Kent rallycross driver and Racing Pride ambassador Bradley Westgarth hopes his motorsport journey can prove an inspiration

A teenager is urging others not to “shoe-horn” themselves into stereotypes as he becomes a Racing Pride ambassador.

Bradley Westgarth, who is gay, has become a Racing Pride driving ambassador, ahead of the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations which starts this April at Lydden Hill.

Westgarth, 19, explained: “Racing Pride started in 2019 and I’ve, obviously, been in contact with them previously. For this year, they contacted me and said ‘Would you like to be an ambassador?’.

“There’s not many of us (members of the LGBT community) in the first place, and there’s definitely not many in rallycross. As far as I know, I’m the only openly-gay rallycross competitor.

“Overall, the reception that I have got online has been fantastic.”

Westgarth was first inspired to get into rallycross when on holiday with his grandparents.

He revealed: “The whole thing started when I was about 14.

“I went on holiday to France with my grandparents and there was a go-kart track there - I had been doing quite a bit of go-karting here and there.

“We went there, and I just had this fixation that I wouldn’t leave until I beat the track record. I kept going back - it must have been five or six times - until I beat it, and I did beat it.

“Then my grandad chimed in with ‘You are pretty good at this, maybe we should go forward and get a car’. I’m pretty sure he has regretted that ever since!

“My dad’s friends had done a lot of rallycross before so we decided rallycross would be a good way to start.”

Westgarth works with his grandfather, David Westgarth, at Milldown Campers, where they build luxury camper vans.

The duo work at their site and only have a mechanic for support as they look to build their own rallycross supercar in time for