Sean Edwards was awarded full BRDC membership in 2008, after being on the Rising star programme for two years. In addition to this, the BRDC pannel, whose director is Tim Harvey have selected him for “superstar” status. The British Racing Drivers’ Club has selected twelve drivers who they consider capable of reaching the pinnacle of their chosen discipline within Motorsport, and Sean is delighted to be among them. “It is a huge honour to be selected by the BRDC,” said Sean on hearing the news. “It’s a great initiative that the BRDC and Tim Harvey have created here and it will really help me in all areas of Motorsport.”
The Superstars scheme will provide development and training along with advice from the BRDC members, with their huge wealth of experience. The scheme will be headed by Tim Harvey, and it is hoped that a commercial partner will shortly be on board to finance the brightest prospects in the future.
Sean will display the Superstars’ logo on both his car and helmet for the 2009 season.
Who We Are
The British Racing Drivers’ Club is very much regarded as custodian of motor racing’s bloodline and heritage in Great Britain, its history rooted in a very different era and its core values have remained essentially unchanged over the decades. Today the BRDC casts its net wide when it comes to encouraging and conserving all that is best in British motor racing, whether this means encouraging young talent through the Club’s Superstars and Rising Stars initiatives, or looking after the best interests for the future of Silverstone.
The entry criteria to the Club remain exacting. Full Membership is offered only to those ladies and gentlemen who have achieved top national or international motor racing success over a number of seasons. Associate membership is offered to those who, although not qualifying for Full Membership, have made an exceptional contribution to the sport. Honorary Membership is for a special few, including F1 champions, who do not otherwise qualify.
In Lewis Hamilton, BRDC Member 1107, this country has its first Formula One World Champion since the Club’s current President, Damon Hill, took the title in 1996. An inspirational figure whose public persona is a credit to the sport, Lewis joins a long line of diverse, talented and charismatic personalities who have not only made motor racing such a compelling sport over the decades, but also contributed added lustre to the BRDC’s reputation and standing. Long may it continue.
BRDC History
The story of the British Racing Drivers’ Club started way back in the days of the famous Bentley team that so effectively, and romantically, dominated the racing scene – Le Mans in particular – during the late 1920s.
The founder of the BRDC, Dr. J. D. Benjafield, one of the famed ‘Bentley Boys’ at Le Mans, was keen to organise dinner parties after races for his friends and drivers. It was these dinner parties which were the seeds from which grew the highly prestigious and much respected British Racing Drivers’ Club we know today.
The Club was inaugurated early in 1928, with 25 members and a clear set of objectives. These were to promote the interests of motor sport generally; to celebrate any specific performance in motor sport; to extend hospitality to racing drivers from overseas; and to further the interests of British drivers competing abroad.
At that time, Membership was restricted to racing drivers of proven success and experience, and quickly grew following the decision of the BRDC to move into race organisation. The first Club-organised event, the BRDC 500-Mile Race, took place at Brooklands in October 1929 and the BRDC badge quickly established itself as a regular feature on overalls worn by the Club pioneer drivers.
After the Second World War, the BRDC became a major force in international motor racing, taking over the lease of Silverstone from the RAC in 1952 and subsequently purchasing the site’s freehold from the Ministry of Defence in 1971. The Club, through its wholly-owned subsidiary company, Silverstone Circuits Limited (formed in 1966 to develop the commercial aspects of the property), then set in motion a major redevelopment of what had been a wartime bomber training base producing one of the foremost motor racing facilities in the world. A Masterplan for the development of Silverstone is currently being implemented.
Silverstone Circuits Limited promote a number of major international race meetings at Silverstone, including the British Grand Prix, plus rounds of the FIA GT Championships, The British Touring Car Championship, Le Mans Series, British Superbike, British F3-GT and, from 2010, the MotoGP World Championship.
As a Club, the BRDC has grown to become the most prestigious motor racing club in the world and today, membership totals over 800.