Book info

• Title
• Author Martin Brundle
• Year
• Genres

Thoughts

Martin Brundle walks you through various Formula 1 circuits past and present, and guides you through the fast-paced and extravagant world of a Grand Prix weekend. Each circuit is packed with facts and figures, a walkthrough of the track and the corners, memorable moments from Brundle’s career as a driver and as a commentator, plus a little extra information to make you feel at home.

He parts with little known tidbits that will make the F1 season that bit more familiar - how the drivers get to the track, what kind of hotel they stay in and what they do when they’re not behind the wheel. Much of the book is taken up with describing various crashes and accidents (perhaps too much, in fact), a little bit of success, but mostly a lot of very frustrated drivers.

With a few pictures dotted in the middle, this is a die-hard fans dream come true. You don’t really get an insight into what makes the well known drivers tick, because the focus is on the circuits rather than the characters, but by finding out who does well and where, you’re still learning about the drivers you know and love.

Brundle speaks about himself with humour and in a very self-deprecating way, attributing most of his successes to luck and his failures to driver mistakes. The journey through the book takes you from his very first lap as a Formula 1 driver, and you can feel the nerves, and then the growing confidence. It’s written well, clear and informative, without being patronising. The layout of the book also means that you there are clear breaks in the narrative, it’s easy to pick up and put down, and you don’t have to read it straight through, although I did.

Rating: Unrated