Why accessible content matters in motorsport: what teams and drivers need to know

Accessible content is all about making content that more people can actually enjoy. That means posts, videos and graphics that do not leave disabled fans behind.

If your content is hard to read, hard to hear or hard to follow, you are not just excluding disabled people, you're making it harder for every follower to enjoy your content.

Content should work for all motorsport fans

Motorsport moves fast and so does the content around it. Fans are catching race clips on mobile, checking updates between sessions and scrolling through posts with sound off, little time and not much patience for clutter.

That is exactly why accessible content matters. It gives more fans a fair chance to understand what you are saying, whether they are using a screen reader, watching without audio or simply trying to read a graphic on a bright screen.

For teams and drivers, this affects how well your story, results, sponsor messages and land with the people following you.

What accessible content actually means

Accessible content is not one big technical rule. It is a series of simple decisions that make your content easier to use for more people.

In practice, that usually means alt text for images, captions for video, clear fonts, strong contrast and sensible formatting.

Could someone still understand the post if they could not see it properly, hear it properly or process it quickly? That's something that you need to change.

^{Image: This is the effect of making your content inaccessible to those with visual and/or hearing impairments.}

Start with alt text

‍It is there so screen readers can describe an image to someone who cannot see it, which means it needs to say something useful rather than repeat the caption.

Example of accessible motorsport content: A podium photo should describe what is happening, who is on the podium and which race it is from.

Think about font

Make sure you’re using fonts that are easy for everyone to read on any images you share. While using ‘bold’ or ‘italic’ style fonts in captions can create emphasis, these are not accessible for screen readers.

High-contrast colour combinations make your content easier to read.

Example of accessible motorsport content: A race result graphic uses large, clear text with strong colour contrast, so the finishing positions are easy to read at a glance.

Always use captions on videos

They help people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but they also help anyone watching on mute, which is most people on social. Then look at the basics around the image itself. Is the font readable? Is the contrast strong enough? Are you trying to cram too much onto one graphic?

Example of accessible motorsport content: A post-race interview clip includes accurate captions so fans can follow the driver’s comments without sound.

Capitalise your hashtags

When using hashtags, make sure you capitalise the first letter of each word. This is often known as Camel case or Pascal case.EG: #racingdriver becomes #RacingDriver

When you write your hashtags like this, screen readers can read them properly.

Example of accessible motorsport content: A team post uses #BritishF4 instead of #britishf4 so screen readers can read the hashtag properly.

Strobing and flashing

This is the bit people often miss. Some social trends lean heavily on strobing, fast flashes, aggressive motion, but that can be a problem for people with photosensitive epilepsy, migraines, dizziness, other visual sensitivities.

If the trend depends on rapid flashing or flicker, think carefully before using it. Avoid it where you can. If you cannot add a clear warning such as CW: strobe light warning so viewers can choose whether to watch.

Example of accessible motorsport content: A reel keeps the pace and energy of a race weekend edit without using flashing effects or rapid strobing transitions.

When to think about accessibility

The best time to think about accessibility is before you hit publish, not after someone points out a problem.

As accessiblity needs change and technology evolves, there are always improvements to be made. The best way to ensure your content remains accessible is to listen to feedback from your audience and the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).

Your accessible content checklist for motorsport creators, teams and drivers

• Use alt text to describe images and videos
• Use captions on all video content
• Use high-contrast colour combinations
• Use easy-to-read fonts, avoid decorative styling that makes it hard to read
• Capitalise the first letter of each word in hashtags – eg: #RacingDriver
• Avoid flashing, strobing, rapid flicker in videos or posts
• Listen to audience feedback, update your process when barriers are flagged

If you want to go further, these resources are a great place to start.

• RNIB digital accessibility hub for clear guidance on digital accessibility, blind and partially sighted audiences, and inclusive content
• W3C WAI images tutorial for help with alt text, decorative images, functional images and complex visuals
• W3C guidance on three flashes or below threshold for understanding flashing content and why it can be risky
• Epilepsy Society guidance on photosensitive epilepsy and online content for advice on flashing, strobing and other visual triggers

How 115 Degrees can help

If you do not have the time or in-house resource to manage this properly, we can handle it for you.

At 115 Degrees, we make accessible content as standard. We focus on practical changes that make content clearer for fans and cleaner for sponsors, and we test formats so you do not have to.

If you want accessible content handled properly, get in touch. We will help make sure your motorsport content reaches more people, works harder and does the job it is meant to do.