While more and more racing series have become spec, or at least spec-ish, Formula 1 has for the most part retained it's innovative nature, making that aspect just as important as the drivers, team strategies, and racing action. This has appeased many of the established fandom.

Also, though Netflix's Drive to Survive has brought in many new fans because of the personalities and human drama of the sport, many of those new fans discovered the wealth of technical complexity interested them just as much.

But understanding all of this technology for both old and new fans, even for engineering minds, can be a difficult task. There are many sources to help with this, and Formula 1 Technology is an excellent choice.

The author, Steve Rendle, has experience presenting such a topic. He was a top level employee of Haynes Publishing and wrote a trio of Haynes Manuals on F1 cars. He knows what he's doing when putting together such an effort.

The book contains numerous detailed drawings and photographs to help with the textual descriptions, exactly what you expect in a Haynes type manual (though, this particular effort is put out by Evro Publishing).

It can at times read like a textbook. But this is not meant to be read cover to cover. (Though, we certainly won't judge you if you want to nerd out and read the entire book in one sitting...) It's meant to act as a reference book. A commentator mentions suspension geometry, pull out the book to read that section to understand it better. You heard a team has updated it's front wing endplates or brake ducting, plenty of information and diagrams to help you understand what they might have done.

Every single aspect of the car is covered. How a chassis is built. The all important aerodynamics (it should be no surprise this is one of the largest chapters), suspension, steering, brakes, power unit, transmission. Tire and wheels. Electronics and hydraulic systems. The all important safety equipment and cockpit controls. Even support equipment. As well as chapters on designing and setting up a car.

It also delves into some history, especially when it's important to know what came before to understand why today's tech exists. Remember those F-ducts which gets mentioned so often? It's described here. So is the exhaust blown diffuser, DAS, and other now banned ideas.

It's meant for the layman as well as the technically inclined as the explanations both touch the surface, provide some depth, and at times with sidebars goes into very fine detail. You'll get out of it what you want.

The next time you watch an F1 race and the likes of Sam Collins starts excitingly explain the latest a team has brought, pick up Formula 1 Technology, leaf to the section he's referring to, and understand the topic even further.

The technology is an important part of Formula 1, and if you're one of those who loves that part of the sport or just wants to understand what everyone else is talking about, this book will serve you well.

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