Driver Lloyd Was 'Part Of The Fabric Of British Motor Racing'

Tributes from famous faces in motorsport flowed last Wednesday as around 500 people paid their respects to former British Touring Car driver Richard Lloyd.

Among the attendees were ex-Formula 1 driver Damon Hill, former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan, television presenter Tiff Needell, ex-racing driver Jonathan Palmer and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason.

The funeral was held at St Peter and St James Church, Brackley, and was followed by a memorial service at the British Racing Drivers’ Club at Silverstone Circuit.

Leading the tributes was commentator Ian Titchmarsh, who said Mr Lloyd was involved in many different aspects of motor sport.

He said: “Apart from being a friend, he was part of the fabric of British motor racing.  He was involved in so many aspects of the sport including driving and team management.”

Barry Williams, who celebrated more than 50 years as a racing driver in 2006, said he had raced for Mr Lloyd on several occasions and also had met him several times while shopping at Tesco in Brackley.

“He was always the best at finding the best deals,” he said.  “I will miss him for that because we used to always put the world to rights with a queue of people building behind us.”

Former Formula 1 driver Jonathan Palmer, who used to race in sports cars for Mr Lloyd, said he was grateful to him for helping his motorsport career.

He said: “I thought of Richard as an older brother in that he is someone who I felt discovered me.  I owe a huge amount to Richard because sports car racing was half my life.”

Former F1 driver Damon Hill, who drove for Mr Lloyd at Le Mans in 1989, said:  “In his view the BRDC was a club about motor racing, not property development, and this tribute to him reminds us how much of our lives are affected by motorsport and how much it gives back as well.

“I think Richard really lived it.”

The principal of Buckingham-based Apex Motorsport was among five people who died when the jet he was travelling in crashed in Farnborough in Kent on March 30.

The other crash victims included test driver David Leslie, 54, of Burdrop, near Banbury, and data engineer Chris Allardyce, 25.

The Banbury Guardian  - April 24th, 2008