[Purple-banana]

Does anyone have any recommendations for good F1/Racing-related books?
 
I’ve recently finished the Jenson Button biography (Life to the Limit) and am currently about half way through Adrian Newey’s (How to Build a Car) and am looking for the next one to add to my reading list.
 
While we’re on the subject, I can thoroughly recommend:
‘The Mechanic’s Tale’ & ‘Life in the Fast Lane’ by Steve Matchett, former Benneton F1 pit crew (Fog, you'll enjoy those if you haven't already!)
‘Aussie Grit’ by Mark Webber
‘A Championship Year’ by Jenson Button
And for a bit of a laugh, there’s always the Sniff Petrol season previews!
 
I have the Damon Hill bio too but struggled to get going with it, and surprisingly for me, Michael Schumacher - The Edge of Greatness by James Allen too. 

[Jody Barton]

Yep, I can add two to that list:

How to build a car - Adrian Newey (the subtitle is a bit narcissistic)
Total Competition - Ross Brawn and Adam Parr.

Both really enlightening and fairly enjoyable books by two of the sports living legends.

PS just seen you are reading the Newey book (sorry), so I’ll add ‘The Limit - Michael Cannell’

[Purple-banana]

How to build a car - Adrian Newey (the subtitle is a bit narcissistic)

I'm reading it on a Kindle, so I hadn't spotted the subtitle. Yikes!

Thanks for the recommendations! I had been meaning to look into the Ross Brawn one but it had slipped my mind 

[morini]

I got Damon Hills book as a birthday present last month. Have not had chance to pick it up yet. Really hoping someone gets me Neweys book for a Christmas pressie, will have to start dropping hints to the kids.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Yep, I can add two to that list:

How to build a car - Adrian Newey (the subtitle is a bit narcissistic)
Total Competition - Ross Brawn and Adam Parr.

Both really enlightening and fairly enjoyable books by two of the sports living legends.

PS just seen you are reading the Newey book (sorry), so I’ll add ‘The Limit - Michael Cannell’

Is there an "F1 book for Dummies" ? haha - i used to think I was pretty clued up when on the Sky forum - not so much on here though   

[Jody Barton]

Yeah there’s a book called Speed Read F1, by Stuart Codling I think. Covers the history of the sport as well as detailing the major advances and rules changes through the ages. Pretty good reference books in arguments too.

[Purple-banana]

I must confess my kindle has been under a pile of paperwork for the last few weeks and I only just picked Adrian's book back up. I wish I hadn't. My opinion of him has totally plummeted :-(

I'm really quite disappointed how it is turning out. From the 1994 chapter it's no longer his memoirs, it is just a platform for him to indulge the chip on his shoulder about how the FIA favour Ferrari (and by extension, somehow, Benetton in 1994) and how unfairly he was treat by Frank Williams & Patrick Head (although he's got a point there).

But within almost within the same paragraph he moans that the stewards turned a blind eye to Benetton running an illegal traction control system or that Schumacher "obviously" purposefully crashed into Damon at Adelaide (he claims Damon was unsighted to MS clipping the wall seconds before the crash - which is complete bollocks since it can be seen on Damon's onboard), yet is then smuggly patting himself on the back about how he circumvented rules governing bodywork and intentionally compromised the drivers' visibility on the MP4-13 to exploit a regulation loop-hole.

I'm going to carry on reading as I hope the bits about his work outside of F1, particularly the Americas Cup yachts relight my interest - but I am also perversely interested to see how he palms off some of the controversies Red Bull caused and benefited from in the early 2010s.

I appreciate that he is a sportsman and by his very nature is a competitive soul, always looking to gain the upper hand and deny his competitors - but this book reads as though he is a very bitter individual and quite possibly resents having not had or missed the opportunity to work with some of the megastars like Ferrari, Schumacher, Hamilton and perhaps most tragically, Senna.

[morini]

I must confess my kindle has been under a pile of paperwork for the last few weeks and I only just picked Adrian's book back up. I wish I hadn't. My opinion of him has totally plummeted :-(

I'm really quite disappointed how it is turning out. From the 1994 chapter it's no longer his memoirs, it is just a platform for him to indulge the chip on his shoulder about how the FIA favour Ferrari (and by extension, somehow, Benetton in 1994) and how unfairly he was treat by Frank Williams & Patrick Head (although he's got a point there).

But within almost within the same paragraph he moans that the stewards turned a blind eye to Benetton running an illegal traction control system or that Schumacher "obviously" purposefully crashed into Damon at Adelaide (he claims Damon was unsighted to MS clipping the wall seconds before the crash - which is complete bollocks since it can be seen on Damon's onboard), yet is then smuggly patting himself on the back about how he circumvented rules governing bodywork and intentionally compromised the drivers' visibility on the MP4-13 to exploit a regulation loop-hole.

I'm going to carry on reading as I hope the bits about his work outside of F1, particularly the Americas Cup yachts relight my interest - but I am also perversely interested to see how he palms off some of the controversies Red Bull caused and benefited from in the early 2010s.

I appreciate that he is a sportsman and by his very nature is a competitive soul, always looking to gain the upper hand and deny his competitors - but this book reads as though he is a very bitter individual and quite possibly resents having not had or missed the opportunity to work with some of the megastars like Ferrari, Schumacher, Hamilton and perhaps most tragically, Senna.

Spoiler alert!!

These two are on my to read list ->


Not got around to starting either yet. Not sure I need to bother with the Newey one now you've told everyone the contents of the book! 

[PapaofGags]

"i used to think I was pretty clued up when on the Sky forum - not so much on here though"

I know that feeling Fog.

Gag's got How to build a car adding to his collection for xmas, hoping he likes it better than Purple Banana lol.

[Purple-banana]

Haha I’m not sure you can give spoilers for non-fiction! Lol

Paps, pre-1994 it has been a brilliant read, very informative and entertaining.