Martini Racing Story 1983-1987

edited by Cyril Frey. 178pp/ 13” x 10”. (Martini Racing, 80 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4TG. £19.95 + £2.80 p&p)

Contrary to first impressions, this glossy coffee-table tome is more than just a hardbound advertisement. It may exist primarily to glorify a well-known brand of drink, but it also makes a very good job of chronicling the adventures of a leading motor racing organisation in world rallying, sportscar and powerboat racing.

The end product can only be described as stylish. Colour is used throughout, well printed on large-format high-quality paper to enable some quite stunning photography to leap out of the page; most of the pictures are deployed bravely, boldly, and above all big.

Lancia’s works rally squad monopolises the first two thirds of the book. It’s year-by-year history from 1983 (a similar volume has already dealt with the earlier period) is sprinkled with articles on the leading drivers, co-drivers and cars, but excessive verbiage is avoided, with neither words nor pictures ever being cramped.

Full results tables at the back make this in many ways a reference work as much as an album, and an attractive one at that. It is not, however, cheap…
GT