BBC Bikes Podcast: Marshalling while on business trips abroad and having a selfie taken by Rossi
- Published
Olga Budimir had her selfie taken by legendary Italian MotoGP star Valentino Rossi
Having the opportunity to travel the world while 'doing your bit' to ensure the smooth running of some of the biggest global motorcycle racing events sounds like a dream come true for most two-wheel motorsport fans.
For Olga Budimir, that dream has become a reality as she marshalls at MotoGP, World Superbike and British Superbike meetings on a regular basis.
Unheralded and voluntary it may be, but the role performed by Olga and others like her is indispensable to the safe management of these massive events.
Speaking to Keith Huewen on The BBC Bikes Podcast, she recalls how she first became involved in marshalling overseas after initially helping out at British short circuits.
"I was marshalling in the UK and one day I said to a colleague, 'Wouldn't it be great to go abroad and marshal, do one of the 'fly-aways' and turn it into a bit of a holiday.
"I persuaded this marshal, who I'd only known for eight hours, that he could have a holiday with me and we could go to Laguna Seca [a circuit in the United States of America].
"I found out any information we needed to know, wrote to them and turned a marshalling weekend into a two-week holiday.
"They let us marshal at the famous 'Corkscrew Turn' and travelled on to San Francisco. When I did that the opportunity came to do more.
"I was working at the time and used to organise holidays or business meetings in countries where I could go and marshal.
"You pay it all yourself, although some countries do give you a little bit of pocket money and feed you well. Others not so much."
One of the biggest thrills for Olga was meeting legendary seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi.
"I was given the chance to become the first female to marshal pit-lane at the MotoGP round at Sepang in Malaysia and they allowed me to chequered flag a qualifying session with Valentino Rossi coming over the line.
"I was beyond delighted and it just carried on....I did Phillip Island in Australia after arranging a business meeting in Melbourne. That was fantastic, it is a beautiful track.
"Then I did Indianapolis where I met Rossi and he ended up taking my 'selfie' for me because my hands were shaking so much. I couldn't believe I was chatting to him.
"As a marshal you get access to everywhere. The riders are just walking past you and they stop and say 'hello'. You can take photographs and get autographs. It's just beyond your dreams if you are a racing fan.
"I have met marshals from across the world and made lifelong friends."