Talladega Nights doesn’t have a rich pedigree of fine motor sport films to draw on and this mirthless film does nothing to change that.
Reviews articles archive
Video games, books, videos and more reviews for motorsport fans.
“Motor Racing at Oulton Park in the 1960s” (Peter McFadyen, 2006)
Posted onIn the pre-FOCA years Oulton Park regularly hosted non-championship Formula 1 races and some of these are featured in Peter McFadyen’s book of photography from the time.
“Michael Schumacher: Driving Force” (Sabine Kehm)
Posted onMichael Schumacher is the biggest character in Formula One today. With an unapproachable stack of wins and championship victories to his name, his identity is writ large across the sport. Media fascination with him is inevitable and it’s hardly surprising that, after more than a decade at the top of the tree, what little time … Continue reading “Michael Schumacher: Driving Force” (Sabine Kehm)
“Grand Prix Year” (Damon Hill with Maurice Hamilton, 1994)
Posted onThe controversial 1994 season provoked at least two noteworthy ‘insider’ books: Damon Hill’s Grand Prix Year and Steve Matchett’s Life in the Fast Lane. Together they tell the stories of the two championship-contending teams that year: Williams (Hill) and Benetton (Matchett). And they make for an intriguing comparison with each other.
“Life in the Fast Lane” (Steve Matchett, 1995)
Posted on“Life in the Fast Lane” is the first of the two memoirs of former Benetton mechanic Steve Matchett. It focuses on the particularly tragic, turbulent and controversial 1994 season which nonetheless eventually saw Benetton’s Michael Schumacher win the World Drivers Championship. Steve Matchett’s book tells the story of a season’s racing from a mechanic’s point … Continue reading “Life in the Fast Lane” (Steve Matchett, 1995)
“James Hunt: The Biography” (Gerald Donaldson, 2003)
Posted onJames Hunt – hedonist extraordinaire. His legendary off-track exploits would more than fill a book – but happily this biography isn’t an overdose of sensation. Gerald Donaldson looks at Hunt from all angles: the consummate professional whose attention would nonetheless wander; the man who accrued vast wealth then carelessly squandered it; the party animal and … Continue reading “James Hunt: The Biography” (Gerald Donaldson, 2003)
“Stirling Moss: The Authorised Biography” (Robert Edwards, 2005)
Posted onOften we are told not to judge books by their covers. With this paperback edition of Robert Edwards’ 2001 biography of Sir Stirling Moss, do the exact opposite. The iconic picture of a youthful Stirling, face blackened by race track filth but for two goggle-sized spots gleaming white around the eyes. It’s all there in … Continue reading “Stirling Moss: The Authorised Biography” (Robert Edwards, 2005)
“Brooklands Giants: Brave Men and their Great Cars” (Bill Boddy, 2006)
Posted onGrand Prix motor racing reaches its centenary in 2006 so this retrospective look at some of the behemoth racers from the dawn of the century is well-timed. It may be a little on the dusty side but you don’t need thick-rimmed glasses and an enormous beard to enjoy this book.
“Inside Formula One” – Nigel Roebuck
Posted onFor many followers of F1, Nigel Roebuck is foremost among journalists of the sport. More than just a writer, he is a fan of the sport whose firm allegiance to it is unwavering, even when its tragedies and controversies have put it to the test. He is most well-known for his close friendship with Gilles … Continue reading “Inside Formula One” – Nigel Roebuck
F1 06 (PlayStation 2)
Posted onSCEE have released the annual update to the only official Formula One game. As ever, it’s exclusive to the PlayStation, and decidedly ‘arcade’ style rather than a detailed simulation. It has all the latest teams and drivers – but is it actually any good?
Video: Baby Button!
Posted onJenson Button has finally broken his Formula One duck – and to celebrate, we’ve dug out some old video of Button in his karting years. And of course, dad John is on hand for some choices quotes: What he wants to do in the future? Well, I don’t know, they all say they want to … Continue reading Video: Baby Button!
“Memories of James Hunt” (Christopher Hilton, 2006)
Posted onMemories of James Hunt is a fine accompaniment to Gerald Donaldson’s accomplished biography James Hunt – but by no means a replacement for it. Prolific Formula One writer Christopher Hilton presents hundreds of quotes and 150 photographs of the 1976 World Championship in a slender, square, hardback book. It pays suitable homage to Hunt’s legendary … Continue reading “Memories of James Hunt” (Christopher Hilton, 2006)
“Fantastic Fernando” – 2005 F1 season review DVD
Posted on2005 gave us some good action: that unforgettable race in Suzuka, genuine overtaking at Monaco and plenty of incident.
“Alain Prost” – Christopher Hilton
Posted onAlain Prost: A controversial figure. And one who, despite his superior statistical successes remains overshadowed by his late nemesis Ayrton Senna.
F1 05 (PlayStation 2)
Posted onThe latest Playstation 2 F1 game to hit the shelves boasts the full 2005 roster of teams, drivers and circuits. Is it worth parting with a significant chunk of your hard-earned for? We give it a thorough track-testing.
“Champion: Hunt” (DVD)
Posted onThis is one of the more contemporary titles in Duke Video’s series of video biographies of notable champions. 1976 champion James Hunt was one of the sport’s most unusual characters, and his championship-winning season is just begging to be made into a feature film. There’s a lot of high quality footage and it’s been carefully … Continue reading “Champion: Hunt” (DVD)
“50 Years of Formula One On-board” (DVD)
Posted onAn enticing prospect, but the title of this DVD is a little misleading. Yes, it features on-board footage of Formula One cars dating back around 50 years. But realistically, only since the mid-1980s have Formula One cars regularly been fitted with on-board cameras while racing. So this DVD features a mix of early flirtations with … Continue reading “50 Years of Formula One On-board” (DVD)
“Showdown” (1990 season video)
Posted onAnother typical early ’90s Frontrunner tape as all the incidents from another cracking season are crammed together into an action packed hour. Although too short, this is more watchable than the 1989 video thanks to a good commentary and more thoughtful editing that shows slightly more of each race than the crashes. That said this … Continue reading “Showdown” (1990 season video)
“Mansell v. Senna” (1991 season video)
Posted onThe Front Runner videos use the same Formula One Constructor’s Association (FOCA) footage as the official reviews do, but the tapes are usually shorter. At a scant 60 mins for 16 races, the 1991 review is no exception. However it does pack a fairly thorough review of the season into this single hour. There’s no … Continue reading “Mansell v. Senna” (1991 season video)
“Duel of the Champions” (1989 season video)
Posted on1989 was a classic season, hinging on the rivalry of two of F1’s greatest drivers. This video gamely tries to compile all the relevant footage into one hour but it just doesn’t quite work. Instead the hour is a breathless rush through incidents and accidents of the year without ever really making sense. This is … Continue reading “Duel of the Champions” (1989 season video)