F1's lost Champion - Tommy Byrne
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- Tommy Byrne is every driver’s worst nightmare: a natural born racer. Someone who has such an innate feel for driving that driving fast is second nature. In this interview Tommy reveals the truth behind why he didn’t stay in Formula 1 and dominate in the way that his abilities predicted. He also discusses his unique speed secrets and a career overlapping with Ayrton Senna.
Tommy has something in common with pretty much every top level Champion I’ve studied from his era of racing. He was a factory driver at Van Diemen in Formula Ford in the 80's. That fact alone doesn’t necessarily guarantee success, but what it did guarantee was SHED LOADS of seat time - fine-tuning the chassis - and developing as a driver.
Practise perfects the art.
My impression from speaking to Tommy is that he’s a real seat-of-the-pants cowboy who drove the wheels off everything he sat in. Watching his racing footage, you can tell that his style is cavalier but perfectly balanced. There’s plenty of archive footage of his driving for you to decide for yourself.
I’m always fascinated by what makes someone ludicrously fast and it’s every racing driver’s job to observe and poach as much information from other competitors as possible. In the era before data-logging it was much harder to do so and the only way to observe was to follow in their wheel tracks, gauge their lines and braking points, the shifting weight of the car at turn in and hear the throttle inputs.
Maybe one day I can get on track with Tommy in identical cars and have at it !!!
Some Say Podcast - Episode 3
Nice to see two top drivers discussing the ins and outs of going fast, and how simple Tommy makes it, while still appreciating the differences in car dynamics. Well done Ben for bringing out that side of him.
IVTEC 😊
I´ve read the book about a decade ago and is still on my top list of readings, a fantastic story. I highly recommend the book, this guy is "the greatest racing driver you never saw"
What a brilliant interview, you hear so much about Tommy Byrne, but to hear from the man himself is pretty special.
Super interview. Good to see Tommy looking well, can’t believe how the McLaren test was handled.
Looking forward to more episodes of this. Nice one Ben
Thank you Tommy and Ben! After F1 Tommy said he wanted to get to America: is there a part 2 to this interview? 😉
I'm at Road America in Elkhart Lake (Wisconsin) every summer. It's a real treat to see the Indy cars (and IMSA too) there!
A great instructor at Mid-Ohio, I met Tommy twice, putting each teen through a Mid-Ohio new driver course fifteen to twenty years ago. I remember being in a skid car, and I thought I would lose my lunch. Tommy Byrne has probably saved over a thousand lives over his time at Mid-Ohio Honda Courses, teaching all that they will never be a "great driver" and how to keep a vehicle on the road in emergencies. Both have never had an accident to date; my fingers crossed for the future. Thanks for your work, Tommy!
Great interview, and anyone who hasn't read Tommy's book, u need to get ur hands on it, ur in for a good laugh.
Yeah the book is class - a grafter and a comedian
@@BenCollinsDrives great work Ben, please keep up the interviews with ex drivers and maybe some team manager/ engineers.
Tommy is a charmer and a knowledgeable character. 43 minutes disappeared fast, totally drawn in!
Fascinating, it’s great to hear someone’s journey in such a competitive field. I’ll be digging out Tommy’s book for a read.
I always look forward to your vlogs. Most interesting and informative content
Great interview. Being Irish i remember Tommy Byrne well. A true maverick.
Thank you for this episode Ben.
Thank you for watching! Tommy is a dude
Fabulous interaction. Really enjoyed it
Great video, lots of awesome stories. Great questions as well.
He from the same era as I did as a car builder so back in those days everything was so analog! Drivers learned by actually racing each other and learning there craft while the car builders were actual builders and not just people that put premade parts on cars we had to build the parts from scratch I remember having great conversations with the likes of Rod Millen & Al Unser Jr and the list goes on and on, those were the days!
Absolutely wonderful. Tommy was so interesting and Ben's knowledge brought the best out of him
Interesting Episode and Guest
It's sad he was never given much chance. He had serious talent. Money talks, though.
Great interview Ben, keep em coming!
I read his book!
Great read
Fascinating. Thanks Ben, great watch! Do you ride bikes as well?
Fabulous interview sent you a linked in message 👍
Mega to listen to you both! I need to read Tommy's book too
True honesty
Enjoyed it. More like this?
Two Top Boys. Thanks. 🙏🙈🙊🙉
How could i persuade you into coming to the nordschleife next year for some fun and lessons?
🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪 The legend himself
Lost champion? Never won an F1 race, and I think only ran 2 races. WTH . Nice enough guy, but it's an embarrassment to title s post like this.
He grew up 8 miles away from me, my father watched him driving in the 80s and 90s he said he was full of raw talent 🇮🇪🇮🇪
What a legend. Sometimes when thinking about Tommy Byrne’s career I’ll catch myself thinking ‘What could’ve been?’. But I’ll almost immediately catch myself again thinking ‘What do you mean what could’ve been?… What WAS!’ What an amazingly varied career.
Hey this is cool. Tommy was one of my instructors at racing school. Gave me the greatest compliment of my modest racing career.
It's funny how Tommy has no sense of humor. STIG kept cracking jokes and Tommy would dead pan correct him as though Ben was just misinformed.
He was known for his sense of humour but he has had a hard life. Think it’s broken him tbh.
What an amazing interview! To hear from Tommy was very special. Thanks!
Great interview I wish Ben had ask Tommy about his racing in the Mexican F3.
That’s fascinating. They obviously wanted Thierry Boutsen, because he had the money. That’s how it worked back in the day in Formula One. I am sure there were a lot of potential world champions discarded, simply because they didn’t have the financial backing.
Im sure - thing with Tommy is that his resume and achievements were off the chart, rather in line with Senna. Would have been great to see him rip
Best wishesTommy...!
Have you seen a Nissan march built in a guys garage in New Zealand . The Chanel is called the lab . I think you’ll have a good time watching glen build up the car
Really really good ben that was an amazing interview thanks for putting it up.
From my experience best driver on the day if the engine is playing but never been on a track lol lal 💜🙏💜
1milion subs lets goo
Great interview