Motor Sport Magazine paid tribute to four inspirational racing icons last night at the Roundhouse, London, by inducting them into the prestigious annual Motor Sport Hall of Fame, held in association with TAG Heuer.

Sir Jack Brabham OBE, Sir Frank Williams CBE, Jody Scheckter and Dario Franchitti were all honoured with awards on stage in front of a star-studded audience. Collecting the award on behalf of Sir Jack was his son David Brabham, with the legendary Sir Stirling Moss OBE making the presentation.

Having won three Formula 1 titles in 1959-60 and 1966, Jack Brabham is the oldest surviving World Champion. In 1966 became the only man to ever win the F1 drivers’ title in one of his own cars, having founded the highly successful Brabham racing team.

Frank Williams received his award from legendary F1 commentator Murray Walker, who spoke fondly about the endless passion and commitment to Grand Prix racing that the Wiliams team founder has shown since the late ’60s.

The third inductee of the evening was Ferrari’s 1979 World Champion Jody Scheckter. TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Christophe Babin and five-time Grand Prix winner John Watson bestowed the honour on the South African racer. Scheckter had a sensational career, driving for McLaren, Tyrrell, Wolf and Ferrari. He was the last driver to win a world title for Ferrari until Michael Schumacher did so 21 years later.

Completing the line-up of 2011 Motor Sport Hall of Fame inductees was three-time IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti. Highly respected for his achievements in America, the Scot is also a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and undoubtedly Britain’s most successful motor racing export to the US.

The great and good of F1 gathered for the awards, with personalities including Christian Horner, Eddie Jordan, John Watson and Karun Chandhok in attendance on the night. Celebrity faces were also seen gracing the red carpet outside the iconic Roundhouse and mixing with the motor sport fraternity. James Martin, Chris Rea, Nick Mason and Johnnie Walker all joined the exclusive event.

Commenting on his accolade, Sir Frank Williams said: “Number one I must remind myself not to let my ego get the better of me, because this is an amazing magic. It is an honour, something I will try not to brag about.”

In 2010 Mario Andretti, Tony Brooks, Jacky Ickx and Ron Dennis were inducted at the inaugural Motor Sport Hall of Fame event, along with founding members Enzo Ferrari, Tazio Nuvolari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher.

Motor Sport Magazine - The original motor racing magazine

Following the inaugural Motor Sport Hall of Fame event in early 2010, the prestigious awards evening will return to the Roundhouse in Camden, London, on Tuesday 15 February 2011. Celebrating and honouring the achievements of motor racing’s greatest luminaries, the event brings together a host of personalities from the sport.

The second annual Hall of Fame event, in association with TAG Heuer, takes place less than four weeks ahead of the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship, starting in March.

Already confirmed to attend the 2011 Hall of Fame, are two of Motor Sport Magazine’s existing Hall of Fame inductees – Sir Stirling Moss OBE and one of Britain’s most respected Grand Prix drivers, Tony Brooks.

Hosted by BBC Sport’s Jake Humphrey, the evening will be a gathering of names and faces, with celebrity guests joining legends from the world of motor racing, making it a highly memorable occasion for the next inductees due to be announced on the night.

Sir Stirling Moss explains what the Hall of Fame means to him, “I started reading Motor Sport avidly in 1947, or thereabouts, and I haven’t missed an issue since then. It’s an exceptionally good magazine. To be invited to the opening Motor Sport Hall of Fame event earlier this year, where I was awarded a founding membership, was an absolute delight for me. I can’t wait to attend again in 2011 and find out who the next inductees will be.”

Talking about the forthcoming awards, Motor Sport Magazine’s editor, Damien Smith, said, “The inaugural Motor Sport Hall of Fame event was a huge success. The evening has become a real highlight on the motor racing social calendar. Motor Sport Magazine is proud to present racing legends, which are an inspiration to our readers, with an accolade which pays tribute to their significant contributions to the sport.”

For further information, contact Debbie Beale at Jardine International:
Tel: +44 (0)20 8607 3907 / +44(0)7766 088 713
Email: debbie.beale@jardine-international.com

Motor Sport Magazine - The original motor racing magazine

When it was announced at the Malaysian Grand Prix last year that the BBC would be taking over the UK broadcasting rights for Formula 1 in 2009, there was an overwhelmingly positive response from both the public and paddock insiders. After 12 years of hard work, that reaction must have hurt the ITV team deeply, but the general belief was that not only would it mean an end to those pesky ad breaks, the BBC would also do a better job – and this week the Beeb revealed exactly why that perception looks certain to become reality.

In a press conference in White City this week, the broadcaster welcomed the media to meet its F1 team and explained how it plans to offer a new level of service that will revolutionise the way most of us watch Grands Prix.

Senior producer Mark Wilkin, who has editorial control of GP coverage across all BBC media, revealed that 200 hours of F1 will be broadcast this year. Qualifying and the races will be live on BBC1 (repeated later in the day for those with an early start), plus there will be a one-hour highlights package shown on BBC3 at 7pm on the evening of all races except for Brazil. So far, so ITV.

But it is the BBC’s ‘Red Button’ option that has really opened up the opportunities to give a greater depth of coverage.

All practice sessions, including those on Friday, will be shown live via the Red Button service, with commentary coming from Radio 5 Live. On race day you will be able to choose from the TV commentary or the radio equivalent, while split-screen options including on-car footage and a leaderboard will also be available.

An hour of analysis will be shown via the Red Button after the main network coverage of the race ends, all of which will be backed up by a wide-ranging service on the BBC’s hugely popular website.

Online, we can look forward to live video streaming of all on-track action, leaderboards, live text commentary and various interactive options. Extra coverage will include an ‘F1 mole’ diary-type blog and features with commentary legend Murray Walker, who is returning to his spiritual home this year to bolster the BBC’s line-up.

And if you miss a weekend’s action, the BBC’s popular iPlayer option will allow you to catch up for seven days after the race.

Wilkin explained that the BBC must “de-mystify F1” for its mass audience, but with so much coverage on offer the die-hard fans who read magazines such as Motor Sport should also be satisfied.

The broadcasting team, who all attended the press conference, has been known for months now. But here’s a rundown once again: the main commentators will be Jonathan Legard and Martin Brundle, news from the pit and paddock will come from Lee McKenzie and Ted Kravitz, and anchorman Jake Humphrey will have the job of marshalling outspoken pundits David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan. Additionally, out-of-work driver Anthony Davidson will join David Croft in the 5 Live commentary box.

Oh yes, and they will be using Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain as the theme tune – and it won’t be re-mixed or ruined in any way!

But some of the biggest questions remain unanswered. For example, how will we be informed when the drivers are using their KERS power boost and trimming their wings each lap, new innovations in 2009 to improve the racing spectacle? Legard and Brundle admitted they’re asking themselves exactly the same questions.

Perhaps they’ll get their answer from the Formula One Teams Association, which has been discussing ways to make the sport more accessible. Expect details of how F1 could finally do itself a favour this year and open up to the fans in a FOTA press conference scheduled for March 5 in Geneva. It should be great news for all of us.

Motor Sport Magazine - The original motor racing magazine