Driven by Desire: The Desiré Wilson Story
By Alan Wilson with Andrew Marriott
I first met Desiré Wilson late in 1980 when, at the peak of her career, she was ride hunting in North America. Already that season she had won a round of the British National Formula One Championship and a pair of World Endurance Championship races at Monza and Silverstone, but what impressed me most was that she didn’t want to be regarded as a woman racer, only a racer. Although she did relocate her career to America shortly thereafter she never fully realized her dreams despite contesting various world-class races for the next dozen years.
Written by her husband Alan, this book chronicles the ups and downs of her career, from the very beginning as five-year-old Desiré Randall racing micromidgets in South Africa through her Formula Vee and Formula Ford (National Champion in 1976) days and then off to Europe.
The author’s proximity to his subject ensures that the exploits recounted here are an excellent read. Like so many other racers, Desiré’s career didn’t turn out as she had hoped, but most of her adventures along the way made the journey worthwhile. Available for US$49.95 / £24.99 from enthusiast bookstores or direct from publisher Veloce at www.veloce.co.uk.
