I’ve been obsessed with motorsport for as long as I can remember and now my daughter is older I’ve got some time to kill at weekends.

So what’s involved in marshaling – are you committed to X number of events per year or are they fairly flexible with that sort of thing? It would probably be at Donington.

I know an orange boiler suite and flask are essential requirements! 😀

Many moons ago I did some rally marshalling. Even did fire marshal training, which was a hoot. It was normally through motor clubs but I wouldn’t like to say how it’s all organised for circuit racing.

Friend of mine managed to get ‘guest list’ at Silverstone for the F1 etc.

You’ve either got to know someone or join the BRDC and join the waiting list apparently.

For minor events it’s probably much easier but the BRDC is the place to start.

We wouldn’t race if it wasn’t for marshals. Plenty of places to go. Can register for various motor clubs such as BARC, MSV, 750mc too. https://www.marshals.co.uk/.

My friends colleague does it and is always getting free tickets to pretty much every race going

I’ve marshalled at a couple of rallies.

Much prefer spectating.

Marshalled a fair bit years ago at WalesRallyGB. They changed the rulings just before i stopped doing it. You have to do specific training days to be a different level of marshall. Unless it has all changed again. Not sure if it differs for track events.

Still got my official tabard, marshals license and the freebies from the events i did. I enjoyed it.

If you want to dip a non-committed toe in the water, motocross clubs used to normally be short of marshalls – long day but used to enjoy it BITD. 🙂

I marshalled at the RAC years ago. For a single stage this meant being there hours before and after in Wales in November. On the plus side you didn’t pay, spent the day with like minded people and got to drive on and off the stage.

The single venue stuff was generally more entertaining as the stage would be used more than once.

Look up your local motor club and see if they do any marshalling. It will be cold but it’s giving something back that allows events to run.

Thanks all – looks like Donington do taster days so I’ll give it a go.

For car racing you need to join the BMMC (British motorsport marshals club) there you will get the introduction and training to circuit racing or car rallys. For bike racing join racesafe for BSB or the ACU for club bike racing. Hope this helps

I’ve been marshalling for about 12 years now. Love it! Really enjoyable thing to do. I specialise as a Flag marshal.

[/img]

The British marshal’s club organises lots of taster days at different circuits, like you have found at Donnington. September/October is getting towards the end of the season for circuit racing – so there might not be an opportunity this season to join a taster day, just depends how many have applied and on how many dates they are running a taster day. I know the Taster Days at Oulton Park can fill up, but it might be only 1 or 2 meetings in the month that they’ll run a taster day out of the available meetings.

Taster days (at least at oulton – as that’s my local circuit) are a tour of the circuits marshal posts in the morning, while the qualifying sessions are happening with someone explaining about the history of the circuit, and whats going on on post (ie. the story of how Knicker Brook got its name 😉 tho i’m not sure Nadine tells it as well as Blaster Bates) plus a tour of assembly, park ferme, scutineering bay, race control and the pits. Then at lunch time you’ll be assigned to a post and you’ll be partnered with some experienced marshals and help out for the races. Then end of the day its back to Race Control for a drink and debrief.

If you join the British Marshals club then you can get discounted overalls (the discount more than covers your membership for the year) plus there is a volunteering website for members through which you can apply to marshal at pretty much any 4 wheel based motorsport in the country.

Also if you are around the midlands and can get to Silverstone frequently, then it is worth joining their own Marshal’s club – so long as you do a min of 4 meetings you’ll get a free set of overalls, and a new set every 3 years

You dont have to be a member of the Marshal’s club to marshal and anyone can volunteer for any meeting, if they have the contact details of the chief marshal of the meeting. (the chief marshal is responsible for sending out the tickets to volunteers) There is a website called http://marshals.org.uk that means you can volunteer directly.

If you are considering it, then go to the MSA website and register your details, as you get a little gift pack from the MSA for people who register this year. (little flask, hi-vis rally tabbard and some other goodies)
MSA Marshal registration
if you do a taster day, you’ll be probably given this form too.

There are training days that are arranged around the country in Feb/March time ahead of the new season, and they always have a session for brand new marshals – usually with a live fire training session where you’ll get to put out a fire

As i said, you can pretty much marshal any event in the uk, and later on, you can also marshal at oversea’s events – usually all it takes is to get a letter from the MSA to say your registered with them and apply to the meeting organiser.
Such as there are a group from Oulton Park that go over to the Nurburgring for the 24hr race in May. or there are several posts manned by British Marshals at Le Mans for the 24hrs. We’ll also occasionaly get an invite to go train up and marshal at some of the new grand prixs – ie about 40 marshal’s went out (flights and accommodation paid for) for the first 2 abu dhabi GPs.

For the British GP – this is the only meeting in which there is a qualifying criteria. You have to have marshalled a minimum of 12 days the year before the GP, and you need to not be a trainee marshal (your a trainee for a min of 10 events) This year was my 8th GP i’ve flagged at.

Any more questions – ask away.

Remember – stay safe – Motorsport is dangerous and you are as close to the action as anyone can get, without sitting in a car. Those around you on the bank will have lots of experience and stories to tell.

I absolutely love flagging – following a race and getting the blue flag out to the right car so the leaders aren’t held up is great. Others love the incident side – going out to deal with crashed cars.

So what’s involved in marshaling – are you committed to X number of events per year or are they fairly flexible with that sort of thing?

Just to answer this one more clearly than the ramble above.

you can do as many or as few meetings as you want per year.
Some folk will be out at every meeting going, other might only make 1 meeting 1 year, a couple the next. It really doesnt matter.

the MSA ask that you attend at least 1 training day every two years. but you wont be banned from marshalling if you dont. You can also start marshalling without having attended an offical training day – much of the “training” is on the job – every day on the bank is a school day 🙂

Most folk will volunteer for meetings for the year when the dates come out at the start of the season, but if plans change and you can’t make a meeting that you have volunteered for – all you need to do is send apologies to the chief marshal. equally if you fancy doing a meeting later in the year you can pop a volunteer application in – so long as the chief marshal has enough time to post tickets to you, or at some cases they can leave tickets on the gate with your name on them. Also these days its a lot easier for late volunteers as many circuits have gone to issuing e-tickets.