Thrills of motor racing set Adam on the fast track

Adam Tinsley set up F1 Showcars a year ago following help from the Rotherham Enterprise project. F1 Showcars supplies full-sized Formula One simulator and display cars for hire

at events.

Mr Tinsley knows what he's talking about. He's been a race marshal at Silverstone, and travels across the UK helping out at motor racing circuits.

He said: "I've been a Formula One fan for years and came across marshalling on the internet when I was 18. Since then, I have really enjoyed marshalling at the races.

"I set up F1 Showcars, offering Formula one car simulators I bought off the internet for hire at top events, and took them with me when I worked as a marshal at the Grand Prix last year."

He runs his company from home, keeping his display cars and simulators in Rotherham.

As one of his vehicles is the only three-seater Formula One car in the world, his cars have appeared at conferences across the UK. But setting up the business had not been easy.

He said: "As this was my first step into business, Rotherham Enterprise really helped me to get the ball rolling and gave me essential marketing, finance and business advice – including how to apply for grants."

The project, funded by the European Regional Development Fund, employs teams of business coaches and business support officers.

The scheme helped Adam secure an innovation voucher from Business Link for 3,000 to help create and design a new product to develop F1 Showcars – a wireless games steering wheel, which design company Fripp Design are developing.

He added: "We currently have the 3D model for the steering wheel and once we've got a prototype in place we will be able to take the business further.

"Our top simulators all have rumbling surround sound with transducers and virtual reality headsets with glasses to give customers the real Formula One experience."

Mr Tinsley has also introduced other games, such as his F1 car wheel-changing activity, which lets people try their hand at changing tyres in a simulated pit stop and a full-sized motorbike simulator. He said: "Although transporting a real F1 car around can be a logistical nightmare, it is my passion and it's great to see the business up and running for other people to enjoy."