Driven by Diversity Podcast

Ariana Bravo and Steph Turner are back - for one special episode dropping tomorrow, Wednesday 8th December - with a VIP guest who has a very exciting weekend ahead at the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Ariana and Steph will be talking to Rabab Tantawy, the Egyptian-born, Dubai-based artist behind the special one-off Vuse livery that both McLaren Racing F1 cars will be showcasing this weekend at the Yas Marina circuit. Tune in tomorrow to hear more, or hit the links below to see the big reveal which just took place on Yas Island with Ariana, Rabab and some special guests from Vuse and McLaren Racing.Driven by Diversity InstagramVuse Worldwide InstagramRabab Tantawy InstagramMcLaren Racing InstagramAriana Bravo Instagram

What a brilliant first two seasons it’s been for the Driven by Diversity Podcast. We’ve listened, learnt and also laughed - in the company of some incredible, inspiring talents from the motorsport world. From deeply personal stories to powerful advice, thought-provoking insight, uplifting anecdotes and everything in between, we set out to spotlight diverse figures in the sport we love, in the hope that you, our listeners, could feel empowered knowing there’s a place for you, no matter your background.But yup, you read the show title right. We’re putting our mics back in their boxes for now, because we have big news. If you’ve been following our personal journeys over the last few months, you’ll know that our very own Ariana Bravo has been making moves - hosting and speaking for the likes of F1, FIA Girls on Track UK and ASI Connect. But the fun doesn’t stop there! Each F1 race weekend on your digital airwaves you’ll now be able to catch Ariana as the OFFICIAL host of the Autosport Podcast! We could not be more proud.As Ariana heads off for a busy 2021 season of F1 race coverage, we’ve recorded a special ep to round things off. We take a look back at the very beginning, discuss key takeaways and share hopes and aspirations for the future. We might chat some rubbish too, but we’ll let that one slide!Whilst positive change is on the horizon, the work though is far from over - be assured, Driven by Diversity as an initiative will very much continue! Remember to keep in touch via the links below and drop a message if you want to be involved in any of the work DBD is doing in the background. For now, hit that play button and listen in for a stripped back version of our final Driven by Diversity Podcast episode.@WeAreDrivenByDiversity@ArianaBravoF1@StephJTurner_www.drivenbydiversity.com/Content created by or featuring diverse individuals in the motorsport space, as mentioned in this episode:On The Chicane:www.onthechicane.comhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtvLg_YP2X6AvCwMMKzrHEg/featured@OnTheChicane_Motorsport101:www.motorsport101.comhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4rqvH8eQejmCSvkCt8u47AHidden Voices:https://www.spreaker.com/show/hidden-voicesF1 x FIA Girls on Track UK "Meet the Women of Formula 1" Sessionshttps://youtu.be/PcwNAglS47cFIA Girls on Track UK Community Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/girlsontrackuk/

Now if you’re an F1 regular, you’ll likely recognise Calum Nicholas from those tense in-race moments captured in the Red Bull garage, or more positively, cheering on Max Verstappen from the pit wall as he crosses the line. Today, we’re hearing all about what life is like as a Senior Power Unit Technician at one of Formula 1’s top teams, where he is also part of the World Record holding pit-stop crew, who smashed a 1.82 second stop at the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. With diversity in the industry important to him, he has had some involvement with the Hamilton Commission’s ongoing research and is also an advocate for apprenticeships as a tool for widening access, which we discuss in this episode.

