Motorsport UK is proud to be celebrating the Rainbow Laces campaign in conjunction with Racing Pride and Stonewall this October.

Rainbow Laces have become a symbol across sport in promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion and allyship. The campaign is led by Stonewall UK, the largest LGBTQ+ rights organisation in Europe, and Motorsport UK is working with Racing Pride, a movement launched in 2019 to positively promote LGBTQ+ inclusion within motorsport, to support the initiative.

Motorsport UK’s involvement with the campaign follows the establishment of the governing body’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee in 2021 and its LGBTQ+ Sub Committee, which is chaired by Richard Morris – an openly gay racing driver who created the Racing Pride movement.

Throughout the week Motorsport UK members will be encouraged to post pictures of their laces using #RainbowLaces, #MotorsportUK and #racingpride across social media to express solidarity and allyship – with the goal of boosting LGBTQ+ visibility within the sport.

Motorsport UK is currently developing a comprehensive EDI strategy, due to be published later this year, that seeks to map the path forward for the sport as it looks to become more representative of wider society.

Hugh Chambers, Motorsport UK Chief Executive Officer, said, “Motorsport should be a place where everyone can participate in a safe, fair and fun environment. We’re proud to join the Rainbow Laces campaign, ensuring that LGBTQ+ visibility and allyship are central forces for increasing equality, diversity and inclusion in the sport and making it a place for all.”

Liz Ward, Director of Programmes at Stonewall, (she/her) said: “It’s fantastic to see Motorsport UK and Racing Pride come together in support of Rainbow Laces. Motor sports have the unique ability to bring us together in celebration of the sports that we love. From cheering on your favourite F1 drivers to getting behind the wheel for the first time, everyone deserves to feel the thrill of motor sports. Racing Pride have been driving that change since 2019. Since the start of Rainbow Laces, we’ve seen awareness grow and grow, and more racers ‘lace up’ and decorate their vehicles and helmets in the iconic rainbow colours.

“We now know that the majority of the UK are supportive of LGBTQ+ athletes but we cannot become complacent. There is more work to do to create a world where LGBTQ+ people are free to be themselves, both on and off the track. This Rainbow Laces season, let’s ‘Keep it Up’ and truly make racing everyone’s game.”

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Please note that these laces cannot be used in any motorsport competitions requiring flame-retardant clothing.