A racing start to the future

A University of Sunderland student has fulfilled a long-held dream after spending last summer at Silverstone working as a Race Maker at the 2026 British Grand Prix.

Courtney Brian, 28, from Bishop Auckland, is in the final year of her Social Media Management degree and spent the summer working as a Race Maker at Silverstone. Courtney says it was a dream come true – but her love of motorsport is a relatively new passion.

Courtney said: “In July 2024 I attended my first Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. My husband had introduced me to F1 the year before, and I originally booked the Grand Prix as an experience for him. However, the weekend had a much bigger impact on me than I expected.

“On the drive home, he asked if I had enjoyed it, and I remember telling him that I couldn’t really explain the feeling I had, but I was determined I wanted this to be my life. I knew I had to find a way to build a career in motorsport, with the ultimate aim of working in Formula 1.”

It was not a straight role to study at Sunderland for Courtney. She worked in customer service roles for over 10 years, starting an Access to HE course with East Durham College then joining Teesside University in 2021, studying English and Creative Writing. But ill health forced Courtney to withdraw from Teesside.

“Returning to education as a mature student in 2024 was a big decision,” said Courtney. “But I knew I wanted to develop new skills and work towards a career that I was genuinely passionate about.

“I chose Social Media Management because digital media is such an important part of modern motorsport, and I wanted to develop the skills that could eventually allow me to work in the industry.

“When I found out that funding was available to help students access experiences that could support their future careers, I knew it could make a significant difference in allowing me to take part in the Race Maker opportunity at Silverstone.”

Courtney was supported by the University’s Mary and Brian Archer Experience Scholarship. The award which supports opportunities for aspirational students, was created in memory of Brian Archer, Head of the Civil Engineering Department in the 1960s and 70s, and his wife Mary Archer who taught in the University’s Pharmacy Department.

They were both true advocates of the University of Sunderland, and these scholarships have been set up to continue their passion for helping students receive the greatest opportunities through education.

Courtney added: “My long-term goal is to work within the motorsport industry, particularly in fan engagement, digital content creation or communications, with the ultimate ambition of working in Formula 1.

“I am already building towards this through my university work, motorsport placements and my experience as a Race Maker at Silverstone. I want to continue developing my video editing, content creation and social media strategy skills while gaining as much practical motorsport experience as possible.”

Courtney says applying for the award made a huge difference to her, not just in terms of the experience and support she received.

“The application process is straightforward, and it gave me the opportunity to explain what I wanted to achieve, why the experience was important to me and how it connected to my studies and future career.

“It also encouraged me to think more deeply about the value of the experience and what I hoped to take away from it, rather than simply viewing it as a volunteering opportunity.

“But the scholarship has taken a significant amount of financial pressure away. The Race Maker role was unpaid. Travelling to Silverstone, buying food throughout the event and finding somewhere to stay created costs that would have been difficult for me to manage. As a mature student it's already difficult to manage my mortgage and other bills balancing my student finance and income from work I do outside of study.

“The funding meant I could concentrate on the experience itself rather than worrying about whether I could afford to be there.

"More importantly, the award has given me practical experience that I can take forward into the rest of my degree and my career.

"Working behind the scenes at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix gave me an insight into how a major motorsport event operates and allowed me to develop communication, organisation, teamwork and problem-solving skills in a real working environment.

“It has also opened doors for me. I have been able to build my motorsport experience, strengthen my CV and gain confidence in pursuing the career I want. Combined with my degree and my other motorsport experience, the scholarship has helped turn something that started as an ambition in 2024 into a realistic career path.

“For me, the biggest impact is that I am no longer just hoping to work in motorsport one day. I am actively building the experience, skills and connections that can help me get there.”

Find out more about scholarships and bursaries available at the University of Sunderland here.

For more information on studying the University's Social Media Management degree, click here.