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The Limit: Life and Death in Formula One's Most Dangerous Era
Originally published: New York: Twelve, 2011.
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2011
70 people are currently reading
1355 people want to read
About the author
Michael Cannell
9 books143 followersMichael Cannell is the author of five non-fiction books:
Blood and the Badge: The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation
A Brotherhood Betrayed: The Man Behind the Rise and Fall of Murder, Inc.
Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber and the Invention of Criminal Profiling
The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit
I.M Pei: Mandarin of Modernism.
Michael edited the House & Home section of The New York Times for seven years. He has contributed to The New Yorker, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated and many other publications. He is a graduate of Princeton and the Columbia University Schoo of Journalism.
Blood and the Badge: The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation
A Brotherhood Betrayed: The Man Behind the Rise and Fall of Murder, Inc.
Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber and the Invention of Criminal Profiling
The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit
I.M Pei: Mandarin of Modernism.
Michael edited the House & Home section of The New York Times for seven years. He has contributed to The New Yorker, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated and many other publications. He is a graduate of Princeton and the Columbia University Schoo of Journalism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
December 25, 2011
While I'm not a huge sports fan, and have no real interest in motor sports at all, I can't deny that The Limit is a thrilling read, and a genuine page turner. Michael Cannell's retelling of events surrounding the 1961 European Grand Prix race circuit is developed as well as any novel, with richly defined characters, gruesome plot turns, and an ultimate resolution that is simultaneously elating and depressing. I'm much too young to have known of these events as they were actually happening, but this book really brings them alive as a grand metaphor for post-war technological triumph paired with a disregard for safety (and a tolerance for casual carnage) that is shocking by today's standards. Just a great read all around!
December 11, 2013
If I were inclined to be snarky, it would be easy to pick holes. The reference to 180 degree first corner at Monaco, Gasometer (it's actually the last corner) or the comment about the Sharknose Ferrari with it's 450BHP V6 engine (I'm not sure exactly how much power it was putting out, but given that, six years later, Cosworth struggled to get 400BHP from their DFV despite the fact it was twice the size, I'd guess not more than 200BHP). Michael Cannell is not a racing journalist, and as someone who grew up with the sport in the background from the age of about 5, this is sometimes glaringly obvious.
The thing is, it's perhaps because of the outsider's perspective that he brings that this is one of a quite small number of books about motor racing I'd recommend to people with no interest in the sport. In fact, as with the recent box office success, Rush, it might even help if you aren't interested. Cannell has described his approach as 'novelistic non-fiction' and it's an apt description of what he does. The book centres on the story of America's first Formula 1 World Champion, Phil Hill, and his rivalry with his team mate, the German Count Wolfgang Von Trips. But it's not so much a book about the nuts and bolts of who won what races as an insight into what drew a certain kind of individual to compete in a sport which, at that time, had a frightening fatality rate (of the 21 drivers on the grid at Phil Hill's debut Grand Prix, at Reims in 1958, 8 would die behind the wheel of a racing car).
Cannell focuses on the fact that, for all that both Hill and, especially, Von Trips, were born into considerable wealth and privilege, they both had difficult upbringings. Hill never got on with his parents, described in the book as functioning alcoholics who rowed incessantly, and were dismayed when their only son dropped out of college to go work as a mechanic. Von Trips found himself drafted at the age of 16 to clear bodies out of towns ruined by the bombing of the Rhineland, fought briefly at the Belgian front, and fled his castle in the face of the invading US army (he later returned there and apparently got on well with the GIs stationed at the castle). This might go some way to explaining a more fatalistic attitude towards sudden, violent death than most. Indeed, reading this book, I couldn't help thinking that it was only the context of two enormously brutal World Wars which allowed for a culture in which death was considered routine in what is after all merely a sport. (Having said that, a recent encounter with A&E a few months in which I woke up on a stretcher after a cycling accident with no idea how I'd got there back left me thinking that there are worse ways to go). The death and danger is sometimes slightly overplayed, (the reference to James Dean's fatal car crash seemed beside the point, and a number of other drivers are introduced into the narrative seemingly mainly in order to recount the manner of their demise) and Monza was never known as 'the death track' any more than the Nordschliefe was known as 'the graveyard' (A Rush solecism, that one).
Lurking in the background is the would-be opera star and – by this account at least – frustrated prima donna, Enzo Ferrari. He described himself once as 'an agitator of men' – with no great engineering or driving talent of his own, he was undoubtedly, for a time, very good at drawing together those who did have such ability, and playing them off against each other to his own benefit. A complex character who deserves his own book (and of course, has several – I recommend Richard Williams' biography).
As a tale of two sports stars who, for all that they were not quite among the greats, were accomplished and intriguing, complex personalities, and the 'day before yesterday' world they inhabited (Cannell's observation that their jet-setting 'on the road' lifestyle was more than a little like that of rock stars, ten years later was well made, I thought), it's well worth a read.
The thing is, it's perhaps because of the outsider's perspective that he brings that this is one of a quite small number of books about motor racing I'd recommend to people with no interest in the sport. In fact, as with the recent box office success, Rush, it might even help if you aren't interested. Cannell has described his approach as 'novelistic non-fiction' and it's an apt description of what he does. The book centres on the story of America's first Formula 1 World Champion, Phil Hill, and his rivalry with his team mate, the German Count Wolfgang Von Trips. But it's not so much a book about the nuts and bolts of who won what races as an insight into what drew a certain kind of individual to compete in a sport which, at that time, had a frightening fatality rate (of the 21 drivers on the grid at Phil Hill's debut Grand Prix, at Reims in 1958, 8 would die behind the wheel of a racing car).
