Alejandro Agag wins Autosport’s 2021 Pioneering and Innovation Award

The award is presented to companies or people that have developed an outstanding and innovative product, service or event. The winner is the candidate whose pioneering work the judges believe has led to significant progress in the sport.

"Thank you to all the drivers and all the teams who helped make this all come true in Formula E and Extreme E, it is a privilege and a dream come true," Agag said, having been presented the award by McLaren boss Zak Brown.

Agag was the chief architect behind Formula E, which thrust electric drivetrains into the motorsport limelight.

The Spaniard presided over the series as it matured into a championship that remains a destination for some of the fastest drivers in the world and has the involvement of prestigious manufacturers.

As Formula E embarks on its eighth season – now with full FIA World Championship status – Maserati has become the latest marque to declare its interest, Canada, Indonesia and South Korea will all make their calendar debuts, and the revolutionary Gen3 rules are almost ready for action.

Toto Wolff, Team Principal, CEO, Mercedes, Alejandro Agag, Chairman of Formula E

Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images

In 2021, and despite the pandemic acting as the ultimate headwind, Agag’s idea for Extreme E came to fruition as the all-electric SUV off-road racing series launched its inaugural campaign. Once again, a star-studded rollcall was attracted as Formula 1 world champions Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button all entered teams.

PLUS: The key area where Extreme E is outdoing F1:

Helped by its environmental mission, Extreme E enticed Carlos Sainz Sr, Sebastien Loeb, Mattias Ekstrom, Jutta Kleinschmidt, Chip Ganassi and more big names to do battle in some of the most remote – and beautiful – locations ever used in motorsport. And it is proof of Agag’s concept that all of them will return to the grid in 2022 as McLaren Racing enters a team of its own.

Agag will soon take his electric racing model to the waters as he and his partners deliver the E1 powerboating series, which is scheduled to launch in early 2023.

Agag’s award success was announced on 6 February at the Autosport Awards, which returned to a live event at Grosvenor House on Park Lane following the online-only competition of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Further awards decided by expert judging panels include the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award, the Gold Medal incorporating the Gregor Grant Award, and the Esports Team of the Year presented by Motorsport Games.

To find out who our other Award winners are, go to autosport.com/awards.