Interview with Bruce Goddard

	Interview with Bruce Goddard
Job Title: Business Development Director Company: Motor Sports Association Ltd Why are maths and physics worthwhile subjects to study? You need maths to live - how much money left after bills etc. You need basic physics to understand why things work to learn how things work so as to repair or improve them - broken vacuum cleaner etc. No basic skills = no job! Can you give an example where you have used maths and or physics in Motorsports in an interesting, exciting and or fun way? How much fuel to complete an event? How much time to allow lunch to be digested? How long to allow for a brake pad change? how to determine the life of tyres by recording their wear rate? How much time is there left to get to the pub before it closes? How did you feel about maths and physics as a child? Very interested in Physics, always interested in how things work. Maths became enjoyable once I understood the basics - then I realised that mental arithmetic could be applied to solve day-to-day problems i.e. how many drinks in a bottle if it gets topped up when half empty. How has your view about them changed over the years? Seeking to overcome problems I often reflect upon basic skills learned at school i.e. how to drain an inverted fuel tank/using reflected light to see into dark corners. How important are maths and physics in your field of work and how often do you use them? Maths is needed to handle business management issues such as delivering budgets, evaluating performance etc. Physics is crucial in demonstrating empathy with technicians, such as in having a basic knowledge of aerodynamics/the principals of suspension dynamics etc. How did you start/end up working within the Motorsport industry? I was a competitor thus it is my chosen sport. My background in the marketing of banking services gave me the business and general management skills - my knowledge of the sport clinched the deal! How would it have affected your career if you didn't have maths and physics skills? Having an understanding of the technical implications of commercial decisions is crucial. Thus physics was important. Being responsible for commercial contracts I have to have ability with figures. As a manager I have to be able to be comfortable in using and interpreting figures. How essential are the skills of maths and physics to careers within Motorsport? Very. The sport is technology driven by the industry and stimulates the creation of engineering solutions and innovation. Maths is used every day in every way. 'At the sharp end' a competitor or technician needs basic skills such as how much air to add to increase the tyre pressures by 10% to calculating how much fuel is needed to finish the event. Commercially, being able to raise revenue by a sufficient margin to counter inflation is a basic skill. Which physics equation in your opinion is the most important? Speed/time/distance. What is your favourite equation and why? If A X+ B X + C = 0 then x = (-B+/- sq rt A sq + B sq over 2B - 2C) or whatever it was ! I can't remember it exactly now but I used to repeat it during art lessons to keep awake and used it often to find unknown quantities.
© Cranfield University

Interview with Bruce Goddard

Job Title: Business Development Director

Company: Motor Sports Association Ltd

Why are maths and physics worthwhile subjects to study?

You need maths to live - how much money left after bills etc.

You need basic physics to understand why things work to learn how things work so as to repair or improve them - broken vacuum cleaner etc.

No basic skills = no job!

Can you give an example where you have used maths and or physics in Motorsports in an interesting, exciting and or fun way?

How much fuel to complete an event?
How much time to allow lunch to be digested?
How long to allow for a brake pad change?
how to determine the life of tyres by recording their wear rate?
How much time is there left to get to the pub before it closes?

How did you feel about maths and physics as a child?

Very interested in Physics, always interested in how things work.
Maths became enjoyable once I understood the basics - then I realised that mental arithmetic could be applied to solve day-to-day problems i.e. how many drinks in a bottle if it gets topped up when half empty.

How has your view about them changed over the years?

Seeking to overcome problems I often reflect upon basic skills learned at school i.e. how to drain an inverted fuel tank/using reflected light to see into dark corners.

How important are maths and physics in your field of work and how often do you use them?

Maths is needed to handle business management issues such as delivering budgets, evaluating performance etc.

Physics is crucial in demonstrating empathy with technicians, such as in having a basic knowledge of aerodynamics/the principals of suspension dynamics etc.

How did you start/end up working within the Motorsport industry?

I was a competitor thus it is my chosen sport. My background in the marketing of banking services gave me the business and general management skills - my knowledge of the sport clinched the deal!

How would it have affected your career if you didn't have maths and physics skills?

Having an understanding of the technical implications of commercial decisions is crucial. Thus physics was important.

Being responsible for commercial contracts I have to have ability with figures.

As a manager I have to be able to be comfortable in using and interpreting figures.

How essential are the skills of maths and physics to careers within Motorsport?

Very. The sport is technology driven by the industry and stimulates the creation of engineering solutions and innovation.

Maths is used every day in every way. 'At the sharp end' a competitor or technician needs basic skills such as how much air to add to increase the tyre pressures by 10% to calculating how much fuel is needed to finish the event.

Commercially, being able to raise revenue by a sufficient margin to counter inflation is a basic skill.

Which physics equation in your opinion is the most important?

Speed/time/distance.

What is your favourite equation and why?

If A X+ B X + C = 0 then x = (-B+/- sq rt A sq + B sq over 2B - 2C) or whatever it was ! I can't remember it exactly now but I used to repeat it during art lessons to keep awake and used it often to find unknown quantities.