Review of "Hairpins"

I find fictional books on racing, no matter what type of racing, to be quite realistic in their descriptions of what drivers experience in their cars and this book is no exception.  Here is my review of "Hairpins"

 

Title/Author: “Hairpins: A Formula 1 Racing Novel” by Wayne Kerr

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: Formula 1 racing, much like other forms of auto racing, is mostly a male-dominated sport but there are some women who are breaking barriers and succeeding in the business.  This fictional novel by Wayne Kerr centers around a young woman, Nikita (Niki) Madera, and her races in the highest level in the sport.

Niki, her McLaren teammate Martin LaConte and Alfa Romeo driver Joshua (Shu) Wheeler are characters that are well developed in the story and there is a budding romance between Niki and Shu despite the fact that they are teammates.  There are other important characters to the story, such as Niki’s best friend and manager Lynn and Camryn Cardinal, another female driver.

However, the main selling point of the book is what happens in the racing simulator and on the track.  There is a lot of detailed information on what Niki, Shu and the other drivers are doing.  This includes conversations between the driver and spotter, the strategies made by each team and great detailed explanations on the cars, the tracks and the various hazards that each driver faces.  The reader will really feel like they are part of the team or sitting in the cockpit of the car or simulator through most of the book.  There is enough technical talk that knowledgeable race fans can learn more, but not so technical that novice or non-fans can still understand what is happening.

If one is looking for a dramatic, character-driven story, this is not the one.  But for an excellent description of a driver’s experience during a Formula 1 season, then this is the book for that reader.  Despite the story being fictional, the description of the tracks, cars, and race teams feels very realistic.

I wish to thank the author and publisher for providing a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.