---
product_id: 48468069
title: "How to Build a Car: The Autobiography of the World’s Greatest Formula 1 Designer"
price: "$48.35"
currency: USD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/48468069-how-to-build-a-car-the-autobiography-of-the-world
store_origin: US
region: United States of America
---

# Detailed, never-before-seen technical drawings Comprehensive, engaging engineering insights 36 years of F1 design mastery How to Build a Car: The Autobiography of the World’s Greatest Formula 1 Designer

**Price:** $48.35
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🏁 Unlock the secrets of speed with the ultimate F1 design legend!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** How to Build a Car: The Autobiography of the World’s Greatest Formula 1 Designer
- **How much does it cost?** $48.35 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/48468069-how-to-build-a-car-the-autobiography-of-the-world)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Engineering Meets Storytelling:** Masterfully blends deep technical knowledge with captivating personal and professional anecdotes.
- • **Exclusive Technical Illustrations:** Explore rare, hand-drawn designs that reveal the genius behind every aerodynamic innovation.
- • **Legendary 36-Year Formula 1 Career:** Dive into Adrian Newey’s unrivalled journey shaping the fastest cars on the planet.
- • **Insider Access to F1’s Greatest Moments:** From Senna’s tragic crash to Red Bull’s dominance, experience history through the eyes of a true innovator.
- • **Perfect for Professionals & Motorsport Fans:** A must-have for engineers, designers, and anyone craving the ultimate F1 insider perspective.

## Overview

How to Build a Car is the compelling autobiography of Adrian Newey, the world’s greatest Formula 1 designer, chronicling his 36-year career through detailed, never-before-seen illustrations and insider stories. This book offers a rare blend of technical mastery and personal insight, making it essential reading for motorsport enthusiasts and engineering professionals alike.

## Description

'Adrian has a unique gift for understanding drivers and racing cars. He is ultra competitive but never forgets to have fun. An immensely likeable man.' Damon Hill The world’s foremost designer in Formula One, Adrian Newey OBE is arguably one of Britain’s greatest engineers and this is his fascinating, powerful memoir. How to Build a Car explores the story of Adrian’s unrivalled 36-year career in Formula One through the prism of the cars he has designed, the drivers he has worked alongside and the races in which he’s been involved. A true engineering genius, even in adolescence Adrian’s thoughts naturally emerged in shape and form – he began sketching his own car designs at the age of 12 and took a welding course in his school summer holidays. From his early career in IndyCar racing and on to his unparalleled success in Formula One, we learn in comprehensive, engaging and highly entertaining detail how a car actually works. Adrian has designed for the likes of Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill, David Coulthard, Mika Hakkinen, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, always with a shark-like purity of purpose: to make the car go faster. And while his career has been marked by unbelievable triumphs, there have also been deep tragedies; most notably Ayrton Senna’s death during his time at Williams in 1994. Beautifully illustrated with never-before-seen drawings, How to Build a Car encapsulates, through Adrian’s remarkable life story, precisely what makes Formula One so thrilling – its potential for the total synchronicity of man and machine, the perfect combination of style, efficiency and speed.

Review: Perfect for any racing fan - Perfect for any racing fan. I've spent this weekend thoroughly engrossed in this account of the infamous Adrian Newey's life with cars. It spans from his earliest childhood memories to his current Formula One career with Redbull Racing / Redbull Advanced Technologies; charting both personal and professional insights with his likeable, firm but fair style. As a Formula One fan since childhood I was delighted to receive a review copy from the publisher to be able to compare to the many F1 autobiographies and history books I've read across the years; I have to say this is one of my personal favourites as Newey is such an innovator of the sport and has such breadth and history amongst the pivotal teams in the sport that it is packed with detail and such a unique insight. From the early days of Fittipaldi, the internal politics at Williams, Senna's tragic Imola crash, the regulation changes in the sport over the years, highs and lows at McLaren and the evolution of Redbull Racing, the story of Newey's career is told in a clever concept that charts the chapters by each one of his historic car design concepts from the March 83G to the RB8 and formats them as a race track (his early years are "On the Grid", then his career moves are each divided in to "turns" as a track is designed). This concept is inspired; helpful as a historical guide across modern F1 history and good for quick reference if you prefer to dip in and out of the book. This book would make an ideal purchase for anyone with a love of motorsport, but also any interested in engineering/aerodynamic concepts or design. The illustrations provided for each car are just fantastic and provide such detail about key features, specifically regulation change innovations. There is a lot of technical terminology used but most important concepts are explained within each discussion and there is a handy glossary at the back if anything needs further explanation. There is so much to love about this book and I have been raving about it to several fellow F1 fans. I found it provided some important opinion on a lot of key issues within the sport that have been talked about over the years (diffusers, KERS, team fallouts) ; to hear Newey's opinion and take on such matters (as he's not typically one of the outspoken people within the sport) was very interesting, and amongst other autobiographies such as Mark Webber's Aussie Grit etc you see a broad picture of what was often left unexplained or given a media spin at the time. I found it fascinating how despite being such an innovator of modern car technology Newey prefers old school drawing by hand to any technical computerised drawings; having an old drawing board that has literally followed him from each role. It is telling how Newey seems discontent with the current state of the sport, a feeling echoed by many fans, and perhaps clearly indicates the divide of direction that has crept up over the past decade.
Review: A must for F1 fans. - Absolutely brilliant book,thoroughly enjoyed reading about Adrian’s remarkable career in F1,a true genius,who is without doubt,one of Formula One’s greatest designers.

