On Wednesday evening The Royal Automobile Club hosted the 13th annual Motoring Book of The Year Awards at their historic Pall Mall clubhouse in Central London, where Senna: The Truth won the Royal Automobile Club Motoring Book of the Year 2026, by Franco Nugnes, published by Pitch Publishing, priced at £25, the Club’s highest accolade for motoring and motorsport literature.
Judged separately from the six individual motoring and motorsport categories, this captivating book revisits the events surrounding the tragic death of three-time Formula 1 World Champion Ayrton Senna at Imola in 1994, delving into the original investigations and first-hand testimony, reconstructing that fateful weekend. Nugnes challenges long-held assumptions and offers fresh insights into one of motorsport’s most defining moments. He also celebrates the extraordinary legacy of one of Formula 1’s greatest drivers.
The awards were attended by distinguished motoring and motor racing authors and publishers from around the world and judged by six experts who are independent of The Royal Automobile Club. They represent the UK’s most informed motoring literary critics, and this year included Mick Walsh from Classic & Sports Car, Damien Smith from Autocar and Ian Titchmarsh from the British Racing Drivers’ Club. Representing the retail sector were Ben Horton from Hortons Books and Christian Whitehead from Blackwell’s. As usual, the judging panel was chaired by respected motorsport writer, commentator and historian Simon Taylor who also hosted the evening’s awards.
Opening the evening’s proceedings, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Paul Skilleter, who celebrates almost 60 years of outstanding contribution to motoring literature, journalism and publishing.
Skilleter, who is regarded as one of the world’s foremost Jaguar historians, started his career at Motor Magazine in 1966, going on to author landmark books that include Jaguar Sports Cars and Jaguar Saloon Cars. He is also instrumental in establishing influential titles such as Practical Classics and Jaguar Quarterly, before founding PJ Publishing with his wife June in 1989.
He has earned widespread respect throughout the automotive world with his exceptional knowledge, meticulous research and lifelong dedication to preserving motoring history.
Author Russell Hayes walked away with two awards on the evening, making Awards history as the first author to win two categories in the same year. He won Motor Cars & Motoring under £100 for his book The Complete Book of Volkswagen GTI: Every Model Since 1976 published by Motorbooks, priced at £38 which celebrates the evolution of the iconic hot hatch. His second award was for Motor Cars & Motoring no price limit with Aston Martin: The Entire Story published by Evro Publishing, priced at £195 which chronicles more than a century of British automotive heritage.
The Motor Cars & Motoring under £30 award went to Shawn William Miller for Dream Road to Pan America published by University of California Press, priced at £25 which explores the history of the legendary Pan-American Highway.
The award for Motorsport Subject under £30 went to Paul Kenny for his book Whitney Straight: Racing Driver, War Hero, Industrialist published by The History Press, priced at £25.
Yan-Alexandre Damasiewicz won the Motorsport Subject under £100 for his pocket book The Ferrari 250 GTO Spotting Guide published by Blenheim Publishing, priced at £40, while the Motorsport Subject no price limit was awarded to Walter Bäumer and Jean-François Blachette for their book The Maserati 250F: A Legendary Formula 1 Car published by Dalton Watson Fine Books, priced at £295.
The Graham Robson Trophy for Best Debut Author was awarded to Andy Wilman for Mr Wilman’s Motoring Adventure: Top Gear, Grand Tour and Twenty Years of Magic and Mayhem, published by Penguin Michael Joseph, priced at £22, which gives a fascinating insight into the man behind the scenes who helped transform motoring television into a global entertainment phenomenon.
The final award of the evening, which was the inaugural Best Design Award went to The Art of Racing: Helmets curated by Joe Twyman with Ronald Stern, published by Hothouse Media, priced at £495, designed by Peter Allen and which recognised the book’s exceptional visual creativity, striking photography and outstanding production quality.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based motoring and travel journalist and editor, a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and former saloon car racing driver.
Photographs by Gary Harman
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