49 replies to this topic

[Phil Rainford]

Sad news indeed........

http://adamcooperf1....shaw-1946-2010/



PAR

[LordAston]

RIP Tom

Thanks for the memories.

[sterling49]

Sad news.R.I.P.

[Bjorn Kjer]

How sad , and what a terrible age ! Tom Walkinshaw was a very good racer and the name TWR will never be forgotten , and still lives succesfully down under today !

[Arturo Pereira]

Sad loss indeed

RIP TW

[AAA-Eagle]

Very sad news.

Earlier this year www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk published an article where Tom Walkinshaw talked about his battle. That was a battle no one wanted to fight...

There are a lot of people here who have helped me with it. My family have also been fantastic to help me. Everyone who knew I wasn't very well was very respectful of it. You just have to get on with it, get back on your feet and look to the future, take everything as it comes and as a bonus. The wife won't let me do quite so many flights to Australia as I did before, but we do a lot more of it on video link and what have you. And on the prognosis? I hope it's good.

Below are one of the last Tom's photos, which were taken during 2010 British GP at Silverstone on Saturday (the first two) and Sunday:




© Keith Sutton/James Moy


R.I.P. Tom

[Chris Bloom]

A sad loss. He gave motor sport a lot. I fondly remember going to Donington, Silverstone and Brands Hatch and watching both the XJS's in the ETC and the Silk Cut Jags in Group C. Those cars really set their respective series alight and installed a sense of pride in the British motor sports fan.

[BorderReiver]

A hard man, and I would imagine often difficult to get on with (if what I've read is true), but undoubtedly a real fighter, highly driven and intelligent and endlessly resourceful. Just a proper fighter.

RIP.

[Paul Hurdsfield]

Very sad
He brought so much entertainment to those of us on the other side of the fence, who arn't interested in the politics.
RIP Tom

[jj2728]

R.I.P. Tom

[BullHead]

great photos there. Sad news. A fighter.

[Jack-the-Lad]

Condolences to Tom's family. He will be missed.

Jack.

[Quixotic]

Just saw a message from David Brabham on facebook. Very sad event.

[RogerFrench]

Very sad, for the Motor Racing memories, and for Gloucester Rugby as well.
R.I.P.

[arttidesco]

It's hard to fathom the man behind so many vivid memories has been taken so young.

Condolences to the Walkinshaw family and friends.

RIP Tom.

[eldougo]

RIP Mr W.

[Graham Gauld]

Dear old Tom he was a great "character" in the Scottish tradition. He was a likeable chancer who never did things by halves and took enormous risks from time to time in his various businesses. He first raced an MG MIdget at Ingliston but when his local pal Bill Borrowman took on a sub agency for Lotus Tom was persuaded to buy a Lotus 51 which he ran as a privateer. At that time Ingliston was run by John Romanes, another character, who was known to be strict about people damaging his barriers. When Tom put the Lotus 51 into one of them John Romanes sent him a bill for the repair of the barrier! Years later when Tom had become famous he and John continued to have a laugh over the incident. Though he could be as hard as nails he could also be as soft as a puppy. I remember chairing a forum with him in Scotland at which my son Lance attended. Lance was about 12 at the time and had just started karting. Tom had just taken on the British distributorship for AGV crash helmets and the following week Lance received this big parcel. Inside was the most expensive top of the line AGV crash helmet - the one with the hinged chin piece - identical to the one Rene Arnoux used to wear with a note wishing Lance good luck.
In one conversation we talked about writing a biography but it was too early in the story. Some years later and just before he left Arrows and Formula 1 I mentioned it to him again. He laughed and said " We had better wait until I am out of Formula 1" and gave that conspiratorial smile.
The lad did well for himself but the pressures could possibly have contributed to his terminal bout with cancer. He will be missed.

[gtsmunro]

Rip TW.

[Lola5000]

What type of cancer did TW have?

[Pullman99]

Dear old Tom he was a great "character" in the Scottish tradition. He first raced an MG MIdget at Ingliston but when his local pal Bill Borrowman took on a sub agency for Lotus Tom was persuaded to buy a Lotus 51 which he ran as a privateer.

I remember Tom Walkinshaw racing the Lotus at Ingliston. I also recall a Scottish Television documentary at the start of the 1971 F2 season that featured the first race in that year's European Championship at Mallory Park. The programme was essentially following the fortunes of Tom in the March, Gerry Birrell in the J & J Stanton Lotus 69 and Richard Scott (???). Even then, Tom Walkinshaw seemed very much a forthright individual and clearly, from the comments here, he was a greatly respected achiever who will be sadly missed.

