F1 Mavericks is the story of the grandest, most influential, and most fondly remembered era in Formula 1 racing as seen through the lens of master motorsports photographer, Pete Biro and the words of award-winning author George Levy.
The period from 1960 to 1982 saw the greatest technological changes in the history of Formula 1 racing: the transition from front engines to rear engines, narrow, treaded tires to massive racing slicks, zero downforce to neck-wrenching ground effects—and, of course, a staggering increase in performance and reduction in lap times. In short, the Maverick Era saw the creation of the modern Formula 1 car.
This is also the time when legendary names who defined F1 were out in full force: Jim Clark, Jack Brabham, Dan Gurney, Sir Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Niki Lauda, James Hunt, Bruce McLaren, Jody Scheckter. We’ll see and meet all of them. But F1 Mavericks also focuses on the maverick designers and engineers behind the cars—men like Colin Chapman, Mauro Forghieri, Sir Patrick Head, Maurice Philippe, Gordon Murray, Robin Herd and many others. We’ll hear directly from many of them, including a foreword from 1978 F1 World Champion, Mario Andretti and afterword from the late three-time champion Niki Lauda.
Every chapter is a photographic account of important races throughout the period, supplemented with sidebars featuring key designers and technologies, like wings, ground effect, slick tires, turbochargers, and the Brabham “fan” suction car. F1 Mavericks is an international story, and includes designs fromJapan (Honda), Britain (McLaren, Tyrrell, Cooper, BRM) Italy (Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo), France (Matra, Ligier, Renault), Germany (Porsche, BMW) and the United States (Eagle, Shadow, Penske, Parnelli).
Strap yourself in for the story of the greatest era in Formula 1 racing–it’s all here in F1 Mavericks.
From the Publisher
The Formula One of the period that is the subject of this book is a foreign country.
They did almost everything differently there from the way it’d been done previously and the way it’s been done since. So grab your passport and let F1 Mavericks serve as your guidebook to a distant and exotic place that, like Atlantis, shone brightly once upon a time and lives on today in the memories of those who were fortunate enough to witness racing’s most glamorous, glorious, and star-studded stage. Welcome to the Maverick Era of Formula One.
PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE
The tsunami of F1 innovation was triggered by a little-noticed seismic event the better part of ten years earlier. The men responsible were two of motor racing’s greatest mavericks, father and son Charles and John Cooper.
WINGS OF CHANGEAs 1968 began, Colin Chapman and Jim Clark were looking for ward to possibly their greatest season yet. The 49 was finally sorted.
SOMETHING FOR NOTHINGThe single greatest advance in vehicle performance during the Maverick Era was downforce. It began in earnest with wings (thank you, Mr. Hall) and progressed from there.
Mario (5) was fortunate to escape the first-turn accident that launched defending World Champion James Hunt’s aged McLaren M23 (1) high into the air.
Publisher : Motorbooks (August 6, 2019)
Language : English
Hardcover : 240 pages
ISBN-10 : 0760362211
ISBN-13 : 978-0760362211
Item Weight : 3.2 pounds
Dimensions : 9.65 x 1 x 11.3 inches
