Crash & Burn - 9PM BBC1 NI Monday 20th March

[Graculus]

"The greatest racing driver you've never heard of.".

Documentary about Irish driver, Tommy Byrne. If you don't have BBC NI you should be able to get it on iPlayer afterwards.

Probably worth a watch, trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONrC2TVqLPg&t=...

[Higgs boson]

I've been told, by someone who's fanatical about F1, that this is a great story, and that he really was the dog's danglies.
Thanks for the heads-up.

[Eric Mc]

Will certainly watch this. I saw him race in Formula Ford in Ireland before he made "the big time".

[hepy]

Repeated on the 23rd.

[JuniorD]

Fantastic documentary.

I always heard of how amazing a talent Tommy Byrne was. His First time in a McLaren and was quicker than Lauda. Shame he was so poor, with a decent manager he could have hit the top.


Faster Than Senna - The Greatest Irish Sportsman There Never Was
https://www.balls.ie/motorsport/faster-than-senna-...

Edited by JuniorD on Tuesday 21st March 00:25

[gareth_r]

Repeated on BBC4 next Monday (27th March).

[Riley Blue]

A complex character; talented, ruthless and unforgiving in equal measures is the conclusion I drew from the film. Pity he didn't realise that pissing off team bosses is not career enhancing, if he had we might have seen Senna eclipsed in F1.

[nicanary]

Riley Blue said:

A complex character; talented, ruthless and unforgiving in equal measures is the conclusion I drew from the film. Pity he didn't realise that pissing off team bosses is not career enhancing, if he had we might have seen Senna eclipsed in F1.

He turned up for the McLaren test without ironing his socks. Ron was displeased.

Great footage, most of which I haven't seen before. His family and friends must have dug out all their old cine-stuff from the loft. Loved his mate's garage with old trophies stuffed in the roof - some nice cars in there, wonder what the story is? Looked like a former Renault dealer had kept some old stock for the basis of a collection.

I doubt if Tommy would ever have won the WDC. Some races, yes, but he lacked the discipline for a sustained effort.