F1 Books You've Read/Reading...
Discussion
The last one I read was Bruce McLaren by Eoin Young. Occasionally repetitive but generally good.
Just putting this out there: the best motor racing book I have ever read is Marathon by Nick Brittan. Utterly compelling story, brilliant writing, fascinating subject matter and neatly droll. Not F1 but buy a copy if you find one.
Just putting this out there: the best motor racing book I have ever read is Marathon by Nick Brittan. Utterly compelling story, brilliant writing, fascinating subject matter and neatly droll. Not F1 but buy a copy if you find one.
rallycross said:
Plinth said:
Recently re-read ‘Challenge me the race’ by Mike Hawthorn – very entertaining if you like that era of the sport.
Graham Hill’s biog is also very good.
‘Split seconds’ by Raymond Mays is a favourite of mine.
Just started ‘The racing car – development and design’ by Clutton, Posthumus and Jenks - written in 1956 so again only for those of us who like “the old days”!
If you like the older history I recommend Innes Ireland book All Arms and Elbows - its got some hilarious tales of what they used to get up to!Graham Hill’s biog is also very good.
‘Split seconds’ by Raymond Mays is a favourite of mine.
Just started ‘The racing car – development and design’ by Clutton, Posthumus and Jenks - written in 1956 so again only for those of us who like “the old days”!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Arms-Elbows-Innes-Ire...
Funny you should mention him - this morning I was reading Motorsport from January 1976 and there was an article about him and his "post F1" career as a trawlerman up in Kirkudbright, plus some reflections on his racing days.
Paul Dishman said:
My favourite motor racing book is Touch Wood! by Duncan Hamilton, it's an excellent read and still makes me laugh every time I read it
I've read that ,i haven't listed all the books read ,but I remember from this the huge number of his friends who were killed on track.I'll add to the list
The Limit (Life and death in Formula One's most dangerous era) - Michael Cannell, self explanatory.
An Independent Man - Eddie Jordan, great read
and if you are really sad (I am)
Motor racing circuits in England then and now - Peter Swinger
I just love to see the circuits have changed over the years.
Might be hard to find but if you're nerdy enough it's ISBN 0-7110-3104-5
The Limit (Life and death in Formula One's most dangerous era) - Michael Cannell, self explanatory.
An Independent Man - Eddie Jordan, great read
and if you are really sad (I am)
Motor racing circuits in England then and now - Peter Swinger
I just love to see the circuits have changed over the years.
Might be hard to find but if you're nerdy enough it's ISBN 0-7110-3104-5
Edited by Norfolkit on Friday 3rd November 22:58
If I may out nerd you-Julian Huint's oustandingly researched Motorsport Explorer . It details very venue in UK used for four wheeled motor sport, excluding only rally stages. Fascinating - and who knew that my own home county of Yorkshire has had eight different race circuits? NOT recommended if you think motor sport begins and ends with watching F1 on TV
"Stirling Moss - The Man and His Cars" by Doug Nye.
One of my favourite books - full of anecdotes and extracts from Moss' diary as well as great descriptions of the cars and circuits of Moss era.
I think it is a bit of a pity that the thread refers to "F1 books". The best motor racing books are books that encompass all sorts of motor sport - including Grand Prix racing from before the F1 era.
One of my favourite books - full of anecdotes and extracts from Moss' diary as well as great descriptions of the cars and circuits of Moss era.
I think it is a bit of a pity that the thread refers to "F1 books". The best motor racing books are books that encompass all sorts of motor sport - including Grand Prix racing from before the F1 era.
coppice said:
Most are abysmal , badly written and offer no insight into driver or sport . Damon Hill's book is the exception- beautifully written (by himself) and astonishingly frank.
Herbert's was terrible and in desperate need of a good sub editor.
Anything 'written ' by Mansell tends towards self mythology .
Stewart's stuff is very good if one gets past the product placement and obsession with royalty and successful businessmen .
