Formula One testing this last week, in Bahrain, was great but the three-day event was overshadowed by the passing of one of the most beloved and brilliant commentators that has ever graced the sport. Murray Walker truly did dedicate his 97 year life to motor sport and left a mark on F1 that is up there with the likes of great drivers such as Senna, Schumacher and Fangio.
The difference is, like myself, he was never a driver. In fact, his introduction to motor sport came in the form of motor cycle racing where his father, Graham, raced professionally and was a junior Isle of Mann TT winner.
Since his passing, the Formula One community has had an outpouring of love and thanks for his contribution to the sport. Bernie Ecelstone, not known for his gushing compliments, had this to say:
“Murray Walker is Murray Walker. Full stop . You don’t compare anyone to him.”
Martin Brundle, his long time co-commentator: “They broke the mould when Murray was born. They will not be another Murray Walker “
Michael Schumacher had once said: “Murray’s enthusiasm and breathless energy were an inspiration.”
As Damon Hill crossed the line to win his one and only F1 World Championship title in Japan in 1996, millions of viewers in England were up in the middle of the night to hear Murray’s unforgettable call :
“Damon Hill exits the chicane and wins the Japanese Grand Prix….. And I’ve got to stop because I have a lump in my throat.”
It was the perfect comment at just the right time as fans felt exactly the same at that moment, myself included, as that was his unique ability. Motor racing is fast and complicated, a technical battle between man and machine. Murray was able to simplify the moment and sum it all up in a way avid race fans and casual onlookers alike could understand. He translated what was happening on track and what it meant for everyone to all to consume and enjoy.
“He had that ability to touch that nerve in people,” commented Damon Hill. “To sum it up in a way that makes everyone understand what it’s all about.”
Nigel Mansell said, “When it wasn’t an exciting race he made it exciting. He made racing in F1 fabulous.”
Walker was born in Birmingham, England, on 10 October 1923. His father Graham Walker was a dispatch rider and works motorcyclist for the Norton Motorcycle Company.
Growing up in the Midlands, Murray was at boarding school in Highgate before going to military college at Sandhurst and then commissioned into the Royal Scots Greys.
Following WWII, Murray briefly followed in his father’s footsteps by taking up motorcycle racing, competing against, among others, a young John Surtees. After limited success, he switched to competing in motorcycle trials where he made a greater mark, including winning a gold at the International Six Days Trial and winning a first-class award at the Scottish Six Days Trial.
He then moved into the working world getting a job in advertising for Dunlop, Aspro, later McCann Erickson and then the Masius advertising agency. Clients included British Rail, Vauxhall and Mars, for whom they created the famous slogan “A Mars a day helps you work rest and play”, though Murray never claimed he came up with that one.
Walker’s first foray into commentating was in 1948 with the Shelsley Walsh hillclimb. He was later given a recorded audition for the BBC at the 1949 Easter Monday Goodwood race.
Murray, then made his first radio broadcast of mainstream motor racing at the 1949 British Grand Prix for the BBC where he broadcast from Stowe corner.
Then his first regular broadcasting work was radio coverage of the annual Isle of Man TT race alongside his father Graham. Murray, and his father, were the first father and son sports commentary pair within the BBC from 1949 to 1962. After the death of his father in 1962, he became the BBC’s chief motorcycling commentator.
He did occasional Formula 1 commentaries during the 1970s before going full-time for the 1978 season. He was also the voice of the Macau Grand Prix for over a decade. I was very privileged enough to inherit the Macau Grand Prix from him when his F1 commitments became full-time and on-site at each race.
To celebrate the 40th running of the Macau Grand Prix in 1994, I was working on the event with Star TV based in Hong Kong and we had planned an all out eight-hours a day “live” coverage of the event, over two days. The organisers had invited all those that had played a major role in the event over those 40 years, as well as a host of past winners of both two and four wheels. So, we were promised a lot of star interviews recounting their experiences at this famous street race.
Murray, of course, was also invited and my producer at Star TV invited him on the show for an interview. Now Murray was my broadcast hero and I had grown up listening to his commentary and like so many ub my profession, Murray was the unobtainable benchmark for all aspiring commentators in the sport to live up to.
Naturally I was excited and nervous that he was coming. Especially because, if you have ever watched the Macau Grand Prix, you know that with no run off, and barriers on every corner, every crash is a potential half-hour delay. When you are ‘live’ for eight-hours, that’s a lot of impromptu filling airtime until the racing gets underway again.
