Racing Green is the story of how motorsport science has become smarter and more environmentally friendly, and how these developments on the track are changing the world. Motor racing is one of the world's most watched sports. In the United States alone, NASCAR has over 75 million fans and counting. It's also the most scientifically demanding sport on Earth, requiring a combination of peak physical and mental skill, world-class engineers and a constant drive for technological innovation. Racing Green explores the science that has been translated from racing to the road, from the early 19th century through to innovations such as electric cars and autonomous vehicles. The history of motor racing, both its glories and its tragedies, led to some of the most important modern developments we see in car design today. Just as the heartbreaking death of Dale Earnhardt at the Daytona 500 led NASCAR to introduce a new raceway barrier method, ideas pioneered during races – such as crush zones to crash helmets – have been incorporated into race car and track designs around the world. Cleaner technologies first trialed and improved in modern racing are also shaping our communities beyond the track, from the hidden aerodynamics in everything from your grocery aisle to Apple's new $5 billion headquarters to a Porsche made from flax and tires made from dandelions. Through exclusive interviews with NASCAR's Research and Development Center, Formula 1 insiders, engineers, scientists and drivers, lifelong motorsport fan Kit Chapman goes behind the scenes of the current breakthroughs to show where motorsport is likely to take us in the future, picking up extraordinary tales along the way, such as the Ohio State University's experimental electric car, the Buckeye Bullet, which broke the electric land speed record on the salt flats in Utah, hitting an astounding 340 mph, and the untold story of how motorsport used its unparalleled mechanical expertise to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. Racing Green is a mix of travelogue and historical retrospective, combining visits to the experts and discussing the science with retellings of real-life incidents that represent milestones in shaping the modern world

Racing Green is the story of how motorsport science has become smarter and more environmentally friendly, and how these developments on the track are changing the world.Motor racing is the most scientifically demanding sport in the world: a combination of peak physical and mental skill, world-class mechanical nous and technological innovation. Ideas first pioneered during races - from ABS brakes to crash helmets - have been incorporated into car designs around the world to improve racing safety. And cleaner technologies first trialled and improved in modern racing are also informing the designs of everyday vehicles, such as better electric cars and more efficient fuels and tyres.Racing Green is the story of how motorsport science has changed the world, helping it become smarter and more environmentally friendly. From the radical shake-ups of safety in the 1970s through to innovations such as the lithium-ion battery, this book explores the science that has been translated from racing to the road. It looks at the history of motor racing, both its glories and its tragedies, and demonstrates how these moments led to some of the most important modern developments we see in car design today. It explores how motor racing is not only at the cutting edge of modern engineering, but also human psychology and physiology, both of which are integral to creating a winning car and driver. Author Kit Chapman is a lifelong motorsports fan who has previously worked with Virgin Racing's Formula E team to explore the chemistry and material science of their racing cars. With cooperation from his wide range of contacts in the industry, he goes behind the scenes of the current breakthroughs to show where motorsport is likely to take us in the future, picking up extraordinary tales along the way, such as the maverick designer Warren Mosler, who designed a car that was so fast he wasn't allowed to race it. Racing Green is a mix of travelogue and historical retrospective, combining visits to the experts and discussing the science with retellings of real-life incidents that represent milestones in modern car development.

Experience the thrilling highs and agonising lows of the British motor racing legacy in this magnificent photographic portrait.

Reprint of the original.

Based on the principles of engineering science, physics and mathematics, but assuming only an elementary understanding of these, this textbook masterfully explains the theory and practice of the subject. Bringing together key topics, including the chassis frame, suspension, steering, tyres, brakes, transmission, lubrication and fuel systems, this is the first text to cover all the essential elements of race car design in one student-friendly textbook. It avoids the pitfalls of being either too theoretical and mathematical, or else resorting to approximations without explanation of the underlying theory. Where relevant, emphasis is placed on the important role that computer tools play in the modern design process. This book is intended for motorsport engineering students and is the best possible resource for those involved in Formula Student/FSAE. It is also a valuable guide for practising car designers and constructors, and enthusiasts.

John Barnard revolutionised Formula 1, and motorsport as a whole, through his unrelenting quest for perfection in racing car design. Written with Barnard's cooperation and with input from dozens of associates, drivers and rivals, this biography tells the entire story, both personal and professional, of a British design genius. Barnard's technical achievements are explored in detail--and in accessible language--with special emphasis on his brilliant initiatives while at McLaren (the first carbon-fiber composite chassis) and Ferrari (the first semi-automatic gearbox). The Perfect Car is also a human-interest story, telling a tale of innovation under intense pressure while Barnard endeavoured to maintain a stable family life. This is a landmark book that will be relished by anyone interested in motorsport and design.

Reid Antony Railton, Cheshire-born automotive engineer par excellence, created an extraordinary range of cars. He rose to renown during the 1930s as chief engineer at Thomson & Taylor, Brooklands-based racing-car builders. There he realised the dreams of that era's top men of speed, including Tim Birkin, Malcolm Campbell, Whitney Straight, John Cobb, Raymond Mays and Goldie Gardner. His great cars powered them all to sensational racing and record-breaking success. This magisterial book, by one of the world's foremost automotive historians, tells Reid Railton's personal and professional story in superb detail and fascinating depth, with special focus on Reid's unique insights--amounting to genius--and technical accomplishments.