motorsport, you will find it in the UK, and in small part of the UK around Oxfordshire," Vowles adds.

Neighbours Alpine F1 also have a rich history in the sport which includes previous iterations of their team as Benetton and Renault.

Their West Oxfordshire factory created multiple championship winning cars on the site of a former quarry in Enstone.

Operations director Ian Pearce, who grew up in Bicester and joined the team in 2001, says the county "is the centre of excellence for our industry".

"Every single person who works here has their unique input into how we get a car to the circuit and how we perform at the highest level," he says.

Much of the highly skilled engineering takes place in secret but it can be found in every corner of the county.

Prodrive in Banbury has supplied a large number of cars across a range motorsport classes, from rallying to endurance racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Every time one of their cars wins the Union Flag is raised and is visible to passers by on the M40 motorway.

Green motorsport technology is also booming in the area, where former Mercedes F1 executive director Paddy Lowe has a fossil-free synthetic fuel company.

The Jaguar Formula E team are based in Kidlington and they recently received a Royal visit from The Prince of Wales.

A close proximity to Silverstone and access to talent encourage firms to stay in the vicinity.

Oxford Brookes University has a renowned motorsport course which helps bring through the next generation of the workforce.

A charity founded by seven-time F1 world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton funds scholarships there to encourage people from black or mixed black ethnic backgrounds into UK motorsport.

Silverstone's managing director Stuart Pringle says there are between 40,000 and 50,000 people employed in this sector.

"This is a real live industry and we are genuinely world class."

While the driving stars will enjoy the limelight, it is also an opportunity for many local staff to see the fruits of their labour up close.

Chris Aylett, chief executive of the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), estimates that between 10,000 and 15,000 jobs in Oxfordshire are related to motorsport.

The teams also support a large number of smaller high-tech firms who are involved in their supply chain.

"The industry is growing so fast, it is worth at least three quarters of a billion pounds annually to Oxfordshire," Aylett says.

"When people watch the [F1] race on TV, it depends on people and operations in Oxfordshire - they should be very proud."

Peter Kyle, the Secretary of State for Business, who recently visited Motorsport UK's headquarters in Bicester, called the area "the Silicon Valley of motoring".

"F1 is the frontier technology of motorsport, you have that here in Oxfordshire."