Retired Rutland teacher Linda Jordan and her other life as a Formula 1 marshal

But on May 5, 2013, marshaling at Donington Park for a historic car race meet, the privilege came with a price.

That day, 50-year-old racing driver Christian Devereux lost his life on the track after a collision.

"That has to be the worst situation I have had to deal with," Linda reflected. "It was pretty traumatic.

“I have known people who have marshalled for much longer than I have and never had to deal with a fatality. But that’s where the orange family kicks in.

“On that day my phone and email never stopped, making sure I was okay - I still had messages coming six months later."

Among that advice was to get straight back on the bike.

The very next day - Bank Holiday Monday - she was on duty at Rockingham Motor Speedway.

"We are an extended family of people following the hobby we absolutely love," she said.

“We are volunteers, but we are professionals.

“You are dealing with flying objects. And racing drivers are not the most sensible of people.

"Flags might be out, but some drivers may still be going past at racing speed.

“You have to have your wits about you all the time as soon as you cross the barrier, whatever the meeting.

"And you NEVER turn your back on the oncoming traffic."

Linda's life as a motorsport marshal began in 2001, soon after the opening of her local track Rockingham.

On a good day it's less than a 20-minute drive from her North Luffenham home.

“My husband and I went to watch one day soon after it was opened and there was a huge pile-up at turn one," she recalled.

“While they were sorting that out, the commentator started talking about marshalling and I said to Chris, ‘I fancy doing that’."

Although they are unpaid volunteers, marshals play a key safety role in a sport in which risk and pushing limits is part of the challenge.

As a result, training is thorough, meticulous and extensive, particularly here at home.

“If you listen to any of the Formula 1 commentators they would say the British marshals are the best and I like to think we are," said Linda.

“It is very professionally regulated here.

"You are normally talking five to seven years before you can even be considered for a Grand Prix so it can be a long drawn-out process."

Linda's big chance finally came in 2008 when she made her Formula 1 debut at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

"It took me seven years from being someone who didn't know one end of a fire extinguisher from another to being accepted as an incident marshal," she said.

"They're the first ones on the scene if it all goes pear-shaped.

"We are fully trained and know exactly what we are doing.

"I've attended overseas Grand Prix and been with marshals who have only done one race meeting before and we're expected to whip them into shape!

"But you go with the flow and have to think on your feet."

In 2013, Linda was promoted to the role of post chief. They are responsible for a team of marshals at a specific area of the race track.

Since 2014 she has been one among a small minority of female post chiefs within F1.

"You can have 15 to 20 marshals under your control and your welfare," she explained.

"There aren't many female post chiefs - it's a very male-dominated sport.

"Last year at the British Grand Prix there were three of us and that's normal. At Austin for the 2021 American Grand Prix, I was the only lady post chief at the whole circuit."

Linda has worked at tracks across the UK, and the sport has taken her across the world.

She has travelled to Austin, in Texas, four times for the United States GP, and heads to Miami in May for the new circuit's first F1 meeting.

She has worked on the Canadian GP, and in 2009 was part of a team flown over to Abu Dhabi to train local marshals when the Yas Marina circuit opened for F1.

And of course there's the annual staple in the calendar - Silverstone in July. Linda's invitation for this year's race came through just before we spoke.

So where's left to explore?

"There are a few more on my wish list," she said.

"I would like to go to the Australian Grand Prix and quite fancy Monza (Italy)."

But when it comes to motorsport - of any grade - it turns out there's no place like home.

Back at Rockingham, where it all started, Linda had graduated up on to the gantry in a plum job running the start line before the circuit closed in 2019.

"We are very fortunate having Silverstone, Donington and Mallory on our doorstep, but my favourite was Rockingham," she said.

"It was my first circuit and I watched it being built. It broke my heart when it shut down."

Although the sport can be action-packed, 12 to 14-hour days at a race weekend can test the boredom threshold of the most committed marshal.

For long periods nothing can happen, yet they must remain switched on, ready to react in an instant when something does.

"Once you are there it’s very exciting although they are very long days," she admitted.

"By the end of the three days you know everyone really well and the camaraderie can't be beaten.

"You have to have a thick skin and broad shoulders, but the craic is just unbelievable.

"You can have up to 15 like-minded people doing a hobby they love and doing it at the very pinnacle of it."

Retirement from her job at Uppingham Community College, teaching special additional needs, brought more time for the track.

It also allowed her to plunge headfirst into more volunteering at Covid-19 vaccination centres at Catmose and then Ashwell.

Having started in February 2021 she did more than 100 shifts over the next 12 months.

Fittingly, they were often spent overseeing the parking arrangements. She was dubbed the 'car park queen'.

At 67, now come questions about retiring from the track as well.

"I get asked 'when are you going to give it up' and I say 'when my body gives up' and it's still doing what I want it to," Linda added.

"You don't get paid, but you can't get any closer than where we stand.

"We have the best seats in the house. You don't do it for money, but because you love it."