Ex-racer Karun Chandhok book breaks down the world of Formula 1 for young readers

New Delhi, May 18 (PTI) From pointing out that it takes 11,000 parts to build a Formula 1 car, offering glimpses from the track to exploring rivalries between racers, a new children's book by former Grand Prix driver-turned-commentator Karun Chandhok presents the minutest of details of the world's fastest sport.

"Drive to Victory", published by Hachette India, dives into the nuts and bolts of Formula 1, taking readers behind the scenes -- and even under the bonnet -- of the world's fastest cars and the racers who steer them to glory. The illustrations of the book are done by Max Rambaldi.

"After reading the book, you'll know all the important things there are to know about the fastest sport in the world. In these pages, I'll tell you all about the star drivers on the track today and some of the great ones from the past; the top teams and how they got started; how racetracks are actually built; and most importantly, what makes a racing car go really fast!" writes the UK-based author in the introduction of his debut book.

Born into a motor racing family where his father, grandfather and even grandmother used to race, Chandhok, one of only two Indians -- alongside Narain Karthikeyan -- to have competed in Formula 1, is a familiar face in the F1 paddock.

He now travels to most races on the calendar as a commentator, bringing expert insights to the sport.

Divided into seven chapters, the book offers a quick yet comprehensive A to Z of the racing world -- covering everything from the basics of a Formula 1 car and the rules of the sport to insights into a driver's team, profiles of key figures in the racing circuit, and a glimpse into some of the most iconic high-octane races.

So, whether it's 'formation lap', 'drag', 'downforce', or 'G-force', the book breaks down most of the commonly used terms in the world of racing and cars, explaining them in simple language.

In fact, it was the desire to make this "complicated sport" more accessible for children -- so they can watch and enjoy it with greater understanding -- that inspired Chandhok to write the book in the first place.

"My kids ask me all sorts of questions about the drivers, their cars, the tyres and the racetracks, and it made me realise that Formula 1 racing can be a pretty complicated sport and it's hard to understand it when you first start watching it. Someone needed to write a book explaining how it all works and everything there is to know about the drivers and their teams," he said.

The book, priced at Rs 499, is currently available for purchase across online and offline stores. PTI MG RDS RDS