F1 RETRO 1980

Author Mark Hughes Price £60 www.shop.motorsportmagazine.com

This volume is the second in what is intended to be a long-running series that captures specific standout seasons in F1 history. The first depicted F1 in 1970. Now the author fast-forwards to the start of the next decade and the context of an entirely different and changing world.

“It was F1 in the early stages of puberty; no longer innocent, and looking to be less so, but still endearingly naïve when looked back on,” writes Hughes, as he describes a sport in growing-pains transition from its amateur roots to a harsher commercial and political reality. Williams take centre-stage as they claim that vital first F1 title, in partnership with gritty Aussie and perennial team favourite Alan Jones. But then the picture widens to include Nelson Piquet and Brabham, the growing influence of Bernie Ecclestone, and the yet-to-be tamed power of grenading turbo engines.

A simple, clear, chapter structure, wonderfully evocative photography sourced from the LAT archive, and high production values befitting a book with such a hefty price tag offer a perfect platform for Hughes’ masterful story-telling. For those who remember 1980, he draws you back with a nostalgia that never crosses into sentimentality; for younger readers, the book will explain exactly why this era still resonates.

This is not only a contender for F1 book of the year, but would also make a fine addition to the shelves of sports fans in general.