Customer Reviews

The Technique of Motor Racing (Driving)

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The Technique of Motor Racing
by Piero Taruffi

Aloha,
Thirty years ago I was a driver for the "Jim Russell International Racing Driving School" out at Willow Springs, CA USA. One of the greatest times in my life. Jim Russell (JRS) at that time had schools simultaneously on five continents. We taught in so many languages that we did not have a textbook of our own. JRS was busy training movie stars and World Champions for Formula One Race Car Driving. JRS put students in single seaters from day one! We use to order Taruffi's by the case. It had been "The Book!" for over ten years and was very hard to find. I think Harry Morrow would get them for us from England. They would sell out every time. We could not keep them on the shelf.

I use the principles I learned every time I take to the road. I believe it has helped make me a safer and definitely faster better Motor Vehicle Driver. Probably contributed to my long life, considering I am in the habit of winning on or off the track.

For decades I did not see Taruffi at all. Sometimes I would pick them up in old bookstores. I am glad for the sake of all future drivers that someone has had the wisdom to keep Taruffi in publication. Just the fact that it is around after all these years should tell you something.

Even today, you will seldom see them sold used. You will never see them sold cheap. Many driving books are about the author. Some are about street driving. Taruffi is pure Racing!! How you can drive a car faster. The essence of driving. I do not see how things could have changed enough to invalidate anything Taruffi has had to say. Decide for yourself, you can always return it.

If you have read every book on Motor Racing ever published. You will find The Technique of Motor Racing not only has a lot to offer you. It may just be the most compact bit of Racing Knowledge you have ever found in one place.

Pass Um`
-ooO-(GoldTrader)-Ooo-

This book, first published in 1959, is mostly devoted to cornering, and this is the best publication about turns on flat surfaces with high adhesion, used in sport racing, and this information is still valid.

It has a pretty little chapter on physical training of a driver, with the schemes gymnastic exercises recommended for a motorist.

The details of driving position and handling of a steering wheel are mentioned, but not covered well enough.

Nevertheless, the cornering is explained fairly well, in 69 pages full of formulas, schemes and illustrations.

If you need a deeper text-book about fast and safe cornering, which is not only applicable to sport but also to driving on public road, and which covers slippery surfaces like ice, snow and dirt, I would have recommended a published work by Professor Tsygankov.

Signor Taruffi, a Civil Engineer, was one of the great race drivers of the 1950's. His engineering background gave him the precision in writing, as well as in driving. Charming, hand-drawn diagrams in this book make the well-written text even easier to grasp. There are plenty of photographs that show famous tracks and great drivers of the past. Oh and, Signora Taruffi's beautiful too....

One of the first books written on the "art and science" of auto racing and by far still one of the best. His comments still hold true today even with great advances in car technology. If you're interested in racing and/or high-performance driving, buy this book!

Taruffi's book is still the best beginner's book on motor racing despite its being decades old! As a former professional racing driver I can tell you that Taruffi presents the concepts a racer needs to master before getting into a car ... in fact, many driving schools use this book as a primary teaching text. Taruffi got it exactly right ... anyone who wants to race, or just do a better job of navigating the local twisty roads, should get this book and savor it

This is the definitive book on old style racing, with plenty of info good for driving today. I say old style, because, as far as I can see, cars don't drift around corners any more. That seems to have gone out with foils that increase weight on tires, and front- and all-wheel drives. But the info on braking, limits of adhesion, cornering apexes, and so on, are golden. I used the book to get a sports car racing license in the sixties.

A classic book providing a foundational treatment of driving technique and analysis, this title has been through more than a dozen printings and remains a relevant, and useful text. Much of what you read in books written fifty years later, was said here first. Clear and easy to understand, this is an important work in the history of describing the art of driving. Taruffi addresses all the foundational components....the driver and his/her preparation mentally and conditioning physically, the car, the track, and driving at the limits. There have been a lot of words put to paper by others to describe the same concepts, with less clarity and precision. Taruffi's observations on vehicle dynamics and driving line are as fresh and relevant today as they were when he was driving with Fangio, Ascari, Nuvolari and the other legends of his era. The treatment is friendly and approachable, even in the technical discussions of slide thrust and slip. The driving line diagrams are simple, and right on target. You don't need color pictures and high resolution graphics, when what you have to say and illustrate is so rock solid. There are plenty of additional details to learn or read about elsewhere, after you read this book (indeed there are entire books devoted to what he covers as a central essence in a single chapter), but there is nothing to read elsewhere that addresses core issues that this book omitted on basic techniques. You can read it, put it away, read a few other books on driving, and then a year later come back and pick it up, and read sections a third, fourth or fifth time with enjoyment and the benefit of being refreshed on fundamentals that we can all use.

What a superb book on motor racing. Mr.Taruffi excelled in giving facts & information on motor racing technique. With all the diagrams, charts & photos added, it makes this book a must for beginners in motor racing. Mr. Taruffi excelled marvellously on driving topics such as cornering, braking and even general advice relatively on motor racing. With his vast experiences in racing such as Mille Miglia & Grand Prix along with top drivers during the racing hayday such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Ascari, Farina and others, it makes him a truly proffesional author to write on this matter.

The timeless book which has taught hundreds of racing enthusiasts to exceed their expectations and conquer the race track. Although this book was originally written 40 years ago, there are few books which detail the techniques and concepts behind motor racing so clearly. This is definately a book that belongs on every true racing enthusiasts bookshelf.

The classic corner lines and driving technique discussed. I bought this book based on Niki Lauda's (F1 World Champion 1975, 1997) recommendation of it in one of his books.