Left: Sexton Trophy, Right from top: Jayden McBrearty, Victor Cullen
Two additional nominees for the 2026 Sexton Trophy Young Racing Driver of the Year award have been announced. These three selections represent the best up-and-coming talent in circuit racing, with these individuals selected for their performances in August and September. This year, nominations will come in the form of a monthly selection, as adjudicated by a panel appointed by Motorsport Ireland. Victor Cullen and Jayden McBrearty join Sean McGovern, Charlie McKillen, Alex O’Grady as the 2026 nominees named thus far.
August: Jayden McBrearty
The 16-year-old from Bruckless, Co. Donegal impressed the judges in August with his win and second place finishes in a pair of races in the Patch Tyre Equipment Junior Mini Challenge Championship, a place where an increasing number of young Irish drivers are cutting their teeth on the motorsport scene, and where the young McBrearty took home the title for 2026.
September: Victor Cullen
On top of his final year studying at UCD, Cullen secured the Holmpatrick Trophy, following in the footsteps of his grandfather who had achieved the same feat a full 65 years earlier. Hailing from Brennanstown, Co. Dublin, the 21-year-old has had a busy year, netting one win, two pole positions, and three podiums in the SEAT Supercup series here at home with VSM Racing. On top of that, he supplanted his Irish campaign with multiple UK-based championships, the highlight of such being a historic four wins at Brands Hatch in the MRL/HRDC summer round aboard a Lotus Cortina Mk.1.
Over the coming weeks, at least one more monthly nominee will be selected, with potential wildcards added to the mix at the end for standout drivers who just didn’t quite secure one of the previous spots. The longlist of nominees will then undertake a formal interview process in November with a panel of judges representing Motorsport Ireland, Sport Ireland, the Motorsport Ireland Race Commission, and members of the media.
The Motorsport Ireland Young Racing Driver of the Year award and the historic Sexton Trophy are presented to the individual who has demonstrated the most potential to represent Ireland at home and internationally both on the track as well as in the public eye. This year, the structure of the award has changed, whereby the winner will receive a €42,500 support package to help develop their motor racing career, but for the first time, monetary prizes are awarded for the first and second runners-up at €5,000 and €2,500 respectively.
The overall winner of the 2026 award will be announced at the Motorsport Ireland Champions Awards Lunch in December. The award is presented annually and is supported by Sport Ireland and Motorsport Ireland.