Edited by Pullman99, 13 December 2010 - 14:40.

[Alfie]

I first met Tom the year he took the Osella BMW to Le Mans with Ted Toleman and Rad Dougall. 1978

I was a weekend warrior who organised the signalling at Mulsanne for him. I had met with Tom a couple of months before and we had simply sat in his office and shook hands on the deal. "What if we don't qualify? Do we still have to pay you?" "Why not? We still have to spend money to get there etc." "Aye, fair enough." came the reply, with a firm handshake.

In practice, he suffered a puncture near the Mulsanne kink. Whilst they recovered his car, he came to have a cup of tea with us, and told us how the puncture had "made his third eye wink"!

I had the privilege to work with him again on a number of occasions at Spa and Le Mans, although I did miss out when going to Silverstone Circuit just after he was eased out.

I know he divided opinion, but I never had a reason to look back on anything we did together with anything other than positive views.

I shall mourn his passing, but I shall celebrate knowing him.

God bless Tom.

Edited by Alfie, 13 December 2010 - 16:48.

[Frank de Jong]

Ouch, didn't know he was ill at all. RIP, and thanks for the memories.

[Gabrci]

What type of cancer did TW have?

He had lung cancer.

[tyrrellp346wheels]

A huge loss to British and Australian motorsport. RIP

[zoff2005]

Sad news. He was such a character.

I “met” him twice. The first time was in 1969 at Mallory Park. I was running in F4 and he was running in Formula Ford. I went up into the control tower to watch some of the racing. It was quite a warm sunny day and it was boiling hot up there. The place was obviously a breeding ground for flies and they were swarming about. There was only one other person up there, whom I recognized as the new “Scottish white hope”, Tom Walkinshaw – and there he was, running around and grinning like a madman with a box of matches, striking them and setting fire to the flies! I thought “oho – maybe I don’t want to be a Formula Ford driver after all!”

The next time I came across him was at Anderstorp in 1986 – I had agreed to co-drive a private Toyota (with Pierre Fermine) in the ETCC. After qualifying there was a driver’s meeting and Tom “chaired” it and asked us all to sign a petition to ban special fuels (this was just after the deaths of Elio de Angelis and Henri Toivonen – which he said were compounded by these special fuels – although his real reason was probably to handicap the rival Volvo team who ran turbos and really needed that fuel). Anyway we all signed (he was quite persuasive!). One of the people who signed (and borrowed my pen to do so) was Marc Surer – within a few weeks he was very badly burned (and his co-driver killed) in a fiery rally accident.

In the race itself I was really careful to keep out of the quick cars’ way – especially that of Tom who had a bit of a reputation! But he was absolutely charming and waved his thanks each time he lapped me.

RIP

Marcus Mussa

[David M. Kane]

I suspect nothing came easy to Tom; so you have to admire his grit. He got a lot done in 64 years!

[barrykm]

RIP Tom

[alansart]

Sad news.

He could rub a few people up the wrong way on occasions but he also did a lot of good for motor racing, although I wonder if the Arrows failure took more out of him than just his money?

I was at Zolder in 1982. Tom was on pole in the XJS. For some reason the grid was slow to line up and I could see he was getting a bit aggravated. With the engines revving you could see him gesticulating to the starter to "f***ing get on with it" - he went on to win.

I also happened to be at Mosport Park, in 1985 for the debut of the Jag sports cars. He made sure everything was prepared to the highest standards, but I don't know how he managed to get this parked at the back of the pits




And in the pits was this

Edited by alansart, 13 December 2010 - 19:16.

[piperp2]

What a Shock to hear this sad news and my condolences to his family and friends, what a great time the late 1980’s were, Tom and Sir John Egan were both an important part of Jaguars recovery and what they achieved in 1988 was one of motorsports great moments. Seeing the Silk Cut Group C Jaguars at Brands, Donington and Silverstone still remain my most memorable motorsport experience; it really was a wonderful time. RIP Tom.

[GregCozier]

This is worth a look

http://www.youtube.c...player_embedded

[Jesper O. Hansen]

Shocked to learn that "Major" Tom has died - didn't even realise he was ill. May I offer my condolonces to his nearest and dearest.

Jesper

[TennisUK]

I was a child when the TWR Jags were cleaning up at Le Mans, and grew up with him running Benetton, Ligier and the BTCC Volvos. A thoroughly influential chap.

