Richard Heseltine – författare

This is the story of Graham Warner and his plucky London-based dealership/race team, the Chequered Flag, which bested all-comers in most major motorsport disciplines. Former RAF man Warner competed at international level as a sports car driver, created the Gemini brand of Formula Juniors as a manufacturer, fielded cars on behalf of Lotus, Brabham and McLaren as an entrant, and as a talent spotter, he gave Jim Clark his maiden start in a single-seater, later running drivers such as Jackie Stewart, Jackie Ickx, Piers Courage and many more on motorsport''s nursery slope. Having reached the pinnacle of Formula One with a privateer Brabham, Warner changed tack and fielded the fearsome Lancia Stratos with memorable success in rallying, before returning to his first love of aviation. Here for the first time is the full story of one of the unsung heroes of motorsport.

This is the story of Graham Warner and his plucky London-based dealership/race team, the Chequered Flag, which bested all-comers in most major motorsport disciplines. Former RAF man Warner competed at international level as a sports car driver, created the Gemini brand of Formula Juniors as a manufacturer, fielded cars on behalf of Lotus, Brabham and McLaren as an entrant, and as a talent spotter, he gave Jim Clark his maiden start in a single-seater, later running drivers such as Jackie Stewart, Jackie Ickx, Piers Courage and many more on motorsport’s nursery slope. Having reached the pinnacle of Formula One with a privateer Brabham, Warner changed tack and fielded the fearsome Lancia Stratos with memorable success in rallying, before returning to his first love of aviation. Here for the first time is the full story of one of the unsung heroes of motorsport.

Derek Bell’s name became inextricably linked with that of Porsche during his long and hugely successful career as a racing driver. In this new 276-page book, Bell collaborates with renowned motorsport author Richard Heseltine to give the reader a very personal insight into his experiences racing for the legendary German marque. The approach taken by this latest publication from Porter Press International is to look at every race Bell drove for Porsche, in detail and with revealing comments from the book’s subject. Light is cast on Bell’s most prestigious victories with Porsche - four of his five in the Le Mans 24 Hours, three in the Daytona 24 Hours, two in the World Sportscar Championship - and many more besides. Bell describes the Porsches he raced, from the fearsome 917 to the iconic 956, 962, and 911. And he shares his thoughts on the now-legendary drivers he raced with, including six-time Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx, the famously flamboyant Hans Stuck, and two immense talents who lost their lives to the sport, Jo Siffert and Stefan Bellof. The overall effect is a fascinating trip back in time to a golden era for Porsche and sports car racing as a whole.

Author Richard Heseltine untangles the Ghia Jaguar XK 120 Supersonic’s complicated backstory of British design brilliance and Italian design artistry. He reveals how Ghia wowed the car world with its jet-age styling, and introduces several fascinating characters whose names have peppered the post-war story of Italian car design, engineering and racing. Readers will discover how the original Supersonic was the work of Giovanni Sovanuzzi – the genius designer-engineer famous for the Cisitalia 202. Meanwhile, race team legend Virgilio Conrero was first to put fire in the Supersonic’s belly, while fiery Ghia chief Luigi Segre used the car to woo North America. In-depth background on Carrozzeria Ghia examines the Italian coachbuilder’s efforts to spread across Europe and ‘crack’ the US market. The birth of Supersonic design as an Alfa Romeo-powered GT is covered in great detail, and a fascinating line-up of other Italian-bodied Jaguar XK sports cars are examined and illustrated, as a way to compare and contrast the Supersonic with the work of other accomplished Italian designers. The history of chassis number 679768, is chronicled, recounting its elusive first owner, its lengthy periods hidden from public view, and its status today as the prized centrepiece in a private collection. Stunning contemporary photography of the car is mixed with rare and fascinating archive images.