For most, the thrill of piloting a Formula One race car at breakneck speeds remains impossibly out of reach. Yet, for the elite cadre of twenty drivers across ten F1 teams, it’s an ultra-demanding reality. Now, a new Assouline coffee table book, Formula 1: The Impossible Collection, 2nd Edition, offers a captivating glimpse into this high-octane world, updated to mark the sport’s 75th anniversary and reflect recent shifts in power, notably Red Bull’s dominant performances.
Inspired in part by the surging popularity of Netflix’s Drive to Survive docuseries and the upcoming, Brad Pitt-starring feature film F1, this handcrafted volume charts Formula One’s evolution from its genteel beginnings in 1950 to its current status as a global spectacle captivating hundreds of millions of fans. And it arrives just in time for this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.
The lavish coffee table tome—which clocks in at 228 oversized pages brimming with 180 images—meticulously highlights the groundbreaking technical advancements that have defined the sport, the awe-inspiring feats of its legendary drivers, and the nail-biting finishes that have etched themselves into racing history. Iconic figures who have shaped Formula One’s narrative, including Juan Manuel Fangio, Bruce McLaren, Enzo Ferrari, Colin Chapman, Bernie Ecclestone, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Jean Todt, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen, are celebrated within its pages.
More than just a chronicle of races and champions, the newly revamped Formula 1: The Impossible Collection serves as a vibrant homage to the collective passion that fuels the entire F1 ecosystem. It dynamically illustrates the dedication of the mechanics, technicians, engineers, and team directors who operate behind the scenes, alongside the unwavering commitment of the drivers themselves, who risk everything to become part of the sport’s illustrious legacy.
Assouline’s latest offering is handcrafted in a luxury yellow PVC clamshell case with metal plaque, and carries a $1,400 price tag, aimed at F1 fans and luxury book collectors alike. In the immortal words of racing icon Ayrton Senna, “You’ll never know how a driver feels when he wins a race. The helmet hides unfathomable emotions.” Check out a sneak peek at the book’s striking imagery in the slideshow above.
