Don’t just watch – get involved in 2010
Marshalling is just one of the ways you can get involved in motor sport
Want to do more than just watch races in 2010? F1 Fanatic guest writer Ben Evans shows you how to get involved in motor racing.
When you think of getting involved in motorsport, you naturally think of driving. But for those of us who can’t match the elite few at the top of motor racing this can be (very) expensive, potentially injurious and heartbreaking.
Having spent five years racing single seaters across the UK and Europe I can confirm that all the above are true (don’t believe me? Have a look at the video below of me crashing at Brands Hatch six years ago).
But there are other ways to get your motor racing buzz and give something back to the sport we all love. Here’s a few suggestions gleaned from my years in the paddock.
Marshalling
As the video above makes clear, marshals are no less than the lifeblood of motor racing. Without them we quite simply wouldn’t be racing.
Every race meeting requires a minimum number of marshals before it is allowed to go ahead, and it is the marshals who ensure the meeting runs in a safe environment. The British Motorsport Marshals Club is always looking for new volunteers and whileyou have to be 18 to go out “on Post”, there are opportunities to get involved in race organisation from the age of 12.
As with drivers there is the chance to move up to Formula 1 and marshals from a number of countries get invited to officiate at Grands Prix around the world. A large contingent was sent to help with the marshalling of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year.
Although marshals do get paid many organising clubs (in the UK) offer meal tickets, exclusive trackdays, raffles and other goodies. Best of all you get in for free and get to watch the world’s top motor racing from some truly exclusive vantage points.
Race Organisation
The effort involved in putting on a race meeting is unbelievable, from the circuit hire and preparation, mailing tickets to competitors and then on the day, ensuring that everyone is in the right place and behaving themselves. For the technically inclined there are always opportunities to assist around the scruiteneering bay. The main organising clubs are always looking for volunteers to help out with event organisation, and it is a great way to get involved behind the scenes. These links will point you in the right direction:
Media
Yes, we all want to be covering F1, living the five star lifestyle travelling from race to race, but at the same time we all have to start somewhere. Although breaking into the motorsport media can seem an insurmountable task there are opportunities.
On the internet you can do it yourself, blogging, writing race reports, features and opinion columns – a great way to learn you craft and find your voice.
Once you’re feeling confident there are lots of writing opportunities at national level – most championships have a website and often looking for someone to write race reports and press releases. Whilst you may not get paid you should get a free ticket, a burger, and the chance to build up a good network. Once you’re part of the furniture and the regular “Motorsport News” journalist can’t make it you’re well positioned to get the call.
If you’re interested in writing an article for F1 Fanatic send Keith an email.
Mechanics and Engineering
Jumping straight into F1 is almost impossible – most teams recruit three to four graduates per year from top universities. That’s not to say there aren’t opportunities but beware it’s very competitive. However just about everybody from F1 downwards could use a spare pair of hands.
There is no better way to get involved than going to a race meeting and asking around, somebody is bound to need your help over the course of the season. However once you make a commitment, stick to it, there is nothing like unreliability to ruin your reputation.
Again, once you are known as a safe pair of hands the phone will start to ring, and in today’s economic climate, even teams at F3 level are staffed by several weekend warriors. I’ve certainly come across a number of people who started out in Formula Vee and are now running World Series by Renault and BTCC teams
Be warned
Life working in motorsport, even as a hobby, is hard, tiring and massively anti-social. Last summer I worked at 22 meetings spread over 20 weekends, and spent so much time travelling I memorised the menu at every services on the M1.
Unlike tuning into F1 for two hours on Sunday afternoon, whatever your involvement expect to be doing 7-7 in the Summer and 8-6.30 in the autumn, in every weather. If you live in London, for a typical one-day meeting at Silverstone the alarm will go at 5.30, you’ll get to the circuit at 7.30/8 and will, traffic pending make it home around 8.30.
In short, you’ve got to love what you do.
Competing
The holy grail, there is nothing that tops going racing whether as a young charger, or a more mature racer indulging a passion, racing has something for everyone.
Right, first things first it is expensive. In the UK getting your licence will cost around £300, that’s £60 for a GO Racing pack, £40 for the medical and £200 for the ARDS test. Your safety equipment will then cost anywhere from £500 – £1000, as a rule buy the best you can afford, by all means sleep in the back of the car at a race meeting, but don’t skimp on the safety kit, or you may not live to regret it.
Once you have your licence you are free to compete in any race to National B level. Depending on your budget there are lots of avenues open. If you want to rent a drive to have a one off race, I’d say you’re looking at £1000-£1500. That £500-£750 car hire (Formula Vee or Stock Hatch), £275 entry fee, and then if you test the day before (highly recommended), chuck in another £500. To do a season of rent-a-drive racing in a moderately competitive car you’re looking at probably £10-£15k, and then double that for a frontrunning machine.
For the mechanically minded owner/driver is maybe the way to go. The first season may be very expensive as you are learning everything all at once, but after you have got the car sorted, provided you’re running nothing too exotic this can be a very cheap way of going racing. I know of many drivers in several championships who spend less than £5k a year on their car.
Go Motorsport can help you find ways of getting started in motor racing:
Over to you
Have you ever marshalled or helped organise a race meeting or F1 weekend? Are you planning to get involved in motor sport in 2010? Tell us in the comments.
