A packed July for EDI… – Girls On Track

Latest NEWS - A packed July for EDI…

It’s been a busy month for Motorsport UK’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team, with Girls on Track UK, the Motorsport UK Inclusion Hub and Race for Diversity out in force – meeting with current community members and introducing our initiatives and opportunities to even more young people across the UK.

The month started strong, with Girls on Track UK supporting McLaren Racing during their Trafalgar Square take over, with both Girls on Track UK and Race for Diversity invited to 10 Downing Street for a celebration of 75 years of Formula 1.

Jenny Fletcher, Girls on Track UK Manager and Evelkah Powell, Race for Diversity Manager, were both invited to present on panels during the jewel in the crown of motorsport: The British Grand Prix weekend, prior Motorsport UK’s Inclusion Hub was attending Goodwood Festival of Speed, bringing together complimentary organisations, within the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEM) and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) space under Motorsport UK’s umbrella.

Nine of the Hub’s 27 member organisations joined the team during the weekend, during which hundreds of conversations were had with young people aged 14-24, around competing, volunteering and careers, with the Motorsport UK EDI team on hand to signpost them towards organisations that can help them to meet with their aspirations.

Late July saw Girls on Track and Race for Diversity attend the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Formula Student during its national finals at Silverstone, introducing students from within these communities to the Formula Student programme, many of whom may never have considered motorsport as a route to learning more about STEM.

Formula Student is a competition designed to encourage university-aged students to engage with science, technology, engineering and maths, otherwise known as STEM, by offering them the chance to plan, build and race a full-sized single-seater car.

The final weekend in July saw both programmes enjoy wheel-to-wheel action at the Excel London for a double-header weekend on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 July, as the Formula E: GEN3 Evo set to electrifed the Royal Docks.

OTHER NEWS

Girls on Track introduces over 150 girls to motorsport at Lotus Cars, Norfolk

Motorsport UK’s Girls on Track UK programme introduced over 150 girls to motorsport and STEM career opportunities during a two-day event at Lotus Cars’ UK Headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk last week. During the event, colleagues from Lotus were able to share their experiences working from within a range of areas across the manufacturer, showcasing the opportunities available to women and all genders within the sport. It currently takes up to 2,000 people to get a single F1 car on the grid — yet only 10% are women. Part of the programme’s aim is to challenge current stigmas around motorsport and introduce girls to career opportunities that they may not previously have considered, in areas such as mechanics or media and PR, while not exclusively focusing on Formula 1. During the event, Girls on Track UK announced new 2025 partner, Safety Rocks, who lead a Risk Rangers activity, during which girls identified a range of hazards around a crashed car on a workshop ramp. Carla Crocombe, Founder and Managing Director, Safety Rocks, comments, “There are many reasons why Girls on Track is a fit for us, one of which is its role in increasing female participation within the sport and in the wider motorsports industry. Jenny Fletcher, Girls on Track UK Manager, adds, “Thanks to the support of Lotus Cars we were able to introduce STEM careers to even more girls across the UK. Our events are designed to boost participation and inspire women to explore a career in motorsport – which we hope will shift the gender parity needle.” Girls on Track UK is an initiative to inspire girls and women into seeing and believing that there is a rightful and valuable place for them in the motorsports industry. This is done through events for girls, community networking group and the opportunity to meet successful women in the motorsport industry through inspirational virtual events.