For the first time the FIA’s prestigious Prize-Giving ceremony will this year open its award categories to votes from outside the federation, with the announcement of two new prizes to be chosen by motor sport experts and fans around the world.
A new FIA Personality of the Year award will see permanently accredited media from the FIA’s World Championships honour the competitor or figure they believe has delivered something truly special to the world of motor sport during the past year.
Meanwhile, a second new prize has been created to allow motor sport’s legions of fans to choose their defining event of the sporting year. The FIA Moment of the Year award will be voted for by the FIA’s Facebook fans.
The star-studded annual FIA Prize-Giving ceremony brings together the champions of every major FIA Championships to be honoured for their outstanding success. In the past the glittering occasion has been held in Monaco, Delhi and Istanbul and this year it will head for the FIA’s home of Paris, France, where, on December 6, the first recipients of the new awards will be revealed.
An FIA Jury, which includes the President of the FIA Academy, Rosario Alessi, the President of the FIA Drivers’ Commission, Emerson Fittipaldi, and the President of the Founding Members’ Club, Claude Miffon, has been formed to set the FIA Personality of the Year criteria and pre-select the FIA Moment of the Year videos.
According to the criteria, the FIA Personality of the Year award should be attributed to a living motorsport figure – a driver, a team manager, an official, a volunteer, etc., affiliated to an FIA’s Championship or Event and who achieved an exceptional individual or collective performance during the 2013 season.
Permanently accredited media of the FIA’s World Championships will be asked to put forward the names of three personalities they feel are deserving of the title FIA Personality of the Year. As a second stage, they will then vote for their personal preference for the winner from a list of the Top 10 names emerging from the first round.
In the FIA Moment of the Year category, followers of the FIA Facebook page will be able to vote on 12 videos selected by the FIA Jury, each featuring action from numerous FIA Championships over the past year.
Rosario Alessi said: “These awards are an exciting addition to the annual FIA Prize-Giving ceremony. I am sure they will generate great interest and anticipation this year and in years to come.”
Emerson Fittipaldi said: “It’s been a fantastic year of motorsport. I hope all fans and media will get involved and cast their vote. ”
Claude Miffon said: “I have enjoyed being a member of the jury. It is now up to the media and fans to make their choice. It will not be easy as there are many deserving winners.”
