Customer Reviews

Technology of the F1 Car (Autocourse Technical Series, No. 1)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Excellent informative color photos throughout. First chapter on chassis engineering highly enlightening. Provides insight into forces behind continuing car design advancements and rules changes. Very easy reading. Prefer greater engineering aspects yet the book is still informative.

When first started my search looking for resources that better talk about "the inside story" of why F1 cars are constantly faster and more maneuverable, I found this title. Personally never thought it would give me more than I already knew on this issue, but this material gets you truly into what you ever wanted to know, giving you something extra. It tells you about many of the key elements to establish a competitive F1 car, in a very understandable manner, starting with the chassis conception and construction through the cockpit environment. Also taking care of the aerodynamics, engines, brakes, transmissions, suspension, wheels and tires, giving you also a great idea of which and why every chassis must take crash testing too, as an increasingly important issue for the FIA. However, it doesn't comply with the latest technology, because it reviews 97 & 98 seasons with its technology elements, but pretty much gives you the picture. I found great value added items, the many pictures used are all in great color and related to the topic of the section, the great quality on the printed materials, and the text was very good linked within itself. If you're looking for a bibliography about open wheel racing technology, and not so complicated, you should consider this book.

Not an eye - opening book, but had lots of information packed into a small book. Would recomend it for someone who wants to learn more about the sport. I would have liked more information about the workings of F1 engines and transmissions, but the other sections packed in a lot of informaton some of which I had no idea about (like the crash testing that is preformed).

I bought the book a week after it came on sale (back in 1998) and after reading it I found out that it is basiclly a copy of another book written back in 1993 about the BMS Lola Team. Sincerly I would recomend "The Modern Formula 1 Car: From Drawing Board to Racetrack" this is the book that was written in 1993....it looks a little bit more into the construction fase of a Formula 1 car and also looks at every major technical aspect of the F1 car....like T"Technology of the F1 car"

Although I love F1 racing and cars in general, I do have my issues with tech books, because most of them are simply unreadable. Nigel McKnight does a very good job, though. This is a superbly readable guide through the heart of F1 technology and while this sport technologically evolves so incredibly fast that it is hard to publish on it in a book format, this book gives you a solid background, even though the technology discussed in it is now outdated by about 4 years. F1 technology is a lot about design and engineering concepts that are evolving with the ever-changing rule-environment and challenges created by the sport's governing body, the FIA, and this book gets you into these concepts and the minds of the best designers in the sport.
I hope an updated version of this book will be available soon!

Interesting book. Not quite up to the usual Autocourse standards. Biggest problem is that the technology race is so fast in F1 that the book was out of date as soon as it was published!

I ordered a book, chose the least expensive used one, but to my surprise it was in perfect condition and everything I had hoped for. I am very pleased with the seller and the purchase and will continue to do business with Amazon since I have never been let down, I'm always completelty satisfied.

By Modern Formula 1 race car it covers the area alot better
Joe

But it is hard to keep up with it in books. My first indication that this book wasn't going to be great was the picture of West McLaren's car on the cover. Much of the information presented is worth the read - even more so if you have some mechanical or engineering background - as well as some knowledge of technology itself (for example, I believe that McLaren? is moving to an OS written by Sun Microsystems)- but it is not a prerequisite as Nigel McKnight has written the book in a manner that should be understandable for all to enjoy. Before I read this book, I would read a book on suspension systems and traction control, chassis, and whatever you can find on engines - I say this because these are some of the components of the car controlled by technology and computers. Not only is keeping up with technology difficult - but most of what the teams do is proprietary and very, very, guarded secrets. All in all, I tip my "Williams" hat to Nigel McKnight.