British publication again gives British driver top billing

Driving the best machine in F1 for the 6th straight year, Hamilton again won the F1 title

Six-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton claimed the International Racing Driver of the Year presented by Pirelli Award at the 2019 Autosport Awards held in London.

Hamilton's Mercedes team was expected to start the 2019 season behind Ferrari in the F1 pecking order, but the uniformed media forgot that this year's Mercedes was the last car designed by Aldo Costa and no one beats an Aldo Costa designed car.

Hamilton stormed to pole position for the first race in Australia and, though he was beaten there by teammate Valtteri Bottas, he would win six of the next seven grands prix as he stormed into the championship lead, such was the superiority, yet again, of the Costa machine for both Bottas and Hamilton.

His Award win was his seventh in the category, which is open to professional racing drivers competing at an international level.

Hamilton did not attend the Awards reception at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London as he prepares for his ride swap with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi.

But Hamilton did record a special message: "I want to apologize for not being here tonight, but thank you to Autosport and my fans.

"It's an honor to get this Award, I hope everyone has an amazing Christmas and New Year and that everyone strives for greatness and never gives up."

IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden, Audi's DTM dominator Rene Rast and Jean-Eric Vergne – who became the first driver to successfully defend a Formula E title – were Hamilton's rivals in the International Driver of the Year field.

Red Bull star Alex Albon won the Richard Mille Rookie of the Year award.

BRDC British Formula 3 runner-up Johnathan Hoggard was the winner of the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award.

MotoGP dominator Marc Marquez picked up another Rider of the Year presented by Tata Communications win at the Autosport Awards, meaning he remains unbeaten in the category.

Honda rider Marquez had won the prize – voted for by Autosport readers – every year since it was introduced in 2016, and the now six-time premier class champion came out on top again in the '19 vote to claim his fourth Award.