Tom Walkinshaw passes away

[ArrowsFA1]

Former racing driver and team owner Tom Walkinshaw has died. The 60-year-old had been suffering from cancer.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88672

[Rollo]

BTCC, ETCC, the Spa 24 Hour, Le Mans 24 Hour, Bathurst 1000 and an F1 title. Is there anything his teams didn't win?

He was a rare talent indeed.

[UltimateDanGTR]

Great racing driver, great team owner. 60 is too young to pass away, may he rest in peace.

He will be sorely missed.

[Cooper_S]

BTCC, ETCC, the Spa 24 Hour, Le Mans 24 Hour, Bathurst 1000 and an F1 title. Is there anything his teams didn't win?

He was a rare talent indeed.

I have just heard this very sad news, can't quite believe it really, I remember well the TWR jaguars and the 94 F1 championship.

Very sad news

[Jag_Warrior]

I know Tom had a bad reputation for being overly slick (or "crooked", as some might say). But when I think of him, I think of all of the fantastic things he did with and for Jaguar in the 1980's. Until TWR got involved, Jaguar hadn't had "real" success at Le Mans since the 1950's/60's.

Also, I'm surprised that he was only 60. I thought he would have been older than that, just by what he accomplished nearly 25+ years ago. To this day, I'd still like to get my hands on a well maintained XJR-S. Because of the E-type, I always liked Jaguars. But because of what Tom did with JagSport, the racing team and the XJ-S special editions, I grew to love the marque. In a weird way, I guess I exist here, in this form, because of Tom Walkinshaw and TWR.

R.I.P., Tom. I hope that you find the peace in the next life that you weren't quite able to find here.

My hat is off to you. :s mokin:
http://www.diseno-art.com/images_3/Jaguar-XJR-S_TWR.jpg

[driveace]

I too was suprised that Tom was only 60 years old,maybe he did upset some people on his way up,like the people who broke the fence down at his farm letting his wifes horses out onto the Motorway,where a few were killed.
but succesfull people do occasionally upset people on thier journey.
R.IP. Tom

[Jake Stephens]

Had absolutely no idea the guy was sick, sad news. RIP.

[Sonic]

Sad, sad news. :(

[Nikki Katz]

poor guy :(

[ShiftingGears]

RIP

[CNR]

Tom Walkinshaw
v8 supercars 2007 Win it or Bin it

[TheFamousEccles]

Sad news. I remember well the Jags that his team prepared for Bathurst (in the days when Aussie Touring cars were more than just silhouette formula chevs and fords), and his efforts with the V8's here since have been colourful, to say the least.

Taken too young. RIP

[Mark]

Wow. 60? That's no age! He made a fantastic contribution to motorsport, mostly outside of F1 with his company TWR which were often at the forefront of the likes of touring car racing.

In F1 I remember he was the reason Damon Hill turned down an offer to race for Jordan and went to Arrows instead.

[wedge]

A great contributor to the sport. A whole lotta love for Silk Cut Jags, Rover SD1s and Volvo estates.

However, I wouldn't want this man to be my bank manager. Nice to know he was still up to his old tricks regardless if you're a racing legend or not: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/mark-skaife-gives-up-holden-racing-team-to-tom-walkinshaw/story-e6frexni-1111118195186


In F1 I remember he was the reason Damon Hill turned down an offer to race for Jordan and went to Arrows instead.

Weren't Jordan already locked into contracts with their drivers when Damon was calling? At the top of my head I remember Ralf Schumacher was one of them.

[Retro Formula 1]

Blimey :( Tom was indeed a rare talent. His contribution to Motorsport is unparralled but he was also a great Rugby fan and involved with Glouster as well as being involved with Music and events.

Reminded me a bit of Chapman the way he can create success from just about anything.

RIP Tom.

[V12]

RIP. Like others I had absolutely no idea he was battling cancer. Obviously he and his family didn't want to broadcast it and I respect that.

[ioan]

Rip. :(

[Mark]

As I remember Hill did have an offer on the table from Eddie Jordan but instead was persuaded by new Arrows owner Tom Walkinshaw to drive for his team for the 1997 season.

[DazzlaF1]

A great contributor to the sport. A whole lotta love for Silk Cut Jags, Rover SD1s and Volvo estates.

However, I wouldn't want this man to be my bank manager. Nice to know he was still up to his old tricks regardless if you're a racing legend or not: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/mark-skaife-gives-up-holden-racing-team-to-tom-walkinshaw/story-e6frexni-1111118195186



Weren't Jordan already locked into contracts with their drivers when Damon was calling? At the top of my head I remember Ralf Schumacher was one of them.

I think I remember Fisichella was confirmed as a Jordan driver weeks before Hill signed for Arrows

RIP Tom, you'll be sadly missed :(

[Daniel]

As people have mentioned he did have a reputation but he did also give a lot to motorsport. RIP Tom.

[Robinho]

he was unquestionabley an astute and "hard" businessman, but he acheved a hell of a lot and took no crap, i had a lot of respect for him and the way he went about it in the face of the establishment sometime. There was a bit of a shadow over some of his dealing, but nothing like as murky as some who are still in and around the sport and you cannot argue with the level of success he acheived in everything he did.

