F1: Top Secret

The starting lights are going out… A fascinating journey into the world of Formula 1 begins! F1 drivers are known and admired by millions of people all over the world, but only a chosen few are allowed to peek behind the scenes of their sport. Thanks to long-time insider Giles Richards, you can now be one of them. His interviews with two dozen people holding the most diverse roles in the leading Formula 1 teams reveal the background of the races, how the teams work, and the development of the single-seaters. They also tell many extraordinary life stories, united by an addiction to adrenaline and a love for fast cars. The testimonials from selected personalities, from team principals to engineers and pit mechanics to an expert in aerodynamics or a logistics coordinator, show that F1 is first and foremost a team sport, where the drivers themselves are just the most visible tip of the iceberg. Whether you're a die-hard Formula 1 fan or are simply fascinated by the drama surrounding this exciting sport full of rivalry, after listening to these stories, you'll look at all future grand prix races in a completely different way. One of the most respected motorsport journalists, who has been in the world of F1 for decades, makes the best-kept secrets of the queen of motorsport accessible to his listeners in an attractive reportage format. “One of the best books about modern F1.” – from reader reviews on Databazeknih.cz “The author's style is precise, factual, and incredibly well-informed. Richards manages to translate the immensely complex world of Formula 1 into a form that is understandable for fans, yet at the same time offers enough depth for true experts.” – Kirkus Reviews “Definitely worth a read – one of the most comprehensive views of the sport I’ve read, thanks to the number of people from different positions who are interviewed.” – from reader reviews on Goodreads.com For Toto Wolff, the fundamental belief is in the positive power of teamwork, of creating a harmonious whole in a demanding environment with a common goal. He often resorts to this cliché when considering his position as the principal and CEO of an F1 team. It's clear that his decision-making is not based on mere management technique. According to Wolff, this character trait has shaped his career and helped him to achieve the extraordinary successes of the Mercedes team since he joined in 2013. Even before he led it to its eighth consecutive Constructors' World Championship and its seventh Drivers' World Championship, he was completely devoted to the team at the expense of almost everything else. “One of the strengths and perhaps also a weakness of my character is that I take everything personally,” he confided. “When I joined Mercedes, the team became like my family; it completely consumed me. Every day from waking up to falling asleep, I thought of nothing else. I dedicated myself to the people and to what was needed for us to achieve success. When I do this, I forget everything else that is happening around me.” In other words, Wolff says we must “be” rather than “do”. He emphasises that people must focus on their task. He threw himself into it with unsurprising determination, and since then, his responsibility as a representative of one of the three biggest teams in F1 has evolved and grown with increasing success. He must manage a pair of temperamental drivers, testing, sometimes crushing disappointments on the track, the exponential growth in the size of the team, and of course, the endless politicking in F1, in which he needs to defend the team and every employee for whom he feels a personal responsibility. – excerpt from the book