gleary's avatar
Author:
Gregg Leary
Login For More
Rate this article:
  • 0/5 Stars
SPEEDtv.com Store
DVD: David Jefferies Story
The David Jefferies Story is a reminder of the much loved and much missed Yorkshireman.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Man-Made Thunder
The book examines the sport of stock car racing through the eyes and ears of the men behind the wheel and the wrenches.
Our Price: $49.00
Visit Button
Buy Button
Unisex Sandwich Cap
Unisex Velcro back hat with SPEED logo on front. PINKS logo embroidered on left and PAO logo on right. One size fits all.
Our Price: $24.95
Visit Button
Buy Button
Speedway T-shirt
Men's 6 oz. 100% Cotton Jersey Short Sleeve Tee. SPEED logo imprinted on the front center chest.
Our Price: $24.99
Visit Button
Buy Button
Ferrari Red Classic Hat
100% cotton twill. Ferrari shield embroidered on front, piping on the peak and Ferrari logo embroidered on back strap adjuster.
Our Price: $30.00 ($27.00 Member)
Visit Button
Buy Button
Footer Bg
  • Zoom More Photos Button
  • Camera Icon
SPEEDtv.com Reviewed: The Complete Book of Formula One
Written by: Gregg Leary   
04/03/2007
Charlotte, NC
 
"The Complete Book of Formula One" By Simon Arron and Mark Hughes

"The Complete Book of Formula One" sounds like hyperbole. "All Cars and Drivers since 1950 in 3,685 Photographs" sounds like an impossibility. However, authors Simon Arron and Mark Hughes have pulled off "Mission Impossible," and created in their own words, "The Ultimate Pictorial Record."

How did this dynamic duo accomplish it? The authors had exclusive access to the world's largest photo library -- LAT's collection of more than nine million images, some over a century old. Seven months of research filled most of the holes, then the authors went to other archives around the world. Only 31 photos are missing, all from before 1962. Readers are encouraged to supply the missing images and be listed in "The Complete Book of Formula One Roll of Honour" and receive a free copy of the next edition of the book.

Photographs of the 600 drivers who have started a grand prix from 1950-2002 are included. Images of every car that competed from 1950-2003 form the backbone of the book. They are included in the order they finished in the championship standings.

Early on, this was a daunting task. Although the 1950 season featured only six grands prix, Champion Giuseppe Farina used five different numbers on his Alfa Romeo in the six races. Second place Juan Manuel Fangio had seven different numbers in six races because he took over a teammate's car in Italy. Fifth-place finisher Alberto Ascari drove three different cars (Ferrari 125 V12, Ferrari 275 V12, Ferrari 375 V12) carrying four different numbers in four races and even took over a teammate's car in Italy picking up a fifth different number. Confused? The authors will set you straight in the statistics accompanying the photographs.

The icing on the photographic cake is the season-by-season summary of the Formula One seasons, featuring highlights and listing the winners of each grand prix. Some of the factoids are eye openers. In 1952, Alberto Ascari entered only six of the seven grands prix on the schedule and won every one of them. He missed the season opening Swiss Grand Prix to prepare for the Indianapolis 500. He also won the first three races of the 1953 season...nine in a row!

The A-Z photographs of the drivers start with George Abecassis and run through Ricardo Zunino, twenty or so per page for 30 pages. Stats show nationality, date of birth, debut race, number of grand prix starts, points, wins, poles, fastest laps and date of death.

Creative photographic captions are nearly a lost art. Not here. It's worth thumbing through the book to find gems like: "Raising the Teutonic" (Michael Schumacher being lifted by crew members)..."Juan Step Beyond" (Fangio raising his hand in triumph)..."Wherefore art thou, Alfa Romeo" (under a photo of Gonzalez winning Ferrari's first Grand Prix at Silverstone)...and my favorite..."Mersey
beaucoup" (Did Fangio let Moss win in the Liverpool suburb of Aintree?)

Tidbits of trivia are sprinkled as seasoning throughout. Giancarlo Baghetti became the first, and so far only, F1 driver to triumph in his championship debut. He won his maiden voyage at the French Grand Prix in 1961 and never won again.

Female driver, Maria Teresa de Filippis is shown in a photograph after failing to qualify for Monaco, but she finished 10th at Belgium in 1958, her best in three starts. She didn't score a point that year, but neither did Carroll Shelby, Graham Hill or Bruce McLaren.

Red cars won every grand prix entered from 1950 until Mercedes-Benz arrived in 1954.

Young guns? The average age of grand prix drivers was 44 in 1950 -- 30 by 2002.

Graham Hill's F1 career was the longest...16 2/3 years.

Early Exits? Eight drivers retired on the opening lap of their only grand prix start. Marco Apicella spun before the first corner of the 1993 Italian Grand Prix.

"The Complete Book of Formula One" is 480 pages of Formula One joy. Set aside an evening and immerse yourself in this photographic time machine. It receives my highest rating -- five lugnuts out of five. Should they be RED fives in honor of Nigel Mansell?

"The Complete Book of Formula One" is available now from the SPEEDtv.com Bookstore. Go to www.speedtvbooks.com to browse other titles.

Gregg Leary is a Researcher/Writer for "Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain" and
Book Reviewer for SpeedTV.com.

Leary was track announcer for Hooter's IHRA Drag Racing at National Events in the USA and Canada and entertained event crowds during "down time" by conducting "crowd participation" and product giveaways with the Hooter's Girls. He was Marketing and PR Director and track announcer at Lake Erie Speedway.

As Photo Editor, feature writer, columnist and swimsuit calendar chief photographer for "Sports Jam Magazine," Leary covered Auto Racing, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, and the National Basketball Association. He has photographed dozens of celebrities from A-Z including Mario Andretti, Jim Brown, AJ Foyt, Ken Griffey Jr., Michael Jordan, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Mark McGwire, Paul Newman, Walter Payton, Alex Zanardi and Presidents Gerald Ford, George Bush and Bill Clinton. Gregg's wife, Lynn and daughter, Caitlynn live in Jefferson, Ohio and his son, Sean is a student at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.

Leary has conducted motivational seminars and performed stand up comedy around the country. He is a graduate of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio and Exeter University in England. Gregg has hitchhiked 40,000 miles through 36 states and 10 European countries and is a licensed pilot and skydiver. Leary is available for motorsports consulting on a limited basis.
Commenting is not allowed in this article.