When you take into consideration the stories, technical advances, personalities, drama and everything else that makes Grand Prix and F-1 so incredibly dynamic, sixty years is a TON of history and excitement to pour into one book! And that, my friend, is precisely what this title from Icon Publishing does... and in grand style, pardon the pun.
If you've ever had even the slightest interest in Grand Prix or Formula One racing, this may be the hottest book to cross your path, and is certainly THE book we'd suggest that you buy, even if it's the only one you lay out your hard-earned cash for all year. It is, simply put, PACKED from cover to cover with incredible photography, incredible insight, and history that'll keep you turning pages.
Written by Alan Henry, the internationally respected motor racing correspondent (he has attended more than 500 World Championship races... and is one of the few journalists to have the inside line with some of the sport’s most powerful figures!), his first-hand knowledge and unique perspective combine to bring an unrivalled authority to this magnificent history. Right off of the line, we're treated to a great, perspective-setting forward by Bernie Ecclestone, considered to be THE authority on Formula One racing, and his quick look back on the sport, and his involvement over the past sixty years. He sets the tone, inviting readers to not only learn more about the history, but to take part in the traditions that make it so unique. At this point, you realize that this isn't just a bound collection of pretty photos to be flipped through... No, we're going to settle in and experience it all.
As I sat down to explore this title, I found myself losing hours on end absorbing some rich history... It's as though you're brought into each era and thrust trackside (and occasionally into the cockpit!), and led deeper into not only the races, but the men who braved the early machines, and paved the way for future generations to follow. I decided then and there to not simply spew out some quick look at this remarkable volume, but to start with a brief peek under the hood, and to explore the book over a few installments. Not only will this do a bit more justice to the work, but it'll help to spread out my excitement for this title... Hopefully you'll feel the same, and continue to look in as we dive deeper over the next few entries!
Beyond the superb quality of the book (it's a hefty book indeed, printed on high-quality paper, with a very comfortable text size with great contrast for easy reading), the first thing that strikes the reader is the amount of photography, and the great quality of those photos. Superb, crisp images leap from the book, and capture the essence of vintage motor racing... It was a dirty, dangerous sport in which to be involved, an those early photos capture the glory as it was back then: Filthy, tense, and hard-won. Couple the images with brilliantly composed and chosen sidebars, and you'll learn more about the sport and its founding fathers in a few pages than you ever thought possible. Whenever available, these side tales are told by the men who lived the moment, and their voices seem to linger long after you've flipped the page.
If you're unfamiliar with Autocourse, it began as a quarterly review of motorsport in 1951, turning to an annual format in 1959. It is THE source for race coverage, statistics, facts, figures and insight (the results section has lap charts, time sheets, practice and qualifying data, and chassis log books), and the back issues are highly-prized collector's items (so start trolling yard sales, used book shops and more!). And that kind of attention to detail and immersion in the sport shines through in this historical documentation.
The pre-war section (where it all gets rolling, so to speak) is brief, but truly paints a picture describing the impact of these early racers, and the impact that the war had on everything, including motorsport. Moving on after the war, we're given all-access to the most exciting era, as Ferrari dominates, and British racing teams find their niche. Incredible sidebars featuring Auto Union, Jimmy Clark, Enzo Ferrari and more come together to make the excitement grow page after page.
The book then takes us on a whirlwind tour of the 2.5 Formula years, through Cosworths and turbos and more... It's simply brilliant from cover to cover. It's the ideal, one-stop source book for any motorsport artist, with great staged, action and candid photography, many of these photos are absolutely overstuffed with detail. In fact, I'd venture to say that the book is a must-have for the scale modeler seeking extreme detail... And when you're through looking at the subjects in the photos, spend a few days just getting lost in the backgrounds... it's layer after layer of historical reference material! Again, whenever I find a book that makes great reference material, I like to make it known to my fellow artists... and this is certinly one of those times!
Had enough yet? Hardly... the book just continues to pour it on! At the back of the book are season-by-season tables, compiling car, driver and race-by-race information, from 1951, clear through 2009. Add to that a list of World Champion drivers, an for the trivia buffs, how about a table listing the make and constructor of every World Champion car from 1958-2009? Wait'll you see this list... You'll gain a new appreciation for the term "dominance".
We'll continue this look, as stated earlier, over a few more entries... I hope you'll stick with us, and check it out... and that you'll scoop up your own copy when it hits the shelves. I think you'll be more than pleasantly surprised and entertained.
You can grab a copy of this book, and save some serious cash in our bookstore!
PHOTOS CREDIT/COURTESY MOTORBOOKS and ICON PUBLISHING
by Alan Henry
Hardcover, 400 Pages
ISBN: 9781905334568
Publisher: Icon Publishing Ltd.
Illustrations: 500 in color
Availability: October 1st 2010
$59.95
($37.77 in our bookstore!)
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