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The Last Road Race: The 1957 Pescara Grand Prix
The 1957 Pescara Grand Prix marked the end of an era in motor racing. Sixteen cars and drivers raced over public roads on the Adriatic coast in a three-hour race of frightening speed and constant danger. Stirling Moss won the race, ending years of supremacy by the Italian teams of Ferrari and Maserati. Richard Williams brings this pivotal race back to life, reminding us of how far the sport has changed in the intervening fifty years. The narrative includes testaments from the four surviving drivers who competed—Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks, Roy Salvadori, and Jack Brabham.
- GenresNonfiction
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2004
10 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Richard Williams
26 books8 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Richard Williams is the chief sports writer for the Guardian and the bestselling author of The Death of Ayrton Senna and Enzo Ferrari: A Life. He is a lifelong fan of Nottingham Forest.
Richard Williams is the chief sports writer for the Guardian and the bestselling author of The Death of Ayrton Senna and Enzo Ferrari: A Life. He is a lifelong fan of Nottingham Forest.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 21, 2026
Drawing on interviews with the four surviving drivers (at the time): Moss, Brooks, Salvadori and Brabham, Richard Williams tells the story of the 1957 Pescara Grand Prix. And he packs a lot into just 139 pages. Although his focus is that single race, Williams’s digressions are many and lengthy, making this a nostalgic and evocative record of a time when racing was more pure, and infinitely more brutal.
August 20, 2016
Loved it. I have been watching as many documentaries as I can find about classic Grand Prix racing and this book was fantastic. The 1957 season was probably the best of the front-engine era, as in 1958 they were forced to use gasoline instead of more exotic fuels. All of the big names were there, Moss, Fangio, Hawthorne, etc. I really liked reading about the Vanwall as well. Overall, a great book for racing fans.
August 26, 2012
Trivia question: What was the longest circuit ever to host a round of the Formula 1 World Championship? The common wrong answer would be the 14-mile Nordschliefe - the legendary undulating strip of tarmac that snakes through the Eiffel mountains and which last hosted a Grand Prix back in 1976. In fact, though, the longest circuit ever to appear on the F1 calendar was the 15 mile road circuit on the Adriatic Coast, based around the Italian town of Pescara.
Pescara held but a single F1 Grand Prix, in 1957. While the Nurburgring was an ever-twisting constant challenge, Pescara was a triangular course consisting in large part of two very long straights, with a third side which twisted up the Abruzzo hills before gently descending back down towards the sea. It was not a driver's circuit in the same way that the 'Ring was, though opinions on its merits differed. Stirling Moss told Williams "I thought it was fantastic. It was just like being a kid out for a burn up. A wonderful feeling, what racing's all about." Jack Brabham, on the other hand, opined that "Those road courses were bloody dangerous and nasty, all of them. And Pescara was the worst."
Richard Williams' slim volume tells the story of the 1957 race. Had the book been about the race alone, which was no classic in the conventional sense, it might have ended up a rather dull read. The truth is that, while Luigi Musso put up a decent initial fight, Stirling Moss was never really challenged in his Vanwall after the opening laps, and finished over 3 minutes ahead of his nearest pursuer. The other Vanwall drivers hit trouble, and the Maseratis of Behra and Fangio simply couldn't live with them for pace.
Readers of Williams' motorsport books though, will know that he is all but incapable of writing a dull book, and this is no exception. The book provides pen portraits of the event's major protagonists - be they drivers like Moss, Tony Brooks, Luigi Musso and Roy Salvadori, or team owners such as Enzo Ferrari and the Vanwall chief who aped and despised him, bearing magnate Tony Vandervell. These give an interesting background not only to the race, but to the state and nature of Grand Prix racing as a whole in the late 1950s. Of particular intrigue is the rather convoluted tale of how Enzo Ferrari opted to boycott the race, in the wake of the Mille Miglia tragedy earlier that year, but contrived to ensure that Luigi Musso turned up in a Ferrari 801 anyway.
The book also gives some of the history of the Pescara circuit itself. While the venue only ever hosted one F1 Grand Prix, the annual Coppa Acerbo race had been taking place since the 1920s and had a considerable history. The first race had been won by none other than Enzo Ferrari himself, shortly before he gave up driving. The circuit was as dangerous as Brabham suggests, claiming the life of Algerian ace Guy Moll after he collided with a backmarker and ploughed into a house in 1934.
Interviews with the surviving protagonists also add much to the book. The reminiscences of Moss, Salvadori, Brabahm and Brooks help to give a flavour of what the world of Grand Prix racing was like back in the 1950s. Of equal value are the diaries of legendary motor-racing correspondent Dennis Jenkinson, provided for use by Doug Nye. Together, they paint a picture of a very different racing environment, where drivers did deals from race to race, and would gather to party together on the evening after the race, rather than flying off in private jets or hiding in personal motorhomes.
