Walker feeling the emotions

Walker is preparing for a race for the last time

Veteran Formula One commentator Murray Walker admits that he will feel emotional when he brings the curtain down on his career at this weekend's American Grand Prix.

Walker was to have quit at the end of the season, but as the championship has already been won by Michael Schumacher he has decided not to go to the Japanese GP on 14 October.

"It is going to be an emotional occasion," the 77-year-old said in Indianapolis.

"This year I have consciously not been trying to think this is my last Monaco, this is my last Silverstone.

Walker preferred to bow out at Indianapolis

"That is because I have wanted to concentrate on my job, which is commentating on F1 for the British public and much of the English-speaking world.

"But it has been difficult this weekend because I am constantly being reminded it is my last race.

"Some race had to be my last.

"Obviously, as an Englishman, I would have liked the British Grand Prix for emotional and historical reasons to have been my last race because Silverstone was where I did my first-ever Grand Prix commentary in 1949.

"I would have liked to have done it on home ground. But since that is not possible, because Silverstone is roughly in the middle of the season, I am very glad that it is Indianapolis for all sorts of reasons.

I am the last of the commentators who became household names partly because there was no-one else in their particular sport

Murray Walker

"It is an English-speaking country and from my egotistical point of view, Indianapolis will be shown in Britain in prime time in the early evening.

"Had the Japanese Grand Prix been my last race, I would have been commentating on a race that took place in the UK at four o'clock in the morning without too many people watching it."

Walker feels that his retirement brings to an end an era of broadcasting during which individual sports were inextricably linked with particular broadcasters.

Among them were Harry Carpenter in boxing, David Coleman in athletics, Dan Maskell in tennis and Peter O'Sullevan in horse racing

"I am fully aware that I am the last of a breed," said Walker. "I was lucky that I could establish my reputation at a time when the BBC dominated sport.

"The British public turned to the BBC for sport because then they had no other options.

'Passion'

"I am the last of the commentators who became household names partly because there was no-one else in their particular sport.

"That will never happen again because there are so many more channels now.

"I don't know how much I will miss it and probably won't know until the first race in Australia next year when I won't be commentating.

"It has been everything to me because motor racing and motorcycle racing are my passion.

"I have been very lucky to be at the centre of it all and to be able to talk to people about it, because I love the sport and like talking about it. And if people like listening to me, it is very satisfying for me."

Walker's first commentary on TV was in 1949 - and he has become synonymous with the sport since the BBC began live coverage of F1 23 years ago.

He is expected to be replaced as ITV's commentator next year by James Allen, who has stood in for Walker in the races he has missed this year.