Cannell focuses on the fact that, for all that both Hill and, especially, Von Trips, were born into considerable wealth and privilege, they both had difficult upbringings. Hill never got on with his parents, described in the book as functioning alcoholics who rowed incessantly, and were dismayed when their only son dropped out of college to go work as a mechanic. Von Trips found himself drafted at the age of 16 to clear bodies out of towns ruined by the bombing of the Rhineland, fought briefly at the Belgian front, and fled his castle in the face of the invading US army (he later returned there and apparently got on well with the GIs stationed at the castle). This might go some way to explaining a more fatalistic attitude towards sudden, violent death than most. Indeed, reading this book, I couldn't help thinking that it was only the context of two enormously brutal World Wars which allowed for a culture in which death was considered routine in what is after all merely a sport. (Having said that, a recent encounter with A&E a few months in which I woke up on a stretcher after a cycling accident with no idea how I'd got there back left me thinking that there are worse ways to go). The death and danger is sometimes slightly overplayed, (the reference to James Dean's fatal car crash seemed beside the point, and a number of other drivers are introduced into the narrative seemingly mainly in order to recount the manner of their demise) and Monza was never known as 'the death track' any more than the Nordschliefe was known as 'the graveyard' (A Rush solecism, that one).
Lurking in the background is the would-be opera star and – by this account at least – frustrated prima donna, Enzo Ferrari. He described himself once as 'an agitator of men' – with no great engineering or driving talent of his own, he was undoubtedly, for a time, very good at drawing together those who did have such ability, and playing them off against each other to his own benefit. A complex character who deserves his own book (and of course, has several – I recommend Richard Williams' biography).
As a tale of two sports stars who, for all that they were not quite among the greats, were accomplished and intriguing, complex personalities, and the 'day before yesterday' world they inhabited (Cannell's observation that their jet-setting 'on the road' lifestyle was more than a little like that of rock stars, ten years later was well made, I thought), it's well worth a read.
March 31, 2021
Michael Cannellin "The Limit: Life and Death In Formula One's Most Dangerous Era" (Atlantic, 2012) -tietokirja on kiinnostava katsaus kilpa-autoilun kuninkuusluokkaan sen alkuaikoina, jolloin miehet olivat miehiä ja kuolivat myös nuorina.
Vaikka yli kolmensadan kilometrin tuntinopeudella kisaamista voi tuskin pitää missään olosuhteissa turvallisena, oli meininki 1950-luvulla ja 1960-luvun alussa vähän toisenlaista kuin nykyään. Turvallisuus ei ollut pääprioriteetti. Niinpä viikatemies vieraili kilparadoilla yhtenään. Viiden vuoden ajanjakso saattoi saattoi viedä kaksikymmentä kuljettajaa ennenaikaiseen hautaan, ja erään pessimistisen arvion mukaan ajajilla oli vain 33% mahdollisuus säilyä hengissä.
Lukija tapaa kirjan sivuilla monia Juan-Manuel Fangion, Stirling Mossin, Peter Collinsin, Luigi Musson, Mike Hawthornin ja Alfonso de Portagon kaltaisia nimiä, joista monet elivät niin radalla kuin sen ulkopuolellakin vain yhdellä tavalla - täysillä. Naisia, juhlia ja ylellistä elämää oli tarjolla samaan tapaan kuin rockbändien jäsenillä myöhemmin. Sitoutumiseen ei kuitenkaan kannustettu, ei ainakaan mikäli satuit ajamaan Enzo Ferrarin leivissä. Ferrari nimittäin uskoi, että avioituneesta kuljettajasta tuli automaattisesti hitaampi, tällä kun oli enemmän pelissä.
"The Limitin" varsinaisiksi keskushenkilöiksi muodostuvat kuitenkin amerikkalainen Phil Hill ja saksalainen Wolfgang von Trips, joiden kaksintaisteluun vuoden 1961 maailmanmestaruudesta kirja myös huipentuu. Hill oli klassisesta musiikista nauttiva mekaanikko Kaliforniasta, kun taas Von Trips oli köyhtyneen aatelissuvun viimeinen vesa. Loppu on traaginen, kuinkas ollakaan.
Cannellin kirjasta suunniteltiin jossakin vaiheessa Tobey Maguire -vetoista elokuvaakin, mutta ilmeisesti projekti ei koskaan päässyt maaliin asti. Se on sääli, sillä jo yksistään eksoottisesta Carrera Panamericana -kisasta olisi saanut aikaiseksi huikean tarinan.
No, onpahan meillä kuitenkin kiehtova ja tenhoavasti kirjoitettu kirja luettavanamme. Suosittelen tätä kaikille, joita moottoriurheilu edes etäisesti kiinnostaa.
Vaikka yli kolmensadan kilometrin tuntinopeudella kisaamista voi tuskin pitää missään olosuhteissa turvallisena, oli meininki 1950-luvulla ja 1960-luvun alussa vähän toisenlaista kuin nykyään. Turvallisuus ei ollut pääprioriteetti. Niinpä viikatemies vieraili kilparadoilla yhtenään. Viiden vuoden ajanjakso saattoi saattoi viedä kaksikymmentä kuljettajaa ennenaikaiseen hautaan, ja erään pessimistisen arvion mukaan ajajilla oli vain 33% mahdollisuus säilyä hengissä.
