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How to Build a Car  By  cover art

How to Build a Car

By: Adrian Newey
Narrated by: Richard Trinder
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Publisher's summary

The world's foremost designer in Formula One, Adrian Newey OBE is arguably one of Britain's greatest engineers and this is his fascinating, powerful memoir.

How to Build a Car explores the story of Adrian's unrivalled 35-year career in Formula One through the prism of the cars he has designed, the drivers he has worked alongside and the races in which he's been involved.

A true engineering genius, even in adolescence Adrian's thoughts naturally emerged in shape and form - he began sketching his own car designs at the age of 12 and took a welding course in his school summer holidays. From his early career in IndyCar racing and on to his unparalleled success in Formula One, we learn in comprehensive, engaging and highly entertaining detail how a car actually works. Adrian has designed for the likes of Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill, David Coulthard, Mika Hakkinen, Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, always with a shark-like purity of purpose: to make the car go faster. And while his career has been marked by unbelievable triumphs, there have also been deep tragedies: most notably Ayrton Senna's death during his time at Williams in 1994.

How to Build a Car encapsulates, through Adrian's remarkable life story, precisely what makes Formula One so thrilling - its potential for the total synchronicity of man and machine, the perfect combination of style, efficiency and speed.

©2017 Adrian Newey (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"The greatest Formula One designer of his - or any other - age." ( The Sunday Times)
"Newey has a legitimate claim on the title of 'Britain's greatest living engineer'." ( The Daily Telegraph)
"Adrian Newey has created more winners than all the super-brain computers in Formula One put together." ( The Times)

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Strangely served as an entertaining self help book

After endless autobiographies and F1 books, this book brings a fresh new feel. Even if you are not a diehard F1 fan I guarantee you will have hours of enjoyment.

This book appeals on so many levels!

The F1 fan:
Different to any other autobiography this really goes into the inner workings of the sport, FIA influence, teams, money, and surprisingly many developments Newey had his hands all over that are still used to this day

The Motorsport fan:
Any motorsport fan will love the technical detail this book goes into from an engineering point overview. It spans karting, sports cars, Indy, production road cars, motorbikes and ultimately F1

The Sport fan:
Watching the inner workings of high stakes, high budget international sporting series, complementary businesses, sporting psychology, international regulations and the birth of an unorthodox new kid on the block - energy drink company in F1

Self help book
Surprisingly Newey shares many experiences in his life, both from marriage, and fatherhood to troubles in school and believing in a vision. You get a sense on the ambition, hard work and dedication Newey has put into his craft and it leaves you inspired to approach your life with the same tenacity.

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Been a fan of his since the 90's

really enjoyed his book. not too technical that I couldn't understand but not completely dumbed down either I also enjoyed listening to his day-to-day experiences

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good audio for people interested on engineering

For a mechanical engineer student, it's a good audio for how he engineered his way from his senior project to working at Redbull and how he tell how F1 evolved over decades of innovation, ruled, and the sportmanship.

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Adrian Newey is what's great about F1

Adrian provides a remarkably entertaining window into his life as one of the lead technical geniuses in the sport. This book contains a wonderful blend of his life both on and off the track, without dummying down the content too much.

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Attn: Motorsport Fans

You will enjoy this book. The insight into what it takes to succeed in the Motorsport industry is fascinating. Adrian Newey has lived an interesting life and his retelling of old memories makes for an enjoyable read/listen.

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Entertaining and educational

What an excellent book! I am a big F1 fan but learned so much about the people, the races, and the technology. Wonderful

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Great book & great narration

Very cool book and the narration is great. Gives such an interesting perspective of F1 through Newey.

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Surprisingly Good!

Very interesting information about Formula 1 and automotive design wrapped up in a highly relatable biography.

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must for any F1 fan. Newey is a genius

It's great to understand what happened behind the scenes in formula 1. Also to see who is the real champion or the last few years

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what an interesting life, I never knew

technical savvy, competitive spirit, and tender humanity. these things describe the author's portrayal of the subject (himself). this was a pleasure to listen to.

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