Don't Lift Off

John Thorne is the owner of Thorney Motorsport, the world’s largest and longest-established independent McLaren specialist franchise. From beginnings as a Lawyer and Stock Broker, nearly 25 years ago John turned his passion of tuning cars into being his business by creating Thorney Motorsport, and began modifying, tuning and preparing high performance BMW and Vauxhall VX220 and VXR road and racing...

Danny Watts is a former multiple Championship Winning British Racing Driver. In an illustrious career, he has won in everything from karting to single seater Formula cars, to Le Mans Prototypes, including winning the Le Mans 24 hours twice. He is now a full time driver coach and also a qualified counsellor, spearheading the British Racing Drivers' Club's Mental Health and Wellness support campaign...

Steve Perez is a self made British drinks entrepreneur from Chesterfield, UK. From helping at his Dad’s pub as a teenager, and working for local brewery Tetley’s, he launched Global Brands, building it into a £90 Million pounds (GBP) business with brands such as Kick Energy Drinks, VK Vodka Mixes, Amigos Tequila Beer, Franklin & Sons Tonics and the original Hooch alcopop, all sold across the U...

Will Redford is a 20 year old racing driver & instructor from Warrington, England. He is a mechanic turned Sim Racer, Junior Saloon Car Championship podium finisher, Milltek Sport Civic Cup race winner and in 2025 he became a Racing Prodigy P3 Champion in North America, racing a Radical SR1 Sports Prototype. Created and run by Terry Radbourne, Bourne High Performance Powertrains (Bourne HPP) a...

Ian Ashley is a former British Motor Racing Driver, Pilot and Motorcycle and Sidecar Champion. He has also been an instructor in all three disciplines. In a hugely varied life and career, Ian went from dominant novice at the Jim Russell Racing School to a fast, but uncut diamond in Formula Ford and Formula Three (against future champions such as Britain's James Hunt), to pace setter in Formula...

Kelvin Burt is a British Racing Driver with nearly 40 years of motor racing success. From the late 1980’s as David Coulthard’s title rival in Formula Ford 1600, Kelvin rose through the ranks to become a Formula Vauxhall Lotus Champion, British Formula 3 Champion, Porsche Supercup race winner, Formula 1 test driver for Jordan Grand Prix, British Touring Car Championship race winner with Ford, Volvo...

Steve Markham is a former Oval Grass Track Racer, Stock Car Racer, Hot Rod Champion, Start Marshall, Rally Driving Champion, Rally Co-Driver and Instructor and lifelong HGV Truck Driver, Logistics Organiser and Trainer.#rallying #ovalracing #hotrod #rockingham #silverstone #stockcarracing #briscaf1 #grasstrack #hgv #hgvtraining #hgvdriver #truckdriver PLEASE NOTE: Views shared in this podcast are...

Chris Hartley is a British Motorsport Commentator and former Go Kart Racer. He has over 30 years of experience from competing in Club and National Karting Championships in the 1990’s to becoming a commentator firstly in karting, then rising to some of the most prestigious championships in the UK and Europe including, the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), the German Touring Car Championship...

George Proudford-Nalder is a young Australian driver racing in the British Ginetta Junior Championship. Having raced in karting since he was 9 years old, in his rookie season in car racing with McKenna Driver Development, 15 year old George has impressed by being a front runner and finishing on the podium. Supported by his family, it is George's ambition to graduate the British F4 championship...

Mike Wilds is a true British Motor Racing hero with over 60 years of racing experience from humble beginnings in 'club' Single Seater racing, then through into National and European Single Seaters, Formula 4, Formula 3, Formula 2, Formula 5000 and finally Formula 1. He later furthered his professional career in Sports Cars, making 7 Le Mans 24 race starts and winning the 1986 World Group C...

Barry Dunn is a former Clothing and Motor Trade Salesman, Sales Manager, Car Dealership owner and House Restorer. He is also a former sponsor and (still current) Father of Don't Lift Off podcast host Anthony Dunn!#dontliftoff #motorsport #motortrade #football #music #karting #f1 #stories Chapters00:00 Father's Day Reflections and Family Connections03:03 The Journey into Motor Racing05:56 F...

Paul Taft is a former multi-championship winning Racing Driver and Scramble bike rider. Since the 1950’s as a ‘works’ supported BSA rider to winning in Honda CRX, Metro Turbo, Renault 5 Turbo and in the British Touring Car Championship he has been at the sharp end of motorsport from rider to racer to instructor to coach, imparting his huge wealth of knowledge to the next generation. He also keeps...

