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Wel, I did meet John Surtees a long long time ago. He was racing at Lakeside, and his car broke down just near where we had a tent pitched above the track. It started to pour cats and dogs as it does in Queensland and he jumped the fence and ran into our tent and asked if he could shelter there. I said sure, and we started talking. His first question was whether I was from the press, and I said hell no, I was an engineering student. We traded some laughs, and I questioned his move to Ferrari the following year as Ferrari were not doing so great. He was rather quiet about it, and said that he expected them to do better. He won the championship next with Ferrari - what a fool I felt afterwards. I am not an autograph hunter and did not ask him for one, just shook hands with him when he left. Just then an ardent fan spotted him, and asked John to sign this huge motorcycle book with fantastic photos, and John signed on a great photo of himself on a bike. I'd love to see that book now, it must be one of the most treasured mementos of this guy. I remember John Surtees as a quiet gentleman.
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