Brits showing a growing interest in getting trackside

The UK is a hotbed for motorsport events this July, with 969 Motorsport UK volunteer Officials and Marshals involved in the British Grand Prix alone and thousands more volunteering throughout the month. 

Away from Silverstone, Motorsport UK Officials and Marshals, all undertaking their roles voluntarily, are out in force nationwide during National Motorsport Week, from 10-20 July, with hundreds also recently generously giving their time at Goodwood’s iconic Festival of Speed. 

A recent YouGov survey1,commissioned by Motorsport UK, found that 23% of those surveyed were not aware of volunteering opportunities and were interested in getting involved, providing a potential volunteer pool of 14 million Brits. 

From marshalling to scrutineering and even time keeping, there are even more opportunities to get involved in motorsport, as opposed to just getting behind the wheel or watching from the stands.  

This National Motorsport Week will see over 100 events take place around the UK, offering even more opportunities to explore volunteering. The roles enable people to get up close to the paddocks and pit lanes fuelling the sport by joining the orange family of marshals and globally renowned officials that keep the sport ticking over. 

Claire Kirkpatrick, Director of Club and Community Development at Motorsport UK, comments, “There are 10,000 marshals and 4,000 officials that support Motorsport UK’s events around the country.  

“They have been nurtured and supported by Motorsport UK and enjoy the sport week in and week out. 

“It is easier than you might realise to get into marshalling, which could see you standing trackside at the British Grand Prix or Goodwood, or starting a role as an official – which might result you in overseeing Sir Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari at Silverstone. 

“National Motorsport Week puts volunteers in the spotlight and is a celebration of the variety of ways that the UK public can get involved in motorsport themselves. From volunteering at a local motorsport event to exploring marshalling and scrutineering, the pathways into motorsport offer a range of options – no matter your level of experience.” 

Motorsport UK’s annual campaign celebrates the UK’s position as a world leader in motorsport, from grassroots competition to world championship events, promoting opportunities for the public to get involved in the sport. 

From trying out timekeeping, joining as a motorsport marshal, providing rescue and recovery trackside or even exploring scrutineering, these voluntary roles are as diverse as the 13 different motorsport disciplines. 

With over 100 Motorsport UK events taking place across the nation during National Motorsport Week, from grassroots level Trials to the much-loved British summer staple of Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb, there is no better time to join the UK’s vibrant motorsport scene – you could get up close to your heroes in little to no time.