The inside story of a loyal team member of British Racing Motors, this mechanic’s tale catalogues the humiliation and glory that BRM faced in the mid-20th century, culminating in Graham Hill’s 1962 victory in South Africa, winning both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships for the BRM team – and becoming part of British motor racing history.
The Mechanic’s Tale is the story as told by a man who was both a devoted fan and a loyal team member of British Racing Motors. He saw firsthand the repeated failures and humiliating times of the 1950s, from the gradual progress of winning minor races, to Jo Bonnier winning the first World Championship Grand Prix in Holland in 1959. The team gained the ultimate honour in 1962, when, in East London, South Africa, Graham Hill drove the BRM to victory to win both the Drivers’ World Championship and the Constructors’ Championship for the BRM team, thereby making a considerable contribution to British motor racing history. Probably for the first time, criticism is levelled at both Louis Stanley and the introduction of the H16 engine as contributory factors to the failure of British Racing Motors – Louis Stanley for his freeloading extravagance, and the rather foolish decision by the management to specify such a complicated and bulky power unit.
This book is a fascinating insight into the British motor racing industry of the ’50s and ’60s.
