Passion on Wheels: The Best Books About Cars
Since their beginnings in the 17th century, cars have evolved greatly, from the first internal combustion engine to acclaimed luxury models, manufactured in small numbers and sold by the millions.
The history, manufacturing, engineering, manufacturers and cases of driving enthusiasts are simply wonderful.Fortunately, there's a wide selection of texts covering this topic, including biographies, novels, historical volumes, and materials focused on applied sciences. If you want to learn everything about this world, here's our list of the best books about cars.
Best books about cars
Simracing 101: A Basic Guide to Virtual Racing (2020), by Gonzalo Cámara
This book is presented as an alternative for those who enjoy automotive simulation. Written by professional Mercedes AMG driver and member of the prestigious Team Redline simracing team, Dani Juncadella, the material offers a comprehensive guide for fans of the sport from a more intimate and personal perspective than other similar texts.
The author also covers topics such as the fundamentals of real-life motorsports, adapting them to the simulation environment, and providing practical advice on driving techniques, mental preparation, simulator setup, and strategies for progressing in virtual competition. Far from promising magic solutions, The guide focuses on building a solid foundation of knowledge and habits to achieve constant improvement.
The mysteries of Ayrton Senna (2016), by Carlos Castella
The best way to talk about this book is through its protagonist: Ayrton Senn, the best race car driver of his time and one of the greatest in history. This is an essay about his career, his way of driving, his private struggles with other drivers and all the events that arose around his tragic death, a death that marked the world of motorsports.
However, this essay is, at the same time, an attempt to pierce the veil of mysteries surrounding Senna's life, such as his religious tendencies, his romantic relationships, his lack of scruples, and why the media always tries to hide his less edifying behavior. Faced with these questions, The author Carlos Castella, who coincided with him in karting and Formula 1, ventures to make a reflection.
How to make a car (2019), by Adrian Newey
This book is a fascinating journey through the manufacturing of a racing car, chronicling the incredible career of Adrian Newey, the most prestigious designer in the history of the sport, from his beginnings in IndyCar to his undeniable success in Formula 1. Throughout his life, he created cars for drivers such as Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Mika Häkkinen, Mark Webber or Sebastian Vettel.
The book explores the technical aspects of racing car design and operation, and also reveals Newey's motivations, challenges, and personal reflections throughout his career. From his childhood, marked by a passion for cars and engineering, to the most significant and complex moments of his professional life, including Ayrton Senna's tragic accident in 1994, Newey provides readers with an honest and detailed narrative.
Himoinsa team: the red of the Dakar (2018), by Víctor Lillo Martínez and Sergio Y Vázquez Conde
This is a chronicle of the private Spanish team that challenged the world's biggest brands in the Dakar Rally. The work is composed of vivid stories and testimonies from the protagonists themselves., which offers readers a privileged look at the challenges, triumphs, and spirit of camaraderie that defined the Himoinsa Team during its three years of existence.
Similarly, the authors, one from an insider's perspective and the other as a journalist covering the team's career, present a collection of stories that highlight the passion and collective effort that led the team to reach the podium in 2017, with Gerard Farrés achieving third place. This volume is a tribute to determination and teamwork.
The Crazy Drivers. Volume I (2015), by José Manuel Zapico Cano
This is a collection of stories and anecdotes that reveal the most human side of Spanish motorsport between 1963 and 1998. The stories are told by drivers, engineers, mechanics, and other key figures in the paddock. In this sense, The text becomes one of those hidden treasures that are rarely exposed or transcend more traditional media.
From curious incidents, such as Ayrton Senna and Bernie Ecclestone's "foreign" passage through London customs, to lesser-known details about figures such as Joan Villadelprat and Fernando Alonso, The book immerses the reader in secrets and moments that reveal the essence of the motor world in Spain.
The man who invented Formula 1: The secret history of Bernie Ecclestone (2012), by Tom Bower
Bernie Eccleston, the great Formula 1 magnate, has been described on more than one occasion as a mysterious, elusive, even sinister man. Consequently, Many people have wondered what Ecclestone is really like in his private life.How did he go from being a simple car salesman to becoming a jet-riding, celebrity-loving billionaire?
Sports heroes, heads of government, and even royalty have coexisted around this man. So it's no wonder his figure generates so much curiosity. Ecclestone's name is also synonymous with marriages of convenience., race fixing and corruption, which is why Tom Bower's book is so interesting.
What I Learned Until I Was 30: My Secrets to Success in Anything You Do (2018), by Jorge Lorenzo Guerrero
It is a work by Spanish pilot Jorge Lorenzo Guerrero, in which he shares the lessons and experiences accumulated during his first three decades of life. Across 256 pages, Lorenzo offers practical advice and reflections on personal development., the importance of visualizing success and intelligent management of economic achievements.
The book is structured into chapters that address various aspects of the author's life and career, including personal anecdotes and experiences that illustrate how he has faced challenges and consistently worked to achieve his goals. Lorenzo emphasizes the importance of discipline, sacrifice and determination in achieving success., highlighting that nothing happens by chance.
