Paul Hargreaves

This is the story of early motor racing as told,and filmed, by a man who was at its very heart - John Tate. It is 'A Gentleman 's Motor Racing Diary '. John Tate,born into the sugar dynasty and a Spitfire pilot during World War II, made this remarkable archive on 8mm and 16mm film. It provides an extraordinary record of the biggest period of change ever to take place in British motorsport,from the reign of gentlemen amateurs to the development of a high tech industry and the emergence of the UK 's first factory teams such as Jaguar and Aston Martin. This fascinating film contains a combination of race footage from early Grand Prix and Le Mans, pit lane close ups and even a driver's eye view as Tate takes us round the track.