Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and their Battle for Speed and Glory at LeMans is the story of Ford's attempt to beat Ferrari at the famed 24 Hours of LeMans in the 1960s. Ford decided that the way to win buyers was to win races, not just in America but around the world, and the mother of all races was the 24 Hours of LeMans. That meant taking on Enzo Ferrari, whose knowledge of speed and devotion to winning knew now bounds -- but Ferrari had yet to be challenged by anyone with the resources or determination of Henry Ford II.
Not your typical racing book
Go Like Hell is unlike any other racing book I've read. I was expecting a technical history of the race and the cars. But what I found was infinitely more fascinating -- part biography, part corporate narrative, part fingernail-biting action story. Author A. J. Baime introduces us to the drivers, the mechanics, and the businessmen who led both the Ford and Ferrari efforts, and sheds light on why the battle for supremacy at LeMans evolved from a simple, sensible business decision to an intensely personal battle of wills. Many people know what happened -- Ford eventually won, though it turned out to be a heck of a lot harder than they imagined -- but Baime takes us back in time and shows us how and why it happened. It's an utterly fascinating trip -- a David and Goliath story in which we learn that David isn't exactly the squeaky-clean good guy he seems to be.
Baime's research included interviews with Carroll Shelby, Phil Hill, John Surtees, Lee Iacocca, Edsel Ford II, Mario Andretti, A. J. Foyt, Lloyd Ruby, Piero Ferrari, and others. So rather than just a dry recitation of the facts, Go Like Hell tells its story from the perspective of the people who made it happen. Baime takes us to stuffy boardrooms where quaking executives tell Henry Ford II the bad news he doesn't want to hear. We sit with Enzo Ferrari as he sketches engine designs with his dying son Dino. We go trackside with Carroll Shelby as he tries to turn the monstrous Ford GT40 into a winning race car. And we ride along with the racers as they court disaster, pressing untested machinery in one of the world's most dangerous sporting events. Don't worry if you're not a racing fan -- Go Like Hell is a great read that I'm sure any car buff will enjoy as much as I did.
