I got into F1 this year. And I've been hooked. It's brilliant once you start to understand the rules and the details behind it. And there are a lot of rules and a lot of details. It's crazy shit.
I've been a fan of racing movies for a long time, but it wasn't til now that I made the leap from watching movies about LeMans and F1 to actually watching the races and following the teams. One of my co-workers told me to stop by his desk one morning. I did so, and he handed me this book. I immediately put it on deck and started reading it as soon as I could.
Burning Rubber is a great read. It charts motor racing's origin, pre-FI, and then takes the reader on a journey from the inception of the championship up until the 2009 season. It's comprehensive. Exciting. It's all the best bits from 1950 onwards, all rolled into one. Charles Jennings is witty. The book is obviously factual, but Charles doesn't mince about. He'll throw in his commentary, his opinions, and take his digs at people. I felt like his chapter on Senna was a bit nasty, though. Almost like he wanted to be contrarian to everyone who holds Senna on a pedestal. Expose some nasty bits or something. Anyway, it's one man's opinion. And it's a very entertaining opinion at that.
This is a fascinating read for anyone who considers themselves a petrolhead. Even if you've never watched an F1 race in your life...if you love cars and love going fast...read this book.
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