Retro Speed Magazine
‘
A masterpiece by Ian and beautifully published and presented by Porter Press.’ PB
Octane, August 2016
…'Wherever Wagstaff pursues a tangent, he does so with purpose, and as a long thread of contextual information is unspooled over the course of 340 pages, the reader begins to grasp the enormity of Maserati's achievement in building the 250F lightweights.
…'The greatest joy, though, are the many entertaining anecdotes that Wagstaff has compiled: ‘The 250Fs were dispatched from the factory wrapped in brown paper, like parcels.' 'Hans Herrmann observed that [Behra's girlfriend] was very jealous and did not like other women approaching him.' 'Lucien Barthe drove so wildly in practice [at the Pau GP] that race officials would not let him start.' Wonderful stuff. Wonderful car. Wonderful book.'
Auto Express, June 2016
…'Beautifully detailed and packed with stunning pictures, it's guaranteed to be a hit with all motor racing fans.'
Motorsport, August 2016
…'I loved the shot of new 250Fs being dispatched wrapped in brown paper like Christmas presents, while a foldout Tony Matthews cutaway and detailed studio snappery add value to what at a glance is a high price for a car book but on inspection seems fair for such an assemblage of facts.'
Classic & Sports Car, 2016
…'Enhancing this readable history is a wealth of period photographs. The many highlights include stills from the BP film of Fangio gunning 2528 around Modena in 1958, and a dejected Behra drenched in oil after he retired from the French GP. If you love '50s Grand Prix cars, you'll relish this vivid history.' MW
Hagerty Classic Car Insurance. Review by John Mayhead
…'As ever with the Great Cars series, the layout is very easy to read: pictures, race results and quotes are interspersed throughout the text, with huge amounts of detail for both the historic racing enthusiast and those who love the Maserati marque.'
www.pocketfulofrye.co.uk
…'Beautifully compiled, this book is one of the most appropriate that I have ever read about a car that is still a technological marvel and so tremendously attractive from every angle that it warrants its existence. Yes, it is an expensive book but there is no finer tribute to the Maserati 250F and this car in particular.'
Automobile, August 2016
…'The author and publisher have obviously searched far and wide for previously unseen photographs of the car and have put together a fabulous record of it in 1957, including some wonderful colour images,…'
Classicdriver.co.nz
…'What makes 2528 such a good choice for this series is that this car never really retired, but went on to a long and successful historic racing career.
…'The book is beautifully-produced and hundreds of monochrome and colour photos, many of them full-page, really add to the pleasure of the book. The book concludes with a 30-page photographic portfolio of the car as it looks today.
…'This is how such a significant racing car's history should be recorded.'
Auto Italia, August 2016
…’Wisely, Ian Wagstaff and the Porter Press have taken a different approach to the old racer with this new book and chosen to concentrate on a single Ch. 2528.
…’Uniquely placed to offer this kind of insight, Adolfo Jr sets the scene for the birth of the 250F and adds some previously unseen period photography of the personalities and the Modena factory that cannot help but draw the reader back to 1954 and the genesis of the model.’
BRDC, August 2016
…’The Maserati 250F is indisputably one of the great Formula 1 cars, totally worthy of a place in the series and chassis 2528 is an ideal car to choose…
…’Anyone who appreciates the 250F as one of the iconic F1 cars of all time should have a copy of this book on their shelves.’
Historic Racing Technology, Issue 9
…’It goes without saying that everything about this book is exemplary in terms of writing, photographs and production values.
…’After the race-by-race chapters there are more on the one and only Fangio, with a lovely moody full-page picture of him seemingly lost in thought. Another shot captures Jean Behra, looking very coolly at the camera while smoking a cigarette. Then there's one of Harry Schell, whom Wagstaff describes as larger than life, smiling than life, smiling at the camera with a cigar clenched between his teeth. Where are such characters today in motorsport?
…’This is not an inexpensive book but it is actually tremendous value for money and, with other such books in the series, a must-have addition to the library.
Classic Cars, September 2016
…’This was Jean Behra's car, and Ian Wagstaff's meticulous research has turned in a massive, multifaceted work circling around a Behra's-eye view of the thrilling, turbulent 1957 Formula One Season. It's an immersion in a world of ad-hoc and often long-lost Grand Prix circuits, constant technical tweaks and ever-present danger.’
www.meyerspublishing.com
…’It tells the story of a uniquely special example of the Maserati 250F; the car featured in the book, chassis 2528, is one of three lightweight versions built, and it was driven to victory by Juan Manuel Fangio in the Monaco Grand Prix and by Jean Behra in three non-championship Grand Prix at Pau, Modena, and Casablanca. The story of 2528, from its construction to the present day, is accompanied by 400 photographs.’
Autosport, December 15
Very often a sportsman will, after a long and successful career, release a memoir. This tome takes that approach to Fangio’s 1957 Monaco GP winner.
Autobuch.guru (German website)
…’Looking at just one car, the Great Cars series from the English Porter Press publishing house sets new standards. Instead of a detailed monograph on a single model, the Great Cars series offers an even more subtle view of exactly one chassis of a legendary racing car. The fifth volume is features the Maserati 250F with the chassis 2528.
…’All books in the series show a uniform layout and look back on other icons of racing history. Jaguar, Porsche and Ferrari are without exception big names and Maserati counts of course in this elitist circle. The 250F was one of the most important Formula 1 racing cars of the beginning…
…’The texts are excellently researched and the guest authors contribute with personal memories to the book. There are a large number of rare photographs which show the 2528 in many situations - both on and beside the race track.
‘In addition to the standard edition, there is also a de Luxe Edition, which is bound in leather, has been signed by the author and is limited to 100 copies. This is only available at the publisher directly and provides the ultimate opportunity to own a book about the Maserati 250F 2528.’
