Alain de Cadenet

He made his reputation building and driving his own sports prototypes, taking on works teams and occasionally beating them. In 1972, he persuaded Duckhams Oil to sponsor a car he commissioned Gordon Murray to design for the Le Mans 24 Hour. De Cadenet finished 12th overall. In 1976 he finished 3rd overall at the Le Mans.[2] In 1980, with co-driver Desiré Wilson, he won two rounds of the World Sportscar Championship —the Monza 1000 kilometers and Silverstone 6 hour events. This was a major achievement in an era of increasing professionalism, when it was very difficult for privateers to defeat larger, better-funded teams that had factory support.

De Cadenet also races classic and vintage cars, having owned and raced numerous examples, particularly Alfa Romeos. In addition to cars, he also collects motorcycles and aircraft, and operated a Supermarine Spitfire. A video on the Internet shows a clip from a documentary in which a Spitfire flies extremely low over his head.[3] He was also a collector and authority on George V stamps, and advised the Royal Mail on their collection.

Divorced from Anna de Cadenet, with whom he has two children, Alexander and Amanda, he is now married to Alison de Cadenet and has a younger son Aidan.