Verstappen nominated for BBC World Sport Star 2023 award

Max Verstappen has been nominated for the BBC's World Sport Star of the Year award. Ahead of the vote, the public, mainly based in the UK, can cast their votes for the 2023 global sportsman or woman of the year. This forms part of the 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.

Verstappen was nominated for the award once before, but missed out then. After the 2021 Formula 1 season, in which he beat Lewis Hamilton to win his first world title, he had to lose out to Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore. In 2022, the sports award went to Lionel Messi.

This time, the Red Bull Racing driver will have to compete against American gymnast Simone Biles, Spanish footballer Aitana Bonmati, Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland and South African rugby player Siya Kolisi.

Voting is open until Tuesday evening 12 December, after which the award will be presented during a live broadcast on BBC One on Tuesday 19 December.