15 replies to this topic

[coolie]

I am very curious about the Barbro Peterson and John Watson love affair. Does anybody remember how it started and the way it went on until its tragic ending?

[Niky]

Hi Coolie, I dont know that much... the only piece of information I have is this link: http://www.research-racing.de/Watson(GB).htm

Someone told me once, they were friends (Ronnie, Barbro, and Watson) and when Ronnie died they continue seen each other, and then the romance began, but I dont know if this story is true. You know how this is... the person who told me that didnt know any of the protagonists of this story face to face... so I dont know where the truth is.

[SennasCat]

I seem to remember reading on these pages that she developed cancer and killed herself. I don't know if it is fact or not???

[coolie]

Thanks for your kind interest, but it seems that your link is a bit outdated, Niky. However, I should note that my curiosity in this love affair was triggered by a picture in "F1 Unseen Archives" page 288 where there is a "paparazzi" photo of the couple (shiny-happy people kind of thing) with the caption: Ronnie Petersen's (sic) widow Barbro is found dead at her 600.000 ₤ home in Cookham, Berkshire, by the man who shared her life, John Watson. This is all I know about it -still, unfortunately.

[MaTT2799]

Coolie:

Not much info for you, but some still. Barbro and Wattie are seen together on the 1986 F1 FIA review tape in Monaco. Sadly, Barbro never got over losing Ronnie, and got great depressions. She killed herself infront of her daughter, after which John Watson aged incredibly within the space of a few months.

A sad story .

[Niky]

Steve, once I read that in a forum... but never in a newspaper or magazine.... When she died I lived near to the Amazonas, so my information is at least, poor. However, I have a piece of newspaper, mentioned the police will start an investigation, including authopsy. I never again read about the results of the investigation...

[Vitesse2]

Standard English police procedure in a case of sudden death - a coroner's inquest is called and a police investigation is part of the process. And the case would have been complicated by the fact that she was not a UK citizen. Ensign14 is our resident legal eagle, but I'm not sure if this is within his area of expertise

[ensign14]

Originally posted by Vitesse2
Standard English police procedure in a case of sudden death - a coroner's inquest is called and a police investigation is part of the process. And the case would have been complicated by the fact that she was not a UK citizen. Ensign14 is our resident legal eagle, but I'm not sure if this is within his area of expertise

Too right I'm afraid - I'm a civil litigator. However the coroner can call in a jury if there is any doubt over the outcome, so I suspect the investigation demonstrated that poor Barbro killed herself.

[Jeroen Brink]

Next to Wattie, John Watson was sometimes also referred to as "Johnny Whatswrong" due to the troubled look he put sometimes on. This was even before the sad happenings with Barbro.

[No27]

The tragedy Watson was hit most was the death of his girl-friend Barbro Peterson, who had suffered extremely after the catastrophe of Monza 1978 and the following drama at the Niguarda Clinic, where the doctors failed both as surgeons as well as human beings. She had terrible depressions for years and the nearness to a competing racing driver does not make things easier. For that reason John Watson had refused the Lotus offer for 1984, but to stop racing, that has not been his intention, not his wish yet. But this condition for a possible marriage he could not accept, was only able to make compromises, those to make she in her personal situation was not able to do so. Only that is the explaination for the act of desperation of Barbro Peterson, in front of her growing daughter, a life out of sense, out of perspective, but full of fear. Sport can be cruel, we should not forget that.

This come from research-racing.de. They say she was his girl-friend but I'm not so sure, I thought they were very close friends but not lovers. Anyway, did anybody know Watson had a offer from Lotus for 1984?

[ensign14]

Wattie at Lotus in 1984? I know Peter Warr was trying to get rid of Mansell, and JPS wanted a British driver, so that would have made sense, but I have never heard that.

[Vicuna]

As I recall, Wattie was all set to join Lotus for 1984 alongside de Angelis but his manager got too greedy.

If this is true, Mnasell has as lot to thank that manager for. Wattie sat out '84 and when the Toleman never got tyres his career had but one GP to run.

Mansell resurected his career and, for the first time began to eclipse the Italian.

[Leif Snellman]

Ectract from a Swedish article about Ronnie:

"Lördagen den 19 december 1987 hittades Barbro Peterson död i sitt badkar. John Watson hade brutit upp dörren till badrummet och hittat Barbro i badkaret. Barbro dog bara 40 år gammal. Hon är begravd i Örebro, tillsammans med Ronnie. Dödsorsaken fastställdes till drunkning, och precis som vid Ronnies dödsfall så har det spekulerats om hur och varför det skedde."

Can be translated to something like this:

Saturday Dec 19th 1987 Barbro Peterson was found dead in her bathtube. John Watson had to break the bathroom door only to find her lying in the tube. Barbro was only 40 years old. She was buried in Örebro together with Ronnie. It was establshed that the reason of death was drowning and just as with Ronnie there as been speculation about why it happened.

[Lutz G]

Originally posted by Vicuna
As I recall, Wattie was all set to join Lotus for 1984 alongside de Angelis but his manager got too greedy.

If this is true, Mnasell has as lot to thank that manager for. Wattie sat out '84 and when the Toleman never got tyres his career had but one GP to run.

Mansell resurected his career and, for the first time began to eclipse the Italian.

I heard too that Watson tried to join Lotus. IMO Barbro was very afraid of seeing John in a black JPS Lotus looking similar to the car Ronnie had his terrible accident. So Wattie was in a dilemma: He wanted continue racing but on the other hand Barbro hated it. He loved both racing and Barbro - what should he do?

@No27

IMO they were lovers: Quote from Pruellers GP Story 82 - Watson: "As long as my I'm racing I've got no plans to marry her - if we'll marry someday there will be no big yellowpress party..."

I heard that he got also an offer from Ligier in 1984.

BTW: I did a Story about Wattie for the German part of my Homepage:

http://www.geocities...59/watson2.html

I'll translate it into English in the future.

Any scans of old newspapers, photos, comments, hints, adresses to contact wattie - anything about Wattie is greatly appreciated! Please post it in this thread or send it to me:

l.goerke@ticalinet.de

Thanks alot!

Lutz

[Lutz G]

Originally posted by coolie
Thanks for your kind interest, but it seems that your link is a bit outdated, Niky. However, I should note that my curiosity in this love affair was triggered by a picture in "F1 Unseen Archives" page 288 where there is a "paparazzi" photo of the couple (shiny-happy people kind of thing) with the caption: Ronnie Petersen's (sic) widow Barbro is found dead at her 600.000 ₤ home in Cookham, Berkshire, by the man who shared her life, John Watson. This is all I know about it -still, unfortunately.

Can you post a link to this article/photo?

Lutz

[Ralliart]

Barbro and Watson were pictured on a yacht or speedboat with Cheever and his wife in a Grand Prix International issue from years past - if any one can post that.