EBESIBATHANDA BASILAHLEKELA: MURRAY WALKER (1924 – 2021)

Lucky Mdluli

Umjaho wezimoto uhambisana nomsindo. Umsindo wemoto yohlobo lwe-12 Ferrari 312B  ehamba emgwaqeni omkhulu e-Kyalami ngesivinini samakhilomitha angama-300 ngehora, futhi ephuma intuthu, ufana ncamashi nomsindo wokugijima kwezimoto.

Kepha iphimbo eselizwakale kulo mdlalo iminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi – izwi lomsakazi we-F1, uMurray Walker – selithule ingunaphakade.

UWalker ushone mhla zi-13 kuNdasa eneminyaka engama-97. Waqala waba ngumsakazi we-F1 ku-BBC ngowe-1976 futhi wathatha umhlalaphansi ku-ITV ngowe-2001.

Ngenkathi iningi labagxeki belihlezi lihleka amaphutha akhe amaningi abewasho kumabonakude futhi abaningi becasulwa ukuthi ubethanda kakhulu uNigel Mansell kanye noDamon Hill (nanoma yimuphi omunye umshayeli waseBrithani), akekho noyedwa ongangabaza intshisekelo yakhe ngalo mdlalo.

Ngesikhathi eseminyakeni yakhe engama-20 ngemuva kwe-WW, wangenela umincintiswano wezithuthuthu, wabe esewina indondo yegolide kweye-International Six Days Trial.

Uqale ukusebenza njengomsakazi ngowe-1948 ekukhuphukeni kwentaba eNgilandi kanti abanye, njengoba behlale besho, okunye kungumlando.

Onke ama- “Murrayism” akhe akudala azogcwalisa incwadi, kepha nazi ezinye zezinto azokhunjulwa kakhulu ngazo: 

“Kunabanqobi abayisikhombisa abaphumelele ku-Monaco Grand Prix namuhlanje kanti futhi imklomelo emine ekaMichael Schumacher.”

“Leli yibanga elithokozisayo ngoba linokwenyukela, okungahambeli phezulu nje kuphela kepha kuyahambela naphansi.”

“Njengoba sekuphele uhhafu womjaho, kusasele uhhafu womjaho osazodlalwa.”

Esakaza ngokubambisana noJames Hunt kwi-Hungary Grand Prix, uWalker, ngendlela yakhe yedwa, umemeze wathi: “UDamon Hill nangu edlula uMichael Schumacher. . . ngaphandle!”

Okuyilapho uHunt aphendule khona wathi: “Eh, Murray. UMichael ngathi kumshubele.”

Izihloko zakamuva