Total Competition: Lessons in Strategy from Formula One

Honestly, I find this book pretty confusing and all over the place. But that is probably due to it not being NOT A biography, nor a book about sport, but a business book, not that different from many others in the genre.

Ross Brown is a brilliant guy. He is probably not the smartest constructor in F1, but he has learned from his mistakes and climbed extraordinary heights. This book shares his journey with us and, in that, is a true gem.

Art of War references might put some readers off if you subscribe to the belief that only war is war and business can be challenging, but it's not and should not be treated as war. But Adam lays this to rest with excellent explanations, central to the story being that you should respect the competitor but fight them. But only on the track. And that the “war” only applies to external actors but never to your team and employees.

Also: Brown > Newey!

Kind of disappointed. The first part felt more like a defense and rant to the world, although it did have some very interesting stories and facts that were fascinating to me. The second part is more of generic principles which can be found in most books. Nevertheless, no regrets. Brought me closer to the world of f1!

Ross Brawn's thoughts on F1 are golden. It's profoundly entertaining to get his take on the development cycle and the politics of modern racing.

Adam Parr's attempts to make this “Sun Tzu with wheels” unfortunately often falls flat. It's just a bit of reach to constantly compare the team principal to Napoleon, etc.