OBE for Malcolm Wilson

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team boss and M-Sport founder Malcolm Wilson has been awarded an OBE in The Queen's Birthday Honours List.

The 53-year-old has been honoured for his services to British motorsport which span a 30-year career.

"I've had many memorable moments in my competitive career and with the Ford World Rally Team but opening the letter informing me of this award definitely surpasses all of those," said Wilson Sr.

"I am immensely honoured to have been recognised in The Queen's Birthday Honours List and this really is the biggest achievement in my career.

"The OBE is a wonderful recognition of what we have built through M-Sport and I'm extremely proud of everything that we all have achieved.

"But success does not come overnight and none of it would have been possible without the unwavering support of my wife Elaine and my son Matthew."

Born and bred in Cumbria, Wilson has stayed true to his roots building Dovenby-based M-Sport from a small home-run business established in 1979 into one of the top motorsport development and engineering firms in the world. It now employs over 200 people at its state-of-the-art facility just outside Cockermouth.

As a driver, Wilson won two British national titles, competed successfully in the World Rally Championship and worked as a test driver for Ford before winning the British Rally Championship title in 1994.

Since taking over as team principal of Ford's WRC team in 1997 he has led them to two Manufacturer Championships and overseen 149 World Rally Championship podium finishes.

In receiving his OBE - Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Wilson follows in the footsteps of many other luminaries from the world of motorsport who have been recognised in the past including Sir Jackie Stewart, John Surtees, Damon Hill, Nigel Mansell and the late Colin McRae, who drove for Wilson's Ford team in the World Rally Championship.

Wilson will receive the Honour later in the year.