As we head back to Austrian for the 2014 Austrian Grand Prix, let’s go retro and watch the full 1981 Austrian Grand Prix with live commentary switching between BBC’s Murray Walker and James Hunt, and ORF with Niki Lauda and Heinz Pruller! Some super awesome golden F1 action!
Tag: murray walker
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Favourite Walkerisms over the years – Murray Walker
It’s Formula One commentating legend Murray Walker’s 90th birthday today and we thought we’d celebrate by sharing some of our favourite Walkerisms.
For many Formula One fans worldwide Murray Walker is part and parcel of the sport they fell in love with.
Starting every race with his enthusiastic, “GO! GO! GO!”, Murray is well known as the Voice of Formula One and his voice is genuinely synonymous with F1 through the years, as are his bloopers – or Walkerisms as they’re affectionately known – which he’d make while getting emotionally over-charged in the thrill of an F1 race.
There is no doubt that without him Formula 1 would not be as popular as it is now.
What better way to celebrate Murray’s birthday than to take a look at our favourite Walkerisms. One of the best known Walkerisms of all time, and one we’d hear race after race is, “Unless I’m very much mistaken …”. Puts a smile on our faces every time.
Below are some of our favourite Walkerisms. Share yours with us in the comments section below!
Australia 2000
Murray on M Schumacher’s fight for championship glory with Ferrari: “…and it’s something he’s been trying to achieve since he left Benetton in 1958!”
Belgium 1996
“…and now, just in case there is any CONFUSION this is the race order on lap 19: David Coulthard leads and has yet to stop; Hakkinen leads and has yet to stop…”Monaco 1981
“You might not think that’s cricket, and it’s not, it’s motor racing”Spain 2000
“So while we wait for them to come on to the podium, and I’ll interrupt myself when they do…”Malaysia 2000
Murray: “Wake up on the left, there! This is a terrific race going on!”
(A McLaren mechanic is lying down on the garage floor)Monaco 1992
“We’re now on the 73rd lap and the next one will be the 74th.”British GP
“There’s no damage to the car except of course to the car itself…”Argentinia 1997
“I didn’t see the time largely because there wasn’t one.”
(Referring to the pit stop clock)Qualifying, Imola 1997
“Ralf Schumacher, son of double world championship winner Michael Schumacher”Imola 2000
“Michael Schumacher as I expected is extending his lead over Michael Schumacher”Malaysia 2001
Murray: “You can see the cooling elements coming out of his balaclava.”
Martin Brundle: “That’s his hair.”
Here are a few more random Walkerisms:“He’s obviously gone in for a wheel change. I say obviously because I can’t see it”
“With half the race gone, there is half the race still to go”
“He is shedding buckets of adrenalin in that car”
“It’s raining and the track is wet”
Murray: “What’s that? There’s a BODY on the track!!!” ….
James Hunt: “Um, I think that that is a piece of BODY-WORK, from someone’s car.”Murray: “There’s a fiery glow coming from the back of the Ferrari…” James Hunt: “No Murray, that’s his rear safety light.”
“Only a few more laps to go and then the action will begin, unless this is the action, which it is.”
“And the first five places are filled by five different cars.”
“And an enormous gap building before Mika Hakkinen goes through in third position…when I say enormous it’s 1.5 seconds”
“I hate to be a Jeremiah, but I have to tell you that the clouds are lowering…”
How can these famous Murray Walker quotes not make any F1 Fan smile from ear to ear? š Happy Birthday Murray!
Let us know what your favourite Walkerisms are in the comments section below! -
Video: A Message From Murray Walker After the Hungarian Grand Prix
Murray Walker thanking the fans for their support through his fight with cancer
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Codemasters to Launch F1 2013 game
Codemaster’s has announced that F1 2013 will be released, worldwide, Ā in the next few months.
The software company, who made their first F1 game in 2011, announced a new feature of the game that is sure to please the purists. A new gameplay mode, called F1 Classics,Ā will be featured that allows fans a chance at taking on legendary drivers on some of the most iconic racing tracks throughout the world.
The F1 Classics gameplay mode will be introduced by legendary Murray Walker and will enable gamers to race the classic Williams, Lotus and FerrariĀ cars of the 80s.Gamers will be able to compete on famous circuits such as Brands Hatch and JerezĀ against greats of the sports like Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Emerson Fittipaldi and Gerhard Berger. Codemasters have suggested that more legends may be include in the F1 Classics mode but at still to confirm exactly which heroes from the past will make an appearance.
F1 2013 will be available on PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation3.
Codemasters have released these ‘work in progress’ screenshots to whet the appetite.
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Beloved F1 commentator, Murray Walker, diagnosed with cancer
Everyone’s favourite F1 commentator and the voice of Formula One for more than 30 years, Murray Walker, revealed last night that he has been diagnosed with a form of lymphatic system cancer.
The cancer was diagnosed during routine blood testing while he was undergoing treatment for a fall last month which broke his pelvis.
But being Murray Walker, the 89 year old remains up beat and told BBC Sport that he was hopeful as the cancer has been caught very early.
“They’ve caught it incredibly early. It’s treatable, the doctors say my condition is mild and I’m very hopeful,” Walker said.
Walker, whose voice and energetic commentary has become synonymous with Formula OneĀ over the years is apparently more concerned about having to cancel his plans to attend the Silverstone F1 Grand Prix at the end of June. F1 journalist, Maurice Hamilton who broke the news on Twitter last night, also jokingly tweeted, “Despite having to face chemo, Murray is more concerned about having to miss Silverstone and Goodwood. Typical!”
Murray Walker became involved in GP racing in 1949 and worked as a Formula One commentator and journalist from 1978 until his retirement following the US Grand Prix in 2001. Numerous websites featuring Murray’s ‘Walkerisms’ can be found across the Internet and he has become a much loved and adored Formula One stalwart.
Our thoughts are with Murray as he faces chemotherapy for the next few weeks and we wish him well on his road to recovery.
What are your favourite memories of Murray Walker and his F1 commentary? Leave them in the comments section below.
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F1 Video: 1994 San Marino Grand Prix Full Race
One of the saddest days in Formula One history: The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Ayrton Senna’s final race. This is the full race video.