F1 Racing Confidential: Inside Stories from the World of Formula One

by Giles Richards

An access-all-areas look inside the thrilling world of Formula One.Formula One is one of the most intense, complex and secretive sports on the planet. Recent documentaries such as Netflix’s Drive to Survive series have given a glimpse of life inside the paddock, but there are so many more stories from this high-stakes, globe-trotting world that remain untold. In F1 Confidential, Guardian journalist Giles Richards speaks to the men and women inside Formula One to reveal the inner workings of the world’s most glamorous motorsport. Featuring exclusive interviews with experts at every level – from drivers and team principals to engineers and pit mechanics – and from teams including Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren and more, this is an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look inside a modern Formula One team. With a foreword by former F1 world champion Damon Hill and contributions from dozens of insiders – including Lando Norris, Christian Horner and Toto Wolff – each with their own fascinating stories, insights and revelations, F1 Confidential takes you inside Formula One like never before.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Biography, Memoir, Racing, Cars, Audiobook

304 pages, Paperback

Published February 29, 2024

Reviews

[słomka · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5
Książka ewidentnie dla fanów F1, która przedstawia nie tylko znaczenie konkretnego stanowiska, ale przybliża również życie kluczowych ludzi w F1.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot about all the work that happens behind the scenes in F1. The interviews were very interesting and I was not disappointed by what each interviewee had to say about their roles. It really makes me appreciate the sport even more!

Unfortunately, I found the writing to be “clunky” and overly descriptive. I found myself re-reading sentences to try and figure out what the author was trying to convey. This is the reason for the 3 stars.

I also thought that the book could have addressed many issues in F1 such as racism, sexism and human rights (of the countries the races take place in) that are clearly there. In fact, these were glossed over and the sport was glamorized more than it already was. It really focussed on the positives of working in F1, but I don’t believe this is the full picture, especially with “Racing Confidential” in the title. I am glad so many people love working in F1, but I was hoping for a more well rounded insight.

[Kristers · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a casual F1 fan wanting to understand more about what goes on behind the scenes—not just with the drivers, but across various team roles—this book delivers. It offers interesting facts and stories about how careers have unfolded for people working in the background.

Some readers have criticized the book for only highlighting the positive side of F1 and not shedding enough light on the darker aspects behind the scenes. But I'm not sure that was the book’s intent. These stories are filled with enthusiasm and inspiration from team members who clearly love what they do and how they got there.

In many ways, these stories are genuinely inspiring. Gaining insight into the systems and operations within the sport makes it even more fascinating. I definitely watch F1 differently now—this book gave me a deeper appreciation for the hard work that everyone puts into making the sport what it is.

[Kirin171 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know that F1 is a sport made by British people, for British people and this book was written by a British guy about (mostly) British people, working for British teams but... sigh.
On the one hand, it was really nice to read about people who are usually unseen and I've seriously learnt a lot about the paddock's background. But I have to say, as much as the stories was interesting, all sound almost the same: super happy people, doing what they love, being enthusiastic, highlighting the importance of TEAMWORK and did I mention everyone is happy?
But I guess, this book also proves that all conspiracy theories about teams sabotaging drivers or cars are fairy tales - thanks for that.
On the other hand...
I start to realize that some people are going to be very, very, VERY bitter about 2021 forever. Good for ya, guys!
And Jesus Christ wearing your pink pajama with unicorns, that chapter about Lando Norris.
It was like 3rd chapter? And it annoyed me like hell? And I stayed pissed off to the end???
Like mentioning how his start in racing was not as EASY as others whose families were tied to racing, while omitting completly how his dad has spent millions on his career?
Or how small, tiny and young Lando was racing much bigger and intimidating older boys and dear author? I think I know you wanted me tear a little after reading this, but all I got was flashbacks to little Verstappen, probably still chewing his pacifier, terrorizing much older drivers in his carting times and then scaring the shit out of Nico Rosberg while still being a teen. You tried.
Anyway, not a bad reading, a lot of interesting information about how Formula 1 works, just the style of the writing doesn't fit me.

[Eyvai ⁵⁵ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehh???
Z jednej strony bylo okej, cieszę sie, ze mialam okazję poznac perspektywę ludzi, których rola w sporcie może być na codzień pomijana.

