MOTORSPORT: Peter Brock Medal for Molly Taylor

Fast and personality-plus lady Molly Taylor has won the Peter Brock Medal as the driver demonstrating the characteristics most similar to the late icon in Australian motorsport.

At the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) awards night on the weekend, Taylor became the fifth recipient of the medal struck in 2011 - five years after Brock's death.

Taylor, 27, of Sydney, was runner-up in last year's Australian Rally Championship with former West Australian policeman co-driver Bill Hayes, becoming the first woman to win a round of the series.

She said she was "extremely humbled, surprised and grateful" to receive the medal for her achievements as an ambassador for rallying and female participation in motorsport.

"Peter's ability to inspire and pass on his passion for the sport to so many was incredible," Taylor said.

"I remember meeting him at Targa Tasmania many years ago when I was very young and even then he was a hero figure, particularly in a motorsport house like ours.

"To win something associated with him is surreal and to be named in this group of hugely successful drivers is amazing.

"I have some very big shoes to fill."

The previous winners of the Brock medal were late V8 Supercar driver Jason Richards, Craig Lowndes, Neal Bates -- Taylor's rallying mentor and the multiple national champion for whom her mother, Coral, has long been co-driver -- and all-round champion Jim Richards.

Taylor's father, Mark, is a former state and national rally competitor too.

She returned to Australian competition last season -- driving the Renault Clio in which Scott Pedder had won the 2014 ARC -- after several years competing in the British, European and world rally championships.

In 2013 she was acknowledged as the fastest female rally driver in the world.

Teenage open-wheeler racer Joey Mawson won the young driver of the year awards at the CAMS presentations.

Mawson, who turns 20 next month, finished third in last year's German Formula 4 Championship — outperforming Michael Schumacher's son Mick, one of his teammates — and will return to that series this season intent on winning the title.