The Unofficial Complete Encyclopedia Formula One

Book excerpt: Formula One Racing is motorsport at its highest level. Combining technological brilliance with glamor and extreme danger, it is the stuff of dreams and legend. The engineering may have become more advanced over the years, and demands on the teams more intense, but the attraction of Formula One remains what it always was: man and machine in the ultimate test of skill, speed and guts. The Unofficial Complete Encyclopedia of Formula One is the definitive guide to Formula On racing. Starting with how it all began, the book traces the story of the world's richest and most powerful sport back to the first true car race in 1895, and apans the landmark events from the inauguration of the World Drivers' Championship in 1950, right up to the 2005 season. Special features on the movers and shakers and construction developments through the eras give a snapshot view of progress as it happened. Next, in a line-up of the legendary teams and drivers we profile the talents and personalities whose influence on the sport has made it so addictive to its worldwide audience. There are profiles, too, of the Grand Prix circuits - scenes of triumph and tragedy, which are imbued with an aura unlike anything else in the sporting world. Finally, a statistical round-up records the fastest and the greatest over six decades of the sport. Written by one of Formula One's top writers, and illustrated on every page with color photographs and original archive material, The Unofficial Complete Encyclopedia of Formula One is the ultimate reference guide to Grand Prix racing. Book jacket.