Racing Hell: The Hidden Truths of Motorsport

The veteran British endurance racing driver with six Nürburgring 24 hour race wins at the fearsome 'Green Hell', Peter Cate has achieved success across more than thirty years of top-level competition.

RACING HELL is a candid, behind-the-scenes exposé for aspiring racers to better prepare for the realities of a career on the grid and for serious enthusiasts to understand what's really going on behind the pit garage door. From club racing to Formula 1, much about motorsport is misrepresented or misunderstood. This driver's eye view is grounded in authentic accounts of actual events in the often-controversial world of the paddock, providing contemporary insights which reveal the essential truths and hidden dangers of a life in motorsport, before reaching a uniquely immersive and thrilling conclusion.

'Peter falls into a formidable group of no-nonsense, highly-focused racers. His insights are worth their weight in gold' Alex Brundle, Racing Driver

'A fascinating read and a must for anyone with a passion for motorsport who wants to know more about life on track' Sir Chris Hoy, Six-Time Olympic Gold Medallist and Racing Driver

'At the University of Motor Racing, this book by the six-times Nürburgring 24 Hours winner would be your go-to textbook' Motor Sport Magazine

'Peter's motorsport life lessons and thoughtful rationale are delivered with a refreshingly frank and engaging honesty' John Hindhaugh, Sportscar Broadcaster

'Peter's fusion of memoir, history and seriously informed analysis cuts no corners and glosses over no cracks' Lauren Sneath, GPFans

A message from the author:

Racing Hell is a handbook of motor racing truths, packed with uncensored recollections of this veteran driver who managed to cross over from the oily rags and muddy fields of club racing to the spotless pit garages of professional motorsport.

I’ve drawn upon my detailed notes from more than 30 years behind the wheel with top-level teams, to share some of the very best and worst features of our sport as I have seen them. I’ll detail key aspects I wish I’d known before I started racing, exposing the realities of striving to compete with the best.

You’ll read about incredible things that happened to me or to people around me, the awesome cars I’ve raced (and the not so awesome!), the super-talented world-class team mates, the subtleties of car set-up and the breathtaking tracks that were the scenes of so many challenging contests.

But when the pit garage is opened, there are also dark things that live in there which need to be dragged into the light, including the psychological fears, the frustrations, the fools and fraudsters and even the outrageous skulduggery of saboteurs which can make racing hell, destabilising or even crashing a driver’s career at any level.

A book of this nature cannot be complete without acknowledging the importance of sponsor partnerships, the real fuel in any competitive race car and the source of most of the unfairness in our sport. I have proactively developed vital relationships that have sustained my driving career far longer than most. By revealing my path, I hope talented racers can also find and sustain support for the breaks they deserve.

After sponsorship issues brutally cut short my own British Touring Car Championship career, I discovered a different kind of racing hell: for more than two decades, the Green Hell has reinvigorated my racing ambitions, offering everything I initially imagined motorsport would, including much I had lost along the way. Truly authentic, unadulterated motorsport. That’s Racing Hell!

Controversial as many of my accounts and opinions may be, I’ve had a fantastic ride; long may you enjoy the same!

Peter Cate