[3] While few would have been surprised that Walker failed to match the fastest Australian F5000 driver Frank Matich, Neil Allen and Kevin Bartlett, it was a pointer to Walker's later big car problems that at Warwick Farm he was slower than Australia's leading 2-litre single seater exponents, Kevin Bartlett, Max Stewart and Leo Geoghegan.

Imperial Tobacco extraordinarily wanted, Dave Walker to lead the Lotus F1 team in 1972 as they thought Fittipaldi form was patchy and he had not done enough.

Walker was handed his Formula One debut at the 1971 Dutch Grand Prix to drive the Lotus 56B, powered by a Pratt & Whitney turbine engine.

During the rain-affected race, Walker used the turbine car's advantages of four wheel drive and superior torque to rise from his starting position of 22nd to 10th place within five laps, but eventually spun off into retirement.

At the 1972 South African Grand Prix, Walker started 19th passed ten cars and was closing on 6th placed Graham Hill it a BT33 when he ran out of fuel, which happened often in 1972.

By mid season Team Lotus was totally focused on Fittipaldi taking the Championship, and Walker's 72 was of little importance, but predictably his form at Brands and in Austria suggested some improvement, while the engine lasted.