Fresh from stealing the show at the Formula 1 'rookie tests' at Jerez in Spain, the 2009 Cooper Tires British Formula 3 International Series Champion, Daniel Ricciardo, raced back to England on Friday (4 Dec) to collect his victory silverware.

The 20-year-old Carlin driver received the champion's trophy at the annual SRO Motorsports Group awards, held in West Sussex.

On Thursday Ricciardo blitzed the field on the third and final day of F1's official young driver test session, the Australian's Red Bull Racing machine lapping Jerez with a time 1.3s clear of his nearest rival. Said Daniel: "It was a great day and it puts a big, proud smile on my face. I think the team were quite satisfied - I think they got some good data for next year."

Ricciardo is bidding to follow 2008 British F3 Champion Jaime Alguersuari into a regular Formula 1 seat, further reinforcing British F3's international reputation as the leading motorsport academy for the Grand Prix star of the future.

Walter Grubmuller and Renger van der Zande - second and third overall in the British F3 international class - collected their trophies on Friday also, and there were awards for National Class Champion Daniel McKenzie, top rookie Riki Christodoulou and Mirror.co.uk Challenge Cup victor Max Chilton.

British F3 is sponsored by US tyre manufacturer Cooper Tire and is further supported by insurance specialist AON, by Sunoco Racing Fuels and by Anglo American Oil Company.