Formula
1 Driver Biographies & Books Fernando Alonso, Chris Amon, Marion Andretti, Alberto Ascari, Gerhard Berger Jack Brabham, Jim Clark,
David Coulthard and Piers Courage Next
Chris Amon, a New Zealand sheep farmer's son who led the Ferrari team for two
seasons in the late 1960s, is remembered in Formula 1 as the best driver never to win a Grand Prix. Yet his contemporary Jackie
Stewart rated him 'one of the world's foremost drivers' and Jochen Rindt considered him a true rival. Eoin Young, an ace
storyteller, chronicles the life of this extraordinarily unlucky racer who was driving at the age of six, had a pilot's license at
16, and raced a 1954 250F Grand Prix Maserati a year later
The 20th century's most versatile and successful driver hits the tarmac for this
race-by-race look at his amazing career. Filled with year-by-year statistics on everything from Mario's oval track beginnings up
through his exploits in F1, Indy car, sports car and NASCAR racing. Andretti's life-long race to the finish line is put into
perspective here to deliver this information-packed statistical overview of his incredible racing career.
Relentless determination, unrivaled charisma, and the ability to climb
into any type of race car and win has made Mario Andretti a household name for more than thirty years. His accomplishments include
four USAC and CART titles, the 1978 Formula One World Championship, winning the 1967 Daytona 500 and 1969 Indianapolis 500, and
three victories in the grueling 12 Hours of Sebring sports-car race. Mario Andretti: A Driving Passion documents the toughness,
intelligence, and humor that makes Mario the man so compelling and reveals the remarkable mixture of determination and luck-both
good and bad-that defined his career as the most versatile and accomplished racer of all time.
Italian double world
champion, whom the legendary Fangio described as "my greatest opponent", Alberto Ascari raced Bianchi motorcycles, then
drove the very first Ferrari T815 sports car in the 1940 Mille Miglia. He won the 1948 San Remo Grand Prix in a Maserati, learning
much racecraft from his team-mate Luigi Villoresi. Joining Ferrari in 1950 Ascari had spectacular success, and won back-to-back
world titles in 1952 and 1953. A move to Lancia in 1954 proved frustrating as the F1 car was delayed until late that year, but he
won the Mille Miglia in a Lancia sports car. At the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix he famously crashed his Lancia D50 into the harbour. Four
days later he appeared unexpectedly at Monza to test a Ferrari for the Supercortemaggiore race, but inexplicably crashed the car and
was killed
On May 26, 1955 Alberto Ascari should have stayed in
bed. Twice World Champion motor racing driver, he had, four days
earlier, startled the racing world during the Monaco Grand Prix by
plunging off the tarmac fifty feet into the sea below. Now battered and
bruised he insisted on taking an unscheduled training run; unfit and
without equipment it was totally out of character. "It is better to race
again soon after an accident: he told amazed onlookers as he eased into
the vehicle... Kevin Desmond has painted a compelling human story of a
man at the summit of his profession destroyed by an obsession. Had he
survived he would have ranked alongside Fangio, Nuvolari and Stewart as
an all-time great; but it was not to be. The Man With Two Shadows will
captivate both motor racing enthusiast and amateur psychologist alike.
On 31 July 1994 the German Grand Prix was won by Gerhard Berger and a
legend was reborn. This is the story of the man, popular racing driver,
master prankster, and close friend of the late Ayrton Senna. The book
follows the Ferrari folk hero, on and off the track, from the early days
in the Alphasuds, European Formular 3, and touring cars, through to the
start of his 1995 Formula 1 season. It looks at the horrors he has
survived - the road crash which almost paralyzed him; the fire at Imola
in 1989 at Tamburello, the corner where Senna died.
The true
story behind the motor racing legend Sir Jack Brabham. The book presents
a fascinating account of life, including unpublished material detailing
his early racing career on two wheels and four in Australia. It covers
his incredible career from 1953-1970 which saw him win three Formula 1
Driver's World Championship titles, multiple F2 Championships, become
the world's first dominant manufacturer of single-seater racing cars and
the first - and so far only - driver to win a World Title in a car
bearing his own name. The book is lavishly illustrated with photographs,
memorabilia and superb full-color photographs of his racing cars. The
book's highly entertaining and detailed narrative will appeal to both
racing enthusiasts and a general readership.
On 4 December 2008, just a few months before the new season was due to
start, the Honda Racing F1 team, which Jenson Button had been driving for
since 2006, pulled the plug on their involvement in Formula One. The media
at the time reported that it was likely that the factory would be forced
to shut, and it was unlikely that Jenson would be able to secure a drive
at a top team at this late stage. Yet incredibly, in October 2009, Jenson
Button was crowned World Champion, and the new team that had risen from
the ashes of the Honda Racing F1 team- Brawn GP - secured the
constructors' championship in their first season, a feat never before
achieved. If this were a movie script you wouldn't believe it possible,
so how did it happen? My Championship Year tells Jenson's incredible story of
the 2009 season, from being written off pre-season to winning six of the
first seven races, and finally securing the championship in brilliant
style at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Jenson's personal commentary on the
races is combined with notes on strategy, on-board radio exchanges, quotes
from the team and even text messages to recreate the atmosphere of each
race weekend. With a foreword by Ross Brawn, it is a fascinating account
of an extraordinary grand prix year, and shows just what it takes to
become world champion.
This compelling book marries together a study of a great
period in the life of Jim Clark with the history of a great British
marque, featuring in particular the famous Lotus 25, from its golden
1963 World Championship-winning year, through subsequent owners and
crashes until the remains are discovered and the gallant old charger is
restored to its original specification.
