I Just Made the Tea

This memoir of Di Spires looks at Formula 1 from a very unusual viewpoint. She travelled the world in Formula 1 for 30 years, running the team motorhome for a succession of different teams. As well as Formula 1 people, she encoun... Les mer

I Just Made the Tea

This memoir of Di Spires looks at Formula 1 from a very unusual viewpoint. She travelled the world in Formula 1 for 30 years, running the team motorhome for a succession of different teams. As well as Formula 1 people, she encountered personalities from every walk of life, from royalty to criminals on the run. Her stories range from the hilarious to the tragic and provide a unique perspective. This is a fast-paced read packed with surprising snippets and observations, with plenty of intimate insight into what the drivers are really like.

The author's Formula 1 roles included working for Lotus in the Senna era and Benetton in the Schumacher era. She worked with five World Champions and became 'Mum' to some of the biggest names in the pitlane. An engaging read that's full of amusing stories from the Formula 1 paddock over the past 30 years. Very much a people book, it's packed with interest and insight into the whole cast of Formula 1, from World Champions to mechanics. Ayrton Senna features large in her story - she became close to the great Brazilian driver and his family. Other great drivers whe worked with, and got to know well, include Michael Schumacher, Nelson Piquet and Elio de Angelis. A motor racing memoir with a difference.

With her husband Stuart, Di Spires spent 30 years running team motorhomes in the Formula 1 paddock and her experiences resulted in this book. Prior to that she was a civil servant working for ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) resolving strikes, and such was the demand for ACAS's services at British Leyland that for a long time she had a permanent office there. Her co-author is also someone with two aspects to his working life. Bernard Ferguson has worked in motor racing for 40 years, 23 of them at Cosworth, latterly as Director of Motorsport. In retirement he decided to try his hand at writing by taking on this project with Di Spires. Lukk