While drivers get the glory and attention during Formula One races, there’s a huge team of mechanics, engineers and strategists who compose a team of which the drivers of the cars are just one person. This book by former Aston Martin engineer and strategist Bernie Collins is a fascinating look at the work of these men and women that is vital to the success of any F1 team.

Collins, who is now a broadcaster for Sky Sports coverage of F1, got her start after graduation with McLaren. After describing her early career, she takes the reader to various offices, booths, hospitality sites and the pit wall when describing the many jobs and duties of each worker. Of course, since she worked as first an engineer and then a strategist at her next team, Force India and then Aston Martin, she writes the most about these jobs.

The level of detail the Collins describes for these jobs can seem overwhelming to the new or casual fan of racing. The amount of work these teams do to design and build a car is vividly described in these passages. The same goes for the calculations, data analysis and strategy that she did both in an office and at the track. I felt her writing about this job was the best, as she took the reader along for what her “typical” week would look like, from meetings to the free practice runs to qualifying and finally to race day. Everything from the best laps to pit to tire performance was meticulously planned and described in these chapters.

When I downloaded this book I expected it to be more of a description of the jobs behind the pit wall during a race. I am glad it was so much more than that as I learned a lot about the inner workings of an F1 team. Even if your preference for auto racing is another avenue like NASCAR or Indy cars, pick up this book and read about the workings of a racing team.

I wish to thank Quercus for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The views expressed are strictly my own.

Thank you Quercus and NetGalley for the eARC of How to Win a Grand Prix! All opinions in this review are my own.

The more I learn about Formula 1, the more amazed I am by the people who choose to work in this sport. While she started out as an engineer, Bernie Collins eventually became a strategist. I loved the deep dive into this role on an F1 team and learning about her firsthand experiences!

I also really appreciated her chapters on the difference between working at the factory compared to working at the race. Collins explains that if you are at the races, you have all the traveling, but if you work at the factory, the curfew doesn't apply to you so end up working more hours. These chapters really opened my eyes to how dedicated the people who work in F1 are to their jobs and how much they must sacrifice to work in this field.

If you are an F1 fan, this is a fascinating read. I loved learning about Bernie's experiences throughout her career and how honest is she when discussing the amount of energy that goes into the job.

BERNIE!! the way I screamed when I saw a Bernie Collins book on my Netgalley! This is a fascinating look into the world and science and politics of F1. A great Christmas buy for the Drive to Survive fan in your life.

A very interesting look into the world of racing. I enjoyed the different perspective and all the intriguing details. A must read for racing fans!

This was an in depth look into Bernie's time as a strategist and was a fascinating read. Bernie has always had a way with explaining complex topics in ways that are easy to understand for people with little to no background knowledge. The look into her career was eye opening and I would recommend this book to any Formula 1 fan.

An absolute must read for any F1 fan, but especially young women with an interest in engineering. I wish books like this, that show a practical application for STEM education and the type of life you might live should you follow that career path, were required reading for students in high school. Bernie really shows how exciting STEM can be, and the world you might find yourself in if you pay a bit more attention in math.

Bernie Collins gives us a real perspective on what it's like to work within a Formula 1 team, primarily during her time as a strategist. From the mundane but practical details like how to travel (and travel again... and again...) to what she would do each day and night during a Formula 1 race weekend, this makes you feel like you're there with her.

If you are a Formula 1 fan, it's an enjoyable read. I recommend having some knowledge of the Formula 1 basics before diving in to piece it all together. And from experience, it's a great way to pass time between F1 breaks!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette for a review copy.

I loved this! As a fan of F1, this gave great insights into the inner workings of a strategist's plan -including factors to consider, procedures to follow, and points of contention that arise during a race weekend. This really felt like getting a inside tour to a relatively secretive sport. Bernie's writing style allows for complex concepts or throughlines to be easily understood. Nothing too scathing or salacious was offered, but neither was it expected from the class act that Collins is, but I was impressed by her ability to be open and vulnerable about team mistakes, as well as personal mistakes, and the ethos that goes into working in such a high intensity sport. I particularly like how each race component was broken down and dissected from a strategist's point of view - including pre-season testing, each practice session, qualifying, the actual race, and post race debrief. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my gifted ecopy.

will admit that I am a F1 fanboy and will read anything and everything about it and love it. And will admit that Bernie is my favorite commentator that Sky Sports had during races. Saying that, I still think this book is a great entry into the world of strategy and engineering in F1. Knowing how complex those two subject can be, Bernie does an excellent job at not overwhelming you with super specifics but keeps it surface level for the average person. She also weaves in personal stories during her times as a strategist which are also great. Well written and enjoyable read!

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A little meandering, but ultimately an incredibly fascinating book from Collins, who I really only knew as a voice on the commentary during F1 races. I really enjoyed learning the behind the scenes of how F1 teams work, and Collins' experiences were told with humor and provided in an understandable and easy to follow way. This book really was an "How to Win a Grand Prix" and it contained a lot of information about how teams work together behind the drivers we typically see on our TV screens. Lastly, I really appreciated that Collins got the chance to write this book - there's not a lot of visible women in F1, and having Collins tell her experiences is really valuable for the visibility and increased diversity of Formula 1. 4.25/5