1967 Chris Amon, Scuderia Ferrari and a Year of Living Dangerously

$49.95

John Julian

Description

“1967 was a milestone year in motor racing. For Ferrari, the season started with sports-car victories at Daytona and Monza, but soon turned tragic with the death of Lorenzo Bandini after an accident at the Monaco Grand Prix. At Spa, another spectacular accident put Mike Parkes out of action with two broken legs, and prompted Ludovico Scarfiotti to quit the Ferrari team. That left Chris Amon, a 23- year old New Zealander in his first year with the Italian team, to fight on alone until the year’s last race in Mexico. He would finished fourth in the F1 Drivers Championship after reaching the podium four times.
While Amon and Ferrari take center stage, 1967 also looks at the other drivers, teams, and events that shaped the campaign for the championship. The book includes observations and memories from such leading drivers as John Surtees and Dan Gurney, as well as informed insiders like Amon’s countryman Howden Ganley, Enzo Ferrari’s assistant Brenda Vernor, and Grand Prix star Eva Marie Saint. It also goes beyond Amon’s time with Ferrari, covering both his early years with the Cooper and Parnell teams, his 1966 victory at Le Mans with Bruce McLaren, and his later career with March and Matra.

Amon worked closely with author John Julian to explain exactly what it was like to compete at the highest level during a unique moment in motorsports history, and his first-hand recollections give the book a very personal quality. Julian’s vibrant prose and extended quotes from key characters make 1967 a fast-paced read, with a wealth of photographs adding atmosphere and excitement. And while the book includes enough detail to satisfy the most serious fan, it also offers a wider view of a bygone era by noting other events in the news, popular songs of the day, and local details about each major race.