System 1 within the Eighties was a world away from the spectacle you see as we speak. The automobiles had been a lot slower however a lot louder, the drivers largely had nicotine addictions and security peaked with hay bales lining the observe. You would additionally discover an ABBA drummer lined up on the grid alongside the likes of Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost.
ABBA discovered fame in 1974 after successful the Eurovision Track Contest with their observe “Waterloo.” The competitors, which pits mediocre pop acts from throughout Europe in opposition to each other, catapulted the band to fame and their ensuing profession made them some of the well-known bands on this planet.
Alongside their meteoric rise, the band’s identify was plastered throughout all types of merchandise and memorabilia and even discovered its approach onto the System 1 grid on the facet of the ATS automobiles that competed within the Eighties. That’s not as a result of the band was plowing tens of millions into System 1 sponsorship, it’s as a substitute as a result of their session drummer Slim Borgudd was on the wheel.
Like many drivers of the time, Borgudd’s rise to System 1 noticed him compete within the decrease formulation, together with F3 wherein he raced his personal Swedish race workforce, reviews Motorsport Journal. As the location explains:
After failing to fund a System 2 programme when Marlboro pulled out in 1980 Borgudd managed to scrape collectively the funds to affix the ATS workforce run by the idiosyncratic wheel magnate Gunther Schmid in 1981. When he arrived on the Bicester workshops for a seat becoming a number of days earlier than this primary race, he solely discovered two individuals there, the remaining had walked out.
He managed to influence his previous F3 workforce boss Roger Heavens to affix together with a number of mechanics and in some way made his System 1 debut on the ripe previous age of 34 on the 1981 San Marino Grand Prix. He outqualified his team-mate Jan Lammers and ultimately completed thirteenth. There was higher and worse to come back. He missed out on qualifying for the subsequent 4 races however then completed a really strong sixth on the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The remainder of the season was scruffy, a tenth at Zandvoort within the Dutch Grand Prix the one end.
Sixth in Silverstone proved to be the Swede’s greatest end in System 1 and he concluded his first season within the sport with only one level to his identify, which means he completed in joint 18th place within the 1981 drivers’ standings.
In addition to racing all over the world in F1, Borgudd was a prolific drummer within the Swedish music trade. He supplied the beats for bands just like the Lea Riders Group and Made in Sweden, which even earned Borgudd a Swedish Grammy award. Whereas drumming in numerous outfits throughout Sweden, Borgudd turned pleasant with ABBA founding members Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson and have become a daily session drummer for the band.
Borgudd made mates with Ulvaeus and Anderson earlier than making the step as much as F1, so ABBA lent its help to Borgudd to boost the profile of his racing profession. It was this transfer that prompted the printing of ABBA’s brand on the facet of the ATS automobiles in 1981 and, though no sponsorship cash ever exchanged palms, Motorsport provides that the “affiliation was helpful in his quest for sponsorship cash and publicity.”
Sadly, ABBA’s ties to F1 had been short-lived as Borgudd’s F1 profession didn’t lengthen to a full second season within the sport. After a number of races with the Tyrrell in 1982, the Swede was dropped and went again to drumming.
Borgudd is way from the one racer to have hobbies away from the observe. Excessive E racer Catie Munnings can also be mad about music and all types of racers have additionally thrown their weight behind a ardour for drinks lately.
