Porsche 718+804

An adventure into Formula One during the 1.5 litre era
Jorg-Thomas Fodisch, Jost Nesshover, Michael Behrndt and Rainer Rossbach

The Porsche 718 and 804 are arguably the last fully-German cars to grace the Formula 1 grid. Yes, Mercedes is back this year, but the car is still partly a Brawn – and is of course built in the UK.

You would have thought that the last attempt by a German manufacturer to build a complete Grand Prix car, taking advantage of the 1.5-litre rules brought in for the 1961 season, would be well documented. But this is the first book totally dedicated to the (not entirely successful) 718 and 804.

A noble effort it is too. The text, in both English and German, covers the story behind Porsche’s entry into F1, the action, the names and faces of the marque, and of course the full results. Although the English could have been better translated, it does flow well and keeps you interested through the 200-plus pages. Perhaps the real bonus of this book is that the photos are invariably excellent, with many that haven’t been published before. Whether colour shots of the team at work in the pits, or black and white numbers of cars on track, the Porsche archives have turned this hardback into a must-have for any fan of the marque. EF

Published by McKlein Publishing, ISBN 978 3 927458 43 7, £54.99