RIP - Tony Rudd, former Lotus & BRM engineer.

[FourWheelDrift]

autosport said:

Tony Rudd, 1922-2003 Former BRM and Lotus engineer dies aged 81 Renowned British racing car engineer and designer Tony Rudd has died, aged 81, after suffering a major heart attack and stroke. Rudd's first involvement with the sport was with Princes Chula and Bira and their ERAs in his school holidays. He will be best remembered for his years with BRM, where he was chief engineer and team manager, and turned around the marque's fortunes before masterminding Graham Hill's 1962 Formula 1 World Championship success. Rudd also gave Jackie Stewart his first three seasons in F1, before he went on to become a triple world champion. He then moved to Lotus in 1969, where he worked with Colin Chapman, and was directly involved in the development of ground effects that led to the world championship-winning Lotus 79 chassis. The classic Esprit road car design was also one of his great successes. Rudd retired from the sport in March 1991, but continued to build up business contacts for Lotus Engineering thereafter. Rudd's autobiography It was fun! was published in 1993.

[eric mc]

The generation that oversaw Britain's rise to pre-eminence in F1 is slowly passing on.

[jamesc]

A great man. I met him at the Autosport show a couple of years back. I have always admired his loyalty to British Motorsport. I have just spent a great day at Silverstone 750MC weekend.

James