How to Build a Car

By: Adrian Newey

Narrated by: Richard Trinder

Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins

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.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©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)

A Must for any F1 or racing fan

Adrian’s name is synonymous with championships across Indy and primarily F1. What I didn’t know is the entire story behind this extraordinary man. Well he is not. He is just a guy with a passion and a vision. I loved every chapter of this book. Especially all the F1 anecdotes from his career. Those have me a new perspective on a lot of events I’ve observed as an ignorant fan :)

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A Must- read for anyone who has an interest in car

could not put it down til the end! Totally engrossing- an incredibly technical story told in a feeling and straight forward way by one of the giants of his field!

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.

if you like f1 or you're a gear head this is great

Adrian tells a great story through his builds and the experiences and characters he meets along the way. Would highly recommend this to anyone with F1 interests.

BEST BOOK EVER!

This is one of the best books I’ve ever heard before! Great for people who are very enthusiastic about motorsport racing. This book has lead me to what field of business I want to work in and he explained it so well. Get this book if you definitely like the thrill of racing and engineering!

Great book for the modern F1 enthusiast!

Fascinating look into the design, production, and racing of some of the most exciting formula 1 cars of the last two decades.

Awesome

I've always loved F1 and the cars. Having the engineers perspective and insight on the whole scene was great. As an aspiring engineer his story was very inspiring.

A must read for all petrol heads!

An engineering life well lived and a story very well told! Kept me riveted while not being too technical. I utilized the audiobook and the hours turned to minutes as the reader was pleasant and the story was captivating. Enjoy!

Story of man and his passions

As a life long fan of motor racing of all kinds and a relatively newer fan of Formula 1, this narrative was a fantastic way to deliver the parallels of life and Motorsport. I would highly recommend this to anyone, regardless of if they liked Motorsport or not. Newey is a fascinating man and his story is worth listening too.

Detailed and Insightful

Awesome read for all petrol heads.
Current cars are 1.6 L in displacement not 1.5...plz fix it.

So much better than you think it will be!

Don't worry it's not too technical.
Funny, entertaining, fascinating, historical, nostalgic. A must listen for any F1 fan.

If you listen to Damon Hill's and Mark Webber's books aswel there's some nice overlap with some of the stories - so you get at least two perspecitves on some events.

For me I expected it to be a dry, tiring listen full of technical babble I didn't understand - given the subject and what I have seen of Adrian Newey interviews. Couldn't be more wrong. He is extremely funny, explains everything in a way that you can relate to and understand (think of that teacher at school who just had a way of explaining things that made everything make sense to you).

I was unsure about this book... I bought it and now have listend to it twice, and enjoyed every minute both times.
Trust me, just buy it, you WILL enjoy it!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

engineer's/Motorsport must read this

a must read for engineering and Motorsport enthusiasts. inspirational. fascintaing hearing about performance efficiency energy tactics and aerodynamics

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The best insight to modern day F1 you will ever read.

Ron Dennis can stick to 50 shades of grey while the rest of us can marvel at duck egg blue. Seriously who would have thought that Adrian Newey had it him to write the best book I have read in years. Siri salute you !

A must read for real F1 technical nerds

A wonderful story of the impact Adrian has had on the development of F1 over many, many years. If you’re interested in the details of F1 you have to read this. Forget the yawn fest which is the Ross Brawn strategy book (probably okay for management theorists) this gives you the interesting details of how the cars are designed and developed. You’ll be gripped.

a must for any Motorsport fan

This was so good I actually will by the print version for my bookshelf too!

Excellent

Very interesting from an engineering point of view. Loved it, lots of detail and insight into specific year's cars.

Fantastic for fanatics

The book is not only an insight into Newey as a person, who paints a very honest and heartfelt picture of his life designing cars, it opens the door on the backstory to F1 over the decades and how the sport has evolved into the modern day spectacle. Enjoyable and detailed, as a fan of F1 and automotive engineering, this book offers so much more than just an autobiography. Newey is a great example of what can be achieved with hard work and determination, a certain amount of skill and plenty of sacrifice along the way.

Fantastic book, whether you’re technical or not!

Adrian recounts his incredible career and life, giving insight into areas of the sport previously unknown to the fans. He has clearly been one of the most influential figures throughout his time in F1, and has achieved a great deal. An eloquent writer, brimming with humility, and a great engineer. Thank you for producing this, Adrian.

Very Very good

If you like F1 then you’ll love this! It gives you the deepest insight into the mechanical world and also exclusive information about big events you probably didn’t know about

Very nerd orientated

Great if you are interested in F1, which I am, but probably hard to follow if not