When I was about 6 (around 1980), I had to go to the hospital for an operation. While I was there, someone gave me a small pack of “Top Trump”-style cards that featured Formula One drivers and their cars. I loved it and grew to love the sport. I would have been thrilled if a book like Formula Fast were available at the time. Even though I don’t follow Formula One like I used to, this new children’s book from Phaidon reminded me of the thrill of the sport.
What Is Formula Fast?
Formula Fast is a slim non-fiction hardback picture book aimed at children aged around 7 upwards. It’s by Matt Ralphs and illustrated (beautifully) by Dragan Kordić.
The book offers first an overview and then a deeper dive into the sport of F1, starting with what on earth does Formula One mean, anyway?
It explores many aspects of the sport, such as the changing technology of the cars and a great explainer of the varying tyre types teams use. There’s a history of F1 cars’ evolution from the 1950s to the present day, with a great section about some of the weird and wonderful cars that appeared on circuits through the years.
My F1 geekery as a child, beyond the team and driver names, was inflamed by the various flags the marshals used, and I loved looking at circuit layouts. Both appear in this book. More geekery is to be found in the double-page spread devoted to the steering wheel. The technology of which has massively advanced since the days of my Top Trump cards!
The book closes out by explaining F1’s team system and how money makes the wheels turn. It also looks at the social outreach of the drivers and the sport’s female racers. Finally, there is a glossary for the handful of technical words used in the book.
Why Read Formula Fast?
If you can flick through Formula Fast without making a vrooming sound, you’re a stronger person than me! This book took me right back to my childhood, when I first discovered an excitement for the sport. (In those days, I could hardly get to watch it, as it was only available as a highlights package well after my bedtime.)
This is a great introduction to the sport, and with a new season soon to be underway, Formula Fast is tempting me back in an attempt to recapture my youth – well, mid-life crises often do involve fast cars! I particularly like Dragan Kordić’s illustrations. They’re vibrant and dynamic, perfect for showcasing the excitement of F1. They complement the text perfectly.
The new F1 season starts on March 6th, and if you have a budding young fan, this book is the perfect pre-season training. They’ll be expert avid fans in no time!
If you would like to pick up a copy of Formula Fast, you can do so here in the US and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here.
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