Lukija tapaa kirjan sivuilla monia Juan-Manuel Fangion, Stirling Mossin, Peter Collinsin, Luigi Musson, Mike Hawthornin ja Alfonso de Portagon kaltaisia nimiä, joista monet elivät niin radalla kuin sen ulkopuolellakin vain yhdellä tavalla - täysillä. Naisia, juhlia ja ylellistä elämää oli tarjolla samaan tapaan kuin rockbändien jäsenillä myöhemmin. Sitoutumiseen ei kuitenkaan kannustettu, ei ainakaan mikäli satuit ajamaan Enzo Ferrarin leivissä. Ferrari nimittäin uskoi, että avioituneesta kuljettajasta tuli automaattisesti hitaampi, tällä kun oli enemmän pelissä.
"The Limitin" varsinaisiksi keskushenkilöiksi muodostuvat kuitenkin amerikkalainen Phil Hill ja saksalainen Wolfgang von Trips, joiden kaksintaisteluun vuoden 1961 maailmanmestaruudesta kirja myös huipentuu. Hill oli klassisesta musiikista nauttiva mekaanikko Kaliforniasta, kun taas Von Trips oli köyhtyneen aatelissuvun viimeinen vesa. Loppu on traaginen, kuinkas ollakaan.
Cannellin kirjasta suunniteltiin jossakin vaiheessa Tobey Maguire -vetoista elokuvaakin, mutta ilmeisesti projekti ei koskaan päässyt maaliin asti. Se on sääli, sillä jo yksistään eksoottisesta Carrera Panamericana -kisasta olisi saanut aikaiseksi huikean tarinan.
No, onpahan meillä kuitenkin kiehtova ja tenhoavasti kirjoitettu kirja luettavanamme. Suosittelen tätä kaikille, joita moottoriurheilu edes etäisesti kiinnostaa.
February 2, 2012
The author calls this book "novelistic nonfiction," and I think that's perfect--Cannell tells a riveting story about Formula One racing in the 1950s and '60s by following two racers in particular: Peter Hill and Wolfgang von Trips, both of whom raced primarily for Ferari. I'm not much of a racing enthusiast (although I always suspected NASCAR couldn't hold a candle to these guys, and now I'm sure I'm right about that), but The Limit gave me an appreciation for the skill of the Formula One drivers, the way they risked their lives (and the lives of spectators) every time they took the track, and how Formula One racing sort of played out the greater fears of Europe at that time as the continent tried to heal from WWII--and eventually fell into the Cold War.
Daring, unflinching, and heartbreaking.
Daring, unflinching, and heartbreaking.
November 27, 2011
I'm not a car racing guy but this is a really interesting story about how ridiculously dangerous formula one racing was in the 50s and 60s was for racers went 180 mph and didn't even wear seat belts and for spectators who were pretty routinely killed when cars and parts thereof would go hurtling off the track. the book focuses on a couple of drivers, one being phil hill, still the only american to ever win the formula one racing championship. just the kind of fascinating non-fiction book that i like.
June 4, 2014
As a new fan to F1, this wasn't as much as a book about the Phil Hill vs Wolfgang Von Trips for the 1961 championship as it was a primer on the era. I didn't know how any of the races would turn out or which drivers weren't going to make it, so this book was full of surprises. I recognized a few of the names but that was about it.
Michael Cannell manages to cover a lot of different stories and characters during this dangerous era and makes it all very accessible. It's not a knock on his writing at all, but a compliment to the clarity to brings to all these storylines. I don't think it'd be a boring read even if you knew the history. It isn't that technical at all and plays out very much like a drama. There's a knack to his storytelling and foreshadowing that I really enjoyed, and a human element given to every one of these daredevils behind the wheel, no matter how briefly they were mentioned. Honestly, I'd love to read more about many of these drivers in full biography form, like Alberto Ascari, Eugenio Castelloti, Juan Manuel Fangio, Pierre Levegh, etc. It's never just about Hill and Von Trips - deaths and other events allowed them to move up the Ferrari ladder to get to that fateful 1961 season.
You also get to see some vintage photographs, including Enzo Ferrari, who really does loom over the entire story like the man he was. It's a treasure trove of a book for a newbie like me. An exciting and devastating read.
Michael Cannell manages to cover a lot of different stories and characters during this dangerous era and makes it all very accessible. It's not a knock on his writing at all, but a compliment to the clarity to brings to all these storylines. I don't think it'd be a boring read even if you knew the history. It isn't that technical at all and plays out very much like a drama. There's a knack to his storytelling and foreshadowing that I really enjoyed, and a human element given to every one of these daredevils behind the wheel, no matter how briefly they were mentioned. Honestly, I'd love to read more about many of these drivers in full biography form, like Alberto Ascari, Eugenio Castelloti, Juan Manuel Fangio, Pierre Levegh, etc. It's never just about Hill and Von Trips - deaths and other events allowed them to move up the Ferrari ladder to get to that fateful 1961 season.
You also get to see some vintage photographs, including Enzo Ferrari, who really does loom over the entire story like the man he was. It's a treasure trove of a book for a newbie like me. An exciting and devastating read.
August 29, 2011
The story of Don Hill and his experience racing in Formula 1 cars before driver safety was an issue. No seat belts, no roll bars, and fire always a problem as many drivers were engulfed in flames after the gas tank exploded. Mr. Hill was one of the lucky few to live through his career. An engrossing read - more please!
