La grande encyclopedie de la Formule 1 1950-1999

by Pierre Menard

ISBN 2 940125 18 X

Published by Chronosports Editeur, £75

This monstrous, two tome box set joined the burgeoning statistical archive in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Formula One World Championship. Fittingly, despite the language barrier (it’s written in French) it is the best available, such is the level of factual detail contained within.

Introductions by Bernard Cahier (photos) and Nigel Roebuck (words) serve only to add to the book’s authenticity.

If your French isn’t up to scratch, the 1200-plus photos and the fabulous colour drawings of every car to have graced a grand prix grid should suffice, let alone the plethora of results involving drivers, cars, chassis numbers, engines, circuits, qualifying times, lap charts and reasons for retirement. I could go on… HH-F