SHORTLISTED 2026

Illustrated Book of the Year | Shortlisted

Formula One: The Champions

by Maurice Hamilton, photographed by Bernard and Paul-Henri Cahier

75 years of legendary F1 drivers

Legendary F1 commentator Maurice Hamilton and award-winning photographers Bernard and Paul-Henri Cahier bring the heroes of F1 together in a stunning photographic portrayal of the Champions who drive at the edge. Contains exclusive images and quotes from icons such as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and Maurice’s historic interviews with the sport’s lost heroes.

Maurice Hamilton has been part of the Formula One scene since 1977 and was the Observer’s motor racing correspondent for 20 years. He has written more than 20 books as well as commentating on Formula One for BBC Radio. He is now actively involved with the online community on Twitter and writes several blogs whilst continuing to write books about racing. 

The Cahier Archive is the only photographic collection covering the history of the Formula One Championship to have remained in the hands of its original authors. Two photographers have built this archive: Bernard Cahier and his son Paul-Henri, giving the collection two very different styles. Bernard was a reporter and had the gift to make people truly live events through his pictures. Paul-Henri, on the other hand, has always leaned towards an artistic approach to photography. The common ground of their photos though, is that they always go beyond the illustrative dimension.

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