DECEMBER 10, 2015

Verstappen tipped for Laureus award

Max Verstappen's flow of high-profile awards looks set to continue.

Max Verstappen's flow of high-profile awards looks set to continue.

Since his meteoric first season in F1 ended, the 18-year-old Dutchman has been showered with awards at the FIA prize-giving gala and also in London for a traditional end-of-year awards ceremony by a British magazine.

Now, a high-profile Laureus World Sports Award could be the next plaudit for the Toro Rosso driver.

Laureus has announced that its nominations panel, consisting of hundreds of leading sports writers, is currently casting its votes for the 2015 nominees.

Lewis Hamilton is tipped to be in the running for the overall prize in the World Sportsman of the Year category, alongside Usain Bolt, Lionel Messi, cycling's Chris Froome, boxing legend Floyd Mayweather and others.

But Verstappen looks set to be among the candidates for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year title.

Among the other nominees, Laureus suggested, could be the Chile football team, golf's Jason Day and Brooke Henderson, swimmers Adam Peaty and Alzain Tareq, and female jockey Michelle Payne.

"Whoever is nominated, it's going to be one of the closest contests ever in so many of the categories," said Laureus chairman and Olympic legend Edwin Moses.

The nominees will be announced in the new year.

(GMM)