Product Description

The inspiring autobiography of Britain's three-time World Touring Car champion, and almost certainly this country's best-kept sporting secret ! until now! For someone who grew up on a small island with a speed limit of just 35 mph, Andy Priaulx drives his car awfully fast. But then the man from Guernsey is a hugely determined figure who has been fighting against the odds and performing the role of underdog throughout his entire career. In this his first book, Priaulx tells of how he has fought - tooth and claw, with virtually no back-up - for every sponsor, every car, every penny on his way to achieving his dream of one day becoming a world champion. With refreshing honesty, Priaulx reveals how he and his wife risked everything financially to get on the lower rungs of the motor racing ladder, even spending some time living in a borrowed caravan at the Silverstone circuit in an attempt to save money. "Pikey Priaulx" was his nickname at the time, but the story only goes to show how sacrifice and sheer bloody-mindedness can pay off. Priaulx's reserves of energy, enthusiasm and dedication - not to mention his natural talent - served him well as he won the European Touring Car Championship in 2004. Motor sport's governing body, the FIA, recognises only three world championships - Formula 1, World Rally and World Touring Cars. Priaulx has won the WTC championship for the last three years, an unprecedented achievement. In fact, such has been Priaulx's success that he has been universally hailed as the greatest touring car driver of all time, and widely dubbed "Britain's Schumacher". In 2007 Priaulx received the ultimate accolade when he was awarded the Gold Medal of the British Racing Drivers' Club "in recognition of outstanding contemporary racing success". This was only the eighth time the Gold Medal has been awarded. Told in Andy's energetic and engaging style, this is the story of that most rare of sporting beasts - a true British world champion.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #131436 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

Review
"His route to the top was not an easy one; in fact quite the reverse ! Financial hardship, difficult career decisions, true determination and icy inner steel were rewarded." Damon Hill "He is rated by his fellow drivers as the complete package - the consummate professional. He is a hard-fighting sportsman but always a gentleman, as well as being a dedicated father and husband, relentless charity fundraiser and proud Guernseyman". BRDC Gold Medal citation "Refreshingly honest". Independent on Sunday "Andy Priaulx has a story worth telling". Saturday Telegraph's Motoring Gift Guide

HarperCollins

"It has been my very great pleasure to know Andy Priaulx since his early days. His rise from humble beginnings to superstar was far from easy but he has become one of the greatest and most successful drivers in the dramatic history of Touring Car racing. I am privileged to call him a friend. Few drivers have had as much, and as varied, success as Andy and his book makes a great read which I strongly commend to you."
Murray Walker OBE

"This book is an inspirational and refreshing look at our sport, the remarkable story of the sacrifice, determination, hard work and confidence that Andy put into turning himself from a talented driver into a World Champion. He is a great role model and a genuinely nice man. I wish him continued success."
Sir Stirling Moss

"Andy Priaulx has made a place for himself in the annals of motor sport by turning adversity to advantage, by never giving up, and always leaving time to smile. He is a multiple World Champion in one of the most fiercely contested race-car series anywhere on the planet. He also has shown that, contrary to what our base instincts constantly try to convince us, nice guys can, and do win.
Damon Hill OBE

"He is rated by his fellow drivers as the complete package - the consummate professional. He is a hard-fighting sportsman but always a gentleman, as well as being a dedicated father and husband, relentless charity fundraiser and proud Guernseyman".
British Racing Drivers’ Club Gold Medal citation

"Andy Priaulx is an outstanding sportsman and a worthy world champion."
John Surtees MBE

From the Author
Q and A with Andy Priaulx

* How does someone from an island with a 35mph speed limit get into motor racing?

My family have always been into motorsport and although we have a low speed limit we have plenty of ways to test our speed safely.

Guernsey began time trials on the sand, turning into sand races and then leading to having it's own sprint and hillclimb held on closed public roads which is still allowed in the islands.

I have always loved anything with an engine from motorbikes to powerboats - my passion from an early age was to go racing.

* You've raced in everything from motocross and hill climbing to power boating and test driving for F1 - what is it that makes touring cars special?

Touring cars is a race against some of the best drivers in the world, many of them ex-F1 drivers like Gabrielle Tarquini and the legendary Alex Zanardi, it's close and a definite test of more than just talent behind the wheel.

It's very good from a feeling of belonging to a successful championship one of only three FiA World Championships.

* What's been the hairiest moment in your racing career?

I've had several hairy moments, I will always remember my first barrel roll in a single seater racing car on the exit of Old Hall corner at Oulton Park, I also had a big shunt at Grande Curver in Monza with my old sparing partner Dirk Muller. ..

* And what's been the highlight so far?

Winning four titles in a row, each one has been a challenge in a different way from coming from 12 points behind to win the European Championship on equal scores and number of wins to making it three in a row in Macau last year.

Signing for BMW was a major highlight as they came looking for me and against a bad start I managed to prove their decision was a good one.

* Is there anything in your book that readers may be surprised to know about you?

There are many things as really I am relatively unknown outside motorsport and a lot of people only see my success so they could be surprised to read how much I struggled with the huge support of my wife Jo, we lived in a caravan to save money.

* How did you feel when you discovered recently that you were being awarded the MBE?

It is such an honour and also a reward in a way to all those people who have supported me with our charity and put many hours into my racing without asking for anything in return, many people I understand have wanted this for a long time and I am humbled by their faith in me.

* Do you feel that your three world championships have been rather overlooked by the UK media?

Put in perspective not really, I understand the media a lot better now and probably expected more with the first title but in the shadow of Formula One and the necessity to cover our great game (football) there are very few column inches for anything else.

I also think that as WTCC is not on terrestrial TV you have to be a real fan to get into it and the media have to cover such a lot of UK championships that we all miss out.

Customer Reviews

In the driving seat
As a proud 'Guern' and owner of a 3-series BMW this book was a fantastic read! I received it on July 4th and couldn't put it down! Andy paints such a vivid and realistic picture of his and his family's struggles, triumphs, laughter and tears. What comes shining through is his singlemindedness, and determination to be the best at his sport, but still find time to be a true Guernsey Donkey, proud of his roots,his family,and his supporters and friends.

Phenomenal Read........,
Andy Priaulx: The Autobiography of the Three-time World Touring Car Champion

An inspitational read from what seems to be a very down earth guy. From an island that only has a speed limit of 35mph, producing a three times British World Champion - How remarkable!

Guernsey Travel Guide!
While I admire Andy Priaulx for his achievements, I don't feel that writing a book is one of his talents. At times this reads as if he's being employed by the Guernsey Tourist Information Board. I'm sure that Guernsey is a lovely place and the people are good and honest but if I buy a motorsport autobiography I want to read about motorsport.
Andy seems to skim over important events such as being invited to test for Williams-BMW. There's no mention of how different driving a Formula 1 car is from his usual WTC car. There are no real insights into a racing weekend, into the development or testing of a car or the inner thoughts about other drivers, circuits etc.
It seems that this book has been written to appeal to "everyman" and while it's quite a good read it's not the book for you if you want to gain real insight into a world champion.