Student Experiences: Raymond Welbergen
Meet Raymond Welbergen, an MA Business of Motorsport graduate from the National Motorsport Academy! Raymond’s passion for motorsport started at a young age when he received a mini replica of an iconic motorsport legend. His passion truly ignited though when he attended his first Grand Prix. After discovering the Business of Motorsport master’s degree at the National Motorsport Academy, Raymond dove in head first, and has since secured an exciting position at Circuit Zandvoort!
Take it away, Raymond…
Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself!
My name is Raymond Welbergen, I am 25 years old, and I recently graduated from the MA Business of Motorsport programme with the National Motorsport Academy.
When I was 3 years old, I received a mini replica of Michael Schumacher’s 2002 title-winning Ferrari, and I loved it instantly. From that moment on, I was hooked on cars and Ferrari. Then one Sunday, as my father was flipping through channels looking for something to watch, I spotted the same F1 car I had received as a gift. I begged him to leave it on, and I’ve been watching every F1 season since!
As I got older, I also started following other racing series like WEC, F2, IndyCar, and MotoGP. For my 18th birthday, my parents gave me tickets to attend the German GP at Hockenheim with my father the following year. However, since there was no German GP in 2017, we went to the Dutch TT in Assen instead, which became my first motorsport event.
Since attending my first F1 weekend at Hockenheim, I’ve also been to the Belgian GP multiple times with my best friends (the most memorable being the rain-soaked 2021 race) and have attended every Dutch GP since it returned to the calendar in 2021—a dream come true.
What made you decide to enrol with the NMA?
I actually discovered the NMA through a podcast. I was watching a podcast episode that featured Calum Nicholas, one of Max Verstappen’s F1 technicians. He was talking about the mechanical engineering degrees. Even though I have no engineering background whatsoever, I decided to look up the NMA. It was a pleasant surprise to see that there was also a master’s degree for the Business of Motorsport being offered. I was instantly excited and knew right away that this was something I had to pursue to follow my dream of working in motorsport. When I told my girlfriend at the time and my parents about what I had found and wanted to do, they were instantly supportive. Even though I was working full time at that time, I knew I was going to enrol and follow my passion.
As an international student, what appealed to you the most about the Business of Motorsport master's degree?
Having my entire life in the Netherlands, the ability to pursue a master’s degree at a British institution, while still being at home and working there, made the decision so much easier. The step to commit is so much bigger if you have start living in a different country to study.
What's been your favourite module so far?
My favourite module was Module 05: Motorsport Brands, Their Extensions & Future Trends. I loved looking at all the different trends and paths, and how these will evolve motorsport to where it will be in the future.
Can you tell us about your current job at Circuit Zandvoort?
Currently, I work at Circuit Zandvoort as Account Manager Track & Sport. For the Circuit, the biggest source of income, besides hosting events, is renting out the track to track day organisers, incentive organisers, or OEM’s that want to give their customers the experience of how it is to drive their cars on the limit on a track. My main job is to manage the relations with our customers and to prepare their days at the track as good as possible, so everything runs smoothly, and the customers are able to host an amazing event. When the circuit hosts events, we, as a department, are responsible for everything that happens on track. For example, the timetable, or the supplementary regulations that must be send out to all of the different race series that participate in the event.
What skills do you use in your current job that you learned from the course?
I think that the skills I learned from Module 03: Commerce within Motorsport, I use the most. Since Circuit Zandvoort is a private company aiming at making profit, I need to know how we can make the most money through renting out our facilities, while still keeping good relationships with the customers.
F1 held a race at Zandvoort, can you tell us about your work responsibilities for this event?
With the Grand Prix I had a few different responsibilities. I had to make sure that we had all the communication and safety equipment needed beforehand, and then handing them out in the morning to all the Marshalls that were going to their post. I had to make sure that every Marshall has their designated walkie talkie, and that they have rubber gloves to protect them for when they have to touch an electrified car, so they don’t get electrocuted. Also checking beforehand that every Marshall post is equipped with all the necessary safety resources, like fire extinguishers or oil powder. In addition to these duties, I was also working with the show team in between sessions to make sure that they were on track at the right time, and off again so that there would be no problems with the timetable.
How do race weekend responsibilities differ from your average workday?
On my average workday, I am constantly working multiple weeks ahead, organising the days that my customers have rented the track, so when the day comes, everything goes smoothly. While at a race weekend, like the latest Historic Grand Prix for example, I am organising the podium celebrations or accompanying show team’s and demo’s. My responsibilities at the Dutch Grand Prix also differed greatly from what I do on a day-to-day basis.
Do you have any advice for potential students looking to pursue a degree in Business of Motorsport?
If you have any doubt and you are passionate about Motorsport and working in Motorsport, then go ahead and enrol. I am convinced that it gave me an edge over all the other applicants that applied for my current position. The MA Business of Motorsport has certainly changed my life for the better.
A big thank you to Raymond for speaking to us! You can stay up-to-date on his motorsport journey by following him on LinkedIn – Raymond Welbergen.
