Formula 1: The Impossible Collection (2nd Edition) by Brad Spurgeon (Assouline £1150, 228pp)

The ultimate form of motor sport deserves the ultimate book to justly pay it tribute. Assouline, as part of their aptly named ‘Ultimate Collection’, have crafted such an homage.

Brad Spurgeon has found a perfect balance in offsetting the notorious glitz and glamour of the multi-billion dollar sport, with the raw talent and physicality exhibited by the drivers. Throughout every race they undergo extreme heat and G-force. 

You would be hard pressed to find a post-race interview that doesn’t involve a driver dripping in sweat. When cockpit temperatures can reach 60 degrees it is no surprise that some racers lose 3-4 percent of their body weight over the course of a race, just through sweat.

Yet, the craftsmanship of engineering is paramount to the success of any car that makes its way to the F1 grid. It is just the same for this newly released second edition.

Handcrafted with a luxury yellow PVC clamshell case and paper infused with the scent of rubber, this book is more than pages bound between covers. It is a sensory experience that evokes the experience of being on track, although thankfully without the screeching tyres.

Racing from the first ever F1 race, held at Silverstone and won by Giuseppe Farina, a former cavalry officer, to the famed rivalries of Nikki Lauda and James Hunt, and Ayrton Senna and Alan Prost, all the way up to the modern age, this beautiful book is a testament to the sport’s impressive history.

 Racers like Bruce McLaren, Damon Hill, Nigel Mansell, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton fill the pages. While the rise and fall of iconic teams play out in almost operatic fashion.

Over 100 moments, Spurgeon explores the evolution of the finely tuned machine Formula 1 has become. How, under the care of Bernie Ecclestone, the sport became the sensation it is now. Throughout, the hedonism of victory, the tragedy of death and the unfailing effort put into every second of a lap is palpable. 

Senna once said, 'you’ll never know how a driver feels when he wins a race. The helmet hides unfathomable emotions.' I would argue that this book is as close as you will get.