New Book Review: Formula One and Beyond by Max Mosley

Considering all the high drama in 2015 about engines and new design regulations to liven up F1,  the head of the FIA – Jean Todt has kept an incredibly low profile. Post Jules Bianchi’s awful Suzuka crash, the FIA was almost mute! When the FIA was headed by Max Mosley, the FIA and safety was always on the front foot with the media. Most new fans probably associate Max Mosley with his FIA days and the scandalous News of the World saga. Many also don’t realise that prior to his FIA career, Max was team manager of the March team in the 1970s, most famously with Niki Lauda and Ronnie Peterson in the uniquely styled STP branded March 711. Although this is an autobiography of Max Mosley’s career, this is also his attempt to correct the public record.

While there are 18 chapters, the book probably covers a few key topics in Mosley’s career – Max’s upbringing with his family, early motorsports racing and the March F1 team, his long working relationship with Bernie Ecclestone, F1 politics ‘80s FOCA/FISA style, his work as chair of the FIA and his recent personal battles with Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World.

As a fan of 70’s and 80’s era F1 cars and drivers – I particularly enjoyed the chapters on Max’s early years in F1 and the development of the March team, although I personally think these chapters were a little too short and would have liked to see more behind the scenes March stories included. The Ronnie Peterson and Vittorio Brambilla years are kind of rushed over. That said, the chapters on the early Formula One Constructors Association provides a lot of insight into the off track politics during the 70’s and 80’s. Very interesting reading for fans of F1 history.

The parts of the book that delve into the various versions of the Concorde Agreement are at times technical and legalistic (a reflection of Max’s background as a barrister) with explanations of his political moves alongside Bernie Ecclestone’s commercial wheeling and dealing. If you like reading about European motorsport politics and the Eurporean Commission, these chapters might take your fancy.

Mosley includes a few dedicated chapters on Senna/Imola 1994 as the catalyst for new safety changes, behind the scenes on some of F1 cheating scandals (Bar Honda’s 2005 hidden fuel tank, McLaren spygate 2007 (Max setting for the record his views on Ron Dennis) and Renault/Piquet crash in Singapore GP 2008.

These days, a hardcover book is usually a good sign of the author’s effort and attention to content – and this one is no different.

Make no mistake, this book packs in an enormous amount of F1 history into its 496 pages. Not everyone will be as interested in Max’s quest for justice against News of the World in the later chapters, but for any fan of F1 history in the early glamour era of the 70s and politics of the 80’s, then this book is definitely worth a read — irrespective of whether you might be a fan or not of Max Mosley (for the record, I think Max’s FIA career has somewhat overshadowed the achievements and history of the March team).

There are 2 short photo galleries containing a collection of early career B&W shots and colour FIA career photos.

Physically, the book is a nicely bound hardcover and at almost 500 pages is co-incidentally similar in size to Tom Bower’s Bernie Ecclestone biography “No Angel – The Secret Life of Bernie Ecclestone“.

Some F1 fans may find the sports administration parts of the book a little dry but certainly as a general read, the majority of the book will keep most F1 history fans engaged.

Note: Special thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for providing the review copy of this book.

Wow Factor/Money Shot: Photo of the March 6 wheeler

Suitable for: Early 7o’s F1 fans, fans of F1 team politics