There are floods of books about motorsport but only a few are really worthy of note in terms of their content, illustration and design. These rarities certainly include Sharknose // V6. The title showcases one of the most famous Ferrari racing cars: the V6-powered 156 Formula 1 car from 1961. The first mid-engined racer from Maranello, it was grandiose and tragic at the same time – Phil Hill became world champion in the ‘Sharknose’ while Wolfgang von Trips was killed in one at Monza. 

This 432-page book, whose slipcase measures 29x29cm, doesn’t just focus on the Tipo 156, however. Authors Jörg-Thomas Födisch and Rainer Rossbach tell the story of Ferrari’s racing activities from 1960–1962 and include insight on the Formula 2 car (in which Von Trips was successful in 1960) and the 196 and 246 SP sports-racing cars, which also had ‘Sharknoses’ and caused a sensation at the Targa Florio, Nürburgring and Le Mans. The descriptions of the races and the portraits of the pilots are capped by 400 predominantly black-and-white images by the legendary photographer Bernard Cahier. It’s a terrifically illustrated book! 

Text: Eckhard Schimpf / Photos: McKlein Publishing