On the Grid is totally engaging and fantastically informative for new and seasoned F1 fans alike. With a journalistic style that makes for an easy read, Luke Smith strikes the balance between the stories of the most visible players in Formula 1, while also sharing perspectives and experiences of folks more behind the scenes. He had the data nerd in me highlighting key facts and figures about what it costs to get into F1, what each place in the Constructors' Championship is worth, and the environmental impact of F1's sustainability efforts. (Five years out, carbon net zero sounds like a pretty lofty goal, but we'll see).

Importantly, Smith goes beyond the personalities and gets into key issues for the future of F1 -- work/life balance & the increase in number of races, efforts to increase diversity and inclusion among F1's ranks, and the changing demographics of F1's fanbase.

This is one I'm definitely adding to my F1 library.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Via for this pre-approved ARC e-copy of On the Grid: Life Behind the Scenes of Formula 1 by Luke Smith.

I don't think I'll be able to say enough good things about this book. Luke Smith is able to bridge the gap between literal 'On the Grid' details with real life impacts of racing. I've read other Formula 1 books before and still learned a lot from this book, like how much Mercedes and its drivers are changing how the organization interacts with the world around racing.

The book can only be so long, so while it covers a lot of the action through the 2023 season there is still a lot left to be captured. That being said, if we were treated to a new F1 book in this style every few years to cover the grid drama, changing landscapes around the tracks, and changing political climates around the sport, I'm fully in. I think this is a good addition to any F1 fans TBR list, regardless of how long you've been a fan of the sport.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Via for this pre-approved ARC e-copy of On the Grid: Life Behind the Scenes of Formula 1 by Luke Smith.

Including interviews from drivers and team members throughout the 2023 and early 2024 seasons, “On the Grid” covers every aspect of F1 that you can imagine, from the glamour and luxury, to the environmental and social impacts, to the effects races have on the nearby communities and people who reside in them, and even how the tracks come to be.

This book reads like a long magazine article, which is apt given its journalist author. It’s well-constructed and flows well, which makes it easy to read—and hard to put down once you’re on a roll. I absolutely loved every moment I spent reading this book, and I was disappointed for it to have come to an end. Certainly, it made me a fan of Smith’s reporting—I never expected to be moved so emotionally reading a book about Formula 1.

This is a must-read for new and old Formula 1 fans everywhere, particularly for those interested in a behind-the-scenes look that you might not get anywhere else, perhaps other than the Netflix series “Drive to Survive.” And if you don’t already love the sport, then this book will surely help make a fan out of you.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ - EXCELLENT

This book ended up being so much more than I thought it would be. I was anticipating a much greater focus on the racing and on-track aspects of F1. I was pleasantly surprised by the wide range of topics that Luke Smith covers within the pages. From sustainability to the creation of new tracks to the history behind the famous champagne celebrations on the podium. I also enjoyed Smith's personality coming through in his writing, it gave the book a lot of personality and made it more enjoyable of a read than if it were just hard facts. I really don't have anything negative to say, I genuinely really enjoyed this book and it's giving me a whole new prospective on this sport going to the new season.

For my complete review (including my musings on my own history with racing), visit here:
https://overentertained.wordpress.com/2025/02/11/on-the-grid-life-behind-the-scenes-of-formula-1-luke-smith-review/


Luke Smith’s excellent new examination of Formula 1, On the Grid: Life Behind the Scenes of Formula 1 is written both for newbies, like me, and old vets who’ve been watching F1 for years (or decades). It has just enough history to inform the newbie, but not so much as to bore someone who’s already very familiar with the history of the sport. He manages to explore all of the various nooks and cranies that exist in the sport, from the drivers to the mechanics and technicians, to the team leads, the fans, track designers and owners. He also is unafraid to explore critical issues of diversity and inclusion, the role of money in the sport (not just at the top, but even at the bottom), environmental impact, safety concerns and whether the modern sport is the same as the earlier one (in a lot of ways…it isn’t). He’s unafraid to be critical where he needs to be and be a fan when he wants to be, which I found quite refreshing.

That’s not to say it isn’t without some criticism. Any book like this is going to be a product of it’s time and this is no exception. And Smith is up-front about this, stating on the last page that it was written during the 2023 season and the first part of 2024. But as a result…it misses the massive developments from the midway to the second half of 2024, with Red Bull finally really showing some cracks and the somewhat awful behavior of it’s star driver, Max Verstappen, on and off the track. 2024 ended with a new constructor champ (Maclaren) – the first non-Mercedes/non-Red Bull constructor champ since 2009 (and once dominant Red Bull came in 3rd…3rd!). All while Max came under criticism for how he drives on the course, how he spends his off hours, and how Red Bull used their second team (something Smith doesn’t really explore much…the legality is clear, but the ethics of allowing Red Bull to have two teams are definitely something that should have been discussed) to deny points to their rivals.

