Russell follows Verstappen and Hamilton as winner of prestigious motorsport award

George Russell has been named the winner of the 2024 Lorenzo Bandini trophy, following on from 2023 winner Lando Norris. 

Awarded to a driver or team who show a "commendable performance" in motorsport, it does not necessarily reflect the results of a season, with Mercedes' Russell scooping the award for his efforts.

Named after one-time grand prix winner Bandini, the award was created in his memory after he succumbed to burns sustained during an accident at the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix after crashing at the sea-front chicane. 

The award itself is a ceramic replica of Bandini's Ferrari 312 machine with the #18 and is selected by a judging panel of 12, comprised of journalists and former F1 team members.

It comes as Mercedes is also celebrating the 100th anniversary of its victory in the 1924 Targa Florio, a race on public roads on Sicily, that was ultimately discontinued in 1977 owing to safety concerns, although it is now part of the Italian Rally championship. 

Previous winners of the award include world champions Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Max Verstappen, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button and Jacques Villeneuve, with the Mercedes and Ferrari teams also scooping the award.