Driven By Us
2079. James Dornor
James Dornor, originally from Harrow, now living in Northamptonshire, has worked in the automotive and motorsport industry for the last 13 years. Most recently, a former Electronic Support Engineer at Mercedes AMG F1, he is now the founder of ‘Driven By Us’, the first ethnic minority club to be approved by Motorsport UK governing body as a recognised club focusing on STEM, Media and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
James’s experiences in the industry drove him to improve the level of support and create a safe space for employees from ethnic minority backgrounds and women of colour. He set up CIC and club community network, ‘Driven By Us’ in 2022, which was made official in 2023 by Motorsport UK. It links minorities participating and working within motorsports, as well as providing STEM & Media programs including events in schools led by industry personnel which encourages them to share knowledge about working in the industry for the next generation.
He is also a qualified and serving STEM ambassador and currently top 5% volunteer in the East Midlands region, sharing tips and advocating for the next generation. James is an executive board member of AFBE-UK (Association for Black and Ethnic Minority Engineers), focusing on industry events across engineering and mentor to the current and next generation, as well as a public speaker discussing STEM within engineering and how organisations can make their environment more inclusive.
The award for James comes ahead of the British Grand Prix.
In a personal letter to James, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:
“This country is a global motorsports powerhouse and leads the way in creativity and innovation. So it is wonderful how you are ensuring more people can be a part of this thriving sector, bringing fresh ideas and driving positive change.
“Through your mentoring and events, you are also inspiring hundreds of young people of all backgrounds to explore careers in STEM and gain valuable new skills.
“You are an incredible role model for young people, and blazed a trail for so many others to find work in Formula One.”
The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom, James’s local MP, said:
“James Dornor’s success demonstrates South Northamptonshire’s global importance as a motorsport hub! I congratulate him on his fantastic work in getting more people from diverse ethnic backgrounds into the industry and I wish him every success for the future.”
Through your mentoring and events, you are also inspiring hundreds of young people of all backgrounds to explore careers in STEM and gain valuable new skills.
You are an incredible role model for young people, and blazed a trail for so many others to find work in Formula One.
James said:
“I’m truly humbled and proud to receive the prestigious Points of Light award as the 2079th recipient. By creating ‘Driven By Us’, an initiative I am extremely passionate about, making an impact in areas where needed, it has already played a vital role in empowering the ethnic minority community within motorsports by having a safe space to speak openly without judgement. We have a long way to go yet, but we have achieved so much since the inception. I would like to express my profound appreciation to the club officers and industry volunteers whose unwavering support has brought us to this extraordinary milestone. I see this as a collective effort and this is a recognition for them. Whilst we’re just embarking on our journey, it hasn’t been easy, but this award serves as a recognition of our efforts and unwavering dedication for action and change. I’m determined to continue to support and empower the community through this work helping those who don’t have access to the motorsports industry, providing an insight to careers in STEM and beyond.”
See more about ‘Driven By Us’