He also somewhat sweeps the allegations against Red Bull principle Christian Horner under the rug – which is what Red Bull did. But none of that should take away from what is an outstandingly excellent book about the sport…where it was, where it is, and a bit of where it might be headed. And the timing for it is just about perfect – set to come out right as the 2025 season will get under way in Australia…a season where for the first time in years, there looks to maybe…just maybe…be the most wide open season for the championships ever. And the last season before some major rules changes come down for 2026.

Me…I’m a fan. And I’m looking forward to a new season. Thankfully, this book filled in a lot of gaps in my own knowledge of the sport…but even if you don’t know F1, this is a fantastic look at modern sport in all it’s greatness and awfulness. Highly recommended. 4 stars.

A big thank you to NetGalley and HarperVia for an opportunity to read an advance copy of this. All opinions presented here are my own and were uncompensated. On the Grid is out March 18th (two days after the Aussie Grand Prix starts the season) and you can pre-order it here.

Oof, this one is a tough one to rate. I’ve always enjoyed Luke Smith’s writing in the Athletic, but unfortunately I don’t think his style translates the best to a full-length book. On one hand, this book provided great insight on the inner workings of Formula 1 and all the people involved in the sport, but on the other hand, I found its thematic organization distracting and at times at odds with the chronological narrative of Smith’s travel anecdotes. I enjoyed all the information and insights Smith provided via interviews with non-public-facing people in the F1 industry, but the information was often reduced to episodic anecdotes that did not always match Smith’s personal chronology. I would have preferred the book to be organized chronologically race-by-race (and with it any race-specific stories/anecdotes) rather than thematically/topically, but that is a personal preference.

Overall, while I have my reservations that long-term/seasoned/well-informed fans will learn a great deal, On the Grid provides an intriguing look at the inner workings of modern-day F1 that would be a perfect companion book for fans looking for something deeper than Drive to Survive or just getting to know F1 beyond the public-facing figures.

3.5/5 stars, rounded to 4!
Thank you to HarperVia for the e-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you HarperVia and NetGalley for the DRC of On The Grid! All opinions in this review are my own.

If you are a fan of Drive to Survive, you have to read this book! While some of the storylines are covered in previous Drive to Survive seasons, I still learned more than what the show could cover. I also like that it is written like the show because On The Grid focuses on the people and their stories beyond just the racing. I think the author did a great job of showing the physical toll that travelling during the season has on the people who work in Formula 1 and that he discussed the environmental impacts of the sport. Overall, if you are a fan of Formula 1, Drive to Survive, or are new to the sport, you have to check out this book!

4.5 stars

Formula 1 has only 20 drivers in its elite ranks, but behind each one is an army of professionals devoted to the sport. In On the Grid, F1 journalist Luke Smith brings to life the behind-the-scenes stories that don’t make it to viewers’ screens. I love these deep dives into worlds about which I am not familiar, and this one is outstanding. He covers the gender gap in F1, the fan base, carbon emissions, climate change, the growing popularity of the sport, and more. For fans of Drive to Survive and sports stories.

What a fun book! Also, this cover is money! Luke Smith brings a masterfully researched and compelling dive into the world of Formula One. Smith blends insights into driver and team principal backgrounds and tackles tough and essential topics such as sustainability and diversity within the sport. I found the narrative style to be engaging and enjoyed the educational components of the book. This book is great for new and old fans alike!

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and HarperVia for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review posted at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7203518596

I was so honored to early review this book and thoroughly enjoyed it! I love learning not so common stories around the sport of F1 and how it connects to people in all walks of life. This was a wonderful book that I’m so glad I read!

Thanks to NetGalley for this one! This was just a great look into modern F1 & the present challenges. I enjoyed the look into the different facets and components of F1, and the stories told. Would recommend to anyone interested in F1 or those who already love it.

3.5 stars rounded up for me! As someone who is a fairly new F1 fan (thanks to my kids), I was excited to be given the chance to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the opportunity.
While I am a pretty avid reader of non-fiction, On The Grid is written in a fairly unique style where Luke Smith tends to blend facts with interviews and conversations so it reads more of a story then simply a book full of F1 facts.

There is so much more to F1 than the cars and drivers, the pit crews and even the lavish lifestyles, exclusive wild parties and mega yachts. It is a rather intimate machine of many individuals who are the best of what they offer and there are many more individuals who have their hand in making F1 so fascinating than you could ever imagine.

As mentioned in the synopsis, there is a legendary bakery in Melbourne whose croissants exist only because of F1 technology but I also learned that mechanical engineers from Mercedes helped suffering hospitals with a lack of ventilators and CPAP machines during the COVID pandemic using the F1 mentality of "this is good, but how do we make it better?"

Every single individual outside of the principals and drivers plays a huge part of the team, even if their part seems to be miniscule. Not only do the drivers obviously need to be precise but the team needs to work in perfect unison and Luke Smith gives us a behind the scene view into the extraordinary sport of F1 racing.