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Formula 1: Drive to Survive

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Odhaľte zaujímavosti zo zákulisia mimoriadne obľúbeného seriálu

Ani jeden dokumentárny seriál nevyvolal taký záujem nových fanúšikov o pilotov F1 a ich športové odvetvie ako seriál Netflixu Formula 1: Drive to Survive. Či už ste nováčikom alebo dlhoročným fanúšikom F1, Stuart Codling vás prevedie zákulisím F1, zoznámi s minulosťou i prítomnosťou ultramodernej technológie, so stratégiami tímov, multimiliardovým biznisom, legendárnymi okruhmi a špičkovými jazdcami od Fangia a Mossa až po Hamiltona a Verstappena.

Súčasťou knihy sú fotografie z pretekov, zo zákulisia a odkazy na konkrétne série a epizódy seriálu. Výsledkom je vizuálne pútavá publikácia, ktorá je nielen sprievodcom populárnym TV seriálom, ale aj atraktívnym obrazom najpopulárnejšieho odvetvia motošportu na svete.

192 pages, Hardcover

Published February 28, 2024

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86 people want to read

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Stuart Codling

36 books12 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Mai H..
1,368 reviews810 followers
March 18, 2025
While the majority of the technical engineering terms went over my head, overall I'd say I enjoyed this. I went to my first F1 race in 2019 because a friend's boyfriend dragged her, so she dragged me. I chose a team based on driver attractiveness. It's fine.

Fast forward to the pandemic. My sister and I got very into FORMULA 1: DRIVE TO SURVIVE. Clearly I grew up, because we have moved on from driver attractiveness to team principal attractiveness.

Anyway, this is great for the casual fan that wants to learn more about the history of F1, famous historical drivers and the like. I need to catch up on the latest season. Who is your favorite driver? Team? Team principal?

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Motorbooks
Profile Image for Kole.
921 reviews9 followers
April 3, 2023
I love F1, and I love Drive to Survive, so obviously I had to snag this book on NetGalley to read.

I wasn't sure what to expect since it's the unofficial companion to DTS but it gives quite a bit of F1 background as well. I really enjoyed the section that focuses on the different cars throughout the sport...which isn't in Drive to Survive.

This is a great companion book to the show but also a great high level overview of the sport which is great for anyone that's getting into it. Want to understand the cars better? Or the history of the drivers? The race locations? What each person on the team is called? This is a great option.

I did think it the beginning started a bit rough - the descriptions seemed a little juvenile? Where I started to read and thought, uh-oh, I think this is going to be full of not knowing what they're talking about and opinions, but I think it was just a poorly written paragraph/page and then it got a little better as we went into the sport and the different aspects of it.

I would buy this as a coffee table book or as a gift for another F1 fan.
Profile Image for Rebecca Louise.
202 reviews3 followers
May 29, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

As a F1 fan, I found this book very interesting and enjoyed it from start to finish. A lot of new knowledge was gained from this book. The photographs that went with the text also heightened the reading experience.

My only critique is that I did not enjoy the technical aspect of reading this book on my phone, however this would not be an issue if I was reading the book in a physical format.
Profile Image for Lyndsay.
637 reviews
May 24, 2023
This book is definitely a companion to Drive to Survive in that it provides some interesting behind-the-scenes details about the world of F1, digging a bit deeper into the technical aspects and history of the sport that you don't receive in the Netflix docu-series.

