Rip Murray Walker

A great loss to all of Motor Sport.

Legend

I'm really saddened to hear that Murray Walker has died at the age of 97. He was a voice that many of us grew up listening to, both in Formula 1 racing as well as in his role as commentator for BBC's coverage of motocross.

I met Murray many times and he was a very nice man. He was also the consummate professional, arriving at the track really early in the morning and, I believe, going round to meet every single rider to prepare his notes for the forthcoming racing.

I remember racing at Canada heights one year. In the first race I got cleaned out on lap one. It took me a while to get going and by that point I was a lap down. However I rode well, pulling up into the top few (but still a lap down). Murray came to our caravan afterwards to congratulate me on a good ride and I had to tell him that sadly he'd made a mistake. Claire offered to make him a cup of tea and the kettle completely steamed his glasses up! The poor man couldn't see a thing! Claire is still proud of her 'claim to fame'!

Many years later I was writing a little piece about Thorpey's last-to-first ride at the 1985 British GP and Murray was kind enough to talk to me for over an hour about not just his recollections of that day, but his love for motocross. He was also keen to put to rest the ridiculous rumours that he was in any way connected to the closure of Matchams Park!

Murray was a good man and I'm missing him already.

Rest in Peace, sir.

"Anything can happen in Grand Prix racing, and it usually does!"