## Features

- Warning:Do not use near overhead power lines.
- Warning:Not suitable for children over 36 months
- Warning:Only for domestic use
- Explores the story of adrian's unrivalled 35-year career in formula one
- Beautifully illustrated with never-before-seen drawings
- We learn in comprehensive, engaging and highly entertaining detail how a car actually works

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | 4,077 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 1 in Automobile Engineering |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 8,945 Reviews |

## Images

![How to Build a Car: The Autobiography of the World’s Greatest Formula 1 Designer - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71WwS9zj2qL.jpg)

## Available Options

This product comes in different **Format** options.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Perfect for any racing fan
*by G***A on 12 December 2017*

Perfect for any racing fan. I've spent this weekend thoroughly engrossed in this account of the infamous Adrian Newey's life with cars. It spans from his earliest childhood memories to his current Formula One career with Redbull Racing / Redbull Advanced Technologies; charting both personal and professional insights with his likeable, firm but fair style. As a Formula One fan since childhood I was delighted to receive a review copy from the publisher to be able to compare to the many F1 autobiographies and history books I've read across the years; I have to say this is one of my personal favourites as Newey is such an innovator of the sport and has such breadth and history amongst the pivotal teams in the sport that it is packed with detail and such a unique insight. From the early days of Fittipaldi, the internal politics at Williams, Senna's tragic Imola crash, the regulation changes in the sport over the years, highs and lows at McLaren and the evolution of Redbull Racing, the story of Newey's career is told in a clever concept that charts the chapters by each one of his historic car design concepts from the March 83G to the RB8 and formats them as a race track (his early years are "On the Grid", then his career moves are each divided in to "turns" as a track is designed). This concept is inspired; helpful as a historical guide across modern F1 history and good for quick reference if you prefer to dip in and out of the book. This book would make an ideal purchase for anyone with a love of motorsport, but also any interested in engineering/aerodynamic concepts or design. The illustrations provided for each car are just fantastic and provide such detail about key features, specifically regulation change innovations. There is a lot of technical terminology used but most important concepts are explained within each discussion and there is a handy glossary at the back if anything needs further explanation. There is so much to love about this book and I have been raving about it to several fellow F1 fans. I found it provided some important opinion on a lot of key issues within the sport that have been talked about over the years (diffusers, KERS, team fallouts) ; to hear Newey's opinion and take on such matters (as he's not typically one of the outspoken people within the sport) was very interesting, and amongst other autobiographies such as Mark Webber's Aussie Grit etc you see a broad picture of what was often left unexplained or given a media spin at the time. I found it fascinating how despite being such an innovator of modern car technology Newey prefers old school drawing by hand to any technical computerised drawings; having an old drawing board that has literally followed him from each role. It is telling how Newey seems discontent with the current state of the sport, a feeling echoed by many fans, and perhaps clearly indicates the divide of direction that has crept up over the past decade.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A must for F1 fans.
*by C***. on 21 April 2026*

Absolutely brilliant book,thoroughly enjoyed reading about Adrian’s remarkable career in F1,a true genius,who is without doubt,one of Formula One’s greatest designers.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good
*by D***N on 19 February 2018*

Generally interesting and user-friendly, so very readable. Newey's work in terms of results speaks for itself and has been mostly excellent. Not so, unfortunately, for his ghost writer on this - his grammar is sometimes dodgy and there are quite a few solecisms. The book also seems to have benefitted from only superficial copy editing as there are frequent typos. However, Newey himself has a good story to tell, with many years of innovative thinking and doing; his approach is well portrayed by the illustrations (his freehand drawing). It's also fair to say that it takes some doing to explain the more arcane aspects of vehicle aerodynamics, and this book achieves that to some extent. For £10 this is really good value and is a nice thing in itself - size, weight, quality of paper/printing and binding.

## Frequently Bought Together

- How To Build A Car
- Grand Prix: An Illustrated History of Formula 1
- The Formula: How Rogues, Geniuses, and Speed Freaks Reengineered F1 into the World's Fastest-Growing Sport

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*Product available on Desertcart United States of America*
*Store origin: US*
*Last updated: 2026-07-14*