Maloney named FIA Rookie of the Year

Barbadian Zane Maloney won FIA Rookie of the Year at the 2022 FIA Prize Giving Gala held last week in Bologna, Italy.

Maloney was chosen by the Divers’ Commission for his good show in his first year in F3 with Trident. Even though he missed out on the title, he did enough to impress everyone including Red Bull who have signed him up in their academy for 2023 as he slated to race in F2 next year.

The first person from this country to compete at the highest level in motor sports, Maloney became the first F3 driver to win the award, as other winners included Daniil Kvyat (F1), Max Verstappen (F1), Alex Albon (F1), Charles Leclerc (F2 and F1), Yuki Tsunoda (F2), Oscar Piastri (F2) and Kevin Hansen (European Rallycross).

The evening was the crowning moment of a record-breaking season for Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen. The Dutchman recorded 15 wins – a new landmark for a single season. He won two of the year’s three Sprints and amassed the largest single-season point’s total (454) in the history of the sport in clinching his second consecutive world title.

After receiving the trophy from FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Verstappen said: “Your whole life you aim for the goal of being a World Champion, but this year we were more competitive and we won the Drivers’ and the Constructors’, so I would say this one is better than last year and more rewarding, but the first one is always more emotional.” (FIA)