2011 OLIVER ROWLAND

OTHER FINALISTS Emil Bernstorff, Tom Blomqvist, Alex Lynn, Scott Malvern, Dino Zamparelli

He says: “You’ve got the pressure of having to perform, not crash, and impress the judges. You’ve got to give it your all and not leave anything on the table. The pressure was probably the most enjoyable part of it. It was my first year in single-seaters so it was a little unexpected so I just went there to enjoy myself.

“The Awards night seemed to drag on for ages – it felt like there were 400 awards before mine! But I was satisfied with the job I’d done.

“I’d dreamed of driving an F1 car since I was young so the Mclaren test was fantastic. They ask you to take care of the car, but it’s a rare opportunity so I gave it everything I could.

“Even now people mention it as one of the big things on my CV. You make new contacts and the whole prestige of the Award is massive. After winning the Award one of the biggest differences was the support of Derek Warwick. He took me on as his own and taught me a huge amount. It was clear at the time I needed some discipline and he taught me this. He made me into a better person and really showed me the definition of true hard work and dedication. I will be forever grateful for his time and effort during those days.” WHAT HAPPENED NEXT Won the 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 crown and became Williams F1’s 2018 junior driver. Now in Formula E with Nissan