Jean Todt named inaugural winner of Autosport’s Gold Medal

The new accolade recognises an individual who has given a lifetime of service to the sport and who leaves a lasting legacy for future generations.

The outgoing FIA President’s success was announced on 6 February at the Autosport Awards, which returned to a live event at Grosvenor House on Park Lane following the online-only competition of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Thank you for Autosport for hosting this great event for so many years and for this award,” Todt said, who was joined on stage by Derek Warwick, one of his drivers who won the 1992 Le Mans 24 Hours at Peugeot.

“I’ve loved cars all my life, it was my passion and my dream and in fact I didn’t have the career I was expecting, but I was hoping for. But if I look back at the 55 years I am quite happy!

“When things go wrong, that’s what makes us strong, when we learn and that is when I learnt.”

Todt also received video messages from Haas F1 driver Mick Schumacher, 11-time grand prix winner Felipe Massa and 1992 F1 world champion Nigel Mansell.

Later on in the ceremony, Todt was also given tributes by current F1 chief Stefano Domenicali and chief architect behind Formula E Alejandro Agag for his efforts as FIA president, having ended his time in charge of the world motor sport body in December.

“I was very happy to have a strong and united team behind me at the FIA, creating strong categories like Formula E, new rally championships and recognising the junior single-seater ladder,” Todt added, later joined by son Nicolas and wife Michelle Yeoh.

Todt began his motorsport career as a rally co-driver in 1966. The Frenchman served on the FIA Rally Commission, an organisation he would later lead, and was a successful co-driver.

His biggest achievements as a