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Thread: John Surtees

  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dylan H
    Thanks, I wasn't aware of that side of him.
    Let it be said, though, that none of this detracts from what an outstanding rider and driver he was, and the wider contribution he made to the motorsport efforts of both Ferrari and Honda. Surtees himself has described how he tried to set up what he called a 'Schumacher movement' at Ferrari, but that not all in the team were receptive to his efforts at broadening its horizons. And as far as Surtees F1 is concerned, one wonders how different things might have been had Mike Hailwood managed to win a Grand Prix for the team, as he came close to doing.

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by barryfullalove
    Why has this man not been given a knighthood? My old man raised the question whilst watching The Killer Years the other day, and I have to say that I agree with him. Jackie Stewart has obviously done a lot for safety, so his services to motorsport can't really be questioned, but how come Stirling gets one and Surtees doesn't? Surtees can pretty much go down in history as being the only man ever to win world championships on two wheels and four, it's a feat that is extremely unlikely to be repeated in the specialised world of motorsport that we watch today, so on what basis is the Queen holding back?
    The Queen only acts on the advice of her Government in these matters so honours tend to be awarded on the basis of not offending people who voted for the party in power & currying favour with those who didn't but might in future. How else do you explain Bob Paisley getting an OBE while Alex Furguson has a CBE & a knighthood.

  3. #23
    Senior Member MrJan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dylan H
    For me a knighthood would be nice but it wouldn't change my opinion of him at all if he didn't get it.
    I think that's the case for most motorsport fans. Whether he's got it or he hasn't then he'll still be a hero, the knighthood would just bring a wider public recognition that he perhaps deserves. Despite being the only man to win on 2 wheels and 4 he's probably a relatively unknown.

    Not too surprised to find out that he was controlling and had a few people that don't like him, few of the greats manage to be universally loved. Off the top of my head Jim Clark seems to be one but can't think of many others.
    You're so beige, you probably think this signature is about someone else.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by BDunnell
    Surtees once claimed that his chassis was 'too good' in that it was getting too much heat into the tyres, to which Jones says he retorted, 'Well, John, why don't you go and **** it up a little?'

  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by barryfullalove
    I think that's the case for most motorsport fans. Whether he's got it or he hasn't then he'll still be a hero, the knighthood would just bring a wider public recognition that he perhaps deserves. Despite being the only man to win on 2 wheels and 4 he's probably a relatively unknown.

    Not too surprised to find out that he was controlling and had a few people that don't like him, few of the greats manage to be universally loved. Off the top of my head Jim Clark seems to be one but can't think of many others.
    Clark had a reputation for not fussing too much about the car; he just won in whatever he was given. Most drivers were not like that, and most drivers made known their competiveness to others.. At riverside, in my very younger years, I had actually had no clue about who or what was Moss, yet clearly there seemed to be a bit of "mine bigger than yours" between surtees and moss
    Only the dead know the end of war. Plato:beer:

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