Eric Dymock's acclaimed book celebrates the life and achievements of
Jim Clark, world grand prix champion Scottish Motor Racing driver in the
1960s. It is a portrait of the popular motor racing driver and of his
racing career by author Eric Dymock who knew him personally.
Refreshed text and a new selection of photographs complete this new
edition, which celebrates 50 years since the modest Border farmer won
his first World Drivers’ Championship.
The original hardback edition, published in 1997, was quickly
nominated as the best account of the life of the double world champion.
Classic Cars awarded five stars, nominating it Book of the Month: “Eric
Dymock has produced a book rich with anecdotal reminiscences from those
who raced with Jim Clark. Dymock has clearly done his research and
brings riveting details of the life, background, psychology and raw
talent of the man alive.” Andrew Frankel wrote in Motor Sport: “Great
though (Jim Clark) was I thought I’d reached the stage when I’d read so
many words about him as my lifetime would stand. Not so. Dymock’s book
is compelling, not least because its story is told with clear affection
that stops short of the fawning adulation with which so many seem
obliged to equip themselves before penning a word about dead racing
drivers. An engrossing read.” The Automobile: “…compulsive reading and
thoroughly recommended”. Classic and Sportscar nominated Jim Clark Best
Book of the Year: “Eric Dymock’s celebration of Jim Clark was a totally
inspired publication". Clark’s close friend, Ian Scott Watson wrote in
Scottish Field: “Jim Clark – Tribute to a Champion is the sort of book
you will not lay down until you have read it cover to cover; it is the
definitive book on Jim Clark; it is a must for the bookshelves of anyone
with an interest in motor sport. It is a book which stands as a
remarkable tribute not only to Jim but to its author.”
Judges for the Guild of Motoring Writers Montagu Award agreed. They
nominated Jim Clark runner-up for 1997 to the same author’s Saab, 50
Years of Achievement.
Jim Clark was arguably the best driver the world has
seen and certainly one of the most versatile. He died when he was just
33 but by then the Scottish farmer's lad had surpassed the Grand Prix
victory total of the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio. Even Fangio himself
said he was the best ever driver. Clark started 73 races and won 25. He
was World Champion in 1963 and 1965 and set Ford on its path to fame by
pushing the Cosworth DFV engine to victory on its first F1 outing. He
was also the first non-American to win Indianapolis 500.No one
understands Jim Clark better than Eric Dymock, fellow Scot, long-time
reporter on the racing scene at its highest level. Dymock has brought
his definitive biography up to date by including in it what some
contemporary heroes have to say about the man, and many previously
unpublished photographs., Stunning production - virtual collector's
edition, Endorsements from Dan Gurney and David Coulthard., Contains 50
new and unpublished photos.
This illustrated biography of the famous motor racing
driver details his racing career, his background, family life and his
many racing triumphs, up until the time of his fatal accident on the
Hockenheim racing circuit in Germany in 1968.
From his quiet beginnings in rural Scotland to his multi-millionaire
lifestyle in Monte Carlo, where he owns one of the most luxurious hotels
in the principality, David Coulthard's life story is an extraordinary
one. He got his breakthrough into Formula One in the tragic
circumstances of Ayrton Senna's death in 1994, and quickly established
himself as one of the best drivers on the circuit. From 1996-2004, he
drove for McLaren, one of the leading teams throughout the entire
period, before moving to Red Bull for 2005-07.
Taking the reader from his early days when he first became hooked on
racing karts at the age of eleven to the high-speed world of Formula
One, Coulthard has written one of the most honest and powerful sports
autobiographies of recent years. He talks frankly about his ups and
downs at McLaren and also about the reputation he gained for his playboy
lifestyle. Throughout it all he seeks to answer the questions about
himself that anyone might ask, and so to reveal what it is that really
drives him on. His struggle to understand himself makes for a remarkable
memoir.
When he lines up for the
2004 Spanish Grand Prix, David Coulthard will have achieved ten years at
the top of Formula 1. "DC" made his Grand Prix debut in difficult
circumstances, as the replacement for Ayrton Senna after the legendary
Brazilian's fatal crash at Imola. He had a creditable first season,
however, securing points in all of the five races he finished. Since
then, the honourable Scot has proved one of the fastest drivers of his
generation and immensely popular with British fans. This book - packed
with anecdotes from family, friends and colleagues - tells his full
story.
This title tells the story of the Formula 1 driver, David Coulthard, from his early
karting days to the 1997 season driving for McLaren. It describes the trials and triumphs of Coulthard's debut seasons, from his
entry into Formula 1 racing, first as a test driver for Williams, to his promotion to race driver following Ayrton Senna's death, to
his maiden win for McLaren at the 1997 season-opener in Melbourne. The book also includes: the influence on Coulthard of Scottish
racing legends Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and Innes Ireland; how he gave up a career in the family road haulage business to become a
racer; his experiences of karting, Formula Ford 1600, Formula Vauxhall Lotus, Formula 3 and Formula 3000; and his move to McLaren in
1996 as it struggled to become competitive again
Illustrated with dramatic
action photographs, this volume explores Coulthard's early years in
karting, his 1989 British Formula Ford 1600 Championship win, his
graduation to Formula 3000, and more.
Piers Courage was the first
man to drive for Frank Williams in Formula 1, and tragically died in a
Williams-run car at the 1970 Dutch Grand Prix. Now available in
paperback, this enthralling biography, written with his family's
co-operation, chronicles the life of the charismatic old Etonian,
including the wild Formula 3 days when he and chums roamed Europe
surviving on their wits. Recalling a more relaxed era in motorsport, the
book features dozens of people who knew Piers including Frank Williams,
Bernie Ecclestone, Jackie Stewart and, of course, his wife Lady Sarah,
daughter of pre-war racer Earl Howe.
