On Monday 12th February, Racing Pride had the amazing opportunity to attend the launch day of Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team’s 2024 challenger – the AMR24.

Racing Pride has been working in partnership with the team since 2021 delivering workshops, guidance, and support to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion and allyship in collaboration with the team’s internal inclusion network. Racing Pride is also partnered with the Aston Martin Lagonda road car business and regularly visits its UK sites to engage with employees. We were therefore delighted to celebrate the simultaneous launch of 3 cars across the Aston Martin brand, with the new Vantage and Vantage GT3 breaking cover alongside this year’s Formula One car.

The launch day hosted at Aston Martin’s state-of-the-art Technology Campus at Silverstone was unique for the way in which it welcomed fans from the I / AM member community and representatives of initiatives working alongside Aston Martin to promote inclusion and access – such as Racing Pride, Aleto Foundation, and Spinal Track – to the very heart of the team.

Racing Pride Co-Founder Richard Morris was joined at the event by Lisa Young In who won her place via an internal ballot of our Racing Pride member community. Lisa and Richard were treated to talks from Team Principal Mike Krack, Chief Marketing Officer Rob Bloom, and veteran Formula One driver Pedro de la Rosa (who is now a brand ambassador for the Team), as well as a personal conversation with Aston Martin driver ambassador Jessica Hawkins, a tour of both the AMRTC and of the team garage over at the circuit, and the chance to watch the AMR24 firing up into life and turning its first laps out on track. Richard and Lisa also met Racing Pride Industry Ambassador Carys Conlon, Lead Composites Engineer at the team, while walking through the AMRTC.

Lisa said: “It was just incredible to get a behind-the-scenes look at the new car; it’s what the team has been secretly working on and they were happy to share it with us up close. I’m so overwhelmed and everyone was so nice, super welcoming. It meant a lot to me to get to speak to Jessica Hawkins and the drivers, Lance and Fernando, were literally just walking around. I’ve never had the chance to attend anything like this. It’s been such a great day.”

Richard added: “This was a truly fantastic approach for the team to take to welcome in not only Racing Pride but also other initiatives working together with the team and members of its fan community. Having worked with the team for 3 years now through Racing Pride, it was genuinely emotional on a personal level to feel, and be made to feel, so at home. Days like today help to really bind our partnership together.

Walking around the Technology Campus I recognised so many people from our workshops, got lots of waves and nods, and I was greeted with sincere warmth by members of the team coming over for a chat. It makes me even more proud of the work we’ve been doing with the team over the last few seasons, and I’m excited for the great things we will continue to do together in 2024.”