A GREEN motorsports company aiming to bring a sustainable street race to Cheltenham has announced its next event will take place outside the county.
Speaking exclusively to The Business, Cheltenham MotorSports revealed its next Sustainable MotoExpo will take place in Hampshire before the company hopes to host a low-carbon vehicle street race in Cheltenham over the next few years.
Cheltenham MotorSports has also struck a deal with Cheltenham electric kart specialists, Concession Cirkitz International, who will partner the firm in the upcoming events.
The two companies worked together at last year's Sustainable MotoExpo in Cheltenham, which attracted 10,500 people including business secretary Vince Cable and saw the latest low-carbon technology vehicles parade around the town centre. The next event, Sustainable MotoExpo 2013, will take place at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu in September.
Peter Allison, director at Cheltenham MotorSports, said Cheltenham remained a key place of interest and the company's new partnership offered new racing opportunities.
He said: "Cheltenham will be a great place to stage another Sustainable MotoExpo. Last year proved there is great interest in vehicle design, innovative technologies, sustainable transport and motorsport.
"We've enjoyed an increasingly close working relationship with Cirkitz as Sustainable MotoExpo has developed. Cirkitz were involved in last year's event and are directly engaged with electric karting and motorsport at the core of their business. This joint venture gives us a channel to explore the common values and benefits that Sustainable MotoExpo 2012 delivered, while adding the development of live racing, which is what we're all about."
Tony Diett, co-founder of Concession Cirkitz International, said the business was looking forward to playing a bigger part in upcoming events.
"We were an early supporter of Sustainable MotoExpo 2012 and are pleased to have the opportunity to become even more involved in 2013," he said. "It feels great to be playing an active role in spreading the word about the importance of sustainability, which is an issue increasingly close to people's hearts, as well as to work with like-minded people."
The Cirkitz team is looking to speed up the technological development and energy efficiency of its karts.
The two companies aim to develop several electric and sustainable race series around the UK and abroad.
The series will be designed to inspire future engineers and build interest in low carbon vehicles.
This year's Sustainable MotoExpo will take place on September 28 and 29 and will once again have an educational agenda embracing schools, colleges, universities, government, industry and the general public.
Peter said Cheltenham remained on the list of prospective venues and the team were in ongoing discussions with local academic, industry and government organisations in support of Gloucestershire's
sustainability agenda. He added given the right circumstances and levels of support there would be future events in the town.
