Ross Brawn to be honoured at 2026 Autosport Awards

The Gold Medal was introduced in 2021 and has previously been awarded to Jean Todt, Roger Penske and Sir Jackie Stewart. It honours individuals whose service, leadership and innovation leave a lasting legacy for generations of fans and competitors. Brawn now joins that group following a career that has spanned more than four decades at the highest level of the sport, including inout games.

Brawn’s influence on Formula 1 stretches across engineering, team leadership and governance. He rose to prominence as the architect of Michael Schumacher’s championship successes at Benetton before going on to play a central role in Ferrari’s dominant era of the early 2000s. That period produced one of the most successful partnerships the sport has ever seen, redefining standards of preparation, technical excellence and operational discipline.

After establishing himself as one of the sport’s most respected technical figures, Brawn delivered one of Formula 1’s most extraordinary stories in 2009. His newly formed Brawn GP team entered the season against the odds and went on to win both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships in its only year of competition.

Jenson Button’s title run that season remains one of the most remarkable achievements in Formula 1 history, and the success of Brawn GP cemented Brawn’s reputation as one of the sport’s most astute strategic thinkers. The team’s achievements ultimately laid the foundation for what would become the modern Mercedes works operation.

Widely regarded as one of the true architects of modern Formula 1, Brawn later played a defining role away from the pit wall. In senior leadership roles, he helped shape the sport’s regulatory direction, competitive framework and long term vision, influencing the technical and sporting landscape that defines the current era.

The Autosport Gold Medal also incorporates the Gregor Grant Award, which honours the founder of Autosport magazine and the values that continue to underpin the sport. The Awards themselves have become one of motorsport’s most significant annual events, recognising achievement across multiple disciplines and generations.

Werner Brell, CEO at Motorsport Network, highlighted Brawn’s impact and the significance of the award, saying: “The Autosport Awards are about celebrating the very highest achievers in motorsport. After recognising so many legends over the years, we are delighted to be able to honor Ross Brawn in January. Ross has been one of the iconic figures of Formula 1 in the last 40 years. Starting out as an engineer he went on to lead the technical department at Benetton and won multiple world titles. His partnership with Michael Schumacher continued at Ferrari, where they dominated the sport in the 2000s. He then won the World Championship with a team in his own name. I cannot think of a more worthy recipient for the Gold Medal. It should be a great night when he receives his medal honored by his peers.”

The 2025 Autosport Awards marked a milestone moment by recognising Bernie Ecclestone with a special 75th Anniversary Trophy, underlining the stature of the legacy awards within motorsport. Brawn’s selection for the Gold Medal continues that tradition of acknowledging figures whose influence extends far beyond race results alone.

When Brawn receives the medal in January, it will serve as formal recognition of a career that has helped define multiple eras of Formula 1, from championship winning engineering partnerships to title success as a team owner and long term stewardship of the sport’s future. (Reporting by Agnes Carlier)