December 17, 2014
Amazing story...racing as it should be...dangerous! Exciting!
June 8, 2021
Another racing audiobook. Probably more like a 3.5 but I'll round up.
The title is a little bit misleading. The 1961 Grand Prix season only comes into focus near the end of the book. The beginning of the book details the early lives of the two main characters, Phil Hill and Count Wolfgang von Trips, as well as a little bit about the secondary characters, namely Enzo Ferrari. The middle details several years with Ferrari's F1 and sports car teams (including our main boys), where a number of supporting characters are introduced, endeared to the reader, and, almost without exception, sent to the slaughterhouse. The end details a crucial crash in von Trip's career and Hill's struggle to ascend from sports cars to F1. Without spoiling anything, the best character development--for both our main characters--comes around here.
I can only really compare this to Go Like Hell, as that's the only other racing book I've read. They're both exciting reads with some interesting takeaways, but GLH focuses a smidge more on the institutions of the racing world (and takes place a bit later), whereas The Limit is a bit more about the individuals (and focuses on F1 as opposed to Le Mans). You could read them in any order, but chronologically, this one comes first, and for my money, is a slightly better starter. GLH is a slightly tighter and more engrossing story overall.
The title is a little bit misleading. The 1961 Grand Prix season only comes into focus near the end of the book. The beginning of the book details the early lives of the two main characters, Phil Hill and Count Wolfgang von Trips, as well as a little bit about the secondary characters, namely Enzo Ferrari. The middle details several years with Ferrari's F1 and sports car teams (including our main boys), where a number of supporting characters are introduced, endeared to the reader, and, almost without exception, sent to the slaughterhouse. The end details a crucial crash in von Trip's career and Hill's struggle to ascend from sports cars to F1. Without spoiling anything, the best character development--for both our main characters--comes around here.
I can only really compare this to Go Like Hell, as that's the only other racing book I've read. They're both exciting reads with some interesting takeaways, but GLH focuses a smidge more on the institutions of the racing world (and takes place a bit later), whereas The Limit is a bit more about the individuals (and focuses on F1 as opposed to Le Mans). You could read them in any order, but chronologically, this one comes first, and for my money, is a slightly better starter. GLH is a slightly tighter and more engrossing story overall.
May 18, 2025
A thrilling read! Non-fiction with the pacing of a novel in a field that I've been obsessed with for decades - perfect. This era of motor racing is completely insane for so many reasons and Cannell does a brilliant job in bringing it to life.
May 21, 2014
The Limit was nothing short of a fantastic book.
Some have criticised it for some errors, and yes as a fan of Formula 1 you can see that there are a few, but this book was written by an outsider of the sport, someone who doesn't have a great interest in it, and that helps capture the story even more. The fact that a non-fan can be captivated by the stories of Phil Hill and von Trips shows how great a story it really was.
The author manages to get through just how dangerous F1 was at the time, you realise just how dark a period the 50's and 60's was in the sport. How death was a constant companion and how most of the drivers faced it each time they stepped into the cockpit of their car. The accidents they would witness such as the one Phil Hill witness in front of his very eyes at le Mans are bought to life in stark reality. You have such a renewed respect for these men that risked their lives just to go fast, in an era were safety and protection was so basic and limited, there may as well have been none what-so-ever. And the fact that these same men witnessed their team mates, friends and rivals die week in and week out and would drive passed the accident time and time again both fascinate and horror the reader.
The fact that the 1961 season ended in such tragedy was not unusual, it was however a shame that a very worthy champion was pushed aside because he was forgotten by the bigger story and he was therefore deemed an unworthy champion by many as he won it on the grounds of his chief rivals death at the last minute.
Despite the errors, the mistakes are few and far between, and one can look passed these, because ultimately, it captures the essence of the sport in a deadly time, where nobody knew from one lap to the next whether them or their friends would make it back to the start finish line without serious injury or not at all. The book is therefore a testament and tribute not only to Phil Hill and von Trips, but also to every driver who raced with death, and especially to those who never made it back around the track.
Some have criticised it for some errors, and yes as a fan of Formula 1 you can see that there are a few, but this book was written by an outsider of the sport, someone who doesn't have a great interest in it, and that helps capture the story even more. The fact that a non-fan can be captivated by the stories of Phil Hill and von Trips shows how great a story it really was.
The author manages to get through just how dangerous F1 was at the time, you realise just how dark a period the 50's and 60's was in the sport. How death was a constant companion and how most of the drivers faced it each time they stepped into the cockpit of their car. The accidents they would witness such as the one Phil Hill witness in front of his very eyes at le Mans are bought to life in stark reality. You have such a renewed respect for these men that risked their lives just to go fast, in an era were safety and protection was so basic and limited, there may as well have been none what-so-ever. And the fact that these same men witnessed their team mates, friends and rivals die week in and week out and would drive passed the accident time and time again both fascinate and horror the reader.
The fact that the 1961 season ended in such tragedy was not unusual, it was however a shame that a very worthy champion was pushed aside because he was forgotten by the bigger story and he was therefore deemed an unworthy champion by many as he won it on the grounds of his chief rivals death at the last minute.
