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On the Grid: The Inside Track on Formula One
I’ve always vowed the moment the grid stops being the best part of my race weekend, it’s time to stop working in F1. It’s everything about the sport the sounds, the smells, the tension, the glamor, the people.
This is the story of life in F1.
Luke Smith has spent over ten years reporting on Formula 1 from all over the world. The grid is his playground, the track his literal running track. In On the Grid he takes us behind the scenes of the past, present and future of Formula 1, telling its story through the eyes of the people who create it - not just the superstar drivers and larger-than-life team principals, but also the the pit crew, the engineers, strategists, PR gurus, the fans and more.
There's plenty of thrilling drama, cutting-edge technology and glamour, but Smith also shows us the critical mid-race decisions, how that 50-pence screw in the wrong place could cause a £15m car to break down, how F1 has influenced not just the cars we drive but our fridges, life-saving medical equipment and even croissants.
On the Grid brings to life what the sport is really like, revealing the extraordinary minds and characters that give it such colour and intrigue, while also tracing the origins of the sport's traditions and impact beyond the track. For both long-time fans and newcomers, it's the definitive, access-all-areas account of the people, personalities and culture that make F1 stand alone in world sport.
This is the story of life in F1.
Luke Smith has spent over ten years reporting on Formula 1 from all over the world. The grid is his playground, the track his literal running track. In On the Grid he takes us behind the scenes of the past, present and future of Formula 1, telling its story through the eyes of the people who create it - not just the superstar drivers and larger-than-life team principals, but also the the pit crew, the engineers, strategists, PR gurus, the fans and more.
There's plenty of thrilling drama, cutting-edge technology and glamour, but Smith also shows us the critical mid-race decisions, how that 50-pence screw in the wrong place could cause a £15m car to break down, how F1 has influenced not just the cars we drive but our fridges, life-saving medical equipment and even croissants.
On the Grid brings to life what the sport is really like, revealing the extraordinary minds and characters that give it such colour and intrigue, while also tracing the origins of the sport's traditions and impact beyond the track. For both long-time fans and newcomers, it's the definitive, access-all-areas account of the people, personalities and culture that make F1 stand alone in world sport.
- GenresNonfiction
303 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 3, 2026
But so long as the people at its heart retain the passion that keeps us all so invested and in love with what we do, it will always be so much more than a sport. Long may that love and humanity endure.
Without a doubt my favourite Formula 1 non-fiction book I've read so far!!
I've followed F1 since I was a kid growing up during the Schumacher era, so I thought there wouldn't be many surprises left for me. I was wrong. There were so many fascinating details throughout this book that I'd never heard before, like the jump-out test where drivers have to prove they can exit the car unaided within seven seconds or how COTA got built.
What I loved most was how Luke Smith manages to connect seemingly unrelated topics. There were moments where he'd spend several pages on something and I'd find myself wondering "Where is this going?" only for it to come together perfectly. One of my favourite examples was the engineer-turned-pastry chef in Melbourne, showing how the precision, problem-solving, and attention to detail that define F1 engineering can be applied to almost everything.
The book is packed with brilliant stories and fun facts. Learning about Mercedes' role during the COVID pandemic and how their engineering expertise helped develop ventilators was fascinating and really highlighted how Formula 1 technology can have an impact far beyond racing. Of course, I've read about it before but not in such detail.
And then there are the completely ridiculous facts that made me giggle, like the fact that 3,000-4,000 bottles of sparkling wine are consumed over a race weekend. An INSANE number!!
I also loved the chapters about race weekends themselves. Smith does an amazing job of capturing what it's actually like to attend a Grand Prix. This year I'm going to Spa and Zandvoort, and his description of Zandvoort somehow made me even more excited than I already was. His take on Monza was incredible as well, and it made me appreciate even more how lucky I am to have attended one of the most iconic races on the calendar.
One quote that really made me laugh was when he wrote: "If you thought of your stereotypical F1 fan twenty-five years ago, you'd likely have pictured a middle-aged white man." That was literally my exact perception as a child. I went to races with my dad because he loved the sport, but I never really pictured myself as a fan. That changed years later, and I really appreciated the chapter about the fanbase, how much it has evolved, and how the sport has become more accessible. McLaren Unboxed, and Lando specifically, I'm looking right at you. He mentions female fans and that the "'boys club' mentality of the past cannot be allowed to survive." PREACH!!!!