The sport is worse of for his passing and he'll be missed

[Josti]

I remember how unfair he was to drop Verstappen just before the 2002 season started, while Jos had a contract.

On the other hand he led the fabulous Jaguar team which gave Jan Lammers his triumph at Le Mans.

RIP.

[Retro Formula 1]

As a man that had a quite a 'robust' sense of humour, I wonder if he would have chosen "Don't you forget about me" or "Alive and Kicking" for the funeral :laugh:

[BDunnell]

He is going to be a difficult one for people to, to not coin a phrase, obituarise. A man of great motorsport achievements as driver and team owner, certainly, but also someone who was the subject of some extremely damning court judgements.

[Daniel]

He is going to be a difficult one for people to, to not coin a phrase, obituarise. A man of great motorsport achievements as driver and team owner, certainly, but also someone who was the subject of some extremely damning court judgements.

It is good that the forum police are allowing forum members post stuff like this without getting all precious like in the Bernie thread :up:

[odykas]

Very sad news.
RIP :(

[wedge]

It is good that the forum police are allowing forum members post stuff like this without getting all precious like in the Bernie thread :up:


Its great to see this thread has remained respectful and people have respected the fact this is a tribute thread. The mods on three other forums to my knowledge have had a hell of a time cleaning up threads where posters have used it as an excuse to tarnish Tom's legacy by arguing about the shadier side of Tom's business ethics... This forum rules guys.. :up: :up: :)

I find it rather sad.

Yes it is sad to hear about the death of a person but I would rather hear all types of stories that made that particular person a human being and not a one dimensional portrait. After all TW was a divisive figure and his reputation in F1 was ruined after Arrows went into administration and declared 'unfit'.

Yes he was fantastic for motorsport as whole with some marvellous stories but we mustn't forget there were also ugly stories too that would be of interest.

As an example of what I'm on about, an article from Marshall Pruett via SpeedTV.com on the TWR/Jaguar/IMSA GTP era:

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/pruett-farewell-to-a-fighter//P2/

Some would regard TW as a bully but associates have said this approach brought the best of them.

[wedge]

Double post

[Daniel]

I find it rather sad.

I more or less agree. At the end of the day someone has died and it is of course sad but people have to be realistic about things and not attempt to whitewash history just because someone has died.

[Jag_Warrior]

His death shocked me because Tom allowed me to spend 2 weeks at his team and learn abit about how an F1 team works and I was grateful for him for that.

Lucky guy! :up:

[markabilly]

As I remember Hill did have an offer on the table from Eddie Jordan but instead was persuaded by new Arrows owner Tom Walkinshaw to drive for his team for the 1997 season.
i think that be right...everyone knows contracts are rock solid and air tight, except when the owner decides otherwise.....

anyway RIP>>>>>>>

60 is a youngster age as far as I am concerned

[wedge]

I think enough people have paid their respects and I see no problem discussing other aspects of his career seeing as this thread is a few days older. I had just witnessed threads getting out of hand on other forums within hours of his death being announced, and people were getting quite disrespectful and mocking others who were genuinely upset by his passing.

You wouldn't expect Hitler or Pol Pot to have glowing tribute so its only fair that a divisive person like TW people will have mixed feelings about him. It'll be the same when someone like Margaret Thatcher dies.

I suppose different people grieve in different ways. I had a relative die a couple of weeks ago from cancer as well. I wasn't at least surprised by the bad stories flung around in a hospital waiting room.

[steveaki13]

RIP

Very Sad.

I didn't know much of his career outside F1, but in the 17 or 18 years I have watched F1 I always thought he seemed like a nice guy.

I used to love Arrows. I miss them as we shall all miss Tom.

[Bolton Midnight]

You wouldn't expect Hitler or Pol Pot to have glowing tribute so its only fair that a divisive person like TW people will have mixed feelings about him. It'll be the same when someone like Margaret Thatcher dies.


Hardly like for like, 2 mass murderers, a great driver and team boss / entrepreneur and the best PM the UK has ever had.

Anyroad, stuffing the Aussies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2j6yqZg0Q

[wedge]

Hardly like for like, 2 mass murderers, a great driver and team boss / entrepreneur and the best PM the UK has ever had.

Anyroad, stuffing the Aussies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if2j6yqZg0Q

Was this not cold-blooded?


http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/12/tom_walkinshaw_who_has_died.html

At a sportscar race once, he sought out a journalist to whose reporting he had taken exception, dragged him across the pit lane and hung him over the pit wall as cars passed by at nearly 200mph while he verbally harangued him.

[Bolton Midnight]

And you think that is comparable to Hitler and Pol Pot FFS?

[BDunnell]

And you think that is comparable to Hitler and Pol Pot FFS?

Er... that was not what was suggested. Try re-reading the post in question.

[Bolton Midnight]

You should watch the film "Downfall".... Hitler used to get quite angry over the dinner table.. :p :)

So does my 3 year old daughter but AFAIK she has not committed mass murder either...........