Charlie Martin's biography
- Pioneering transgender racing driver in international motorsport
- LGBTQ+ activist and inclusion coach for major global corporations
- British Vogue 'Vogue 25' honouree
Charlie Martin is a professional racing driver, LGBTQ+ activist, and performance coach who uses lessons from elite motorsport to help organisations build resilient, high-performing, and inclusive teams under pressure.
Competing in motorsport for over 20 years, Charlie has raced internationally across Europe, North America, and the UK, forging an unconventional path into professional racing without family backing or traditional karting routes. Starting with just £1,500, she progressed through sheer determination, adaptability, and belief, culminating in landmark achievements on some of the world’s most demanding circuits.
In 2020, Charlie made history as the first transgender driver to compete in the Nürburgring 24-Hour race, and in 2024 she finished second in class at the Lamborghini Super Trofeo support race for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where she stood on the podium waving the Pride flag. Her career has become a case study in performance under pressure, trust-based teamwork, and the impact of belonging on results.
Beyond the track, Charlie works with global organisations including Meta, Amazon, BMW Group, Goldman Sachs, and Ford, translating high-stakes race environments into practical frameworks for leadership, collaboration, and cultural change. She is a Motorsport UK Inclusion Ambassador, a BMW Friend of the Brand, and works closely with charities such as Stonewall to improve LGBTQ+ visibility and inclusion in sport and business. Her broader profile includes recognition in British Vogue's 'Vogue 25' and appearances on Ninja Warrior UK.
Audiences gain clear, actionable insights into improving team performance, navigating adversity, and creating inclusive cultures where people can thrive. Organisations benefit from a compelling blend of elite sport credibility and practical behavioural tools.
Book Charlie to bring motorsport's high-performance lessons and authentic inclusion expertise to your organisation.
Charlie's showreel and videos
Topics, sessions and talks
How To Champion LGBTQ+ Allyship
Charlie Martin combines personal experience with proven methodology to explore what meaningful allyship looks like in practice. Through storytelling and practical examples, she examines how inclusive thinking improves trust, performance, and wellbeing. The focus is on simple, everyday actions that create safer, more supportive environments, helping organisations move beyond intention towards cultures where everyone can contribute fully.
Lessons From Motorsport On High-Performing Teams
Charlie Martin draws audiences into the intensity of a race weekend where split-second decisions, trust, and communication define success or failure. Using real-world motorsport scenarios, she explores how teams perform when pressure peaks, why psychological safety matters, and how accountability and recognition elevate results. The session connects elite sport to everyday workplaces, offering a clear lens on what truly gives teams a competitive edge.
How Adversity Fuelled My Potential
Charlie Martin shares the realities of building a 20-year motorsport career without money, connections, or certainty. Her story moves beyond inspiration into practical reflection on resilience, self-belief, and growth through discomfort. By reframing adversity as a catalyst rather than an obstacle, the session explores how confidence is built, potential unlocked, and ambition sustained when the odds are firmly stacked against you.
Why we recommend booking Charlie
Charlie transforms twenty years of elite motorsport experience into powerful business strategies that build resilient teams and inclusive cultures where every member thrives. Her unique combination of racing expertise and authentic leadership delivers practical tools that create measurable improvements in team performance and workplace belonging. Secure Charlie now to revolutionise your team dynamics with proven methods from one of the world's most demanding sports.
I cannot say thank you enough for joining us today and sharing your journey. It was such a pleasure to meet you and learn more about you. You have such a calm demeanour and are a joy to listen to. I appreciate your patience as we worked through the initial access issues. I think the group embraced what you shared with us and I know I will continue to promote your call to action and tips.
Charlie brought an amazingly authentic and engaging approach to telling her story and this has proven inspiring to many in attendance, with the programme being rated as “highly recommended” by 93% of attendees. We would wholeheartedly recommend working with Charlie and hope to do so again in the future.
Sean Holmes
Chairperson PRIDE Network, BMW
Rarely do you get to hear such an inspirational and motivational speaker. Charlie's [Martin] presentation was empowering and thought-provoking and generated so much positive debate across the community and our allies.
LGBTQ Affinity Network Chair, Kingfisher Plc
