IGNITION Festival of Motoring hailed as major Scottish success

IGNITION Festival of Motoring delivers for Glasgow and Scotland with over 25,000 enthusiasts attending across the three days!

Article Source: IGNITION Festival of Motoring
Last Updated: 10 August 2016 20:27

Scotland’s first ever IGNITION Festival of Motoring has been hailed as a major success with more than 25,000 enthusiasts attending on Glasgow’s SECC over the weekend.

The most exciting, ambitious and complex motor show ever to be staged in Glasgow attracted passionate fans to each session of the three-day festival which featured the Red Bull Racing RB7 Formula One car, leading motoring personalities including David Coulthard, Mark Webber and Jimmy McRae and power laps by tame racing driver The Stig.

IGNITION Event Director, Jeremy Vaughan, said the combination of big names, prestigious cars and a high octane festival had been a huge hit with Scotland’s fervent motoring crowds.

“Scotland’s rich heritage and passion for motor sport helped make the 2016 IGNITION event a major success for all involved,” he added.

“The opportunity to get up close and personal with so many brilliant cars and motoring personalities was well and truly grabbed by the public and we were thrilled to see so many people attend the event on each day.

“People like David Coulthard and Jimmy McRae are racing legends in Scotland and the fact they and Mark Webber spent time with the crowds in Glasgow was another key element to the event delivering in terms of numbers and entertainment.

“My team were hugely encouraged by the numbers, the names and the support we received from Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Event Scotland, the SECC, media, manufacturers and dealers.”

Over the three days, Mark Webber, the 2015 World Endurance Champion and winner of nine Formula One Grands Prix, took to Glasgow’s first ever specially constructed street circuit on Friday and was guest of honour at the show’s VIP opening evening where he told tales of his Formula One experience and participated in a lively Q&A session with the audience.

David Coulthard was man of the hour across Saturday and Sunday, bringing the Red Bull Racing Team experience to his native fans at IGNITION in the iconic RB7 on roads snaking between the SECC and the nearby SSE Hydro Arena.

One of the major names in Scottish motor sport – five times British Rally champion Jimmy McRae –inaugurated the specially constructed IGNITION Street Circuit, driving late son Colin McRae’s famous Subaru Impreza world championship winning rally car which was on display throughout the festival. Thrills were also injected across the weekend from Boyzone member Shane Lynch with Team Japspeed and Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden, the double and reigning BTCC Champion.

Further highlights included power laps by tame racing driver The Stig, beautiful displays of classic cars and memorabilia plus homages paid to some of the world’s finest motor sporting heroes. The Top Gear Stunt Team, led by Paul Swift performed in front of packed out audiences.

Joe Aitken, Head of Major Events at Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: “IGNITION was the most exciting, ambitious and complex motor show ever to be staged in Scotland and it was the sheer scale of this high-octane festival which proved so appealing.

“From the creation of Scotland’s first-ever Formula One street circuit and a stellar line up of some of the biggest names in world motorsport to a truly remarkable collection of supercars and bikes, classic cars and the Top Gear stunt team, IGNITION took over every part of our state-of-the-art SECC complex; demonstrating the unrivalled capacity and flexibility that this now world-class event campus can offer.

“Glasgow’s global profile as a diverse, vibrant and world-class major events city has never been greater. Today, we’re recognised by organisers of some of the world’s biggest events – and widely respected by the events industry at large – as a city with the expertise, excellence and innovation to deliver show-stopping events that pack a real punch for audiences.”

Stuart Turner, Head of EventScotland, said: We are delighted to have supported the IGNITION Festival of Motoring in its inaugural year. The festival has been a great success, providing a fantastic weekend of high-speed action and excitement for spectators. IGNITION brings great benefits to Glasgow, and indeed Scotland, generating economic impact and positioning the country as the perfect stage for motorsport events.”

IGNITION Festival of Motoring is set to return to Scotland in August 2017. For more information on the event, including how to sign up to the newsletter, please visit www.ignitionfestival.co.uk.