The FIA’s end-of-season awards have taken place. As well as crowning numerous champions, the FIA also made a blunder when Charles Leclerc talked about his brother Arthur.
The FIA’s end-of-season awards ceremony took place on the 13th December. The event, held in Rwanda, recognized the winners and runners-up from some of the FIA’s most prestigious motorsport championships around the world.
These included World Rally Cross, Karting, Formula E, World Endurance, World Rally, F3, F2 and of course Formula 1.
In addition there was a lifetime achievement award presented to the rally driver Michéle Mouton for her continued commitment and services to motorsport, spanning her 50-year career. Mouton is the only female rally driver to have ever won a round of the WRC and was runner up in the 1982 championship.
The FIA ceremony
The traditional end-of-season FIA awards night was this year held in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Rwanda have just announced a bid to host a future Formula 1 race, so it was fitting for the African nation to host the event.
The ceremony itself was streamed live on YouTube. It was full of awkwardly-long pauses and countless moments of disorganisation where presenters and drivers alike were sometimes unsure of what to do or where to go next.
The FIA’s controversial president Mohammed Ben Sulayem was also ever-present, greeting drivers as they made their way up on to the stage to collect their silverware.
The FIA's first blunder of the night
Before the prizes for the top-3 finishing drivers in this year’s F1 championship were awarded, the FIA had a prize for the best ‘action of the year’ in F1.
There were three specific overtakes nominated for this award; Alex Albon’s double overtake in Canada; Piastri’s overtake of Norris on the first lap at Monza; Perez’ double overtake of Alonso and Sainz in the sprint race at China.
The FIA messed up when showing the footage of Perez’ overtake, however. They showed the correct action but labelled it as being from São Paulo 2024, which everyone clearly knew it wasn’t.
Perez won the award, apparently getting 60% of the vote. But almost everyone else, fans and pundits alike, agrees that Albon’s overtake was definitely the worthy victor.
Oscar Piastri-Leclerc?
The prizes were then awarded to the top-3 finishing drivers in this year’s F1 championship. Charles Leclerc was invited on stage first to collect his 3rd place trophy.
Charles said a few words upon receiving his award. About McLaren just beating Ferrari to the constructor’s title, Leclerc said “Obviously the dissapointment is still fresh from the last week. We’ve been fighting with McLaren for that constructor’s title until the very last race but they’ve just done a better job over the course of the season.
“They fully deserve the title. Congratulations to them and congratulations to Max”.
Leclerc took three victories in 2024 which have meant a lot to the Monegasque Ferrari driver: “I’ve realised some of my dreams. There’s obviously one highlight which is Monaco for me. Growing up in Monaco and dreaming of being a Ferrari driver that’s where my passion started for motorsport and to be able to win in Monaco was very very special. Winning in Monza as well.”
Charles then went on to talk about one other dream that had been achieved this year for him and his family: “Another dream that was quite unexpected last weekend which was to drive with my younger brother (Arthur) in Free Practice 1 which was a very special moment for our family.”
However, at the very moment Leclerc mentioned driving with his brother Arthur in FP1, the broadcast producer cut to a shot of Oscar Piastri sat in the audience, looking thoroughly bored and unimpressed.
It may have just been unfortunate timing for the change of shot. Or perhaps someone in control of the cameras genuinely thought that Oscar Piastri was Charles Leclerc’s brother, not a McLaren Formula 1 driver.
Whatever the reason, the moment gained the attention of the F1 fans watching the event live.
Piastri and Leclerc have a good relationship off the track. Recently, when F1’s social media admin misspelled Piastri’s name on one of their Instagram posts, Leclerc was quick to reply with a comment mocking Piastri. Their relationship may be good, but perhaps not quite at sibling-level just yet.
