It Is What It Is: The Autobiography


David Coulthard - 2007
    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 11, through to the high-speed world of Formula One he now inhabits, Coulthard has written one of the most honest and powerful sports autobiographies of recent years. In the book, he talks about his ups and downs at McLaren, the reputation he gained for his playboy lifestyle and how hard this has made it for him to settle down. 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.

Gilles Villeneuve: The Life of the Legendary Racing Driver


Gerald Donaldson - 1989
    Gilles Villeneuve became a legend in his own time, a driver whose skill and daring personified the ideals of Grand Prix racing, the pinnacle of motor sport.With his flamboyantly aggressive, press-on-regardless style in his scarlet Ferrari, he captured the imagination of a vast international audience as no other driver has in recent times.

The Perfect Car: The Biography of John Barnard


Nick Skeens - 2018
    Written with Barnard’s cooperation and with input from dozens of associates, drivers and rivals, this biography tells the entire story, both personal and professional, of a British design genius. Barnard’s technical achievements are explored in detail — and in accessible language — with special emphasis on his brilliant initiatives while at McLaren (the first carbon-fibre composite chassis) and Ferrari (the first semi-automatic gearbox). The Perfect Car is also a human-interest story, telling a tale of innovation under intense pressure while Barnard endeavoured to maintain a stable family life. This is a landmark book that will be relished by anyone interested in motorsport and design.

I Just Made The Tea: A lifetime in the Formula 1 pitlane


Di Spires - 2012
    In all that time she ran the team motorhome for a succession of different teams, including Lotus in the Senna era and Benetton in the Schumacher era. Her memoir looks at Formula 1 from an unusual viewpoint. As well as Formula 1 people, she has encountered personalities from every walk of life, from royalty to criminals on the run. Her stories range from the hilarious to the tragic and provide a unique insight. This is a fast-paced read packed with surprising snippets and observations, with plenty of intimate insight into what the drivers are really like.

To hell and back


Niki Lauda - 1986
    

Flat Out Flat Broke: Formula 1 the Hard Way!


Perry McCarthy - 2002
    This is his autobiography. Foreword by Damon Hill. "Perry McCarthy does for Formula One what Bill Bryson did for travel writing. But beneath the black humor and wisecracks - funny enough to make you laugh out loud in public - lies an inspiring and at times poignant tale of the rarest kind of racer: one who never gave up and was, literally, prepared to die trying" David Tremayne, The Independent on Sunday.

Survive. Drive. Win.: The Inside Story of Brawn GP and Jenson Button's Incredible F1 Championship Win


Nick Fry - 2019
    This is the full story of how the team was saved from disintegration when Honda suddenly pulled out of Formula One; the management buyout for £1.00; and its subsequent sale to Mercedes for £140 million. As CEO, Nick Fry was in the driving seat for one of the most incredible journeys in the history of motorsport. Here, he gives an up-close-and-personal account of how he and Ross Brawn turned disaster into championship glory, and offers a unique and thrilling perspective on an elite global sport.

The Chariot Makers: Assembling the Perfect Formula 1 Car


Steve Matchett - 2004
    During a fogbound evening in an airport lounge, Matchett and some fellow enthusiasts began a discussion of racecar design, a conversation which evolved into a detailed examination of the teams and technologies behind the world's most complex sport. Their thoughts are captured here, from choosing the best chassis and most advanced suspension to building the strongest gearbox, providing an unmatched insider view of the international F1 scene."'I really could see the scenes he describes evolving in my mind, as if I was there-the mark of true genius in the author!"--F1 Sport International

Alex Zanardi: My Sweetest Victory: A Memoir of Racing Success, Adversity, and Courage


Alex Zanardi - 2003
    The racing world held its breath again 19 months later while witnessing his incredible return to racing. In Alex Zanardi - My Sweetest Victory Zanardi takes us from his childhood in Italy through his hard-fought racing success to the moving story of perseverance and love that motivated his recovery. Along the way, Zanardi presents the triumphs and setbacks in his racing career, culminating in back-to-back CART championships for 1997 and 1998. In riveting detail, Zanardi relates his terrible accident, the long path to recovery and his return to Lausitzring to complete the 13 laps he didn't finish in 2001. Alex Zanardi - My Sweetest Victory is an inspiring book about how personal strength and passion can triumph over even the most challenging circumstances -- an autobiography whose significance extends far beyond the world of motorsports.

