Ronnie

[Saint Devote]

September 11 is a date that those like me remember for one tragic reason - one of the quickest drivers ever and the quickest driver after Rindt and before Senna died on that day after an accident he had no fault in making.

Ronnie Peterson aka "SuperSwede" but usually known simply as "Ronnie".

I remember exactly where I was the day I heard that he had succumbed to his injuries and it just seemed impossible. Even today it feels impossible and the same regret and frustration rises each anniversary.

He was a driver with that beautiful shiny blue and yellow helmet and belonged in the beautiful black and gold John Player Special Lotus.

Renowned for his four-wheel drift opposite locking through the REAL Woodcote 160mph corner and his ability to drive around a cars' faults. He was as Clark was a terrible test driver as a result.

Just like Clark, after two laps in a car during testing he had to be brought in otherwise the feedback was of no value :D

He hated excercise and fortunately in those days racing drivers did nothave to be especially fit other than the fitness they received simply from driving the cars. He just loved racing.

As a person he was liked by everyone in pit lane and it was his honour that allowed him to stay behind Andretti during the 1978 championship year.

Last year at the opening of the Ronnie Peterson museum in Sweden the response was tremendous - his brother and daughter - a beautiful mix of the late Ronnie and Barbro - who never got over his death and committed suicide. Also there were mechanics from his Lotus days.

Fans will always be grateful to Ronnie's longtime patron, Count Zanon.

He would have been a McLaren driver in 1979 - but the McLaren cars from that year and for the following two seasons were dreadfully designed and a waste of time. SuperSwede would have hated the ground effect era.

But perhaps after a season or two with McLaren he would have finally become a Ferrari driver alongside Gille Villeneuve - there could be an equally exciting team, but no more so. Or would he have remained with McLaren, racing and winning during the Barnard years?

All speculation but it could have been just so magnificent.

Rest in peace always Ronnie, we still miss you, remember you and thank you.

[Saint Devote]

And next weekend is the Italian Grand Prix and for me it has always been the highlight of the year. It is a race where people who truly love motor racing gather unlike my other favorite place, Monte Carlo where the poseurs are thick on the ground and hangers-on know nothing abnout racing.

But Monza is a track that loved Ronnie and it is appropriate that he won there in 1973, 1974 and 1976 narrowly missing a win in 1971. And he won both Monaco and Monza in 1974 - but it remains that his Monza performance and wins were the race he won more than any others and was during the 1970's the MonzaMeister while Jacky Ickx was the NurburgringMesiter.

[Mia 01]

Thanks Saint!

[52Paddy]

But perhaps after a season or two with McLaren he would have finally become a Ferrari driver alongside Gille Villeneuve - there could be an equally exciting team, but no more so.

All speculation but it could have been just so magnificent.

And think of it: if he did end up alongside Gilles at Ferrari, maybe the chemistry would have been better than it was between GV and Pironi. After all, the urge to beat Pironi (a man he held a bitter relationship with) saw Villeneave push hard on that black weekend at Zolder in '82. He resultantly met his maker during the qualifying session.

However, isn't it a wonderful thought to think of Peterson and Villeneuve as partners at Ferrari, with no grudgery between them. Perhaps we would still have Gilles in that case, let alone Ronnie...sigh...

[Bolton Midnight]

I was 9 years old when I heard he had died after his big but not life threatening crash, it was really the first time I had to deal with a death.

Hasn't the museum been closed since?

GV and RP together, I'd hate to be supplying the engines, they'd have blown up loads ha ha

[AAReagles]

For me at least, few notions conjure up speed than the images of a JPS-Lotus piloted by Peterson.

I even remember a caption I read once in a Automobile Year annual from 74' (or 75') when he was still struggling with an out-dated 72: 'whether it's skill or luck, his driving is extraordinary.'