Have you noticed how many people seem to be dropping off the twig lately? Niki Lauda and Lee Iacocca to name two.
I got a bit worried thinking about this so I rang the old bloke to see if he was OK. "Are you alive?" I asked. "I think so," the Sultan of Stepney replied in a croaky voice, making me more concerned.
Michael McMichael, Lauda and Iacocca had a lot in common. They had, and Mick still has, a way with words that would put Bill Shakespeare to shame. Listen to Niki on motor racing: "You do things, you f..k people: it's racing, you have to win. You have big rows, big arguments, you push. Anyone tells you different they're full of shit."
While all three had different backgrounds, they all encountered challenges on the way to the top. While Niki came from a wealthy family, his family fought hard to keep him from racing. He put himself in debt; he pushed against the authorities and other drivers to improve safety. Ironically, it was Niki who nearly died in a crash that turned into a fireball.
Dave Gooding will be putting up for auction the Ferrari in which Niki won the 1975 F1 title at Pebble Beach next month. It has been beautifully restored and all mechanical components have been rebuilt. Yours for $10 million.
Iacocca's parents were Italian immigrants. Lee, who died this week aged 94, started his career at Ford, made decisions by gut feel, like the Pinto and the Mustang, and became CEO in his forties.