Black sheep or a whitewash?

Sir,

I wonder how many other Motor Sport readers were disgusted by the recent programme about Dick Seaman on Channel 4? The contributions from Doug Nye, Chris Nixon, John Aldington and John Surtees were fine in themselves — but not in the context in which they were used. The programme was trying to make out that Seaman was a black sheep of motor racing — and the views of the contributors appeared to be presented as if they were supporting that stance.They must have been horrified when they saw it broadcast.

There was no mention in the programme of the Delage that Seaman drove in 1936— though there were plenty of pictures of it— or of dear Giulio Ramponi, his engineer. There were, however, magnificent shots of the 1939 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, which I had not previously seen.

Much more could have been made of Surtees, being the only person to be interviewed who has ever driven the monster that was the Mercedes Silver Arrows. The factual inaccuracies it is better, perhaps, not to list.

What a sad waste of time, money and effort.

Peter Whybrow, Ampthill, Bedford