7 replies to this topic

[David Force]

I have just received the very sad news that Gunnar Elmgren has died.

Gunnar was President of the Historic Motor Sport Commision for many years and devoted much of his life to keeping the sport he loved on track.

I am sure there will be many tributes to this fine gentleman.

Are thoughts are with his wife and family at this time

[David McKinney]

Very sad news indeed
He was one one of those rare people in the FIA heirarchy who was a genuine enthusiast with a great love for his sport. IIRC he only stepped down a few months ago.
I always found him exceedingly friendly and helpful

[Doug Nye]

This is really sad. 'Gunner Sugden' as we knew him was ex-Swedish Air Force, former owner of the McLaren-BRM M5A in addition to his Maseratis, former PRO for Renault Sweden, really pleasant friendly bloke, and then he ran out of luck...

DCN

[Graham Gauld]

It is truly sad news as Gunnar was a great character and having served with him on the FIA Historic Commission I agree with David, he was one who truly put his heart and soul into it and actually worked as opposed to some of the delegates who sat around and did very little.
He went through a difficult time, I think, when he set up a Ferrari dealership and last year he was planning to come on a Tour I organise with his friend Robin Lodge but did not make it.
A thorough gentleman

[Alan Cox]

Sad news indeed. Here is the one and only photo of Gunnar that I have, taken at one of his all-too-rare outings in recent years, VSCC Mallory Park 1995. The car is CM8

[Allen Brown]

Sad news. Gunnar was one of the F1 car owners who encouraged me greatly when I first started trying to track thosee cars in the late 1970s. As Doug mentioned, he owned the McLaren M5A and was kind enough to send pictures and a full account of the cars life - on Bonnier's wall and beyond.

He will be missed.

[Paul Hamilton]

Sad news indeed although not entirely unexpected given Gunnar's recent health problems.

Gunnar was a real gentleman with great political skills which had enabled him to minimise the intrusion of FIA style politics into the historic motor sports arena. He made many friends during his visits to Australia and had shown a genuine understanding of the increasingly global nature of our sport and the need for the FIA to adopt a much less Eurocentric approach towards its administration. Lets hope that his successors recognise that issue to the same extent.

He will be much missed by many of us 'down under' and our sympathy goes out to Helen and Victoria who accompanied Gunnar on his last visit in December 04.

[Allen Brown]

I received this note this evening:

Dear Allen,
I am one of Gunnar's oldest friends, and I have been reading the comments about him on F1 Bulletin Board. As I am not a member I can not send e-mails, except to you as I found your address on your home page. Please find enclosed the ad that tells about his death and the funeral. Maybe you can forward the information to those concerned. In case anyone wants to send a letter the address is

Helen Elmgren
Slogvagen 8
181 31 LIDINGÖ
Sweden

Yours sincerely

Björn-Eric

PS. Actually Doug Nye is wrong - Gunnar was not ex-Swedish Air Force, but his 6CM was used for PR purposes for "Flygvapnet" (The Air Force) who also sponsored him. I would be interested to know why Doug (whose e-mail address I don't have) called him Gunnar Sugden!

Björn-Eric Lindh
Birger Jarlsgatan 83
S-113 56 Stockholm
Sweden
Phone +46-8-612 99 24
Mobile +46-70-725 12 51
e-mail bjorn-eric [dot] lindh [at] tele2 [dot] se

(BTW, I tried to explain the Gunner Sugden joke as best I could)