Graham Coaker
Encyclopedia
Graham Coaker was a British
engineer and businessman, who was one of the four founders of the March Engineering
motor racing manufacturer.
He was trained as an accountant and mechanical engineer, and had been a keen amateur Formula Three
competitor during the mid- to late-1960s. During this time he became friendly with fellow racers Max Mosley
and Alan Rees
, and racing car designer Robin Herd
. The four created March Engineering in mid-1969, the name of the team being derived from their initials: Max Mosley, Alan Rees, Graham Coaker, and Robin Herd. Coaker was responsible for the workshop and manufacturing side of the new company, drawing on many years of experience as general manager of one of Hawker Siddley's automotive subsidiaries, and was the driving force behind March's move into the customer-car market. The company's first manufacturing premises were actually in Coaker's own garage and it was here that the first March racing car, the March 693P, was constructed.
Coaker left March in early 1971, and received a March 712M Formula Two
car as part of his settlement package. Unfortunately for him, Coaker died that April from septicemia caused by injuries sustained when he crashed the car during practice for a Formule Libre race at Silverstone Circuit
.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
engineer and businessman, who was one of the four founders of the March Engineering
March Engineering
March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...
motor racing manufacturer.
He was trained as an accountant and mechanical engineer, and had been a keen amateur Formula Three
Formula Three
Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
competitor during the mid- to late-1960s. During this time he became friendly with fellow racers Max Mosley
Max Mosley
Max Rufus Mosley is the former president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organisations and car users worldwide...
and Alan Rees
Alan Rees
Alan Rees is a British former racing driver from Wales. He participated in three World Championship Grands Prix in the 1960s, although two of those appearances were driving Formula 2 cars...
, and racing car designer Robin Herd
Robin Herd
Robin Herd is an English engineer, designer and businessman.Herd graduated from St Peter's College, Oxford with a double first in physics and engineering, before joining the Royal Aircraft Establishment in 1961 as a design engineer on the Concorde supersonic aircraft project...
. The four created March Engineering in mid-1969, the name of the team being derived from their initials: Max Mosley, Alan Rees, Graham Coaker, and Robin Herd. Coaker was responsible for the workshop and manufacturing side of the new company, drawing on many years of experience as general manager of one of Hawker Siddley's automotive subsidiaries, and was the driving force behind March's move into the customer-car market. The company's first manufacturing premises were actually in Coaker's own garage and it was here that the first March racing car, the March 693P, was constructed.
Coaker left March in early 1971, and received a March 712M Formula Two
Formula Two
Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...
car as part of his settlement package. Unfortunately for him, Coaker died that April from septicemia caused by injuries sustained when he crashed the car during practice for a Formule Libre race at Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
.