A z drugiej czułam się jakbym czytała listy motywacyjne do przyszłych pokoleń. Wielkie historie, do jakiej to ktoś szkoły nie chodził, że się z zadupia wyrwał, jak to marzenie z dzieciństwa sie ziściło i etc.
Brakowało chyba tylko chwytliwego hasła "wszytsko jest możliwe, jeśli tego mocno pragniesz".

W pewnym momencie już mialam bardzo dość

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the insight into the varying roles that go into an F1 team, starting from some of the most visible figures and less flashy but still vital jobs. My only complaints are a) this needs more commas for the sake of grammar and b) the formula (pun unintended) of describing each person's life story did feel a bit repetitive by the end. However, still incredibly fun to put some names and personality to faces like the front jack guy Oscar Piastri nearly slammed into this year.

[Bella and the Bookstack]

Definitely pick this up if you are wanting to learn more about the “behind the scenes” of formula one. It’s so fascinating to read just how much work goes into the sport. I really enjoyed reading everyone’s journey to their roles, as well as, learning more about the different parts of formula one that is not shown on tv.

At times it was a little tedious to read, but overall an interesting book.

[Katy Whorrod · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really great insight into the different roles that make up a formula one team and different pathways into the sport. Littered with cliches and quite repetitive in format but still an interesting read.

[Sebastian Beven · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

A brilliant insight into the behind the scenes of Formula One. Followed Formula One for nearly 20 years and learned so much! Amazing read for any Formula One fan.

[Aiden Goff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such an interesting look inside F1. Wish it delved deeper but hey that’s life

[zofia]

Ech serio spodziewałam się czegoś więcej

[Maja Bronczak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice insights but still was hoping for something much better

[Jen James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who knows me, or has the dubious pleasure of seeing my social media accounts, would know I am a huge F1 fan, and have been for over 30 years.

F1 Racing Confidential is different to any F1 book I have read. It doesn’t focus purely on the names and faces we all know. It features so many varied team personnel. From Team Principals to Esport Drivers, and many in between. Each one of their stories are so interesting, and surprising for differing reasons.

I think most people would understand that F1 is a team sport. The drivers and team principals being the faces we know so well. What this book shows, time and time again, is that every single team member feels is that sense of community. The feeling that they all desperately want to play their part, to be the absolute best they can be for themselves, but more importantly for the team.

These people are resilient and resourceful. Whether it is overcoming personal tragedy, or professional disappointment, these experiences have formed the steely determined core, found in all highly driven individuals.

Many of the contributors talk about how the first sight of the cars, and the sound of those beautifully crafted engines, ignited a lifelong passion for the sport. I completely understand this. Standing on the pit wall at Silverstone, watching the cars testing, hearing that beautiful noise, was such a special experience for me, and always will be.

There are many anecdotes that made me smile, such as Matt Bishop’s preferred method of dealing with drivers not wanting to attend a sponsor event. Each of the contributors have been incredibly open and frank, which makes the book so interesting and entertaining.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and highly recommend to other F1 fans. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.

[Dylan Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

F1 Racing Confidential is an underwhelming, superficial, and ultimately sterile exploration of what should be some of the most fascinating and lesser known aspects of the Formula One world.

Despite its title, the book offers little to no new insights and reveals nothing “confidential” about the sport. Instead, it presents a glossy, sanitised portrayal of Formula One as a kumbaya happy clappy family in which everyone gets along.

The book focuses almost exclusively on major teams such as Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren. Teams with vast budgets and a long history of success. By doing so, it misses an opportunity to explore the vastly different realities faced by smaller teams, where limited resources and constant pressure present a completely different approach to the sport. This narrow focus significantly limits the book’s depth and perspective.

A further weakness lies in the repetitive interview format. Most profiles follow the same predictable structure: an introduction of the subject, a description of their role, praise for teamwork, their path to Formula One, and unwavering enthusiasm for their job. As a result, the interviews feel interchangeable and heavily curated, as though filtered through team’s public relations departments rather than shaped by honest reflection.

Ironically, the most genuine and compelling profile comes from a former PR manager who has since left the paddock to pursue an independent business within the sport. Free from the watchful eyes of team bosses and PR managers, this interview briefly exposes some of the darker, more complex realities of Formula One, highlighting what the rest of the book largely avoids.

