How to Build a Car: The Autobiography of the World’s Greatest Formula 1 Designer

Adrian Newey

Nov 2017 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

'Adrian has a unique gift for understanding drivers and racing cars. He is ultra competitive but never forgets to have fun. An immensely likeable man.' Damon Hill

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.

Beautifully illustrated with never-before-seen drawings, 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.

Ratings and reviews

I'm not a car or formula 1 enthusiast by any means but thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely read again. So well written , keeps you engaged throughout....incredible what little differences make to a car for formula 1.

The absolutely fascinating story of Adrian Newey's career across motorsport with an insight into his childhood, adolescence & education which led to him choosing engineering at university. The background narrative of his personal life reveals the emotional journey undertaken along the way. Wonderful technical drawings & personal sketches of some of Newey's most innovative designs along with explanations in layman's terms make this book accessible to all. Written with great candour but also respect for the big names he has encountered & with an underlying sense of humour it is well worth reading whether you are a motorsport fan or not.

Truly inspiring read for every Formula 1 and Motorsports fan. It blends technological introspect with life's memorable experiences through the journey of one of the most successful automotive designers of all time, and captures the initial sparkle for cars at the childhood, the unexpected early employment after graduation to Formula 1, the continuous dedication to innovative, maximum performance design and the opportunity to see critical moments of Formula 1's history as they happened from the inside.

About the author

Adrian Newey OBE is arguably the greatest car designer in the history of Formula One. Newey has worked in both Formula One and IndyCar racing as an immensely successful race engineer, aerodynamicist, designer and technical director. After designing championship-winning Formula One cars for Williams F1 and McLaren, Newey moved to Red Bull Racing in 2007, where he is currently Red Bull Racing's Chief Technical Officer. He has won 10 Formula One Constructors' titles (more than any other designer), helping some of the world's most famous drivers to Drivers' championship wins, including over 150 Grands Prix.