GP and F1 Book question | FerrariChat

GP and F1 Book question

Discussion in 'Collectables, Literature, & Models' started by MassaFan, Aug 15, 2015.

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  1. MassaFan

    MassaFan Karting

    Nov 10, 2007
    94
    Hello Folks,

    can anyone recomend a good book with history and Pictures of the pre F1 and early F1 races.
     
  2. jj2728

    jj2728 Karting

    Jan 19, 2004
    194
    Ontario
    Depends on what specific period you are searching for. There are many, many excellent books that cover GP racing from all different eras.
     
  3. red27

    red27 Formula Junior

    Sep 7, 2010
    940
    London UK
    Full Name:
    Mark Oliver
    ^^^^ This, but if you are feeling like treating yourself, then 'the great challenge' series have wonderful period photos - and you can pick and choose your era. I think they are still available direct.

    Here's the link.

    Rainer W. Schlegelmilch - Formula One Photography

    Cheers.

    Mark
     
  4. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,380
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bubba
    This guy....a long time photog, also has other titles, his book on 'Monaco' is also fantastic.
    I think he has one striclty on the Ferrari team also.

    I will have to recap some titles for you from my library
     
  5. Jack-the-lad

    Jack-the-lad Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Specific years? Autocourse would be a good source, but I don't know how far back they go.
     
  6. vintagethunder

    Jan 12, 2014
    16
    Monmouth, IL
    When I first read your question I thought you wanted early F1, as in the 50s. If it is later, the often mentioned photographer Ranier Schegelmilch's (Sometimes listed as by Hartmut Lehbrink who did the text) Grand Prix: Fascination Formula 1 is hard to beat, the biggest bargain in F1 books in my lifetime. I think it has something like 1300 color pics from the late 60s (a few before) to the 80s. Artsy pics, detailed component pics, driver pics, bodywork pics, engine pics... Amazon shows used ones starting at $12.
     
  7. Ney

    Ney F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 20, 2004
    7,365
  8. Athanase

    Athanase Formula Junior

    Jan 27, 2007
    311
    Autocourse start in 1951, quarterly publication. Very good source.
     
  9. jtremlett

    jtremlett F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2004
    4,791
    I'm not too sure from the original post what level of detail is sought or what period of coverage.

    The best book on Grand Prix racing in the 1930s is Racing the Silver Arrows by the late Chris Nixon. Racing Silver Arrows: C NIXON: 9780850456585: Amazon.com: Books

    For post-war Grand Prix racing then probably something like Autocourse's 60 Years book. Autocourse 60 Years of World Championship Grand Prix Motor Racing: Alan Henry, Bernard Cahier, Paul-Henri Cahier: 9781905334568: Amazon.com: Books

    I don't know of a good overview book of pre-1930s Grand Prix racing (if that is required). Of course, there are a vast number of books covering a single season (e.g. the Autocourse annuals as already mentioned above - although a full set would cost a considerable sum) or picture books (like the Schlegelmilch books also mentioned above which are all excellent) but I recommend the above two for a mixture of text and pictures and telling you about the racing and something of the stories behind it.

    Jonathan
     
  10. NürScud

    NürScud F1 Veteran

    Nov 3, 2012
    7,308
    This book looks amazing..
     
  11. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    15,113
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    This is THE Book. if you want to know anything about F-1 History from the late 1800's to early 1990's this is THE BOOK.

    http://www.amazon.com/Complete-History-Grand-Motor-Racing/dp/1854105000


    Is is extreemly accurate, and well written. Its concise yet give some flavor as well.

    Adriano Cimirosti has done a fantastic job. I wish there was an update to current days on this book.

    Autocurse is also an excellent resource- and you can find them from the 50's on. You can get the digital editions at Autocourse.com as the early books are very rare and expensive. I have a collection of every Autcourse from 1969 to 2004.

    at some point in the mid 2000's they kind of stopped being as well written... so i get the digital editions.

    Happy reading ... & your welcome.
     
  12. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    15,113
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    His books are really just picture books... the narrative is not very well researched, and the text is full of detail errors... the pics are great... but not a good resource of what happened. I have all of the books... bought the Monaco book Ollie discount store in New Castle PA. for $6.00...
     
  13. NürScud

    NürScud F1 Veteran

    Nov 3, 2012
    7,308
    Really? Would you recommend the book at least for the pictures?
     
  14. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    15,113
    Atlanta
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    Tom Spiro
    Yea - its got great pictures but not much accurate info about F-1.
    Cimmarosti's book has both... but it has ALL the history of F-1 from details to broad strokes ... it covers the pre 1950 GP world and the founding of the FIA - CSI etc... and how Modern F-1 originated.
     
