9 December 2008

World-leading driver joins Dundee DRIVE team

Photo opportunity: 7pm, Wednesday 10th December
John Clark BMW, Rutherford Avenue, Dundee
Russ Swift will be at the DRIVE presentation along with the team and their car.

Russ Swift, the world's top display driver and former racing champion, has agreed to become the President of the DRIVE Formula Student team at the University of Dundee.

The DRIVE team - Dundee University Race Innovation and Vehicle Engineering - are taking part in the Formula Student competition, run by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, which challenges students to design and build a Formula-style racing car.

In the 2008 competition, staged at Silverstone, the students won the 'Cost' section of the competition and were judged 3rd overall in their class, earning a trip to the Belgian Grand Prix where they got to see some of the world’s greatest race engineering teams in action.

Now they will be able to call on the expertise of one of the world’s most exciting and experienced race and display drivers in Russ, who said he was honoured to be part of the team.

'I am delighted and highly honoured to be asked to be President,' said Russ. 'I hope my achievements over the years will be an inspiration to the students and I look forward to helping them to future success. It will also be a pleasure to add a new dimension to my long and exciting relationship with the team sponsors, John Clark.'

Russ has known team sponsors John Clark and Mark Wilkie for a number of years, and is looking forward to working with them in promoting the DRIVE team. He has also known the team’s academic co-ordinator, Alan Slade, for a number of years having worked together at displays in the past.

'It is great for us a legendary racing figure like Russ Swift is to become our team President,' said team member Will Rowe. 'We are looking forward to using his knowledge and skills to get the most out of our car for the 2009 competition.'

Russ Swift formed Russ Swift Driving Services in 1981 after being asked to demonstrate his skills in public on a number of occasions and realised there was a demand for this type of entertainment. At that time Russ was the British Autotest champion and England Autotest Team Captain.

Russ is probably best known for 'that car park advert'. In 1987 he did a range of breathtaking manoeuvres for an Austin Montego TV commercial set in a car park. Although the commercial only ran for six weeks it was highly acclaimed all over the world, featuring at the Cannes Film Festival and being voted the world’s most imaginative car commercial by American viewers.

Since then Russ has established himself as the world’s number one display driver with numerous TV commercials, and car launches to his credit world-wide. Russ has now performed over 8000 displays in over 50 countries including America, South Africa, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. Recent TV appearances in this country include teaching grannies to do 'do-nuts' on Top Gear, and the do-nut world record.

He holds three Guinness world records - Parallel parking in the tightest space, J Turn in the tightest space and the fastest do-nuts

Russ has had a long relationship with MINI, winning four British Autotest Championships and an International Rally in Sweden in his Cooper S in the early 1980s.

Russ also acts as an advisor to many Police, Military, Royal and Diplomatic drivers and works closely with the Police, ROSPA, the IAM and various road safety bodies to promote safe driving.

The DRIVE team will be exhibiting their car at John Clark’s garage in Dundee on December 10th, to allow sponsors to see exactly how their generosity and sponsorship has been used. It is also an opportunity for sponsors to ask questions of the team that they may have never had the chance to do before.

'This event will allow us to show off everything we have done up until now and also to introduce our sponsors to the new members of the team recruited in September. We hope it will be an enjoyable event and will show off the personality and potential of the DRIVE Team!' commented Leanne Ritchie.

Speaking about the DRIVE project, Dr Robert Keatch, Head of Mechanical Engineering at the University, said 'This is a very exciting initiative which gives the students the chance to design, build, test and drive a fully functional racing car and enhances our current range of activities which already includes robotics, biotechnology, product design and medical devices. And with someone with the international reputation of Russ Swift becoming involved with the team it can only enhance the stature of the project.'

In the grand tradition of all racing teams the students are in need of further sponsorship to enable them to finish building the car. All sponsorship that the team receives will be acknowledged by logos on the car and clothing, press releases and space on the team website at www.DRIVE.dundee.ac.uk/.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk