The Manley Memorial Trophy for the International Driver of the Year went to Craig Breen, from Co Waterford, after he became the first driver from the Republic of Ireland to secure a works drive with Citroen in the World Rally Championship.

The winner of this award is selected by the motor sport media and is presented to an Irish competitor from the 32 counties who has not only proven to be a success in competition but also has acted as a positive role model and ambassador for the sport.

Breen, who came to prominence this season for the Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team, and his co-driver Scott Martin, have been added to the Citroën WRC team for 2017. He has driven for Citroën in a DS 3 in four WRC rounds this year achieving top 10 finishes in each. The season highlights included claiming a maiden podium with third place in Finland and finishing fifth in Corsica.

Craig said: "The last twelve months have been fantastic in terms of my career to date. Securing a first ever WRC works drive is phenomenal and receiving this award tops my year off completely. I have worked very hard, remained focused and am very driven to achieving my goals.  I hope that I have shown the young drivers around the country, that whether they are just starting out or are part of the Motorsport Team Ireland set up that if you can keep focusing on your dream that one day it might just happen.
"This award carries with it a great responsibility and is as big an incentive as I have ever had to continue to strive to win more in the future. It is an honour to be recognised amongst some of the greats of Irish Motorsport and I intend to acknowledge this by continuing to be the best I can. I can't wait for the next season to start and the opportunity to represent my country on the biggest stage of all.
"I would like to thank my family, friends, and management that have given this fantastic chance for a childhood dream to be achieved."
Craig joins a long list of previous winners that includes luminaries in the motorsport world such as Matt Griffin, Austin MacHale, Eddie Irvine and Derek Tohill to name but a few.