"If you don't like it, then don't drive so fast.....I'm going racing!" These, the words used by Tom Walkinshaw to break the driver's protest of track modifications at Snetterton prior to the 1975 Formula 5000 race, are an illustration of the man who was to provide leadership to so many people and in so many ways in a career spanning 42 years. Sadly, that career is now at an end, for the 64 year old, Penicuik born entrepreneur lost his long battle with cancer on Sunday.
Son of a farmer, Walkinshaw started racing in 1968 and was Scottish Formula Ford Champion the following year before he ventured south to race Jo Marquart designed Modus Formula Three and the aformentioned Ford V6 engined F5000 cars. A European Touring Car Championship with Jaguar followed, the first of many successes for Tom Walkinshaw Racing. Tom then retired as a driver and focussed all his energy and business acumen to bring the marque back to Le Mans, wins in 1988 and 1990, and three World Sportscar titles with the fabulous Silk Cut XJR-9 Jaguars.
Benetton Formula 1 was the next stop and Tom persuaded his colleague from the Jaguar programme, Ross Brawn to join him which led to the Team winning the Formula 1 World Championship in 1994 and 1995 with young Michael Schumacher at the wheel. An initial spell at Arrows through 1997 - 1999, ultimately led to Tom's full ownership of the Arrows TWR team.
Unfortunately, this heralded the least successful period of the Walkinshaw career and increasing reliability issues brought about the collapse of the team after 24 years of continuous participation although the 2002 chassis went on to play a role in the establishment of the Super Aguri Formula 1 team in 2006.
By this time, Walkinshaw had established TWR as a front runner in Australian V8 Supercars. The team was taken over in 2005 by General Motors' Australian operation, Holden and Tom went on to found a new operation, Walkinshaw Performance, which ran the cars for the Holden Racing and HSV Racing teams which were born out of the transaction. Sportscar manufacturer Elfin was then added.
Tom was once described as a "human Rottweiler". Certainly he was hard and tenacious.....he needed to be when he took over the Gloucester Rugby Club in 1995, restoring the performance and bringing success to the Club during his seven year tenure, this ultimately recognised by his election to the Chair of Premier Rugby......but he will be remembered as a racer, and a good one at that!
Tom leaves wife Martine and two sons, to whom the MIA extends its deepest sympathy.
Please click here for a series of images spanning Tom Walkinshaw's long and colourful career.