Despite the errors, the mistakes are few and far between, and one can look passed these, because ultimately, it captures the essence of the sport in a deadly time, where nobody knew from one lap to the next whether them or their friends would make it back to the start finish line without serious injury or not at all. The book is therefore a testament and tribute not only to Phil Hill and von Trips, but also to every driver who raced with death, and especially to those who never made it back around the track.
October 23, 2018
I loved this era of Formula one racing and Le Mans too. The 1950s was one of the most dangerous times during the history of motor racing. This book delves into the life of American F1 hero Phil Hill, German hero Wolfgang Von Trips and car designer Enzo Ferrari who had both the racers on his elite motor racing team.
It is buzzing with excitement and eye witness accounts of many fatal crashes, including Le Mans 1955. Old time greats come into this historical account. I honestly could not put this book down. It was a creaking read. If you love the history of Motorsports; you'll enjoy this. Smashing read. I have not enjoyed anything like this in a long time.
C.A. Powell
The Last Days of Thunder Child
It is buzzing with excitement and eye witness accounts of many fatal crashes, including Le Mans 1955. Old time greats come into this historical account. I honestly could not put this book down. It was a creaking read. If you love the history of Motorsports; you'll enjoy this. Smashing read. I have not enjoyed anything like this in a long time.
C.A. Powell
The Last Days of Thunder Child
April 2, 2014
A readable and fairly engaging look at late 50s & early 60s racing through the intertwined stories of Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips. The book covers much more than 1961, tracing the paths that brought the two protagonists to Monza in '61, and it paints a vivid picture of the danger to which drivers in that era exposed themselves (and spectators - I hadn't appreciated the extent to which the horrific '55 crash at Le Mans was simply the ugliest of a series of awful instances where fans were killed and maimed). Cannell offers good insight into the corrosive politics at work on the Ferrari team as well.
I was a little disappointed there was so little attention paid to some of Hill's and Von Trips' competitors - Jack Brabham, Jim Clark and Graham Hill (for instance) hardly rate a mention; Fangio, Moss and Hawthorn have little more than cameos.
I was a little disappointed there was so little attention paid to some of Hill's and Von Trips' competitors - Jack Brabham, Jim Clark and Graham Hill (for instance) hardly rate a mention; Fangio, Moss and Hawthorn have little more than cameos.
March 4, 2014
This is a pretty awful book, poorly researched and full of errors. If you know nothing about Formula One in the late 1950s and into the start of the next decade (and clearly the author does not) then it might appeal as a story, but for any enthusiast it will only frustrate.
It does Phil Hill an injustice too, for it writes off his career completely ignoring his second place in the inaugural CanAm championship, his stunning pace in the early years of Ford's world sports car championship ambitions and a pair of wins for Chaparral in the same championship in his last two years of competing, the final one of which being his last race, even if he, as he himself said, never actually retired.
Treat this book as a work of fiction if you must read it, but as a factual account of the careers of two good drivers it is a disgrace. If I could have given it no stars I would have.
It does Phil Hill an injustice too, for it writes off his career completely ignoring his second place in the inaugural CanAm championship, his stunning pace in the early years of Ford's world sports car championship ambitions and a pair of wins for Chaparral in the same championship in his last two years of competing, the final one of which being his last race, even if he, as he himself said, never actually retired.
Treat this book as a work of fiction if you must read it, but as a factual account of the careers of two good drivers it is a disgrace. If I could have given it no stars I would have.
April 5, 2012
The story of the epic rivalry between two unlikely candidates for motor sport's most prestigious prize. The Limit begins with biographies of Phil Hill - an American mechanic - and Wolfgang von Trips - son of a German count. It charts their different routes into motor racing leading to them becoming team mates under the manipulative regime of Enzo Ferrari.
All of this leads to the climax of the ultimately tragic 1961 season where the sharknose Ferrari 156 allowed the two drivers to dominate.
If this were fiction much of it would be unbelievable. That it's not makes for an even more gripping story of a time when motor racing was an incredibly dangerous sport.
All of this leads to the climax of the ultimately tragic 1961 season where the sharknose Ferrari 156 allowed the two drivers to dominate.
If this were fiction much of it would be unbelievable. That it's not makes for an even more gripping story of a time when motor racing was an incredibly dangerous sport.
Read
May 10, 2015The book was well written and was successful in actually putting you on the track. Races were very well described and it all seemed real in front of my eyes. This book is not just only for a race aficionado, but anyone can enjoy the read. The book succeeds in explaining how dangerous formula 1 racing was back in the 50s. Along with that its a good insight into a F1 racer's mind ! I would totally recommend it.
March 31, 2012
fantastic story of a time when racing also equalled high body counts, both in drivers and spectators. i kept thinking of old "speed racer" episodes during the race segments. very well written, a great look at the lives of the drivers of the era, particularly Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips. now to find clips of these old races on youtube
December 10, 2012
A good book that could have been better. The story is interesting but the writing is really basic. It is a racing book written by a guy who doesn't even own car for people who know nothing about racing . This made it frustrating in parts. Then there are lines like the "warm, wet Mediterranean" - how would the Med be anything but wet?
December 8, 2011
This is good reading. I was a racing fan and later mechanic in the 60's and knew most of the story and many of the people.
Reading the book was almost as much fun and drama as watching the news for the results of the races.
Reading the book was almost as much fun and drama as watching the news for the results of the races.
Want to read
November 8, 2011I won this book in a giveaway. Thank you.
December 13, 2011
A guy's book, no doubt, but a great read. Cannell makes events of more than 50 years ago seem relevant and quite interesting.
