Description
Listed in the Daily Telegraph’s top ten sports books of 2010, Overdrive draws on exclusive interviews with 100 of the world’s quickest men – from Stirling Moss through to Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton – to reveal the magic of motor racing at the limit and beyond. Ayrton Senna once famously crushed the F1 field at Monaco while in an apparent trance, an experience that led him to a spiritual rebirth. Overdrive reveals the grand prix greats have all shared aspects of Senna’s epiphany at their finest hours. To ride on a thousand screaming horses may seem an unlikely source of inner peace but life at 200mph can lead to surreal effects from slow motion to journeys out of the body. Stars of other sports confirm this mystical ‘Zone’ is accessible in any field but in motor racing only the masters tame it, bending time and space as they speed to Earthly laps of the gods. Overdrive is the first book to look deep inside their crash helmets and tell the story of how they do it. Damien Smith (Motor Sport) ‘Brolin risked being laughed at when asking drivers including Alonso, Schumacher and Hamilton if they have experienced out-of-body sensations. Instead, they were happy to oblige. The most original motor racing book of 2010? Without a doubt.’ Simon Briggs (Daily Telegraph) ‘The product of ten years labour, Overdrive is insightful and leaves you with a fresh perspective on F1 – exactly what Senna experienced in Monaco all those years ago.’ Julie Gueguen (FOFA) ‘Far from alpha males fighting it out, Overdrive pictures racers as profoundly human, sometimes mystical men. All agree the perfect lap justifies the years of sacrifice. Not the champagne…’ Laurence Edmondson (ESPNF1) ‘Overdrive leaves you looking at sport’s greatest achievements in a different light. The content is incredibly fresh and brilliant descriptions include darts player Bobby George: ‘Like a thousand starlings flying out of your a*******…’ Dan Cross (Motorsport Musings) ‘Fascinating as it is thought-provoking, Overdrive is no ordinary sports book. It has clearly been a labour of love for the author and his passion for the subject shines through on every page.’
