Formula 1 and road car design legend Gordon Murray unveiled his “One Formula” book earlier this month. It was compiled by the man himself and written by multiple award-winning author Philip Porter, and is a two-volume, 900-page epic charting in detail Murray’s many ideas, views and achievements and covers every one of his 70-plus designs in detail. Which, given Murray has helped provide us with a host of iconic and usually-beautiful F1 Brabhams, the all-conquering McLaren MP4/4 that won 15 out of 16 F1 races in 1988, as well as the epoch-making McLaren F1 road car, among many other designs, means the book is quite something. It costs £225 per copy, while in addition there are 100 limited edition versions available for £750 each, as well as 25 unique editions for £2500.
And now a very special and totally unique single Race Against Dementia Edition of the One Formula book will be auctioned by Bonhams at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, on July 5. This location is especially appropriate as the 2019 version of the Goodwood summer event will specially honor another motoring legend, Sir Jackie Stewart—marking 50 years since he won his first F1 title as well as celebrating his 80th birthday. Race Against Dementia is a global charity set up last October by Sir Jackie after his wife, Lady Helen Stewart, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. The charity aims to fund pioneering research and therefore fast-track finding a breakthrough in the treatment, prevention and cure of the condition.
The RAD Edition of the book is based upon its unique edition. This consists of the two volumes hand-bound by Ludlow Bookbinders and housed in a capped Gordon Murray-orange slipcase, and comes with a portfolio of blueprints, a DVD BBC programme about Gordon’s career, a model of his first car made especially for Gordon Murray Design and an exclusive portfolio, all contained in a hand-crafted solander box.
The portfolio also contains a unique signed sketch by Murray, plus a signed photo unique to each copy, a selection of period passes and other period ephemera. The box is topped with a sheet of recycled carbon fiber—a material that has been in large part pioneered by Murray. And the RAD Edition itself will include on top of all this a page written by Sir Jackie about Murray, as well as a page written by Murray about Sir Jackie, bound into Volume 1 and signed by both of the racing colossus figures.
Images courtesy of Porter Press International and Goodwood Motor Circuit
