Alain de Cadenet
Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person
Alain de Cadenet (27 November 1945 – 1 July 2022)Template:Efn was an English television presenter and racing driver. He was noted for racing in 15 editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans during the 1970s and 1980s, achieving one podium finish with third place in 1976.
Early life
De Cadenet was born on 27 November 1945, the son of Maxime de Cadenet, a lieutenant or a film technician in the French Air Force, and his English first wife, Valerie (Template:Nee), who occasionally acted in Hollywood.<ref name="Guardian obit">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="The Times obit" /><ref name=":The Telegraph obit">Template:Cite news</ref> According to The Times, he "claimed that his French ancestors had fought with Charlemagne in the 9th century".<ref name="The Times obit" /> As a baby he and his family were abandoned by his father.<ref name="The Times obit" /><ref name=":The Telegraph obit" /> He attended Framlingham College in Suffolk.<ref name="Guardian obit"/><ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Although he studied to become a barrister, he did not pursue the profession.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He first worked as a fashion and music photographer for Radio Caroline and Wonderful Radio London.<ref name="Guardian obit"/><ref name=Easthope>Template:Cite news</ref>
Career
De Cadenet decided to pursue racing after attending a race meeting at Brands Hatch in which his friend was participating.<ref name="Guardian obit"/><ref name=Easthope/> He made his reputation building and driving his own sports prototypes, taking on works teams and occasionally beating them. After a life-threatening accident at the Targa Florio, he first raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1971 driving a Ferrari 512M.<ref name="Guardian obit"/> A year later, he persuaded Duckhams Oil to sponsor a car he commissioned Gordon Murray to design for the Le Mans race. He finished 12th overall. De Cadenet later finished third overall at Le Mans in 1976.<ref name="urlTimes Daily - Google News Archive Search">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1980, with co-driver Desiré Wilson, he won two rounds of the World Sportscar Championship – the Monza 1000 kilometers and Silverstone six 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.<ref name="Guardian obit"/><ref name=Easthope/>
Later life
After retiring from sports car endurance racing, de Cadenet hosted numerous shows and broadcasts for the Speed Channel, ESPN,<ref name=Watkins>Template:Cite news</ref> the Velocity Channel, and the Petrolicious website.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> He hosted Legends of Motorsport for Speed between 1996 and 2000, as well as the network's coverage of the Goodwood Festival of Speed.<ref name=Marriott>Template:Cite news</ref>
During the 2000s, he was the host of Speed's Victory By Design, in which he drove vintage racing cars and discussed their history.<ref name="Guardian obit"/> The New York Times described the series as "car pornography".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2012, de Cadenet hosted Renaissance Man for the Velocity Channel (now called the Motor Trend network), covering cars, motorcycles, the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and racing at Monaco.<ref name=Marriott/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Collecting
De Cadenet also raced classic and vintage cars, having owned and raced numerous models, particularly Alfa Romeos. In addition to cars, he also collected 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.<ref name="Guardian obit"/><ref>Template:YouTube. 1996.</ref> He was also a collector and authority on George V stamps, and advised the Royal Mail on their collection.<ref name="Guardian obit"/>
Personal life
De Cadenet's first marriage was to Anna Gerrard, an interior designer and model. Together, they had two children: Alexander and Amanda. They eventually divorced. He later married Alison Larmon, with whom he had a son, Aidan. They remained married until his death.<ref name="Guardian obit"/>
De Cadenet died on 1 July 2022.Template:Efn He was 76, and suffered from cholangiocarcinoma prior to his death. He was buried at the Putney Vale Cemetery; his grave is alongside pre-war racing driver Richard Seaman.<ref name="The Times obit">Template:Cite news</ref>
Official results
24 Hours of Le Mans
Explanatory notes
References
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- 1945 births
- 2022 deaths
- 24 Hours of Daytona drivers
- 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers
- Deaths from cholangiocarcinoma
- English people of French descent
- English racing drivers
- Racing drivers from London
- World Sportscar Championship drivers
- Carrera Panamericana drivers
- 20th-century English sportsmen