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Formula One: The Pinnacle: The pivotal events that made F1 the greatest motorsport series
As Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc battle it out head-to-head in the most hotly contested championship in years, this in-depth book, with a foreword from Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, tells the story of how the sport evolved into the exhilarating high octane spectacle it is today.
The new rules introduced in 2022 signal the greatest change to F1 in a generation, cracking the field wide open and seeing some of the most compelling and competitive races in the last 25 years.
Technical changes aimed at levelling the playing field for the teams combined with the sport’s tightening budget cap have made the races closer than ever. There will be more sprint races – trialled in 2021 – and greater fan interest driven by Netflix’s hugely successful ‘Drive to Survive’ series.
So, how did we get here? How did F1 become the acknowledged ‘Pinnacle of Motorsport’? Simon Arron and Tony Dodgins have identified the 100 most significant changes to the series since its inception in 1950. Formula One is unrecognizable from its debut season, where drivers raced around on old bomber training aerodrome in Northamptonshire with oil drums to mark the corners and straw bales the only concession to safety.
New fans will welcome a complete and highly illustrated guide to the history of F1, while older fans will be able to compare their own views of what were the pivotal moments of change, in a book written by experienced motoring writers with two lifetimes worth of knowledge of the sport.
The book will link technical progress with the personalities involved, indeed many of the swiftest changes have come about as a result of accidents or tragedies – the death of Roland Ratzenberger at Imola in 1994, the same weekend as Ayrton Senna, could have been avoided by the HANS safety device. The introduction of the halo saved Romain Grosjean’s life in Bahrain last year, but only came about because of the tragic accident that claimed Jules Bianchi in Japan.
Along with changes to circuits and the technology of the cars, this book highlights the commercial changes and the controversies that threatened to split the sport apart - such as the threat of breakaway series proposed at various times by teams.
A must-read for completists or for those new to the sport, The Pinnacle is a fascinating insight into one of the most exciting and dangerous sports in the world.
The new rules introduced in 2022 signal the greatest change to F1 in a generation, cracking the field wide open and seeing some of the most compelling and competitive races in the last 25 years.
Technical changes aimed at levelling the playing field for the teams combined with the sport’s tightening budget cap have made the races closer than ever. There will be more sprint races – trialled in 2021 – and greater fan interest driven by Netflix’s hugely successful ‘Drive to Survive’ series.
So, how did we get here? How did F1 become the acknowledged ‘Pinnacle of Motorsport’? Simon Arron and Tony Dodgins have identified the 100 most significant changes to the series since its inception in 1950. Formula One is unrecognizable from its debut season, where drivers raced around on old bomber training aerodrome in Northamptonshire with oil drums to mark the corners and straw bales the only concession to safety.
New fans will welcome a complete and highly illustrated guide to the history of F1, while older fans will be able to compare their own views of what were the pivotal moments of change, in a book written by experienced motoring writers with two lifetimes worth of knowledge of the sport.
The book will link technical progress with the personalities involved, indeed many of the swiftest changes have come about as a result of accidents or tragedies – the death of Roland Ratzenberger at Imola in 1994, the same weekend as Ayrton Senna, could have been avoided by the HANS safety device. The introduction of the halo saved Romain Grosjean’s life in Bahrain last year, but only came about because of the tragic accident that claimed Jules Bianchi in Japan.
Along with changes to circuits and the technology of the cars, this book highlights the commercial changes and the controversies that threatened to split the sport apart - such as the threat of breakaway series proposed at various times by teams.
A must-read for completists or for those new to the sport, The Pinnacle is a fascinating insight into one of the most exciting and dangerous sports in the world.
- GenresNonfiction
571 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 10, 2022
51 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 19, 2023
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I've even an f1 fan for almost 10 year now, so it was great to read a book that touches on some F1 facts. It's great for people who don't know a lot about f1 or older f1 fans to read about the sport. Of course it is hard to talk about a all the great drivers, I just feel it could've touched up on a couple more personalities in the sport or maybe mention all the world champions.
My favor part were the images. It's always refreshing to see how the cars have changed through the years.
I've even an f1 fan for almost 10 year now, so it was great to read a book that touches on some F1 facts. It's great for people who don't know a lot about f1 or older f1 fans to read about the sport. Of course it is hard to talk about a all the great drivers, I just feel it could've touched up on a couple more personalities in the sport or maybe mention all the world champions.
My favor part were the images. It's always refreshing to see how the cars have changed through the years.
December 28, 2022
Súper bonitas fotos y bastante entretenido leer de la f1 ♥️💗
January 7, 2023
I became a fan of F1 over the 2022 season, so I was super excited to get this for Christmas! A great informative read with some interesting facts and pictures, it covers some of the pivotal parts of the sport’s history.
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November 7, 2025Nice photos and coffee table book for new fans of Formula 1 willing to find out about how it all began.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews