Ronnie... it's 30 years since Monza.

[Gary]

Dear Ronnie Peterson. How the years rush by. What thrills he provided us.

A quick soupçon of memories from back then.

- That wonderful 2nd at Monaco in the March 711.
- Woodcote in the Lotus 72 with a wisp of smoke coming off the outside rear tyre.
- His smile.
- Being an honorable team mate to Mario in '78.
- The tragedy of Barbro's suicide.

RIP sir.

[Tyrrell 001]

I briefly met Ronnie after his '74 Italian GP win.

In those day before everyone had a private jet F1 drivers normally travelled cattle class on scheduled airlines. It wasn't uncommon to see all the divers at the airport the day after a GP checking in.

Anyway it so happened Ronnie and Tim Schenken were travelling back to London on the same BEA flight as myself, a 17 YO F1 fanatic. As everyone was getting to their seats on the BEA Trident there was Ronnie trying to fit his winners trophy in the overhead locker above his seat, imagine that now!

It turned out he and Tim were sitting in the row of seats behind mine so I had a brief chat during the flight. Looking back, I expect he could have done without that, but he never showed it.