Just $0.99/month for the first 3 months on Audible. Limited-time offer. Start now.
Limited-time Offer
Save over 90% off
$0.99
  • For a limited time, join Audible for only $0.99/mo for the first 3 months.
  • 1 bestseller or new release each month from our entire selection - yours to keep.
  • Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts & Audible Originals.
  • After 3 months, $14.95/mo. No commitment. Cancel online anytime.
Learn more about membership
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
Your audiobook is waiting!
  • One credit a month to pick any title from our entire premium selection to keep (you’ll use your first credit now).
  • Unlimited listening on select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts.
  • You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
  • $14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel online anytime.
Learn more about membership
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
List Price: $25.19
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible’s Conditions Of Use. and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.

The Formula: How Rogues, Geniuses, and Speed Freaks Reengineered F1 into the World's Fastest Growing Sport Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Joshua Robinson (Author), Jonathan Clegg (Author), Qarie Marshall (Narrator),
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 717 ratings
See all formats and editions

An NPR Best Book of 2024

A Sports Illustrated Best Book of 2024

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Wall Street Journal reporters and authors of The Club, Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg tell the riveting saga of how Formula 1 broke through in America, detailing the eclectic culture of racing obsessives, glamorous settings, gearheads, engineering geniuses, dashing racers, and bitter rivalries that have made F1 the world’s fastest growing sport.

For decades in America, car racing meant NASCAR, and to a lesser extent IndyCar, with Formula 1—the wealthiest racing league in the world—a distant third. Fast forward to 2023, and F1 has emerged at the front of the pack powered by a passionate yet nascent American fanbase. The F1 juggernaut has arrived, but this checkered flag was far from inevitable.

In The Formula, Wall Street Journal reporters Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg tell the epic story of how F1 saved itself from collapse and finally conquered America through guile, fearlessness, and above all, reinvention. With fast cars, big money, glamorous locales, and beautiful people as the backdrop, The Formula reveals how F1’s sudden arrival in the US was actually decades in the making, a product of the sport’s near-constant state of transformation and experimentation. Bringing unique insight and access to F1’s most storied teams and personalities—from Ferrari to Bernie Ecclestone to Christian Horner to Lewis Hamilton—The Formula offers a riveting portrait of the drivers, corporations, cars, rivalries, and audacious gambles that have shaped the sport for half a century.

The end result is a high-octane history of how modern F1 racing came to be—the first book to tell the story of the outrageous successes and spectacular crashes that led F1 to this extraordinary yet precarious moment. More than just a sports story, The Formula is the tale of a disrupter that broke into the crowded American sports marketplace and claimed its place through cash, personality, and a new understanding of what a sport needs to be in the age of wall-to-wall entertainment.

Previous slide of product details
  1. Listening Length
    10 hours and 40 minutes
  2. Author
    Joshua Robinson, see all
  3. Narrator
    Qarie Marshall
  4. Audible release date
    March 12, 2024
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    HarperAudio
  7. ASIN
    B0C82M7ZS9
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
Next slide of product details

Read & Listen

Switch between reading the Kindle book & listening to the Audible audiobook with Whispersync for Voice.
Get the Audible audiobook for the reduced price of $12.99 after you buy the Kindle book.
$0.99/month for the first 3 months
For a limited time, save 90% on Audible. Get this deal

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
717 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book informative and well-researched. They describe it as an easy read with interesting insights and anecdotes. The book provides a behind-the-scenes view of Formula 1's history.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
Information qualityReadabilityStory quality
10 customers mention "Information quality"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and well-researched. They say it's a good introduction for new fans of Formula 1 and covers the history and current status without going deep into detail. The book is described as the best book about F1's history ever written.

"The book does a wonderful job of being a very easily digestible history of Formula 1...." Read more

"This is a great read for long-time and new fans of Formula One racing. I purchased one for myself and then three more as gifts to family and friends." Read more

"...Very well researched." Read more

"Easy to read, informative, this is the perfect book for any F1 newbies. I’m amazed how far this sport has evolved over the years." Read more

10 customers mention "Readability"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They describe it as an interesting account of Formula 1 through the years. The story is well-told, though it lacks depth.

