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The Fastest Show on Earth: The Mammoth Book of Formula 1
In the quest for ultimate speed, Formula One combines human drama, cutting-edge technological innovation and high-stakes finance in a thrilling global circus watched by half a billion avid fans.The Fastest Show on Earth brings the FIA Formula One World Championship vividly to life for everyone from first-time race-goers to avid fans wanting to delve even further into the Fastest Show on Earth. Experts from within the industry share their insights into the effect that recent revolutionary changes to regulations have had on engines, tyres, brakes, aerodynamics, fuel, safety and the use of data in a whole new era of racing. Races, rule changes and drivers are brought up to date in a comprehensive guide to the world's most viewed sport.This book is a superb technical guide, including circuit diagrams, team histories, driver profiles and a comprehensive glossary that offers fascinating insights into the inner workings of a world that offers everything from tragedy to thrilling triumph.From the cut-throat intrigue of the Piranha Club to the unsung heroism of pit lane, every aspect of Formula One is covered in compelling detail.Much more than just a sport and far more than a business, Formula One is a world of larger-than-life personalities and razor-sharp business people. The book also offers a window into the new Liberty Media regime and what the future may hold for the sport under new ownership.This extensive guide includes the official FIA circuit diagrams, team histories, driver profiles, circuit facts, technical braking profiles, a special section on the history of Formula One in the US and the most comprehensive glossary of Formula One terms ever compiled.
- GenresSports
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2015
45 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 23, 2017
The Book was written of the eve of the 2015 F1 season and so is starting to become a little dated. Never the less, little has changed in F1 since the 2014 season when new rules were introduced to power the cars with hybrid power units. The Mercedes unit was so superior to the others that the team has dominated the sport ever since.
The first half on the book is a collection of articles and data on the current F1 championship, the team and the race circuits. The writing here is dull and colourless. For example, the section on aerodynamics, a major contributor the competitiveness of a F1 car, waffles on with vague generalities rather than giving interesting and specific examples of the aerodynamic features of the cars. Despite the boring nature of this section of the book, there are interesting facts to be gleaned. For example, who would have the thought as the Brembo breaking data shows, that Corner 1 at the Australian GP has the most demanding of breaking requirements in the Championships. (The brakes must dissipate a massive 3000Kw of energy in 1.75 seconds.)
The second half of the book is where I found the value. It is an anthology of well selected chapters from classic F1 books written by excellent authors. The chapters are a fascinating read, revealing aspect of the sport that only a die hard fan would already know. And you have the option to read the whole book if any of the selected reading entices your interest as all the books are still in print.
The sub-title say it all, "The Mammoth Book of Foumula 1". However, while it is a big read, the quality varies widely throughout the book. I am glad I persisted and read it through to the finish because that is where the best bits can be found.
The first half on the book is a collection of articles and data on the current F1 championship, the team and the race circuits. The writing here is dull and colourless. For example, the section on aerodynamics, a major contributor the competitiveness of a F1 car, waffles on with vague generalities rather than giving interesting and specific examples of the aerodynamic features of the cars. Despite the boring nature of this section of the book, there are interesting facts to be gleaned. For example, who would have the thought as the Brembo breaking data shows, that Corner 1 at the Australian GP has the most demanding of breaking requirements in the Championships. (The brakes must dissipate a massive 3000Kw of energy in 1.75 seconds.)
The second half of the book is where I found the value. It is an anthology of well selected chapters from classic F1 books written by excellent authors. The chapters are a fascinating read, revealing aspect of the sport that only a die hard fan would already know. And you have the option to read the whole book if any of the selected reading entices your interest as all the books are still in print.
The sub-title say it all, "The Mammoth Book of Foumula 1". However, while it is a big read, the quality varies widely throughout the book. I am glad I persisted and read it through to the finish because that is where the best bits can be found.
November 26, 2016
Went in knowing nothing. Came out a knowledgeable fan. It's the next best thing to watching a race.
October 9, 2018
If you like formula 1 and want to analyse just about every angle of the sport, this book is for you. It's super easy to read, has interesting stories and facts and doesn't waffle on with unnecessary filler section.
May 17, 2020
Reading this book is no different than browsing through Wikipedia... though the author has provided numerous facts that are insightful and compiled an extensive list of major events for contemporary drivers and teams.
March 9, 2019
A thing to note: many contents are focused on 2015 season.
Part 1 consists of 8 stories of F1 in USA.
Part 2 contains history timeline for each team in 2015, "in their own words".
Next, we have career history of 2015 drivers.
Part 4 about some interesting technical bits of each track like speed gear, braking and g-force, DRS zones on track sections as well as track updates.
Part 5 devoted for technical fields - aero, brakes, data, fuel lube, powertrain, safety and tires.
The final part is anthology.
Part 1 consists of 8 stories of F1 in USA.
Part 2 contains history timeline for each team in 2015, "in their own words".
Next, we have career history of 2015 drivers.
Part 4 about some interesting technical bits of each track like speed gear, braking and g-force, DRS zones on track sections as well as track updates.
Part 5 devoted for technical fields - aero, brakes, data, fuel lube, powertrain, safety and tires.
The final part is anthology.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews