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One of the most satisfying aspects of researching and writing about motor racing history is that I get to meet many of my idols from the era when I went to see a lot of races in the 60s, 70s and 80s. One of the less palatable facts is that these people do not live forever. The recent death of Keith Duckworth, the 'worth' in Cosworth and designer of the most successful engine in Formula One history, underlines this.
I only became acquainted with Keith late in his life and, in April 1998, I paid a visit to his Northamptonshire home to talk about the Ford Cosworth DFV [Double Four Valve] Formula One engine he designed, and its role in the success of the car it was first used in, the Lotus 49. When I heard of his death, I revisited the transcripts of that interview and what follows are some extracts from it.
Keith was in a very affable mood that day. He had just finished cutting the grass aboard his motorised lawnmower, the weather was fine and the view from his house across the open countryside was stunning. However, he was still bristling with indignation over the fact that his beloved Ford Sierra Cosworth had recently been stolen from the drive in front of his house. The irony that he, in having created the Cosworth legend, was indirectly responsible for the car being so attractive to car thieves, was not lost on him...
