Award-winning motoring journalists, photographers, broadcasters and authors from around the world attended the presentation of the Guild of Motoring Writers’ Annual Awards on Thursday 30 November at the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London.
A record-breaking total of 280 submissions (the most ever received in the 73-year history of the Guild) was entered in the categories open to motoring media professionals. Awards were also presented to aspiring young journalists and those making a special contribution to motoring and motorsport.
The prized ‘Journalist of the Year’ title, supported by Renault, was awarded to James Ruppert who, in 2017, marked 11 years as the used car correspondent at Autocar.
The top Motoring Photographer was named as Nick Dimbleby, while the Motorsport Photographer of the Year was Jakob Ebrey.
The Mercedes-Benz Montagu of Beaulieu trophy for the best recording of the history of motoring in the English language was collected by noted historian Anders Ditlev Clausager for his comprehensive new book on the history of British carmaker Wolseley.
The ever-popular Feature Writer of the Year category, sponsored by British Car Auctions, attracted 45 entries, making it the most highly contested award in the Guild’s history. The 2017 winner was James Taylor whose entry included a feature on racing in the Audi TT Cup at Hockenheim.
Staying with motorsport, the Guild’s Driver of the Year was 2017 GP3 champion George Russell, who is a Mercedes-AMG Junior F1 driver and recently tested with Force India. He was unable to attend to collect his award due to GP2 testing commitments. Receiving the Rider of the Year trophy was Sam Sunderland, the first Briton to win the Dakar Rally. Sam travelled from his home in France to attend the awards.
Other winners travelled from Europe, Scandinavia, North America and even South America. IAM RoadSmart Safety Award winner Gustavo Ruffo was the most-travelled guest of all: he flew in from Sao Paolo, Brazil, to attend the Awards.
Away from the world of journalism, the Guild’s award for a Special Contribution to Motoring, sponsored by Kia, was presented to Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, founder of the Warwick Manufacturing Group, in recognition of the organisation’s contribution to developing new technologies and skills in the automotive sector.
Guild treasurer and former chairman Matthew Carter was recognised for his work on behalf of the Guild over many years with the Pemberton Tankard.
The final presentation of the night was the President’s Trophy, won by Sir Frank Williams for his lifetime contribution to motor racing. He was unable to attend due to a prior comment so the trophy was handed over by Guild president Nick Mason to Williams F1 technical director Paddy Lowe. Paddy was later interviewed on stage by Guild member and F1 journalist Maurice Hamilton.
GUILD AWARDS 2017 – WINNERS AND HIGHLY COMMENDED
AA Campaigning Journalist of the Year
Winner: Ray Massey
Highly Commended: Jack Carfrae / Maria McCarthy
Audi Photographer of the Year – General
Winner: Nick Dimbleby
Highly Commended: Luc Lacey / James Lipman
Audi Photographer of the Year – Motorsport
Winner: Jakob Ebrey
Highly Commended: Jeff Bloxham / John Mountney
British Car Auctions Feature Writer of the Year
Winner: James Taylor
Highly Commended: Dale Drinnon / Jack Carfrae
DS Automobiles Editor of the Year
Winner: Paul Barker
Highly Commended: Maggie Barry / Hilton Holloway
GKN Driveline Consumer Journalist of the Year
Winner: John Evans
Highly Commended: George Barrow / Ray Massey
IAM RoadSmart Safety Award
Winner: Gustavo Ruffo
Highly Commended: Chris Knapman / Dan Trent
Market Engineering Award for Automotive Technology Journalism
Winner: Lem Bingley
Highly Commended: Graham Heeps / Chris Pickering
Mercedes-Benz Award for the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy
First: Anders Ditlev Clausager – Wolseley – A Very British Car
Second: John Nikas – Rule Britannia – When British Sports Cars Saved a Nation
Third: Tony Lewin – The BMW Century
Newspress Young Writer of the Year
Winner: Jack Benyon
Highly Commended: Jack Phillips / Sophie Williamson-Stothert
Peugeot Motorsport Cup
Winner: Andrew Charman
Highly Commended: James Taylor / Nick Trott
Prova PR Business Writer of the Year
Winner: Simon Duval-Smith
Highly Commended: David Leggett / Ray Massey
Renault UK / The Guild of Motoring Writers’ Journalist of the Year
First: James Ruppert
Second: Ray Massey
Third: Paul Barker
RM Sotheby’s Classic Writer of the Year
Winner: David Burgess-Wise
Highly Commended: Sam Dawson / Malcolm Thorne
TMD Friction Ltd The Textar Mintex Don Commercial Vehicle Writer of the Year Award
Winner: Louise Cole
Highly Commended: James Gordon / Brian Weatherley
Guild Driver of the Year: George Russell
Guild Rider of the Year: Sam Sunderland
President’s Trophy: Sir Frank Williams
Special Commendation for a Contribution to Motoring sponsored by Kia:
Warwick Manufacturing Group
Phil Llewellin Student Journalist of the Year sponsored by CAR: Illya Verpraet
Highly Commended: David Lynch
Pemberton Trophy: Matthew Carter
Motoring Research Breakthrough Award: Alan Bradley and Andrew Clews
Highly Commended: Tom Roberts