Lucky Mdluli
Motor racing is associated with sound. The sound of a flat 12 Ferrari 312B going down the main straight of Kyalami at 300+ K/ph, a turbo valve popping off under braking, champagne corks popping. All sounds associated with motor racing.
But a sound that has been heard around the sport for many decades – the sound of the voice of F1 commentator, Murray Walker – has been silenced forever.
Walker died on 13 March at the age of 97. He first became a F1 commentator for the BBC in 1976 and retired from ITV in 2001.
While many of his critics will scoff at his many gaffes that millions of viewers heard on TV and many will frown at his obsession with Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill (and any other British driver) nobody will ever doubt his enthusiasm for the sport.
After WW2, in his early 20s, he raced motorcycles, then went on to win a gold medal in the prestigious International Six Days Trial.
He first started commentating in 1948 at a hill climb in England and the rest, as they say, is history.
All of his classic “Murrayisms” will fill a book, but Here are some of his more memorable ones:
“There are seven winners of the Monaco Grand Prix on the grid today and four of them are Michael Schumacher.”
“This is a very interesting circuit because it has inclines, which go not just up but also down as well.”
“With half the race gone, there is still half a race to go.”
Co-commentating with James Hunt at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Walker, in his hysterical fashion, screamed: “Damon Hill is passing Michael Schumacher . . . on the outside!”
To which Hunt replied: “Eh, Murray. Michael is going into the pits.”
Picture source: @AmJose_
