Starting from the Back of the Grid: Misadventures Inside Formula One's Flying Circus

Starting from the Back of the Grid is a unique perspective on the glamorous world of Formula One, told by a wide-eyed TV producer who can scarcely believe he is a part of it all. Kris Henley recounts interesting, entertaining and hilarious stories about life in the Flying Circus and many of its most intriguing personalities.

"Kris may claim to have no idea what he’s doing, but he somehow lasted this long, so I have my suspicions. This book shows that many of the F1 paddock’s weird and wonderful personalities have hilarious failings and, like Kris, needed more than a few lucky breaks to make it. This book provides a unique angle on the glamorous, intriguing and outlandish world of Formula One."

"Formula One is a travelling circus with hundreds of people making the show happen. Having taken time to think back over the many characters I have met in the sport, I have no hesitation in saying that Kris, unequivocally, is one of them!"

"Kryslexia: a learning difficulty that drastically impairs the skills required for the accurate reading, writing and speaking of Spanish, resulting in a hilarious vocabulary."

"TV crews in the F1 paddock work under extreme pressure and every second counts. When I am preparing my technical demonstrations, I am often working against the clock to get ready for the live broadcast. It’s a relief to know that Kris is there solving problems with a smile and positive energy, even if he seems to be running around like a headless chicken. I hope you enjoy the book."

"Kris is hard to keep up with as he zooms round the paddock at warp speed, but on the rare occasions when the job allows, he''s outstandingly cool company too!"

"Engaging, entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny, if we ran a rating system, this would get full marks! It''s the structure of Starting From The Back Of The Grid that truly makes this a book that cannot be put down. What immediately strikes you about this book is the honesty with which it was written. There is an unfiltered rawness to the recollections, and this is one of the factors that makes this one of the most engaging motorsport books on offer."

"It''s often said that in Formula One you meet a better class of person at the back of the grid. For all that Kris makes out he''s the Mr Bean of the paddock, he''s actually a solid bloke and much appreciated. If you want a different take on the mad, mad world that is F1, this is the book for you."

"I first encountered Kris at BSkyB in London when his career was on a terminal downhill trajectory, so it was a huge surprise to meet him again in the Formula One paddock. Like a durable (but blistered and slow) hard compound tyre, he somehow kept going when he should have been black-flagged long ago. This book is an exhaustive compendium of how not to make sports television. Read it at your peril."

"Kris, the man with the cap, is one of the friendliest and most helpful people in the paddock. He always has time for everyone. No matter how hectic or stressful the situation, he is always calm and kind."

"Had I known half of what I learned reading these hilarious, hair-raising stories, I would have fired Kris years ago!"

"Brings to life the reality of producing F1 coverage, juxtaposing the mundane and tedious with the flashes of glamour that makes paddock life so alluring. A different and ego-free voice from inside the F1 paddock.”

Starting from the Back of the Grid: Misadventures Inside Formula One''s Flying Circus is the hilarious and endearing story of how an academic flop with a prodigious talent for getting into embarrassing situations somehow succeeds in the glamorous world of Formula One.

The author, a TV producer and occasional cameraman, gives a distinctive perspective on F1’s Flying Circus, up close and personal with motorsport legends, A-list celebrities and the super-rich. He tells of his encounters with its greatest drivers and most intriguing behind-the-scenes personalities, and recalls the sport’s rivalries, tragedies and scandals.

He charts his own comedic career path from rough sleeper on a rubbish tip in Hong Kong to the paddock in Monte Carlo where his first words to Michael Schumacher caused the racing legend to inflate with rage. But a few traumatic days later he is sipping champagne high above the track on race day.

If you love Formula One and have a sense of humour, you will want to read this book.

• | Author: Ian Henley, Kris Henley
• | Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd
• | Publication Date: Nov 06, 2023
• | Number of Pages:
• | Language:
• | Binding: Hardback
• | ISBN-13: 9781801506472
• | ISBN-10: 1801506477