The 2020 FIA champions were honoured in the first-ever virtual Prize Giving ceremony, hosted by FIA President Jean Todt in Geneva. Lewis Hamilton dominates the awards ceremony with three awards to his name.
“2020 has been an unprecedented year and it’s remarkable to be here and to be able to honour our champions,” said FIA President Jean Todt. “Unfortunately, they cannot be with us in person tonight, but the most important thing is that, through creativity and resourcefulness, we have been able to organize championships – and we have champions to celebrate. I would like to pay credit to all those who made it possible.”
The undoubted standout performer of the night was Lewis Hamilton, whose exploits on and off track yielded three awards. Hamilton ended the 2020 campaign with 95 grand prix victories after standing on the top step of the podium 11 times to collect the trophy as the 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Champion.
The Briton’s achievements over the course of his career and in the past six months have made him Formula 1’s and motor racing’s biggest star. However, it is not only his on-track exploits that have earned him this year’s Personality of the Year award.
In that category, Hamilton was chosen by permanently accredited FIA media from a list of nominees, which included fellow Formula 1 stars Pierre Gasly, Lando Norris, Kimi Räikkönen, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, the outgoing CEO of Formula 1 Chase Carey, Mercedes-AMG Petronas CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff as well as WRC rally star Elfyn Evans. It was the third time Hamilton has scooped the accolade.
Hamilton also featured in one of three FIA President Awards. The award recognises outstanding achievement, courage and sportsmanship – often in the face of adversity. It also pays tribute to individuals who make an impact on motor sport – and those who contribute to a better world.
Together with Michael Schumacher, the pair were jointly honoured in recognition of their shared achievement in winning seven FIA Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championships and the inspiration their sporting and personal commitments have brought to the world.
Lewis has been at the forefront of several campaigns – the FIA and Formula One’s End Racism and #WeRaceAsOne – and promoting diversity in motor sport.
On reaching the landmark of seven world titles and his work with the Hamilton Commission, Hamilton said: “It’s such a privilege to have the opportunity to reach the milestone. I didn’t think in my wildest dreams I would stand here as a seven-time World Champion.
“The Hamilton Commission is about breaking down barriers and creating opportunity and opening up more doors for everyone. I’m really hopeful that, together with the FIA and Formula 1, we can move forward in this direction.”
Michael is the inspiration behind the Keep Fighting Foundation, created by the Schumacher family to promote the spirit of perseverance, with which he is synonymous. Recently, the Keep Fighting Foundation became the first organization to pledge 5,000 helmets to the FIA Affordable and Safe Helmet campaign.
Accepting the award on Michael’s behalf, his wife Corinna, said: “Michael has always had a big heart to do something for people who are in need. With the Keep Fighting Foundation, we want to continue the work that he started.”
In praising the pair, President Todt, added: “Michael and Lewis are champions but also incredible human beings. Michael was always ready to support any kind of action to benefit society, for example his work on road safety. Let us not forget that, every year, 1.4million people die on the roads, so to have people like Michael and Lewis to engage with and educate young people is essential.”
In addition, Hamilton was also awarded the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) Trophy for becoming the highest points’ scorer across the three Italian Formula 1 Grands Prix staged this season. He amassed 59 points in total with two wins, a seventh place and three fastest laps. The trophy was presented via video link by Angelo Sticchi Damiani, , FIA Vice-President and the President of the Italien Automotive Club ACI.
In what has been an incomparable year for many reasons, there were three FIA President Awards in 2020.
The recipients of the third award were recognized for their bravery and exceptional reaction in coming to the aid of Haas F1 team driver Romain Grosjean, following his accident on the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Marshals from the Bahraini International Circuit rushed to the scene to assist Grosjean’s escape from the fire that had engulfed his race car. They were joined by the FIA Formula 1 Medical Rescue Co-ordinator Dr Ian Roberts and FIA Formula 1 Medical Car Driver Alan van der Merwe. The combined heroics of this group of courageous individuals meant that Grosjean emerged with minor burns to his hands.
The Bahraini marshals were joined by Abdulaziz Al Thawadi, representing his Excellence Sheikh Abdulla Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the President of the Bahrain Motor Federation, to receive the accolade from FIA President Jean Todt and Professor Gérard Saillant, President of the FIA Medical Commission.
Commenting on how the FIA’s unstinting efforts in motor sport bring benefits to everyday road users, President Todt, said: “It is the role of the FIA to improve safety. As motoring is progressing, motor sport is also progressing. Motor sport has to be a laboratory and every year, we improve the running of motor sport events and benefit mobility.
“Safety is always on top on our agenda, and we are engaging with the FIA Safety Department and the Medical Commission. We spoke a lot about Romain’s accident as it was everywhere on TV. We must work towards our aim of Vision Zero.
“We are relieved that Romain could escape, but we need to understand more about the accident. We need to learn from this as we do with every accident. That is how we make motor sport safer still.”
Grosjean praised the efforts of the medical teams. He said: “What I went through, I wish it to no one. Seeing the footage is still difficult for me but it makes me really proud of the medical teams and the marshals. I am sure they are very proud also. I’m still suffering from the burns, but I’m alive.”
