The year is almost over and Christmas is nearly here, so let’s take a look at the winners of the 2023 Apex Motorsport Awards.
Rookie of the Season: Oscar Piastri
Following a year on the sidelines and a contract scandal that will be remembered for years to come, Oscar Piastri has definitely made a great attempt of creating the headlines around him about his on-track performance with a very solid rookie reason at McLaren.
The young Australian driver did have a slow start to the season, with his McLaren car not quite up to the speed we have come to know since the British Grand Prix.
With Back-to-back podiums in Singapore and Qatar along with pole position for the Qatar Sprint race caps off an incredible year for Piastri, who definitely has a bright future in papaya ahead of him.
Road Racer of the Season: Michael Dunlop
It’s been a difficult few years for Michael Dunlop but he was back to his best at the Isle of Man TT in 2023 as he took four race victories to go one behind his uncle Joey Dunlop on the all-time wins list.
With Wins in the Superbike, Supertwin and two in the Supersport classes, along with three other podiums at the Mountain Course capped off a strong year for the Ballymoney man.
Moment of the Season: Ferrari’s Le Mans victory
The World Endurance Championship and in particular the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been dominated by Toyota Gazoo Racing in recent seasons, but in 2023 it was the turn of Ferrari to claim victory at one of the most famous races in motorsport.
With the race celebrating its 100th anniversary, it was only fitting that a historic brand such as Ferrari would claim victory on their return after spending more than half a century away.
The No.51 Ferrari of Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi and James Calado after a tough battle with the No.8 Toyota, which went off the circuit late in the race in a moment that proved costly.
It wasn’t all easy work for the Italian team as on their final pit stop the car stood still in it;s box, unable to restart before Pier Guidi got the car going and drove the hypercar to victory.
Champion Rider of the Season: Alvaro Bautista
Alvaro Bautista is now a two-time World Superbike Champion, taking both titles since his return to the Ducati team in 2022.
With 27 races wins, 31 overall podiums, 4 pole positions and 23 fastest laps, he won the title by 76 points ahead of Toprak Razcotoglu.
It was a remarkable run of form, taking all bar one race victory from the start of the season to the Sprint Race at Donnington Park, that’s 15 wins from 16 races with only a retirement in Indonesia stopping the clean sweep
Team of the Season: Red Bull Racing
22 races, 21 victories, it’s an impressive stat isn’t it.
Red Bull had an incredible 2023 season as they secured both the Drivers’ World Championship with Max Verstappen and the Constructors’ World Championship, with Sergio Perez also giving the team their first 1-2 finish in the Driver Standings as well.
The points which Max Verstappen won for himself were enough to secure the Constructor’s title for the Milton Keynes-based team, but Sergio Perez also contributed with two race wins, and nine podiums over the season and a further seven podiums as he beat Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton to second.
With Verstappen breaking multiple records, the team also broke the record for most consecutive race wins, a record that stood from the 1988 season when McLaren had Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost as their drivers, with 12 consecutive race wins.
Champion Driver of the Season: Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen is the 2023 FIA Formula One World Champion, his third title in a row. This year’s title win is his best yet taking ____ race victories, and ____ pole positions out of 22 races.
It’s been a record-breaking season for the Red Bull breaking endless records including the highest percentage of wins in a season, most wins in a season, most consecutive wins, most wins from pole position and most points in a season.
To top it all off, the points that the Dutch driver won for himself were enough to take the Constructor’s title for Red Bull by itself.