Surprise party thrown for Murray

Hundreds of journalists, team members, team bosses, drivers and mechanics attended the event to say goodbye to ITV's much-loved commentator as he prepares to bring down the curtain on Sunday on his 52 year career.

Among them were world champion Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Jenson Button, Eddie Irvine, Rubens Barrichello and team bosses Eddie Jordan and Flavio Briatore, as well as F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Headline names stood on stage with the man nicknamed Muddley Talker and paid tribute to him by repeating some of his best known gaffs.

Schumacher repeated Walker's famous "and here comes Ralf Schumacher, SON of world champion Michael Schumacher. Now the boot is on the other Schumacher."

Coulthard paid tribute to Walker's commentating style which he said "made
every race sound as good as losing your virginity - absolutely fantastic!" While ex-racer turned fellow commentator Martin Brundle said: "I have been here just five years which is all of my commentating time, but just a tenth of his incredible career. He was so helpful to me. I am going to miss him badly - he has been like a father to me."

Ecclestone joked Walker was taking a leaf out of Mika Hakkinen's book. "Murray is not retiring - he is just taking a year sabbatical," he said. And he awarded ITV's Motormouth a treasured pass for life to the F1 paddock.

But the biggest surprise came at the end when Indianapolis president Tony George presented him one of the original bricks laid in 1911 when the circuit - known as The Brickyard - was built.

Tributes flooded in from F1 drivers of the past. Nigel Mansell remembered him as a "wonderful man and friend" while Damon Hill said Walker "was the big reason why so many people watch motor racing".

ITV Controller of Sport, Brian Barwick said: "Murray's contribution to F1 and sports broadcasting has been monumental. He is a man who has the respect and adoration of both viewers and the motor racing community."

But the event wouldn't have been complete without one final - new - Walker gaff. In his thankyou speech said he would be retiring to a tiny island in the Specific!