The 28-year-old secured his third British Touring Car title in 2021, scoring five wins with his BMR-run Laser Tools Racing Infiniti Q50.

Autosport readers have voted Sutton the best National driver of the season, ahead of his BTCC rival Josh Cook, British GT pacesetter Dennis Lind and Porsche Carrera Cup champion Dan Cammish.

Sutton’s victory 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.

“We picked up points in every single round, it was an incredible season for us,” Sutton said, picking up the award from Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner. “It is an honour and a privilege to be standing up in this room in front of all these people and their own achievements to pick up this award.”

BTCC drivers normally dominate the award, which is open to drivers competing in the BTCC or British GT packages, or at FIA Formula 3 level. Multiple tin-top champions Jason Plato, Matt Neal, Gordon Shedden and Colin Turkington are all former winners.

Ashley Sutton, Laser Tools Racing Infiniti Q50

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

Other previous winners include Martin Brundle, Johnny Herbert, David Coulthard, Takuma Sato and Lando Norris – who all took the prize during their junior careers on the way to F1.

Other categories decided by fan voting include International Racing Driver of the Year presented by Pirelli, British Competition Driver of the Year, Rookie of the Year, International Racing Car of the Year presented by Blink Experience, Rally Car of the Year, International Rally Driver of the Year and Esports Driver of the Year presented by Motorsport Games.

Further awards, decided by expert judging panels, include the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award, and the Pioneering and Innovation Award presented by Mahindra Racing incorporating the John Bolster Trophy for Technical Achievement. New awards for 2021 include the Gold Medal incorporating the Gregor Grant Award and Esports Team of the Year presented by Motorsport Games.

To find out who our other Award winners are, go to Autosport.com/awards.