November 21, 2011
Lots of death on the early Grand Prix and Sports Car racing circuit.
November 29, 2011
Good account of the late '50s - early '60's sportscar and formula 1 racing series. Centers on Ferrari and two "frenemy" drivers, Hill and von Trips. Very enjoyable quick read.
December 25, 2011
By mistake, put my review out on Beth's page.
April 26, 2024
The Limit is a book about the early years of Formula 1 and the lives of Phil Hill and Wolfgang Von Trips, in particular their championship battle in 1961 in which Von Trips would suffer a fatal crash on the penultimate race at Monza sealing Phil Hill his first world championship.
I've been a fan of Formula 1 for a few years but, like most younger fans I am quite unfamiliar with the early years of F1. I found Cannell gave an insightful look into the dangeous of the sport and motor racing in general while also delving into what drove racers to compete despite the massive risks involved. He also shows what public perception was like especially after crashes which sometimes killed dozens of spectators, with religious figures and journalists often questioning the need for the sport when the price could be so high.
The first third of the book discusses Phil Hill, who had an interesting childhood and journey to F1. He was one of the more levelheaded drivers who rarely crashed and was acutely aware of the dangers of motorsport.
The second third of the book mainly talks about Wolfgang Von Trips, a German driver, who was heir to a centuries-old castle. he grew up during WW2 and briefly fought towards the end of the war. he seemed less concerned with the dangeous of motorsport despite being his family's sole heir and facing constant pleas from them to stop. It seems he developed a need to race as a result of a deeply held philosophy about the importance of bravery and the preservation of a sort of old form of chivalry in the modern world. he was nicknamed Count Von Crash and frequently injured himself in high-speed crashes.
Both Hill and Von Trips are well explored showing their journey and motivations as well as giving a sense of their contrasting personalities, with Hill being more rigid and articulate whereas Von Trips was easygoing and gregarious with an apparent 'air of nobility'.
Other key figures are discussed but only in passing, which is a shame because many top drivers like Jim Clark and Graham Hill were active at this time. The only other figure that is discussed in any sort of detail is Enzo Ferrari who was intimately involved in the running of their F1 team and a big presence in the racing world in general. I found a particularly touching part of the book was when Cannel described the relationship between Ferrari and his son Dino who died from poor health at just twenty-five and how this impacted his life.
When I first got this book I thought the entire story would just evolve around the 1961 season. However, I was surprised to find this was left until the last two chapters. instead, he talks a lot about the sport more broadly especially other major competitions like Le Mans which were far more popular at that time. The only motorsport racing I know about is Formula One but I still found some of the parts where he branched out a bit quite interesting. I also feel the chapters on the 1961 season didn't seem particularly rushed especially as there were less than a dozen races on the calendar at that time. Other seasons were not discussed in great detail only ever being brought up in relation to Von Trips or Hill's journey or when an important driver died in a race.
On top of the actual main story, Cannell interweaves how the world was being affected during and after WW2 with the world even in the 50s still recovering from the damages suffered and trying to come to grips with an ever-changing world. Cannel posits this was why F1 became so popular and why people felt a need to compete as it helped fill the void that lack of war had brought and cling to a sense of courage.
I think there were also a few areas of the book which could have been done better. Although the actual development of the figures in the book were well explored including the behind the scenes politics. The actual descriptions of the racing was pretty basic and not very compelling. It's such an exhilarating sport but I felt this wasn't captured very well by Cannell. I also thought too much attention was put on the driver's sex life. I get that to a certain extent it was a big part of the life of a Formula 1 driver but I couldn't care less about who's sleeping with who and how a mistress was involved in a certain person's life. Instead of this, I would have preferred if there was more discussion about the technical evolution of F1 cars over the years, as this is only discussed very briefly in the closing chapters when Ferrari transitioned from having their engine from being at the front to the back. I think this was the most evident aspect in which Cannell's lack of knowledge of Formula 1 cars held back the book as his only involvement in motorsport is as a hobby.
However, these minor issues I had didn't impact my enjoyment of the book that much and I still found this to be a worthwhile book to read about the 1961 season and the early years of Formula 1 in general.
I've been a fan of Formula 1 for a few years but, like most younger fans I am quite unfamiliar with the early years of F1. I found Cannell gave an insightful look into the dangeous of the sport and motor racing in general while also delving into what drove racers to compete despite the massive risks involved. He also shows what public perception was like especially after crashes which sometimes killed dozens of spectators, with religious figures and journalists often questioning the need for the sport when the price could be so high.
The first third of the book discusses Phil Hill, who had an interesting childhood and journey to F1. He was one of the more levelheaded drivers who rarely crashed and was acutely aware of the dangers of motorsport.
The second third of the book mainly talks about Wolfgang Von Trips, a German driver, who was heir to a centuries-old castle. he grew up during WW2 and briefly fought towards the end of the war. he seemed less concerned with the dangeous of motorsport despite being his family's sole heir and facing constant pleas from them to stop. It seems he developed a need to race as a result of a deeply held philosophy about the importance of bravery and the preservation of a sort of old form of chivalry in the modern world. he was nicknamed Count Von Crash and frequently injured himself in high-speed crashes.
Both Hill and Von Trips are well explored showing their journey and motivations as well as giving a sense of their contrasting personalities, with Hill being more rigid and articulate whereas Von Trips was easygoing and gregarious with an apparent 'air of nobility'.
