SAFETY SPECIAL: Marshals
Do we have enough and are these vital volunteers fully appreciated?
We’re all there to enjoy the racing and appreciate the effort that goes in – and we get to enjoy the best view of the track.”
Those words from Brands Hatch flag marshal Bob Mcewan perfectly summarise the essence of what marshalling is all about. It gets you as close as possible to the action without the expense of actually competing yourself, and you get to enjoy the company of a group of like-minded people.
Mcewan first started marshalling at Ingliston and Knockhill in Scotland but in recent years has volunteered at a range of international events too, including the Le Mans 24 Hours and the recent Formula E season finale in New York.
But something that you often hear said in the motorsport world is that there are not enough Mcewans – people passionate about motorsport who are prepared to give up their time for free to volunteer at UK events. Take the British Automobile Racing Club meeting at Donington Park at the start of June as an example.
A lack of marshals meant that fixture had to run on the shorter
National layout of the Leicestershire venue rather than the full Grand Prix loop, as initially planned.
But rather than insufficient numbers,
British Motorsports Marshals Club national chair– and a marshal for 22 years – Nadine Lewis reckons marshals have become more selective in picking events.
“I think marshals are being more choosy about which events they go to,” she says. “There’s probably the same number of marshals out there and they just aren’t necessarily doing as many meetings. About 20 or 30 years ago marshals did every meeting possible, while now some do eight or nine a year.
“I think the events that seem to be well attended are ones where there’s decent grid numbers and a number of different championships at the same event.”
This cherry-picking of fixtures is perfectly understandable. With the possibility of working long days in all weathers, it’s fair enough marshals only choose to volunteer at meetings where the racing content is of interest to them.
Despite this, Lewis reports the
BMMC has a stable number of members, while Mcewan says that, in the South East region, membership “is climbing fairly steadily”.
Mcewan adds: “Some meetings are more popular – there’s normally seven, eight or nine marshals on a post at British Touring Cars but you may only have three at a club meeting and you have to muck in more and do extra jobs.”
Part of the reason for the differing numbers is some clubs are better than others at appreciating the marshals.
“At a Brands Hatch meeting we were told if we want water we have to ask for it, but when I went to New York it was in coolboxes at each post,” says Mcewan.
This in turn leads to the question of whether marshals should indeed be paid for the vital role they perform in allowing motorsport events to take place. Other volunteers – like some timekeepers and clerks – get expenses but marshals usually receive nothing.
“I think we all do see it as a hobby so wouldn’t want to be paid to do it in that sense,” Lewis says. “I do allocations at some events and the chief marshal will give me money to hand out to marshals and those events I give out money I often get the ‘what’s this for?’ question.
“I don’t think people want payment but recognition, whether it’s food tokens, an end-of-day raffle or vouchers, anything like that.”
Mcewan agrees, saying “a lot of people would snub being paid”. While they may not receive payment at individual meetings, BMMC members do benefit from receiving free overalls every three years, paid for by sponsors of the club.
The greater concern is that marshals are getting older. “We have an ageing population and trying to encourage youngsters in is probably the key thing,” says Lewis, who wonders if marshals should get greater prominence in video games to help highlight their role.
However, Mcewan has concerns over the safety of marshals themselves and questions if trackside volunteers should wear helmets. “You see marshals in Italy and Spain have helmets and at the British Grand Prix, some were wearing flat caps,” he says. “I’ve never heard why there’s these different standards.
“I do think with flag marshals that stand close to barriers, sometimes with their back to the track, there are some close shaves – bits fly off cars, even gravel gets flicked up. The sport has moved on, circuits have been adapted, but our uniform has stood still.”
BMMC vice president George
Copeland, who was a marshal for
50 years, also reckons there should be changes when it comes to the use of lights instead of marshals waving flags.
“We probably need to go to lights – provided they’re controlled by the marshals,” he reckons. “You can put a light where you can’t put a human being.”
Regardless of what changes may or may not take place regarding driver and marshal safety, there’s no escaping that, without the efforts of the ‘orange army’, we simply wouldn’t have any motorsport. And many love doing that job.
As Copeland concludes: “We have our frustrations but we do it because we enjoy it – we get tremendous enjoyment from it.”