This is a guest article by Ben Evans.
TommyB said on 6th February 2010, 20:49
Great article Ben.
I am doing music technology and would love to get into sound for TV with some kind of motorsport if possible. I tried getting work experience and contacting Eurosport, Motors TV, ITV, GP2 teams… I’ve tried almost everything but looks like its a no go :( sad times
matty55 said on 6th February 2010, 21:20
Great article!! I’m at the end of a college course in Journalism in Ireland and have been trying to figure out how to get into motorsport journalism. Thanks for the advice!!!
Terry Fabulous said on 6th February 2010, 21:35
This was a really good read. Well done Ben.
Any Sydneysiders, I volunteered to help out as a Grandstand Usher at the Sydney 500 in December (V8Supercars).
I got an AMAZING posy right at the fence near the cars and in return got a free ticket AND a free ticket for a friend which included the Cold Chisel, Living End, Grinspoon concert and all my food and drink over the weekend. I loved it and can’t wait for this year (apparently Pink will do a concert this year).
If you enrol, let me know and we can say gday! http://www.v8supercarevents.com.au
Tom B said on 6th February 2010, 23:45
Brilliant article, but in the marshalling section you said that you cant go on post until you are 18, i marshal at silverstone and donington on post and im 16. You do need consent from a parent, which is my dad as he marshals as well, but before i was 16 i was usually in the assembly area. This was fun at silverstone as from brooklands you can see a lot of racing, but at donington the assembly was on the Melbourne hairpin and i didnt see any racing all day. Still got a lot closer to the cars and drivers than the public, and you dont have to pay to do it.
sergio said on 7th February 2010, 14:50
Why don´t Formula one organization pay you?
It´s supposed you´re working in safety.
Pedel to the Vettel said on 7th February 2010, 0:16
yer i tried to become a marshal for Brands hatch this year, but all they could give me was Grimsbe which i cant be asked to travel that far out every time. better to just wait next year.
Sunny said on 7th February 2010, 12:06
I wouldn’t mind doing some media… I haven’t got much kit in regards to cameras but I can find a decent spot and my timing isn’t bad. Plus I’m trigger happy – with a laptop on my bag so xfer photos/clear out the memory card for more pictures.
Keith put some of my Monza 2009 pictures up last year – I can’t remember the URL though.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 8th February 2010, 0:16
Here you go: Italian Grand Prix: your pictures
mild7nick said on 7th February 2010, 14:07
Great article, if any of you have a spare 2mins please visit my new website http://www.nickhipkinonf1.blogspot.com
Thanks
Adam said on 8th February 2010, 13:40
I’m sorry, but I can’t be the only person who read this with incredulity.
The bottom line is that the state of Marshal organisation in the UK is appalling.
Perhaps I’ve had a particularly bad experience, but the whole of last year was fraught with poor communication, paying to join the BMMC without actually ever getting to go to an event, and visiting Internet forums in an attempt to find out what is going on.
Too many different clubs, too many different contacts, and too many different opinions.
It disappoints and almost angers me, to read of initiatives like Go Motorsport and the like, when in reality, actually getting yourself onto a Marshal post is exceedingly difficult.
The unfortunate end, is that I will never recommend anyone attempt to marshal.
bendy said on 9th February 2010, 9:14
I would just like to add the possibility of Superkarts under the competing bit. These machines can be had for as little as £2000 and with a relatively inexpensive licence purchase (plus a few short circuit races) you could be racing at tracks like Silverstone! I have worked out it costs us around £5000 a year (including absolutely EVERYTHING) to run one, which isn’t bad since they do 140mph and (at some tracks) lap similarly to F3 cars. The competition is the best bit about it though, no Truli trains, just proper racing with around 40 on all the best UK circuits.
Definitely the way to go if you ask me before cars….
Marc jennings said on 9th February 2010, 12:27
I started marshaling last year, with the original intention of working my way to the Grands Prix. In the time I’ve been involved, though, I’ve seen many, many other series and formulae that provide just as much excitement, and incredibly close and furious racing. While I still love F1 (or else why would I be on this site?) I have a greater appreciation for the “lower orders” of motor sport. You can now find me at one circuit or another most weekends throughout the year enjoying great racing and spending time with my fellow marshals – some of the warmest and friendliest people you could wish to meet.
In short – if you like motor sport, give marshaling a try. You won’t regret it.
Chaz said on 15th February 2010, 20:52
Brilliant post. Much to think about and thanks very much…
Mayank said on 23rd February 2010, 15:49
Thanks for the great article, especially the links!
I live in Singapore, and have marshalled for F1 race here for the past 2 years. Will be marshalling in Melbourne and Singapore this year. It’s been a fantastic experience so far!
Since there isn’t much grassroots motorsport here, my very first marshalling gig was directly in F1, which I know is really fortunate compared to marshals in the UK etc. Now I’m looking for ways to move into motorsport full time… but I’m really at a loss as to HOW.
I come from an IT background, and don’t have any other hands-on motorsport experience other than the marshalling. I’d like to work in a team (eventually in F1, hopefully) but I don’t think I have the sort of specific skills that teams might need… though I totally don’t mind being “an extra pair of hands”, as someone above said. The other option is race organisation, for which I will get in touch with the bodies you have listed.
That’s my story :) Any comments/help/ideas would be appreciated. Thanks again for the article. Cheers!