Formula 1: All the Races, 1950-2015
By Roger Smith
With the Formula One World Championship celebrating its 65th year and 935 races by the concluding race of last season—the Abu Dhabi GP in November, 2015—some fans may be asking where and when did it all begin? This third edition of Formula 1: All the Races, 1950-2015 works hard to bring things as up to date, or as near as a book of this nature can. Starting at Silverstone in May 1950, Smith gives race-by-race accounts in what he describes as a “race pod”—up to three per page. These race pods concisely, but comprehensively, include a race report, the points finishers, the winning driver’s car, time and distance followed by other race details, including pole position, laps, the number of starters and finishers, weather details, fastest lap and championship leader board—in fact, a précis of each and every race.
Many may not realize that these races, while including Grand Prix events, also included the Indianapolis 500 from the inaugural year until 1960. Smith gives significant headlines of each race and a season-by-season review so the reader gets a clear understanding of the character of every event. The concluding pages of each season feature a spreadsheet analysis of each competitor, their car and performance—races contested, victories, podiums, races led, lights-to-flag victories, etc. The book is rounded off with Appendices depicting the champions, race winner of the World Championship series, while also embracing all the non-championship races—starting with the 1946 Valentino Grand Prix in Turin, Italy, through to the 1983 Race of Champions at Brands Hatch, England.
The book is well illustrated with both color and black-and-white photographs, and is also stunningly augmented by the inclusion of artwork by French artist Alain Baudouin, “official” painter of the famous 24-hour race at Le Mans, depicting every Grand Prix-winning car—205 in all.
Any book is a headache for authors to produce, however, Smith must have had many a sleepless night during the production of this factual tome. Formula 1: All the Races, 1950-2015 is a must, and may be considered the ultimate reference book for F1 race fans, scholars and aficionados alike.
Available from www.evropublishing.com for UK£50.00 and US$79.95. ISBN: 978-1-910505-11-3 hardback, with more than 400 photographs and color illustrations.