Sincere thanks to Quarto Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Carole at From My Carolina Home.
364 reviews
March 31, 2023
The Formula 1 Drive to Survive Unofficial Companion is a well written guide to understanding the world of Formula 1 racing. Beginning with a detailed explanation of the principal jobs in each organization, the author takes the reader step by step into how teams function. Reading the back stories behind the infamous rivalry of Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and Red Bull’s Christian Horner was fascinating. Chapter 2 details the history of Formula 1 racing, including the woeful lack of protective equipment in the early days. Famous drivers from the past like Jan Manuel Fangio are featured, along with the evolution of racing engines and design by manufacturer. The book then covers the extraordinary technology of aerodynamics, and engine power evolution. Racing circuits are shown for all the major racing venues, including some history and some that are no longer being used. The governing body is featured with the process of making rules for all the teams to follow, and those that push those limits, bending the rules to the breaking point. Subsequent chapters discuss the role of money in financing and influence in the sport, technological data, tires and strategy. Throughout the book are extraordinary candid and action photographs that would alone make the book a must-have for the Formula 1 enthusiast. My only quibble is the book ends a bit abruptly, and I would have liked to see another chapter bringing all the information together in some way, or looking to the future. Overall, highly recommend for the die-hard racing fan, and a great book for the casual fan who would enjoy the races more by understanding the teams and personalities behind the scenes. You can pre-order it with the Amazon affiliate link – https://amzn.to/3TSHU3q . Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Lyndsay Durbin.
751 reviews1 follower
April 27, 2023
This F1 Drive to Survive Unofficial Companion was a great piece of work for newer F1 fans as well as providing more technical pieces and personnel definitions that the average seasoned F1 fan may not be as familiar with.

I personally started watching the 2021 season and started because my brother got me into it. My actual Drive to Survive knowledge has been minimal. I’ve watched a handful of episodes across the various seasons so I’m familiar with a lot of the dramatizations that are generally portrayed throughout.

I thought the author did a great job of referencing specifics moments in specific episodes of the show, to give readers a place to see the moment being described or to get more information. But there was definitely no requirement to have watched the show to follow along.

As a relatively newer fan I am certainly more familiar with the more recent cast of characters so I found the most fascinating parts of this book to be the ones more so about the history. The section called “High-Speed Art” definitely provided some of the most new-to-me information and had some incredible pictures to go along with it. I also really enjoyed the “Science of Speed” section talking more about the technical aspects because as much as I can follow along with the various components and concepts, the specifics were great to give me more information.
Profile Image for Megan Hawley Steinfeld.
372 reviews13 followers
April 8, 2023
There is a vocal contingent of long term F1 fans who think the sport has a Drive to Survive problem: new fans who know the drama-forward details of the more recent seasons, but with less appreciation for the history and nuance. This guide to F1 tries to bridge that gap by using the context of Drive to Survive to paint a broader and more detailed picture of the world of F1.

Overall, it was a great entry point to the history, personalities, and nuance of the sport. I was skeptical of the direct DTS tie in at the start - some of the connections felt forced in and unnecessary where a non-tie in guide to F1 would have felt more natural - but it became a useful guidepost. It was helpful to the narrative because it assumes a base knowledge, but can navigate the gaps left by familiarity based on DTS coverage rather than following a season along race by race.

This gives the opportunity to call attention to the errors and inconsistencies of the docudrama, or nuance it just doesn’t have time to get into, while also providing the context for what the show offers and why it exists at all. Overall, I felt like it adeptly navigated providing interesting and useful content to fans both new and old.
Profile Image for Carmen.
379 reviews36 followers
April 13, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book.

There’s a lack of introduction (even though it’s in the table of contents) and conclusion. The book abruptly begins and ends which threw me through a loop.

Even though the book is marketed as a Drive to Survive unofficial companion, it really doesn’t need it. The book is organized and delivered in an easily digestible way (except for the engineering part but that may be me). You get historical background, some key figures (some of which should have had more written about it), some key moments (once more, some of which should have more written about it), and gorgeous photography. Ultimately, it doesn’t need to associate with Drive to Survive because that’s going to turn some potential readers away from it. The dislike of the series is big in the F1 viewer community so I can see those who would otherwise enjoy this book, turn their backs on it. The book works for a newer F1 fan who wants to learn more about the sport without having to do hours and hours of research.

If you’re going to get a copy of this book, I would suggest a hard copy over an ebook. The photographs on every page look fine in an ebook, but you can’t get the full effect in that format.
Profile Image for Tia.
123 reviews9 followers
May 20, 2023
This book provides a detailed background into F1, including the important personnel in the team, history of the sport, circuits etc that would be ideally suited for new fans to the sport.

A downside is that some of the linkages to DTS were very awkward and ruined the flow. An example is the reference to Yuki meeting Noel Carrol and being confused by his dish didn’t add anything to the explanation of a physio and felt like it was just added as a way to fill up space on the page.

