Tales from the Toolbox

A collection of behind-the-scenes stories as told, in their own words, by former Grand Prix mechanics who have worked at the top level of the sport. It includes chapters that are themed around a particular aspect of a mechanic's life, ranging from what they consider the highs and lows of their career, to their opinions of drivers and team bosses.

Tales from the Toolbox is a unique collection of behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes as told, in their own words, by former Grand Prix mechanics who have worked at the top level of the sport during the past 50 years.  On the front line of the sport, mixing with drivers and team bosses, they saw a side of it that nobody else got to see and rarely gets to hear about – and this book tells their story. Chapters are themed around a particular aspect of a mechanic’s life, ranging from what they consider the highs and lows of their career, to their opinions of drivers and team bosses, the all-nighters, letting off steam, the ‘Mechanic’s Gallon,’ nightmare journeys and customs capers. It also reveals a tale of camaraderie between teams and individual mechanics which is hard to imagine in today’s highly competitive Formula One environment.  The stories are supplemented by photographs from the archives and photo albums of the mechanics themselves, many of which are previously unseen.