Formula 101: For F1 Fans Who Love the Drama

by Matt Elisofon

Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to Formula 1 racing and obsessed with Netflix’s Drive to Survive, the Red Flags team—the #1 American F1 podcast—invites readers into an irreverent, hilarious illustrated romp through the wild world of Formula 1.

From epic on-track battles to gloriously delulu off-track drama, tire strategy to the anatomy of a race weekend, Formula 101 is the F1 course you never got in college (but absolutely deserved). Inside, you’ll find deep dives into legendary teams like Scuderia Ferrari; gossipy takedowns of less legendary ones, including Renault; an ode to Guenther Steiner; and enough rigorously (ahem) peer-reviewed driver hotness ratings and nepo-to-talent ratio analyses to earn both this class—and its authors—a place at Harvard, right alongside F1 Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff and his business syllabus.

Readers can meet drivers past and present through five classic archetypes—from terminator to precious baby angel. Packed with illustrations and pop-culture references, Formula 101is the perfect gift for sports fans who love competition, storytelling, and a little gossip, whether they still debate Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s 2021 showdown or are just starting to learn why Formula 1 inspires such intense loyalty. This is Formula 1 by fans for fans. So grab your textbook. Class is in session.

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication November 10, 2026

Reviews

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other than what I’ve seen briefly on TV, I didn’t know too much about F1 before winning a paperback ARC of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, but I can now say that I’ve come a long way! This book was a fast read (pun intended). It's informative and fun, which sounds just like what I imagine the authors’ podcast is like. The illustrations/sketches/graphs/charts, etc., added a very welcome texture to the book, as did the many references, elevating it from what could have been a dull overview to something that almost felt interactive in terms of how much time I spent on each page. 3.5 stars rounded up. A solid read!

[Mark Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, irreverent, unhinged coverage of F1 racing. Covers How F1 Works, the cars, the tires, the strategy. Covers basic terms and then the teams. Covers race teams: Ferrari, McLaren, Williams, Renault/Alpine, Sauber/Audi, Red Bull, Mercades, Aston Martin, Haas, and Cadillac. Finally there is a chapter on the drivers who I am not going to list. There are quite a few. If your a fan you might know some of this already. If your not you will have fun reading up on the sport.

[Neha Mehta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Formula 101 is an entertaining and accessible introduction to the world of Formula 1 racing. Written by the hosts of the Red Flags podcast, the book covers everything from the basics of race weekends and tire strategy to legendary teams, famous drivers, and the endless drama that takes place off the track. It's packed with humor, pop culture references, and illustrations that make learning about F1 fun rather than overwhelming.

[Joanna Alpern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and informative, just like The Red Flags podcast, Matt and Brian take you behind the scenes of the major players in F1 history. Expect to laugh, cry, and be thoroughly riveted by the drama.

[Charley Rains · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to win this Goodreads early release! Gave it to my 16 year old grandson who inhaled it! His words "it was funny and accurate"!