Alfa Romeo Grand Prix

First among Champions – The Alfa Romeo Grand Prix cars by David Venables ISBN: 1-85960-631-8 Published by Haynes, £30.00

The author of acclaimed works on Napier and PreWar Voiturettes has adopted a unique approach with this publication, concentrating on Alfa’s grand prix heritage. The outcome is a book no fan should be without The narrative covers the firm’s birth, the halcyon days of the P2 and P3, the attempts to prevent German dominance in the 1930s, post-War heyday of the Alfetta and the return in the ’70s. Venables peppers his expert tale with colourful characters and anecdotes and, in his preface, expresses regret at having to include the failed campaign of the 1970s and 80s. However, this lends the book a completeness which should ensure its position of ‘definitive work’ for many years to come. IM