2020 season FIA Award winners across Motor Sports :
FIA FORMULA 1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR DRIVERS
Lewis HAMILTON
FIA FORMULA 1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR CONSTRUCTORS
MERCEDES-AMG PETRONAS FORMULA ONE TEAM
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP FOR DRIVERS AND CO-DRIVERS
Sébastien OGIER & Julien INGRASSIA
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MANUFACTURERS
HYUNDAI MOTORSPORT
FIA WORLD ENDURANCE LMP DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
Mike CONWAY, Kamui KOBAYASHI, José María LÓPEZ
FIA WORLD ENDURANCE LMP1 CHAMPIONSHIP
TOYOTA GAZOO RACING
FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP FOR DRIVERS
Johan KRISTOFFERSSON
FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TEAMS
KYB TEAM JC
FIA KARTING WORLD CHAMPION – OK
Callum BRADSHAW
FIA KARTING WORLD CHAMPION – OK-JUNIOR
Freddie SLATER
FIA KARTING WORLD CHAMPION – KZ
Jérémy IGLESIAS
ABB FIA FORMULA E CHAMPIONSHIP FOR DRIVERS
António Félix DA COSTA
ABB FIA FORMULA E CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TEAMS
DS TECHEETAH
FIA PRESIDENT SPECIAL AWARD
- Michael SCHUMACHER
- Lewis HAMILTON
- Dr Ian ROBERTS, Alan van de MERWE, Sheikh ABDULLA and the Bahrain International Circuit Marshals
FIA PERSONALITY OF THE YAR
Lewis HAMILTON
FIA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Yuki TSUNODA
FIA ACTION OF THE YEAR
Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN
FIA OUTSTANDING OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR
Attila LÁSZLÓ
FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP FOR DRIVERS
Mick SCHUMACHER
FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TEAMS
PREMA RACING
FIA FORMULA 3 CHAMPIONSHIP FOR DRIVERS
Oscar PIASTRI
FIA FORMULA 3 CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TEAMS
PREMA RACING
FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP LMGTE FOR DRIVERS
Marco SØRENSEN & Nicki THIIM
FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP LMGTE FOR MANUFACTURERS
ASTON MARTIN RACING
FIA ENDURANCE TROPHY FOR LMP2 DRIVERS
Filipe ALBUQUERQUE & Philip HANSON
FIA ENDURANCE TROPHY FOR LMGTE AM DRIVERS
Emmanuel COLLARD, François PERRODO, Nicklas NIELSEN
FIA CERTIFIED GRAN TURISMO CHAMPIONSHIPS – NATIONS CUP
Takuma MIYAZONO
FIA CERTIFIED GRAN TURISMO CHAMPIONSHIPS – MANUFACTURER SERIES
Takuma MIYAZONO, Mikail HIZAL, Daniel SOLIS (TEAM SUBARU)
FIA WTCR WORLD TOURING CAR CUP FOR DRIVERS
Yann EHRLACHER
FIA WTCR WORLD TOURING CAR CUP FOR TEAMS
CYAN RACING LYNK & Co
FIA WTCR WORLD TOURING CAR CUP FOR ROOKIES
Gilles MAGNUS
FIA WRC CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TEAMS
HYUNDAI 2C COMPETITION
FIA WRC JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Tom KRISTENSSON & Joakim SJÖBERG
FIA WRC2 CHAMPIONSHIP FOR DRIVERS & CO-DRIVERS
Mads ØSTBERG & Torstein ERIKSEN
FIA WRC2 CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TEAMS
TOKSPORT WRT
FIA WRC3 CHAMPIONSHIP
Jari HUTTUNEN & Mikko LUKKA
FIA EUROPEAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
Alexey LUKYANUK & Dmitry EREMEEV
FIA EUROPEAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TEAMS
RALLYE TEAM SPAIN
FIA NACAM RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
Ricardo TRIVIÑO & Marc MARTI
FIA MIDDLE EAST RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
Nasser AL-ATTIYAH & Mathieu BAUMEL
FIA EUROPEAN RALLY TROPHY
Ondrej BISAHA & Petr TEŠÍNSKÝ
FIA RGT CUP
Andrea MABELLINI & Jiri CERNOCH
FORMULA REGIONAL EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Gianluca PETECOF
FORMULA 3 ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Joey ALDERS
FORMULA REGIONAL AMERICAS CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Linus LUNDQVIST
F4 NACAM CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Noel Jesús León VÁSQUEZ
F4 USA CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Hunter YEANY
F4 UAE CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Francesco PIZZI
F4 SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Kas HAVERKORT
F4 SOUTH EAST ASIA CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Lucca ALLEN
F4 ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Gabriele MINI
F4 GERMAN CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Jonny EDGAR
F4 BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Luke BROWNING
F4 JAPANESE CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Hibiki TAIRA
F4 FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA
Ayumu IWASA
FIA KARTING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – OK
Andrea Kimi ANTONELLI
FIA KARTING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – JUNIOR
Ugo UGOCHUKWU
FIA KARTING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – KZ
Marijn KREMERS
FIA KARTING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – KZ2
Viktor GUSTAVSSON
FIA KARTING INTERNATIONAL SUPER CUP – KZ2
Simone CUNATI
FIA KARTING ACADEMY TROPHY
Connor ZILISCH
FIA TROPHY FOR HISTORIC REGULARITY RALLIES
Michel DECREMER & Patrick LIENNE
