This was a very important period in the Le Mans story. Ferrari and Jaguar raced to stake claims as the foremost manufacturers of high-performance cars. Mercedes-Benz came back from war-ravaged Germany and again set the standards in race-car engineering. Aston Martin finally won at its 20th attempt. Enormous crowds - approaching half a million people - saw the first rear-engined saloons to compete at Le Mans, and the first mid-engined sports-racing cars, and the first diesels. As the victorious manufacturers actively promoted their successes, their commercial rivals also set out to win. As many as 15 brought 'works' teams every June, with purpose-built cars. On-track performance soared. In 1949 the fastest car hit 135mph (217kph) on the unique Mulsanne straight. Before the end of the 1950s, top speeds exceeded 180mph (290kph). This fascinating book tells the stories of these increasingly potent racing cars and conveys the punishing nature of an incomparable event - the ultimate test of the mental and physical abilities of the fragile individuals who make up racing teams, be they drivers, engineers, strategists or mechanics.The thorough statistics in the book result from fresh research, and there are more than 400 evocative photographs, many of them - including very rare colour images - never published before.

This decade at Le Mans began with the first victories by Porsche, whose awesome 917 racing car, capable of more than 240mph (385kph), established a distance record that would stand for almost four decades. One of a hat-trick of wins by Matra, effectively the French national team, was achieved in a famously frantic, head-to-head duel with Ferrari. In 1975, the oil crisis led the ACO to run its race to a 'fuel formula', and it was won by the Ford-supported Gulf-Mirage team. Porsche, using motorsport to develop its turbocharging technology, won again in 1976 and in 1977, when Jacky Ickx produced one of the greatest drives ever seen in motor racing anywhere. A massive effort by Renault, again with a turbocharged engine, delivered success in 1978. The decade closed, as it had started, with a soaking wet race that was won by Porsche. This 10-year chronicle describes events as they unfolded during each of the races. The reader will learn about the ever-changing regulations - many introduced to encourage fuel efficiency - that governed the races, and follow the technical advances made by innovative competitors as they strove to win the biggest prize in motor racing.

The Story of Porsche is a compact and beautifully designed review of the iconic car manufacturer. From the alluring curves to the powerful engineering, Porsche has been synonymous with both luxury and race car manufacturing for more than 90 years. In The Story of Porsche, every component of the legendary brand's success is studied and celebrated, from turbulent beginnings to its ascent to the summit of car design and construction. Blending heritage with innovation and brand identity with creativity, Porsche has produced some of the most beloved models of sport and luxury car alike. From the timeless designs of the 911 and Carrera, to the dynamism of the 917, the fabled marque has instilled class and faultless engineering into each and every one of its creations. With 19 victories at Le Mans, Porsche has also proved itself to be as successful on the racetrack as it is on the streets; revered, respected and treasured in equal measure. These victories on both the podium and in the marketplace are rendered here in stunning detail through insightful text and exceptional photography. This is a story packed with blind corners and steep climbs, in a package that will sit perfectly on any Porsche fan's bookshelf.

Lewis Hamilton's explosive arrival on the Formula 1 scene has made front-page headlines. In My Story, for the first time Lewis opens up about his stunning debut season in grand prix racing, as well as his dad Anthony, his home life and his early years. The only book with the real story, as told by Lewis. In his first season in F1, Lewis Hamilton thrilled the world of motor racing by finishing on the podium in his first nine consecutive races - the first driver to do so in the sport's 57-year history - and drove to victories in Canada, America, Hungary and Japan. But bare statistics alone do scant justice to the amazing impact Lewis Hamilton has had on the sporting landscape. My Story gives the real account from Lewis himself, as he sets the record straight about his colourful life on and off the track. Given a grounded upbringing by his dedicated father in unremarkable Stevenage, Lewis tells about how he first tried out go-karting while on a cut-price family holiday in Ibiza. In his book he gives the real version of events at a motor sport dinner where, as a nine-year-old wearing a borrowed suit, he approached McLaren team boss Ron Dennis with the immortal words that were to change his life forever. He rose rapidly through the Junior and Formula ranks, dominating every series with his raw speed and canny race craft. Here Lewis candidly recalls those key moments that shaped his career and went some way towards compensating for the sacrifices made by his father Anthony in getting his son to the top. Lewis also charts how he got into the sport and was signed up by Ron Dennis, what motivates him, who are his closest friends, how he copes with the constant travelling, and the physical and mental challenges of driving a state-of-the-art Formula 1 car. He looks back in detail at the 2007 World Championship - the race wins, the frightening crash in Germany, his intense rivalry with team-mate Fernando Alonso, his special relationship with Ron Dennis, and the furore over the Ferrari allegations - right up to the dramatic last race of the season in Brazil.

