CEO ' s MESSAGE
Also, this month I was a guest at the 100th anniversary of the Ulster Car Club thanks to Donald Grieve, Club President and Wilson Carson, Club Chair, and was made most welcome by their fantastic community of members. The club was winner of the 2024 Motorsport UK Club of the Year, due in part to their Future Champions Support Programme, through which they give £ 500 each to four young females and four young male members to help their development and progression in motorsport.
The guest of honour was John Watson MBE, hailing from Belfast, who is now 79 years old and had many tales from his years in the sport. He won five Grand Prix across 12 seasons( including the British GP which I remember vividly) and finished third in the championship in 1982. An interesting story is why at the end of the 1983 season Watson was dropped by McLaren and subsequently retired from Formula 1. Negotiations with team boss Ron Dennis had reportedly broken down when Watson asked for more money than dual World Champion Lauda was earning, citing that he had won a GP in 1983 where Lauda did not. Dennis instead signed Renault refugee Alain Prost for comparatively little
( since he was already under contract to Renault but was fired for 1984). Of course, the MP4 / 2 went on to win 12 out of 16 races in 1984 with Lauda beating Prost to the title by just half a point. Hindsight is a wonderful and sometimes painful thing!
Amazingly, after James Hunt’ s abrupt retirement after the Monaco Grand Prix in 1979, Watson was the only full-time competitive British F1 driver up until the end of his career. And that brings me back to the start … We need to take care to preserve this very special place that we hold in the world of elite motorsport as it can evaporate all too quickly. Once giants of the Grand Prix circus and driver glitterati, both France and Germany no longer have races, and are nowhere near to our own pathway of professional drivers. We must ensure we take good care of where we are, and continue to power the future of motorsport for everyone.
Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable month of motorsport.
Best regards, Hugh Chambers CEO, Motorsport UK
V. E. Motorsport
Hugh presents Ulster Automobile Club with a certificate marking its 100th anniversary
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Revolution- November 2025