The British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend (28-30 June) will be made possible by a dedicated army of 1,166 trained volunteers, performing a range of key roles that are vital to the safe and fair running of the event.
A team of marshals will be stationed across the Silverstone venue, keeping spectators from harm and ensuring that drivers receive appropriate signals relating to safety and fair play. Should there be an incident on-track, rescue personnel will be on hand to recover any stranded cars and drivers. Any injuries will be dealt with by the medical team.
Meanwhile stewards will be tasked with upholding the event regulations and dealing with any transgressions, and scrutineers will check that the cars comply with the technical rules.
The 2013 British Grand Prix volunteers are:Spectator marshals: 372Course/incident marshals: 276Snatch/breakdown: 52Flag marshals: 90Rescue personnel: 19Paddock marshals: 18Medical personnel: 96Incident officers: 33Observers: 50Pit/startline marshals: 46Scrutineers & scrutineer marshals: 49Senior marshals: 39Other volunteer assistants: 20Support race stewards: 5F1 steward: 1
Those interested in volunteering in motor sport should return to Silverstone just seven days after the British Grand Prix for Go Motorsport Live! (7 July), a new free event from the Motor Sports Associationgoverning body of UK motorsportdesigned to show people how easy it is to get involved in the sport.
A range of motor and marshalling clubs will be on hand, not only to advise potential new recruits but also to highlight the fact that the MSA has designated 2013 the MSA Year of the Volunteer, in recognition of the thousands of volunteers without whom motor sport could not happen.
Public admittance to Go Motorsport Live! is free but visitors should pre-register in advance for their entry ticket using the simple form at www.GoMotorsport.net.
Nick Bunting, MSA Chief Executive, said: The British Grand Prix is the most high profile and publicly visible motor sport event in the UK, yet many will be unaware that it is underpinned by over 1,000 volunteers who are essential to its safe and effective running. These men and women are part of a much larger volunteer army in UK motor sport, totalling around 10,000 marshals and officials.
Volunteering in motor sport offers fans a chance to get closer to the action, meet like-minded people and develop new skills. Anyone interested in getting involved should head back to Silverstone on Sunday 7 July for Go Motorsport Live!, where more than 50 exhibitors, including marshalling clubs, will be on hand to get them started. And if you cant make it on the day, simply head to www.GoMotorsport.net to find out everything you need to know.
The MSA has also launched a social media campaign to raise awareness of volunteers in motor sport: follow @ThanksMarshal on Twitter or like Thanks Marshal on Facebook.
