Editing British Racing Drivers' Club

{{Short description|Private club for distinguished motor racing drivers from the UK or British Commonwealth}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
[[File:BRDC Clubhouse at Silverstone (44866803032).jpg|thumb|The clubhouse at Silverstone in 2008]]
The '''British Racing Drivers' Club''' ('''BRDC''') is an exclusive invitation-only [[private club|members club]] for [[racecar driver]]s who are judged to have achieved success in the upper levels of [[Motorsport|motor sport]] for a number of seasons. Except under exceptional circumstances, members must have been born in the [[United Kingdom]] or [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]. The BRDC owns and operates [[Silverstone Circuit]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brdc.co.uk/About-Us|title=British Racing Drivers' Club|website=www.brdc.co.uk|access-date=2018-08-01}}</ref> in the United Kingdom.

==Early days==
[[File:BRDC 500 Mile Trophy (49255122347).jpg|thumb|BRDC-500 trophy between 1929 and 1937.]]
The club was founded in April 1928 by [[Dudley Benjafield|Dr. J. Dudley Benjafield]], one of an informal group of British racing drivers known as the "[[Bentley Boys]]". The BRDC began primarily as a socialising club for Benjafield and his fellow drivers,<ref>[http://www.brdc.co.uk/aboutus.cfm BRDC History] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061202185308/http://www.brdc.co.uk/aboutus.cfm |date=2 December 2006 }}</ref> but by the time of its inauguration, its 25 members had devised a set of objectives for the club:

*To promote the interests of motor sport generally.
*To celebrate any specific achievement in motor sport.
*To extend hospitality to racing drivers from overseas.
*To further the interests of British drivers competing abroad.

In 1929, the BRDC became involved in the promotion and organisation of racing events. Its first event was the BRDC 500-Mile Race at [[Brooklands]] on 12 October of that year, a race won by a [[Bentley 4½ Litre]], unsupercharged, owned and driven by Bentley-dealer Jack Barclay and Le Mans-winner [[Frank Clement (racing driver)|F.C. Clement]].<ref>''Motor Sport'', November 1929, Page 28, see also photographs in centre spread, advertisement Page 6.</ref> The event was such a success that the 1930 event, scheduled for 4 October, was accorded International status.<ref>''Motor Sport'', January 1930, Page 23.</ref> The Earl of March and [[S. C. H. "Sammy" Davis|S.C.H. Davis]] won the event outright in an [[Austin 7|Austin Seven]].<ref>''Motor Sport'', November 1930, Pages 4, 6–7.</ref>

From June 1935 the BRDC published the monthly magazine ''[[Speed (magazine)|Speed]]''. The final issue was April 1939, after which it was incorporated into its rival ''[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport]]''.

==World War II and aftermath==
Members who died or were killed during the Second World War included:<ref>''Motor Sport'', December 1945, Page 247.</ref> [[Cecil Kimber]] (a vice-president), The [[Earl of Cottenham]], A.V. Ebblewhite,<ref>''Motor Sport'', January 1940, Page 14: Obituary.</ref> Hugh P. McConnell,<ref>''Motor Sport'', March 1943, Page 58: Obituary.</ref> T.E. Rose Richards,<ref>''Motor Sport'', November 1940, Page 214: Obituary.</ref> J.P. Wakefield,<ref name="Motor Sport 1942, Page 125">''Motor Sport'', June 1942, Page 125: Obituary.</ref> E.K. Rayson,<ref>''Motor Sport'', December 1939, Page 315: Obituary.</ref> G.L. Baker,<ref>''Motor Sport'', September 1942, Page 193: "It is sad to learn that G. L. Baker, who competed very frequently at Brooklands in outer circuit events with a sports [[Minerva (automobile)|Minerva]], and also a [[Graham-Paige|Graham Paige]], passed away recently." For a photograph of the Minerva see: Michael Sedgwick, ''Early Cars, Pleasures and Treasures'', Page 93, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, Reprinted 1967. Geoffrey L. Baker also competed at the [[Lewes Speed Trials]]. See: Jeremy Wood, ''Speed on the Downs: Lewes Speed Trials 1924–39'', Pages 27–31, 36, 43; JWFA Books, 2005, {{ISBN|0-9522766-1-5}}.</ref> John Carr, Percy Maclure,<ref>''Motor Sport'', February 1945, Page 35: Obituary.</ref> A.F.P. Fane,<ref>''Motor Sport'', September 1942, Pages 189–190: Obituary. See also: [[Great Auclum National Speed Hill Climb]].</ref> B.P.W. Twist,<ref>''Motor Sport'', January 1942, Page 16: Obituary.</ref> [[Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth|R.O. Shuttleworth]], C.S. Staniland,<ref>''Motor Sport'', August 1942, Page 166–177: Obituary. See also: [[List of accidents and incidents involving military aircraft (1940–1944)]].</ref> N.G. Wilson,<ref name="Motor Sport 1942, Page 125"/> H.E. Symons,<ref>''Motor Sport'', July 1940, Page iii: Obituary.</ref> [[Robert Peverell Hichens|R.P. Hichens]], J.A. Driskell,<ref>''Motor Sport'', September 1937, Page 382: "J.A. Driskell, who started his motoring career very early in New Zealand, and who, apart from his better known activities with Ford V8, "Dynacharged" Ford Eight, [[Bollack Netter and Co|B.N.C.]] and Rally cars, won one of the first races ever in New Zealand, built a Driskell-Special for trials work in this country and drove a [[Doriot, Flandrin & Parant|D.F.P.]] in the 1923 "200."</ref> and [[Lionel Martin]].

After the war the club opened a "Le Mans Fund," for the benefit of the [[Automobile Club de l'Ouest]], raising a grand total of £358 and 11 shillings, to assist with the rehabilitation of the facilities at the Le Mans circuit. "It will be remembered that these installations were almost completely destroyed during the war, mainly by Allied bombing."<ref>''Motor Sport'', June 1946, Page 121; See also: ''Motor Sport'', July 1946, Page 147; ''Motor Sport'', September 1946, Page 201.</ref>

==Membership status==
In the modern era full membership status is offered only to those who are judged to have been successful at an international level for a number of seasons. Full membership has been awarded to every British or Commonwealth Formula One World Champion. Associate status is awarded to those who have made a significant contribution to motor sport. Honorary membership may be awarded in special cases, such as a notable World Champion who may not otherwise qualify. Membership is only open to British or Commonwealth drivers however Irish drivers who were born in the [[Irish Free State]] or the [[Republic of Ireland]] before 1950 would be considered British by the club and eligible for membership. This rule allowed for [[Eddie Jordan]] to join the club.<ref>{{cite book | first =Eddie | last =Jordan | title =An Independent Man: The Autobiography | publisher = Hachette UK | year = 2011 | isbn = 978-1409105558 | chapter = 10}}</ref> Once invited to join, prospective members must be proposed and seconded by existing members, then in turn, approved by the existing membership, board of directors and BRDC President.

The BRDC's membership was initially restricted to experienced and successful male drivers, and was by invitation only. When Le Mans-winner [[John Duff]] joined the club in 1935 he was proposed and seconded by existing members.<ref>Noted in the Club's general Committee Meeting held on 28 January 1935. He was proposed by L. G. Callingham and seconded by H. D. Parker.</ref> However [[James Robertson Justice]] was a member of the club,<ref>''Autosport'', 29 March 1957.</ref> with a limited track record.

In 1946 eligibility was described thus: "It is pointed out that, normally, membership is confined to gentlemen who have competed in an open motor road-racing event or taken a first, second or third place award in a [[British Automobile Racing Club|Brooklands Automobile Racing Club's]] Meeting. Every candidate must be proposed by one and seconded by another member of the club, to both of whom he is personally known."<ref>''Motor Sport'', December 1946, Page 288.</ref>

Women have been elected Honorary Member of the Club since 1928 (when [[Jill Scott (racing driver)|Jill Scott]] was inducted<ref name="chws">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xL1wAwAAQBAJ&pg=180 |pages=180–181 |title=A Contemporary History of Women's Sport, Part One: Sporting Women, 1850-1960 |first=Jean |last=Williams |year=2014 |isbn=9781317746669 |publisher=Taylor & Francis}}</ref>), however it was not until 1994 that they were able to become Full Members. As a consequence, the [[British Women Racing Drivers Club]] was founded in 1962 by Mary Wheeler.<ref name="Teleg12">{{cite news|title=Female racers aiming for the top|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=19 April 2012|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motorsport/9162612/Female-racers-aiming-for-the-top.html}}</ref>

==Race promotion and circuit ownership==
In the post-war era, the BRDC expanded its activities, taking over the lease of [[Silverstone Circuit|Silverstone]] from the [[Royal Automobile Club|RAC]] in 1952. In 1966, the club formed a subsidiary company, ''Silverstone Circuits Limited'', responsible for the development of the [[British Grand Prix]] and – after its purchase in 1971 – the circuit itself. Aside from the GP, other notable BRDC-organised events at Silverstone included the [[BRDC International Trophy]].

In recent years, Silverstone and the British GP have become an ongoing contentious issue between the BRDC board and [[Bernie Ecclestone]]'s [[Formula One Group|Formula One Management]], with differences of opinion over the costs involved and the state of the circuit's infrastructure.<ref>[http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/151529/brdc-hits-back-in-silverstone-row Sportsbusiness.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061220130232/http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/151529/brdc-hits-back-in-silverstone-row |date=20 December 2006 }}</ref>

Also within the remit of the club are:
*The BRDC Marshals' Club.
*BRDC Club Races.
*BRDC 500 Summer Races.
*The BRDC [[Walter Hayes]] Trophy.

==Young driver support==
The support and development of young British drivers has become an important part of the BRDC's existence, not least with its involvement in the annual [[Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award]] to honour and promote a young driver from a British championship who, in the eyes of the judges, shows the most talent and potential. Among the BRDC's promotional and developmental schemes is the ''Stars of Tomorrow'' karting championship. The BRDC also provides financial backing to selected young British drivers competing in junior formulae.

