Every F1 driver to win or be nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year is set to be named and while there are no Formula 1 drivers nominated this year, there are still a few that have won the honour over the years.

The BBC SPOTY award is one of the most prestigious in the UK, being awarded to an athlete who is either British or lives and plays a significant amount of their sport in the UK.

Sporting stars in the UK that have won it include Tennis stars Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu, athletics champion Mo Farah, and most recently footballer Mary Earps.

Five F1 drivers have successfully won the award since it began in 1954, while some have also won other awards on the night including Niki Lauda and Sebastian Vettel winning World Sport Star of the Year in 1977 and 2013 respectively.

F1 drivers who have won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

Stirling Moss was the first driver to win the award in 1961, beating boxer Billy Walker and tennis player Angela Mortimer. He was also previously nominated in 1957 for his British Grand Prix win at Aintree, the first time a British Constructor had won a race in F1 (Vanwall), but came runner up.

John Surtees was nominated and won in 1959, although that was for his motorcycling accomplishments rather than in Formula 1.

Following his retirement from F1 at the end of 1974, Jackie Stewart was awarded the SPOTY in the same year he beat Emerson Fiitpaldi to the Drivers’ Championship by 16 points.

F1 would have to wait nearly 10 years until Nigel Mansell won it in 1986 after an intense season-long battle with Alain Prost, going on to win it again in 1992 after claiming his first and only Drivers’ Championship with Williams.

Damon Hill would be next to win the SPOTY award in 1994 for carrying Williams through the tragic season which included the death of teammate Ayrton Senna. He would win the award again in 1996 after clinching the Drivers’ Championship.

Lewis Hamilton is the latest driver to win the award, taking it first in 2014 after winning his second F1 title and first of six with Mercedes. He would go on to win it again in 2020 after clinching his seventh world championship, eclipsing Michael Schumacher.

F1 drivers who were nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

Along with Moss losing out in 1957, several other drivers have also been nominated but not won the SPOTY award.

Hamilton has the most nominations that did not lead to an award, having first been nominated in 2007 then again in 2008. He would also get nominations in 2018 and 2019 before winning in 2020.

Jenson Button was nominated but came runner up in 2009 after his title success with Brawn GP, losing out to footballer Ryan Giggs.

James Hunt was nominated in 1976 but came second to figure skating star John Curry, while Jim Clark was also nominated in 1963 and 1965 but came third and second respectively.