Webber's is surprisingly revealing abut his early days and personal life but otherwise unremarkable
Brundle's 'Working the Wheel ' was excellent
EJ's autobiography - I had low expectations but actually it was a real treat of a book. It gives a brutally frank account of just how much a grafter you have to be to get on in the sport
The two best, Hill's apart , are the Lauda books which are brutally frank and offer a superb insight into not only Seventies F1 technicals and technique, but the mindset of the driver. He always was the smartest of them all. And Peter Revson's 'Speed with Style' is wonderful - and tragically he died at Kyalami on either the same day or very close to publication .
Autobiography apart, David Tremayne's 'Lost Generation ' is a masterpiece. It is about the premature deaths of Roger Williamson, Tony Brise and Tom Pryce within a couple of years in early - mid Seventies. Each could have been a world champion. Superbly written and researched and reduced this reader to tears .
Good pointers thanks Herbert's was terrible and in desperate need of a good sub editor.
Anything 'written ' by Mansell tends towards self mythology .
Stewart's stuff is very good if one gets past the product placement and obsession with royalty and successful businessmen .
Webber's is surprisingly revealing abut his early days and personal life but otherwise unremarkable
Brundle's 'Working the Wheel ' was excellent
EJ's autobiography - I had low expectations but actually it was a real treat of a book. It gives a brutally frank account of just how much a grafter you have to be to get on in the sport
The two best, Hill's apart , are the Lauda books which are brutally frank and offer a superb insight into not only Seventies F1 technicals and technique, but the mindset of the driver. He always was the smartest of them all. And Peter Revson's 'Speed with Style' is wonderful - and tragically he died at Kyalami on either the same day or very close to publication .
Autobiography apart, David Tremayne's 'Lost Generation ' is a masterpiece. It is about the premature deaths of Roger Williamson, Tony Brise and Tom Pryce within a couple of years in early - mid Seventies. Each could have been a world champion. Superbly written and researched and reduced this reader to tears .
Stewarts was a really great read; I'm indifferent to royalty and how much you want to like them though, so don't get rubbed up the wrong way some people do about this.
Webbers was insightful - he seemed the naive hero in a movie where everybody but him knows whats going on and wht to expect, but thats just being a honest decent queanbeyan boy according to the mrs - but I found it very blandly written, an account rather than a story.
Damon Hill took an Open University degree in English Literature after retiring from F1 and got a First, that ability shows in his book. Johnny Herbert's book is very entertaining, but it's basically Johnny telling his best stories (the ones that won't get him sued) in a sort of stream of consciousness.
I enjoyed both books
I enjoyed both books
Edited by Paul Dishman on Saturday 4th November 11:41
lucido grigio said:
Paul Dishman said:
My favourite motor racing book is Touch Wood! by Duncan Hamilton, it's an excellent read and still makes me laugh every time I read it
I've read that ,i haven't listed all the books read ,but I remember from this the huge number of his friends who were killed on track.
Eric Mc said:
I think it is a bit of a pity that the thread refers to "F1 books". The best motor racing books are books that encompass all sorts of motor sport - including Grand Prix racing from before the F1 era.
It wasn't the intention, I suppose this is an F1 sub forum after all. Whilst I'm what you could call a "modern" F1 fan, I'm very much interested in the history and the wider motorsport in general, so would welcome some more suggestions in that line, I'm sure about half the people who frequent this section would be interested too.
Eric Mc said:
I was never a great fan when PH management decided that F1 needed to be separate to other motorsport.
The best motorsport books are from the era when drivers drove everything - not just F1 cars.
So start a thread in General Motorsport then, it's not exactly hard The best motorsport books are from the era when drivers drove everything - not just F1 cars.
Plinth said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Plinth said:
his "post F1" career as a trawlerman up in Kirkcudbright
I never knew that!
The thread is here and people are already suggesting books from drivers who drove in other forms of motor sport - so no point. I'm not criticising the thread, just the notion that F1 is some form of "other" category that doesn't belong in "Motor sport". It has always annoyed me.
On the subject of Innes Ireland, his book (which also covers multiple categories) "All Arms and Elbows" is a great read.
On the subject of Innes Ireland, his book (which also covers multiple categories) "All Arms and Elbows" is a great read.
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