Hamilton looking to end year on a high

The world champion won an unprecedented hat-trick of awards at last year's event and is in the running to defend two of those titles today.

He is among the contenders for the International Racing Driver of the Year and British Competition Driver of the Year awards. His likely rivals for the former are the same rivals he beat to become Formula One's youngest ever world champion this year, Felipe Massa, Robert Kubica, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso.

Competition for the British driver award - which is voted for by Autosport readers - is just as fierce, with Le Mans winner Allan McNish, DTM runner-up Paul di Resta, and World Touring Car aces Rob Huff and Andy Priaulx all in the running.

The autosport.com Rookie of the Year Award will go to someone other than Hamilton this year, for the first time since 2005 following his outstanding first season's in GP2 and F1 in the last two years.

In the hunt to succeed him are Sebastian Vettel, Timo Glock and Nelson Piquet Jr from F1, Le Mans Series champion Alexandre Premat and GP2 Asia champion Romain Grosjean.

There are plenty of other awards up for grabs over the night.

Ferrari and McLaren are once again the leading contenders for the International Racing Car of the Year Award, while Sebastien Loeb will continue his battle with Ford's Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala for International Rally Driver of the Year.

The night will end, as always, with one of the biggest awards for junior drivers as the six contenders for the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award find out who will be the 20th recipient of the prestigious accolade. The winner will walk away with a cheque for £50,000 and a test in a McLaren F1 car.