F1 enjoyed a successful evening at 2021 Autosport Awards with five individual award honours.
Red Bull picked up two awards in total as their RB16B first was crowned International Racing Car of the Year following 11 wins during 2021 F1 season, fending off competition from Mercedes W12 plus the Silver Arrows’ Formula E car and Toyota’s LMH GR010 Hybrid.
2021 F1 champion and Red Bull driver, Max Verstappen meanwhile took home the award for International Racing Driver of the Year ahead of Lewis Hamilton, IndyCar’s Alex Palou and Formula E’s Nyck De Vries, having claimed 10 wins en route to his controversial maiden F1 title last season.
F2 champion and now Alpine Reserve Driver, Oscar Piastri was awarded Rookie of the Year following another dominant season from the Australian, in which he took six wins and five consecutive Feature Race pole positions.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was crowned as British Competition Driver of the Year after claiming four podiums plus a maiden F1 pole position in Russia, whilst cruelly missing out on a first F1 race win through a disastrous pit-wall call just laps from the checkered flag.
Williams’ newest Driver Academy member, Zak O’Sullivan enjoyed a 17th birthday to remember after he was crowned as Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year, having taken seven wins and seven further podiums en route to 2021 GB3 title.
O’Sullivan however had to see off tough competition for his award as he beat 2021 Italian F4 and ADAC F4 champion – Ollie Bearman plus Jonny Edgar and Louis Foster.
In recent weeks, it has been confirmed that O’Sullivan, Bearman and Edgar will all race in F3 this season for Carlin, PREMA and Trident respectively.
Speaking about his award win post-ceremony to Williams, O’Sullivan said that he had been “happy enough” to make the shortlist and that the win feels “pretty awesome,” after successfully enjoying the experience of a two-day test plus fitness assessment and simulator work.
Reflecting on the past year as a whole, O’Sullivan continued: “It’s massive for a young driver like myself who is still developing their career; so many past Formula One drivers have won the award. It’s surreal and I’m so proud to be on that list.
Elsewhere, Jean Todt was awarded the inaugural Autosport Gold Medal which recognised his 55-and-a-half-year services to motorsport, having recently completed a 12-year term as FIA President in December 2021.
Alejandro Agag was awarded Autosport Pioneering and Innovation award for his work as CEO of Extreme E which made its debut in 2021, whilst also serving as Chairman of Formula E.
British Touring Car Championship’s Ash Sutton saw off competition from Josh Cook, Dan Cammish and Dennis Lind to be crowned as National Driver of the Year.
Sebastien Ogier won the 2021 International Rally Driver of the Year award after winning 2021 World Rallying Championship title with eight wins, whilst his team – Toyota Yaris WRC won Rally Car of the Year after claiming nine wins in total last season.
Frederik Rasmussen was crowned Esports Driver of the Year after another strong season despite missing out on the F1 Esports Driver title.
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