The much-anticipated event at the exclusive venue saw Guild members welcome sponsors, leading members of the automotive public relations industry, motorsport stars plus up-and-coming writers, to mark the presentation of awards to writers, editors, broadcasters, bloggers and photographers for their work.
Among those who were on hand to congratulate the winners were rally legend Paddy Hopkirk, Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Andreas Mikkelsen, chairman of Magma Group Dr Martin Leach, BRDC secretary Stuart Pringle and Michael Quinn, grandson of Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons.
For 2012 there were more prizes than ever, representing a wider diversity of activities undertaken by motoring journalists today. Winners received cash and trophies – and Commended citations were made in many categories. Prize money totalled more than £23,000.
The Guild also presented its prestigious Driver and Rider of the Year awards, chosen by the Guild's own motorsport experts. These went to British Formula Three champion Jack Harvey and World Superbikes star Tom Sykes respectively. Motorsport engineering legend Patrick Head received the President’s Trophy from Nick Mason.
The evening’s most coveted prize, the Renault UK/GoMW Journalist of the Year award, is bestowed on the writers judged to have made the most outstanding journalistic effort in any medium during the past 12 months. Traditionally this been restricted to just Guild members – but this year it was decided to open up a chance at the title to anyone in the industry and to create three awards. Read on to see who won these, and the other GoMW accolades…
The full list of 2012 Guild of Motoring Writers award winners (click each picture for the full-size version):
Award title |
|
Winner |
Commended |
| AA Environment |  |
David Williams | |
| Audi Photographic - General |  |
Alisdair Cusick | |
| Audi Photographic - Motorsport |  |
Jakob Ebrey | |
| Bentley Motors International |  |
Alistair Weaver | |
| BCA Feature Writer of the Year |  |
Jack Carfrae | Martyn Goddard |
| Cummins Commercial Vehicle Writer of the Year |  |
Tim Blakemore | Brian Weatherley |
| Headlineauto Young Writer of the Year |  |
Jamie Fretwell | |
| IAM Safety Award in memory of Christopher Bullock MBE |  |
David Williams | |
| Phil Llewellin Student of the Year Sponsored by CAR |  |
Joanna Price | |
| Sir William Lyons Award Sponsored by Jaguar |  |
Andrew Brady |  Sophie Williamson-Stothert |
| Market Engineering Automotive Technology |  |
Graham Heeps |
Tony Lewin Paul Horrell |
| Mercedes-Benz Award for the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy |  |
Ian Wagstaff | Jonathan Wood |
| Mitsubishi Motors Award for Innovation in Regional Motoring Journalism |  |
David Duffy | |
| Newspress New Media |  |
Ed Foster (accepted on his behalf by Damien Smith) | |
| Peugeot Motorsport Cup |  |
Ed McDonough | Chris Pickering |
| PFPR Editor of the Year |  |
David Lillywhite | |
| President’s Trophy |  |
Patrick Head | |
| Prova PR Business Writer |  |
Jack Carfrae |
James Baggott Jorn Madslien |
| Renault UK/GoMW Journalist of the Year |
|
1st Ken Gibson 2nd Ben Oliver 3rd David Williams |
|
| RM Auctions Classic Writer of the Year |
|
David Lillywhite |
James Ruppert |
| Skoda Design Award |
|
James Scoltock |
|
| SEAT Breakthrough Blogger of the Year |
|
Keith Jones |
 Gavin Braithwaite-Smith |
Congratulations to all those named above, and the Guild is particularly grateful to all existing and new sponsors for their support in 2012.
Other pictures from the Awards dinner
Guild chairman Richard Aucock makes his opening speech
All the 2012 Guild of Motoring Writers Awards winners
