Century races off with first official book from Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1

Century will publish Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane of Formula One, the first official book from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, which is co-written by Matt Whyman.

Century publishing director Ben Brusey acquired world rights directly from the team. Aubrey Martinson, editor at Crown, a division of Penguin Random House US, will publish in North America. The book will be published in hardback, audiobook and e-book on 7th November 2024. 

Century said: “With exclusive and unprecedented access to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, award-winning writer Matt Whyman charts the journey of the Silver Arrows as they face their greatest challenge: the race back to the front. Once untouchable, the winner of seven Drivers’ World Championships and eight consecutive Constructors’ World Championships confront the reality of no longer being F1’s top dog.  

“Whyman, fully embedded across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, follows decorated drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, Team principal Toto Wolff, and the extraordinary men and women that design, build and race the team’s cars as they fight back – on and off the track.” 
The book will cover the “tension of pre-season testing to the thrill and glamour of race weekends – including blue riband events such as Silverstone, Monaco, and the first-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix” and provides “fascinating insight into the world of the fastest sport on earth and one of its most successful teams", Century said.  

The publisher added: “Whyman reveals the pressure cooker environment of elite competition, shares the secrets of teamwork and high performance, and foregrounds the remarkable individuals who push to the limits in their quest for victory.” The book will also include previously unseen photographs from inside the team."

Whyman said: “Travelling with the team over the last few years has been a fascinating experience. Nothing has been off limits. This year is set to be an enthralling season. I hope readers enjoy my revealing, access-all-areas portrait of the team.” 

Brusey said: “At a time of such growth in the popularity of the sport, and in chronicling Lewis Hamilton’s final season with the Silver Arrows, readers and F1 fans are in for a treat with this indispensable read.” 

Toto Wolff, team principal, c.e.o. and co-owner of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, said: “This book lifts the lid on what life is really like inside our team and it has been based on unprecedented access – nobody has ever been this close to what happens behind the scenes. The book showcases stories of some of the many women and men who are working incredibly hard to get us to the front of the grid during some of our most challenging and most exciting seasons.” 

Whyman has co-written books with figures in sport and popular culture including Gareth Southgate, Matthew Syed, Billy Connolly, Neil Gaiman and Sir David Attenborough. He is an award-winning novelist and writer of non-fiction.