Raymond Mays' Magnificent Obsession

This biography of Raymond Mays includes complete histories of ERA and BRM, including race summaries, a foreword by Mays himself. Personal letters addressed to the author from Alfred Owen, David Brown, Tony Rudd, Rivers Fletcher, Bob Gerard, Ken Richardson, Juan Fangio, and many others add intimacy to the story.

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Laced with fascinating anecdotes, Raymond Mays' Magnificent Obsession reveals a pivotal figure in motor sport history, and describes the author's enthusiasm for BRM, detailing his visit to Raymond Mays, in Eastgate House, Bourne, in 1963. Focussing on Mays' early years and successes in motor racing in the 1920s, this book follows his progress to becoming a national celebrity. His famous White Riley's successes at Shelsley Walsh and Brooklands are covered, leading on to the building of the ERAs, which - led by Mays himself - represented the UK in voiturette races on the Continent. ERA's story unfolds with references to all the races in which the team took part. After WWII, Mays' achievement in building an all-British Grand Prix car, with the financial support of the British Motor Industry, is detailed, going on to describe how, after many changes, a BRM driven by Graham Hill won the 1962 World Championship. With the help of Mays' letters to the author, this book covers the whole history of BRM, until its demise in 1976.