Last lap for Murray

Veteran motor racing commentator Murray Walker has announced that he is to hang up his microphone at the end of the 2001 season.

The voice of Grand Prix motor racing in the UK has finally decided to quit at the age of 77 before, as he says, "I'm past it."

Murray has been covering motorbikes and cars for the last 51 years. Latterly he has worked for ITV-Formula One, covering a hectic schedule of races throughout the world, after deftly switching from the BBC when they lost the contract to cover Grand Prix racing.

His likely replacement is ITV pitlane reporter James Allen, who took over from Murray Walker at short notice when he suffered a dislocated hip before this year's French Grand Prix. James Allen is known in the Far East for his coverage of up-and-coming drivers at the season-ending F3 Macau Grand Prix.