The Royal Automobile Club Motoring Book of the Year Awards are now open for entries.
Now in their ninth consecutive year, the Motoring Book of the Year Awards are considered the most prestigious recognition of excellence across the whole breadth of automotive book publishing.
The Club’s motoring literature awards celebrate the greatest books, authors and publishers of automotive-focused titles, and their importance in exploring and documenting the many key events, vehicles and individuals who have helped shape the history of motoring and motorsport.
The six-strong independent judging panel will include experts from the specialist media – Mick Walsh of Classic & Sports Car, Gordon Cruickshank of Motor Sport and Mark Dixon of Octane – plus Ian Titchmarsh from the British Racing Drivers’ Club and, representing the retail sector, Ben Horton of specialist bookseller Horton’s Books and Christian Whitehead of famous Oxford bookstore Foyles. The judging panel will be chaired by respected motor sport writer, commentator and historian, Simon Taylor.
The Motoring Book of the Year Awards consist of four individual categories, in addition to the overall Royal Automobile Club Book of the Year. This trophy will be awarded to a title in any category that is considered by the judges to stand above every other. In addition, the Graham Robson Trophy will be awarded for Best Debut Author, recognising an outstanding book by a previously unpublished author.
“The Royal Automobile Club Motoring Book of the Year Awards have become synonymous with celebrating the best automotive books, authors and publishers,” said Jeremy Vaughan, Head of Motoring.
“Last year we had a terrific response with 52 entries representing 26 different publishing houses – from international and independents to self-published authors.
“We are once again encouraging as many authors and publishers as possible to submit their new titles for the awards. Whether it be marque histories, biographies, general motoring, motor sport or vehicle design, we want to champion the outstanding quality and diversity of automotive books”.
The list of past winners is a roll call of outstanding literary success – from The Lamborghini Miura by Simon Kidston and Jon Pressnell, How to Build a Car by Adrian Newey, The Self-Preservation Society, 50 Years of the Italian Job by Matthew Field to Richie Ginther Motor Racing’s Free Thinker by Richard Jenkins.
Books to be considered for the awards must have been published between July 2021 and June 2022. Publications on all manner of car and motor sport subjects, historic or contemporary, will be considered.
The Club urges all automotive authors and publishers to make the judges aware of eligible titles. The closing date for submissions is Wednesday 31st August 2022.
The annual awards will take place on Wednesday 2nd November 2022 at a special evening held at the Club’s historic Pall Mall clubhouse in London, amongst guests from the worlds of publishing, motoring and motorsport.
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