The writing style itself does little to elevate the material. Convoluted sentence structure and inconsistent punctuation often disrupt the flow, occasionally forcing the reader to reread passages to grasp the intended meaning.

While F1 Racing Confidential sets out to showcase the complexity of Formula One and the people who keep the sport running, it rarely moves beyond surface level storytelling. Although some of the individuals featured are intriguing, the book leaves the reader wanting more depth and certainly more authenticity.

[♥Xeni♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a way this series of interviews and small essays on the various jobs in F1 feels like a long-form advertisement to accept a minimum wage job in Milton Keynes. Seriously, none of these workers have anything bad to say? I get that most of the job is glamorous (the prestige to brag that you work at an F1 team is the main draw for most of these jobs after all) but I also feel that most of this book was glamour. It attempts to paint the whole sport with a sparkly brush. It doesn't feel real.

Though, it was nice to get some more biography and in depth look at some of our favorite F1 characters (James Vowels especially), it definitely felt like there was a PR person sitting next to each one of these workers while they were being interviewed by the author. I was hoping for a more realistic glance under the hood, especially since we know the sport is rife with racism, sexism, abelism and plenty of other bigots and moneyed interests. It's just a bit of a shame that the sport is still getting washed to look better and more glamorous than it is. Also it feels like every worker they interviewed managed their way into the position through luck.

Seriously, none of these minimum wage workers even mentioned that they're barely getting paid (not even free tickets to see a home race?)

That said, there were good in depth POVs of the job-specific elements. CNC machine movement, tire mechanic balancing, and how the strategy team actually works.

[Here_Lies_the_Bookdragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

In F1 Racing Confidential, Giles Richards interviews 20 people with different roles in F1 about their jobs. I found each interview a genuinely interesting insight into a side of the sport you don't often see. I really enjoyed seeing the different personalities working in the field as well.

While I really liked the individual interviews, as an overall book, it unfortunately didn't work as well for me. Firstly, these are 20 interviews written in very similar ways, and it did feel a bit repetitive after a while. Secondly, it is incredibly obvious that everyone's PR teams have fully signed off on this - no industry is as perfect as this makes it seem. Thirdly, it starts to feel dated very quickly. Reading how nobody but Red Bull and Mercedes have won a championship in years, knowing that McLaren just won, makes this book already feel older than it is. As a series of interviews in a motorsports magazine, this would be perfect. As a book, it just worked less well for me.

All that said, the interviews are genuinely interesting individually, and if you are interested in learning more about the work that happens in the background of F1, I can genuinely recommend picking this up and reading them one at a time.

Many thanks to Michael O'Mara Limited and Netgalley for letting me read an eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Norma · Rating 3 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
"When the helmet goes on I am doing my job."

If anyone has ever wondered about the jobs behind the upfront excitement of Formula 1 events, those teams of men and women who watch and applaud as their drivers race past, this book is for them. Giles Richards has completed 20 interviews from team principals Toto Wolfe and Christian Horner and one of the drivers, Lando Norris, through other less visible jobs in the team, like race engineer, machinist, aerodynamicist and pit mechanic, letting each describe what they do, their crucial part and how they arrived where they now are. I dividually, each is interesting.sadly, put all together, they become rather similar with tales of good fortune along the way. Perhaps if all had been written in the actual words of each interviewee, their own fascination would have shone through in a way that each of these thumbnail.sketches fails to achieve. This is exacerbated by narrator, Finley Robertson, who's slightly too slow reading was also rather lack lustre.

Still worth reading if you are a total F1 fan, even if it does leave a feeling that, for everyone involved, not only is F1 their total lives and something they mostly were miraculously gifted, but that there is never a moment when anything is not perfect: not, I am sure, an impression that those concerned would wish to give.

[Gordon Ross · Rating 2 out of 5]

Via a series of interviews with drivers and behind the scenes workers from mechanic to marketing director, logistics coordinator to CFO, veteran journalist Richards presents a 'behind the scenes' view of some of the roles essential to a modern Formula 1 team and the people doing those jobs.