Other key figures are discussed but only in passing, which is a shame because many top drivers like Jim Clark and Graham Hill were active at this time. The only other figure that is discussed in any sort of detail is Enzo Ferrari who was intimately involved in the running of their F1 team and a big presence in the racing world in general. I found a particularly touching part of the book was when Cannel described the relationship between Ferrari and his son Dino who died from poor health at just twenty-five and how this impacted his life.
When I first got this book I thought the entire story would just evolve around the 1961 season. However, I was surprised to find this was left until the last two chapters. instead, he talks a lot about the sport more broadly especially other major competitions like Le Mans which were far more popular at that time. The only motorsport racing I know about is Formula One but I still found some of the parts where he branched out a bit quite interesting. I also feel the chapters on the 1961 season didn't seem particularly rushed especially as there were less than a dozen races on the calendar at that time. Other seasons were not discussed in great detail only ever being brought up in relation to Von Trips or Hill's journey or when an important driver died in a race.
On top of the actual main story, Cannell interweaves how the world was being affected during and after WW2 with the world even in the 50s still recovering from the damages suffered and trying to come to grips with an ever-changing world. Cannel posits this was why F1 became so popular and why people felt a need to compete as it helped fill the void that lack of war had brought and cling to a sense of courage.
I think there were also a few areas of the book which could have been done better. Although the actual development of the figures in the book were well explored including the behind the scenes politics. The actual descriptions of the racing was pretty basic and not very compelling. It's such an exhilarating sport but I felt this wasn't captured very well by Cannell. I also thought too much attention was put on the driver's sex life. I get that to a certain extent it was a big part of the life of a Formula 1 driver but I couldn't care less about who's sleeping with who and how a mistress was involved in a certain person's life. Instead of this, I would have preferred if there was more discussion about the technical evolution of F1 cars over the years, as this is only discussed very briefly in the closing chapters when Ferrari transitioned from having their engine from being at the front to the back. I think this was the most evident aspect in which Cannell's lack of knowledge of Formula 1 cars held back the book as his only involvement in motorsport is as a hobby.
However, these minor issues I had didn't impact my enjoyment of the book that much and I still found this to be a worthwhile book to read about the 1961 season and the early years of Formula 1 in general.
November 25, 2025
A million stars for this incredible story. Picked it up on a whim because I love learning about all things Formula 1, but I didn't know much about racing in the 50s and 60s - just a tad before my time. 😉 This is paced so well and doesn't read like a typical non-fiction bogged down in boring and overbearing facts. Honestly some of what happened is so unbelievable that you have to remind yourself this is indeed a non-fiction book.
Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips are such interesting and different characters. The story builds so well to culminate in their 1961 showdown for the title. I just couldn't help but root for Phil Hill, the insanely anxious perfectionist mechanic bringing a little US to the European circuit. I really enjoyed learning about the other drivers too, like Fangio, Ascari, Moss, Hawthorn, and Collins. I knew what was coming with Hawthorn and Collins, but my heart still broke for them. Did NOT know what was coming with von Trips, holy shit that one hurt.
It is truly mind boggling that Ferrari as an organization has ever won anything in its entire existence. From the start, that stupid team has been plagued by Italian ego and an unwillingness to experiment with new technology. You could read some of the sentences about Hill's experiences with Ferrari and not know if they're talking about 1960s Ferrari or current Ferrari with their inability to give Charles Leclerc a championship-winning car. What a joke.
Even if you're not an F1 nut like I am, this book is so incredibly crafted that you'll just be along for the ride. Can't recommend enough.
Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips are such interesting and different characters. The story builds so well to culminate in their 1961 showdown for the title. I just couldn't help but root for Phil Hill, the insanely anxious perfectionist mechanic bringing a little US to the European circuit. I really enjoyed learning about the other drivers too, like Fangio, Ascari, Moss, Hawthorn, and Collins. I knew what was coming with Hawthorn and Collins, but my heart still broke for them. Did NOT know what was coming with von Trips, holy shit that one hurt.
It is truly mind boggling that Ferrari as an organization has ever won anything in its entire existence. From the start, that stupid team has been plagued by Italian ego and an unwillingness to experiment with new technology. You could read some of the sentences about Hill's experiences with Ferrari and not know if they're talking about 1960s Ferrari or current Ferrari with their inability to give Charles Leclerc a championship-winning car. What a joke.
Even if you're not an F1 nut like I am, this book is so incredibly crafted that you'll just be along for the ride. Can't recommend enough.
June 18, 2021
8/10
The concept of "The Limit", or the hypothetical maximum speed you can take a corner, is fascinating, and applies to almost any area of life. Most of us fear the limit to some extant, and yet life is lived fully when you're riding that line, knowing that death is on one side, and failure the other.
I loved every minute of this book. Cannell was able to keep the history intertwined with the story incredibly well. The book revolves around the 1961 Grand Prix circuit, focusing on Ferrari and two drivers: Phil Hill and Count Von Trip, (ironically nicknamed the crash, seriously, don't look up the video of his infamous crash.) What landed most for me was the insanity of these men's lives, or of drivers in general at this time. It's not as if it generated extreme wealth, and it risked death or dismemberment in every race, indeed in nearly every race recounted here at least one driver and sometimes as many as 80 spectators were brutally killed in crashes. The Vatican demanded an end to the races that claimed so many lives, and yet, I can see the appeal.
"He stayed out all night in bars and nightclubs, chain-smoking and, oddly enough, drinking only milk."
