The Chariot Makers: The Definitive Text

By: Steve Matchett

Narrated by: Steve Matchett

Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

Along with three fellow motor racing enthusiasts, Steve Matchett - Formula 1 world champion mechanic; accomplished television broadcaster; and best-selling author - is trapped overnight in New York: a fogbound JFK airport. With no sign of the weather improving, talk between the stranded passengers inevitably turns to Formula 1. During the course of their cloistered night, with conversation fueled by regular trips to the departure lounge bar, our protagonists draw on Matchett's encyclopedic knowledge of grand prix engineering, his easy familiarity with F1 paddock life, to piece together the perfect dream-team Formula 1 race car. By use of his enviable signature talent, his ability to explain complex issues using straightforward, uncomplicated language, Steve Matchett shows us how the various F1 teams have arrived at their current state-of-the-art designs - lays out exactly how a championship winning grand prix car is assembled.

Originally published by Orion (of London) in 2004, The Chariot Makers is Steve Matchett's third book. Along with Life in the Fast Lane, and The Mechanic's Tale, this compelling, insightful story - its warm text reading as a novel - forms the final installment of the author's entertaining, timeless, and highly acclaimed Formula 1 trilogy.

©2004, 2018 Steve Matchett (P)2018 Steve Matchett

Takes more than a third of the book just to start

The author takes literally over tla third of the entire book just to meander around telling you about the frech house he bought, or the job he took, or the flight he had where he met friends and imagined designing the perfect car. As someone who bought the book to actually HEAR about the technical components of F1 design, i found myself shouting at my phone in frustration waiting for the author to get on with it. Eventually, I just kept skipping chapters until I finally heard and actual word about F1.

Boring as all get out

Not at all what I was expecting from Steve... Not recommended to any F1 fans. It was dry, boring,.and just blah, blah, blah. As an F1 fan, this was an unexpected dud from a guy who certainly has many interesting tales he COULD HAVE told.

An engineering master class

Steve Matchett is an amazing story teller. This audio book is a therapy and a master class all together. I am in my mid 40s, so I can remember most of 80s seasons of formula 1 and everything that came after that. I felt like traveling back in time while examining every detailed of the events, people, concepts, jokes and opinions of Mr. Matchett. Good job, mate! :)

just technical enough

Enough detail of the construction and inner workings of an F1 car, as well as the forces acting on it, to keep an engineer happy and interested. Written and spoken in a style that will (I think) appeal to noon-engineers who are curious about F1.

A little more depth for the F1 fan

Well performed and well written. A story within a story with no shortage of information and substance.

Great Listen!!

Want to know how to build a Formula 1 car, then this is your book.

A fantastically written book for Formula One tech heads

I’ve always been fascinated about the technical aspects of Formula One and if your like me, then this is the book for you. Every component of the car is explained is wonderful detail with small bits of history thrown in for good measure.

Technical enough to make you feel like your learning something. But not so much that you need a degree to enjoy it.

Excellent Book 🏎🏁

Amazing once again!!

Yet another masterful delivery by the great Steve Matchett!! This is a gem for any F1/Motorsport enthusiast who wants to understand how a race car works. The delightful delivery in a Steve’s own
voice brings this book to the next level. It feels like sitting with the chap having coffee and having a gran old time!!

Another Spellbinding F1 Journey!

This is my third Steve Matchett audiobook reading and as was true of the others, I was sorry that we ran out of pages. Having previously read all three and enjoyed them immensely, his voice...and narration make the stories so much more meaningful. Just the right balance between the technical and the back stories and his honest emotional accounts of all that happens in the paddock, pits and wherever “Life in the Fast Lane” has taken the author.

What a literary talent Mr. Matchett is, in my humble opinion. In addition to the importance of what he has to say, his skill as a narrator is superb. I dare say that his delivery is better than any book narrator I have listened to...ever!

I greatly, if not impatiently, look forward to his next audiobook, hopefully “These Desired Things” in the near future. I recommend this book as well as his others to not only F1 enthusiasts, but also to those who appreciate an honest account of life told the way a sensitive scribe records his reality. Thank you, Mr. Matchett!

A hatrick is scored!

The third of Steve's books I've read and loved it equally to the first two if not more. A distinctly different feel with more of a story being told but equally as interesting to the casual motorsport fan.

strange ending

the main part of the book was great. very informative and all held together with a nice background story. I think it's 2 chapters too long though as the story ends and then you are subjected to 2 chapters of the author ranting about coffee and tourists. apart from that it's a great book.