If Hamilton won the Sports Personality of the year Award it would be the seventh win for a Formula One driver

The F1 star is a front runner for the award following his stunning rookie season.

But Keith Collantine reckons a different racing driver would be an even more worthy winner.

Lewis Hamilton’s sensational debut season in Formula 1 has deservedly given him a massive international following and plenty of newspaper coverage.

But away from the limelight of F1 there are dozens of excellent British racing drivers winning major races at home and abroad.

One of them has won his championship for the last four years in a row including three world titles.

His name is Andy Priaulx, and if anyone deserves to win a Sports Personality of the Year Award, he does.

I had the pleasure of meeting Andy at the British round of the World Touring Car Championship last year. Just like Hamilton, you could not hope to meet a nicer bloke.

But his charming personality masks a ruthlessly brilliant racing driver. He’s won his championships against a roster of top international touring car drivers.

He has made the end-of-season race at the gruelling Macau street circuit his stomping ground. A string of rivals have seen their championship hopes smashed by Priaulx in the prestigious race.

But Priaulx is not even ranked in the top ten contenders – despite being a three-time winner of an international motor racing championship.

Last night Lewis Hamilton won an unprecedented hat-trick of trophies in the annual Autosport Awards. He scooped the prizes for Rookie of the Year, British Competition Driver and International Racing Driver.

He also appeared on BBC’s Top Gear, where he matched Jenson Button’s laptime around the track despite the fact it had rained.

If Hamilton won the Sports Personality of the year Award it would be the seventh win for a Formula One driver. No other sporting discipline has produced as many winners.

Who do you think should win Sports Personality of the Year? Have your say on the Auto Trader Blog.

BBC Sports Personality of the Year – Motor sport winners

1959 John Surtees*
1961 Stirling Moss
1973 Jackie Stewart
1986 Nigel Mansell
1992 Nigel Mansell
1994 Damon Hill
1996 Damon Hill

*Surtees also became F1 World Champion in 1964, but won the Sports Personality award for motorcycle racing.