Forty years after he launched his professional racing career, Mario Andretti's stature in the history of motorsports remains unparalleled. His accomplishments speak for themselves: four-time USAC and CART champion, 1978 Formula One World Champion, 1969 Indy 500 winner, 1967 Daytona 500 winner, and three-time Sebring 12 Hours winner.
Formula 1's heritage in the United States is significant and the future bodes well for future races. Through this book, enthusiasts are offered a valuable look into the history of American drivers in Formula 1. It recounts the history of Americans in the Formula 1 World Championship, and offers a detailed review of the drivers, teams, constructors and tracks involved. It is illustrated with the superb photographic work of the Cahier family (Bernard and son Paul-Henri), and others. Whether on a coffee table or prized amongst a bookshelf, this historical collector's piece will make the perfect statement for any Formula 1 aficionado. Mario Andretti introduces the book and reminds readers of the bridge that exists between America and Europe, as well as its importance to his own career.
F1 Mavericks is the story of the grandest, most influential, and most fondly remembered era in Formula 1 racing as seen through the lens of master motorsports photographer, Pete Biro. The period from 1960 to 1982 saw the greatest technological changes in the history of Formula 1 racing: the transition from front engines to rear engines, narrow-treaded tires, massive racing slicks, zero downforce, and neck-wrenching ground effects—and, of course, a staggering increase in performance and reduction in lap times. In short, the period saw the creation of the modern Formula 1 car. This is also the time when legendary names who defined F1 were out in full force: Jim Clark, Jack Brabham, Dan Gurney, Sir Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Niki Lauda, James Hunt, Bruce McLaren, Jody Scheckter. We’ll see and meet all of them. But F1 Mavericks also focuses on the designers and engineers behind the cars—men like Colin Chapman, Sir Patrick Head, Maurice Philippe, Franco Rochhi, Gordon Murray, and many others. We’ll hear directly from many of them, including a foreword from 1978 F1 World Champion, Mario Andretti. Every chapter is a photographic account of key races throughout the period, supplemented with sidebars featuring key designers and technologies, like wings, ground effects, slick tires, turbochargers, and the Brabham “fan” suction car. F1 Mavericks is an international story, and includes loads of information on designs from Japan (Honda), Britain (McLaren, Tyrrell, Cooper, BRM) Italy (Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo), France (Matra, Ligier, Renault), Germany (Porsche, BMW) and the United States (Eagle, Shadow, Penske, Parnelli). Strap yourself in for the story of the greatest era in Formula 1 racing—it's all here in F1 Mavericks.
John Andretti's life was driven by family and fueled by a passion for racing. In Racer, as told to bestselling author Jade Gurss (Beast, In the Red, Driver #8), Andretti candidly recounts how these powerful forces shaped a diverse professional driving career. The honesty and character that defined Andretti's life offer a behind-the-scenes look at racing at all levels full of lessons in racing and life supplied by this fiery and fiercely competitive driver. The powerful narrative includes John's substantial charity work, and the story of how he contracted colon cancer at age 53 and turned his affliction into a public awareness campaign. Racer is an intimate look at racing at the highest levels as well as life lessons from one of the world's most celebrated motorsports family.
Until the 1970s, North America was considered a backwater with respect to world championship–level motorcycle road racing. European racers viewed American riders as being less talented and rode around in circles on tracks made of dirt. That all changed when Kenny Roberts exploded onto the Grand Prix racing scene and became the first American to win the world championship in motorcycle road racing's premier class. Roberts' success launched an era of American dominance that lasted for nearly 20 years and still echoes through the annals of the sport. This is the story of the legendary American riders who beat the Europeans at their own game, including Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz, Kenny Roberts Jr., and the most recent American world champion, Nicky Hayden. With additional chapters about the American World Superbike champions and those Americans who competed for the World Championship, this is the story road racing fans have been waiting decades to read.
2016 ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB MOTORING BOOK OF THE YEAR Brian Redman is one of very few notable British racing drivers whose racing life has yet to be put on record in book form. Now that is about to be rectified. Packed with photographs, Redman's memoir is a vivid account of his varied racing exploits, with special focus on the period when he won major sports car races in Ford GT40s, Porsche 908s and 917s, and Ferrari 312PBs, and also became North American Formula 5000 champion three years running. Highly readable, and at times both humorous and poignant, this is a very personal book that will be welcomed by this popular and highly respected driver's legions of fans. - Five themed chapters about Redman's experiences at the greatest circuits and races of his era: Spa-Francorchamps, the Nurburgring, the Targa Florio, Le Mans and Daytona. - Diving deep into Redman's fears, friendships and mindset during his time at the top. - Spa-Francorchamps: Redman won at this daunting track in four consecutive appearances in 1,000Kms races for sports cars, but was also injured in the first of his three big crashes, in the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix. - The Nurburgring: two big sports car wins with his greatest driving partners, Jo Siffert and Jacky Ickx. - The Targa Florio: in 1970 Redman won this heroic race over the uniquely punishing 45-mile circuit in Sicily - and suffered severe burns in another big crash the following year. - Le Mans: he led France's 24-hour classic five times but never won it. - Daytona: the world's other great 24-hour race, in Florida, brought three wins - in 1970, 1976 and 1981. - Stories about driving for Porsche, Ferrari and colourful privateers, plus anecdotes about the era's most famous drivers, managers, heroes and rascals. - Successes in Formula 5000 (three-times champion in the USA) and 2-litre sports cars (South African champion) complete Redman's credentials as one of the finest all-rounders in motor racing. - Mario Andretti provides an insightful foreword: Redman and he were team-mates in Ferrari's sports car team (1972-73) and the top drivers in North American Formula 5000 (1974-75).
"Ford GT40 tells the history of Ford's historic racing program of the mid-twentieth century that challenged "real" racers and established a racing dynasty for the American manufacturer"--
In this behind the scenes book, Mitch Bishop and Mark Raffauf tell the inside story of how IMSA became a global powerhouse in just a few short years. It covers John Bishop's early life, his years at the SCCA and tells the story of how IMSA grew from humble beginnings in 1969 into the Camel GT Series, a circuit that became the most popular form of professional sports car racing in the world. This book is a must-read, for those interested in how it all happened and in learning critical management lessons still applicable in today's motor racing world.
Tradition, technology, and personal bravery combined to make the Indianapolis 500 one of the world's most famous sporting events. However, political infighting within the industry--which climaxed with a 12-year "Split" from 1996 to 2007 between competing forms of Indy car racing--prevented the sport from achieving its potential. The Split seriously tarnished the reputation of the Indianapolis 500 and allowed NASCAR to become America's most popular form of motorsport. But Indy car racing's dysfunction didn't originate in 1996. The story begins in 1945, when a businessman from Terre Haute, Indiana named Tony Hulman rescued the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from potential redevelopment. Over the next 75 years, the Hulman-George family used the stature of the Speedway to carve out a powerful position in American auto racing. Stewardship of the IMS often brought the family into conflict with Indy car competitors. A volatile period in the late 1970s resulted in the formation of Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), and tensions ramped up even more when Hulman's grandson, Tony George, assumed power in 1990. The Split forced Indy car fans, sponsors, broadcasters and participants to choose sides. It created confusion and animosity and caused tremendous damage to the sport. With negotiations driven by legendary racer Mario Andretti and actor/racer Paul Newman, The Split was finally resolved in 2008, only for George to walk away less than three years later from the role he so desperately coveted. The long struggle for stability and leadership was finally resolved in 2020 when Roger Penske acquired IMS and the IndyCar Series.