The Biography of a Race Mechanic
By Ian Wagstaff
Everyone knows that the best racing stories are those told by the mechanics, and here is a book full of them, from a man who has assisted some of the great names of the sport.
The book opens with the tale of Robinson’s travel adventures during 1957 as he ferried Bruce Halford’s Maserati 250F to races in Caen, France, and at the Nürburgring, this latter contest the one forever memorialized by Juan Manuel Fangio’s stunning recovery drive to victory in a similar 250F. The story then retreats to Robinson’s formative years, detailing how he discovered that if he were to be in auto racing it would not be as a driver.
Realizing that being a mechanic was his ticket in, he began working with a young comingman named Stirling Moss. That association ultimately led to Tony joining BRP, the British Racing Partnership set up by Moss’ father Alfred, where he became technical director, then tracks the team’s ongoing efforts after the younger Moss moved on.
Filled with fascinating accounts of life behind the scenes of big time racing in the ’50s and ’60s, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of this period of the sport’s history.
Available for £24.99/US$49.95 from enthusiast bookstores or direct from publisher Veloce at www.veloce.co.uk
