The Motorsport Development Board has re-affirmed its commitment to helping the UK to remain at the forefront of world motorsport, with the approval of new development projects to receive government support.

At a time when production of racing cars in the UK is at its lowest for a decade and the number of successful, competitive formulae across Europe is on the decline, the Board gave the go ahead to three new projects during its recent meeting in Northampton.

It was announced that:

• 300,000 will be given to the Engineering Technology Board to implement a Motorsport Learning Grid of educational activities in schools, colleges and universities
• 48,000 will support the development of national occupational standards for motorsport qualifications at NVQ Levels 2
  and 3
• 150,000 will be used to develop closer links between the aerospace and motorsport industries, including support for businesses to exhibit at the Farnborough and Paris international air shows.

The Board's plans to widen participation in motorsport are also progressing, with the search being stepped up for an appropriate way to manage the additional 10,000 license holders that it is hoped to recruit among the participants in "cruise" sport, described by Board member John Grant as "a whole new product opportunity for the motorsport industry and a whole new audience in its own right".

It also gave the go ahead for the Motor Sports Association to develop a national training plan to encourage more volunteer officials to enter and stay involved in the sport; its proposals include the development of vocational qualifications and a database of volunteers for use by clubs.