Hall of Fame 2021 inductees revealed

You have voted and now we can reveal which legends of racing have a place in the Motor Sport Hall of Fame this year

Hall of Fame header
Browse pages
Current page

1

Current page

2

Current page

3

Current page

4

Current page

5

Current page

6

Current page

7

Current page

8

Current page

9

Current page

10

Current page

11

Current page

12

Current page

13

Current page

14

Current page

15

Current page

16

Current page

17

Current page

18

Current page

19

Current page

20

Current page

21

Current page

22

Current page

23

Current page

24

Current page

25

Current page

26

Current page

27

Current page

28

Current page

29

Current page

30

Current page

31

Current page

32

Current page

33

Current page

34

Current page

35

Current page

36

Current page

37

Current page

38

Current page

39

Current page

40

Current page

41

Current page

42

Current page

43

Current page

44

Current page

45

Current page

46

Current page

47

Current page

48

Current page

49

Current page

50

Current page

51

Current page

52

Current page

53

Current page

54

Current page

55

Current page

56

Current page

57

Current page

58

Current page

59

Current page

60

Current page

61

Current page

62

Current page

63

Current page

64

Current page

65

Current page

66

Current page

67

Current page

68

Current page

69

Current page

70

Current page

71

Current page

72

Current page

73

Current page

74

Current page

75

Current page

76

Current page

77

Current page

78

Current page

79

Current page

80

Current page

81

Current page

82

Current page

83

Current page

84

Current page

85

Current page

86

Current page

87

Current page

88

Current page

89

Current page

90

Current page

91

Current page

92

Current page

93

Current page

94

Current page

95

Current page

96

Current page

97

Current page

98

Current page

99

Current page

100

Current page

101

Current page

102

Current page

103

Current page

104

Current page

105

Current page

106

Current page

107

Current page

108

Current page

109

Current page

110

Current page

111

Current page

112

Current page

113

Current page

114

Current page

115

Current page

116

Current page

117

Current page

118

Current page

119

Current page

120

Current page

121

Current page

122

Current page

123

Current page

124

Current page

125

Current page

126

Current page

127

Current page

128

Current page

129

Current page

130

Current page

131

Current page

132

Current page

133

Current page

134

Current page

135

Current page

136

Current page

137

Current page

138

Current page

139

Current page

140

Current page

141

Current page

142

Current page

143

Current page

144

Current page

145

Current page

146

Current page

147

Current page

148

Current page

149

Current page

150

Current page

151

Current page

152

Current page

153

Current page

154

Current page

155

Current page

156

Current page

157

Current page

158

Current page

159

Current page

160

Current page

161

Current page

162

Current page

163

Current page

164

Motor Sport readers have voted in their thousands and we can now reveal the five motor racing figureheads you have chosen to enter our Hall of Fame. This year’s shortlist brought a tough test for voters, with every nominee excelling in their respective fields, all with achievements that most racers can only dream of. As usual, we were looking for more than just race victories and championships – and once again our readers have assiduously opted for individuals whose mark goes beyond results sheets. These are people who have shaped their sport as icons of their generation. Here are the 2021 Hall of Fame inductees…

Formula 1

Kimi Räikkönen

Formula 1’s most prolific driver, with a record number of starts. He won the 2007 world title

Kimi Raikkonen on the podium at 2007 Australian Grand Prix

It’s a sign of the affection in which Kimi Räikkönen is held that rival nominee Jenson Button encouraged his Twitter followers to vote for the Iceman. He convincingly won the Formula 1 category ahead of Button and Nico Rosberg.

Räikkönen retired after his record-setting 349th grand prix start at Abu Dhabi, the 2007 world champion still displaying flashes of the brilliance that earned him an F1 drive in 2001 after competing in just 23 car races.

But it’s his attitude to racing that connects him with other Hall of Fame legends. He was there simply for the thrill of racing. In a Motor Sport podcast recorded ahead of his final race, he said that he would have continued karting if he hadn’t found the funding for a single-seat career. And he’d probably have been just as happy.

 


Legends

Michèle Mouton

Blazed a trail for female rally drivers and now plays a major role at the FIA

Young Michele Mouton in 1978

Bin the self-help book: the career of Michèle Mouton is all you need to study for an example of how far natural talent and self-determination can get you. When her love of speed — nurtured with country-road drives in her father’s Porsche 911 — combined with rallying, the magic was clear.

She rapidly won several French and European women’s rally titles in the mid-1970s, but realised that she’d only be truly tested competing at the top level. Amid suspicion that her performances could only be down to a souped-up engine, Mouton made a name for herself in WRC. She was signed by Audi for its Quattro season in 1981 and can count herself unlucky to have missed out on the 1982 title.

She remains the only woman to have won a WRC round, with four victories in total.

 


Le Mans

Allan McNish

Three-time Le Mans winner, whose influence now stretches into Audi team management

Allan McNish celebrates Le Mans victory

Three Le Mans wins, three American Le Mans titles and the 2013 World Endurance Championship all point to an exceptional driver.

Related article

But it took moments to recognise his talent once you saw him in action: muscling his whispering diesel Audi R18 through lines of traffic at Le Mans with pace, aggression and caution in perfect balance.

His benchmark career was recognised by Hall of Fame voters, with almost two-thirds picking McNish in the Le Mans category, above David Brabham and Emanuele Pirro.

“I’m so proud to be recognised by the readers, because they’re very, very knowledgeable,” said the endurance racer-turned Formula E team boss. “They understand their stuff – they definitely know a Capello from a Kristensen from a McNish!”

 


US Racing

Scott Dixon

Six-time IndyCar champion and 2008 Indy 500 winner – and still going strong

Scott Dixon ahead of the 2020 Indy 500

Boasting longevity along with outright speed, Scott Dixon, now 41, has maintained an incredible level of competitiveness. He became CART’s youngest winner at 20 years old and, two years later, in 2003, claimed his first championship with Chip Ganassi Racing. It was the beginning of a hugely successful partnership.

An impressive 2008 included six wins, as well as a maiden Indianapolis 500 victory, on the way to a second championship. From then, the New Zealander’s IndyCar consistency has been unrivalled, finishing in the top three every year bar one up to 2018.

With his single victory in 2021, only AJ Foyt and Mario Andretti have a higher tally than his 51 wins. Nominees Hélio Castroneves and Jimmie Johnson will have to wait in line behind one of US racing’s all-time greats.

 


Engineers

Charlie Whiting

Formula 1’s race director from 1997 until his death in 2019 was a pillar of the sport

Charlie Whiting portrait

Firm, fair and respected: if Charlie Whiting had never been born, he would still exist in the imagination as the quintessential F1 race director.

He was chief mechanic at Brabham during Bernie Ecclestone’s reign and grew into his role, becoming FIA technical delegate and then, from 1997, race director. His presence was felt from paddock to the gantry, a watching eye cast over all competitors. Footage of briefings show good-natured exchanges between race director and driver, although Whiting was never shy in setting firm boundaries.

This season has only highlighted the void that Whiting left following his death just ahead of the 2019 season. His legacy lives on: Whiting helped spearhead improvements in safety with the introduction of the survival cell and most recently the Halo device.


HoF Inductees headerView every racing legend in the Motor Sport Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame inductees

 

You may also like

Related products