AUTOSPORT Awards Gregor Grant Award: Damon Hill

After an eight-year career in the sport's highest category, Hill was appointed president of the BRDC in 2006 and was instrumental in securing a long-term deal for Silverstone to host Formula 1, before announcing his decision to step down in August this year.

Hill received his award from Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey, who also designed the Williams FW18 in which Hill won his drivers' crown.

"I wasn't expecting anything like this, I'm very proud," Hill said. "My work with Silverstone has been very satisfying, and I'm really glad it came to fruition. To lose the grand prix, the lynchpin of the whole industry, would have been tragic. Now the world can see this is the place to come for motorsport, and Britain's asset in motorsport is celebrated every year.

"I'm going through another phase of motorsport now, which is standing on touchline and watching [son] Josh develop, which is great."

Like his father Graham, a double F1 champion, Damon was a relatively late starter, making his debut in single seaters in 1983.

He gradually found his feet and in 1986 graduated into Formula 3, before switching to Formula 3000 two years later.

Hill made his F1 debut with Brabham in 1992, and in 1993 earned a call up to the main Williams squad as a replacement for Nigel Mansell. His first win came that year in Hungary, which he followed up with wins in Belgium and Italy to finish third in the championship.

When Alain Prost retired Hill found himself partnered at Williams by Ayrton Senna, a partnership which ended tragically when Senna was killed in the third race of the year at Imola. Hill became team leader and carried the fight to Michael Schumacher, losing the title in acrimonious circumstances when Schumacher drove him off the road in the Adelaide finale.

Hill struggled under the billing of favourite for the 1995 title and finished a distant second to Schumacher. He started 1996 in superb fashion however, winning four of the opening five races - momentum he maintained through to the end of the season on the way to a maiden F1 crown.

1997 heralded a move to the Arrows team, for which he would take a podium at Hungary. He moved to Jordan one year later and scored one win in an attritional race at Spa-Francorchamps.

Hill retired from the sport in 1999, but maintained close personal ties and in 2006 was elected as president of the BRDC as Sir Jackie Stewart's successor.

He played an integral role in securing a 17-year contract for Silverstone to hold F1 grands prix, before standing down from his position on 25 August 2011.