Much more informal and ad-hoc than it is today, there are nonetheless hints of the transition that was already beginning to take place, and which would eventually lead to the TV dominated, corporately controlled, multi-million dollar sport that is modern F1. By 1957, the Pescara race was already something of an anachronism - a throwback to an earlier time when motor races were point-to-point affairs, racing through the countryside from city to city. The track may not have been on the scale of the Targa Florio, but at 16 miles, it was substantially longer than all but a handful of the other F1 circuits of the time, and unlike the Nurburgring, it was held not on a permanent circuit, but on dusty, rough public roads.
Richard Williams admits that Pescara was not, in fact the last road race in F1. Road racing continued at Spa for another 15 years or so, and if street racing counts, continues to this day in the form of the ever more anachronistic Monaco Grand Prix. Rather, Williams feels that the title conveys an emotional truth. For him, "It marked the end of a certain philosophy of road racing. No longer would massed-start races, on open roads from town to village and back again, be organised in that ad hoc way, without permanent facilities or even the vaguest notion of safety precautions."
Pescara held but a single F1 Grand Prix, in 1957. While the Nurburgring was an ever-twisting constant challenge, Pescara was a triangular course consisting in large part of two very long straights, with a third side which twisted up the Abruzzo hills before gently descending back down towards the sea. It was not a driver's circuit in the same way that the 'Ring was, though opinions on its merits differed. Stirling Moss told Williams "I thought it was fantastic. It was just like being a kid out for a burn up. A wonderful feeling, what racing's all about." Jack Brabham, on the other hand, opined that "Those road courses were bloody dangerous and nasty, all of them. And Pescara was the worst."
Richard Williams' slim volume tells the story of the 1957 race. Had the book been about the race alone, which was no classic in the conventional sense, it might have ended up a rather dull read. The truth is that, while Luigi Musso put up a decent initial fight, Stirling Moss was never really challenged in his Vanwall after the opening laps, and finished over 3 minutes ahead of his nearest pursuer. The other Vanwall drivers hit trouble, and the Maseratis of Behra and Fangio simply couldn't live with them for pace.
Readers of Williams' motorsport books though, will know that he is all but incapable of writing a dull book, and this is no exception. The book provides pen portraits of the event's major protagonists - be they drivers like Moss, Tony Brooks, Luigi Musso and Roy Salvadori, or team owners such as Enzo Ferrari and the Vanwall chief who aped and despised him, bearing magnate Tony Vandervell. These give an interesting background not only to the race, but to the state and nature of Grand Prix racing as a whole in the late 1950s. Of particular intrigue is the rather convoluted tale of how Enzo Ferrari opted to boycott the race, in the wake of the Mille Miglia tragedy earlier that year, but contrived to ensure that Luigi Musso turned up in a Ferrari 801 anyway.
The book also gives some of the history of the Pescara circuit itself. While the venue only ever hosted one F1 Grand Prix, the annual Coppa Acerbo race had been taking place since the 1920s and had a considerable history. The first race had been won by none other than Enzo Ferrari himself, shortly before he gave up driving. The circuit was as dangerous as Brabham suggests, claiming the life of Algerian ace Guy Moll after he collided with a backmarker and ploughed into a house in 1934.
Interviews with the surviving protagonists also add much to the book. The reminiscences of Moss, Salvadori, Brabahm and Brooks help to give a flavour of what the world of Grand Prix racing was like back in the 1950s. Of equal value are the diaries of legendary motor-racing correspondent Dennis Jenkinson, provided for use by Doug Nye. Together, they paint a picture of a very different racing environment, where drivers did deals from race to race, and would gather to party together on the evening after the race, rather than flying off in private jets or hiding in personal motorhomes.
Much more informal and ad-hoc than it is today, there are nonetheless hints of the transition that was already beginning to take place, and which would eventually lead to the TV dominated, corporately controlled, multi-million dollar sport that is modern F1. By 1957, the Pescara race was already something of an anachronism - a throwback to an earlier time when motor races were point-to-point affairs, racing through the countryside from city to city. The track may not have been on the scale of the Targa Florio, but at 16 miles, it was substantially longer than all but a handful of the other F1 circuits of the time, and unlike the Nurburgring, it was held not on a permanent circuit, but on dusty, rough public roads.
Richard Williams admits that Pescara was not, in fact the last road race in F1. Road racing continued at Spa for another 15 years or so, and if street racing counts, continues to this day in the form of the ever more anachronistic Monaco Grand Prix. Rather, Williams feels that the title conveys an emotional truth. For him, "It marked the end of a certain philosophy of road racing. No longer would massed-start races, on open roads from town to village and back again, be organised in that ad hoc way, without permanent facilities or even the vaguest notion of safety precautions."
April 28, 2009
An interesting account of the good old days when racing took place on public roads.
February 21, 2020
Probably halfway between 3 and 4 stars but since it's quite cheap, definitely worth a read and 4 stars!
While the amount of detail regarding the actual race itself is somewhat lacking, this book gives a great indication of what it was like actually attending a 1950s race, with some interesting bits from some of the big names in racing of the day. Also gives some history of the event and Grand Prix racing in general but it would have been nice for a more detailed history of the event itself. Quite short which isn't really a bad thing since this book is probably targeted more at the fans of the modern sport who will likely get a lot more from this than motorsport history buffs. Definitely worth a read if you are interested in the history of F1 but don't want to dedicate a huge amount of time or effort to it!