The story of NASCAR's preeminent family and the multibillion dollar sport they helped create. From mid-century dirt tracks to today's super speedways, The Earnhardts: A Biography tells the remarkable story of a racing family-Dale, his father Ralph, and son Dale Jr.-whose careers span the full history of NASCAR and whose accomplishments define this unique American motorsport. Drawing on extensive research, including interviews with friends, family, and sports writers covering the NASCAR scene, Gerry Souter follows the Earnhardts' story from Ralph's short track racing in cars he built himself to Dale's record-setting career and shocking death to Dale Jr.'s emergence as one of the sport's most popular figures today. Through the lives of the Earnhardts, and their unmatched legacy of hard work and victory, readers see American stock car racing evolve from its rural Southern roots into a nationwide phenomenon. A chronology putting high points in the Earnhardts' careers in the context of pivotal moments in the rise of NASCAR and American motorsports A rich bibliography of resources for further reading including books, journalism, archives, and websites

Drawing on a lifetime of sniffing petrol fumes, Lights Out, Full Throttle stands large over the landscape of Formula One and takes the temperature of the good, the bad and the ugly of the petrolhead’s paradise. Johnny Herbert and Damon Hill between them competed in 261 Grands Prix, amassing twenty-five wins, forty-nine podium finishes, one World Championship, 458 championship points, a Le Mans win, two smashed ankles, a broken arm, wrist and leg, sixty broken ribs, and two bruised egos. Having retired from racing, Johnny and Damon have become the one constant for passionate English F1 fans in a rapidly changing landscape. They have earned cult status as commentators and pundits, with viewers loving their unerring dedication to the sport’s greatness. It offers F1 fans a tour of the sport – from Monaco to Silverstone; Johnny’s crowd surfing and Bernie’s burger bar; the genius of Adrian Newey and Colin Chapman; why Lewis Hamilton will never, ever move to Ferrari (probably); getting the yips; money; safety; what it’s like to have an out-of-body experience while driving a car in the pouring rain at 200 mph; and the future of the sport in the wake of Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter. Whether you’re a fan of Nigel, Niki, Kimi or Britney, pine for the glory days of Brabham, Williams, Jim Clark and Fangio, or believe that Lewis is one year away from retiring as the GOAT, Lights Out, Full Throttle is the oily rag for the petrolhead fan to inhale while waiting for the racers to line up on the grid.

For all armchair adventurers, Against Gravity is the compelling story of a highly successful advertising executive who left Madison Avenue to race his car in the deadly 8,000-mile Paris-Dakar rally.

Explore the revolutionary history of one of the biggest names in motorsport in this photographic tribute to McLaren.

For more than 60 years, the McLaren name has been synonymous with racing success and automotive innovation. The Story of McLaren gives readers a fascinating look into the people, the technology and, of course, the cars that have propelled this marque to the pinnacle of motorsport.

From its founding in 1963 by legendary Bruce McLaren, right through to its current position as one of the world's premier motoring brands, this beautifully designed pocket guide celebrates McLaren's major achievements across Formula 1, the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and beyond. It also highlights the host of legendary drivers who have sat behind the wheel of a McLaren on the grid, from Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost to Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton.

The brand's phenomenal road cars are also included here, from the record-breaking McLaren F1 to the revolutionary GTS. Filled with beautiful photography and insightful text, The Story of McLaren charts the history of this extraordinary marque in perfectly giftable package.

In 1992, when Michael Rutter was just 20 years old, he followed in his dad's footsteps and began a career as a professional motorcycle racer. He has been racing ever since. This is his story of highs and lows, survival, luck and persistence, set against the raw, infectious atmosphere of the racing paddock. It is also a story of growing up with a global superstar for a Father; Tony Rutter. Read Michael's account of spending his childhood watching his dad's career - from fighting for world championships to fighting for his life after a devastating crash in 1985. Undeterred, Michael would go on to build his own career and forge his own unique path. This is the remarkable tale of how Michael has stayed competitive for 30 years, and stepped out of his 4-time world champion dads shadow to add his own name to the list of all time greats of the sport. Michael has started 431 British Superbike races, 20 World Superbike races, and 16 MotoGP races while also competing in road racing, where he has started 90 Isle of Man TT, 83 Northwest 200 and 24 Macau Grand Prix races. The Life of a Racer is a gripping journey into the mind and life of someone who was born in to the race paddock and who has been there ever since.

Delve into Formula One’s most iconic rivalries with stunning photography, insight from celebrated F1 journalist Tony Dodgins and a foreword by nine-time grand prix winner Mark Webber.

At the heart of Formula One lies the blistering contests and feuds between the drivers. The drama, personality and thrill of the sport is borne of these fierce duels, where only the fastest and savviest survive.

The rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen is one of the fiercest we have seen in Formula One in decades. Incendiary both on and off the track, the battles between the seven-time world champion and the hard-driving Dutchman have only served to highlight the importance of these dramatic conflicts to the sport.

In Formula One: The Rivals, Dodgins identifies the most prominent rivalries since the championship’s inception in 1950, including the feud between Hamilton and Verstappen. This highly illustrated book explores the dramatic collisions between drivers vying for the top spot, the bitter wars of words as tension runs high and the controversial decisions that have captivated viewers and delivered truly thrilling racing.

From the slow burn of intense dislike between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost to the verbal barbs dished out by Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet to the clash between James Hunt and Niki Lauda that inspired a Hollywood blockbuster, the rivalries include:

• Hakkinen vs Schumacher
• Hill vs Schumacher
• Alonso vs Schumacher
• Pironi vs Villeneuve
• Mansell vs Piquet
• Prost vs Lauda
• Prost vs Senna
• Hunt vs Lauda
• Hamilton vs Rosberg
• Hamilton vs Massa
• Hamilton vs Verstappen
• Vettel vs Webber
• And many more

Invercargill, at the far southern end of New Zealand. It's the late 1960s and two blokes sit in a modest shed drinking tea. The old bloke is telling stories about his life; the young bloke, a junior reporter, is typing earnestly on his Olympia portable typewriter. Dramatic tales abound - of youthful scrapes, motorcycle races and ingenious repairs, of international travel and friendships and road trips, of high speeds and accidents and meetings with dutiful policemen. Burt Munro became known around the world through the 2005 movie The World's Fastest Indian, but had long been known to motorcycle fans as a colourful character and speed record-holder. Our young journalist, Neill Birss, moved away from Invercargill and the interviews he had typed out were never published. In fact, they were lost during the move and only resurfaced under strange circumstances many decades later. Here they are in this book - the lost interviews with Burt Munro, legendary Kiwi motorcycle rider - his voice as fresh and his stories as vivid as the day he told them to the young reporter. Also available as an eBook.

An access-all-areas look inside the thrilling world of Formula One.

Formula One is one of the most intense, complex and secretive sports on the planet. Recent documentaries such as Netflix's Drive to Survive series have given a glimpse of life inside the paddock, but there are so many more stories from this high-stakes, globetrotting world that remain untold.

