This beautiful, comprehensive collection of thrilling stories and stunning archive photography is the complete guide to the history of Formula One, from the 1950s to the present day.

The adrenaline-fueled, high-octane world of Formula One has created some of the greatest moments in sporting history. Its infamous circuits have played host to intense rivalries that have produced moments of tragedy and triumph that read like a film script. 

Since the 1950s, Bernard Cahier and his son, Paul- Henri, have been trackside capturing the drama of the Formula One Championships. Their stunning photographs chronicle both the changing face of the teams and their cars, from Lotus and Cooper to Williams and Ferrari, and of course the legendary drivers who have pushed their machines and themselves to the limits. 

Formula One correspondent Maurice Hamilton brings the stories behind these photographs to life; from the charismatic rivalries of Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss and the highly competitive Championship battles of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, through to the historic tales of Monaco’s winding course and the atmospheric crowds of Monza. 

With over 300 photographs – from the 1950s to the present day – all from The Cahier Archive and many previously unpublished, The Pursuit of Speed is the ultimate celebration of Formula One. 

Maurice Hamilton has been part of the Formula One scene since 1977 and was the Observer’s motor racing correspondent for 20 years. He has written more than 20 books as well as commentating on Formula One for BBC Radio. He is now actively involved with the online community on Twitter and writes several blogs whilst continuing to write books about racing. 

The Cahier Archive is the only photographic collection covering the history of the Formula One Championship to have remained in the hands of its original authors. Two photographers have built this archive: Bernard Cahier and his son Paul-Henri, giving the collection two very different styles. Bernard was a reporter and had the gift to make people truly live events through his pictures. Paul-Henri, on the other hand, has always leaned towards an artistic approach to photography. The common ground of their photos though, is that they always go beyond the illustrative dimension.

Once described as the ‘Cartier-Bresson of Motor Racing’ due to his uncanny ability to capture key moments, Bernard Cahier was a renowned photo-journalist. Starting in 1952, he covered both F1 and sports car races for innumerable magazines around the world and sometimes even raced himself, notably at Sebring and in the Targa Florio. He founded the IRPA (International Racing Press Association) in 1968 and remained its president until his retirement in 1985.