 Unett was deputy head of the department for the development of the 'series' Sunbeam Alpine in 1958–1959.He began motor racing in 1961.After competing and crashing in a disastrous Club rally, Rootes competition manager Mike Parkes encouraged Unett to attend a race meeting at the Goodwood Circuit, leading him to buy his first racing car, a prototype from the Alpine development programme registration number XRW 302.