  15. dmj

    dmj Formula Junior

    Feb 11, 2012
    289
    Zagreb, Croatia
    Full Name:
    Dino Milic-Jakovlic
    If you really want just one book, Cimarosti is the best option.
     
  16. NürScud

    NürScud F1 Veteran

    Nov 3, 2012
    7,308
    I see. Is there any link available for Cimarosti's book?

    Thank you.
     
  17. Fast_ian

    Fast_ian Two Time F1 World Champ

    Sep 25, 2006
    23,397
    Campbell, CA
    Full Name:
    Ian Anderson
    See post #11 above! ;)

    FWIW, respecting Tom's opinion as I do, I just ordered a "good used" copy via that kink. I hadn't heard of it before, but the recommendations above sold me on it!

    Cheers,
    Ian
     
  18. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    15,113
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    Thanks for the support!!! :) .... I think & hope you will like the book. I find it a very entertaining and informative read... but I'm a racing nerd, being brought up on Racing as a kid, I knew more about F-1 Matra's at age 6 than i did about Football... actually I still know more about F-1 Matra's than i do about football!!!

    I have two copies of the book now - becuase my first copy is so dogeared!
     
  19. dmj

    dmj Formula Junior

    Feb 11, 2012
    289
    Zagreb, Croatia
    Full Name:
    Dino Milic-Jakovlic
    It is not an "entertaining" read in terms of anecdotes and stories, if you look for it - but it isn't dull either, it's simply an excellent history book. And, in complete difference to most other sources, it is almost completely accurate - if Cimarosti wrote something, you generally can believe him, there is no need to check multiple sources to get the right picture. And, believe me, it is a rare achievement in books about Grand Prix history.
     
  20. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    15,113
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    I should define my ideal of entertaining... more like a walk in the past.... I agree the book is so accurate, and covers almost every key event in F-1 racing since the beginning of the car.
     
  21. Banzai!

    Banzai! Karting

    Mar 1, 2013
    72
    #21 Banzai!, Aug 21, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    That Cimarosti book does look interesting. As some other choices I didn't see mentioned yet, Doug Nye / Autocourse did a couple of volumes covering 1945-65 and then 1966-85. I also have an older GP car 54/66 book by Setright.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  22. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    15,113
    Atlanta
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    Tom Spiro
    Yes - I agree. I have all those as well, but they are more about the technical aspects of the race cars... still really interesting, but they dont go into what happend in the same detail ... but if you want to know the v degree of the V-16 BRM - those are the books to read... or how the Vanwall was done... or Gurney Weslake chassis and engine was done...
     
  23. jj2728

    jj2728 Karting

    Jan 19, 2004
    194
    Ontario
    Many good replies and I have most of the books mentioned. I'd add that the Formula One in Camera series by Paul Parker, the 1 1/2 Grand Prix Racing by Mark Whitelock, the Mercedes Benz Grand Prix Racing 1934 - 1955 photos by George C Monkhouse (and one of the favorites in my collection in addition to Chris Nixon's Racing the SILVER ARROWS), any of the Automobile Year annuals (my collection of those go from 1966 thru 1973), The Cruel Sport and Real Racers by Robert Daley, Races Faces Places photos by Michael Cooper, F1 Retro 1970 by Mark Hughes, from the Klemantaski collection Real Racers and Klemantaski Master Motorsports Photographer and Formula 1 portraits of the '60s photos by Schlegelmilch.
     
  24. tongascrew

    tongascrew F1 Rookie

    Jan 3, 2006
    2,989
    tewksbury
    Full Name:
    george burgess
    "The Grand Prix Car" Volumes #1 &#2 by Laurence Pomeroy. You probably should be happy with a 3rd edition from 1960 You can check on Google as to what the 3rd edition has that the previous two editions don't have. There are some well used but complete 3rd editions on the market for reasonable prices.. But these two volumes are the grand daddy of them all. I saw my first ones in 1955? It wasn't until August 14, 2014 that I added these to my Ferrari literature collection of over 1200 titles.Even though this collection emphasizes the years 1946-1966 and only has only a small section devoted to the open wheel machines I came to realize what was missing was these two volumes. Enjoy tong's crew
     
  25. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 17, 2006
    4,806
    Seattle, WA
    Full Name:
    Brian White
    For photos I love Jesse Alexander's "At Speed" which is a very large format hardback book. They are quite expensive these days and the one I have is near mint with dust jacket. It's a special treat those rare times when I flip through it.
     

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