A trio of organisations, Racing Pride, Prod2Play and Motorsport Australia have come together to announce a first-of-its-kind Pride Hub pop-up at this year’s Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.
The Pride Hub is designed to be a safe space at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia for the LGBTQIA+ community and will be present from media day through race day (March 21-24).
Talks and interactive sessions will be hosted in the Pride Hub throughout its stay at the Australian Grand Prix to not only celebrate the LGBTQIA+ motorsport professionals and community but to inform and educate all racegoers about how the sport can be a more inclusive space, how to champion progress and the contributions to motorsport that have already been made and will continue being made by LGBTQIA+ individuals.
“We are delighted to work alongside Racing Pride and Proud2Play to deliver a welcoming space at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit that celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community,” said Australian Grand Prix Corporation General Manager of Corporate Affairs and ESG, Haydn Lane.
“The ambitions and dreams of young people should not be limited by their identity, and we hope that the Pride Hub is a step towards making motorsport more inclusive.”
Proud2Play Community Engagement Officer, Kade Matthews added: “I’m very excited to welcome the LGBTQIA+ community to the world’s first Pride Hub at a Grand Prix in my hometown of Melbourne.
“With 70% of LGBTQIA+ people feeling that sport is not safe or welcoming and 50% of LGBTQI+ athletes not out to their peers, the Pride Hub aims to tackle these issues head-on. It’s designed to facilitate meaningful conversations, educate on the barriers LGBTQIA+ people face in sport, and celebrate the contributions of LGBTQIA+ folks in motorsport.”
“By setting a global standard for LGBTQIA+ inclusion at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2024, we’re taking a small but significant step towards building safer and more welcoming spaces for everyone in the sporting world. I’m proud to be part of this pioneering initiative.”
Proud2Play is a registered Australian charity that in its own words is “dedicated to increasing LGBTQI+ engagement in sport, exercise, and active recreation.”
The Pride Hub signifies a shared goal of promoting inclusivity within sport between Proud2Play and Racing Pride – the latter being an organisation of British origin that strives to make motorsport a more inclusive space.
“Since we launched in 2019 Racing Pride has been championing LGBTQIA+ inclusion through motorsport, leading important conversations together with our partners on the Formula One grid and beyond,” said Racing Pride Co-Founder and Director of Partner Relations, Richard Morris.
“We are delighted to be working alongside local charity Proud2Play, Motorsport Australia and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to bring this innovative Pride Hub to life. Creating an uplifting space at a Grand Prix, where LGBTQIA+ people and allies can come together and people can learn more about allyship, is such a fantastic way to engage fans on this journey.”
“Through the Pride Hub, we hope to show that LGBTQIA+ people have always been part of and enriched motorsport, and that with the support of allies our vibrant community has a place now and in the future.”
Motorsport Australia CEO, Sunil Vohra added “We’re thrilled to be working alongside Proud 2 Play, Racing Pride and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to bring the Pride Hub to life as we strive to make our sport diverse, inclusive, safe and accessible.
“Whether it’s behind the wheel as a competitor, standing at a flag point, or any of the many roles in between, we are proud supporters of this initiative and want to ensure everyone who wants to experience our fantastic sport can do so.”