It's a little unclear who this is aimed at. Richards tries to walk the line between the F1-curious and the devoted fan, ultimately going not quite deep into the detail to please one group while skipping over too many of the basics to be easily followed by the other. There is no behind the scenes dirt or controversy, everyone interviewed is delighted to be in the shiny, wonderful world of F1. Nobody involved has a bad word to say about anyone. And while there are inspiring stories that will make women and people with disabilities or from a diverse background feel like a career at the pinnacle of motorsport might be for them after all, it doesn't take much reading between the lines to realise that without the benefits of a privileged background, friends (or ideally family) already working in F1 or a tremendous amount of good fortune then the reality is very different.

Interesting enough, and the humility of most of the interviewees makes it easy to warm to them, but let down by the unnecessary corporate facade.

[Ani · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.75/5

as a new formula 1 fan, i found that this book laid out and explained many roles within f-1 that otherwise seem to be under-discussed. it was really interesting to learn about these people, and read their fascinating stories. the interviewees are from a variety of teams, which allowed for a wider and more generalised understanding of how these roles operate and interact. i appreciate richards's decision to essentially transcribe large sections of these interviews, which he reflects upon in the introduction.

richards's writing style made his sentences a bit tricky to understand at times, and i would have to reread phrases to understand where the emphasis was meant to be. other readers might not have an issue with this, though, as it's simply a difference in communication. i do feel that the discussion of sexism, racism, and queerphobia in formula 1 was fairly shallow, though i also recognise that richards's goal for this book was not a deep dive on inequality in motorsport.

overall, i enjoyed this as a comprehensive insight into a variety of roles and people within formula 1.

[Zaczytana_olcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

O czym jest F1 Racing Confidential?

Trochę o wszystkim, z czym związana jest Formuła 1. Jest o biznesie (o czym mówią Horner czy Wolff jako szefowie zespołów), bo przecież przede wszystkim Formuła 1 jest biznesem obracającym setkami milionów dolarów, o czym opowiada również dyrektor finansowy Mercedesa.

Jest nieco o psychologii, a raczej o tym, że inżynier wyścigowy nie powinien być psychologiem swojego kierowcy. Są rozmowy o tym, jak dostać się do królowej Motorsportu. Rozmowy z osobami ze świecznika ale i z tymi, o których na codzień nie mówi się dużo, a są ważne- jak chociażby o “kretynie, który ustawia się przed bolidem” gdy też zjeżdża do pitstopu. Ciężka i odważna robota, bo nigdy nie wiesz, kiedy kierowca zahamuje.

Ale czy to książka dla każdego fana Formuły 1? Nie byłabym tego taka pewna. Nie zaskakuje w żadnym momencie, bo świadomy kibic wie wszystko (albo większość) z tego, co zostało w książce zawarte.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Grand Central Pub for the gifted copy of F1 Racing Confidential! All opinions in this review are my own.

If you know me at all, you know how excited I was when I opened the package that contained this book!

In F1 Racing Confidential, Giles Richards breaks down the different roles that make a Formula 1 team successful. I like that in the Introduction, Richards even acknowledges that to hear from these men and women in their own words is more powerful than anything he could write. I also like that for many of the interviews, the person explained their path to get to their current job and that some even joined the sport later on. Obviously, the Toto Wolff interview was my favorite chapter, but Tom Stallard's was a close second!

Richards' book strengthens the notion that Formula 1 is a team sport and highlights all of the hard work that various team members do to make the car successful.

[dianas_books_cars_coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't just love cars, I also love motorsports! So, when this book landed on my doorstep, I literally dropped everything to read it. I seriously love everything about cars, including the engineering, the mechanics, the design, and this book gave me so much information about those topics for an F1 car.

Formula One is the pinnacle of motorsports. Their drivers are the best and the cars are the most advanced. It's a team sport where every member of the team has an important role to win. We only really know the drivers and the team principals, but there are so many more behind the scenes making things happen. This book will open your eyes to them. The engineers, the mechanics, the CFO, and even the marketing director. And did you know there is an esport driver?
You'll read about them in this book. I especially enjoyed the chapters for the tire engineer, the chief mechanic, and the pit mechanic. This book was incredibly interesting and so informative. It was well-written and extremely insightful to the world of Formula One. I would highly recommend adding it to your TBR, especially if you're an F1 fan.