In F1 Confidential, Guardian journalist Giles Richards speaks to the men and women inside Formula One to reveal the inner workings of the world's most glamorous motorsport. Featuring exclusive interviews with experts at every level - from drivers and team principals to engineers and pit mechanics - and from teams including Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren and more, this is an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look inside a modern Formula One team.

With contributions from dozens of insiders, each with their own fascinating stories, insights and revelations, F1 Confidential takes you inside Formula One like never before.

This is the first work to go beyond the popular myths of stock car racing to fully examine the sport's true history. NASCAR Nation: A History of Stock Car Racing in the United States details the ongoing saga of this quintessentially American pastime. Looking at the drivers, events, and teams, it positions NASCAR racing within larger social, economic, and cultural trends in an attempt to address the sport's phenomenal growth and popularity. This chronological examination of the evolution of stock car racing is the first history to go beyond the widely held myth that it was "invented" by Prohibition-era moonshiners. The book traces stock car racing history from its beginnings, to the formation of The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) in 1948, through today. Of course, readers will meet the sport's many colorful personalities, including the Earnhardts, Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon (who has raked in more than $70 million in career winnings), "Fireball" Roberts, Darrell Waltrip, Daytona pioneer Bill France, and women drivers like Janet Guthrie, Louise Smith, and Jennifer Jo Cobb. While the focus is on NASCAR, the book also examines other prominent stock car racing organizations to round out its comprehensive portrait.

Run over the every-day roads of the Isle of Man for over 100 years, the world-famous Tourist Trophy races have gripped the imaginations of successive generations of motorcyclists. From the earliest days of single-speed, belt-driven machines delivering 5 bhp, to the highly developed projectiles of today offering a fearsome 200 bhp, race fans have thronged the roadside banks and watched in awe as the best racing motorcyclists in the world rode the fastest machines of their day around the twists, turns and climbs of the 374 mile Mountain Course, all in pursuit of a coveted Tourist Trophy. This new updated edition covering the 2007 - 2012 races, reveals the event's colourful history through the high-speed activities of great riders such as the Collier brothers, Geoff Duke, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Steve Hislop, Joey Dunlop, John McGuinness and many others. It also looks at the machines and mechanical developments and race organisation, plus the financial rewards and commercial interests; setting them all in the context of the triumphs and tragedies of a great sporting event that has seen average lap speeds rise from 40 mph to over 130 mph.

Let's dispel the myth that becoming a racing driver is an unobtainable dream. Although not cheap, it is certainly an accessible hobby or career path. As well as guiding the reader through the early processes of becoming a racing driver, from karting through to car racing, it also focuses on how to make the most of track time, how to utilise instruction, and the importance of using professional race simulator centres. The author also shares some inside information relating to media skills, such as how to deal with the motorsport press, and how to use social media to your advantage. The experience she has gathered during her motorsport career has formed the basis for this book, drawing on her experience as a motorsport journalist, writing for various publications and online media outlets, as well as working for a track day company, various motor racing clubs and organisations, and running her own Motorsport PR agency.

Produced in conjunction with the Bentley Drivers Club and the W.O. Bentley Memorial Foundation,100 Years of Bentley is a lavish celebration of one of the most recognised and revered car brands in history, from its earliest models right up to the modern day cars. A six-times winner in the gruelling Le Mans 24-hour race, Bentley is also the brand behind iconic cars such as the 41/2-Litre 'Blower', the R-type Continental, and modern classics such as the Continental GT and Mulsanne. Featuring more than 200 pictures, many from the club's archives and some never seen in print before, this beautiful book details the whole history of Bentley. From W.O. Bentley's early days as a railway engineer along with his first attempts at modifying French DFP cars, to the company's earlyracing exploits, including its victories in the early Le Mans races. Covering the Bentley brand's revival in the 1980s and renewed impetus when it was acquired by the Volkswagen group, the story is brought up to date with the awesome new Bentleys built for the 21st century and the new era of electrification just around the corner.