LGBTQ+ inspiration Richard Morris reflects on motorsport career... so far
The European Sports Prototype Cup Champion talks Racing Pride and inclusion in sport
Richard Morris, whose impressive career trajectory has seen him rise through the ranks of motorsport to become the European Sports Prototype Cup Champion, has been describing his journey so far.
He's also the creator of the Racing Pride movement - which works to positively promote LGBTQ+ inclusion through the sport he loves - and has been catching up with Hits Radio Pride.
Richard Morris' Journey
"It all just started from being a kid who loved motorsport, really, and I think about it every single day," Morris told Hits Radio Pride.
The racing journey began in 2004, competing in Junior TKM karting before advancing to the Senior TKM category in 2007.
By 2011, he was competing in the high-speed 250 gearbox class, proving his skill by achieving 2nd in the English Championship and 3rd in the British Open Championship in 2016 - and in the next year, Morris entered the Formula Ford 1600 category at Castle Combe circuit, driving for Swift Cooper.
His debut season was notable: Morris qualified on pole for his first race and quickly accumulated podium finishes and wins.
Continuing to progress, Morris joined the BRSCC Formula Ford 1600 National Championship in 2018, securing 2nd place in his class with four wins.
By November, Morris tested a sports prototype car at Donington Park with Spire Sports Cars, leading to an opportunity to drive their GT3s prototype in the 2019 RGB Sports 1000 Championship.
His two seasons in prototype racing garnered 15 podium finishes from 22 races, an impressive feat for a new entrant.
In 2021, Morris competed in the Britcar British Endurance Championship, racing the Praga R1T. Along with teammate Christopher Wesemael, Morris achieved a series of wins and podium, whilst his association with Revolution Race Cars began in January 2022, as a works driver for their Revolution 500SC prototype.
In his first year, Morris achieved victories in both the UK and Europe.
The 2023 season was Morris's crowning achievement, where he earned multiple accolades, including becoming the European Sports Prototype Cup Champion.
Morris said: "One thing that's characterised my career, and I've had some amazing opportunities, is that I've always just gone where the chances and excitement takes me.
"I'm always open to new things, and I've been focussing on development driving behind the scenes this year, but I've always had the stance that you take all the chances you're given - and I've had some great ones so far.
"In 2026, I've been working with a new team, with a new car, and it's been a really interesting year, especially having come off the back of two decades of back-to-back competing.
"To do some more ambitious things in the sport, sometimes, these things take time, but it's really healthy to build-in a new direction and give that the time that it needs."
'Representation is starting to come through in motorsport'
One of Richard's focuses is championing LGBT inclusion in motorsport.
Having co-founded Racing Pride and recently winning both the Sports Prototype Cup and the BRM UK-European Trophy, he says his journey shows how determination and diversity can drive success.
He said: "As I was growing up, and it's still largely the case, there was very little LGBTQ+ representation in the sport - I didn't know any other queer drivers, engineers, or mechanics when I was karting as a little kid, that's for sure.
"Coming out and being more open about yourself is difficult for anyone, but I particularly found it challenging in the early days.
"You would hear homophobic words being used, you would see things that weren't particularly helpful to make someone who's queer feel included, and I did have one or two incidents where people discriminated against me, or bullied me, because I decided to talk openly about my feelings.
"As I've gone through my career, I've tried to be more open, more visible, and share more about myself, because it's important to find representation in the sport.
"And when I posted my Pride Month message on Instagram earlier this year, it felt like a lot of progress was being made in the world at large, and I think that representation has started to come through in motorsport.
"There are more openly LGBT+ drivers in the sport now than ten years ago, we've had retired drivers come out too, and one former F1 driver recently got married to their same-sex partner.
"But the challenge continues.
"Things that happen in the broader world have an inevitable impact in sport, and I've really noticed and felt the pushback we've seen in society as a whole against LGBT+ people, and particularly against trans people, over the past year, too.
