Harborough diversity advocate achieves a UK first as he secures motorsport marshalling career
A diversity advocate from Harborough has become the UK’s first registered motorsport marshal with Down syndrome.
Sam Ellis began his career journey after making connections through his racing driver brother Charlie.
The marshal process involves a series of online modules including first-aid, flag signals, safety and incident response training, followed by tests, which are repeated annually.
Charlie explained: “There are key qualities needed when becoming a marshal. You need to be able to communicate with your team, have determination and resilience, be able to brace through all weathers and be very concentrated as anything can happen within seconds.”
Further training has seen Sam move up to bigger karting and car events, including the TCR UK Series and the FIA World Karting Championship.
Sam was recently invited to 10 Downing Street to mark 75 years of Formula 1 racing, where he met the Prime Minister and some of the biggest names in the field.
Charlie said of Sam, who struggles with speech: “Seeing him walk out with a big smile on his face says it all as I have to take visual cues to understand Sam's emotions.
“Seeing Sam walk in there as a representative for diversity in motorsport was a big pat on the back for all the work that Sam, myself and my mum and dad have put in over the years. Seeing him get the gratification he deserves and getting more opportunities to promote what he does is amazing.”
Together, the brothers have been involved in promoting and opening more opportunities for anyone to get involved.
Charlie explained: “Sam is a strong advocate for increasing diversity within motorsport, particularly in volunteer roles which are often overlooked in the motorsport world.
“We've been able to spread the bigger message with groups such as Autism in Motorsport and with racetracks inviting Sam down to their big events to show the world what he can do.
“The support that Sam has received over the years surrounding this has been amazing. The big message we want to deliver with Sam is that down syndrome does not define Sam's limits, Sam does.”
Follow @Gridmansam on Instagram to learn more about Sam and his advocacy work.