On the Grid

The Inside Track on Formula One

Luke Smith

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• eBook ISBN:
  9781398532489
• Year: 2025

Shortlisted for Motorsports Book of the Year in the Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards 2026

'On the Grid is incredibly special. I loved every thoughtfully written word'
Will Buxton

'Luke is one of the foremost journalists within the paddock. His book draws the curtain back on our sport... Very few titles have covered the stories of the unsung members of the F1 community in this level of detail and with such vibrancy'
Toto Wolff

'Even if you think you know everything there is to know about Formula 1, you'll learn something within these pages'
GP Racing

Formula 1 might only have twenty drivers in its most elite competition, but each is supported by a world-class team of mechanics, engineers, strategists, party planners and much more. In On the Grid journalist Luke Smith takes us behind the scenes of the past, present and future of the sport, telling its story through the eyes of the people who create it, including the all-important fans.

We see thrilling drama, cutting-edge technology, the stress and the glamour. Smith takes us to the starting grid, full of engine fumes and sweat, to yacht parties in Monaco and to the pit lane for the critical mid-race decisions. We see how a fifty-pence screw in the wrong place could cause a £15m car to break down, how F1 has influenced not just the cars we drive but life-saving medical equipment and even croissants, how you create a Grand Prix track from scratch.

On the Grid shows us what it’s like to work in a high-pressure and inherently dangerous sport; showcases the personalities that give it such drama and intrigue; examines how the sport is addressing its critics around inclusivity and environmental impact. For both long-time fans and newcomers, what results is the definitive, access-all-areas account of what makes F1 stand alone in world sport.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Introduction: The Grid
• Chapter 1: Smoke and Mirrors
• Chapter 2: The Billionaire Boys Club
• Chapter 3: Off the Grid
• Chapter 4: Champagne Problems
• Chapter 5: Our Deadly Passion, Our Terrible Joy
• Chapter 6: Track Runner
• Chapter 7: Fantastic Fans
• Chapter 8: ‘Stick to Sports’
• Chapter 9: The Race for Change
• Chapter 10: Chequered Flag
• A Note on Sources and Interviews
• Acknowledgements
• Copyright