Ross Brawn has received the prestigious Autosport Gold Medal at the 38th Autosport Awards.
The multiple-championship winning engineer, strategist and team boss was presented with his award by ex-commentator James Allen at London’s Roundhouse on 21 January.
Brawn, who scored successes with Benetton, Ferrari and his own squad before spending time as part of F1’s management, is the fourth person to be awarded the accolade, following Jean Todt, Roger Penske and Sir Jackie Stewart.
The Gold Medal celebrates individuals whose service, leadership and innovation leave an enduring legacy for generations of fans and competitors.
Jean Todt, a fellow Autosport Gold Medal Award winner, and Martin Brundle handed out the award on the night to Brawn in front of guests and fans.
“This is very special, I am deeply honoured both by the award and the things that have been said this evening. I am very touched, this is very special,” Brawn said, who was sent video tribute messages from F1 world champions Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button, as well as F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“I think the championships and the victories have been very special but what meant even more to me was the relationships, with the drivers and with the teams, seeing it come together and work. Both in the difficult times and in the good times.
“We lost three world championships at Ferrari before we won one and those three losses were just as important to our relationships as it was for the ones that we won. Listening to the words said tonight remind me just how special those relationships were. That is something I miss now, probably something I miss most of all.
“I started at Williams as a machinist and a mechanic and Sir Patrick Head was my mentor. I learned and followed him, it was a privilege. I don’t think he saw me as a mentee but he was to me. So seeing people who followed me reaching great heights in motorsport is incredibly special.”
“I couldn’t have done it without my family, my girls and my grandchildren now. They may have felt the failures more than I did at the time. They knew when to approach me and when not to approach me after a race. I love them dearly and I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Button, who won the 2009 F1 world title with the Brawn team and paid tribute in a video message, said: “I’ve worked with some absolute great team owners, team principals – people that are so passionate about what they do – and Ross is definitely no exception.
“His management technique is off the charts. But I think a lot of why we love Ross is because he understands what he’s talking about in terms of the technical side of a race car. He understands what it needs to be fast.
“And it’s his calm demeanour. That’s what you need in a frantic environment, which is what F1 is. You need someone that’s in charge to be calm and he’s very good at not blaming individuals for mistakes. That’s great because it means that it gives people within the team the opportunity to do great things.”
Brawn won Autosport’s John Bolster Award for Technical Achievement in 1991 with his Jaguar XJR-14, which moved the goalposts in sportscar racing. He then helped Michael Schumacher to two F1 drivers’ titles with Benetton before following the German to Ferrari.
Along with Schumacher, Todt and Rory Byrne, Brawn was part of the superteam that delivered five drivers’ crowns and six constructors’ championships for the famous Italian team.
He then became team principal at Honda before the Japanese firm pulled out of F1. Brawn took a controlling stake in the team and sensationally won a title double in 2009 before his eponymous outfit was bought out and became Mercedes, where he stayed until 2014.
Autosport Archive: Ross Brawn uncut
Brawn later played a defining role in shaping the sport’s current regulatory landscape and competitive future as managing director, motor sports, and technical director for the Formula One Group.
The Autosport Awards also included many prizes decided by reader votes. They included Driver of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Moment of the Year presented by Bahrain International Circuit, Competition Car of the Year, Rally Driver of the Year and British Competition Driver of the Year. Two new awards are Team of the Year and Creator of the Year.
Further awards, decided by expert judging panels, include the Pioneering and Innovation Award, Promoter of the Year and Brand Partnership of the Year.
To find out who our other award winners are go to autosport.com/awards
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– The Autosport.com Team
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