F1 Racing Confidential: Inside Stories from the World of Formula One

Giles Richards. Grand Central, $32 (304p) ISBN 978-1-5387-6813-6

This rip-roaring debut from journalist Richards profiles the individuals, most of them behind the scenes, who keep Formula One teams up and running. He details how Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner takes a handsoff approach, reasoning that personnel work best when given wide latitude to exercise their own initiative. Discussing the role of head strategist, Richards explains how Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s Ruth Buscombe games out plans for myriad contingencies (fasterthan-expected tire degradation or weather changes, for instance) and runs through them with drivers and engineers to prepare for races. A chapter dedicated to McLaren driver Lando Norris reflects on the pressures of the limelight (he reports eating little on race days due to nerves), but the overall focus is on F1’s unsung contributors. For instance, Richards discusses how Red Bull Racing machinist Neil Ambrose manufactures custom parts and how McLaren pit mechanic Frazer Burchell views trackside repairs as “an extremely wellrehearsed” dance. The revealing profiles of performance coaches, engineers, mechanics, and technicians capture the collaboration and strategic calculations that go into making champion racers, providing a panoramic view of F1’s inner workings. Racing fans will want to take this for a spin. (July)