[ghinzani]

Such a shame at such a relatively young age. I do often wonder why, with his combative nature and persuasive skils that he never got himself at least a sniff of a F1 ride in the 70s? He got to F5000 with a GAA engined device, surely the step up further to F1, even for a non-championship race, wasnt that hard?Or was it the legacy from a big crash he had, maybe in Atlantic (?) that stopped him?

RIP Major Tom

[wolf sun]

RIP Tom, and sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.
He was a cornerstone of motorsport.

[stevewf1]

Very sad news. Those TWR Jaguars will always be one of those icons of important racing history for me.

[simonlewisbooks]

Todays edition of the Bristol based WESTERN DAILY PRESS newpaper carries a front page photo a feature story and an obituary for Tom....and having had a quick scan of it I can fine not one mention of motor racing!
Not a word about Jaguar, Le Mans, TWR,F1, Touring Cars, Damon Hill, Arrows.....
It's all about his ownership of Gloucester Rugby Club.
Just a load of balls....

[kayemod]

Just a load of balls....

And oddly shaped ones at that.

[Stephen W]

Todays edition of the Bristol based WESTERN DAILY PRESS newpaper carries a front page photo a feature story and an obituary for Tom....and having had a quick scan of it I can fine not one mention of motor racing!
Not a word about Jaguar, Le Mans, TWR,F1, Touring Cars, Damon Hill, Arrows.....
It's all about his ownership of Gloucester Rugby Club.
Just a load of balls....

Spherical objects surely; it isn't surprising that a "local newspaper" should concentrate on the local interest issue.

[simonlewisbooks]

Spherical objects surely

No, not spherical... rugby games are played by men with elliptical balls...

The Arrows/TWR factory was only just over the Oxfordshire border so when Arrows were still running it did get coverage in this particular publication.
Clearly those now writing the sports pages have short memories. And a preference for elliptical balls...

[Peter Darley]

Todays edition of the Bristol based WESTERN DAILY PRESS newpaper carries a front page photo a feature story and an obituary for Tom....and having had a quick scan of it I can fine not one mention of motor racing!
Not a word about Jaguar, Le Mans, TWR,F1, Touring Cars, Damon Hill, Arrows.....
It's all about his ownership of Gloucester Rugby Club.
Just a load of balls....

A far better obituary appear in to-day's "Daily Telegraph".

[Jean L]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Brands Hatch 1978.

[D-Type]

A far better obituary appear in to-day's "Daily Telegraph".

Not surprising as they employ some talented stringers

[simonlewisbooks]

Silverstone March 2001

[LotusElise]

He was only a bit older than my Dad. It's so sad looking through the pictures and seeing how ill he must have been at the end.

I'm a bit too young to remember him really, but the name always conjures up an image of beautiful dark-green liveried sportscars, going very fast.

[Alan Cox]

A far better obituary appear in to-day's "Daily Telegraph".

http://www.telegraph...Walkinshaw.html

[doc knutsen]

http://www.telegraph...Walkinshaw.html

Very strange that they did not mention his oustanding successes for Jaguar (and for Britain, in difficult times): The ETC win, the Spa 24hrs, the Sports Car World Championship and those two Le Mans victories. Whatever else Walkinshaw may or may not have accomplished, the memory of his efforts for the Jaguar marque will remain with a great many enthusiasts for a long time.

[NPP]

Very strange that they did not mention his oustanding successes for Jaguar (and for Britain, in difficult times): The ETC win, the Spa 24hrs, the Sports Car World Championship and those two Le Mans victories. Whatever else Walkinshaw may or may not have accomplished, the memory of his efforts for the Jaguar marque will remain with a great many enthusiasts for a long time.

see here for an obituary that does mention a few of these achievements: http://www.independe...on-2161604.html

Edited by NPP, 16 December 2010 - 13:48.

[john winfield]

And here's one by Alan Henry in The Guardian:

http://www.guardian....inshaw-obituary


I remember that 1976 Silverstone 6 Hours drive - superb performance with Fitz in the BMW, and then Tom flies off to win a saloon race at Thruxton!

[rdmotorsport]

And here's one by Alan Henry in The Guardian:

http://www.guardian....inshaw-obituary


I remember that 1976 Silverstone 6 Hours drive - superb performance with Fitz in the BMW, and then Tom flies off to win a saloon race at Thruxton!

farewell TW

[Vitesse2]

Coming up in the next few minutes on BBC1 West, coverage of TW's memorial service. Sky channel 986 or later on the BBC website.