Scott Dixon has missed out on winning the Autosport’s 2020 International Racing Driver of the Year Award, ranking third in the voting tally.
Dixon won his sixth IndyCar Series title this year, placing him as one of the greatest ever in the American open-wheel championship.
Last month, he was nominated as one of four drivers for the 2020 edition of the prize, the magazine’s highest accolade for any motor racing driver.
Unfortunately, very rarely has a non-Formula 1 driver claimed the illustrious award. Since its inception in 1982, F1 drivers have swept all but two years, with 2020 being no different.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton re-wrote history this year, breaking Michael Schumacher’s long-standing record of 91 race wins and matching the German star on titles won.
Hamilton was thus voted as the winner of the 2020 award, ahead of Red Bull rival Max Verstappen. Verstappen only won two Grands Prix in 2020 but was often the only other driver capable of stepping up to the might of Hamilton and Mercedes.
The Briton has now won the prize more times than any other driver (eight), and this is the sixth time in seven years that he has triumphed.
Dixon, meanwhile, is just one IndyCar crown shy of matching A.J Foyt’s record of seven. This year also saw him earn his 50th career race win, moving him up to third on the all-time winner’s list.
It could have been an even sweeter season for the Kiwi after he fell agonisingly short of victory in this year’s Indy 500 despite dominating for most of the race.
He would have been the first New Zealander to have won the award, joining the likes of Schumacher, Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell as recipients.
Nevertheless, being nominated for such an honoured prize is something worthy of praise for Dixon.
Formula E title-winner Antonio Felix da Costa was the other nominee in the running, but he was voted behind Dixon.
but what hamilton never did like Micheal won championships in 2 cars that you had to drive not be a steerer