All photos on this page are courtesy of SRO, TWENTY-ONE CREATION and Jules Benichou or courtesy of SRO and Dirk Bogaerts Photography. https://www.gt4europeanseries.com
“Everything is possible” – Peter Knoflach and Marion Barnaby
Racing Heroes was born out of an idea by Peter Knoflach and Marion Barnaby using their combined skills and extensive experience of the motorsport and automotive industries and working with veterans.
Racing Heroes is a unique programme designed to give disabled heroes a future through motorsport, both in and out of the driving seat.
Supporting the drivers is a wider team of military veterans, with the skills they accumulated during their service firmly intact. Military careers encompass a wide variety of talents, from engineering to logistics, all crucial elements needed in motorsport. Most of all, the ability to work calmly and precisely under pressure is paramount.
Our vision is to increase our international prominence through motorsport with the ultimate goal of one day competing at Le Mans.
To achieve its ambitions, Racing Heroes has developed an exciting team that blends experience, exuberance and excellence. These are just some of the men and women behind the mission.
Marion has been one of the key industry figures in motorsport for more than two decades.
Roles including Motorsport Manager for Porsche Cars GB introducing the Carrera Cup GB to the UK and creating the worlds first all electric production vehicle one-make racing in the role of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY Manager.
Marion has a rare level of understanding of the creation and management of race programmes national and international with an extensive network of contacts within the sporting world.
Marion is also a Director of Energy One Powerdrink, launching across a number of different territories this year – and the veterans forming part of the race team with also work at different roles within Energy One Powerdrink when they are not at a track.
Peter is an enthusiastic racer with a business brain and a passion for everything he does.
From Switzerland, he managed a string of successful supercar dealerships, from Porsche to Ferrari, while making the most of his own racing career in series such as the Ferrari Challenge. He hit upon the idea of Racing Heroes while skiing with veterans in his home town of Klosters, Switzerland.
James Blunt is an award- winning musical artist, selling over 20 million records worldwide since releasing his debut album Back to Bedlam in 2003. James is also a military veteran, having served six years with the British Army.
He was deployed during the Kosovo War in 1999 as a Captain with the Life Guards, leaving the Army in 2002 to pursue his musical ambitions.
“I’ve been in a tank with a squaddie driving, But an injured and angry one in a racing car? The opposition have no chance.”
– James Blunt
British born race car driver Katherine is no stranger to Motorsport having started her career in karting, moving through to other UK open wheeled championship and then moving to the USA to compete in Indy car and several other series around the world.
Katherine is currently competing in the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in a Porsche GT3 R, and will contest LeMans in a Porsche GTE.
“I am pleased to support the Racing Heroes Motorsport with it’s vision and diversity for inclusion in Motorsport. It is something close to my heart, and I relish the chance to use motorsport as a vehicle for positive change. Further spread the vision and can’t wait to get to drive the car with Racing Heroes.”
– Katherine Legge