What makes this book stand out from a lot of motorsport books is that it doesn't just celebrate Formula 1. Smith is clearly passionate about the sport, but he's also willing to criticise it. He talks about inclusivity, questions how much progress is actually being made, discusses the realities of hosting races in countries such as Saudi Arabia, and makes the point that Formula 1 is political whether people like it or not. He also touches on climate change, Sebastian Vettel's environmental initiatives (my goat <3), and mental health in the paddock.
This book reminded me why I love Formula 1 in the first place. It's about the racing, of course, but it's also about people, innovation, culture, history, and the way the sport continues to change. I learned a lot, laughed a lot, and finished it even more excited for the rest of the season ahead.
Ngl, this hit me right in the feelings. The way he writes about Formula 1 reminded me why I fell in love with the sport and how much joy it's brought me over the last few years.
Without a doubt my favourite Formula 1 non-fiction book I've read so far!!
I've followed F1 since I was a kid growing up during the Schumacher era, so I thought there wouldn't be many surprises left for me. I was wrong. There were so many fascinating details throughout this book that I'd never heard before, like the jump-out test where drivers have to prove they can exit the car unaided within seven seconds or how COTA got built.
What I loved most was how Luke Smith manages to connect seemingly unrelated topics. There were moments where he'd spend several pages on something and I'd find myself wondering "Where is this going?" only for it to come together perfectly. One of my favourite examples was the engineer-turned-pastry chef in Melbourne, showing how the precision, problem-solving, and attention to detail that define F1 engineering can be applied to almost everything.
The book is packed with brilliant stories and fun facts. Learning about Mercedes' role during the COVID pandemic and how their engineering expertise helped develop ventilators was fascinating and really highlighted how Formula 1 technology can have an impact far beyond racing. Of course, I've read about it before but not in such detail.
And then there are the completely ridiculous facts that made me giggle, like the fact that 3,000-4,000 bottles of sparkling wine are consumed over a race weekend. An INSANE number!!
I also loved the chapters about race weekends themselves. Smith does an amazing job of capturing what it's actually like to attend a Grand Prix. This year I'm going to Spa and Zandvoort, and his description of Zandvoort somehow made me even more excited than I already was. His take on Monza was incredible as well, and it made me appreciate even more how lucky I am to have attended one of the most iconic races on the calendar.
One quote that really made me laugh was when he wrote: "If you thought of your stereotypical F1 fan twenty-five years ago, you'd likely have pictured a middle-aged white man." That was literally my exact perception as a child. I went to races with my dad because he loved the sport, but I never really pictured myself as a fan. That changed years later, and I really appreciated the chapter about the fanbase, how much it has evolved, and how the sport has become more accessible. McLaren Unboxed, and Lando specifically, I'm looking right at you. He mentions female fans and that the "'boys club' mentality of the past cannot be allowed to survive." PREACH!!!!
What makes this book stand out from a lot of motorsport books is that it doesn't just celebrate Formula 1. Smith is clearly passionate about the sport, but he's also willing to criticise it. He talks about inclusivity, questions how much progress is actually being made, discusses the realities of hosting races in countries such as Saudi Arabia, and makes the point that Formula 1 is political whether people like it or not. He also touches on climate change, Sebastian Vettel's environmental initiatives (my goat <3), and mental health in the paddock.
This book reminded me why I love Formula 1 in the first place. It's about the racing, of course, but it's also about people, innovation, culture, history, and the way the sport continues to change. I learned a lot, laughed a lot, and finished it even more excited for the rest of the season ahead.
Ngl, this hit me right in the feelings. The way he writes about Formula 1 reminded me why I fell in love with the sport and how much joy it's brought me over the last few years.
October 6, 2025
( Format : Audiobook )
"Innovation, adaptation and competition."
What a fabulous book.
With the new rise of interest in Formula 1,especially a.angst the younger adult members of society, there has been an accompanying surge of books about it from autobiographies of drivers, and the vast army of mechanics and others in and beyond the pitwall. Great and many are very enjoyable. But this book goes beyond that, stuffed with facts about how much it costs for an aspiring driver to work their way through text different levels before they can hope to try for an F1 licence - the cost of dedication not only of the potential racer but of their entire family even to selling the family home in an attempt to raise the vast sums of money needed. It covers the passion, dedication and the drivers, the physical extremes sometimes endured, the circuits old and new and the people who built them. The various constructor teams, the financial as well as the uplifting feelings from factory floor to team principal on winning from the constructor and drivers.