[Karolina Nizioł-Raczkiewicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Książka przedstawia postacie i ich stanowiska, opisuje jak każdy element w tym sporcie jakim jest F1 musi zaskoczyć by ten ostatni element, czyli auto z kierowcą. Otrzymujemy kompendium wiedzy mówiące o tym jak różne mogą być sposoby by zdobyć jak najwięcej punktów, jak pomóc kierowcy, jak każdy z inżynierów, strategów i mechaników ma wpływ na auto i dobre samopoczucie.

Osobiście przed przystąpieniem do czytania miałam naprawdę dużą wiedzę na temat F1 i tego jak to wszystko funkcjonuje. Jednak nie znałam tych wszystkich sylwetek, które bardzo często od zera do bohatera awansowały. Otrzymałam naprawdę kilka ciekawostek o których nie miałam pojęcia, a przede wszystkim jak wielką maszyną jest jeden zespół przypisany do tego jednego kierowcy.

Naprawdę to była dobra lektura, momentami za bardzo techniczna i laik mógł się trochę pogubić, ale serdecznie Wam polecam.

[Sharon Valler: Live Love Read Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic! This is different to any other F1 book I’ve read in that it’s more than just a driver bio or a behind the scenes insight. This book shared the stories of the key people in F1 who we don’t tend to hear from. Yes, there are team principles and drivers in there, as we love to hear from them, but what about the accountants? The parts manufacturers? The engineers and the mechanics?

This book contains their amazing stories and knowledge of the sport, their passion and how every tiny detail has an impact right through the team. Every single person has a key role to play and they play it with precision.

Loved it!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Giles Richards and Michael O’Mara for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Laura Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an informative read! As a fan of F1 already I had a basic knowledge of the sport and learned so much about the behind the scenes of the sport from this book. Giles has interviewed a wide of variety of individuals from across the sport from various teams from a driver, a comms manger and many different engineers. It was so fascinating to gain an understanding of how things work from an engineering perspective. It was also so interesting to hear the stories of how people came to the sport either accidentally or having dreamed of it since childhood. This is a must have for all F1 fans.

[Jakub · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprised me in a positive way - I didn’t expect it to cover so many fascinating, background aspects of Formula 1. The author does an excellent job of showcasing just how complex this sport is, shining a light not only on drivers and teams but also on the invaluable work of those behind the scenes, like engineers, mechanics, and managers who play a crucial role in achieving success on the track.

What’s more, this book offers much more than just entertaining anecdotes for sports geeks. You can find valuable insights that can serve as inspiration for managing work, leading teams, and approaching one’s profession in general.

[mo • lesmotsdemo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very interesting read. I’ve been watching formula 1 for years now and it’s been a great experience to learn even more about some personalities of the paddock and to get a glimpse at their different purposes in this sport. To me it was more engaging than some other forms of documentaries because it’s more authentic, less sensational. And I like this approach way more. Giving a voice to these people who make the sport every day and are dedicated to it is such a love letter to them and to the sport and it was lovely to read.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

F1 Confidential is a very good book which gives at least a tiny bit of overdue prominence to the thousands of unsung people who make F1 racing possible. I think the author did a good job in selecting candidates to interview that represented both men and women and people from several different teams.

I would have liked, however, for the author to have delved a little more into the nuts and bolts of what the pit crews actually do rather than focusing mostly on their backgrounds and largely limiting himself to broad brush strokes about their jobs. Still, it's a book definitely worth reading for anyone interested in F1.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listen, if you’re going to put a driver in a Petronas Mercedes outfit with a 44 car, you have to have Lewis Hamilton interviewed in the book. Alas.

My favorite chapters were interviews about jobs I didn’t know much about like Logistics Coordinator and Aerodynamacists.

Overall an interesting introduction to a slice of F1 that’s pretending to be about a lot more of F1. Most of the interviews are with the same 4 out of 10 racing companies. Also the world confidential in the title implies more intrigue than the clearly comms-approved interviews presented in this book.

[Gregory Dewaegheneire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to see the parts of what makes a F1 team. Unfortunately there were some stories that could have been more exhaustive.
The last 2 chapters about the marketing director and the esports driver were read at double the pace because I really don’t care, but that’s me. Honestly if you include those people, why don’t you include the IT person, the bouncer,…
A worthy addition to my f1 books and one I will certainly go back to.