How Racing Pride is powering diversity and inclusion from the ground up

At Racing Pride, we have loved attending the Formula 1 and MotoGP British Grands Prix, but with the summer drawing to a close and leaves starting to turn brown, it’s time for a new focus.

This is, of course, the time of year that sees millions of young people return to schools, colleges and universities across Europe and the world. For those starting out somewhere new, it’s their first chance to understand the opportunities that might be available to them in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) – and in wider motorsport. Surely this means karting, the long and winding road to F4, and the tricky junior single-seater ladder? Well yes, it can, but it can also mean something entirely different.

Away from the relentless glare of the international karting scene, there is a whole web of other competitions, designed for young racers and engineers, without the financial or sporting pressure that comes with even karting at a high level. Racing Pride holds a strong presence at these STEM-focused events for those making their first steps in the industry, supporting the drivers and those working behind the scenes.

We visited our first youth event of the summer in mid-June, the STEM on Track finals. The programme gives students aged 11-16 the chance to build their own karts, before competing at the national finals at one of the United Kingdom’s most famous kart tracks, Whilton Mill, at the end of the academic year.

I was delighted to participate in an on-stage diversity panel, having been present throughout the day in one of our pop-up Racing Pride tents, from which we connected with tens of teachers and students, and handed out Pride bracelets to those wanting to boost LGBTQ+ visibility and show their allyship.

In July, we moved on to the Formula Student international finals, where university students, hailing from over 20 countries, did battle on a short course at Silverstone, having spent the past 12 months designing and building their own race cars. Year in, year out, the landmark competition brings international talent to the UK, opening more doors for the next generation than ever before.

Formula Student always holds a special place in my heart; I was a part of the programme some 20 years ago when I was a student myself at the University of Manchester! To be a part of nurturing new talent via Formula Student is something that we’re extremely proud of at Racing Pride.

Next month, in October, we will also head to the national finals of Greenpower, an electric racing championship with three age categories. The youngest competitors, known as ‘Goblins’, can start at the age of nine and work together to build a pre-designed electric ‘kit car’ before competing in small races at Goodwood.

Older students can take part in a similar championship, racing at higher speeds on more of the UK’s most storied circuits, such as Castle Combe and Mallory Park, before again coming to a Goodwood finale. We at Racing Pride attended the event last year, and it quickly became a real favourite; students loved bringing their friends up to our Pride hub, which made it a huge success.

Crucially, our stands show LGBTQ+ students and teachers that members of their community do exist and that there are like-minded individuals at their events and in their industry. Our presence also offers opportunities for teachers to learn about inclusion, allowing us to offer something to help everyone: whether or not they are a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

It’s so important that each of these pathways exists, via which young people can build a kart, build a car and, at university level, design a car. These programmes provide invaluable opportunities for students to socialise and build connections, no matter if they are aiming to break into the industry long-term or not. But for many young people involved in these events, working in F1 is the ultimate aspiration.

Therefore, STEM on Track, Formula Student, and Greenpower are just some of the places in Europe where tomorrow’s top engineers are learning the basics. These are routes where they can show future employers – including F1 teams – that they have held a long-standing interest and expertise in motorsport.

In light of this, we at Racing Pride help to introduce awards of recognition that allow individual students from all backgrounds to stand out. These include the Racing Pride Aston Martin Award for Diversity & Inclusion, which I was honoured to have presented at the Formula Student finals at Silverstone.

In each of the four years in which the award has run we have seen an increase in the number of universities submitting applications and this year students from five different countries and three different continents entered - showing the award’s impact in not only recognising but also encouraging teams’ efforts.

The winners of the award, who have showcased an outstanding commitment to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) during their project, won a tour of the Aston Martin F1 Team’s factory – an incredible experience thanks to our long-standing relationship with the Silverstone team.

This particular initiative has rewarded students who work hard to ensure that they build an inclusive community, while making everyone feel more comfortable in their team environment. It is also a strong differentiator for employers. At the top level, we have always seen that a team that works well together off-track is more likely to be successful on it, and the winners of this award proved that in Formula Student.

The award clearly represents an important intersectionality in our vision: whether someone is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, from a low-income background, or from a place thousands of miles away, we are driven to support and nurture their inclusion.

At this time of year, then, many young people are arriving at new educational institutions or bringing fresh ideas to their extra-curricular activities. There will be a number of LGBTQ+ people in that cohort – our presence is important in helping them to feel recognised and represented.

A constant theme of these events is that people come to our stand without prompt. Seeing the Racing Pride branding, for many, is welcoming; it is a recognition that they belong at the track, just as everyone else does. For young people, that is a critical barrier to overcome, in the early stages of their motorsport career.

So for Racing Pride, that drive for inclusion is global. Our presence at every event we attend is so important in helping the LGBTQ+ community in motorsport to feel welcome, perform, and have the same opportunities as everyone else. This is important for every age group, but especially the next generation.

(Column by Matthew-Harriet Randall, CEO of Racing Pride)