The Badge

Highly prized membership of the British Racing Drivers’ Club is most publically demonstrated by the wearing of the Club badge. Indeed, only Members of the Club are entitled to wear or display the much sought after image which depicts a purposeful single-seater racing car of the 1920s under the Union flag.

The design of the BRDC badge has its origins in the very beginning of the Club and came from the pen of LV Head, latterly an Associate Member in the Mechanic section of the Club.

The car depicted in the badge is generally considered to have been based on a 1923 Aston Martin single seater, ‘Razor Blade’, so named because of its incredibly thin body. The car was raced by founding Member Sammy Davis and currently resides in the Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey.

Over the years, there have been variations of the BRDC badge produced; principally for the sections of Associate Membership – Mechanic, Patron and General. The racing mechanics’ branch badge featured a Union flag topped shield showing a ‘Rudge’ hammer and plug spanner – tools of the motor racing mechanic’s trade - in place of the car on the traditional Club badge, whilst the Patrons’ section badge featured ‘signals’. Also, significant anniversaries have traditionally been recognised with special bespoke versions of the Club badge for use over the appropriate anniversary year. 

The charm and character of the original badge has stood the test of time and continues to be worn with the same pride by Members today, as it was by the founding fathers of the Club. The period design of the badge points to a long and illustrious history and is recognised as the motor sport equivalent of a national ‘cap’ in, say, rugby or cricket.