TRIBUTE

It is thought that Ian started marshalling at the age of 14, around 60 years ago. Attending events for over 50 days a year, there were not many weekends during the season that he wasn’ t at a track somewhere, whether it be Brands Hatch, Silverstone, Snetterton, Goodwood or Donington.

Early memories of him were on post 10 at Brands Hatch among other track marshals long before taking up flagging, notably the Formula Ford Festival. This was the only meeting when Ian volunteered as a track marshal and still covered post 10 every year.

Ian never changed in all those years, no fancy scanners, no workmen’ s boots just his old trainers … apart from Goodwood obviously, where he would not be so crass as to wear trainers. As he reminded us:“ Lord March has a dress code, boys.” No marshal’ s box or fancy rucksacks, just a couple of old army surplus holdalls for his coat, sandwiches and vacuum flask. Others swear he had the same gear as he did when they started.

Ian was one of the most knowledgeable marshals. He knew the drivers and cars like no other and usually spent time before the day started wandering around the paddock, chatting to drivers and probably telling them about their own cars. He absolutely loved his historic racing, and the regular joke was that he loved them so much because he would have seen them the first time round when they were new, in many cases this was probably true.

He will be remembered for his wicked sense of humour – often arriving at Brands Hatch in his‘ Silverstone blacks’ and thus getting stick about turning up at the wrong circuit again, and“ did he know where he was?” would be mentioned several times first thing in the morning.

Ian was 100 per cent reliable as a marshal. If you were on post with him you were going to learn something that day, especially when it came to reading long races and keeping up with blue flagging. Many new marshals had great days with Ian on post that encouraged them to return.

In 2024 Ian was awarded a trophy for his dedication to the British Grand Prix, and last year he attended 10 Downing Street to celebrate 75 years of F1, representing the marshals. A fine marshal perfectly qualified for the task. He will be missed every weekend we go racing.

Motorsport UK and the British Motorsport Marshals Club send condolences to Ian’ s family and friends.

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Revolution- March 2026