RAC Book Awards Shortlists Revealed
Now in its fifth year, the Royal Automobile Club Motoring Book Awards are recognised as the most prestigious awards to be bestowed in the automotive publishing industry. The annual awards, hosted by respected broadcaster and journalist Simon Taylor, will take place on Wednesday 31st October at the Club’s historic Pall Mall clubhouse, amongst many distinguished industry guests.
Two awards will be presented - the main Motoring Book of the Year Award for a book with wide appeal at an affordable price, and a Specialist Book of the Year Award which, in the opinions of the judges, is an impressive feat of research and endeavour regardless of its retail cost.
“We never fail to be amazed at the quality and variety of titles that our experienced judges propose for the Awards, and this year is no exception” said Peter Read, the Club’s Motoring Committee Chairman.
“The Royal Automobile Club possesses one of the world’s finest motoring libraries in the world, one we add to constantly. The history of the Club spans that of the car itself, and it is our duty to stoke enthusiasm in all aspects of motoring history including literature” said Peter Read.
The award committee consists of six expert judges who are totally independent of the Royal Automobile Club, that represent the UK’s most informed motoring literary critics. Tom Wiltshire, book reviewer for leading weekly magazine Auto Express, and Mark Dixon, the widely respected deputy editor of Octane magazine. They are joined by Christian Whitehead from the motoring department of London bookstore Foyles, leading independent motoring bookseller Ben Horton of Hortons Books, Gordon Cruickshank from Motor Sport magazine and Mick Walsh international editor of Classic & Sports Car magazine.
The 2018 shortlist of contenders includes works on racing driver biographies, marque histories and general motoring to legends in engineering and vehicle design.
The six titles shortlisted for Motoring Book of the Year Award are:
- Pironi: The Champion That Never Was by David Sedgwick, published by Pitch Publishing
- Enzo Ferrari: Power, Politics and the Making of an Automotive Empire by Luca Dal Monte, published by David Bull Publishing
- Donald Healey’s 8C Triumph Dolomite, by Jonathan Wood, published by Jonathan Turner and Tim Whitworth
- Drive: The Definitive History of Motoring by Giles Chapman, published by Dorling Kindersle
- Adrian Newey: How to Build a Car, by Adrian Newey, published by Harper Collins
- Hobbo: Motor-Racer, Motor-Mouth, The autobiography of David Hobbs by David Hobbs with Andrew Marriott, published by Evro Publishing
The six titles shortlisted for Specialist Motoring Book of the Year Award are:
- Daimler Days Volume 3 - More Than a Celebration of 100 Years of Daimler Motor Cars by Brian E. Smith, published by Daimler Days Publishing
- Inside Track: Phil Hill, Ferrari's American World Champion - His Story, His Photography. Volume 1 1927 – 1967 by Phil Hill with Doug Nye, published by The GP Library Ltd
- Reid Railton: Man of Speed by Karl Ludvigsen, published by Evro Publishing
- Jim Clark: The Best of the Best by David Tremayne, published by Evro Publishing
- Gaston Grümmer The Art of Carrosserie by Philippe Gaston Grümmer and Laurent Friry, published by Dalton Watson Fine Books
- Turbo 3.0: Porsche's First Turbocharged Supercar, by Ryan Snodgrass, published by Parabolica Press
The Royal Automobile Club Motoring Book of the Year Awards is one of the one of the most important events during the Club’s annual London Motor Week during which the Club hosts an array of high-profile motoring events, including the Art of Motoring exhibition, Motoring Lectures, the Motoring Forum, a dinner with former BMW Board Member, Dr. Ian Roberston and the Dewar and Simms Trophy presentations awarded for British engineering excellence. The week culminates with the free-to-view Regent Street Motor Show on Saturday 3rd November and the world-famous Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run supported by Hiscox on Sunday 4th November.
