Andrew Richardson is a 20 year old racing driver who was diagnosed with diabetes in 2010.  Andrew is a spokesperson for Bayer Diabetes Care and has given inspirational talks to children and young people with diabetes at Bayer’s 2011 Around U Events.  Read his story and follow his results through the 2011 season.

Racing Career

Andrew began karting at age 11, competing successfully at the forefront of national championships before making the move into cars in 2009, quickly proving that he was once again a race winning driver with the ability to be among the fastest drivers on the track. In 2010, in only his second year of car racing, Andrew finished Vice-Champion in the Ginetta G20 series as a privateer. In that season, Andrew had 12 podiums from 15 starts including a triple win at Pembrey circuit in Wales.

Diagnosis

During the 2010 season, Andrew was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after feeling ill for a period of time including while racing on track, also having just started his first year of university. Andrew wasn’t too fazed by the diagnosis, but merely concerned for what it meant for his driving career.

With this diagnosis, you must inform the DVLA and also the MSA who are responsible for race licences. The MSA put him on a 6 month probationary period to see how well he was able to manage his diabetes. Thankfully, he regained his licence just in time and was out racing in the Ginetta GT Supercup at the first race of the season in April 2011.

Diabetes Management Behind the Wheel

When the MSA put Andrew on his probationary period, they were looking for good HbA1c levels, but also to see if he had his wits about him and the ability to know how to react in the sorts of situations he may find himself in during racing.   He learned that during exercise, which he needed to do to stay fit for his racing, glucose levels drop and also that the heat in the car during a race causes glucose levels to drop. Of course nerves and stress leading up to the race also affected his blood glucose levels.  But Andrew was soon able to learn how to keep his diabetes under control, testing his blood glucose regularly and adjusting his diet before and after a race.

After all this, he has gone on to win 4 races this year with 2 further podiums, and is hopeful for many more good finishes this year!  You can watch Andrew during 2011 in the Ginetta GT Supercup, a racing series which supports the British Touring Car Championship.

Read Andrew Richardson’s Race Reports

Click here to read Andrew's race reports

Follow Andrew Richardson on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter:   @AndyRichardson0

Facebook page:    Andrew Richardson Racing

More Information about Diabetes and Driving

Click here to read about diabetes and driving on the Diabetes UK website.