Motorsport: Books - History, Cars, Technology and Circuits

Classic Grand Prix Cars - The Glorious Prehistory of Formula 1: 1906-1960

"Classic Grand Prix Cars" explores the origins and evolution of Grand Prix racing during the first half of the twentieth century. With a newly expanded introduction for this edition, Karl Ludvigsen's authoritative history describes the technical development of these powerful machines, decade by decade.
A former auto industry executive and award-winning author of dozens of books, including Classic Racing Engines, Ludvigsen is an expert guide to the cars, manufacturers and drivers who pioneered the sport that would become Formula 1.

Front engines dominated the top tier of motor racing from the first Grand Prix held in France in 1906 through most of the 1950s. Ludvigsen describes the conception and construction of these ground-breaking vehicles, spotlighting the many remarkable advances in chassis and engine technology that were made during Grand Prix racing's first few decades.
The final chapters of the book introduce the game-changing move to rear engines in Grand Prix cars after the Second World War.

Ludvigsen's thoroughly researched text is augmented with hundreds of archival photos, illustrations and blueprints along with color photos of many of these historic cars in action.
Lending further authority to his history are dozens of first-hand-accounts of early Grand Prix competitions as they appeared in the leading automotive journals of the day.
Karl Ludvigsen's celebration of the innovative early years of the Grand Prix car makes for fascinating reading as well as providing a lasting reference for all F1 fans with a sense of history.

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Formula III Racing in North America

This detailed illustrated history describes the emergence in North America of the 500cc displacement road racing cars known as FIIIs. The story begins with the first competition appearance of a FIII car in the U.S, and continues on right up to the current vintage racing scene.

Includes descriptions of the cars, courses, organizations and people involved. The vast differences in FIII racing on the east coast is contrasted with the west coast.
Appendices cover the FIII related organizations, information on the surviving cars and more. A highly informative read on a little known segment of road racing in North America.

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Endurance WEC - From Group C To Hybrid Prototypes

A unique work revealing to readers for the first time the aerodynamic evolution of the sports prototypes of the latest "Golden Age of Endurance Racing", those with hybrid powerplants. A painstaking exploration of the world of the enthralling sports prototypes, the cars developed from the Group C period - in the first half of the Eighties - through to the protagonists of the current WEC and ELMS championships.

Hundreds of colour drawings document the technical evolution of the covered wheel racing cars of the past 40 years. Cars of extraordinary appeal such as the Porsche 956s, the XJ series Jaguars, the Series C Mercedes, the Peugeot 905, through to the more recent Audis, great dominators of Le Mans in the 2000s, the Toyotas and the Porsches.
All this in a technical overview introduced by historical-regulatory contextualisation, indispensible for an understanding of a world that, in recent years, has featured even greater technical evolution and sporting excitement than Formula 1.

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Courses automobiles 1900-1914

From 1895, city-to-city car races allowed the first manufacturers to compete, but it was not until 1900 and the arrival of Gordon Bennett that official regulated events were held. During the first fifteen years of the 20th century, this sport would gain its letters of nobility and great popularity.
Spectators of the Belle Epoque saw increasingly high-performance and fast machines parading on the roads of France, engaging in fierce battles on all terrains.

What could be better than old postcards collected with passion by Jean-Pierre Rigouard to bring the great "Classics" back to life for us? Who remembers Théry, Nazzaro, Lautenschlager, Boillot, Bablot or Jenatzy, the "aces" of the wheel on the circuits of Mont Ventoux or Sarthe? Don't deny yourself the pleasure and admire these racing cars from another time as you round a tight bend!

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