Tommy Borgudd driving his ATS F1 Car Credit: Photo by Hans van Dijk / Anefo, courtesy of the Nationaal Archief, released under CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication.
Credit: Photo by Hans van Dijk / Anefo, courtesy of the Nationaal Archief, released under CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication.
Probably you have never heard the story about the Swedish musician; who traded drums for F1.
There are few careers in motorsport as delightfully unconventional as that of Tommy ‘SLIM’ Borgudd, the Swedish man whose life moved to the rhythm of two worlds, rock music and racing.
Most remember him for being the drummer who once played with ABBA, but motorsport fans know him as the unlikely F1 driver who managed to earn a world championship point against all odds.
Tommy Borgudd life before F1
He was born in 1946, his first stage was not a racetrack but a concert hall, in the vibran Swedish music scene of the ’60s and ’70s, he made his name as a musician.
Tommy Borgudd’s musical talent led him through a number of bands, including Lea Riders Group, Made in Sweden and Solar Plexus, where his energetic playing and smooth rhythm earned him a strong reputation among his peers.
It was during these years that he befriended Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA fame, a connection that would later bring him unexpected publicity.
He contributed his drumming to some of their studio sessions, and when his name began circulating in racing circles, the ABBA drummer in F1, story practically wrote itself.
That bit of fame proved invaluable, motorsport is expensive, and sponsorship is the lifeblood of a racing career, when Borgudd decided to chase his passion, the ABBA name, which he carried with pride, opened doors that pure talent alone might not have.
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From Bandstands to Pitlanes
While his music career was flourishing, Tommy Borgud quietly nortured his other love, which was racing. His journey began in the mid-60s in Formula Ford, the grassroots category that launched many careers.
His natural feel for balance and rhyrthm transferred surprisingly well to the track, the same timing that guided his drumming also helped him read the car’s behavior through corners.
However, by the ’70s, Tommy Borgudd was a recognized name in Swedish motorsport, he claimed Scandinavian Formula Ford Championship in 1973, and went on to win the Swedish F3 title in 1979, he also impressed on the European stage, finishing third in the continental F3 standings.
In 1981, at 34 years old, an age when most modern F1 drivers are already veterans, Borgudd made his debut with the ATS team, his car turned heads not for its speed but for its ABBA logo, boldly displayed on the sidepods.
Contrary to popular belief, it was not a sponsorship deal, it was simply a friendly gesture from Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, meant to help Borgudd attrack attention and, hopefully, future sponsors.
Credit: Photo by Västerviks kommun from Västervik, Sweden, licensed under CC BY 2.0.
With no money at all and unreliable car, Tommy Borgudd impressed, at the San Marino GP in his first F1 outing, he out-qualified his team-mate and finished 13th, a solid debut for someone driving one of the slowest cars on the grid.
His best race came at Silverstone that same season, he finished 6th, scoring his only championship point, for a privateer driver from Sweden who started as a drummer, it was a monumental achievement.
The Final Notes of a Racing Journey
In 1982, Borgudd joined Tyrrell, a far more established outfit, but the fairytale soon faced reality, he had no sponsors, and after only a handful of races, his F1 journey came to an end.
It did not end there for him, he wanted to compete more, he turned to Truck Racing, a discipline that suited his aggressive and controlled driving style.
He found a new stage to perform on and captured both of British Truck Racing Championship and the FIA European Truck Racing Cup, his career stretched across decades, including occasional appearances in touring cars and even endurance racing events like the 24 Hours of Le mans.
Credit: Photo by Eddi Laumanns (RX-Guru), licensed under CC BY 3.0.
He finally retired from motorsport in 1997, closing a chapter that had taken him from smoky studios to roaring grandstands.
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What can we say more about Tommy Borgudd?
Beyond the racetrack, he remained close to motorsport world, he worked as a distribution manager for Radical Sportscars, staying involved in the industry he loved.
Even years later, he remembered fondly by both musicians and racers alike, two communities rarely connected, yet perfectly bridged by one man’s story.
Tommy “Slim” Borgudd passed away in February 2023, aged 76, though he never won a Grand Prix or topped the charts with his own band, his life remains a rare symphony of passion and perseverance.
He proved that life’s tempo doesn’t have to follow the expected rhythm — sometimes it shifts from drumbeats to downshifts, and in that mix lies something unforgettable.