In 2008, the BRDC announced the creation of its SuperStars program, designed to advise and financially support Britain's most promising young drivers. 1992 BTCC champion [[Tim Harvey]] was appointed Director of the program. The current director is [[Andy Meyrick]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=British Racing Drivers' Club|url=http://www.brdc.co.uk/Superstars|access-date=2022-01-23|website=www.brdc.co.uk}}</ref>

===2022 BRDC Superstars===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 90%;"
!Driver
!Series
|-
|[[Oliver Bearman]]
|[[2022 FIA Formula 3 Championship|FIA Formula 3 Championship]]<br>[[2022 Formula Regional Asian Championship|Formula Regional Asian Championship]]
|-
|[[Luke Browning]]
|[[2022 GB3 Championship|GB3 Championship]]<br>[[2022 Formula 4 UAE Championship|Formula 4 UAE Championship]]
|-
|[[Jonny Edgar]]
|[[2022 FIA Formula 3 Championship|FIA Formula 3 Championship]]
|-
|[[Tom Gamble (racing driver)|Tom Gamble]]
|[[2022 European Le Mans Series|European Le Mans Series]]<br>[[2022 Asian Le Mans Series|Asian Le Mans Series]]<br>[[2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship|IMSA SportsCar Championship]]
|-
|[[Philip Hanson (racing driver)|Philip Hanson]]
|[[2022 FIA World Endurance Championship|FIA World Endurance Championship]]<br>[[2022 European Le Mans Series|European Le Mans Series]]<br>[[2022 Asian Le Mans Series|Asian Le Mans Series]]
|-
|[[Daniel Harper (racing driver)|Daniel Harper]]
|[[2022 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup|GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup]]<br>[[2022 Nürburgring Endurance Series|Nürburgring Endurance Series]]
|-
|[[Jake Hill]]
|[[2022 British Touring Car Championship|British Touring Car Championship]]
|-
|[[Harry King (racing driver)|Harry King]]
|[[2022 Porsche Supercup|Porsche Supercup]]<br>Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux
|-
|[[Sebastian Priaulx]]
|[[2022 FIA World Endurance Championship|FIA World Endurance Championship]]<br>[[2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship|IMSA SportsCar Championship]]<br>[[2022 IMSA Prototype Challenge|IMSA Prototype Challenge]]<br>[[2022 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup|GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup]]
|-
|Matthew Rees
|[[2022 GB3 Championship|GB3 Championship]]
|-
|[[Zak O'Sullivan]]
|[[2022 FIA Formula 3 Championship|FIA Formula 3 Championship]]
|-
|[[Dan Ticktum]]
|[[2021–22 Formula E World Championship|Formula E World Championship]]
|-
|Ben Tuck
|[[2022 Nürburgring Endurance Series|Nürburgring Endurance Series]]
|}

==Significant people==
In the recent past the Club Presidency has been held by former Formula One World Champions [[Sir Jackie Stewart]] and [[Damon Hill]]. {{As of|July 2019}}, Former F1 Driver [[David Coulthard]] is the President of the BRDC, having replaced [[Paddy Hopkirk]].<ref>{{Cite episode | series= Channel 4 Formula 1 coverage | title=British GP Reaction | url=https://www.channel4.com/programmes/formula-1/on-demand/69609-025 | station=Channel 4 | date=14 July 2019 | minutes=1 }}</ref>

The club's current Chairman is Peter Digby, since 2022.  The position has recently been held by former touring car driver Stuart Rolt, (from 2005 – 2008 and from 2010 – 2012) and Robert Brooks, Chairman of [[Bonhams]] auctioneers, from 2008 – 2010.

===Presidents of the BRDC===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:95%"
! Years
! Incumbent
|-
| 2019–Present
| [[David Coulthard]]
|-
| 2017–2019
| [[Paddy Hopkirk]]
|-
| 2011–2017
| [[Derek Warwick]]
|-
| 2006–2011
| [[Damon Hill]]
|-
| 2000–2006
| [[Jackie Stewart]]
|-
|align="center"| 2000
| [[Ken Tyrrell]]
|-
| 1993–2000
| [[Alexander Hesketh, 3rd Baron Hesketh|Alexander Hesketh]]
|-
| 1992–1993
| [[Innes Ireland]]
|-
| 1991–1992
| [[Jack Sears]]
|-
| 1964–1991
| [[Gerald David Lascelles|Gerald Lascelles]]
|-
| 1929–1964
| [[Francis Curzon, 5th Earl Howe|Earl Howe]]
|-
| 1928–1929
| [[Dudley Benjafield]]
|}

==See also==
* [[Automobile Club de l'Ouest]]
* [[British Automobile Racing Club]]
* [[British Racing and Sports Car Club]]
* [[British Women Racing Drivers Club]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.brdc.co.uk/ Official website]
*[http://www.SilverstoneRacingClub.co.uk Silverstone Racing Club]

{{BRDC International Trophy}}

[[Category:Motorsport organisations in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Professional associations based in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1928 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Sports organizations established in 1928]]