Five who reached TopGear hero status in 2023
WORDS PAUL HORRELL, JOE HOLDING, OLLIE KEW
Jessica HawkinsRacer, Stunt driver
It’s been far too long since a female racer got to show their mettle in an F1 car. But in September Jessica Hawkins broke that duck by ripping Aston’s AMR21 around the Hungaroring after months of secret sim prep. “It’s taken me every bit of blood, sweat and tears to get here,” she said. “I want to inspire other women and let them know they should follow their dream.” Amen. Hawkins’ test is just the latest win for women in racing: as the F1 Academy gathers steam, so does the evidence – from race engineers and sports scientists alike – that women can cut it at the top. It’s simply a matter of time. Racers like Hawkins are why.
Richard MillePresident, FIA Endurance Commission
Mille is credited as the person most responsible for bringing the US and European long distance racing codes together. Given the political nature of motorsport governance, that’s no mean feat. The upshot was to make Le Mans the gripping event it was this year. The new LMDh category means next year we’ll see teams from Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota GR, Aston, Peugeot, BMW, Lamborghini, Alpine, Acura and Cadillac.
Mille isn’t just a dry administrator. He’s used his watchmaking fortune to himself race in historic cars, and sponsor the historic Le Mans race, as well as F1 and endurance teams. He has a surfeit of passion and of money, and puts that where his mouth is.
Amedeo FelisaCEO, Aston Martin
He shouldn’t be on this list. After a career engineering stellar Ferraris, eventually running the company, he deservedly retired. Then last year he was lured out for one last rodeo: the mountainous task of stabilising Aston Martin after some years of unfinished-feeling cars and financial crisis.
The rumours of general disquiet and mutineering staff suddenly dried up. The DB12 was launched to a whole lot more acclaim than its predecessor. The Valkyrie went out of the gate in better condition than its AMG One rival. The Valour is one of the firm’s more convincing limited editions. Now we learn the Valkyrie will, after all, go to Le Mans. Publicity shy Felisa is no party animal, but he’s proving 76 is the new 50.
Andreas PreuningerDirector GT product line, Por
