GB3 front-runners Louis Sharp, John Bennett and Will Macintyre have been named among the final 10 contenders for this year’s running of the Silverstone Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award.
The prize has been claimed by drivers from the GB3 Championship or its BRDC British F3/BRDC F4 predecessors in eight of the past nine stagings, with Zak O’Sullivan (2021), Luke Browning (2022) and Joseph Loake (2023) the most recent winners.
A cash sum of £200,000 is on offer to this year’s winner, plus a test drive with the Aston Martin Aramco F1 team. Other notable winners include David Coulthard, Jenson Button, George Russell and Lando Norris.
Finalists have to be competing in a category below FIA F3 (or be an F3 rookie) to be eligible, and be aged 16 at the time of the assessment, and under 24 at the start of the year.
Reigning champion Callum Voisin has also been confirmed among the final 10, which will be reduced down to four drivers ahead of the assessments in October.
The assessments will once more take place on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit, with drivers testing GT3 and LMP3 machinery, plus MSV’s F2 cars, following additional off-track elements.
The panel of judges will again be headed by BRDC vice-president Derek Warwick, with former award winners Andrew Kirkaldy, Alexander Sims, Dario Franchitti and Darren Turner also in the line-up. F1 race-winner Johnny Herbert, successful McLaren designer Mark Williams, leading engineer Leena Gade, commentator Ian Titchmarsh and Autosport Chief Editor Kevin Turner complete the panel.
While selecting the final four, judges reserve the right to introduce a wild card entry for drivers excelling in the closing stages of the season.
The winner will be announced at the Autosport Awards in January.