So, on comes Murray. He was humble, funny, knowledgeable and prepared to talk. For me, that was key, as we were in one of those half-hour delays and I was milking Murray for all I could get, both because I was excited to be talking to my hero and secondly, cause my producer was giving me the stretch signal to keep it going, as they had already run out of adverts to play.
Well, I made it past 20-minutes with Murray and I in deep conversation. Then suddenly, as only Murray could, he turned the tables and began interviewing me to see if this 20-something “Walker wanna be” was worth my salt in this motor racing game.
“So Jonathan, what do you make of this Jacque Villeneuve kid who qualified in 23rd.” At first I was taken aback by being interviewed on my own show, but he had put me on the spot and was smiling from ear to ear.
“Well Murray, I stuttered, he’s trying an experimental Mugan engine so I think his qualifying position doesn’t show his true potential and they say he’s a chip off the old and will like his famous father make it to Formula One in the not too decent future.
He smiled as I held my breath – “That’s right he said I think we will be seeing a lot of him soon at the sharp end.”
I began to breathe again because I had passed my hero’s test and it was all live on TV across Asia. I then made a mental note that a night spent researching even the back of the grid is always worth it as you never know what’s round the corner or going to happen in Motor racing.
The ultimate combination of Murray’s career in my mind was his commentary with 1976 World Champion James Hunt from 1980 to 1993 for the BBC .
They were polar opposites and energy opposites, but that’s why it worked so brilliantly together. Murray’s high energy and James laid back observance was superb.
When in the commentary booth together, Walker would provide his animated descriptions of the action, with Hunt bringing in his expert knowledge, which included inside information from the pit lane, typically from his former team McLaren, and often opinionated nature, in his co-commentary role. They were both so passionate about their sport to the point that their cunning producer Jonathan Martin made them share a “Coes” Lip mic so they couldn’t talk over each other.
Murray’s reputation though, exceeded motor sport and he was known to the wider world for his Murrayisms. “Muddley Talker” was his nickname as he often made mistakes or came up with nonsensical sentences that happened in the moment.
They became the stuff of legend and there are several books dedicated to the great Murrayisms of his storied career.
“The lead car is unique, except for the one behind it which is identical.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the car except that it’s on fire.”
“And now, excuse me while I interrupt myself.”
That’s history. I say history, because it happened in the past.
With half the race gone, there is half the race still to go.
“Eight minutes past the hour here in Belgium – and presumably eight minutes past the hour everywhere in the world.”
“Well, now we have exactly the same situation as at the beginning of the race, only exactly opposite.”
Like I say there are books dedicated to his “muddily talking”, but that’s what made him so endearing to the sport and all those involved with it. He loved and admired the drivers he worked with and he deeply loved the job and it showed. The drivers equally loved him and it was a love affair that came across on Television for over 30 years.
In his native England he was known as a “national treasure”, a far greater accolade than any Knighthood or OBE. .
When not in the boot,h he was either making after dinner appearances, handing out prizes or receiving them . In New Zealand, he even navigated former Grand Prix driver Chris Amon in a Toyota Camry Sportivo at the Targa New Zealand, where they finished eighth in their class and 114th outright.
For me, he is without doubt the reason I pursued a career in motorsport behind the mike in both bikes and cars. No one, and I mean no one, can commentate like him, yet I have always tried to emulate his high energy and sheer passion for the sport. Also his constant research, that is needed, as fans, teams and drivers, all know their sport inside out and that it certainly keeps you on your toes.
I started going to races at three-years-old to watch my fathers childhood best friend Brian Redman. So I was always around motorsport and was thrilled by the thundering noise, the speed and the anticipation that something dramatic might happen at any minute. I loved being there.
Then, when I watched motor sport on TV, it seemed bland and there was no sense of the speed and the risks being taken. All except when Murray Walker was commentating. He was immersed fully, riding with the drivers through every corner and conveying the risk, speed and drama of any race across brilliantly.
I agree with Bernie Eccelstone’s description that Murray Walker he is incomparable and simply the best motor racing commentator that ever lived. His legacy will be a huge part of the history of Formula One and he will never be forgotten by those who listened to him “live”.
I’ll leave the last word to Murray,
“I don’t make mistakes. I make prophecies that immediately turn out to be wrong.”
“In the commentary booth I was possessed. I was in love with what I was doing.”
We will all miss you Murray, but we will never forget you.
Murray Walker 1923-2021
Main picture: The author, Jonanthan Green and the late Murray Walker
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