Join Steve Matchett--racing broadcaster, columnist, and longtime Formula 1 mechanic for the championship Benetton team--on a quest to build the ultimate racing machine. During a fogbound evening in an airport lounge, Matchett and some fellow enthusiasts began a discussion of racecar design, a conversation which evolved into a detailed examination of the teams and technologies behind the world's most complex sport. Their thoughts are captured here, from choosing the best chassis and most advanced suspension to building the strongest gearbox, providing an unmatched insider view of the international F1 scene.
'''I really could see the scenes he describes evolving in my mind, as if I was there-the mark of true genius in the author!''--F1 Sport International
What Others Say
Excellent Read
Like others have mentioned before, this is an excellent book on all the key aspects of of design of a Modern day F1 car. It covers all the bases methodically, from engine design to suspension to chasis toaero, its all here and Steve's utter command of the subject shows thru. I found it to be a compelling read.
The only complaint, if i can call it that is the narrative about the fictional friends gettign stranded at JFK airport etc...i found that i could easily skim over those parts carefully and not lose much info. The pictures are an afterthought and the book could have done with more diagrams etc. Again, the narration is good enuogh to mitigate the impact,however.
If you have a reasonable understanding of F1, this ... Read More
Okay but not indepth regarding F1 technology
I actually read The Chariot Makers: Assembling the Perfect Formula 1 Car about 3 months ago but forgot to publish a review of it. I bought The Chariot Makers: Assembling the Perfect Formula 1 Car hoping that I'd get some detailed info regarding current F1 cars. Although the book covered many topics relating to the cars, it just didn't have the info I was looking for. I've been looking for something that will provide detailed info regarding the design and function of the various components on a modern F1 car. It's possible that the book I'm looking for hasn't been published yet. At any rate, this wasn't a bad read for an F1 fan.
A must read for F1 fans.
I loved The Chariot Makers: Assembling the Perfect Formula 1 Car, it has just enough technical information to keep you informed, but doesnt bore you. Steve has a way with keeping you involved in the story. I couldnt put this one down.
Good Read
Matchett is not the best storyteller with some contrived attempts at humor, characters from, "Three Men in a Boat" and a strange setting. He does a fantastic job - (and I do mean fantastic), at breaking F1 down to the level of the common man. As part of Speed TV's F1 team and Technical Editor of the UK's F1 Racing magazine, Steve is well informed and the book is good read for F1 fans and a must-read for those with a passing interest in the sport. As a matter of fact, all his books are a worth reading...
Interesting read.
I really enjoy the commentary offered by Steve Machett on Speedtv, so I purchased The Chariot Makers: Assembling the Perfect Formula 1 Car. Well done! The technology is what attracts me to F1 and Machett covers enough detail to entertain the F1 enthusiast, without going into boring details. Now Mr. Machett, can you write a book that explains how some F1 teams spend $100's of millions of dollars more than others, yet only achieve 1 to 2 seconds per lap advantage? Or, in the case of Super Aguri, the low budget team outperforms the factory Honda team! I'd like to get a behind the scenes look at this phenomenon.