A positive is that the images were fantastic and always relevant to what is being explained on the page.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.
Profile Image for Lovely Loveday.
2,885 reviews
Read
May 22, 2023
The Formula 1 Drive to Survive Unofficial Companion delves into the stars, strategy, technology, and history of F1, providing a comprehensive guide to the world of Formula 1 racing. With its engaging writing style and stunning photography, this companion book is a pleasure to read. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just starting to explore the world of F1, you'll find something to enjoy in this book. From the early days of F1 to the latest technological advancements, The Formula 1 Drive to Survive Unofficial Companion covers it all. You'll learn about the greatest drivers in F1 history, the most iconic races, and the strategies that have led to victory on the track.
Profile Image for kiki ✨.
65 reviews2 followers
July 17, 2025
rating: 4 ✶

this was a nice book for mapping formula 1. the chapters seemed well-equipped for both fans and complete beginners. i found several spelling mistakes here, and in one photo they even passed lewis off as a red bull driver (in the czech version), but otherwise it was good and well-written (clear that it was really written by a person from the industry).

there were also so many names that i almost immediately started to get lost. i probably enjoyed the "gossip from behind the scenes", interesting facts about the drivers or when the author discussed important careers the most. 20 unique cars in the history of f1 was also a very interesting topic.
Profile Image for Lea .
330 reviews1 follower
May 26, 2023
I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is a good coffee table book if you want one. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but coffee table book is the only thing I can think of to describe it. It's mostly pictures (very good high quality pictures) with little blurbs about the racers and the cars. I was hoping for maybe something a little more in depth than what it was. I think anyone that is a fan of F1 would probably like this, especially kids or people that want to see more pictures than anything.
Profile Image for Melissa.
3 reviews3 followers
July 12, 2023
Although I love Drive to Survive, I felt like I was missing out on a lot of vital information about the sport and the history. This companion really helped me fill in the gaps. All my questions were answered. I also really appreciated that this is geared specifically towards fans of the show, since this is how I got into F1 in the first place. I got another F1 book that wasn't as user friendly as this one was. Totally recommend if you're looking to learn more about the sport!
Profile Image for Marietere T.
1,635 reviews22 followers
March 31, 2023
As an avid f1 fan for many years, I alway like to pick these up on netgalley. It's all for laughs and to refresh my memory on things that slip my mind about F1 since there is always so much going on.

It was a fun read with information. Did I need a whole chapter reminiscing on what happened on the last race in 2012? NO, but alas, it is what it is.
Profile Image for Jorge Padilla.
146 reviews1 follower
February 9, 2025
A very useful guide to viewers of the Netflix show F1 Drive to Survive, with detailed explanations about how things work at the races, beyond what is shown in the TV series. The book includes plenty of historical references and beautiful photos of cars, circuits and the protagonists of the greatest show on Earth.
Profile Image for Randal White.
1,037 reviews96 followers
June 7, 2023
While I am a big auto racing fan, I have to admit that I knew very, very little about Formula 1 racing. Thanks to this book, that has begun to change. Easily readable, lots of information, and just plain interesting! I am now going to watch the Netflix series and hopefully learn even more!
347 reviews3 followers
August 26, 2023
If you watched the TV series then this is a well worthwhile addition. There's lots of interesting information in here even if it still leaves gaps. It adds a lot of detail that the TV glosses over and shows up where they have over dramatised.
Profile Image for Jamie.
48 reviews
August 28, 2024
loved all the big pictures that showcased Formula One’s rich history, but the text in this book was soooooo small. i really wish it was bigger because i found it a bit hard to read. few spelling mistakes here and there too.
3 reviews
September 1, 2024
Excellent insight for those wanting to learn more about F1 coupled with beautiful photography. Various topics are covered; general history of F1, technical innovations, scandals, information about team members behind the scenes and the impact of seemingly small details.
Profile Image for ashley ⋆.
137 reviews4 followers
May 17, 2023
Thank you to Stuart Codling and Motorbooks for this ARC!

this is the perfect book for those who are new to Formula 1! It has the perfect mix of current and old for both long-time fans and new fans of F1.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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