2014 AUTOSPORT Awards
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Pudding consumption just about complete, air filling with evocative haze, atmosphere of expectant tension, two minutes until the main business of the evening kicks off with the first of our international awards.
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And here's a message from a man not present tonight, grand prix winner turned Porsche World Endurance racer Mark Webber:
"Motorsport posh folk have a great night in London. I must say the Poms had a pretty good year. GP3/GP2, sportscar and F1 champs. Congrats."
But which of those champion Poms will be crowned British Competition Driver of the Year by AUTOSPORT readers?
"Motorsport posh folk have a great night in London. I must say the Poms had a pretty good year. GP3/GP2, sportscar and F1 champs. Congrats."
But which of those champion Poms will be crowned British Competition Driver of the Year by AUTOSPORT readers?
Among those currently enjoying marmalade brownie, smoked salted caramel and bourbon ice cream below the AUTOSPORT Live balcony are the 2014 World Rally, GP2, GP3, World Rallycross, World Endurance, European Le Mans, Formula Renault 3.5 and European Formula 3 champions...
...some of whom are likely to be picking up awards on the main stage here before too long.
...some of whom are likely to be picking up awards on the main stage here before too long.
We've got another 11 awards to come (in quick succession) through the rest of the evening, with presentations resuming as soon as the guests finish their pudding.
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Williams also used her on-stage appearance to announce a new Award that will feature at next year's event - the AUTOSPORT Williams Engineer of the Future Award.
Williams admitted that being sat in the audience here watching McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award winners made her wonder if her F1 team should be doing its own equivalent of its Woking rival's prize, and that has prompted the launch of a new scheme for student engineers.
Here are the full details of how someone currently studying at a UK university could find themselves fast-tracked into the Williams F1 team:
Williams and AUTOSPORT launch new award
Williams admitted that being sat in the audience here watching McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award winners made her wonder if her F1 team should be doing its own equivalent of its Woking rival's prize, and that has prompted the launch of a new scheme for student engineers.
Here are the full details of how someone currently studying at a UK university could find themselves fast-tracked into the Williams F1 team:
Williams and AUTOSPORT launch new award
Turkington's win came at the end of a week in which his WSR team's title sponsor eBay departed. But the now double champion told the Awards guests that he is optimistic he will be on the grid to defend his title this time.
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Colin Turkington
The second award for the National Driver of the Year, and that honour went to British Touring Car champion Colin Turkington.
He was presented with the award by Williams F1 driver Valtteri Bottas and deputy team prinicipal Claire Williams.
Before Barnicoat appeared on stage, host Steve Rider took the chance to give Boullier a quick interview.
Naturally McLaren's 2015 driver plans were a hot topic, and Rider's hint that some "experience" would be a boost to the line-up drew a loud cheer from the room, while Boullier's smiling admission that a decision still wasn't imminent was met with a "boooo" from the crowd...
Jenson Button is, incidentally, among our guests tonight.
Naturally McLaren's 2015 driver plans were a hot topic, and Rider's hint that some "experience" would be a boost to the line-up drew a loud cheer from the room, while Boullier's smiling admission that a decision still wasn't imminent was met with a "boooo" from the crowd...
Jenson Button is, incidentally, among our guests tonight.
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We've already had our first two awards of the evening, celebrating standout UK motorsport performances from this year.
It was a Brit racing abroad who was crowned British Club Driver of the Year: 17-year-old Formula Renault NEC champion Ben Barnicoat picked up that trophy from McLaren F1 racing director Eric Boullier.
Racing Steps Foundation protege Barnicoat stormed to the FRenault NEC title in his first full year of car racing, and he's also one of our McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award finalists.
It was a Brit racing abroad who was crowned British Club Driver of the Year: 17-year-old Formula Renault NEC champion Ben Barnicoat picked up that trophy from McLaren F1 racing director Eric Boullier.
Racing Steps Foundation protege Barnicoat stormed to the FRenault NEC title in his first full year of car racing, and he's also one of our McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award finalists.
Eric Boullier
Welcome to AUTOSPORT Live's coverage of the 2014 AUTOSPORT Awards.
Stay with us between now and approximately midnight to find out who carries off the silverware at the 'motorsport Oscars'.
Many of the awards are decided by you - the AUTOSPORT readership - with many thousands of you casting your votes over recent weeks.
We'll also be honouring some motorsport legends with our equivalent of lifetime achievement awards, the Gregor Grand and John Bolster Awards, plus our Pioneering and Innovation Award for the most exciting breakthrough in racing in 2014.
It all builds up to the crowning of the 26th McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award winner, with one of the six young British finalists receiving a career-changing prize package that includes £100,000 and a test in a McLaren Formula 1 car.
By: Matt Beer, Alex Kalinauckas
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