A Norfolk engineering firm has produced has built on its reputation as a key supplier to motor sport after helping produce components for at least four Formula One (F1) teams.

Loddon-based Mussett Engineering and Composites has worked on metal and carbon fibre parts for Virgin, Red Bull, Lotus Renault and Team Lotus cars which will race when the F1 season gets under way with the Qantas Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday.

The company, which employs about 100, has been based in Loddon for 34 years, working in the aerospace, composites, automotive, oil and gas and telecommunications sectors.

Founder and managing director Gordon Mussett said the company was set for a rise in trade after a 'difficult' couple of years, buoyed partly by an upturn in F1 work.

He said: 'For a long time one of the key areas of our work has been automotive, but this year we have produced more for the F1 teams than previously.

'This is due to our composite facility which gives us the ability to offer a full package to the teams and customers.

'The staff love being involved in projects for such high profile sports, and it creates a huge sense of satisfaction to be able to watch the racing and know that our relatively unknown Norfolk company has played such a part.'

Last year the company turned over about �5m, but a recent increase in business for UK engineering firms generally was set to lift that to about �7m in the current financial year.

Mr Mussett said the firm was hoping to finalise details on a number of 'significant contracts' later this year in the telecoms and aerospace sectors, and was hoping to be in a position to take on more skilled engineers for furture projects.

He added: 'The last couple of years have been difficult for us, as they have been for everybody, with some projects stalling, but trade has really picked up in recent months and I think this is fairly representative of the engineering sector in general.

'Although we've now finished our composites work for the F1 season, our departments are all very busy.

'We have seen a rise in orders for down hole equipment for the oil and gas industry recently, which has created lots of work for us, as has the decommissioning of oil rigs in the North Sea.'