By Phil Huff
December 4 2006

Honda Racing F1's Jenson Button is in the running for the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, making it through to the final ten. Held each year by the BBC, the awards have run since 1954, with past winners including Honda powered drivers John Surtees (1959, while racing motorbikes) and Nigel Mansell (1986, and 1992 with Williams-Renault), as well as Stirling Moss (1961) and Damon Hill (1994 and 1996).

This years shortlist includes Jenson Button, joined by equestrian star Zara Phillips, golfer Darren Clarke, tennis player Andy Murray, boxers Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton, cyclist Nicole Cooke, cricketer Monty Panesar, gymnast Beth Tweddle, and darts champion Phil Taylor.

The shortlist was drawn up from a combination of online and postal public votes, newspaper and magazine editors and a BBC Sport panel of experts.

Viewers of the show, which will be presented by Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Adrian Chiles and will be broadcast from the Birmingham NEC on Sunday 10 December, can vote by phone or text to decide the winner.