Morris Nunn, the emblematic figure behind the Ensign F1 cars, passed away on Wednesday at his home in Tuscon, Arizona at the age of 79 from Parkinson's Disease.
The talented Nunn abandoned his career as a driver to focus his skills on team management, setting up his own outfit in Formula 3 and moving up the ladder all the way to Formula 1.
His Ensign squad, typically run on a shoestring budget, offered a home to burgeoning young talent, such as Nelson Piquet or Derek Daly, or to Grand Prix veterans seeking an extension of their career, like Chris Amon, Clay Regazzoni or Jacky Ickx.
"Morris was a quiet genius with no formal training except what he learned behind the wheel as a racing driver," remembers Daly, who made his Grand Prix debut with Nunn's team in 1978.
When the curtain fell on his time in F1 as a team owner, Nunn headed to America in the early '80s where his management skills were put to good in CART, the Brit engineering Indy 500 wins and championships before starting once again his own team.
"I doubt anybody ever went as far as he did with no formal training and gained so much respect from so many people," adds Daly. "He was one of a kind."
