Jamie Scott Marriott, aged 20, has been named as the third recipient of the Simon Diffey Heritage Motorsport Apprentice Award during Goodwood Revival weekend. 

Jamie joined P&K Thornton Restorations and began his apprenticeship with Heritage Skills Academy in July 2022. Currently in his second year of his apprenticeship as a classic body work technician he is proving to be an outstanding young coach builder committed to engineering excellence.  

P&K Thornton Restorations is Jamie’s first employment within the industry, and is a firm which specialise in classic Jaguar servicing, restoration, race preparation and support services.  

Jamie met the judge’s four-point criteria with aplomb, demonstrating: engineering skills; passion; enthusiasm; and love of classic motorsport. 

Commenting, Sarah Jane Adams-Diffey said: “It was a difficult year of judging with an extraordinarily high level of quality entries. However, Jamie shone through and should be very proud of his win as he demonstrated to the judges his pure passion for all things to do with heritage automotive and his personal passion for motorsport. He built his own motorised drift trike during Covid lock down, from nothing to painted in eleven days. This is exactly what we were looking for in a winner, somebody who is inspirational and could be an ambassador and continue the spirit of Simon’s award.”  

The reward will see one apprentice, currently a part of the Heritage Skills Academy UK-wide programme in the classic motoring sector, benefit from;  

•        A one-month secondment with a race team 

•        A £3,000 grant to cover the cost of accommodation, travel and subsistence during this secondment 

•        The experience of at least one international Historic Motorsport event  

•        The chance to obtain an ARDS race licence, supplied by Motorsport UK 

The award will be presented to Jamie by Stuart Pringle, CEO of Silverstone Circuit, on behalf of His Royal Highness, Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, at the September celebratory reception. The star-studded ceremony will be followed by a Q&A hosted by renowned author, and motorsport commentator, Simon Taylor, at the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London, on 19 September.  

Those within the Motorsport UK community who wish to honour the memory of Simon Diffey and support the work of the Heritage Skills Academy can purchase their tickets for the event here: 

bit.ly/DiffeyAward2024