Taking to the track in the Praga for the 2021 Britcar Endurance Championship, following a successful career to date, Richard Morris isn’t our only guest on the podcast who first caught the racing bug at a friend’s karting party. Creating valuable relationships and building a strong network is something he prides himself on, which in recent years led him to become a works driver for sports prototype team, Spire Sports Cars. In this conversation, Richard candidly shares with us how it had been harder for him to be open about his sexuality in motorsport, than in other areas of his life - horrifically even at one point having had homophobic abuse written on his kart in permanent marker. Committed to championing the LGBTQ+ community both on and off the track, in 2019 Richard co-founded the innovative movement and network, Racing Pride, which strives to promote inclusivity within motorsport.Find Richard on Instagram @RichardMorrisRacing and Twitter @RichardMRacing. To find out more about how Racing Pride are working to positively promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in the motorsport industry, check out their website at racingpride.com or find them on socials @RacingPrideHQ.Keep up to date with us @wearedrivenbydiversity

You’ll probably know Sam Collins from some of F1’s more recent digital content as a technical analyst, but in fact he has been on the motorsport scene for a lot longer than you’d think. Wearing many, many hats, Sam is first and foremost a motor racing technical journalist, but also commentator, engineering and technology consultant, and even a councillor for his local constituency! Let’s not forget he’s also tried his hand at racing - both rally and single seaters. Looking to diversity, Sam is only too aware that there is a lack of representation on all counts in the industry, having been on the receiving end of some hurtful comments when it comes to race, both in his earlier days and even as recent as last year.You can find Sam on Twitter @NorthHertsSam & IG @sams.collins. Keep up to date with us on Instagram at @wearedrivenbydiversity.

Servicing Shell’s motorsport sponsorships with the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team and Nissan e.dams in Formula E, Kelly Ashbridge is a Senior Press Officer at Edelman, one of the world’s biggest PR agencies. Introduced to the opportunities the world of motorsport could provide through the F1 in Schools educational programme as a teenager, from there Kelly's relentless drive and ambition has led her to pursue a varied career so far. Alongside other roles, she has been on the other side of the coin previously, in the press office at Williams F1 Team, but has also worked elsewhere in sport on the America’s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race, even in UK Government. Where equity, diversity and inclusion is concerned, Kelly talks to us about the progressive initiatives and policies in the workplace that she believes could bring value to motorsport and the wider working world.To connect with Kelly, follow her at @kelly_ashbridge on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn. Keep up to date with us on Instagram @wearedrivenbydiversity.

With years of experience on his racing résumé in sprint cars and mod lites, Devon Rouse recently became the first openly gay driver get behind the wheel of an ARCA car and will also be running in the NASCAR Truck series this year. Brought into the world of racing by his father, this American racer talks us through his career to date. He is absolute in his affirmation that his sexuality does not define him nor his talent for racing, and hopes his story can help others who might find themselves in his shoes. Before we get into it, we want to say a big thank you to Racing Pride for linking us up with Devon! To find out more about how Racing Pride are working to positively promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in the motorsport industry, check out their website at racingpride.com or find them on socials @RacingPrideHQ.As for Devon himself, follow his progress this season over in the States on Instagram @devon_rouse16 and Twitter @MrRouse16. Keep up to date with us @wearedrivenbydiversity.

If you’ve ever wondered about the path to becoming the Director of Strategy and Sporting at McLaren Racing, then this one’s for you. Randy Singh’s first taste of life in Formula 1 came when undertaking his Masters project at Williams, only to go onto a career in consulting, and even moving to Australia. He then came back full circle to the Grove-based team, which would later see him move onto further strategy roles at Force India and now, McLaren. Always in pursuit of his passions and interests, some may say it was this love for what he did that naturally led Randy to where he finds himself today. During the season you’ll most likely spot him on the pit wall making the all-important race strategy calls but also looking after sporting matters, including adherence and interpretation of regulations. When not at the track, Randy leads the McLaren Engineering Graduate Scheme, helping funnel through the next generation of engineering talent in Formula 1. Together with his team, Randy's involvement with the programme has seen them strive for new ways of reaching diverse young people as well as making the recruitment process as inclusive as possible. If you want to keep up to date with Randy as he travels with the team this season, check him out on Twitter and Instagram @RandySingh86. Keep up to date with us @wearedrivenbydiversity.