And what of female drivers - yes, there have been two who raced in F1 in the past - and the up-and-coming women of today,,both as far s and behind the wheel. It goes on - fact, figure and so much more. I have watched F1 since the 1990s, read .any of the books published since but I learned so much from this marvellous inclusive book and from it could taste that "pushing the boundaries of what is possible" and connecting with the speed and thrills as well as the people.
With an excellent narration by Joe Eyre.
Wonderful.
"Innovation, adaptation and competition."
What a fabulous book.
With the new rise of interest in Formula 1,especially a.angst the younger adult members of society, there has been an accompanying surge of books about it from autobiographies of drivers, and the vast army of mechanics and others in and beyond the pitwall. Great and many are very enjoyable. But this book goes beyond that, stuffed with facts about how much it costs for an aspiring driver to work their way through text different levels before they can hope to try for an F1 licence - the cost of dedication not only of the potential racer but of their entire family even to selling the family home in an attempt to raise the vast sums of money needed. It covers the passion, dedication and the drivers, the physical extremes sometimes endured, the circuits old and new and the people who built them. The various constructor teams, the financial as well as the uplifting feelings from factory floor to team principal on winning from the constructor and drivers.
And what of female drivers - yes, there have been two who raced in F1 in the past - and the up-and-coming women of today,,both as far s and behind the wheel. It goes on - fact, figure and so much more. I have watched F1 since the 1990s, read .any of the books published since but I learned so much from this marvellous inclusive book and from it could taste that "pushing the boundaries of what is possible" and connecting with the speed and thrills as well as the people.
With an excellent narration by Joe Eyre.
Wonderful.
April 14, 2025
What is this book about?
This book is about what goes on behind the scenes every race weekend, ranging from the factory to the pitwall all the way to the cockpit.
Favourite part of the story and why?
My favourite part of the story was when they had a section for the book about all the Drivers and what they think about the demands of the sport.
Favourite character and why?
Luke Smith was the Narrator/journalist of the story talking about Formula 1.
What is a lesson or a fact that you learned from this book?
That they are trying to go net zero carbon by 2030.
Give your review out of 5 stars
5/5
This book is about what goes on behind the scenes every race weekend, ranging from the factory to the pitwall all the way to the cockpit.
Favourite part of the story and why?
My favourite part of the story was when they had a section for the book about all the Drivers and what they think about the demands of the sport.
Favourite character and why?
Luke Smith was the Narrator/journalist of the story talking about Formula 1.
What is a lesson or a fact that you learned from this book?
That they are trying to go net zero carbon by 2030.
Give your review out of 5 stars
5/5
February 28, 2025
I really like Luke's F1 journalism, been following and reading him for years.
There is nothing to this book. It is ... I don't even know what it is. A sprinkling of pieces of interviews very loosely connected along with some nothing tales that don't even go behind any of the scenes.
There is nothing new or interesting in here at all, nothing not already covered - widely covered before. I have no idea what the inside track is. Rehashing stories from over the years, Hamilton's Mission 44, Vettel's bees... inside track?
Oooof.
There is nothing to this book. It is ... I don't even know what it is. A sprinkling of pieces of interviews very loosely connected along with some nothing tales that don't even go behind any of the scenes.
There is nothing new or interesting in here at all, nothing not already covered - widely covered before. I have no idea what the inside track is. Rehashing stories from over the years, Hamilton's Mission 44, Vettel's bees... inside track?
Oooof.
March 13, 2025
The book itself doesn’t really reveal anything new, unless you’re fascinated by Australian croissants 🤷🏻♀️
The narrator was a definite mis-hire; he obviously knows nothing about F1, as he couldn’t pronounce driver names or cities, in many cases.
All a bit cringe.
The narrator was a definite mis-hire; he obviously knows nothing about F1, as he couldn’t pronounce driver names or cities, in many cases.
All a bit cringe.
January 11, 2026
A fascinating look at behind the scenes of F1
March 16, 2026
Cool I guess
March 28, 2026
*3.5*
November 20, 2025
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - 5 stars!!
I loved this book so so much, ate it up in one day!! perfect read for anyone who has just gotten into the sport, and it's very much so behind the scenes (as the title says) <33
I loved this book so so much, ate it up in one day!! perfect read for anyone who has just gotten into the sport, and it's very much so behind the scenes (as the title says) <33
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews