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 history of one of the unsung heroes of motorsport.
Richard Heseltine is a freelance journalist specialising in classic and contemporary performance cars and motor racing history. A former staff member on Classic & Sports Car and Motor Sport, he has contributed to more than 50 motoring titles including Octane, Classic Cars, Car, Autosport, RACER and Motorsport News, while also writing for several websites and newspapers, such as The Guardian. Richard has authored books on subjects as diverse as the rise of the British specialist sports car movement, legendary Ferrari racing cars and Italian design classics.
Richard lives in London, where he nurses his addiction to old Alfa Romeos.