Haynes Publishing Group, world famous for its car and motorcycle manuals, also produces a huge variety of books on many other motoring, transport, family and DIY-related topics. Early in my career I approached Haynes with the suggestion that there was space in the market for a book providing advice for young drivers starting out in motor racing. This title was the result.
My book writing
Motor racing, whether approached as a sport or business, is complicated. Getting into a position to win races depends on many factors other than the driver’s ability. This means young drivers setting out in the sport have a lot to learn, and quickly, because roaring around in circles is very expensive. There are a number of entry-level single-seater formulae for drivers to choose from, but when this book was written Formula Ford was the universal choice.
Over the course of 128 pages and 36,000-words, my book drew on the wisdom and comments of specialist experts. After explaining the background and concept of Formula Ford as a relatively affordable route into motor racing, the book discusses how to target and retain the support of sponsors; the costs of racing and what to budget for during a season; the author’s first-hand experience of spending 10 days at a racing drivers’ school; setting-up a car and refining driving technique for optimum performance; the UK’s top ten circuits and how to drive them; Formula Ford design, with a chapter written by highly reputed racing car designer Adrian Reynard; and the various Formula Ford manufacturers, their backgrounds and philosophies. Appendices include a business directory providing useful contacts.
In the years since writing this book, it has been an occasional but delightful pleasure to be told by racing drivers that they read it as part of their induction into the sport.