Grand Prix Racers: Portraits of Speed [Hardcover]

Xavier Chimits (Author), Bernard Cahier (Photographer), Paul-Henri Cahier (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Portraits of Speed | Publication Date: May 15, 2008

The heroes of Grand Prix racing--Fangio, Jim Clark, Phil Hill, Bruce McLaren, Jackie Stewart, Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, and Michael Schumacher, to name but a few--are familiar to F1 fans. But would their faces and feats be so well known if not for the extraordinary efforts of the photographers who have captured their images in legendary fashion?

This book gives readers a look at Grand Prix racing’s top drivers by way of its top photographers, the father and son team of Bernard and Paul-Henri Cahier. Bernard Cahier began shooting F1 in 1952. In the late 1960s, he was joined by his son. Their images, reproduced here in all their brilliance, capture some of the most memorable, even legendary, moments in the history of Grand Prix racing.

These incomparable photographs comprise intimate portraits of seventy-two of the sports’ greatest drivers from the 1950s through today. Beautifully printed in rich black and white, the pictures treat readers to an encounter with the legendary racers of the Grand Prix that is at once remarkably fresh and historically rich.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“How do they do it at the price? ..this superbly produced picturebook  from the Cahier father-and-son team is a bargain in anyone’s language.” - Octane

“The Cahier images are worth the price of the book alone and Chimit’s profiles are icing on the cake. A book for the library of any diehard grand prix racing aficionado.” - Jeff Allison, Prancing Horse 

“What a spellbinding book this is! We could not put it down. This is a grand book which is a must even if you are not necessarily an F1 fan bout like to see what makes its characters tick.” - Jaguar Magazine

 

“Featuring portraits of 72 of F1’s greatest drivers, from the 1950s to the present day, the book is a memorable journey through the camera lens.” – Burton Mail

Review

"How do they do it at the price? ..this superbly produced picturebook from the Cahier father-and-son team is a bargain in anyone's language."

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks; 1st edition (May 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760334307
• ISBN-13: 978-0760334300
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 10.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #866,322 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Grand Prix Racers, June 21, 2008

By 

L. Carlson "LinC" (Jamestown, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grand Prix Racers: Portraits of Speed (Hardcover)

The photographs are wonderful, of course.

The bios on each driver are so informative. I was learning things I never knew and I have followed the sport of Formula One for over 40 years.

Didn't want it to end. Wish they could do another as there are so many more drivers that could be included.

5.0 out of 5 stars Racing Greats in Black and White, April 16, 2010

By 

Greality Test (Greeley,CO) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Grand Prix Racers: Portraits of Speed (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book for several reasons. The portraits of Grand Prix champions over the decades are worth the purchase price. The cover shot of a young Jack Brabham catches you, and then you are caught up in trying to recognize iconic faces from the recent and not so recent past. It features 72 F1 greats from the modern era, 1950-2007,grouped by personality characteristics. The action shots are also very iconic. A few examples are the Ferrari team on the banking at Monza 1961, racing through sand dunes and hay bales, etc. The photos are by Bernard Cahier and his son, Paul-Henri. The very informative descriptions of each driver are by Xavier Chimits.

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful portraits, January 20, 2009

By 

P. Manke (Illinois USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grand Prix Racers: Portraits of Speed (Hardcover)

The author does a wonderful job of creating a personal image of these Grand Prix Racers though a combination of historical facts and more significantly through personal antecdotes of their persona, lives, and character. These stories along with the striking photographs capture the essence of these drivers, and an insight into their triumphs, failures, and in many cases their deaths. Many unsung heros are featured such as Bellof, Courage, and even lessor knowns with but a few Grand Prix starts. A few fairly significant drivers such as Bandini, Barrichello, Depailler, Revson, Watson, and new champ Hamilton are left out, but the author's intentions are simply to create a portrait of Grand Prix racers from 1950 to 2007. And that he does! At around $25.00 on Amazon.com this book is a gem !!