Royal patronage and a packed Dorchester ballroom make for the biggest-ever HMAs
A RECORD 400 people, including Royalty, flocked to London’s Dorchester Hotel for the 13th annual Historic Motoring Awards presented by Octane in association with Chubb.
The event’s status as the only truly international awards in the classic car world was underlined by as many as 30% of the guests coming from overseas and representing five continents. This diversity was also reflected in the winners, who hailed from as far afield as Australia and the USA.
Played out under the watchful gaze of His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent and against a sensational backdrop of two imposing bespoke classic cars, the ceremony was hosted again by broadcaster, journalist and historic racer Amanda Stretton.
Other notables spotted in the room included TV personalities Edd China, Paul Cowland and Sarah Crabtree, while sponsors Vintage Tyres, Quickfit SBS, the Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance, Immun’ ge and the Federation Skills Trust continued to support the event and sponsor individual awards.
There were also a record 365 entries for the 22 awards, three of which Octane readers voted for in their thousands (thank you!), while a global jury of 42 classic car experts selected the other winners.
One of the most hotly contested awards was all the more tense because the two main contenders were actually parked up in the Dorchester ballroom. In the end the Bensport La Sarthe was highly commended, but The Blizzard took the Bespoke Car of the Year gong.
Emotions ran high when Sarah Jane Adams-Diffey scooped the Personal Achievement award for the motorsport apprentice scheme that she established in the name of her late husband, historic racer James Diffey, who died in a road accident.
That emotion was ramped up further when Merle Mullin came to the stage against the backdrop of a standing ovation to collect the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of both herself and her late husband Peter. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as she thanked Octane and the Awards for acknowledging the couple’s tireless achievements in promoting pre-war French cars globally.
‘It is an incredible honour to be recognised by the Historic Motoring Awards, and it means so much that they recognised Peter’s legacy and contributions to the classic car community,’ said Merle Mullin. ‘We are the caretakers for
