Lewis has been awarded the prestigious 2010 Lorenzo Bandini award - an annual celebration of excellence in Formula 1 that commemorates the late Ferrari driver, who died from injuries received in a crash at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1967.
The Lorenzo Bandini Committee was established in Bandini's home region of Brisighella, Italy, in 1992 and has annually selected a Formula 1 driver whom the committee views as a significant new talent or a driver of particular excellence.
Past winners of the Bandini Trophy include Michael Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve, Felipe Massa, Mark Webber, Robert Kubica and former McLaren drivers David Coulthard, Alex Wurz, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso.
The presentation ceremony, which will take place next spring, will see Lewis presented with the Bandini Trophy, a ceramic replica of Bandini's famous number 18 Formula 1 Ferrari. Taking place in an open-air ampitheatre, and free to the public, it has become an annual pilgrimage for grand prix fans who wish to pay tribute to the late Ferrari driver while also celebrating their new heroes in a very relaxed and personal way.
Lewis was honoured to be selected by the committee, saying: "It is very humbling to have been selected for such a prestigious award, and one that not only commemorates the life of one of Ferrari's most famous Italian drivers but also the whole passion and spirit of Formula 1.
"The list of previous winners of the Bandini Trophy reads like a Who's Who of Formula 1 talent, and I'm very honoured to be joining that group. I'm particularly looking forward to visiting Brisighella in the spring. I hear it's a beautiful part of the country and that the ceremony is a very special and moving event that really does justice to the memory of Lorenzo Bandini and his legacy."
Source: http://www.lewishamilton.com