"For reasons that break my heart, people see LGBTQ+ rights as controversial, and this sport rolls on money, and it's going to require having the right types of sponsors involved who want to support those who are queer, in order to have them feeling confident and comfortable enough to be themselves, and feel like they're not risking their opportunities in the sport.
"So my message at the moment is that it's so important we don't lose heart and don't lose the progress that's been made, and that we continue to be there for each other as a community.
"There's a big temptation to hide yourself away - I've done that myself over the past 12 months - but we also need to hold on to that visibility and representation.
"That's so important for people who are maybe struggling with their identity at the moment, and I really think that, in a world where there are so many attacks on the LGBT+ community, we just have to be there for each other.
"It's not easy being queer in 2026, in a lot of places, but we all have to show collective support to help make change and start to see improvements again."
'Racing Pride has done an amazing job of getting conversations happening'
Richard's been heavily involved with a moment which was set up to boost LGBTQ+ inclusion in motorsport.
The aim of Racing Pride, launched back in 2019 with support from Stonewall UK, is to highlight the achievements of LGBTQ+ people in all areas of the sport, from drivers and engineers to fans and media.
The group works through a network of driver ambassadors, including Richard, to inspire participation and challenge negative stereotypes - with the message that visibility the crucial first step towards making motorsport and its fanbase more welcoming for everyone.
Richard told Hits Radio Pride: "It all came from conversations that myself and other LGBTQ+ people were having in the sport back in 2018, of going, other sports were doing so much for visibility, but there wasn't anything in motorsport.
"When I was young, I felt like I didn't know anyone else in the sport who was part of the community, so I thought that this would make such a difference to have people who were prepared to show who they are and become an inspiring, hopeful message that you can be whoever you are, and succeed and thrive in motorsport.
"It grew exponentially during the pandemic years, where we started getting F1 teams involved, and other people internationally, who wanted to share their stories to create this community.
"Something that's really touching about that journey is that it wasn't set up by a governing body, or any funding whatsoever - it was just a genuine attempt by people in the sport to talk about who they are, the barriers they face, and what they were able to achieve,
"When people do this, you can really get a lot done - even without the budget and support of larger organisations!
"And I think Racing Pride has done an amazing job of getting conversations happening, right up to the highest level of sport, which I'm not sure would have happened without someone being willing to break the silence."
'It means the world to talk about these issues'
He's reflected that sharing his experiences with bullying, homophobia and transphobia has helped others feel less alone - and said that while things are not perfect, the LGBTQ+ community in motorsport is now more visible and supportive than ever.
Richard told us: "I wouldn't call myself a representative of the LGBTQ+ community in the sport, because nobody appointed me to be the spokesperson!
"I'm not going to tell anyone how they should be queer, and more and more, as I go forward, what I want to do is just be myself.
"I have had messages from people who say that what I've done, and others, has helped them - and that is massively touching.
"At the end of the day, that was the point in starting to talk about these issues.
"I knew how I'd felt as a driver having issues with bullying, homophobia, and transphobia, and I'd felt alone facing those.
"I knew engineers who didn't know if they could talk about having same-sex partners with those around them, so that was the point of doing any of it, was to help people like that.
"So, when people do message me, that does mean the world to think that, something as simple as sharing something about who you are can help other people.
"People underestimate sometimes the impact that can be made just by having conversations and opening up a little bit.
"And it's okay to continue to struggle about it, worry about it, and to still be building that confidence.
"So having these positive role models can help people - but knowing they're human, too, also can.
"If you're struggling, you're not alone.
"But that's a massive strength over where we were a decade ago, is that not only are you not alone, but you're also visibly not alone.
"The community is now there, that people are now talking about these things.
"It's important to acknowledge and not pretend that things are perfect, because they're not, but I do think that the message as we go forward is that there is a community of people out there who care, who are facing the same challenges, and will face them with you."