The Technique of Motor Racing (Driving)

A classic book providing a foundational treatment of driving technique and analysis, this title has been through more than a dozen printings and remains a relevant, and useful text. Much of what you read in books written fifty years later, was said here first. Clear and easy to understand, this is an important work in the history of describing the art of driving. Taruffi addresses all the foundational components....the driver and his/her preparation mentally and conditioning physically, the car, the track, and driving at the limits. There have been a lot of words put to paper by others to describe the same concepts, with less clarity and precision. Taruffi's observations on vehicle dynamics and driving line are as fresh and relevant today as they were when he was driving with Fangio, Ascari, Nuvolari and the other legends of his era. The treatment is friendly and approachable, even in the technical discussions of slide thrust and slip. The driving line diagrams are simple, and right on target. You don't need color pictures and high resolution graphics, when what you have to say and illustrate is so rock solid. There are plenty of additional details to learn or read about elsewhere, after you read this book (indeed there are entire books devoted to what he covers as a central essence in a single chapter), but there is nothing to read elsewhere that addresses core issues that this book omitted on basic techniques. You can read it, put it away, read a few other books on driving, and then a year later come back and pick it up, and read sections a third, fourth or fifth time with enjoyment and the benefit of being refreshed on fundamentals that we can all use.

How to drive a racing car? Back then it was different, but not much. Piero Taruffi advises the driver on the correct procedure with mathematical data to back it up. Sometimes the maths can be kind of dry and complicated but the overall knowledge of cornering technique; the right line, vertical corners (car getting light; heavy), heat levels on tyres, etc is very good. There is a forward by the great Fangio who says that if you an aspiring racing driver and new to the sport then this book is for you. Piero starts by saying that the greats seem to be natural and general advice is that the sport can not be "taught". Piero thinks otherwise and proceeds to tell you why. It is a HISTORY book so treat it as such. It gave me a much greater appreciation that even though the cars may have been slower in those days the drivers were just as talented as the boys driving the modern machines today.

This book is a must own (and read) for any aspiring road racer. The Italian to English translation may not always be clear however the information and technics presented have great value and remain true to this day.

This book, first published in 1959, is mostly devoted to cornering, and this is the best publication about turns on flat surfaces with high adhesion, used in sport racing, and this information is still valid.It has a pretty little chapter on physical training of a driver, with the schemes gymnastic exercises recommended for a motorist.The details of driving position and handling of a steering wheel are mentioned, but not covered well enough.Nevertheless, the cornering is explained fairly well, in 69 pages full of formulas, schemes and illustrations.If you need a deeper text-book about fast and safe cornering, which is not only applicable to sport but also to driving on public road, and which covers slippery surfaces like ice, snow and dirt, I would have recommended a published work by Professor Tsygankov.

The Technique of Motor Racing was written in the mid 50's and covers driving techniques as well as why the car behaves as it does. It still can be used as a text book of advanced driving techniques. I first read this book many years ago but my copy was lost, I assumed forever. I am very pleased to find it is still in print and still available. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about how to be a better driver.

This is the definitive book on old style racing, with plenty of info good for driving today. I say old style, because, as far as I can see, cars don't drift around corners any more. That seems to have gone out with foils that increase weight on tires, and front- and all-wheel drives. But the info on braking, limits of adhesion, cornering apexes, and so on, are golden. I used the book to get a sports car racing license in the sixties.

I read this book in 1967, and finally loacated a copy of this CLASSIC book.Today's street cars are about as fast as the racecars of the 1960s era, so this book is like a high performance driving manual for the car you probably own today.Excellent book.

I had this book as a teenager. I studied it from cover to cover and then went racing successfully. thanks to what I learned from the master. Somehow I lost my copy. Luckily Amazon had a copy and I now have restored this to my library of racing books.

Read this book years ago in a public library. Now decided I wanted a copy. Advice is timeless and essential for all concerned with the theory and practice of race driving and how the car behaves during cornering on the limit. Taruffi's style may be slightly dated - but this actually adds a quaint dimension to his excellent understanding of his craft.

A Book on The Technique of Driving a Race Car ...By Piero Taruffi no less ..if you don't know him Google his name :)

all drivers should read and study this book

A classic should be in every enthusiasts collection

Ordered for a friend and he loved it