The British Racing Drivers’ Club celebrated the motorsport achievements of its members during the annual BRDC Awards lunch yesterday (5th December), with Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg amongst the winners in front of over three hundred guests.
Rosberg was a special guest during the glitzy ceremony at The Grand Connaught Rooms in London, with the German star awarded honorary membership of the BRDC, as well as the Johnny Wakefield Trophy for setting the fastest lap around Silverstone this year.
The BRDC’s premier award, the Gold Star, went to Formula 1 runner-up Lewis Hamilton, who expressed his appreciation in a video message, while the national equivalent, the Silver Star, went to BTCC star Colin Turkington for a second time.
Fresh from winning the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award the previous evening, Lando Norris collected the Chris Bristow Trophy in recognition of that success, as well as The Henry Surtees Award for the most outstanding performance by a BRDC Rising Star.
Other rising single-seater talents were also recognised, including Matheus Leist getting the Jim Clark Trophy for winning the BRDC F3 title, Ed Jones earning the Earl Howe Trophy for his success in America, and George Russell the Spencer Charrington Trophy as the best placed Brit in European F3.
Plenty of awards went to GT and sportscar stars as well, including Oliver Gavin getting the Fairfield Trophy for an outstanding performance by a BRDC member, and Mike Conway collecting the ACO Plate as the highest-placed Brit at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The final accolade of an honorary BRDC membership went to road racing legend John McGuiness, who became only the second person recognised by the club for their achievements on a motorcycle, following multiple MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi.
The full list of 2016 BRDC Annual Awards winners is:
The John Cooper Trophy – Lance Stroll – For a GP3 or FIA European Formula 3 driver with the potential to become a future World Champion
The Spencer Charrington Trophy – George Russell – For the highest-placed British driver in the FIA European Formula 3 Championship
The Richard Seaman Trophy – Jann Mardenborough – For the best placed BRDC member in Gold Star points outside Formula One
The Nigel Moores Trophy – Tom Ferrier (TF Sport) – For the most meritorious performance in international motor racing by a private entrant
The Fairfield Trophy – Oliver Gavin – For an outstanding performance by a BRDC Member
The ACO Plate – Mike Conway – 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: Romain Dumas, Neel Jani & Marc Lieb – 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 – Ed Jones – For the British driver delivering the most meritorious performance of the year in North America
The John Cobb Memorial Trophy – Simon Dolan & Harry Tincknell – For a success of outstanding character achieved by a British driver, in a British car
The Woolf Barnato Trophy – Strakka Racing: Nick Leventis, Jonny Kane & Danny Watts – To the highest placed British driver or team, in a British car, in the Le Mans 24 Hour race
The Colin Chapman Trophy – Darren Turner – A special BRDC award to an individual displaying great team sprit be it a driver, team owner or engineer
The ERA Club Trophy – Rob Bell – For the British driver, driving a British car, establishing the most meritorious performance in the year outside of the UK
The Innes Ireland Trophy – Josef Newgarden – For the driver best displaying qualities of courage and sportsmanship epitomised by the late Innes Ireland
The Henry Surtees Award – Lando Norris – For the most outstanding performance by a BRDC Rising Star
The Sir Jackie Stewart Award – Paddy Lowe – For a motorsport engineer who has shown brilliance during the course of the season
The Bruce McLaren Trophy – Daniel Ricciardo – For the Commonwealth driver establishing the most meritorious performances in international motor racing
The Jim Clark Trophy – Matheus Leist – For the winner of the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
The Chris Bristow Trophy – Lando Norris – For the winner of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award
The Graham Hill Trophy – Alexander Albon – For the most meritorious performance by a British driver in single seater racing
The Johnny Wakefield Trophy – Nico Rosberg – For the fastest lap of the season at Silverstone Grand Prix circuit
BRDC Silver Star – Colin Turkington – For the strongest performance of the year by a Member in domestic championships (Points accumulation)
BRDC Gold Star – Lewis Hamilton MBE – For the strongest performance of the year by a Member in international championships (Points accumulation)
