Flat out talking - the winner is in first place

Murray Walker is known, affectionately, as a motormouth.

His commentary has been synonymous with Formula One racing since his first BBC race call in 1978.

But Walker, whose litany of verbal spin-outs has earned him a worldwide fan club, is only weeks from retirement.

And he will be missed by millions.

Few other sports callers are so renowned, and yet so acclaimed, for their mouth running in sixth gear while their brain remains in reverse.

Who else, for instance, could come up with: "And I interrupt myself to bring you this ... ," or: "The lead is now 6.9s. In fact, it's just under 7s."

For lap after lap, each word seems an exclamation, his commentary at full throttle, at full pitch, for what is essentially a spectacle of follow-the-leader.

No wonder they call this 77-year-old Englishman the voice of Formula One. And no wonder he has several internet websites devoted to his errors.

His mistakes are one of the highlights of watching Formula One on TV.

Here's a selection of the high-octane Murray Walkerisms:

* "We're now on the 73rd lap and the next one will be the 74th."

* "I'll stop my startwatch."

* "He's obviously gone in for a wheel change. I say obviously because I can't see it."

* "We're watching Ralf Schumacher ... son, of course, of world champion Michael Schumacher."

* "Ferrari won't be developing their car any more this season." Comments man Martin Brundle: "How do you know that?" Walker: "I was there when I said it."

* "There is nothing wrong with the car except that it is on fire."

* "He's here again for the first time."

* "He's lost both right front tyres."

* "And here comes Damon Hill in the Williams. This car is absolutely unique - except for the one behind it, which is exactly the same."

* "With half the race gone, there is half the race still to go."

* "It's lap 26 of 58, which unless I'm very much mistaken, is halfway."

* "There's a man with a great grand prix future behind him."

* "And the rain came down and washed the circuit dry."

* " ... and Schumacher has just completed lap 77 out of 73."

* "We now have exactly the same situation as at the beginning of the race, only exactly opposite."

* Qualifying, Hungary 1999: "The McLaren is looking as steady as a rock." And just as he says this, the McLaren slides round a bend.

* Monaco 1981: "You might not think that's cricket, and it's not, it's motor racing."

* "And Damon Hill is coming into the pit lane. Yes, it's Damon Hill coming into the Williams' pit ... no, it's Michael Schumacher."

* "And Damon Hill is following Damon Hill."

* "Mansell is slowing down, taking it easy. Oh no he isn't! It's a lap record!"

* "Unless I'm very much mistaken ... I AM very much mistaken."

* "I know it's an old cliche, but you can cut the atmosphere with a cricket stump."

* "And that just shows you how important the car is in Formula One racing."

* "Tambay's hopes, which were nil before, are absolutely zero now."

* "As you can see, visually, with your eyes."

* "Do my eyes deceive me, or is Senna's Lotus sounding rough?"

* "I've no idea what Eddie Irvine's orders are, but he's following them superlatively well."

* "I make no apologies for their absence. I'm sorry they're not here."

* Interview with Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone: "So Bernie, in the 17 years since you bought McLaren, which of your many achievements do you think was the most memorable?" Ecclestone: "Well, I don't remember buying McLaren."

* Germany 1988: "Senna 1, Prost 2, Berger 3, that makes up the top four."

* "And this is the third-placed car about to lap the second-placed car."

* "What's that? There's a body on the track!" Comments man James Hunt: "Um, I think that's a piece of bodywork, from someone's car."

* "There's a fiery glow coming from the back of the Ferrari." Hunt: "No, that's his rear safety light."

* "That's history. I say history because it happened in the past."

* "A battle is developing between them. I say developing because it's not on yet."

* "If that isn't a lap record, I'll eat the hat I don't normally wear."

* "This will be Williams' first win since the last time Williams won."

* "Schumacher has made his final stop three times."

* "It's Senna, it's Senna." Pause. "It's either Mansell or Senna."