Working The Wheel


Martin Brundle - 2004
    He will experience the extraordinary sensations, the adrenaline and the atmosphere as told by the sport's best analyst. Together with F1's respected journalist, Maurice Hamilton, Brundle brings his infallible humour and insight, his experiences and opinion, to each of the circuits and its classic races. From the camber at Monaco, which will leave your wheels hanging in the air, to Melbourne and the dynamics behind the most dramatic crash of the decade. Encompassing such essential details as neck-snapping acceleration, smashing cars worth a quarter of a million, and the amount of sweat a driver will lose in a race, this is a rare F1 book - funny, opinionated, evocative and dramatic.

Beast: The Top Secret Ilmor-Penske Race Car That Shocked the World at the 1994 Indy 500


Jade Gurss - 2014
    The massive effort to design and build it in a seemingly impossible timeframe is still hailed as one of the most herculean efforts and well-kept secrets in the history of the Indy 500. In the new book, Beast, bestselling author Jade Gurss chronicles the subterfuge and debunks the myths about this legendary engine that persist twenty years on. Gurss interviewed key players involved in the race to undercover the story of how this engine powered the Penske PC23 chassis to one of the most talked-about Indy 500 races in history. The British race-engine experts at Ilmor Engineering offer detail about the design and manufacture of the engine. Roger Penske’s team reveals how the engine and car were tested and developed, and how Mercedes came to be involved in the project. The story unfolds as Roger Penske and Mario Illien and Paul Morgan of Ilmor play every card they possess to create an incredible race engine--even rare World War II fighter planes and supersonic jets roar into the heart of this high-tech tale. Drivers Al Unser Jr., Emerson Fittipaldi, and Paul Tracy provide details on the tense weeks leading up race day. The book reaches a suspenseful climax at 240 miles per hour at the Indy 500 noone can forget. Wrapped up in the drama and intrigue are real business and motivational lessons which made Roger Penske one of the most successful businessmen in the world and that helped Ilmor and its cofounders, Mario Illien and the late Paul Morgan, design and manufacture Indy car and Formula 1 championship–winning engines. Beast is not only a must-read for sports and race fans, but a compelling narrative for those who enjoy genuine lessons in business and technology or thrilling mysteries based on actual events.

Black Noon: The Year They Stopped the Indy 500


Art Garner - 2014
    

Winning Is Not Enough


Jackie Stewart - 2007
    On retiring from the circuit, he went on to build an equally impressive international business career.In the 1960s and into the 70s, with his black cap, sideburns and aviator shades Jackie Stewart was an unmistakable icon in a glorious era of style, glamour and speed. On the track, his story is one of drama, excitement, tragedy, controversy, celebrity, danger and massive success.Beyond the sport his life is a compelling tale of battling against the odds and achieving world-wide recognition as an outstanding sportsman, a role model and a highly accomplished and respected businessman.Includes a specially produced DVD featuring rare and previously unseen footage of Sir Jackie's racing career, personal photographs and conversations with Sir Jackie discussing key moments in his life, plus interviews with business leaders, friends and family.

Life at the Limit: Triumph and Tragedy in Formula One


Sid Watkins - 1996
    If there is a crash, it is Watkins who gets there first. He is closely involved in improving safety at the circuits and in developing rapid response medical rescue.

Williams: A Different Kind of Life


Virginia Williams - 2018
     The racing car constructor was on his way to Nice Airport on a spring afternoon in 1986 when he lost control of his car, suffering horrific injuries in a crash that left him a quadriplegic. For his wife, Ginny, the accident meant taking on new and unwanted roles as head of the household and family decision-maker, while also struggling to overcome the anger and grief she felt after the accident. In A Different Kind of Life, Ginny tells her story with honesty and humor, set against the glamorous backdrop of Formula One racing. She documents life before and after the devastating accident – from falling in love with Frank at first sight to learning how to cope with his needs after he became severely disabled but remained fiercely independent. A testament to the power of compassion and perseverance, A Different Kind of Life is a moving and inspirational story.