While the amount of detail regarding the actual race itself is somewhat lacking, this book gives a great indication of what it was like actually attending a 1950s race, with some interesting bits from some of the big names in racing of the day. Also gives some history of the event and Grand Prix racing in general but it would have been nice for a more detailed history of the event itself. Quite short which isn't really a bad thing since this book is probably targeted more at the fans of the modern sport who will likely get a lot more from this than motorsport history buffs. Definitely worth a read if you are interested in the history of F1 but don't want to dedicate a huge amount of time or effort to it!
December 26, 2025
The book reads almost like a novel, and in fact it is even better if the reader does not know the outcome of the race it is about, as the way in which the different protagonists are presented and how they get there is very well done.
The author's style makes for a lively read. The descriptions of the drivers, the cars and the teams are interesting and detailed without being merely a sports chronicle, and throughout the book the atmosphere surrounding the race and motor racing competitions of that era is very well portrayed.
Obviously, as it is a work focused on a specific competition, it is short, but this does not detract from its value. Personally, I recommend it to anyone interested in what Formula 1 was like in its first decade.
The author's style makes for a lively read. The descriptions of the drivers, the cars and the teams are interesting and detailed without being merely a sports chronicle, and throughout the book the atmosphere surrounding the race and motor racing competitions of that era is very well portrayed.
Obviously, as it is a work focused on a specific competition, it is short, but this does not detract from its value. Personally, I recommend it to anyone interested in what Formula 1 was like in its first decade.
March 12, 2022
I loved this book. From the moment I started to read it I was taken back into the world of the motor racing legends of my youth and thoroughly enjoyed absorbing and digesting all the background stories that were relayed. In the end the race itself hardly mattered except, of course, that my childhood hero Stirling Moss showed Fangio a clean pair of heels. As Enzo Ferrari once remarked "Put Moss in any car and he will drive it faster than anybody else." Quite an observation from the great man himself.
March 9, 2023
A fantastic book, written with the help of the four still living drivers that took part in the race itself - Roy Salvadori, Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks and Jack Brabham. There are 12 chapters, describing in detail what happened before, during and after the race, the memories of all but Brabham about it and wraps up with the complete entry list and results. There are 2 groups of 4 pages with pictures as well.
A compelling story, written with great knowledge and skill - what else could you expect from Richard Williams?
A compelling story, written with great knowledge and skill - what else could you expect from Richard Williams?
November 17, 2025
I came across this book whilst listening to the podcast 'And Colossally..That's History' hosted by the author and Matt Bishop. Richard and Matt delved into the race at Pescara often referencing the book itself. Afterwards, I was straight onto the World of Books website.
The book features interviews with drivers as well as snapshots of the race itself.
The book features interviews with drivers as well as snapshots of the race itself.
February 7, 2026
Absolutely phantastic narration of the 1957 Pescara Grand Prix. I loved the interviews with the surviving drivers.
February 23, 2010
Just got a crack at this one and after reading the very entertaining 'Who do you think you are Michael Schumacher?'. After just finishing the first few chapters I like and dislike this book. For someone who knows the Formula One history from around the mid 1980s until now it is great to hear about the early pre-war and post-war years with names like Enzo Ferrari (as a driver) and Maserati and Alfa Romeo as contributors to the races as manufacturers. But the writing style is a bit dry and straight forward, not a negative attribute but I could imagine more. That said, the stories within are small accounts about events that to me are really fascinating and so the style of the book is not on the level of something that I would be really excited to read about- for anyone who wants a good book on a subject that has little written about it then it is certainly a value to add to a racer's historic knowledge. After finishing it I would say more for the enthusiast than someone looking for a good book to read about racing- it is very basic and there are really interesting items but just not brought to the surface well.
March 31, 2014
Written in a slightly sensational style this in nevertheless a decent enough little piece of motor sport history and well worth adding to your library if you are a fan.
The Pescara Grand Prix only enjoyed World Championship status in 1957 and that was due to circumstances peculiar to that year. It was one of the old school road races; 18 laps of a fifteen plus mile route up the mountain and back on public roads in formula one cars. Racing like it used to be.
An ideal book to take on a trip as it is small and slim; it could almost fit in your pocket.
The Pescara Grand Prix only enjoyed World Championship status in 1957 and that was due to circumstances peculiar to that year. It was one of the old school road races; 18 laps of a fifteen plus mile route up the mountain and back on public roads in formula one cars. Racing like it used to be.
An ideal book to take on a trip as it is small and slim; it could almost fit in your pocket.
April 10, 2014
Should be compulsory reading for all modern F1 fans.
September 14, 2014
Interesting for racing history buffs. It felt to me that the author never quite found the thread of the story about the race that he wanted to focus on, so the narrative meanders a bit.
November 16, 2014
Having just read Duncan Hamilton's rip-roaring romp of a book, this seemed a little too clinical for me and the excitement of the race didn't really come across well.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews