BRITISH MOTOR SPORT STARS HONOURED AT THE 2024 BRDC ANNUAL AWARDS

The BRDC celebrated the successes of its Members, SuperStars, and Rising Stars at its Annual Awards lunch, held at the Pan Pacific Hotel on Thursday 30 January.  A little less than 300 people were in attendance, including BRDC President David Coulthard MBE, and Vice Presidents Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, Howden Ganley, John Grant, and Derek Warwick.

An important part of the day was to give support to the BRDC Motor Sport Charity, and, thanks to the generosity of Members and guests, a fantastic £2,360 was raised, helping to assist individuals in the motor sport community during times of need.

Jake Humphrey hosted the event, a role he has undertaken for many years.  Proceedings opened with the Special Achievement Award to Oliver Bearman who broke records with an impressive, last-minute call to race in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with Scuderia Ferrari, scoring points and fending off Sir Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris in the closing stages of the race.

David Coulthard then presented the Earl Howe Trophy to Oliver Bryant to honour his third Peter Auto 2.0L Cup title and stunning performances in the 2024 Goodwood Revival.  The family of the late Peter Procter then joined BRDC Chairman Peter Digby to receive the Innes Ireland Trophy, awarded posthumously to Peter Procter in recognition of his brave recovery from the injuries he suffered in 1966 and his many years of service to the BRDC.  Next up, BRDC SuperStar Louis Foster received the Graham Hill Trophy after winning the Indy NXT title, with the award collected on his behalf by his manager.

Sir Jackie Stewart OBE presented the Henry Surtees Award to BRDC Rising Star Deagen Fairclough, following a record-breaking year in the F4 British Championship.  Lando Norris was presented with the John Cobb Memorial Trophy and Oscar Piastri with the Bruce McLaren Trophy but both were unable to attend and provided video acceptance speeches.  Also absent due to pre-season preparations was McLaren Formula 1 Team Chief Mechanic Kari Lammenranta who had been selected as winner of the Sir Jackie Stewart Award, and the Club was delighted that McLaren’s Chief Operating Officer Piers Thynne was available to receive the award on Kari’s behalf.

Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO, then awarded the Nigel Moores Trophy to JOTA for having been judged to have achieved the most meritorious performance of the year in international racing by a private entrant thanks to winning back-to-back titles in the FIA Hypercar World Cup.  The Woolf Barnato Trophy was then presented to Ollie Millroy for being the highest-placed British driver in a British car classified as a finisher at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Dr Jonathan Palmer then came to the stage to present the Jim Clark Trophy to BRDC Rising Star Louis Sharp for his title success in the GB3 Championship, and to father-and-son racing duo Robert and Ricky Collard, who received the Fairfield Trophy after their British GT Championship success.  Fellow endurance racer Ross Gunn provided a video message after his exploits in the IMSA SportsCar Championship had earned him the ERA Club Trophy.

BRDC SuperStar Luke Browning was next awarded the John Cooper Trophy as the highest-ranked British driver in the FIA Formula 3 Championship and to close that segment of awards, the Chris Bristow Trophy and a cheque for £200,000 was presented to Deagen Fairclough, winner of the Silverstone Autosport BRDC Award.

The final section of awards started with the Colin Chapman Trophy, which went to West Surrey Racing founder Dick Bennetts.  The team was the most successful in the British Formula 3 Championship before turning to the British Touring Car Championship in 1996.  Since then, they have won 18 outright titles, recorded 400 podiums, and is tied for the all-time win record with 132 victories.

This was followed by WSR driver Jake Hill receiving the BRDC Silver Star, being the most successful National racer after winning his first BTCC title.  Harry King then provided a video message, as he took the BRDC Gold Star and Richard Seaman Trophy for the second year in a row.

Finally, the BRDC President’s Award was presented to Derek Warwick.  This award, given at the discretion of the President, is for an exceptional achievement by a BRDC Member and was awarded to Derek for his tireless work on behalf of young racing drivers, particularly as a driving force behind the Silverstone Autosport BRDC Award.

The BRDC would like to extend its thanks to the following organisations for their generous support of the event:

Table Wine Sponsor
AC Entertainment Technologies Ltd

Table Sponsor
The Arts Club

BRDC Young Driver Patrons
AC Entertainment Technologies Ltd, Immun’Âge, Sloane Helicopters, Tysers, and Zurich Insurance

2024 BRDC Award winners:

Earl Howe Trophy
Oliver Bryant

Francis Richard Henry Penn Curzon, 5th Earl Howe, was an officer, Member of Parliament, driver, Le Mans winner, and co-founder of the BRDC, as well as being the Club’s President from 1929 -1964.

The award is given to a BRDC Member for the most outstanding performance of the year in historic racing, which this year went to Oliver Bryant for his outstanding season, winning his third Peter Auto 2.0L Cup title, with victories at Dijon-Prenois and Circuit Paul Ricard, and being the Goodwood Revival’s Driver of the Meeting.

Sir Jackie Stewart Award
Kari Lammenranta

The Sir Jackie Stewart Award is given to a motorsport engineer who has shown brilliance during the season.  This year it is awarded to Kari Lammenranta, Chief Mechanic at the McLaren Formula 1 team, for his role in the team’s first Constructors’ Championship since 1998.

Henry Surtees Award
Deagen Fairclough

Named after the late Henry Surtees, who tragically lost his life as an 18-year-old while racing in the FIA Formula Two Championship in 2009, the Award is presented in recognition of the most outstanding performance by a BRDC Rising Star.

Taking the honours this year is Deagen Fairclough, who had a record-breaking season in the F4 British Championship taking a remarkable 14 victories and 22 total podiums in 30 races.

Innes Ireland Trophy
Peter Procter

Awarded to the individual(s) who best displayed the qualities of courage and sportsmanship epitomised by the late Innes Ireland.  A former President of the BRDC, Innes was a Grand Prix and Sportscar driver who notably scored the first Grand Prix success for Team Lotus at the US Grand Prix in 1961.

The Trophy was posthumously awarded to Peter Procter, who sadly passed away in 2024.  After his enforced retirement from racing, Peter campaigned for greater fire safety in motorsport and deeply cared about the BRDC, becoming a Life Member in 1990, as well as being Regional Co-ordinator for the Northeast. A keen cyclist, he still climbed his beloved Yorkshire Dales on two wheels well into his 90s.  He was truly an exceptional, and very brave man, who will be very much missed.

Graham Hill Trophy
Louis Foster

The Graham Hill Trophy is awarded to the British driver with the most meritorious performance in single-seater racing. Graham Hill is the only driver to win the ‘triple crown’ that includes the Formula One World Championship, the Indianapolis 500, and the Le Mans 24 Hours.

This year the Trophy is awarded to BRDC SuperStar Louis Foster, who enjoyed a dominant season in Indy NXT, one step below IndyCar.  He won eight contests – on street, road, and oval courses – and was on the podium 12 times in 14 races as he won the championship title.

Nigel Moores Trophy
JOTA

Awarded to the private entrant who has established the most meritorious performance(s) in international motor racing.  A Jaguar enthusiast and racer of much reput, Nigel Moores’ collection of Jaguars enjoyed success on racetracks around Britain and Europe.

The Trophy is awarded to JOTA, which is co-directed by Sam Hignett (BRDC Member) and David Clark.  In 2024 the team secured back-to-back titles in the FIA Hypercar World Cup, for privateer teams competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Woolf Barnato Trophy
Ollie Millroy

Awarded to the highest-placed finishing British and/or Commonwealth driver, in a British car, in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  Three times a winner at Le Mans, Joel Woolf Barnato was one of the original BRDC-founding Bentley Boys.  The 2024 award goes to Ollie Millroy, who competed in a McLaren 720S GT3 Evo.

Jim Clark Trophy
Louis Sharp

The Jim Clark Trophy is given to the winner of the GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC.  Jim Clark was a two-time Formula One World Champion, winner of the 1965 Indianapolis 500, British Saloon Car Championship victor, and three-time Tasman Series title holder.

This year’s GB3 Champion is BRDC Rising Star Louis Sharp, who became the first driver to win GB3 and the F4 British Championship in back-to-back seasons.

Fairfield Trophy
Robert and Ricky Collard

The Fairfield Trophy is awarded for an outstanding performance by a BRDC Member.  It is named after Pat Fairfield, who was a highly-regarded driver of the pre-war era, scoring many victories at home and abroad – notably in an ERA – who lost his life in an accident during the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans.

This year it is jointly awarded to Robert and Ricky Collard, who together won the British GT Championship title in 2024.  They became just the second father and son pair to achieve that honour, while Robert is one of a small handful of drivers to win multiple GT3 titles in the series.

John Cooper Trophy
Luke Browning

The Award is named after John Cooper OBE, who co-founded the Cooper Car Company.  It changed the face of motor sport, with its rear engine-mounted cars taking back-to-back Formula One World Championship titles in 1959 and 1960, dominating the Indy 500 soon thereafter.

The trophy is awarded to the highest placed British or Commonwealth driver in the FIA Formula 3 Championship.  This season, the trophy goes to BRDC SuperStar Luke Browning, who finished third in the series, with two wins.

Chris Bristow Trophy
Deagen Fairclough

Chris Bristow was a natural talent whose potential was tragically not realised when he lost his life in an accident during the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps in 1960.  The accolade named after him is presented to the winner of the Silverstone Autosport BRDC Award.

This year’s recipient is Deagen Fairclough. His performances during the assessments impressed the panel of Judges, and he will now benefit from a full test drive with the Aston Martin Aramco F1 team, the £200,000 cash prize, Full Membership of the BRDC, an Arai helmet and a Jordan Bespoke personalised luxury helmet bag.

Colin Chapman Trophy
Dick Bennetts

The Colin Chapman Trophy is a special BRDC Award presented to an individual who has shown great team spirit.  Colin was the founder of Lotus cars and Team Lotus, which won seven Constructors’ titles, six Drivers’ Championships, and scored 73 Grand Prix victories.

This year, the award is presented to Dick Bennetts, who formed West Surrey Racing in 1981, winning the British Formula 3 Championship in its first season and becoming the series’ most successful team.  Moving to the British Touring Car Championship in 1996, it was the works team for Ford, Honda, and MG, before a fruitful relationship with BMW.  Between 2004 and 2016 the team won two Drivers’, five Independents’, one Teams’, and one Constructors’ title, and since becoming the BMW manufacturer team in 2017 has added three Drivers’, three Teams’, and seven Manufacturers’ honours, as well as taking its 400th BTCC podium and 132nd win – tied for the all-time series record.

BRDC Silver Star
Jake Hill

The BRDC Silver Star was first introduced in 1977 and is awarded to the BRDC Member who has been the most successful at the highest level in National racing, with points awarded to a set formula, meaning it is much sought after by Touring Car and GT drivers.

The winner this year is Jake Hill, who scored 143 points by recording eight victories and 16 total podiums as he took his first British Touring Car Championship title.

BRDC President's Award
Derek Warwick

This Award is given at the discretion of the President of the BRDC.

This year it is awarded to Derek Warwick for his tireless work on behalf of young racing drivers, particularly as a driving force behind the Silverstone Autosport BRDC Award.

-Awarded but recipients not in attendance-

BRDC Special Achievement Award
Ollie Bearman

Ollie Bearman has been given the Special Achievement Award this year, in recognition of his outstanding performances in the Formula One World Championship.  Ollie, a BRDC SuperStar, qualified on pole position in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, but when Carlos Sainz fell ill, he was called up to Scuderia Ferrari, becoming the first active BRDC SuperStar to race in F1, youngest ever British F1 driver, and youngest at Ferrari, finishing in the points at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.  The 18-year-old stepped up twice more in 2024, for Haas F1 Team, taking more points in Azerbaijan and coping well with dreadful weather in Brazil.

John Cobb Memorial Trophy
Lando Norris

Awarded to a British driver, driving a British car, who has achieved success or successes of outstanding character.  John Rhodes Cobb was a land speed record holder – reaching 394 mph – and the fastest man to lap the Brooklands Outer Circuit in the legendary Napier-Railton.  He lost his life in an attempt on the world water speed record on Loch Ness in 1952.

This year the trophy is awarded to Lando Norris, who finished runner up in the Formula One World Championship, achieving two wins and eight further podium finishes; one of which was at the British Grand Prix.

Bruce McLaren Trophy
Oscar Piastri

The BRDC Member from the Commonwealth, who has established the most meritorious performances in international racing, is awarded the Bruce McLaren Trophy, named after the engineer, driver, and founder of McLaren Racing.

Receiving the award for the second year in a row is Australian Oscar Piastri, who scored his first two Formula One World Championship victories, finishing fourth in the World Drivers’ Championship.

ERA Club Trophy
Ross Gunn

English Racing Automobiles (ERA) was an iconic British marque which led the British challenge on the international scene during the immediate pre- and post-war period.  The ERA Club Trophy is awarded to the British driver who, driving a British car, established the most meritorious performance of the year outside the UK.

This year, that honour goes to Ross Gunn, who showed great speed in the GTD Pro category of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, including scoring a victory at Watkins Glen in an Aston Martin Vantage GT3.

BRDC Gold Star & Richard Seaman Trophy
Harry King

Dating back to 1929, the BRDC Gold Star is a unique award presented to the winner of the Gold Star Points Table, made up from results in international races.  Qualifying races are only those which qualify towards Membership of the BRDC and are listed in a matrix of championships agreed annually by the Club Board.

The Richard Seaman Trophy, meanwhile, is awarded to the best placed BRDC Member in the Gold Star points table who competes in racing outside of Formula One.

Once again, 23-year-old BRDC SuperStar Harry King is the recipient of both.  One of Britain’s brightest talents, he scored a win in the Porsche Supercup, had four victories in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, added three more in the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East, and won the Pro-Am class at the Bathurst 12 Hours.

-ENDS-