Final three for Young Racing Driver of the Year 2024 announced

On Wednesday, 27th November, eight hopefuls tackled the interview process for the 2024 Sexton Trophy Young Racing Driver of the Year award. After a day of scrutiny under a panel of judges, three names have emerged as finalists for the award. Jason Smyth (19) from Co. Kildare, Co. Wicklow's Max Hart (23), and Joshua Henry (14) of Co. Donegal are the three drivers deemed to represent the best-of-the-best of this year's talent.

It was a bumper crop of nominees this year with the other five drivers (Sean McGovern, David Maguire, Brandon McCaughan, Jamie Moylan, Logan Hoey) having provided excellent interviews and giving the judges a tough task at the end of the day when it came to ranking their choices. In the end, three names emerged from the deliberation process and finally a winner was chosen. Hart has been a finalist in each of the last three years, while Smyth and Henry secured finalist spots in what was their first year nominated.

Smyth has gone from strength to strength racing in the Northern Ireland Formula Ford Series, aswell as select rounds of the British Formula Ford Series. Across the season Smyth has been on Pole thirteen times, taken fourteen victories and set fifteen fastest laps. He won the Northern Irish Formula Ford Series, aswell as the prestigious Martin Donnelly Trophy in 2024.

Hart, a five time nominee for this award, is a HMSG Junior Factory Driver, racing in TCR Asia, taking third Overall in that championship this year with two wins, six podiums and five fastest laps. Hart also made his FIA World TCR debut in Macau in 2024, setting the fastest lap in race two.

Fourteen-year-old Henry, is the youngest ever nominee for this award. His nomination comes off the back of winning the ICCR Junior Mini Challenge, in what was just his second year competing. He finished on the podium in eight of the nine rounds, taking five wins.

The Motorsport Ireland Young Racing Driver of the Year award and the historic Sexton Trophy are presented to the individual who has demonstrated the most potential to represent Ireland at home and internationally both on the track as well as in the public eye. The winner will receive a €50,000 support package to help develop their motor racing career. This year, the Sexton Trophy celebrates the 76th anniversary of the award, with the inaugural edition having been won by Dudley Colley in 1948.

The overall winner of the 2024 award will be announced at the Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards ceremony, which takes place on Wednesday December 4th at the Crowne Hotel Plaza, Santry, Dublin. The award ceremony will be live streamed to the Motorsport Ireland website (motorsportireland.com).

This award is presented annually and is supported by Sport Ireland and Motorsport Ireland.