Through 2023, I made it my goal that if I was going to be learning the ins and outs of motorsport, I needed to get my knowledge up to standards. Well, at least partly up to standards as I haven't had a great attention span for reading in a few years! I listened to many recommendations and slowly pinned together my top three.
How To Be An F1 Driver by Jenson Button (Formula One)
Personally, I think I'm partially biased towards this book as Jenson Button is one of my all-time favourite F1 drivers. I was even lucky enough to pick up this signed copy of this book from a charity shop, what a bargain!
As great as it was to hear about lots of his stories during his years in Formula One, it was even more interesting to hear an in-depth analysis of what driving an F1 car feels like from a primary point of view. What I love about it is that it goes into a lot of details about early 2000's F1 cars which I must admit has been my weak spot for knowledge.
Of course in this book it goes in depth about the glamourous side of Formula One, with one prominent chapter purely explaining how to spray a champagne bottle (I assume Lando Norris took this advice!) but he also explains about why he left due to having more time to see his family grow up. I definitely recommend this just to get an insight of what this crazy world is like from the direct view of someone that has lived through it in modern day and walking through many changes in the sports history.
Valentino Rossi: The Definitive Biography by Stuart Barker (MotoGP)
I must be lying when I say that I finished this book because I'm actually only just over half way through but from what I've read so far, it's been a great introduction for me into the likes of motorbike racing: something I've always wanted to know more about.
Written by Stuart Barker, it shows nearly all of Valentino Rossi's life and before, including parts about his father, Graziano Rossi who was a big influence in his life. It surely switched the perspective I had of him, thinking he was a serious person but lots of his gags are mentioned in the first few chapters!
His colourful personality is present throughout the notations in this book and seems to have brought a smile to everyone's face who's ever met him (unless you're Max Biaggi). Part of me feels unfortunate that I've never been able to see any live experience of him racing since he retired in 2021 but I'm glad that this book can give me all the information I could possibly need about his character and charm. Maybe I should be on the lookout for more books surrounding motorcycle racing.
Senna Versus Prost by Malcolm Folley (Formula One)
Another fantastic book that greatly describes two of the most famous rivals in Formula One history. This book goes even further beyond to get quotes directly from the latter in the title, Alain Prost in his own home.
I thought this book would be a great place to start to fully understand racing during the 1980s and 1990s as well as the relationships between them, all including the likes of Nelson Piquet Sr. and Nigel Mansell who were fighting for these championships through the years prior to the time. It once again goes into a great detail about racing, but more so across the relationship side as the title entails.
It definitely represents the two worlds of the rivals fantastically where you have Ayrton Senna as a bit of a hot-head and risk-taking racer but Alain Prost of the more methodical side of driving an F1 car. Including details about the technology of the time of racing: how cars were set up and the racers that copied the set-up of their teammate (no spoilers who's who!). This was more of a lengthy book on my side but I'm grateful that I was able to take the pleasure of reading it.
Have any of you read any of these books? Did you share many of the same views as me or did you see one in a different light? I'm definitely an avid reader and have many more motorsport books stacked for next year, but would you recommend any? Drop a note in the comments if you have a suggestion!
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