BRDC CELEBRATES THE BEST OF BRITISH MOTOR SPORT AT THE 2017 ANNUAL AWARDS

Just short of 400 guests assembled in London to celebrate the successes of BRDC Members, SuperStars and Rising Stars on Monday 4 December.

Reflecting on a year in which three Members of the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) became FIA World Champions, there was plenty to celebrate at the BRDC Annual Awards Lunch which was hosted and compered by Jake Humphrey at the London Hilton on Park Lane, a venue at which the BRDC had last hosted an event some 30 years ago.  The ceremony was well attended by the great and good of British Motor Racing, including 2017 Formula 1® World Champion Lewis Hamilton MBE, Martin Brundle, Derek Warwick, David Coulthard MBE and Dario Franchitti MBE.  The prestigious event attracted a wide range of other distinguished guests such as Chief Executive of the Formula One Group Chase Carey, who presented trophies during the ceremony.  As well as celebrating the many on-track success stories from throughout the Club, the BRDC Annual Awards also gave its many guests an opportunity to support the Club’s own recently renamed charity, the BRDC Motor Sport Charity.  Thanks to the generosity of the Members and guests in attendance, £5,500 was raised which will go towards providing assistance to people in the motor sport industry during times of need.

Welcoming applause was given to proud BRDC Member, 2017 FIA World Endurance Champion and 2018 Toro Rosso F1® driver Brendon Hartley as he personally received the Bruce McLaren trophy and his Special BRDC Gold Star.  Fellow World Championship winning Porsche teammates Earl Bamber and Timo Bernhard were also invited onto the stage to join Brendon in receiving the coveted Silverstone-Le Mans Challenge Trophy, as well as reflect on a superb year in a category of motor racing very close to the heart of the Club.

British Formula 1® World Champion Lewis Hamilton MBE was awarded not one, but two, BRDC Gold Stars, the BRDC’s premier annual award recognising the strongest performance of the year in international motor racing, with the second Gold Star awarded for winning the Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship.  This achievement sees Lewis become the most decorated recipient of BRDC Gold Stars in the history of the Club by surpassing the record of 10 Gold Stars previously set by Sir Stirling Moss OBE.  The World Champion had a fantastic season with the Brackley based Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team, winning nine Grands Prix from a total of 20 including his home Grand Prix at Silverstone July, the fastest lap at which resulted in him also being awarded with the Johnny Wakefield Trophy.  Sahara Force India Technical Director, Andrew Green, collected the Sir Jackie Stewart Award for his engineering brilliance that led to the team recording the heaviest ever points haul in the Formula One Constructors’ Championship.

British Formula One hopefuls George Russell, receiving the John Cooper Trophy, and Lando Norris, receiving both the Richard Seaman and Spencer Charrington Trophies, were in attendance and shared insight into their Formula One testing experiences in 2017 as well as their championship winning seasons.  Both as former winners of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, they would have also been delighted to see Dan Ticktum receive the Chris Bristow Trophy having been announced the 2017 Award winner at the previous evening’s Autosport Awards.  BRDC British Formula 3 Champion, Enaam Ahmed, and Euroformula Open Champion, Harrison Scott, were honoured at the event with the Jim Clark Trophy and the Graham Hill Trophy respectively, giving due praise to their seasons that saw them both establish themselves as ones to watch for the future.

The event concluded with the presentation of the coveted BRDC Gold Medal to former BRDC President Derek Warwick in recognition of his exceptional contribution to British motor racing and years of service to the BRDC.

The full list of 2017 BRDC Annual Awards winners is:

The John Cooper Trophy – George Russell
For a GP3 or FIA European Formula 3 driver with the potential to become a future World Champion

The Spencer Charrington Trophy – Lando Norris
For the highest-placed British driver in the FIA European Formula 3 Championship

The Richard Seaman Trophy – Lando Norris
For the highest-placed BRDC Member in the Gold Star points competition outside of Formula One

The Nigel Moores Trophy – Jackie Chan DC Racing Jota
For the most meritorious performance in international motor racing by a private entrant

The Fairfield Trophy – Jonny Adam
For an outstanding performance by a BRDC Member

The ACO Plate – Oliver Jarvis
On behalf of the Automobile Club De L’Ouest to the highest placed British driver at the Le Mans 24 Hour race

The Silverstone–Le Mans Challenge – Porsche: Brendon Hartley, Timo Bernhard and Earl Bamber
For the driver or team achieving the highest combined finishing record of the Silverstone LMS race and the Le Mans 24 Hour race

The Earl Howe Trophy – Sam Bird
For the British driver delivering the most meritorious performance of the year in North America

The John Cobb Memorial Trophy – Rick Parfitt Jnr and Seb Morris
For a success of outstanding character achieved by a British driver, in a British car

The Woolf Barnato Trophy – Aston Martin: Darren Turner and Jonny Adam
To the highest placed British driver or team, in a British car, in the Le Mans 24 Hour race

The Colin Chapman Trophy – Trevor Carlin
A special BRDC award to an individual displaying great team sprit be it a driver, team owner or engineer

The ERA Club Trophy – Aston Martin: Darren Turner and Jonny Adam
For the British drivers, driving a British car, establishing the most meritorious performance in the year outside of the UK

The Innes Ireland Trophy – Rick Parfitt Jnr
For the driver best displaying qualities of courage and sportsmanship epitomised by the late Innes Ireland

The Henry Surtees Award – Stuart Middleton and Will Tregurtha
For the most outstanding performance by a BRDC Rising Star

The Sir Jackie Stewart Award – Andrew Green (Force India)
For a motorsport engineer who has shown brilliance during the course of the season

The Bruce McLaren Trophy – Brendon Hartley
For the Commonwealth driver establishing the most meritorious performances in international motor racing

The Jim Clark Trophy – Enaam Ahmed
For the winner of the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship

The Chris Bristow Trophy – Dan Ticktum
For the winner of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award

The Graham Hill Trophy – Harrison Scott
For the most meritorious performance by a British driver in single seater racing

The Johnny Wakefield Trophy – Lewis Hamilton MBE
For the fastest lap of the season at Silverstone Grand Prix circuit

BRDC President’s Award – James Calado
In recognition of winning the FIA GT World Endurance Championship

BRDC Silver Star – Daniel Cammish
For the strongest performance of the year by a Member in domestic championships (Points accumulation)

Special BRDC Gold Star – Brendon Hartley
BRDC Member winning the FIA World Endurance Championship

BRDC Gold Star – Lewis Hamilton MBE
For the strongest performance of the year by a Member in international championships (Points accumulation)

BRDC Gold Medal – Derek Warwick
Club’s highest recognition of achievement in, and contribution to, the Club and the sport of motor racing