Britain’s Next Great Hope is Crowned - Formula One test drive for McLaren Autosport BRDC Winner
The prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award was been presented to Oliver Jarvis at the annual Autosport Awards in London’s Grosvenor House Hotel last night.
Following in the wheeltracks of Britain’s Formula One aces David Coulthard and Jenson Button, 21-year-old Jarvis from Cambridgeshire, who won the 2005 UK Formula Renault championship, showed the speed, technique, attitude, technical feedback and professionalism to win the award, which was judged by a panel of motor sport professionals.
The assessment included a six-way ‘shootout’ against other leading young racers at the wheel of Honda’s British Touring Car Championship-winning Integra, the awesome German Touring Car Championship-winning Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the 200mph World Series single-seater in motor racing’s answer to the ‘X-Factor’.
Jarvis said: “I’m still struggling to put it into words. It opens a lot of doors for me and hopefully I can go on and prove the judges right.
“I think a couple of us thought we had got it but it’s nice to finally have it in my hand and know it’s mine. I feel bad for the other five and they’re all good drivers and I’m sure they’ll go on to bigger and better things.”
The award bestows enormous prestige upon Jarvis in the eyes of the British motor sport industry, which has proven invaluable to previous winners such as Coulthard and Button on their route to the top of the professional sport. As well as £50,000 towards his 2006 racing budget, Jarvis gets an opportunity to display his burgeoning skills in a Formula One test drive with McLaren-Mercedes in the coming months.
Britain has produced more Formula One world champions, and won more world championships than any other country from Mike Hawthorn in 1958 through to Graham Hill (1962, 1968), Jim Clark (1963, 1965), John Surtees (1964), Sir Jackie Stewart (1969, 1971, 1973), James Hunt (1976), Nigel Mansell (1992) and Damon Hill in 1996. Jarvis received the award from another British racing legend, Sir Stirling Moss.
As president of the British Racing Drivers Club, Sir Jackie Stewart said: “The importance of this award has become clear in the achievements of the recipients from the inaugural winner, David Coulthard, through to the progress of our most recent winners. As a group the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award has given prominence to drivers who continue to set standards in international motor sport.”
McLaren Autosport BRDC Award Roll of Honour
2005 Oliver Jarvis2004 Paul di Resta2003 Alex Lloyd2002 Jamie Green2001 Steven Kane2000 Anthony Davidson1999 Gary Paffett1998 Jenson Button1997 Andrew Kirkaldy1996 Darren Turner 1995 Johnny Kane 1994 Jamie Davies 1993 Ralph Firman 1992 Dario Franchitti 1991 Oliver Gavin 1990 Gareth Rees 1989 David Coulthard
The McLaren Autosport BRDC Award was presented at the Autosport Awards, internationally known as the ‘Oscars night’ of world motor sport. Among the other winners were Dan Wheldon, the 2005 IRL champion and Indy 500 winner, who was presented with the British Competition Driver of the Year Award.
The International Racing Driver of the Year Award went to Formula One star Kimi Raikkonen while Manxman Mark Higgins was presented with the National Rally Driver of the Year Award.
The Autosport Awards evening also celebrated the memory of another British world champion, the 2001 World Rally Championship winner Richard Burns, who succumbed to illness last month at the age of 34. Tributes were led by World Rally Championship promoter David Richards, who said: “The recent loss of Richard teaches you never to be complacent about life itself.”
The six McLaren Autosport BRDC Award finalists were:
• Sam Bird, 18, from Claygate, Surrey - 2005 Formula BMW UK Vice-Champion• Joey Foster, 22, from Truro, Cornwall – 2005 US Formula Ford 2000 Vice-Champion• James Jakes, 18, from Leeds, Yorkshire – 2005 Formula Renault UK frontrunner• Oliver Jarvis, 21, from Burwell, Cambs – 2005 Formula Renault UK Champion• Duncan Tappy, 21, from West Ewell, Surrey – 2005 UK Formula Ford Festival winner• Joe Tandy, 22, from Pavenham, Beds – 2005 Formula Palmer Audi Champion
