How to Build a Car

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars | 7,700 ratings

Price: 22.86

Last update: 12-26-2024


Top reviews from the United States

Michael
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for drivers and geeks
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2024
I love F1 and I love the nuts and bolts behind it. And the details of the people behind it as well.
andrew pastwick
5.0 out of 5 stars Very readable
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2023
Book is very well written and contains lots of stories. It is good for someone who has an interest in F1 cars and how they are designed.
Boaty McBoatface
4.0 out of 5 stars Red Bull Origin Story
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2024
Super accessible, very personable. Might have benefited from a more aggressive editor. It is practically essential reading for newer fans of F1 (me) to understand how we got into the situation where a single car is so much better than everything else on the grid.
Ryan A. Lopez
5.0 out of 5 stars A look into the mind of a legend
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2023
If this doesn’t make you love Formula 1 more, nothing will. A captivating recollection of an incredible journey for the most successful car designer in the sport.
Julian G Halliday
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful technical detail
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2019
The book, organised around a sequence of F1 car designs, is nicely structured. A leavening of anecdotes and personal history, yes, and all that is interesting: but for the F1 devotee, the challenges and thought processes involved in crafting a competitive car are the focus, and Newey and his "ghost writer" Andrew Holmes do a first rate job of rendering that drama clearly, and with sufficient technical detail that I felt I really understood the sport better having read it. And I took down my Exoto FW14b and studied it with a new appreciation for its detailing. When I heard Steve Matchett talking about the "all singing, all dancing" Williams car with active suspension, I knew in theory what he was referencing. But Newey has given substance to that episode in a way I found utterly gripping. Similarly, the remarkable rise of Red Bull is followed with a frank acknowledgement of wrong turns and a well-armed pleasure in the successes. It is also pleasing to find my intuitive assessment of various F1 characters was not far off the mark. I won't name names (Ron...) here, but Newey is fairly straightforward about who's who, and what. Anyway, this was a book I couldn't wait to return to whenever I had time. For anyone already interested, I'd say it is essential reading.
Paul Hedman-Dennis
5.0 out of 5 stars A technical book wrapped in personality.
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2023
Super readable. To my pleasant surprise, Adrian's anecdotes about his life, work ethic, and the politics of F1 are as interesting as his technical insights. A quick and charming read, there's a world where this book came out very dry. Instead, it's bubbling with Adrian's goofy personality.

The only things I would have wanted beyond what's on offer:

an update for 2018-2021, and the current generation of cars, which for obvious reasons probably won't happen until 2026, if at all.

A little more depth and explanation on the technical discussion/drawings. Adrian and his ghost writer do a pretty admirable job here, and I know there's probably a slew of valid reasons they didn't do this. Still, I think it might have been cool to have an appendix where, for example, they fleshed out the math used in figuring out a new gear box, or to elucidate some of the discrepancies between CFD, the wind tunnel, and the track that pop up at various times. Maybe that would be boring. Still, even though I loved the book I've wasted most of my review talking about it, so I guess nobody wins.
Richard A Haviland
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling front to back.
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2023
I’ve read very few books that hold my interest from beginning to end. This was an interesting read all the way through and I felt a kinship to the author as we have similar interests and gave me an insight into what I could have become had I better guidance and inspiration ( and intelligence). Adrian has been much more successful in his career although I’m way ahead in the relationship department. Great guy, great book.
Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun and interesting to read.
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2022
I am new to race car engineering and and management, so this book was an eye-opener for me. As an engineer in buildings design, the depth of technical detail was right for me and should be for readers with technical or mechanical interest. Overall, the book was fun and moved along well, the most fun being the discussions of the drivers, their races, and their relations with their cars.

Best Sellers in

 
 

A Runner’s High: My Life in Motion

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1399
17.32
 
 

Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3904
21.25
 
 

Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 14102
6.08
 
 

Broken: The Most Shocking Childhood Story Ever Told. An Inspirational Author Who Survived It.

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 3763
17.3
 
 

The Last Season

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1418
21.83
 
 

The Confident Mind: A Battle-Tested Guide to Unshakable Performance

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 758
22.04
 
 

The Backyard Bird Chronicles

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 539
15.75
 
 

Jim Bridger: Trailblazer of the American West

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 651
18.8