Mika Salo is Finnish racing driver with a prolific international career beginning in Finland in the 1970’s in Karting through to Formula Ford, Formula 3 (against compatriot and former next door neighbour Mika Häkkinen!), Formula 3000, GT’s, Sportscars and Formula 1, racing with Lotus, Tyrrell, Arrows and Ferrari. He most famously substituted for Michael Schumacher after the German broke his leg at...

Richard Attwood is a winner of the 1970 Le Mans 24 hour race with Porsche and a Formula One Grand Prix Podium finisher at Monaco in 1968 with BRM. In an illustrious international career, that also including racing for Ferrari, Lotus and Lola at almost every racing circuit of the age including the Targa Florio, Nurburging Nordschleife and the fearsome original Spa-Francorchamps and Osterreichring,...

Mark Werrell is a British Motorsport commentator with 25 years experience at racing circuits and on television for many National and International series. In addition to commentary he also provides voice over, presentation and event hosting services both within and outside of motorsport. Mark is also a Brand Ambassador for the BMMC (British Motorsports Marshals Club). To contact Mark: Facebook: ht...

Clive Baker is a former international racing driver and BRDC Member. From 1962 he competed in a huge array of sportscar races including being a ‘Works’ Austin-Healey driver with their 3000 and Sprite and as a Chevron Works driver in their B8 and B16 in a total of eight starts at Le Mans and also many other endurance races such as 1000 km of Nurburgring, Spa-Francorchamps, Sebring 12 hours and Dayt...

Lars Sexton is a high performance coach and mentor, specialising in motorsport. He is a Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Timeline Therapy ™ Coaching and Hypnotherapy. He is also a former BMX Champion, 1990’s Formula A Open Champion in Karting, Elf La-Filiere Scholarship winner, F3 racer, Aston Martin GT test driver and engineer. To contact Lars email lars@larssexton.co.uk...

Andy Corner is a farmer from Oxfordshire who has competed and won in rallying for over 40 years and now supports his grandson Aiden in F1000 Junior Rallying. He has been a friend of Don’t Lift Off Podcast host Anthony Dunn’s family since the 1960’s. In this conversation he discusses his rally driving and other exploits over the years and living next door to former US Airforce base Upper Heyford. A...

Charles Rainford is a multiple race winning British instructor, coach and racing driver in the Porsche Carrera Cup Championship. He is racing in the 2025 British Touring Car Championship with West Surrey Racing in a BMW 330i. Charles can be found at:Website: https://www.charlesrainford.com/driver-profile/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charles_rainfordFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/charle...

Olly Allen is a multiple Ford National Champion in his super-fast “Fezzie” Fiesta. He has also won in the Time Attack Championship Pro class and is an ARDS Grade A licenced instructor and coach with over 20 years of experience. He is the owner of ORA Motorservices car service and repair shop and racing car preparer in Grantham. He is also the Original Brother Klaw. ORA Motorservices can be found a...

Ray Grimes is a motor racing driver, instructor and coach. He has over 40 years of winning in motorsport from karts to single seaters, saloons to F1. He is currently racing in an LMP3 Ligier Sports Prototype and Ferrari Challenge car in the Masters series. Ray can be found at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ray_grimes28Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ray.grimsey.14 #dontliftoff #lmp3 #lig...

Ian Flux is a 5 x British National champion racing driver. From Karting to Formula Vee, Formula 3 to Formula Atlantic, Can-Am through to Sports 2000, TVR Tuscans, the British Touring Car Championship, British GT and Historic Formula One cars, Ian has raced and won in almost everything he has done over a 50 year period. He has also had a colourful private life, including a period of paying for some...

Bryce Wilson is a former junior karting World Cup Champion, Renault Spider Champion, National Saloon race winner, Sports Prototype race winner, British Touring Car Championship test and development driver, driver coach and owner of a Vapour Blasting and Protective Coatings business “Restore & Coat” in Dunfermline. To contact Bryce about coaching or about Restore & Coat:Facebook   / restore...

Chris Hodgetts is a double British Touring Car Champion (BTCC), TVR Tuscan Champion, British GT Champion, Le Mans 24 hour winner and driver coach to future racing stars. In this conversation he shares his rich history in motor racing, from his early days as a milkman to becoming a celebrated driver and coach. He discusses his passion for motorcycles and the Isle of Man, the influences that shaped...

Conor Flynn discusses his experiences and insights from running Ice Drive Sweden, an ice driving school that offers unique driving experiences on frozen lakes. He shares the evolution of the business, the types of cars used, the experiences the customers have, and the importance of maintaining a family-oriented atmosphere. Conor reflects on his father Pat’s legacy and how it has shaped his approac...