Just back from the Guild of Motoring Writers' annual dinner at the RAC in London, where I was delighted to receive the Timo Makinen Award for my book, Ford Cosworth DFV: The Inside Story of F1's Greatest Engine.

Receiving the Timo Makinen Award trophy from Ford's Tim Holmes (Photo: Jeff Bloxham/Guild of Motoring Writers)

The Timo Makinen Award recognises outstanding examples of motorsport coverage, and has been won in the past by such illustrious names as Murray Walker, David Tremayne, Alistair Weaver and (twice) by my old mate Andrew Charman.

It is named after one of the greatest drivers in the history of motorsport, the original 'flying Finn', Timo Makinen, who was a works rally driver for BMC and Ford in the 1960s and 1970s.

I was also pleased to be there to see George Barrow, one of this year's postgraduate students on the automotive journalism MA course at Coventry University, pick up the prestigious Sir William Lyons Award, which is presented by the Guild to the year's most promising young motoring writer. A great way to start a career in motoring journalism - and between us, we made it a good night for Coventry University.

George Barrow receives the Sir William Lyons Award from Jaguar's Don Hume (Photo: Jeff Bloxham/Guild of Motoring Writers)