MOTORRACING
Alan Henry
It was an oblique tribute to Murray Walker’s key role in the shaping of Formula One’s televised image over the past three decades that Jaguar driver Eddie Irvine felt obliged to blurt out a dose of light-hearted, if hardly diplomatic, criticism of Bernie Ecclestone’s grand prix show at Indianapolis last weekend.
Invited to another Walker tribute party as the 77-year-old prepared to hang up his headphones after the United States Grand Prix, Irvine made it clear that he thought the current formula one television show offered less than compelling viewing.
“At first his mistakes used to annoy me before I was old enough to realise it didn’t matter,” he said. “He lifts the whole thing. I tried once turning the sound off on one of Murray’s broadcasts and God, Bernie, we don’t put on a good show.”
Irvine’s effort at humour was interpreted either as an amusing slice of dissent from a man known for his trenchant remarks or a classic case of a highly paid sportsman biting the hand that feeds his 5-million salary.
However, he explained his comment away by saying that he had been trying to express just how crucial is the role of an informed and enthusiastic commentator in this case Walker.
The Englishman’s departure will leave a void which his successor strongly tipped to be the ITV pit-lane commentator James Allen will find extremely difficult to fill.
“Murray made every race like losing your virginity,” said David Coulthard. “It was always that exciting.”
Throughout the Indianapolis weekend there was much back-slapping and joshing with Walker, who is a genuinely popular man in the Formula One fraternity. For his part, he seemed rather quiet and thoughtful, clearly realising that the end of his globetrotting road had finally arrived.
After active service in World War II, Walker forged a highly successful career as an advertising executive.
Walker’s early commentaries had been in conjunction with his father, but he continued on his own after Graham’s death in 1962 and finally went full-time on his retirement from the advertising business in 1982.
“What I will miss most is the sense of belonging to a community of friends who work and travel together in the Formula One business,” said Walker. “We’re all in this business as competitors in many ways, but we’re also bound together by a sense of common purpose and underlying friendship.
“But I don’t think I will have too much spare time next year as I will spend much of the time travelling while promoting my autobiography.”
Walker has reputedly accepted a 1,2-million advance from Harper Collins for his book, which is expected to be titled Unless I’m Very Much Mistaken one of the catchphrases that the man known to millions in the role of Formula One’s cuddly uncle has made his own.