"...place on and off the track and can vouch for the accuracy of this marvellous book...." Read more

"This is a great read for long-time and new fans of Formula One racing. I purchased one for myself and then three more as gifts to family and friends." Read more

"This was a great fun and easy read and gave me an interesting behind the scenes view of the transition into the Bernie era and out...." Read more

"Easy to read, informative, this is the perfect book for any F1 newbies. I’m amazed how far this sport has evolved over the years." Read more

5 customers mention "Story quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story's quality. They find it interesting with insights and anecdotes about the drivers and engineering. The book provides a behind-the-scenes view of the transition.

"...But what I enjoyed the most was the detail of these events as told by the authors. Brilliant. 🍾🥂🏆🥇⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐..." Read more

"This was a great fun and easy read and gave me an interesting behind the scenes view of the transition into the Bernie era and out...." Read more

"...Some interesting stories about some of the drivers and some of the more controversial engineering choices. All in all, I would recommend." Read more

"Fantastic story and perfectly told. Whether you're obsessed with F1 or don't know a thing about it, you won't be able to put this down." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Wise Guy
    5.0 out of 5 stars The best F1 book ever written.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I have been following F1 since 1965, scrambling to get a BBC commentary over the static of my radio then. Today we enjoy watching the races in the comfort of our homes. What a miracle.
    Over the years I have closely followed all the drama that took place on and off the track and can vouch for the accuracy of this marvellous book. But what I enjoyed the most was the detail of these events as told by the authors. Brilliant. 🍾🥂🏆🥇⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Helpful
     Report
  • mook201
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, glaring errors.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    The book does a wonderful job of being a very easily digestible history of Formula 1. I think it would be a great way for new fans to get up to speed if they’re interested.

    For those who are already familiar with the history, some errors will really jump out. The book refers to the ‘76 title decider as happening in Suzuka, when it really happened in Fuji. It talks about Alonso’s two world titles with Benetton, but they were actually with Renault. Finally it introduces Valtteri Bottas as an Estonian driver, but he’s Finnish.
    15 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • pryor555
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, & very well written
    Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is a great read for long-time and new fans of Formula One racing. I purchased one for myself and then three more as gifts to family and friends.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Chris Steussy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This was a great fun and easy read and gave me an interesting behind the scenes view of the transition into the Bernie era and out. Very well researched.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Mark Kim
    5.0 out of 5 stars The best book about F1’s history
    Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Easy to read, informative, this is the perfect book for any F1 newbies. I’m amazed how far this sport has evolved over the years.
    Helpful
     Report
  • John Hoskins
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, easy read, not an in-depth history, but still entertaining.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Just finished "The Formula" by Robinson and Clegg.
    I found it a pretty easy read, and full of interesting insights and anecdotes. Spends a lot of time on the business side, detailing how Ecclestone took F1 from a bunch of squabbling teams and tracks to the powerhouse it is now (and made a mint while doing it). Some interesting stories about some of the drivers and some of the more controversial engineering choices.
    All in all, I would recommend.
    5 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • John T Blazys
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great story
    Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Wonderfully covers the history and current status of formula 1 without going deep into the individual drivers. Focus is how the sport has evolved from garage mechanics to the the now current international business.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • slobob5
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great if you are a formula 1 fan
    Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Interesting history of formula 1
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • MAXTHEAX
    5.0 out of 5 stars Follow the Money
    Reviewed in Canada on December 28, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Every business has skeletons in the closet. This book fairly reveals the dark side of F1 and is a good read for anyone interested in F1 and racing in general.
    Report
  • Coffee please
    5.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A very well written and enjoyable history of f1 right to the present day. Even as a fan for years I learnt a lot
    Report
  • B. Kaufmann
    5.0 out of 5 stars If you are watching F1, this is the book for you
    Reviewed in Germany on September 14, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Easy and fun to read with tons of background information on how Formula one changed over the course of the last 70 years. Definitely recommended for every F1 follower to read.
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    2.0 out of 5 stars A book for the DTS generation
    Reviewed in Australia on September 25, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I have followed F1 since the sixties and was bored stiff while reading this book. If you have become a fan over the last few years enjoy.
    Us older enthusiasts should rub grit in our eyes and go to sleep. It's a quicker and cheaper way to achieve the same outcome.
    Report
  • nick wilson
    4.0 out of 5 stars interesting appraisal of Formula 1 from American eyes
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    F1 is now owned by Liberty ex USA.
    This book details the history to popularize / simplify for the Yoof generation.
    Report