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Steve Matchett was the rear jack man in the Benetton pit lane team, and was himself engulfed in the terrible fire at Hockenheim. In Life in the Fast Lane he reveals the full, inside story of the 1994 season, including the death of Ayrton Senna, the Hockenheim fire, and disqualifications as the Benetton and Williams teams battled for the Drivers' Championship. The final showdown came in Adelaide, the last race of the season, with the controversial accident when Schumacher of Benetton and Hill of Williams collided. Matchett's story of the frantic and unending behind-the-scenes activity in the effort to be the fastest and best in the world is a fascinating account of the high-pressure world of Formula One motor racing.
A fascinating insider's look at life behind-the-scenes at Formula One. 'An essential read' AUTOSPORT 'A must for the real inside story' FORMULA 1 RACING 'Recommended for anyone interested in F1 on the inside' MOTORING NEWS Formula One Grand Prix mechanic Steve Matchett takes the reader on a compelling journey through his life in the pit-lane, from his beginnings as a young apprentice, through his time at Ferrari and BMW to his later success with Benetton. He gives eye-witness views of the great drivers, including Michael Schumacher, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna. He also talks of key Benetton personalities, and explains how the team was transformed into a strong, competitive organisation, winning three World Championships. His determination and frustration in trying - and eventually succeeding - to break into the high-pressure world of Formula One leaps off the page.
Former F1 mechanic turned TV broadcaster Steve Matchett is trapped overnight in New York, in a fogbound JFK Airport with some fellow motor racing enthusiasts. With no sign of the fog letting up and a long twelve hours to get through, talk inevitably turns to Formula 1. During the course of the night, and fuelled by regular trips to the departure lounge bar, the three protagonists, drawing upon Matchett's encyclopaedic knowledge of life in the F1 pit lane, decide to piece together the perfect Formula 1 Grand Prix car... Starting with the monocoque (or chassis) and moving through the engine type, gearbox, exhaust, suspension and aerodynamics etc, no bolt is left unexamined in Matchett's comprehensive and detailed, technical expose of the inner workings of the fastest cars on the planet. In straightforward, clear and concise language, Matchett explains how the F1 teams have arrived at their current state-of-the-art designs; how, exactly, a Formula 1 car is put together.
Meet Marc 'Elvis' Priestley: the former number-one McLaren mechanic, and the brains behind some of Formula One's greatest ever drivers. Revealing the most outrageous secrets and fiercest rivalries, The Mechanic follows Priestley as he travels the world working in the high-octane atmosphere of the F1 pit lane. While the spotlight is most often on the superstar drivers, the mechanics are the guys who make every World Champion, and any mistakes can have critical consequences. However, these highly skilled engineers don't just fine-tune machinery and crunch data through high-spec computers. These boys can seriously let their hair down. Whether it's partying on luxury yachts or gravity-defying photos aboard aeroplanes, this is a world which thrills on and off the track. This is Formula One, but not like you've seen it before.
This special souvenir edition of Steve Matchett's highly acclaimed story, Always Ferrari - a work first published under the Italian title of Sempre Ferrari, in his book of short stories These Desired Things - is a volume sure to delight. The text of the story is presented here exactly as the author delivers the work during a live performance event - the larger (11x8.5) pages typeset for ease of reading; the story divided into three distinct acts, this allowing for timed pauses between the stanzas. The story itself is a deeply touching tale: Steve Matchett sitting back in a moment of calm reflection, the erstwhile grand prix mechanic, current Formula 1 author and broadcaster recalling some of his many visits to Maranello; those special dinners with friends and former colleagues who have lived and worked in this truly magical place. Made available for under six dollars, this attractive volume offers exceptional value - the perfect gift for any enthusiast of the legendary Ferrari marque, and for all fans of Steve Matchett's compelling, always insightful writing.
Kid's Box Second edition is a seven-level course and authentic preparation material for the Cambridge English Qualifications for young learners. The fun course for seriously good results! This seven-level course delights children and inspires teachers with its bright ideas for the classroom. Perfect for general use Kid's Box Second edition is now updated with new vocabulary and activities so that it fully covers the syllabus of the revised Cambridge English: Young Learners tests. The Pupil's Book 5 presents and practises new language through amusing stories and fantastic activities to give children an enjoyable and confident start to learning English.
These Desired Things, Steve Matchett's much anticipated fourth book, is a stimulating, philosophical offering; a tour de force in creative writing. Although, defining the book's genre seems largely superfluous, for its immersive, lyrical text is part fiction, part memoire, part autobiography. Complete with a suitably insightful foreword by Manish Pandey (writer of SENNA - the movie) and with its chapters illustrated throughout by the visually enthralling artwork of Renée French, Matchett's new book is both engaging and exceptionally pleasing on the eye.The chapters of the work are presented as a collection of eleven short stories: all of them varying in their individual plots, their setting...
Leading F1 journalist David Tremayne unravels the mysteries of modern Grand Prix car design. The authoritative, extensively illustrated text explains just how an F1 car works, and this revised and updated third edition includes new material about the rules changes introduced for the 2009 season. The philosophy and technology behind the chassis, engine, transmission, electronics, steering, suspension, brakes, tires and aerodynamics are analyzed, and the important question of how these parts and systems interact is explored. This is an absorbing insight into the secretive and technology-driven world of racing car design at its highest level.
LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018 This is my life, not the stuff you've seen, but the things you haven't. This is my childhood growing up in the West Country, my struggles, my doubts and my hopes. It's the people I've met in my seventeen years in Formula One, many of whom I've loved, some of whom I definitely haven't. It's the laughs I've shared, the battles I've fought, some on the track with rivals and friends like Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. It's the pressure I struggled with as I closed in on my World Championship in 2009, it's the calm I felt every time I settled into the cockpit. It's my dad - the many times he saved me, the one moment he doubted me, the hole in my life he left me. It's everything in one go, the good days as well as the bad. A life lived not just as a racing driver but, ultimately, as a human being.
From Ross Brawn—one of the most successful figures in Formula One auto racing—comes a compelling insider’s account of what it takes to win, featuring practical advice for overcoming obstacles and becoming a champion both on and off the racetrack. Formula One racing is a wildly popular global sport with millions of fans and billions more engineering dollars at stake. For four decades, Ross Brawn has been one of the most innovative technical directors and team principals in the high-stakes world of Formula One. He is considered the most successful competitor in the history of Formula One to date, and “the closest thing there is to a certifiable genius” (The Wall Street Journal). Lead...