- Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans

A.J. Baime has written a fascinating and involving book about European race car life in the 1960's, some might offer the Golden Age of the sport, driven by the competition between Ford and Ferrari. AJB is a very solid writer and his prose is compelling and his research deep. In particular he delves into the two personalities that drove (no pun intended) the competition: Henry Ford the second, grandson of The Henry Ford and Ferrari himself, the creator of the most dynamic of European sports cars then and now. The story is more than just theirs, it is heavily shaped by many others ranging from the steel-nerved drivers of the day to the cadre of engineers and builders of the cars. Some of the characters are well fleshed out and re-occur throughout the story, such as Carrol Shelby. There are a few times when the mob of car designers, builders and racing stalwarts can get a little confusing. In addition there were some of the races that AJB glossed over. A few of the races in which he dug into were some of the more exciting passages of the book. I certainly understand why he didn't want to write hundreds of pages regurgitating car positions etc. but a few of the races he didn't explore other than share the results. It seemed the book was just a little lighter in this area than it should have been. With that flaw aside, it is a well written book and brings to life a time of sport and dynamic competition that I found fascinating. My guess is that you will find it invigorating as well.

I am not a racing fan; however, I enjoyed Go Like Hell by A. J. Baime. It is about the 1960s rivalry between Enzo Ferrari and Henry Ford II in the annual 24-hour Le Mans in France. The rivalry began when Henry Ford II tried to purchase the struggling Italian car manufacturing company but was turned down as he wouldn't agree to allowing Enzo Ferrari to control the racing activity of a Ford-owned-Ferrari enterprise. This led to continued attempts by Ford Motor Company's leadership to defeat Ferrari's dominance on the Le Mans race during the 1960s. Aside from Enzo Ferrari and Henry Ford II, the book also includes other racing greats and colorful characters such as Carroll Shelby, Bruce McLaren, John Surtees, and Mario Andretti. The author is also very descriptive of the individual races as well as the engineering of the automobiles. A recommended read enjoyable for both F1 and non-F1 fans.

Everyone who knows me, knows that I am a consummate car-guy. Specifically, I lead the pack in a Dodge. Everyone, also, knows that in the history of auto racing- Chrysler's Hemi continues unbeatable. No Fords, Chevros, or Ferraris, around here ever pass my Challenger without permission! That said... I find AJ Baime's "Go Like Hell" (2009 304-page hardback) absorbing. This brilliant text is a quick read for the auto racing enthusiast. The book is well-written from interviews, book research, and the author's personal touring of the car racing world. It is comfortably resourced with 23 pages of end notes and eight helpful pages of period black-n-white and color photographs. Baime presents the fast paced, colorful, story of Enzo Ferrari's and Henry Ford II's early and mid 1960s battle for the face of Formula One auto racing. Their fight across the race tracks of Europe and America, posited curiously by the author as an extension of World War II, reveals Ferrari's personal nationalism and Ford's familial obsession to win regardless. The story is dramatic, tragic, exciting, and memorable. Author Baime brings statistics, celebrity conversations, colloquial expression, sports analysis, and personal reflection to this gripping ride through Ford's herculean efforts to beat Ferrari. Readers meet Lee Iacocca, Carroll Shelby, Phil Hill, John Surtees, Ken Miles, Phil Remington, Dino Ferrari, Giovanni Agnelli, Bruce McLaren, Mario Andretti, and many more. The various 1959-1967 Ferrari and Ford racing models are reviewed from tread to top and bumper to bumper. The development of Ferrari's 4 liter V-12 and the birth of Ford's historic 427 cid (7 liter) motors are told with reverence and insight. Baime relates brilliant victories (at Indy, Daytona, Riverside, Sebring, Monza, Le Mans, and many more), pit row personality conflicts (between Goodyear and Firestone contractees), auto industry management mistakes (don't race a Ford with and Italian gear box!), fiery race car crashes, and "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat", as Jim McKay used to say. An informative history of Le Mans wheels adeptly through the story like a Ferrari 330 P3's romp down the Mulsanne at 210 mph. This book is a gear-head's delight! Baime's writing style is quick, concise, and forward, much like the race pilots of which he writes. You won't want to put this book down. Beware, there is some gruff language here (steering the book away from a fifth star) mostly in quotes. But, what else would one expect from the hard running-win at all cost-racing scene (and a "Playboy" magazine editor writing about it)? If you have a spouse, relative, friend, or acquaintance who loves auto racing this book is an excellent gift candidate. If you're a gear-head wanting to learn about the face of racing in the 1960s this book is a must-read.

I love this book! Extremely well written. I laughed, I cried, I could smell the smells and hear the sounds. Sports car fans especially would appreciate this book, and the general reader would learn a lot about the development of the automobile, and gain in-depth knowledge of the cars and drivers.

génial pour l'Histoire, génial pour la profondeur des enquêtes. un grand récit et une belle matière pour l'excellent film de Mangold.

Good service 👍

I loved this book. The author has turned the real life events of this Golden Age of motor racing into an engrossing narrative. The characters are so large, so full of life and that comes straight through the pages. The description of the many races is vivid, you can almost hear the mighty V-12s of Ferrari, the Monster V8s of the Cobras and GT40. If you have even a slight interest in Motorsport or cars or how great personalities have shaped the automotive world we know today...get this book.

Fantastic book. Should be on the reading list for every racing fan!

Interesante historia sobre la gran rivalidad entre Ford y Ferrari, quizá la de mayor relevancia a nivel mundial en el deporte motor.