"Von Trips went out first to get a feel of it. After a few laps, he came into the pits to hand it over to Hill who was waiting for a report. After explaining a few things, he reaches across the dashboard and says, "but if you flip this switch, the car doesn't run very well." When he looked back up, Hill had a shocked look on his face. Hill then replied, "That's the fuel pump!""
The concept of "The Limit", or the hypothetical maximum speed you can take a corner, is fascinating, and applies to almost any area of life. Most of us fear the limit to some extant, and yet life is lived fully when you're riding that line, knowing that death is on one side, and failure the other.
I loved every minute of this book. Cannell was able to keep the history intertwined with the story incredibly well. The book revolves around the 1961 Grand Prix circuit, focusing on Ferrari and two drivers: Phil Hill and Count Von Trip, (ironically nicknamed the crash, seriously, don't look up the video of his infamous crash.) What landed most for me was the insanity of these men's lives, or of drivers in general at this time. It's not as if it generated extreme wealth, and it risked death or dismemberment in every race, indeed in nearly every race recounted here at least one driver and sometimes as many as 80 spectators were brutally killed in crashes. The Vatican demanded an end to the races that claimed so many lives, and yet, I can see the appeal.
"He stayed out all night in bars and nightclubs, chain-smoking and, oddly enough, drinking only milk."
"Von Trips went out first to get a feel of it. After a few laps, he came into the pits to hand it over to Hill who was waiting for a report. After explaining a few things, he reaches across the dashboard and says, "but if you flip this switch, the car doesn't run very well." When he looked back up, Hill had a shocked look on his face. Hill then replied, "That's the fuel pump!""
October 22, 2018
Cannell, Michael. The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit. Twelve-Grand Central, 2011.
As a casual car racing fan, I am fascinated by the days when the sport was truly extreme. In the first 50 years of racing, tracks were unimproved with no safety barriers, and the cars were high-speed bombs that lacked even seatbelts. Even members of the audience were sometimes killed and injured by cars leaving the track. Cannell says that a driver on the Formula One circuit in these days had a one in three chance of finishing his career dead in a crash. The focus of The Limit is the Ferrari team of American Phil Hill and a German count, Wolfgang Von Trips, both led by the detached, obsessive Enzo Ferrari. Cannell does a decent job of telling the human stories here, but one wishes for more original research and the kind of intellectual and psychological depth that a better journalist like Michael Lewis might have given it. That is to say, it does not measure up to Moneyball or The Blindside.
As a casual car racing fan, I am fascinated by the days when the sport was truly extreme. In the first 50 years of racing, tracks were unimproved with no safety barriers, and the cars were high-speed bombs that lacked even seatbelts. Even members of the audience were sometimes killed and injured by cars leaving the track. Cannell says that a driver on the Formula One circuit in these days had a one in three chance of finishing his career dead in a crash. The focus of The Limit is the Ferrari team of American Phil Hill and a German count, Wolfgang Von Trips, both led by the detached, obsessive Enzo Ferrari. Cannell does a decent job of telling the human stories here, but one wishes for more original research and the kind of intellectual and psychological depth that a better journalist like Michael Lewis might have given it. That is to say, it does not measure up to Moneyball or The Blindside.
April 21, 2021
Preposterous book, in both a good and bad way. Left me, as a fan of racing, yearning for the glamour of a so called 'golden era' of motorsport, but crude/deadly machinery and somewhat crude men sorta ruin it. Lots and lots of decapitations, deaths, etc, lots and lots of rich guys playing a rich guys game.
"No driver bedded more women than Hill's and Von Trips' teammate, Alfonso de Portago, a Spanish nobleman with black eyes and a thick head of curls that cascaded over his ears and collar. He kept a spacious apartment on Avenue Foch, one of the finest addresses in Paris, with a Ferrari parked out front. The apartment was practically empty except for stacks of Latin music albums and silver bowls won in bobsledding polo, and steeplechase. He stayed out all night in bars and nightclubs, chain-smoking and, oddly enough, drinking only milk. Reporters gravitated to him because he could be relied on to speak poetically in a near whisper about the meaning of racing and risk. "Adventure is like religion", he said, "and in religion you have to have faith"."
"No driver bedded more women than Hill's and Von Trips' teammate, Alfonso de Portago, a Spanish nobleman with black eyes and a thick head of curls that cascaded over his ears and collar. He kept a spacious apartment on Avenue Foch, one of the finest addresses in Paris, with a Ferrari parked out front. The apartment was practically empty except for stacks of Latin music albums and silver bowls won in bobsledding polo, and steeplechase. He stayed out all night in bars and nightclubs, chain-smoking and, oddly enough, drinking only milk. Reporters gravitated to him because he could be relied on to speak poetically in a near whisper about the meaning of racing and risk. "Adventure is like religion", he said, "and in religion you have to have faith"."
May 10, 2018
One of the best biographies I have read. It isn't really a biography on on person, but on some of the drivers of the 1961 season and their careers leading up to that point. It's very shocking reading about how dangerous racing was in the 50s and 60s being in the days before things like seat belts, roll bars, and other thing us sissies need. Phil Hill in particular ,when he got his first F1 car, had a whole in the floor of it to drain the blood for the last driver who got decapitated in the car. It also goes in to detail of the legendary Enzo Ferrari, who started in a small garage in Italy make sports cars, to the most recognizable name in racing to date. Defiantly a must read for racing fans.
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