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Will named as finalist for prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award

Will Palmer, the 2015 Duo BRDC Formula 4 Champion, has today (30 September) been announced as one of the six finalists for the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award following his dominant 2015 season. The 18-year-old will undergo fitness and simulator assessments before taking part in a two-day test on the Grand Prix Circuit at Silverstone in Formula 2, DTM Mercedes and McLaren GT3 machinery later this month.

Will, the brother of current Lotus F1 Team Third and Reserve Driver Jolyon Palmer, will be up against five other young British single-seater drivers, who have been selected due to their performances throughout the 2015 season. Jake Hughes, the inaugural BRDC Formula 4 Champion in 2013, has been chosen as a finalist for the second time along with Hughes' Formula Renault Eurocup title challengers Ben Barnicoat and Jack Aitken. The two other drivers selected are MSA Formula driver Ricky Collard and the 2014 MSV F3 Cup Champion Toby Sowery. The sextet will be competing to not only win the coveted title but a prize package including a McLaren F1 test, £100,000 cash, full BRDC membership and an Arai GP-6 RC carbon crash helmet.

The finalists were selected by a panel comprising BRDC President Derek Warwick, two-time British Touring Car Champion Jason Plato, McLaren's Andrew Kirkaldy and Mark Williams, leading circuit commentator Ian Titchmarsh, AUTOSPORT features Editor Scott Mitchell and Motorsport News Editor Kevin Turner. The winner will be announced at the end-of-season AUTOSPORT Awards in December.

The nomination of both Will and Hughes continues a strong trend of BRDC Formula 4 drivers' participation in the award. George Russell, Sennan Fielding and 2013 graduate Seb Morris were all selected in the final six in 2014, with 2014 BRDC Formula 4 Champion Russell winning the award.

Will said: "I am really looking forward to it and I think it will be an amazing couple of days. The cars that you get to drive there are awesome; especially the DTM car which I think is renowned for its level of grip for a tin-top car. In terms of challenging for the award, I think that George Russell showed that the F4 Champion can compete so I definitely will try and do as much as I can to beat the other guys. Obviously the other nominees are hugely talented and it will be tough but I will be doing everything I can to take the award."

Previous winners of the award include David Coulthard, Jenson Button, Anthony Davidson and Dario Franchitti.

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