The world of motor sport journalism has lost one of its most respected voices with the death of Gerald Donaldson, the acclaimed Formula One writer and broadcaster, at the age of 87. Best known for his definitive biographies of legendary drivers and a profound, revelatory interview with Ayrton Senna, Donaldson's career was defined by deep insight and a quiet, congenial presence in the paddock.
A Trusted Confidant to Racing's Greatest
Donaldson's most celebrated work stemmed from a unique relationship with the brilliant and complex Brazilian driver, Ayrton Senna. When Senna decided to articulate the almost spiritual experience of driving at the limit, he chose Donaldson as his audience. In a remarkable conversation, Senna described the sensation of driving a perfect qualifying lap at Monaco in 1988, finishing two seconds faster than his rivals. "I suddenly realised that I was no longer driving the car consciously," Senna revealed, expressing fear at being "well beyond my conscious understanding." Donaldson, a sympathetic listener, was trusted not to sensationalise these intimate revelations.
His outstanding memory of Senna's genius was the 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington Park, where the Brazilian executed a stunning opening lap in wet conditions, overtaking five cars to take a lead he never surrendered. Donaldson characterised Senna as intense, introspective, and highly intelligent—a description that reflected his own nuanced approach to journalism.
From Adventurer to Authoritative Voice
Born in Almonte, Ontario, on 18 July 1938, Donaldson's path to the F1 press room was unconventional. He left school at 16 for a life of adventure, hitchhiking across Canada and taking manual jobs before enrolling at the Ontario College of Art as a mature student. After a year living in an artists' colony in Mexico and another in Antibes, France, he moved into advertising.
Encouraged to pursue nonfiction, he began writing for magazines before fully committing to journalism in the early 1980s. His passion for motor racing was ignited by watching Stirling Moss win at Mosport Park in 1961. By the late 1980s, he was covering F1 for major Canadian outlets like the Globe and Mail and CBC, bringing his distinctive perspective to a global audience.
A Legacy in Print and a Love for the Cotswolds
Donaldson's biographies became essential reading. His 1989 book on his compatriot Gilles Villeneuve, followed by works on James Hunt (1994) and Juan Manuel Fangio (2003), are considered classics, blending sharp observation with compassion. His 1990 book, Grand Prix People, offered a mosaic of the F1 world through over 100 interviews.
Away from the track, he was a man of diverse interests. He built a remote cabin in Ontario's Pakenham mountains and was a devoted Anglophile. Following the death of his first wife, Betty, in 2008, he married Toronto artist Diane Fine. Each summer, they rented a house in Chipping Campden, in the Cotswolds, where he was a familiar figure, even signing posters at a motor sport memorabilia auction at the Eight Bells Inn in 2015.
Gerald Donaldson, a gentle giant of F1 writing whose work was built on trust and intellectual rigour, died on 14 December 2025. He is survived by his wife, Diane, and his brother, Gordon.
