Breaking News: Max Verstappen Clinches Autosport’s 2023 International Racing Driver of the Year Award
In a thrilling turn of events, triple Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has emerged victorious in the prestigious Autosport International Racing Driver of the Year Award for 2023, sponsored by Pirelli. This accolade comes on the heels of Verstappen’s stellar performance throughout the year, securing a remarkable 19 wins out of 22 races and securing his third world title with six Grands Prix remaining.
The announcement of Verstappen’s triumph was made on December 3rd during the esteemed Autosport Awards held at Grosvenor House on Park Lane. Autosport readers, in a fan vote, overwhelmingly chose Verstappen as the standout racing driver of the year, surpassing formidable competitors like F1 rival Fernando Alonso, IndyCar champion Alex Palou, and Formula E title winner Jake Dennis.
This marks Verstappen’s third consecutive win of the International Racing Driver of the Year Award, a competition open to professional racing drivers at the international level since its inception in 1982. The Dutch Red Bull star joins a prestigious list of former winners, including F1 legends Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, and Sebastian Vettel. Among the British drivers on the honours list are Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Jenson Button, and Lewis Hamilton.
Although Verstappen couldn’t be present at the awards ceremony due to his commitments in Japan at the Honda Thanks Day, he expressed his gratitude to his team through a pre-recorded video message.
In addition to the International Racing Driver of the Year, various other categories were decided by fan voting, including Rally Driver of the Year, British Competition Driver of the Year, Rookie of the Year, International Competition Car of the Year, and National Driver of the Year.
The Autosport Awards also feature several awards determined by expert judging panels, covering a wide range of achievements in the motorsports industry. Notably, a new addition for 2023 is the Brand Partnership of the Year award, further highlighting the dynamic landscape of the racing world.
