Breaking down barriers in any sport is not easy. It takes a special character, with a determined mindset. Step forward, Charlie Martin.
Charlie Martin: LGBTQ+ Racer Chasing History
Team Talk: Q&A With LGBTQ+ Racer and History-Maker Charlie Martin
A transgender racing driver and LGBTQ+ activist, Charlie wants to help improve visibility, acceptance, and inclusion in motorsport.
She has already made history, becoming the first transgender driver to compete in the legendary Nürburgring 24hr race in 2020, where she finished fourth in class. Her mission now? More history. Charlie is aiming to become the first transgender driver to compete at the oldest and greatest endurance race in the world, the Le Mans 24 Hours.
After an inspiring special guest team talk at our Brackley factory, we caught up with Charlie to find out more.
How has it been to come here today and go behind the scenes at a Formula One factory and meet the team?
Charlie Martin (CM): "It has been fantastic. To come and do a talk in the race bays, where you are building Formula One cars is a unique experience. I have really enjoyed it, and everybody has been lovely.
"From the engagement I have had with people, you can tell you have a nice working culture here. It has been a really great experience."
When you talk to people you trust, your fears seem a lot smaller than they are.
Charlie
What advice would you give to those who find themselves in your position, both inside and outside the motorsport bubble?
CM: "I think one of the hardest things in life can be when you internalise your worries and your fears. I did that for a long time, decades in fact, and built things up to be much worse in my head than they were in reality.
"When I reached out to people that I trusted in motorsport and in my personal life, I was pleasantly surprised to find that people were really accepting. And that acceptance helped me to gradually find my feet.
"My advice to anyone would just be to find the people that you trust, whether that is in or inside or outside of work. It can be a scary step when you first share something with someone that is so personal, but it is an amazing feeling. It is all about finding your feet.
"Quite quickly you feel that you find that when you talk to people, your fears seem a lot smaller than they are."
What would be your ultimate ambitions in motorsport?
CM: "My ultimate ambition would be to race at the 24 hours of Le Mans. It has been my goal for a long time. I am going there this season for a support race. You cannot get closer than that and I am really excited.
"I am hoping that I could do something that creates a huge amount of positive visibility for trans people and for the wider LGBTQ+ community in motorsport.
Passion is one of our key values, our PRIDE values. How has passion helped you achieve your goals?
CM: "Passion has probably been one of the most important components because it's a big part of my motivation to go and do the things that have seemed hard at times.
"Passion is what gets me out of bed and gets me excited about the things I want to go out and achieve. Without that passion and drive, I would not be where I am today."
Following on from Donna Fraser, and Helen Butters, Charlie's visit was the latest in a series of talks hosted in our race bays, designed to inspire, engage, and educate our team members.
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