UK Motorsports Hall of Fame announces 2016 candidates

The Motor Sport Hall of Fame has now announced the nominees for its 2016 awards. The top three nominees in each category will be confirmed at the Hall of Fame Awards dinner, which will take place on Tuesday May 31 at the Royal Automobile Club, Woodcote Park, Epsom. Those in contention for the honor, will no doubt be on tenterhooks as they wait to find out if they have been awarded the prize that is considered the Oscar’s of the motorsport world.

As would be expected, names included on the list of nominees are thoroughly deserving, upstanding members of the sporting world. For the F1 category names such as legendary Cosworth pairing Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth, the highly talented Gilles Villeneuve and legendary Formula 1 doctor Professor Sid Watkins, whose work advancing F1 safety through the years was second to none, make the short list.

In the Sports Car category, five times Le Mans 24hr winner Derek Bell has been nominated for his contribution to endurance racing, whilst Brian Redman and the late Pedro Rodriguez have also been selected.

Richard Burns joins Hannu Mikkola and Sebastien Loeb in the Rally category, while Dan Gurney, Roger Penske and AJ Foyt have been nominated in the new US Racing category.

In the Motorcycling category, the late, great Mike Hailwood has been chosen, as has Valentino Rossi, now considered by many to be the GOAT, and the uniquely impressive Joey Dunlop.

The Hall of Fame Awards dinner will be a unique event, and the likes of Adrian Newey, Jackie Stewart, John Surtees, Jackie Oliver, Tom Kristensen, Darren Turner, David Brabham, James Allen, Mark Blundell, Derek Warwick and Charley Boorman, will all be in attendance. Guests, including fans for the first time this year, will have the opportunity to interact with these motor racing greats, and many more.

A number of demonstrations will also be held at the ceremony to showcase the vehicles of motorsport; from static exhibits to live vehicle runs, representing the careers of the Hall of Fame nominees.

Tickets to the Hall of Fame Live event cost £72, tickets to the dinner are from £360. All are available via the Motor Sport website, www.motorsportmagazine.com or directly at: www.motorsportmagazine.com/halloffame/tickets/