On November 14th 2016, Richard Sampson passed away in his sleep from Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome.

Aged only 37, it was a life cut far too short with the biggest tragedy being that he will not get to see his daughter, whom he loved and adored, grow up.

As well as being a devoted father, he was a great son and brother.

Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes (SADS) are genetic heart conditions that can cause sudden death in young, apparently healthy, people. The diseases affect the electrical functioning of the heart but don’t impact the heart’s structure so they can only be detected when a person is alive not during a post-mortem.

Because of this, getting accurate figures is difficult but it is estimated that in the UK, around 10 people a week die from SADS, impacting greatly on their families and friends.

I am planning a charity cycle ride in his memory and to raise money for SADS UK.

As Richard was a big Formula 1 fan, the ride will visit all of the UK-based Formula 1 teams; a distance of over 200 miles, over two days - 23rd and 24th August 2017.

I welcome your support in any capacity, from sponsorship to cycling parts (or all) of the route.

Andrew Sampson