The Mechanic's Tale

by Steve Matchett

Book Overview

Essential reading for anyone interested in life behind-the-scenes at Formula One.

Formula One Grand Prix mechanic Steve Matchett takes the reader on a compelling journey through his life in the pit-lane, from his beginnings as a young apprentice, through his time at Ferrari and BMW to his later success with Benetton.

He gives eye-witness views of the great drivers, including Michael Schumacher, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0752827839
• ISBN13: 9780752827834
• Release Date: February 2000
• Publisher: Orion
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.2" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Steve Matchett's: The Mechanic's Tale

I buy about 10-15 books a year related to racing. I also have many subscriptions to racing magazines. I have put off getting this classic for some unknown reason. I have always wanted to get it but this book has eluded me until recently. I have to say that this is one of the best racing books I have ever read. Matchett is a much better writer than people give him credit for. His use of blending incredible detail with humor is amazing. Mark my words, you will be reading this book and have moments in which you will find yourself in tears from laughter. This book is also very informative and is not your average racing book. I have also read his first book, which is also a classic, but I feel that this is the better of the two. I found myself not being able to put it down and anyone who loves racing will be in the same situation. The book starts out with how Matchett started his career as a mechanic and a brief history of how he was able to break into Formula One. I actually got an idea from the book that I now use everytime I'm looking for a new job. Anyway, the chapters go over the years he spent in F1 and gives you the true story of what F1 team members go through. On the outside it looks like they live a glamorous life, but you get to see the side that most people don't get to see and the true appreciation for their efforts is realized. Bottom line is that this is a must read for anyone that is a racing or grand prix fan.

The title, a reference to Chaucer, is accurate indeed.

Some reviewers expected this to be only directly F1, and then criticise when it is different. His other books describe F1 very well indeed. This is a story of how a mechanic progressed from entry level to the highest level of motorsport, and what that personal experience was really like during this journey and at the F1 destination. It is successfully done, and gave me significant insight into the backstage reality of a life in the F1 circus. Its perspective helps me enjoy and understand the sport much better, not only back then, but also today. For example, from this book, the change in the team experience due to the 2004 Parc Ferme rule can well and truly be experienced.

Very enjoyable book. Highly recommend.

Steve Matchett does a terrific job on Speedvision and I am glad I got this book.Interesting behind the scene intro to the formula one world and the details that you never see. Also appreciated authors' candor about the people in the sport.

read it, you won't regret it

abosoultly brilliant, a real insight into f1. beautifully written, funny and thoroughly enjoyable

A quite unique book: witty, informative and very funny too!

Steve Matchett's second book, The Mechanic's Tale, is a quite extraordinary work, in essence the memoires of a Grand Prix mechanic throughout his ten year career with the Benetton Formula One team. That an engineer has written such a fascinating and entertaining account of his life inside the somewhat secretive world of Grand Prix racing is unique in itself, but what makes this book so outstanding is the authors original approach to the subject and his natural flair for writing: his style is witty, rhetorical and very readable. "Every so often in the endless stream of biogrophies churned out by the Formula One book industry," says Motoring News, "something different emerges. This is it." Matchett touches on all aspects of this prestigious job, describing the incredible effort that the team are expected to give; the dangers and high stress of the pit stops; the myriad of famous drivers he worked with; and how Benetton and Schumacher stormed the world championships - amid great controversy - throughout 1994 and 1995. But The Mechanic's Tale is more than a collection of derring-do racing escapades; through his occasional digressions Matchett takes the reader on many colourful diversions, including an ill-fated ballooning trip; his views on the future of computer technology; and his slightly surreal comaprisons between Formula One and Orwell's 1984. All of that, combined with his attempts to make reason of Lewis Carroll's Jabberwoky, make this book anything but predictable.